Un-holier Than Thou Podcast

What happens when the man standing in the pulpit every Sunday is secretly battling alcoholism...and his wife is the one carrying the weight of it behind closed doors? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Sam, a former pastor’s wife, to talk about what it was really like to be married to a pastor struggling with addiction while living in full-time ministry. To the congregation, they were...

How much authority should a pastor have over your life? Paul and Toby spent years inside an Independent Fundamental Baptist church where loyalty, obedience, and spiritual authority were deeply intertwined. What they experienced was not one dramatic event. It was a gradual realization that something they had trusted for years was no longer sitting right with them. In their first ever public telling...

What if the reality you’ve been taught isn’t the whole story? In this episode of Unholier Than Thou , I sit down with Caitlin , an influential voice in the deconstruction community, for a fascinating conversation about what happens when you begin questioning the beliefs you inherited...and start searching for truth for yourself. Throughout our conversation, we keep coming back to Plato’s Cave, the...

For years, many Christians have been taught that meditation, certain spiritual practices, and anything outside of traditional Christianity can open the door to demonic influence. But is that actually biblical? Or have fear-based teachings convinced Christians that they're constantly walking through a spiritual minefield? In this episode of Unholier Than Thou , Jennifer welcomes back returning...

In this episode of Unholier Than Thou , I’m joined by my husband Ryan -aka Smitty - as we take a deep dive into the history and timeline behind one of the most talked-about and controversial cases in recent true crime. Mica Miller’s death in April 2024 shocked the country and sparked countless questions, investigations, online theories, and intense public scrutiny. But to understand why this case...

What happens when you grow up believing you have the truth, but start asking questions anyway? In this episode of Unholier Than Thou , I’m joined by Reba, who was raised in an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church as a pastor’s daughter. From a young age, she questioned whether she was truly being taught the truth. As she entered adulthood, she began researching the beliefs she had inherite...

Leaving a religious system can change far more than what you believe. It can force you to question your identity, your values, your relationships, your role as a parent, and even your understanding of who you are. In this episode of Unholier Than Thou , I’m joined by Audra Phelps , who works with former Mormon mothers navigating life beyond the structures and expectations of the LDS Church. We tal...

What happens when we die? It's one of the oldest questions humanity has ever asked, and in this episode of Unholier Than Thou , Melissa Farley and I explore it through the lens of faith, deconstruction, and curiosity. Melissa, co-host of The Morning Show , shares her journey of growing up in a high-control religious environment, untangling inherited beliefs, and rebuilding a life rooted in au...

She was only 9 years old when she says her pastor's son and piano teacher, Travis Huse, sexually abused her. When she finally told the pastor's wife years later, she says the church failed to act. In this powerful episode, Alicia Hall shares how she survived childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, religious betrayal, depression, and addiction - and how she ultimately helped bring her...

How do cults gain control over people's minds...and what does it take to break free? In this powerful episode of Unholier Than Thou , I sit down with Isabella Young , author of Putting on the Armour of God and New Human of New Earth , to discuss her extraordinary journey out of a Messianic cult led by her former husband. Bella shares her firsthand experience with coercive control, religious m...

What happens when the church that taught you about God also becomes the source of your deepest wounds? In this episode of Unholier Than Thou , I sit down with Nikki, a former worship leader whose journey began in a Pentecostal church at 17 years old. After entering an abusive relationship with the pastor’s son, she found herself in a church culture that protected leadership instead of victims, lea...

In this episode of Unholier Than Thou , I sit down with Dr. Amanda Udis-Kessler - a progressive Christian pastor, sociologist, ethicist, author, and sacred music composer-for a thoughtful conversation about one of the most debated movements in Christianity today. Together, we explore: What progressive Christianity actually is Why so many people are leaving evangelicalism The role politics has play...

When the Helpers Hurt: Grief, Suicide & Finding Hope | With Dr. Alyssa The deconstruction and survivor communities are grieving the heartbreaking loss of Ryan Stollar—a respected advocate, writer, and tireless voice for abuse survivors, child protection, and those harmed within evangelical and homeschooling communities. Rather than speculate about Ryan's personal struggles, this episode i...

In Part 2 of my conversation with Tim Kelly, we go even deeper into the theories, philosophies, and historical narratives surrounding power, consciousness, centralized control, and humanity's future. This episode explores topics ranging from ancient civilizations and secret societies to central banking, free energy, spirituality, independent living, consciousness, media narratives, and the im...

What if the story of humanity is far older - and far stranger - than we've been told? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, I sit down with researcher Tim Kelly for a deep dive into some of the most controversial and fascinating questions surrounding our origins, consciousness, religion, and reality itself. Because this discussion lasted over three hours, we've split it into two episo...

Perimenopause, Low Testosterone & The Hormonal Plot Twist No One Warned Us About Why your body feels different, your libido disappears, and what you can do about it. Welcome back to Cocktails & Confessions, where no topic is too unholy, too awkward, or too taboo. In this episode, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most misunderstood and least talked-about transitions in a woman’s life:...

Purity Culture Changed My Sex Life! What happens when the messages we receive about sex, purity, modesty, and desire become deeply embedded in the way we think about ourselves, our bodies, and our relationships? In this powerful and honest conversation, I sit down with sex therapist Dr. Alyssa to explore the lasting impact that religious belief systems and purity culture can have on our mental hea...

What really happened behind the closed doors of CBN and The 700 Club? Pat Robertson’s former personal bodyguard, David R. Wilcox, joins Unholier to expose the shocking disconnect between a public faith healer and private power broker. About This Episode: In this explosive episode of Unholier, author and former insider David R. Wilcox pulls back the curtain on the multi-million dollar empire of Pat...

Are you constantly living in fear of the end times? Do you feel like your entire life has been a "waiting room" for heaven while you miss out on actually living ? In this explosive episode of The Unholier Podcast , host Jenny Smith sits down with veteran, author, and spiritual thinker Shawn Helgerson ( In a Little While ) to tear down the walls of institutional religion and expose the tr...

In this very first solo bonus episode, I’m opening up about my experience navigating single parenthood — the exhaustion, the survival mode, the judgment, and the strength it took to keep going when life felt impossibly heavy. This episode isn’t just for single parents. It’s also for the families, friends, partners, and support systems surrounding them. Because single parents don’t need saving — th...

If you’ve ever been told your depression was a "lack of faith," or that your boundary-setting was "rebellion," this episode is for you. In this powerful episode of the Unholier Podcast, we sit down with therapist and author Ann Russo to unpack the deep, often invisible scars of religious trauma. Far from just being "dramatic," religious trauma is a calculated form of...

What happens when a man dedicated to protecting the community and preaching the Word starts to see the cracks in the foundation? In this episode of the Unholier Podcast , we sit down with Shawn Towers , a former police officer and Pentecostal preacher who walked away from a lifetime of faith to reclaim his cognitive autonomy. Shawn opens up about the high cost of questioning doctrine—from the soci...

Is it a sin or just a Sunday? Grab a drink and pull up a chair as we deconstruct the "holy" chaos of the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) movement. This week, we’re joined by fellow escapee Kristin Watson for a much-needed palate cleanser. From the absurdity of "modest" fashion to the absolute terror of a tent meeting, we’re spilling the tea (and the gin) on everything our...

**Is Your Nervous System Stuck in Survival Mode? | The Trauma of "Rapture Practice" & Purity Culture** Did you grow up "practicing" for the Rapture? Do you still feel a spike of panic when you can’t find your parents, or feel a deep-seated shame about your body that you just can't shake?  In this powerful episode of the **Un Holier Podcast**, we sit down with mental he...

🚨 SHE’S FINALLY SPEAKING OUT. The system is broken, and Jenny has the receipts to prove it. In the explosive conclusion to our 3-part series, we’re pulling back the curtain on the family court nightmare that almost cost a mother everything. Think the courts always favor the mom? Think again. Jenny, David, and Ryan sit down for their most raw conversation yet, exposing what happens when an abusive...