Sacred Tension

In this stripped down, unedited episode of Sacred Tension I hang out with Lucien Greaves to discuss terrible Christian movies, Satanic blasphemy, the corruption of social media, his new music project Satanic Planet, and much more. Find Lucien Greaves here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my Discord server here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension I'm joined by socialist economist, professor, and author Rob Larson to discuss the horrors of big tech, and what we can do about it. While we are all social distancing and more reliant on technology than ever, now is the best time to think deeply about how we can socialize the tech and digital worlds. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and my heightened work load/stress level/existential horror, these episodes are unedited. That means they are a bit more rough around the edges than they normally are. However, I want to continue to bring you conversations during this difficult time, and I hope you find some solace in these conversations. Find Rob Larson Here.Join my Discord server here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I'm joined by Lucien Greaves, co-founder and spokesperson for the Satanic Temple. We discuss the challenge of maintaining a religious community during the COVID-19 pandemic, common misunderstandings about the Satanic Temple, and why nontheistic religion is essential. Find Lucien Greaves here.Join my Discord server here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the new, stripped down, unedited Sacred Tension. Due to the incredible stress I've been under in recent weeks, I'm now releasing chill, unedited conversations for your listening pleasure. In this episode, I'm joined by longtime friend and occasional Sacred Tension co-host Danielle, who interviews me about what it's like being an essential grocery store worker during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a word, it's terrifying. Join my Discord server here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Matt and I conclude our commentary of Eleventyseven's new album Basic Glitches. Listen to Basic Glitches on Spotify here.Join my Discord server here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Matt Langston and I continue our conversation about his latest album Basic Glitches, which explores themes of religious trauma, deconversion, the digitization of our world, and much more. In this episode, we get to the silly half of the album.Listen to Basic Glitches on Spotify here.Join my Discord server here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Matt Langston and I continue our conversation about music, evangelicalism, religious trauma, and more. Listen to Basic Glitches on Spotify here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I'm joined by friend and colleague Matt Langston to discuss his latest album Basic Glitches. We talk about our long and traumatic journeys out of evangelical Christianity, sexual purity culture, and much more. Listen to Basic Glitches on Spotify here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the transcript of this mini episode here. Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I’m joined once more by Priest Penemue of the Satanic Temple to discuss supernaturalism, theism, and the Fifth tenet of the Satanic Temple. The fifth tenet reads, “Beliefs should conform to our best scientific understanding of the world. We should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit our beliefs.”Find Priest Penemue here.Support Priest Penemue on Patreon here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I speak with pastor, author, and astrophysicist Paul Wallace about his journey as an astrophysicist who can't shake his faith in God. We discuss Galileo, quantum physics, the interactions between faith and science, why I personally don't believe in God, and much more. Find Paul Wallace's work here. Join my Discord community here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension I'm joined by Priest Penemue -- a Satanic content creator and director of ministry at The Satanic Temple. We discuss the difference between Church of Satan and The Satanic Temple, and why those differences matter.Find Priest Penemue here.Support Priest Penemue on Patreon here.Read TST vs. CoS article here.Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here.Follow me on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the transcript to this mini episode here This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I speak with professional conspiracy theory debunker Mick West about cognitive biases, aliens, real conspiracies, and much more. You can find Mick West here. Read my articles and send me hate mail here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here.Become a patron so I can continue my crippling content creation addiction here. Join my mailing list here.Follow me on twitter here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I'm joined by evangelical John W. Morehead for an ecumenical conversation about Satanism, Evangelicalism, multiculturalism, and more.Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Environmental scientist Melissa Wilson joins me to talk environmental collapse, and how we can fight it. Find Melissa hereDrawdown ProjectFind other Rock Candy Shows here.Read my work, comment, or get in touch with me here.Support me on Patreon. Join my mailing list. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the full transcript of this mini episode here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, Jack Matirko of For Infernal Use Only answers questions about modern religious Satanism. Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the full transcript of this mini episode here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I speak with sex worker Kit Bauer. We discuss the stigma of sex work, a day in the life of a sex worker, the benefits and importance of sex work, and much more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the transcript to this mini episode here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I talk to controversial online leftist provocateur, edgelord, and de-radicalizer Vaush. We discuss his methods of argumentation with the far right, why he does what he does, and how the Left often fails in responding to our critics. We also address his recent sexual misconduct allegations.Content warning: this episode does address sexual abuse.You can find Vaush’s work here.My article about Sam Harris. My interview with Professor Ben BurgisListen to other Rock Candy shows.Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the full transcript of this mini episode here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, environmental scientist Melissa Wilson returns to the show to tell us a harrowing story of abuse at a small Christian college in Appalachia. Instead of assuming this incident is an anomaly, or a tempest in a teacup, it is best to see it as a microcosm of the abuse and crisis sweeping all of evangelical Christian culture. Melissa B. Wilson, A.L.M and M.S. is an active conservationist and environmentalist who happily lives in paradise (the U.S. Virgin Islands) working to create STEM career pathways and networks for Caribbean students. As a former evangelical, a current climate activist, gay ally, and descendant of the Bohemian Reformation (the first Protestant Reformation) she speaks about faith, life, ecology, and our current political climate on her blog www.ecotheologist.com. She graduated from Harvard University in May 2019 with a Masters of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies-Sustainability and won the Harvard Dean’s Top Prize for Best Thesis in Sustainability. Her conservation research about wilderness, reaching Half-Earth, and STEM education can be found at www.melissawilson.net.Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

The good news: my partner and I are buying a house this week, and soon I will have a brand new studio space. The bad news: I'm way behind on the show because of the move. Instead of a Sacred Tension episode, here is an interview I did with Matt Langston of Eventylife. We talk about creativity, love, coming of age as a queer person, and much more. We will be back to regular Sacred Tension episodes soon. Join the Sacred Tension community here.Find other Rock Candy podcasts here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I talk to Reverend Lori Walke: a badass lady preacher, public theologian, and social activist who is prominently featured in the new documentary American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel. We discuss her work as an activist fighting against encroaching theocracy in Oklahoma, her journey to becoming a heretical female pastor, and her work to provide sanctuary for our undocumented fellow human beings. American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel takes audiences into the buckle of Bible belt where a group of defiant Oklahomans are rising up to challenge deeply rooted fundamentalist Christian doctrine. Labeled as “heretics” for their beliefs and actions, they refuse to wield their faith as a sword sharpened by literal interpretations of the Bible. Especially those interpretations that continue to justify nationalism and hack away at landmark civil rights protections for women, minorities, immigrants, and the LGBTQ communities. These American Heretics are still interested in saving you from hell, but it’s the earthly one, where poverty, discrimination and nationalism oppress those “who are the least among us.”Directed and Produced by Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Jeanine and Catherine Butler; edited by award-winning editor Jamie Lee Godfrey (National Geographic, Newseum); and lensed by Peter Hutchens (Showtime’s “The Trade,” and Oprah Winfrey’s “Belief” series).Find other Rock Candy shows here. Join my Slack Community here. Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

This is an episode of my patrons-only podcast House of Heretics. If you like what you hear, please go support my work on Patreon, and you will help me grow this show and pay the bills. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In which I explain why Satanism works for me.Find the full transcript of this mini episode and comment on it here. Find other Rock Candy Podcasts here.Read my dozens of articles, comment on this episode, or contact me here.Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, Kodiak joins us once again to explain his sudden and unexpected conversion from Odinism to Christianity. Find other Rock Candy Podcasts here.Read my dozens of articles, comment on this episode, or contact me here.Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the full transcript of this mini episode here.Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I talk to my longtime friend Kodiak about his journey into Odin worship. Along the way, we talk about the significance of ritual, blood sacrifice, and the rise of white nationalism in some pagan circles.Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture.Other Rock Candy Shows: Bible Bash, Eleventylife. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension I sit down with author and logic professor Ben Burgis to discuss his latest book, Give Them an Argument, and what figures on the right like Peterson, Harris, and Shapiro get wrong.Other Rock Candy Shows: Bible Bash, Eleventylife. Love my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, Jack Matirko joins me to talk atheism, nontheistic religion, and Satanism. We discuss the rise of the Satanic Temple, what his own personal Satanism looks like, why religion does not mean supernaturalism, and much more. Jack Matirko is a Satanist, activist, and creative professional in Arizona. As a member of The Satanic Temple, he tries to champion ideals of rational inquiry, personal sovereignty, separation of church and state, and individual freedom. Since 2012 he has co-hosted and produced podcasts including Left Hemispheres and his current show, Naked Diner. He is also the author of the Patheos Satanic blog For Infernal Use Only.Other Rock Candy Shows: Eleventylife, Bible BashLove my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture.You can also read my articles, comment on this show, or send me hate mail at stephenbradfordlong.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Chris Kratzer wants you to know that conservative evangelicalism is destroying the world. In this episode of Sacred Tension, he tells us why.Chris Kratzer is a husband, father, pastor, author, and speaker. Captured by the pure Gospel of God’s Grace, his focus is communicating the message of wholeness, equality, affirmation, and the beauty of Jesus particularly as it relates to life, culture, and church.As a pastor of 22 years, he enjoys being a husband, father of four children, writer, and spiritual encourager. Find his work here.I'd love to here back from you! Go to stephenbradfordlong.com to read my dozens of articles and give feedback on this episode. Other Rock Candy Podcasts: EleventylifeLove my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

The excellent film Hail, Satan? released to select theaters over the weekend (Easter weekend, no less) and to celebrate I had director Penny Lane come onto Sacred Tension to talk atheism, religion, and Satanism.Hail, Satan?is a marvel of a film: funny, provocative, beautifully shot, and unexpectedly moving. It chronicles the rise of The Satanic Temple (of which I am a member) and it was everything I hoped it would be. In this episode, Penny Lane talks about what led to her interest it the Satanic Temple and how the process of making the film challenged her atheist preconceptions about religion. Other Rock Candy Podcasts: Eleventylife This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I talk to Corey Pigg, producer and host of the excellent Failed Missionary podcast. We discuss our post-Christian journeys, Buddhist spirituality, and his harrowing experience as a missionary in Youth With a Mission.Other Rock Candy Podcasts: EleventylifeLove my work and want to support it? Please consider becoming a patron so I can continue to bring you interesting content every week. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list so you don’t miss another podcast, blog post, or cat picture.stephenbradfordlong.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension I talk to multi-faith activist Tahil Sharma about white supremacy, violence, and overcoming oppression. Tahil Sharma is a Southern California native born to a Hindu and Sikh Indian family. He is a nationally recognized leader promoting religious and secular pluralism, human rights, social justice. Tahil works as the Faith Outreach Manager for Brave New Films, an organization that champions social justice issues by using a model of media, education, and grassroots volunteer involvement that inspires, empowers, motivates and teaches civic participation. Tahil also serves as an Interfaith Minister in Residence for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the LA Coordinator for Sadhana: A Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and as a Religious Director for the Office of Religious Life at the University of Southern California.Other Rock Candy shows:EleventylifePlease consider joining my mailing list. Love my work? Become a patron. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

J Mase III is a Black/trans/queer poet & educator based in Seattle, by way of Philly. He is the author of “If I Should Die Under the Knife, Tell my Kidney I was the Fiercest Poet Around”, as well as “And Then I Got Fired: One Transqueer’s Reflections on Grief, Unemployment, and Inappropriate Jokes about Death”. As an educator, J Mase has worked with thousands of community members in the US, the UK, and Canada on the needs of LGBTQIA youth and adults in spaces such as K-12 schools, universities, faith communities, and restricted care facilities among others. He is the founder of awQward, the first ever trans and queer people of color specific talent agency. Currently, he is co-editing The #BlackTransPrayerBook with awQward artist Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi. As a performer, he has shared stages with world renowned artists like Chuck D and the Indigo Girls. His work and musings have been featured on MSNBC, NBC OUT, Essence Live, Atlanta Black Star, GO Magazine, Believe Out Loud, Everyday Feminism, Black Girl Dangerous, Upworthy, the New York Times, Buzzfeed, the Root, the Huffington Post and more. Find J Mase III here. Support the Black Trans Prayer Book here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, I talk to Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, PhD about the process of dismantling toxic power within our culture. We talk about my gradual journey of understanding what, exactly, racism and sexism are, and the process of overcoming them. Robyn ultimately advocates for radical courage and imagination, and I found this conversation deeply moving.Knowing intimately that the borderlands are a place of learning and growth, Dr. Robyn draws on their identity and heritage as a queer Latinx in everything that they do. From doubt to divine and everywhere in between, their call as an activist-theologian demands the vision to disrupt hegemony and colonialist structures of multi-layered oppression.As an anti-oppression, anti-racist, non-binary Trans*gressive Latinx, Robyn takes seriously their call as an activist theologian and ethicist to bridge together theories and practices that result in communities responding to pressing social concerns. Robyn sees this work as a life-orienting vocation, deeply committed to translating theory to practice, and embedded in re-imagining our moral horizon to one which privileges a politics of radical difference. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

The history of the United States is dotted by moral panics: delusional mass hysterias over complete fictions like the Illuminati, 9/11 trutherism, Stranger Danger, and Pedophilic Satanists. Now, in a climate in which the fertile jungle of the internet seems to produce new conspiracy theories by the day, we need to understand the importance of moral panics, how they warp minds, and destroy lives.Joining me today is Chelsea Webber-Smith, producer of the excellent podcast American Hysteria. In this conversation we explore the causes of moral panic, the current moral panics in our culture, what led Chelsea down this strange path of studying conspiracy theories and moral panics, and what frightens her the most about moral panics. This was a great conversation, and I had enormous fun.Love this episode? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please go to stephenbradfordlong.com and leave a comment on this post. You can also support my work on Patreon, and you can sign up for my mailing list here. Other Rock Candy shows: Eleventylife This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In March of 1997, Heaven’s Gate committed ritual suicide to the astonishment and horror of the world. Over 20 years later, we are still piecing together the mystery of this fringe UFO religion: who were they, what did they believe, and why did they end so horribly? Joining me for today’s Sacred Tension podcast is Benjamin Zeller, widely considered the leading authority on Heaven’s Gate.Zeller walks us through why he calls Heaven’s Gate a religion and not a cult, the theology of Heaven’s Gate and how it is, at its most basic level, Christian, whether we will ever have society without religion, and much more. I found this an incredibly thought provoking conversation, and I hope you do too.Benjamin Zeller is a researcher and teacher of religion in America. He focuses on religious currents that are new or alternative, including new religions, the religious engagement with science, and the quasi-religious relationship people have with food. Dr. Zeller holds a doctorate from the University of North Carolina, an M.T.S. from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester.Other Rock Candy Podcasts: EleventylifeEnjoy my work? Never miss an article or podcast episode by signing up for my mailing list here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Our culture is rife with unproductive conversations about God and religion. Donald and I attempt to rectify this by sitting down and talking about our belief and unbelief in God. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Despite the social taboo against certain psychedelic and psychoactive drugs, the medical world is now experimenting on previously forbidden drugs with promising results. In this episode of Sacred Tension, I speak with Maggie Eli about her clinical trial on MDMA, AKA Molly or Ecstasy. We talk about PTSD, living with mental illness, religious trauma, Christianity, and how MDMA helped her heal from debilitating mental illness.If you love my work and want to support it, please go to my Patreon page and pledge a monthly amount for some exclusive perks. You can also find me on twitter, instagram, and at my website. Other Rock Candy shows: Eleventylife This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

https://stephenbradfordlong.com/2019/01/24/on-not-believing-in-god-but-experiencing-him-anyway/#more-5805 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the full transcript of this mini episode here: https://stephenbradfordlong.com/2019/01/17/why-i-still-call-myself-a-christian/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Joseph Laycock joins us again to discuss demon possession. What is it? why do humans experience it? What does the experience of demon possession say about religion and human nature in general? Joseph and I discuss these issues and more.Love this show and want to support it? Please support my work at Patreon.com/stephenbradfordlongOther Rock Candy podcasts: EleventyLife This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the link to this blog post here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Sacred Tension, Donald and I sit down to answer questions from patrons of the show. We talk about why I went into yoga, what parts of my faith remain intact after going through deconstruction, how straight allies can better serve the LGBT community, what we wish someone had told us about gay sex, and much more.You can become a patron of Sacred Tension by going to patreon.com/stephenbradfordlong, and for $5 a month you will get a separate, patrons-only podcast.Other Rock Candy Shows: EleventyLife This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

Find the full transcript to this mini episode here: https://stephenbradfordlong.com/2019/01/03/this-is-what-i-mean-when-i-say-i-dont-believe-in-god/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I talk to Douglas Lain about his latest novel Bash Bash Revolution: a young adult novel that explores Marxism, revolution, artificial intelligence, and the gamification of human society. We discuss utopia, mental health, the consequences of digitization and gamification on the mind and spirituality, and much more.Douglas Lain is the publisher of Zero Books, a novelist, a podcaster, and most recently a youtuber.Lain’s previous novel After the Saucers Landed was nominated for the Philip K Dick Award. Douglas Lain is also the host of the Zero Books podcast. His first podcast, entitled Diet Soap, ran for over five years.He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two boys. You can find Douglas Lain's work at www.douglaslain.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredtension.substack.com/subscribe