About a year ago I got a message from Christian, who asked if I’d be interested in being interviewed for their podcast, Drunk Ex-Pastors. Well, that name alone…!. We exchanged messages over several months…
“We have a lot of listeners who are struggling as they come out of religion. My co-host is Catholic but we both lost a lot leaving evangelicalism behind. Continue reading
In April of 2017 I had a long conversation about my journey out of Christianity with Steve Hackman that ended up in two installments of his fantastic podcast series, Beyond the Pale. We recently had a follow-up conversation that went beyond those basics – pretty far beyond. Continue reading
Ojo: I have a couple questions. In your search to be free and happy where does the person of Christ stand and His cross, His death and resurrection. This was not covered in your blog.
Herrad of Landsberg (Alsatian, c. 1130 – 1195): Hell, from Hortus Deliciarum
It’s very clear that the afterlife and what it may look like means many different things to many different believers. Some have worked through the immorality that comes with belief in hell and the many other problems associated with it Continue reading
One of the most widely-read posts on my little site is the first interview I did for Down The Line magazine in 2010 where I publicly discussed not being able to accept the tenets of any version of Christianity any longer. In 2017 I was approached by Doug Peterson to do a follow-up interview, published in July, 2017. Here is that interview. Continue reading
I had this really fun discussion with longtime friend and musical troublemaker Abe Abdelhadi, wherein we liken leaving religion to death by a thousand paper cuts while increasing compassion for those we strongly disagree with. We also consider the critically important ways to sprinkle correctly pigeon blood while asking, “This is the book we get?!” Continue reading
A few weeks ago I had an interesting conversation with Steve Hackman for his podcast series, Beyond the Pale. Steve identifies as a Christian, although certainly not your garden variety Evangelical, with open, inclusive, thoughtful questions. Continue reading
I love the YMCA. I love supporting them and their commitments to fitness, healthy living and social responsibility.They do great work. I used to enroll my kids in many of their programs. It is a Christian organization and yet it is inclusive with regard to sexual orientation and also actively cultivates diversity. I travel often and I almost always grab a temporary membership wherever I go so I don’t have to interrupt my workout routine. I am working out at the Y just outside of Portland, Oregon this week and they have little posters all around the place that put forth their vision and mission statements. Continue reading
Ojo, a while back you asked why believers would try to get you to return to the faith. I think this quote from Charles Spurgeon encapsulates the feelings of many of us. It does come from a good place znd [sic] not from a place of judgement or condemnation or even a feeling of spiritual superiority. God bless you my good friend! Continue reading
I don’t know if this was some kind of collusion or something, but in the last week or so I have had a larger-than-usual number of posts to my Facebook wall that seem to have a common theme – a note with some aspect of positive intentions but qualified by a religious statement or affirmation of one kind or another: Continue reading
Ojo Taylor 