In this episode, we explore Progressive/Reformed Judaism with Michel Laloum, Cantor at Temple Beth Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, Australia. He was ordained as a Cantor at the Progressive Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and completed Rabbinic studies at the Academy for Jewish Religion, Jewish Theological Seminary and New York University.

• Temple Beth Israel Melbourne
• World Union for Progressive Judaism

--

Want more? Check out our exclusive Patreon episodes here. 

Transcript of this episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

Tim Costello is an Australian social justice advocate, community leader, and a prominent figure in the Christian faith, albeit a progressive form. He is known in Australia for his public commentary on political and ethical matters, often offering a perspective informed by his Christian faith and commitment to social justice. In this episode we talk to Tim about his commitment to his faith, and what that looks like now, having left fundamentalism decades ago.

Tim's links:

• Tim Costello - Wikipedia
• Tim Costello/ X (twitter.com)

--

Want more? Check out our exclusive Patreon episodes here. 

Transcript of this episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

In this episode, we talk with Dr Eben Alexander, an American neurosurgeon and author. In 2008, he suffered a coma caused by a rare and mysterious bacterial meningo-encephalitis of unknown causes. We talk with him about his own near-death experience and his book, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife.

Dr Alexander's links:

• Eben Alexander
• Division of Perceptual Studies - University of Virginia School of Medicine
• Home - Scientific and Medical Network
• Home - The Galileo Commission
• Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies
• Inner Sanctum Center
• Sacred Acoustics

After our recording, we came upon three articles in particular that make some serious allegations against Dr Alexander. One is from Esquire Magazine and another from writer, Sam Harris. These were both quite hostile. The third is from the Harvard Crimson, and while it is certainly not hostile, it does echo many of the allegations made in the Esquire article.

• Dr. Eben Alexander Proof of Heaven Investigation (esquire.com)
• This Must be Heaven by Sam Harris
• To Do No Harm | The Harvard Crimson (thecrimson.com)

We contacted Dr Alexander about these articles and the allegations they make, and his assistant replied with the following links:

• First, Robert Mays, an NDE researcher and longtime leader of IANDS.org, wrote a thorough article criticizing the journalism of Esquire's author: JNDS_ Winter 2016 2PP.indd (unt.edu) 
• A peer-reviewed article published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (flagship journal for physicians in neurology & psychology), by Bruce Greyson et al. It is about Eben's personal case, from the standpoint of a lifelong NDE researcher and colleagues: nmd50598 744..747 (virginia.edu) and more about the professors in the department, so you know their calibre of work and background: Faculty and Staff - Division of Perceptual Studies (virginia.edu)
• A reply from Eben during another interview, re: Sam Harris' allegations: Eben Alexander answers skeptics' criticisms (iands.org) 
• A valuable set of essays about consciousness, several of which cite Eben's case study in their work: Essay Contest - Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies. Start with the winning entry by Jeff Mishlove and then peruse other topics. 

--

Want more? Check out our exclusive Patreon episodes here. 

Transcript of this episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

Deconversion Therapy Podcast

We recently stumbled upon a podcast we thought you'd love. Sexvangelicals is a sexual health podcast and education platform with the mission to support relationships in reclaiming sexuality following adverse religious experiences. This is one of their episodes, The Sex Ed We Wish We Had: Consent, Part 1 of 2. We hope you enjoy it.

If you want to connect with Sexvangelicals then find them here:

• Sexvangelicals (website)
• Sexvangelicals (podcast)

--

Want more IWATF? Check out our exclusive Patreon episodes here. 

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

We talk with Ani Zonneveld about Progressive Islam and the life she lives as a Progressive Muslim. Ani is a writer, singer/songwriter, and founder & President of Muslims for Progressive Values, an international human rights organization that advocates for social justice and equality for all, a strong supporter of freedom of expression and of conscience, women’s rights and as an ally, LGBTQ rights. 

--

Want more? Check out our exclusive Patreon episodes here. 

Transcript of this episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

Deconversion Therapy Podcast

In this episode, we talk with writer Bernard Warnick about humanity's obsession with certainty and ask, is certainty attainable? Bernard spent nineteen years as a judge of the trial division and later the Appeal Division of the Family Court of Australia before retiring from the bench in 2010. He developed a deep interest in the reasoning process and researched the works of neurobiologists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, linguists and other thinkers for ten years, culminating in his book, Illusions of Certainty | thoughts about thinking.

--

Want more? Check out our exclusive Patreon episodes here. 

Transcript of this episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

We're back for Season 5! In this episode we review the highlights of Season 4, let you know about the changes we've made and where the podcast is heading in 2024.

--

Transcript of the episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/

Brian and Troy used to be loyal Christian megachurch leaders. They’re not anymore. This new season explores life after Fundamentalism.

Shortlisted for the 2022 Australian Podcast Awards.

Find out more at iwasateenagefundamentalist.com/ and https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

---

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

Emily John Garcés is an artist, poet, ex-missionary with YWAM, all-round creative enthusiast, and author of the memoir, Hitchhiking with Drunken Nuns. In this final episode of Season 4, we speak with Emily about her life as a YWAM missionary in Argentina and the Netherlands, and her unique perspective on the world we share. Despite her fundamentalist past, Emily has a positive view of the world and describes her use of art as a way of 'bridging what cannot be seen with the visible world'. 

Emily's links:

• Emily on Facebook
• Hitchhiking with Drunken Nuns
• The Quiet Woman

--

Transcript of the episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

Maggie Rowe is an author, writer, director, & producer. Her memoir, Sin Bravely: A Memoir of Spiritual Disobedience, was named to NPR's Best Books of 2017. In this episode, we speak to Maggie about her childhood where she describes being tormented by the fear of Hell and not being truly saved. At 19 years old she admitted herself to an 'evangelical psychiatric institution' where she found an unlikely ally who encouraged her to break free of the fears that held her back, and to go forth and 'sin bravely'.

Maggie's links:

Maggie Rowe's website

Sin Bravely: A Memoir of Spiritual Disobedience

Easy Street: A Story of Redemption from Myself

If this episode raised issues or concerns for you or someone near to you, please contact Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14 - Crisis Support.

--

Transcript of the episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ 

Van Badham is an Australian playwright, novelist, journalist and activist who writes regularly for the Guardian. In this episode we speak with Van about her 2021 book QAnon and On: A Short and Shocking History of Internet Conspiracy Cults in which she investigates who is behind the internet cult and how it often intertwines with the world of Evangelical/Fundamentalist Christianity. She also tells about her year 'undercover' at Hillsong in Sydney.

Van's links:

• Van Badham - Wikipedia
• QAnon and On
• QAnon | The Guardian
• The ‘prosperity doctrine’ and neoliberal Jesusing | The Guardian

--

Transcript of the episode is here.

Podcast links: https://linktr.ee/iwatf 

Doubting your beliefs? Have questions about changing or leaving your faith? You are not alone and Recovering from Religion is here to help. Please visit: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/