Leaving Religion to Find God

07/31/24 • 43 min

In Episode 3 of the Naughty by Nature podcast, Treen and Michael Gungor, musician and host of The Liturgist Podcast, breach the taboo topic (in Christian circles) of ‘Deconstruction’.

Matched with John Itiola, a comedian who plays an overworked and underappreciated version of ‘God’, this trio divulges the challenges that come from questioning Christian constructs.

Non-Christians might wonder, why is it so hard to leave Evangelicalism? This episode addresses the plethora of fears and beliefs that come with saying goodbye to the Christian church. Treen and Michael discuss the unique hang ups in their deconstruction journeys, the power of mystical experiences and both the chaos and freedom that ensued.

They get real, raw, and giggle...a lot!

To join us on this hilarious ride, follow us here as well as on Instagram @nxnpod for more goodies!

You can follow Michael Gungor on Instagram @michaelgungor.

You can follow John Itiola on Instagram @wordsplayed.

Join our naughty community by signing up for our mailing list. Go to https://www.treentreen.com / Naughty by Nature / wait for the pop up and enter your email address.

Produced by:

00:00 Welcome to the Naughty by Nature Podcast

00:39 Meet God and God’s “most favorite” son, Michael Gungor

01:59 The Journey of Deconstruction

05:14 Defining Deconstruction

09:28 A Moment of Surrender

18:08 Mystical Experiences and Support

22:55 The Role of Shame and Fear

24:48 Clearing the Air with God: A Holy Moment

25:47 Deconstructing Spiritual Warfare and Fear: The Mark of the Beast

28:32 Taboo Topics: Masturbation, Polyamory, and Other Deities

30:08 Reclaiming Faith: A New Perspective on God

32:08 Stages of Deconstruction: A Humorous Take

33:49 Questions Every Believer Encounters

36:08 Reclaiming Christianity: Integrating the Past

40:16 Final Thoughts and Farewells

In Episode 3 of the Naughty by Nature podcast, Treen and Michael Gungor, musician and host of The Liturgist Podcast, breach the taboo topic (in Christian circles) of ‘Deconstruction’.

Matched with John Itiola, a comedian who plays an overworked and underappreciated version of ‘God’, this trio divulges the challenges that come from questioning Christian constructs.

They get real, raw, and giggle...a lot!

To join us on this hilarious ride, follow us here as well as on Instagram @nxnpod for more goodies!

You can follow Michael Gungor on Instagram @michaelgungor.

You can follow John Itiola on Instagram @wordsplayed.

Join our naughty community by signing up for our mailing list. Go to https://www.treentreen.com / Naughty by Nature / wait for the pop up and enter your email address.

Produced by:

00:00 Welcome to the Naughty by Nature Podcast

00:39 Meet God and God’s “most favorite” son, Michael Gungor

01:59 The Journey of Deconstruction

05:14 Defining Deconstruction

09:28 A Moment of Surrender

18:08 Mystical Experiences and Support

22:55 The Role of Shame and Fear

24:48 Clearing the Air with God: A Holy Moment

25:47 Deconstructing Spiritual Warfare and Fear: The Mark of the Beast

28:32 Taboo Topics: Masturbation, Polyamory, and Other Deities

30:08 Reclaiming Faith: A New Perspective on God

32:08 Stages of Deconstruction: A Humorous Take

33:49 Questions Every Believer Encounters

36:08 Reclaiming Christianity: Integrating the Past

40:16 Final Thoughts and Farewells

Previous Episode

How to be a Good Wife and Fail

In episode two of the Naughty by Nature podcast, our host Treen dives into the “hot topic” of Christian marriage with special guest Audrey Assad.

They unpack what they were taught to believe about marriage growing up, why they got married, the pressures and expectations they faced as former Christian wives, and what Christian marriage was actually like - sex and all.

Segments include humorous interactions with “God”, played this time by comedians Rachel Wenitsky and David Sidorov, a married couple in real life.

This group explores the evolution of marriage and partnership in both Christian and secular contexts. Audrey and Treen share vulnerable insights about what wasn’t working in their marriages, what they learned from the experience, and how they found lives after divorce that embrace all parts of them.

To join us on this hilarious ride, follow us here as well as on Instagram @nxnpod for more goodies!

You can listen to Audrey’s music on Spotify at Audrey Assad and follow her on Instagram @audreyassad.

You can find Rachel and David on Instagram @rachelwenitsky, @theotherdavidsidorov or at the dog park with their pup Bagel.

Join our naughty community by signing up for our mailing list. Go to https://www.treentreen.com / Naughty by Nature / wait for the pop up and give us your email address.

Produced by:

https://www.rainbowcreative.co

https://www.verna.studio

https://www.treentreen.com

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00:00 Welcome to Naughty by Nature: Unpacking Religious Baggage with Humor

00:17 Meet God: A Divine Comedic Duo

01:52 Introducing Audrey Assad

03:35 Vybes Check and Personal Stories

04:06 Religious Upbringing, Programmed to be a Good Wife

08:35 Sex in Christian Marriage and Deconstruction

17:24 Proposal Stories and Reflections

20:56 The Big Bang Proposal

22:05 Lived Experience in Christian Marriage

24:56 A Christian Artist House in Brooklyn

31:20 Anger and its Role in Self-Discovery

34:29 Learnings from Christian Marriage and Divorce

39:46 Current Relationship with God and Spirituality

44:23 Outro and Where to Find Us

Next Episode

What No One Taught Us About Masturbation

Hold onto your headphones folks! We’re back with an episode that blasts through the taboo topic of female masturbation like a wrecking ball.

Treen rolls out the red carpet for guest Lindsay Branham (environmental psychologist, author, and eco-doula) and for the illustrious Goddess of Masturbation, improvised by Ali Levin.

Together, they pry open the Pandora’s box of purity culture to explore why female self-pleasure got a bad rep - swapping both cringeworthy and enlightening tales. They dig deep into how Christian ideologies about our bodies did a number on our capacity to self-regulate, co-regulate and connect. This episode isn't just about finding your buttons and how to press them; it's a declaration for why rewiring our connection to ourselves – and consequently to each other and the earth – is important.

From reclaiming our erogenous zones to eco-eroticism, Treen and her pals paint a vivid picture: when you're out of touch (literally), you're cast from your own anchor. Religious dogma didn't just take the 'fun' out of 'fundamentalism'; it may have unplugged us from our humanity.

So tune in, drop those inhibitions like they're hot, and let's embark on this quest to reclaim all of ourselves.

Ready to amplify your pleasure journey? Dive into some magical vibrators from Lelo that lit up Treen’s world! Use her affiliate code here and here for your own dose of joy.

To join us on this hilarious ride, follow us here as well as on Instagram @nxnpod for more goodies!

You can follow Lindsay Branham on Instagram @lindsaylaurenne and subscribe to her Substack at https://lindsaybranham.substack.com/.

You can follow Ali Levin on Instagram @alilevinhere.

Join our naughty community by signing up for our mailing list. Go to https://www.treentreen.com / Naughty by Nature / wait for the pop up and enter your email address.

Produced by:

https://www.rainbowcreative.co

https://www.verna.studio

https://www.treentreen.com

00:00 Welcome to Naughty by Nature

00:34 Introducing the Goddess of Masturbation

01:14 A Journey of Self-Pleasure

02:01 Meet Today's Special Guest - Treen’s Bestie Lindsay

02:36 When Lindsay Bought Treen Her First Vibrator

05:20 Christian Roots and Sexual Repression

07:07 The Impact of Purity Culture on Our Bodies

19:08 Deconstructing Christianity