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Losing Our Religion

A former megachurch pastor leaves religion behind to rid himself of the exclusivity created by its dogmas in order to open himself up to learn from the lives, stories, and experiences of everyone else. To prove we are more alike than we think and we can all get along no matter what we believe. Topics range via guest's experiences growing up in religious homes, where Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Secularism, Judaism, Hinduism, Tao, Heathenism, Satanism, Wicca and all forms of dogmas and ideologies programmed into the mind of a child. What happens when that child becomes an adult? What good things do they hold onto? What things do they lose? Where are they now, and in what ways are they finding the peace that we all desire, with or apart from the religions they were raised with? Losing Our Religion is a wild ride with a community of diverse humans each seeking their desired life away from dogma and exclusivity.
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Now displaying: August, 2015

Losing Our Religion is a hilarious and candid look at religion and culture, with former pastor, now commune living lover of sinners, Zac Gandara.  As he has drinks with former religious freaks, and others he used to shun.  Gays, Anarchists, Queers, Atheists, Transsexuals, Punk Rockers, and the rest of us that are considered rejects on this island of misfit toys.

Aug 26, 2015

Entrepreneur, podcast host, and underwear revolutionist Jonathan Bowles!  The first time I have drinks with a fellow podcaster on the show.

We discuss the faux pas you face when leaving institutional religion, getting to what's next, and moving on.

Jonathan is a pioneering pirate, a voice for what's next and a professional encourager. After a 16 year career in institutional religion, Jonathan and his wife Kirby decided to think differently and live adventurously. They founded a non-profit, Slingshot Syndicate and started several creative businesses. They currently live on the beach in Los Angeles, CA and would love to have you over for dinner at their rather small table in their tiny apartment.

Slingshot Show iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-slingshot-show/id906876859

Slingshot Show: http://www.slingshotshow.com/podcast/

Wrassle Roos: http://www.wrassleroos.com/

 

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Aug 19, 2015

What if most of your life you felt like you had to hide?  That if you shared what you really felt, you’d be beaten up? Rejected? Shamed?

What if you knew you could continue to hold in your doubts?  Your secrets?  But for how long?  Could you continue to live a lie just so that others wouldn’t be made to feel uncomfortable by your questioning?  What if you realized you had nothing to fear?  That you could learn to live out in the open, and if those you cared about rejected you, you’d find a way to make it without them?

Losing Our Religion is a show about coming out.  Coming out of the darkness, shame, and fear that religion creates.  This episode, in particular, is a coming out story, for both Michael and I.

What could life be like if you left religion behind and were able to freely be yourself without the fear of rejection, shame, or loneliness?  Maybe it's like this story?

Michael is my friend.  By profession, he is a food scientist.  In this episode, he takes the time to educate us about Scotch.  Using it as an example of what his life has been like while leaving religion.  As well as transparently sharing the story of his coming out as a gay man to his family, friends, and church.  But we both end up coming out.

I am so grateful to Mike for sharing so openly, candidly, and transparently.  He inspired me to as well.

 

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Aug 11, 2015

My wife Jen I sit down for the first time recording together.  We have a great time!  She tells her story.  We open up a bit more about the freedoms found after leaving institutional religion, and we discuss how she continues to heal after the death of her mom, depression, anxiety and taking medication without condemnation.

This was a big deal for me to have Jen not only want to do the show but have a great time doing it.  Jen is primarily the quiet one, the introverted one, the hardworking, Sephora slinging home body.  But on a mic...she apparently becomes alive.

You'll love it, and if you're married, going to get married, deal with anxiety or depression, or live with someone who does, this will be a show that can help you.

 

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Aug 5, 2015

My friend, poet, writer, and anarchist Pete GK and I have a great time discussing life, anarchy, and his poetry.  Pete also works with Seattle homeless on a daily basis.  What would it look like to make yourself available to others?  Are there actual victims in America, or can anyone pull themselves up by their bootstraps?

 

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Aug 5, 2015

Former punk rocker and former Mars Hill elder JSuffering (Jeff Bettger) and I talk about his upbringing. His punk rock influences, from the Dead Kennedy's, Sex Pistols, The Dehumanizers, Minor Threat, to the Circle Jerks and the Thrasher Magazine Skateboard Music Comps and Bombshelter Videos.  As well as his journey after the Mars Hill debacle that he was a key elder in exposing.  If you’re into music, you’re going to love this episode.

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Aug 5, 2015

Hi, I'm Zac Gandara. The host of Losing Our Religion. I am a former evangelical mega-church pastor. Although I was baptized catholic as an infant, then as a protestant in elementary school, then as a pentecostal in High School. Now? I'm trying to heal after my traumatic exvangelical exit from institutional religion.

How have I healed since my exit from religion in 2011? Very irregularly. If you keep listening to this podcast, you're going to hear my story of healing and transformation, as well as hundreds of other humans.

I urge you to listen with empathy because you're never going to agree with everything I say, or with the life choices, which I and others have made for ourselves. But I can say that each guest and I are all happier, healthier, and more compassionate humans because of our transformations out of religion. If you keep listening, you'll find out that this isn't a podcast against religion at all.

By having a podcast called "Losing Our Religion," I'm not saying I hate religion. I'm saying I'm not too fond of dogma and theocracy. We live on a planet with other humans; we ought to have a society that encompasses the differences of all those humans. This podcast is a successful experiment of that empathic lifestyle.

This episode is my story as I'm interviewed and entertained by my long-time friend, comedian, and magician Taylor Hughes.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

COACHING WITH ZAC GANDARA:
Break glass ceilings by healing and transitioning through tough shit.

A FAVOR : TAKE THE SURVEY :
What are your top two questions about deprogramming and transition (change)?

CONTACT THE GUEST: Zac Gandara and Taylor Hughes

FULL SHOW NOTES: EPISODE 000: Welcome to the Freak Show: Zac Gandara

LOSER DEALS: Save 50% on QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Self-Employed

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Music Featured in this Episode: LOR Theme Song by Rat Queen and Manager by Digi G'Alessio.

This podcast is made possible by the producers of the CounterCulture Society and created and hosted by @ZacGandara.

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