Recovering From Religion

This week on RfRx, we are joined by attorney Geoffrey T. Blackwell to discuss the separation of religion and government. We will have a general discussion about the concept of separation of church and state, the current state of the law in the United States, and some recent relevant Supreme Court cases and victories on behalf of non-religious folks. Bring your questions for Geoffrey and join us fo...

This week on RfRx, Anthony Dominello joins us to discuss how autism affects deconstruction and deconversion from religion. Anthony will discuss what autism is, describe the diversity of autistic people both in their personal identities and presentations and share his experiences of deconstruction and deconversion as it relates to people with autism. Please join us for this educational presentation...

This week on RfRx, Andrew Pledger comes on the show to share his experiences of his upbringing in a fundamentalist Christian cult and the level of control and mental abuse he experienced as a student at Bob Jones University as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Andrew will further discuss his experiences with fundamentalism and the intersection of religious trauma and queerness. Andrew Pledger is a...

This week on RfRx, Jason Racheotes returns for the continuation of his presentation on Politics and Civic Engagement After Religion. We will be discussing how our views on politics and civic engagement may evolve and change after deconverting or coming out of religion. We will learn about some different political concepts that are often ignored and get more clarity on tangible actions we can take...

How can philosophy improve our understanding of secularism and critical thinking? This week on RfRx, join us for a conversation about secularism and philosophy with philosopher, author, and speaker Nicholas Soutter. We will discuss the field of philosophy and its applications to secularism, dogma, controversial social issues, and science fiction. Bring your questions for Nick and join us for this...

How do you know if your thinking and decision-making are biased? We encounter so much information on a daily basis that all of us are susceptible to cognitive bias, which is often the result of our brains’ attempts to simplify information processing. This week on RfRx, Richard Gilliver will discuss what cognitive biases are, how to avoid bias in skeptical thinking, and how to make sure we are not...

Religion impacts our brains and nervous systems. The evidence is easy to see and is experienced by many people. Dr. Ray will show how emotions like fear and disgust are used by religion. He will also demonstrate how religion interferes with our normal attachment systems and how religion distorts normal development from childhood to adulthood among many other things. If you have experienced trauma,...

This week on RfRx, join us for a conversation with former Shia Muslim, author, and public speaker, Armin Navabi. Armin will discuss his faith and his journey to becoming a secular activist, as well as his book “Why There Is No God”, in which he deconstructs common arguments for the existence of a god. Bring your questions for the live Q&A with Armin! Armin Navabi is an atheist activist, known...

This week on RfRx, we are joined by Matt Dillahunty, a well-known activist and lecturer on topics including skepticism, humanism, atheism, and critical thinking. Matt will be talking with us about his experiences examining his own beliefs, explaining how to critically evaluate claims, and answering your questions about religion, faith, and the supernatural. Bring your questions for Matt in this in...

This week on RfRx, we are joined by Ethan Siegel Ph. D., astrophysicist and author of "Starts with a Bang!" He is a science communicator who has taught physics and astronomy at various colleges and written numerous books. He will share fascinating information about the universe, and discuss the importance of science education and science communication. Bring your questions for Ethan and...

We are kicking off Pride Month with an intimate conversation with adult content creator Arden Hart. We’ll talk about gender diversity, sex positivity and adult entertainment. We’ll also learn about common arguments used to advance anti-trans laws and where those arguments are flawed in reasoning and evidentiary backing. Bring your questions for Arden and join us for a celebration of queer identiti...

This week on RfRx, Rob Palmer is returning to host Part II of the interactive logical fallacies trivia challenge. Bring your A-game and play trivia with us, or just come watch the show and hone your critical thinking skills. Why? Because recognizing these bad arguments can help you do two things: avoid being deceived by false claims made by others, and also stop using them yourself to justify ques...

This week on RfRx, we are putting in a call to Jimmy Snow, sometimes known as Mr. Atheist. Jimmy will be joining us to discuss his experiences growing up Mormon, ranging from numerous unsuccessful attempts at getting excommunicated to the complex interplay between systems of faith, family, and oppression. We will also be announcing an exciting collaboration between Recovering from Religion and The...

With the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers in the news, as well as male lone-shooters almost daily, we might ask: “What is going on with men and boys?” Or maybe you've heard the term "incel" and wondered where that is coming from? This week on RfRx, Dr. Ray will discuss a wide range of issues, trends and statistics that may surprise you - from dating site trends, to college attendance, mar...

This week on RfRx, join us for a discussion of healthy activism with secular and progressive activist ObjectivelyDan. Dan will talk about what healthy activism is all about, sustainable ways to be an activist, and avoiding activism fatigue while still working on causes that matter. ObjectivelyDan is a content creator most known as the creator and primary host of Truth Wanted, a weekly call-in show...

This week on RfRx, Dr. Kara Griffin will discuss techniques for navigating difficult conversations related to religion and non-belief with important people in your life. We will go over deciding whether and how to start a conversation, setting yourself up for more productive interactions, knowing when to take a break, and avoiding common pitfalls. Bring your questions and join us for the interacti...

Looking for help but wary of being proselytized to? This week on RfRx, David Teachout will discuss mental health care. Let’s explore why the Secular Therapy Project is a good idea, and what to be aware of when looking for a therapist professional. For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org. Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or...

This week on RfRx, we are putting all of those critical thinking skills we’ve been developing to good use. Phil Ferguson joins us to discuss the applications of skeptical thinking in major life decisions including evaluating one’s faith-based beliefs, making sound investment decisions, and helping kids work through religious ideas. Phil Ferguson has been an investment advisor representative since...

This week on RfRx, we are joined by creativity coach and editor Lauren Alexander. Lauren will discuss how we can use writing and art to process and compost religious trauma. Join us this week for a presentation about how creativity can help us in recovery as well as addressing some of the concerns that come with creating and possibly sharing art. Lauren is an editor, atheist, and introverted weird...

This week on RfRx, we will be talking about Logical Fallacies. Why? Because recognizing these bad arguments can help you do two things: avoid being deceived by false claims made by others, and also stop using them yourself to justify questionable beliefs of your own. Rob Palmer, who has spoken about Critical Thinking at a previous RfRx, will be joining us this time to give a refresher on logical f...

This week on RfRx, we’re having a casual conversation with Your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist, Ethan Micheal. We will discuss the value of open dialogue, honest conversation, and leaving space for surprise and the opportunity to learn. Bring your questions for Ethan and join us for a chance to imagine new ways of thinking and questioning old ones. Your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist believes in ope...

Most of us pride ourselves on being rational, thinking creatures, but what about the role of emotions in human life and history? This week on RfRx, we are joined by one of the world’s leading experts on emotions: Dr. Richard Firth-Godbehere. His award-winning interdisciplinary research walks the line between history, psychology, linguistics, philosophy and futurism. This week he will discuss how o...

Magical thinking is the belief that one's words, actions, thoughts, or use of symbols have an effect on the external world and/or events. In this discussion, Helen Greene will explain how in childhood magical thinking starts, how people use it as a psychological tool, how even people without belief still practice magical thinking, and how to break oneself from falling into these patterns. Hele...

Exxtian Erin joins us to discuss Pentecostal Christian marriage books and relationship advice, including some that have found their way into popular culture. From love languages to mandatory premarital counseling, we’ll review the good, the bad, and the silly in popular literature on the topic of love and relationships. Bring your questions, personal stories, and book recommendations for a light-h...

This week on RfRx, just in time for Valentines Day, Dr. Jennifer Manlowe discusses her new book, Cracking Up . This book draws from Dr. Manlowe’s research as a scholar of gender, psychology and religion, her professional experience as a secular therapist, and her personal experience being trained to be “a good girl” as a Roman Catholic in the late 20th century. The book looks at the micro and macr...