The Belief It Or Not Podcast

In this episode, we discuss the infamous hippie cult, Children of God, aka Teens for Christ, The Family of Love, The Family, or finally The Family International. We talk about its leader David Brandt Berg, aka King David, Mo, Moses David, Father David, Dad, or Grandpa. We talk about their view of "free love" and how it seemed more like mandatory sex. We discuss the rampant abuse and the practice o...

In this episode we discuss pandemics and epidemics, how the church responded to them, and how people responded to the church. We discuss people wondering why the church failed to predict the black death, or why God wasn't protecting his priests, or the religious leaders who said it was a punishment from God. We discuss religious people failing to act in a way when the AIDS crisis began, the cathol...

In this episode we talk about the mountain meadows massacre. An event that happened on September 11, 1857. As a wagon train was making their way from Missouri and Arkansas to California, they stopped in Mormom run Utah for supplies. Tensions grew as the mormon settlers believed the travelers to have sinister motives, eventually leading to a very violent massacre. We also talk about racism in the B...

In this episode we discuss talking to the dead. We talk about the history of mediums, the tricks of the trade, and some famous mediums. We talk cold reading, warm reading, hot reading and all the readings. We talk clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and all the clairs. We discuss Sylvia Browne, John Edward, and the woman who inspired that Medium TV show. We also have a discussion with Dav...

This week's episode is a discussion about how to distinguish a cult from a religion. Is it the abuse, is the brainwashing, is it the way the leader acts, is it the way the other members treat you, is it how old the group is? We discuss the BITE model and other criteria people have used to dissect this difference. As always we are not experts, we just google this stuff. Hosted by Trevor Poelman and...

In this week's episode, we discuss the crazy world of relics. Do we really have Christ's burial cloth or his foreskin? Did a barber save a piece of Muhammad's beard? Did Mary leave her belt for the apostle Thomas? Does the physical state of a saint's blood affect world events? Does Buddha's tooth give you power? Obviously no. As always we are not experts, we just google this stuff. Hosted by Trevo...

In this episode we discuss the Anabaptists. We talk about their early days, why they fought for adult baptism, and why the church and governments were not fans of their movement. We discuss the difference between the Amish, Mennonites, and Hutterites. We also discuss how the movement impacted the modern church. As always we are not experts, we just google this stuff. Hosted by Trevor Poelman and D...

In this episode we discuss missions trips. We talk about the history of missions, some of the more famous missionaries, we discuss how the short term missions evolved. We also talk about the harm they cause to local economies, the dangers of the white saviour complex, why your missions trip instagram photos are problematic, and other things that are harmful about it. As always we are not experts,...

In this episode we talk about the history of youth ministry, why churches need youth groups to make that sweet sweet money, we talk about the games they play (both fun and scary), we talk cool youth pastors, and cool youth group names. We also discuss the darker side of youth ministry. Like what can happen you you trust a random person to spend hours alone with your kids. As always we are not expe...

In this very special episode, we throw out our regular format and talk about what we love and don't love about Christmas. We talk about people thinking they are interesting for saying Die Hard is their favourite Christmas movie, we talk about some of the worst songs, like Little Drummer Boy and Last Christmas, and we discuss the traditions that can leave you feeling miserable and left out. It's a...

It's Christmas, so you know what that means… bells on every corner asking you to donate to homophobia. That's right we're talking about the Salvation Army. We discuss their origins in East London in the 1860s, how they got their name, their beliefs, why they have bands, how they gave us donuts, and of course how they fight against progress. And also the sexual abuse. As always we are not experts,...

In Philadelphia, born and raised, people were upset that other people had different beliefs. In this episode we discuss the Bible Riots, or the Nativist Riots, or the Native American Riots of 1844. A mistrust of Catholic immigrants led many protestants to think they were trying to take bibles out of school, so what else would you do but riot? We look at how fear and mistrust of people who come fro...

In this episode we discuss the quiverfull movement. You know, those people with all the kids. We discuss the origins, how it spread through the internet, and of course how the Duggar's made us all aware of it. We discuss their slim view of gender roles, their strict rules for sexuality and dating, and of course their love of homeschooling. We also discuss Josh Duggar and Bill Gothard's abuse, the...

We get satanic in this episode… satanic panic that is. We discuss the people who thought satan was coming for you and your kids in the 80s and 90s. We discuss how they looked for satanic messages in movies, cartoons, and music, and how they thought there were evil rituals being held around every corner. We talk about how fear and mass hysteria can ruin lives and make people do crazy things. We als...

This episode is hell. We discuss the theology of hell, where it came from, what the bible says about it, and how it evolved over time. From Sheol to Dante, we dive deep into what the hell it's all about. We also discuss how fear is used to keep people in the faith and why that fear shouldn't control you anymore. As always we are not experts, we just google this stuff. Hosted by Trevor Poelman and...

In this episode we discuss the sleazy world of faith healing. From Smith Wigglesworth to Kathryn Kuhlman, A.A. Allen to Benny Hinn, we look at their lives, their money, their secrets, and especially with Todd Bentley why they are terrible people. We also discuss the tricks of the trades, the laws protecting children from them, and our personal experience with them. As always we are not experts, we...

In this episode we discuss some of the more interesting and quirky religions that are out there. We discuss cargo cults, UFO cults, magic, sex, and soccer players. As always we are not experts, we just google this stuff. Hosted by Trevor Poelman and Damien Doepping For more info and and our references check out https://beliefitornot.wordpress.com/ Also follow us on twitter @beliefitornot, instagra...

In this episode we discuss and the people who don't like it. We discuss the laws and attitudes about the issue before Roe v Wade, how Jerry Falwell used it for his racist agenda, the methods they use to bend the law, the hurt they cause, and the violence that occurs. As always we are not experts, we just google this stuff. Hosted by Trevor Poelman and Damien Doepping For more info and and our refe...

In this episode we discuss bible stories that are told to children in brightly coloured books, cartoons, or Sunday school felt boards, and try to figure out if these classic stories are really appropriate for kids. We discuss the genocide, incest, and naked drunkeness of Noah's ark, the violence and plagarism of David and Goliath, the weirdness of Jonah and the whale, God killing children with Lio...

In this episode we discuss the small sect of Christians who think that God's going to protect them against snake bites even though he continually doesn't protect them against snake bites. That's right we're talking about the snake handling churches of the Appalachian Mountains and southeast United States. We talk George Went Hensley, Jamie Coots, and "Punkin" Brown, and the surprising way these pe...

In this episode we talk about TV's bigoted grandpa Pat Robertson. We discuss his days in law school, his military "service," starting a TV station, creating the 700 Club, trying his hand at faith healing, running for president, using a tragedy to scam people out of money to pay for his blood diamond mines, and of course all the terrible things he's said along the way. We also quiz Damien on his kn...

In this episode we talk Davidians and Branch Davidians. We discuss The Shepherd's Rod, their break from the Seventh-Day Adventists, the history of Mount Carmel, their popularity in the fifties, the many leadership struggles, and of course David Koresh and the ATF raid on the compound that cost the lives of 76 of its members. What's the worst that can happen when you think the world is ending soon...

In this episode we discuss conversion therapy, sometimes called ex-gay therapy, reparative therapy, sexual orientation change efforts, or simply child abuse. We talk about the history of the practice, the organizations promoting it, the efforts to stop it, and the long term damage it causes. We also sit down and talk to Pirate Jen Takahashi, an activist fighting the good fight in Alberta, about wh...

In this episode we discuss some of the insane rules people at bible college and other religious schools have to follow. Rules about how short your shorts are, how long your hair is, what music you can listen too (if any), what movies you can watch (if any), who you can ride an elevator with, what road you can take to go to the store, and what you can think. We read personal stories and excerpts fr...

In this episode we talk all things Mormon or, less offensive to them suddenly, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We talk Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, golden plates, seer stones, polygamy, plagiarism, coffee, secret ceremonies, becoming a god, the three witnesses, stopping LGBTQ from getting married, and of course god changing his mind about black people in 1978. As always we are not...