Analyzing Christianity
The pro-life clinic manual that deconverted me from Christianity
I started reading this CPC manual as a firm, fervent Christian. I ended it weeping, devastated, and windmilling my arms over the ledge of apostasy.
Analyzing Christianity
A ‘ministry’ is just a Jesus-flavored business
While exploring my new hometown, I caught sight of a sign for a churchy-sounding financial-planning ministry. Its name was so vague that I had to get my phone out right then and there to figure out what it really was. And I soon did. They’re a financial ministry, you see, Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Franklin Graham and Naghmeh Panahi: An all-too-common betrayal
Franklin Graham’s behavior is not some aberration, and neither was his bizarre decision to bring Panahi’s abuser to a military ministry shindig. It’s par for the course in evangelical ministry.
Analyzing Christianity
Discernment: The Christian substitute for critical thinking
Today, let me show you what discernment is, and why Christian leaders must teach their followers to use discernment instead of real critical thinking skills.
Analyzing Christianity
Spreading pious frauds in Christianity, then and now
The world is vastly different today from when I was young. For one thing, selling pious frauds has changed dramatically. In some ways, it’s a lot harder to sell these lies-for-Jesus to the gullible. But in many others, it’s gotten even easier. Today, let me show you some popular pious Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Finding your calling when the caller doesn’t exist
In Christianese, a calling represents Jesus’ orders for what his followers are meant to be doing with their lives. But in reality, finding one’s calling works in a very prosaic–and earthly–way. Even then, it doesn’t work at all the way that Christians think it does.
Analyzing Christianity
The Jesus Aura: Why this false belief persists
Many Christians have this idea that their faith imbues them with a sort of glowing-but-invisible aura that both attracts and repels non-Christians. It’s their Jesus Aura.
From Patreon
Deconversion: When I was the only ex-Christian in the world
It truly is marvelous to consider how far American culture has gotten in just the past 20 or 30 years! When I deconverted, I had to figure everything out for myself. As far as I knew, I was literally the only ex-Christian in the whole wide world. And let me tell you: life felt pretty damned lonely.
Analyzing Christianity
Captain Cassidy and the Haircut of DOOM
Today, we check out one of the goofier aspects of the Endtimes: how weirdly voluntary the Mark of the Beast always is.
History and Science
Semantic paraphasia: The things we can’t help
I often mis-say specific words. I know the word I want and I’m thinking of the right thing at the time, but the wrong word consistently pops out. It turns out there’s a term for this situation: semantic paraphasia. Today, Lord Snow Presides over our brains — and the stuff we literally can’t help sometimes.