Let's Talk Religion

In this episode, we explore the history of witches and witchcraft, from ancient sorceresses and magic in Mesopotamia and Rome, through medieval ideas about heresy, demons, and folk magic, to the demonology and panic of the 15th-17th centuries that produced the witch as we know it. Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: h...

In this episode, we explore Solomon as an occult authority in the Islamicate world: from the Quranic stories of Sulayman commanding the jinn and the winds, to the legendary Seal of Solomon, to his role in Islamic magic, talismans, letter science (ʿilm al-ḥurūf), and grimoires. We’ll look at how the Quran itself deals with Solomon and magic (Surah al-Baqarah 2:102), the figure of Asaf ibn Barkhiya,...

Iblis (Satan) refused to bow to Adam, and the Qur’an condemns him for it. But some of the most daring Sufi mystics read that refusal very differently: as the act of a perfect monotheist and a tragic lover who would not bow to anything but God, even at the cost of eternal separation. In this video we explore how Iblis was reinterpreted in Islamic mysticism, from Mansur al-Hallaj’s Kitab al-Tawasin...

What is the Anqa? In this episode we explore the Anqa (عنقاء), the elusive, legendary bird of Arabic and Islamic tradition, often compared to the phoenix and the Persian Simurgh. We look at its origins in pre-Islamic Arabian lore, the story of how it vanished from the world, and how "the Anqa of the West" (ʿanqāʾ mughrib) became a proverb for something that exists in name but can never b...

In this episode, we explore the fascinating history of alchemy in the Islamic(ate) world, from the writings of Jabir ibn Hayyan, to the Emerald Tablet, Abu Bakr al-Razi & the Sufis. Music by: Filip Holm Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/tal...

Ibn 'Arabi's famous "Religion of Love" verses are some of the most striking lines in Islamic mysticism - a declaration that the heart can take the form of every temple, church, and shrine. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the poem itself, its context in the Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, and what it reveals about Ibn 'Arabi's views on love, God, and universality in Sufi thoug...

The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikma) is one of the most mythologized institutions in history, but what do the actual medieval sources say? In this video, we separate legend from evidence, tracing what the House of Wisdom really was in Abbasid Baghdad & what role it played in the translation movement. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon:...

The great Sufi mystic Ibn Arabi was taught by a woman. In Part 2 of our series on Sufi women in history, we explore the female saints, teachers, and muses who shaped the thought of Islam's greatest mystical philosopher. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://payp...

John Scotus Eriugena was one of the most radical thinkers of the early Middle Ages — a philosopher who fused eastern and western Christian theology with Neoplatonism to create a vision of God, nature, and creation centuries that is breathtaking and unique. In this episode, we explore his masterwork Periphyseon (On the Division of Nature), his controversial ideas on negative theology, and why the C...

In this episode, Zevi and I explore what the Talmud is, what it is not, and the role it plays in the Jewish religion. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we explore one of the most fascinating texts in the history of Western esotericism: Porphyry's Commentary on the Cave of the Nymphs. Written in the 3rd century, this short but remarkable work interprets a mysterious passage from Homer's Odyssey as a profound allegory for the soul's descent into matter and its eventual return to the divine. We explore how Porphyry reads the cave, it...

The Hare Krishna movement didn't start with chanting monks in airports, it began over 500 years ago with a Bengali mystic named Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This video traces the full history of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, from its roots in 16th-century devotional Hinduism to its transformation into the global ISKCON movement, brought to the West by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1965. We cover the theo...

Who was Rabi'a al-Adawiyya? Explore the life, teachings, and spiritual legacy of one of history’s most influential mystics. From divine love to radical devotion, this video examines how Rabi'a transformed Islamic spirituality and continues to inspire people centuries later. Sources/Recommended Reading: Cornell, Rkia Elaroui (translated by) (1999). "Early Sufi Women: Dhikr an-niswa al-muta 'abbidat...

Explore the fascinating world of religion in Ancient Greece, from the powerful Olympian gods like Zeus, Athena, and Apollo to sacred rituals, temples, myths, and festivals that shaped daily Greek life. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligion...

Did the Quran once contain additional suras that are no longer part of the standard text? In this video, we explore reports about the codex of Ubayy ibn Ka'b and examine claims about “lost” or excluded suras during the Uthmanic recension. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time don...

Who was Mazdak, and did he really preach a form of “ancient communism”? In this video, we explore Mazdakism—a radical movement in Sasanian Persia that challenged wealth, power, and social inequality over 1,500 years ago. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://pay...

Was the legendary “Atlantis of the Sands” real? In this video, we explore the mystery of Iram of the Pillars, the lost city often linked to the ancient people of ʿĀd mentioned in the Qurʾān. We explore whether it was originally a city or the name of a people, and all the legends surrouding it until this very day. Music by Filip Holm Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Le...

How did Abd al-Malik shape the development of Islam? This video explores the reign of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik, including his reforms, the construction of the Dome of the Rock, and his role in shaping early Islamic identity. Was he the most important caliph in Islamic history? Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon....

Was the great Sufi thinker Ibn 'Arabi actually a kind of idealist philosopher? In this video we explore the metaphysics of the Akbari tradition and the famous doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud (Oneness of Being). I examine Ibn ‘Arabi’s view that God (al-Haqq) is the only true Reality, while the universe is a divine self-disclosure within Being. Along the way we look at concepts like wujūd (Being), imagi...

Find Omid here: Instagram: brotheromid And Illuminated Tours/Courses: https://www.illuminatedcourses.com Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonate Also check out the 'Let's Talk Religion' Youtube channel: Let's Talk Religion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

What is the “School of Love” in Sufism? In this video, we explore Madhhab-e Ishq — the Sufi path centered on divine love (ishq) as the highest way to know God. From the poetry of Rumi to the teachings of Ahmad Ghazali, discover how love became a spiritual methodology, a theology, and a transformative path within Islamic mysticism. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let'...

Zurvanism is a lesser-known feature of ancient Zoroastrianism that centers on Zurvan, the god of infinite time, and the cosmic struggle between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu. In this video, we explore the origins, beliefs, and historical influence of Zurvanism, what it is and isn't, and why it matters for understanding ancient Persian religion and dualism. Check out Soul Roots: https://www.youtube....

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often seen as a modern invention—but its core ideas were explored over 1,100 years ago by the 9th-century scholar Abu Zayd al-Balkhi. In this video, we explore al-Balkhi’s groundbreaking writings on mental health, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, and the connection between thoughts and behavior—ideas that closely resemble modern psychology and CBT. F...

Nicholas of Cusa was a 15th-century philosopher, theologian, and mathematician whose ideas anticipated modern science and philosophy. In this video, we explore his life, key works, and radical concept of “learned ignorance,” as well as his views on infinity, knowledge and religious diversity. Discover why this forgotten medieval thinker still matters today. Find me and my music here: https://linkt...

In this video, I explain the meaning of taqiyya in Islamic tradition & where it comes from. We look at its historical context, what scholars actually say about it historically and today. Find me and my music here: https://linktr.ee/filipholm Support Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonate Sour...