BACKSLIDERS
34 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago -Honest conversations with guests about religion and spirituality hosted by a couple of backsliders.
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Episodes
"God, I don't think you want me to hate myself. Because I don't think you hate me. " - with Calvin Arsenia
April 07, 2021 14:48 - 1 hour - 161 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend, the singer, songwriter, harpist, musician, and performing artist Calvin Arsenia. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a surprise performance by Calvin! Calvin grew up in Olathe, Kansas, about twenty miles away from Kansas City. In terms of his religious background, he was someone who enjoyed “having a buffet of it all.” He dwelled in churches that mostly fall under the umbrella of Protestant, non-denominational churches, char...
“It’s powerful to open your mind up to the idea that what you believe is not the only thing out there to believe.” - with Brittany Bruton
March 18, 2021 18:17 - 1 hour - 141 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our brilliant and beautiful new friend Brittany Bruton. Brittany is an educator, writer, wife, and mom. Brittany talks with us about her upbringing as a 7th-day Adventist in Georgia. Full disclosure, we didn’t know that much about 7th Day beliefs when this conversation began, so she gave us a rundown of some of their specifics: observing the Saturday sabbath, practicing vegetarianism, and the story of the prophet of the church Ellen G. White—a wom...
“You are enough wherever you are. In this moment. Even if you feel sh*tty or depressed.” - with Forest VanDyke
March 10, 2021 17:52 - 1 hour - 196 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our dear friend, the talented and light-filled artist Forest VanDyke! Forest is an actor, singer, writer, creator, and teaching artist currently in Austin, Texas, though he has lived in Brooklyn for the past twelve years. We are so stoked to celebrate that Forest is a featured artist on the new Grammy-Nominated album Dialogues on Race by Gregg August! We love him so much, and his friendship means the world to us. We hope you enjoy this conversatio...
“You are enough wherever you are. In the moment. Even if you feel sh*tty or depressed.” - with Forest VanDyke
March 10, 2021 17:52 - 1 hour - 196 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our dear friend, the talented and light-filled artist Forest VanDyke! Forest is an actor, singer, writer, creator, and teaching artist currently in Austin, Texas, though he has lived in Brooklyn for the past twelve years. We are so stoked to celebrate that Forest is a featured artist on the new Grammy-Nominated album Dialogues on Race by Gregg August! We love him so much, and his friendship means the world to us. We hope you enjoy this conversatio...
“Do you actually believe in God, f*cko??” - with Lou Wilson
March 03, 2021 14:50 - 1 hour - 137 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend Lou Wilson. Lou is a comedian, actor, writer, and improviser from Los Angeles, CA. He currently writes for Jimmy Kimmel Live and stars in the new movie King of Staten Island, directed by one of our personal favorites, Judd Apatow. (It’s streaming on Amazon/HBO/HULU - watch it!) Lou talks with us about his upbringing in Los Angeles where he was raised Catholic and went to mass every Sunday with his family, including grandparents. Lou...
“Power and love of money is everything Jesus was against—that has nothing to do with God.” - with Dorcas Gitimu
February 25, 2021 20:06 - 1 hour - 143 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend, Dorcas Gitimu. She is a 20-year-old Political Science, Foreign Affairs, and Philosophy Student at Youngstown State University. She is also a writer, poet, and creative who writes from her experiences and perspectives moving through the world as a Black Woman who is a self-described “Christian Exvangelical,” as well as a First-Generation Immigrant and a proud Kenyan-American. She came to the United States from Kenya when she was 2 y...
"Where's the space for us to tell our stories and for people to just listen?" - with Dianca London Potts
February 03, 2021 02:55 - 1 hour - 163 MBHappy Black History Month! On this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend, Dianca London Potts, a brilliant and hilarious author currently working and residing in Brooklyn. Her memoir, Planning for the Apocalypse: Meditations on Faith and Being the Only Black Girl at Your Party, is forthcoming from 37 Ink. We chat with Dianca about her experience growing up in a rural, conservative suburb outside of Philadelphia in the 90s, going to many different types of churches, and getting ...
"Where's the space for us to tell our stories and for people to just listen?" - Episode 22 with Dianca London Potts
February 03, 2021 02:55 - 1 hour - 163 MBHappy Black History Month! On this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend, Dianca London Potts, a brilliant and hilarious author currently working and residing in Brooklyn. Her memoir, Planning for the Apocalypse: Meditations on Faith and Being the Only Black Girl at Your Party, is forthcoming from 37 Ink. We chat with Dianca about her experience growing up in a rural, conservative suburb outside of Philadelphia in the 90s, going to many different types of churches, and getting ...
"What do I believe?" "About what?" "Anything." - Welcome Back to Backsliders: Season Two
February 02, 2021 23:56 - 40 minutes - 93 MBHello again, old friends! Welcome to Season Two of Backsliders! In this episode, we (Keylee and Micah) sit down just the two of us and talk about some of the questions and themes we’ve been ruminating on throughout this very challenging last year (okay, last few years). We talk candidly about grief, loss, the parallels of facing a loved one's terminal illness and facing a global pandemic, the importance of self-compassion, learning to pursue progress and not perfection, and most importantly:...
"The greatest sin we could commit is to hate ourselves." - with Kristina Cunningham
June 25, 2020 15:29 - 1 hour - 141 MBHappy Pride Month! On this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend, Kristina Cunningham, of the blog and Instagram account Transitional Christian. Kristina grew up in the Ozark Mountains in a very fundamentalist family. Her childhood was spent going to an independent church that wasn't connected to any other larger denomination. She describes her family's church as a "little shack in the woods" where the entire congregation consisted of 45 people...all her family members. Aside f...
"We don't know sh*t about anything. Forever." - with Jason Nguyen
May 30, 2020 05:50 - 1 hour - 181 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, fellow actor/writer/director/producer Jason Nguyen. Jason was born in Vietnam and moved to the U.S. when he was really young. We talk with him about his upbringing in a Buddhist household in Vancouver, Washington. His parents were spiritual people but Jason felt like he had to piece together their beliefs as if they were the Zodiac Killer. He tells us stories about going to Temple as a child and how he thought it was a Vietnamese commu...
"God forbid I put a p**sy hat on my head." - with Sarah Butler
May 23, 2020 02:01 - 1 hour - 185 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend and filmmaker Sarah Butler! Sarah was raised in Austin in an Evangelical Christian home that at times was more legalistic in nature. She was homeschooled until her sophomore year of high school, once her parents separated and she started taking care of her siblings after school while her mom worked. We talk with Sarah about her experience at a Christian film program, meeting her husband, and how the experience of becoming a mother has t...
"Doing nothing is the thing you need to do to fix your problems." - with Nick Morton
May 12, 2020 00:40 - 1 hour - 161 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend and fellow writer, producer Nick Morton! Nick was raised Catholic and went to an Episcopalian boarding school. We talk with Nick about his upbringing, the fear of hell, and some valuable lessons he learned at Georgetown (like the effectiveness of action, recognizing that change is inevitable and that itself is divinity). After graduating from college and spending 18 years in LA, Nick got sober and re-evaluated his spirituality through A...
"It's all about sex, drugs, and Jesus." with Brenda Marie Davies of God is Grey
April 29, 2020 01:01 - 1 hour - 191 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend Brenda Marie Davies. Brenda is from New Jersey and grew up 'Casual Catholic' before going to a non-denominational evangelical church when she was in middle school. Brenda has always been a passionate, outspoken person. We talk with her about how she went from being a leader in her youth group, praying on the front lawn of her school, organizing a purity ceremony with her friends, arguing with her science teacher about creationism--t...
"What do you do when you're told you're an abomination before God?" - with Olivia Fae Marie Wolcott
April 17, 2020 17:31 - 1 hour - 143 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our new friend Olivia Fae Marie Wolcott. Olivia grew up in Pennsylvania in a very conservative community with four churches on each corner. She was raised Fundamental Independent Baptist, fundamental in doctrine but not affiliated with any Baptist conference. Her environment was very strict. Dancing was not allowed, and neither was rock and roll. Olivia found our podcast after she recently came out as transgender and was looking for community and ...
"You seem to be swimming in a pool of sh*t." - with Michael L. Boccalini
April 08, 2020 17:47 - 1 hour - 184 MB**Note: This episode was recorded in-person weeks before the COVID-19 quarantine was enacted. Keep staying home and social distancing, y'all.** In this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend and fellow filmmaker Michael L. Boccalini! Michael has had some big changes in his life! He got married! They had a baby! He’s an American citizen (we think)! We have a great talk with Michael about his very non-religious half-Italian half-Swedish upbringing in France and Norway, and his time l...
“A statement of non-belief is as binding as a statement of belief.” - with Blake Chastain
April 05, 2020 06:53 - 1 hour - 159 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, our special guest is Blake Chastain, writer, producer and host of the popular podcast #Exvangelical. Blake talks with us about his personal journey of deconstruction, how studying the Bible led him to become more socially and politically liberal, and why he decided to start his podcast where he interviews other people who have left Evangelicalism. Other fun topics we touch on include the book “The Heart of the Artist” that Blake had to read when he was on his ...
"Justin Bieber once hit me with his car, but then we became best friends." - with Matt Kiel
March 31, 2020 20:44 - 1 hour - 147 MB**Note: This episode was recorded in-person weeks before the COVID-19 quarantine was enacted. Keep staying home and social distancing, y'all.** In this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our good friend Matt Kiel. Matt grew up in Georgia. He was raised Catholic, went to mass every Sunday and was even an altar boy, but he stopped going to church about five years ago. Now, he no longer identifies with any religion. We talk with Matt about the parallels between religious rituals and OCD ritu...
"I had learned that a Christian looked like 'this,' and I wasn't that." - with Linda Kay Klein
March 24, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 188 MBThis is the first episode of Backsliders that we recorded via Skype during COVID-19 quarantine. In this episode, we have a wonderful talk with author, speaker, researcher and advocate Linda Kay Klein. Linda is the Founder and President of Break Free Together, a not-for-profit that uses story exchange to help people release shame and claim their whole selves. Her organization was born out of Linda’s 15 years of research documented in her award-winning book (one of Keylee's favorites), "Pure: ...
"I didn't grow up with 'That's the devil.' I grew up with 'That's stupid.'" - with Julia Nunes
March 17, 2020 12:00 - 1 hour - 158 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented musician Julia Nunes. We met her in a yoga class four years ago and have been through *a lot* together. We talk with Julia about her experience growing up in upstate New York in a non-religious family, surrounded by churches. Other topics include: using art as a way to work through challenges, how feeling “not good enough" manifests, taking care of your body, going to therapy, why self-care isn’t selfish and the importance...
"Leave room for chairs talking, 'cause how am I to know that's not God?" - with Caleb Zlomke
March 10, 2020 12:00 - 57 minutes - 133 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our kind and talented human friend Caleb Zlomke. Caleb was raised Evangelical Free and was encouraged to ask a lottttt of questions growing up, which he did—even during mandatory chapel in front of grades K through 12. We talk with him about how he was labeled "the bad kid" in school, his experience at the DIBIMI discipleship program where he traveled the country, and what he thinks about the intelligence of the universe. Other fun topics include ...
"I loved being an altar boy because I love when everyone looks at me." - with Nikki McKenzie
March 03, 2020 13:00 - 42 minutes - 97.5 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our lovely and talented friend Nikki McKenzie. Nikki was raised Catholic and still goes to mass sometimes, but her beliefs about God have evolved in big ways over time. We talk with Nikki about the Catholic ritual of confession, her time as an altar boy, how diverse churches have way better choirs, and her cute habit of writing notes to Jesus as a kid. Other fun topics include past life regressions, “seasonal abstinence,” nightmares, and more. BO...
"My dad is a big-time Mormon." - with Paul Young
February 25, 2020 06:23 - 51 minutes - 119 MBOn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our dear friend and manager, the Emmy-award winning producer Paul Young. Paul’s dad is a descendant of Mormonism’s Brigham Young, but Paul was raised in a non-religious household by his amazing mother. We talk with Paul about the stories we tell ourselves, his takeaway from Christianity, honesty in parenting, and how loss is a necessary aspect of love. Other fun topics include the spirituality of A.A., the belief that time is not linear, our colle...
"I've never been more drunk than drinking with Mennonites." - with Mark Pryor
February 18, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 140 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, talented writer/performer Mark Pryor. Mark grew up spending a lot of time outdoors in Virginia. His dad ran a Christian summer camp, and Mark was homeschooled until high school. We talk with Mark about his unique upbringing, his time at a Mennonite college, wearing camo, and taking a stance against church attendance since the age of 12. Mark's Links Instagram Youtube Our Links Backsliders the Scripted Series Instagram Face...
"I've never had great sex with an atheist." - with Jessie Kahnweiler
February 11, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 160 MBIn this episode, the multi-talented chosen one Jessie Kahnweiler takes over as the host of Backsliders and gets Keylee and Micah to delve deeper into their personal stories. Jessie also talks about her own spiritual journey, her experience interviewing Jewish communities all over Los Angeles, using filmmaking and storytelling to work through trauma, and how her family reacts to her projects. Other fun topics include purity culture, death, dating, and drugs. *TW*: This episode does include s...
"The Devil in There Looks Like Pizza." - with Claude Charles
February 08, 2020 02:59 - 1 hour - 156 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented photographer, videographer, retro clothing company owner and overall great human Claude Charles. Claude is Jamaican/Haitian-American and grew up in Florida. We talk about his experience in Christian schools, how the movie “Death and Beyond” scared the hell out of him, his interest in aliens and UFOs, the connection between Christianity and colonialism, and the power of changing your environment. Other fun topics we touch o...
"The devil in there looks like pizza." - with Claude Charles
February 08, 2020 02:59 - 1 hour - 156 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented photographer, videographer, retro clothing company owner and overall great human Claude Charles. Claude is Jamaican/Haitian-American and grew up in Florida. We talk about his experience in Christian schools, how the movie “Death and Beyond” scared the hell out of him, his interest in aliens and UFOs, the connection between Christianity and colonialism, and the power of changing your environment. Other fun topics we touch o...
"You can say it, I'm a Jew." - with Yoni Weinberg
February 08, 2020 02:58 - 1 hour - 148 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented writer and comedian Yoni Weinberg. Yoni grew up in Los Angeles in a loving Jewish family. We talk with him about his upbringing, Jewish traditions and teachings, different types of synagogues, the value of community and structure, and the Jewish term for backsliding. Other fun topics we touch on: veganism, the pope-line, where Steven Spielberg’s mom works, and more. Follow Yoni Weinberg Our Links Backsliders the S...
"We were God the whole time." - with Chase Burnett
February 08, 2020 02:56 - 1 hour - 160 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented musician Chase Burnett. Chase grew up near Dallas, Texas in a Jesus-loving family. For years, he dedicated his life to the church and was even a worship band leader. We talk about his upbringing, how his beliefs evolved, and where he is today. Other fun topics we touch on: angels, hell, masturbation, Christian sex-ed, and more. All music for Backsliders was made by Chase! If you want to hear more of his work, click the...
"We Were God the Whole Time." - with Chase Burnett
February 08, 2020 02:56 - 1 hour - 160 MBIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented musician Chase Burnett. Chase grew up near Dallas, Texas in a Jesus-loving family. For years, he dedicated his life to the church and was even a worship band leader. We talk about his upbringing, how his beliefs evolved, and where he is today. Other fun topics we touch on: angels, hell, masturbation, Christian sex-ed, and more. All music for Backsliders was made by Chase! If you want to hear more of his work, click the...
Welcome to Backsliders with Keylee & Micah
February 08, 2020 02:51 - 29 minutes - 67.7 MBMicah was born into a Christian cult. Keylee grew up in a megachurch. In this very first episode, we talk about how we stepped away from organized religion in order to become our healthiest selves. We discuss shame that still clings even after our beliefs have changed, what we can learn from examining pain, and letting go of what other people think to claim who we really are. We think a lot of growth can come from talking about things honestly. Thanks for listening. Like this? Watch our nar...
"The Devil in There Looks Like Pizza" - with Claude Charles
February 06, 2020 01:37 - 1 hour - 2.8 GB VideoIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented photographer, videographer, retro clothing company owner and overall great human Claude Charles. Claude is Jamaican/Haitian-American and grew up in Florida. We talk about his experience in Christian schools, how the movie “Death and Beyond” scared the hell out of him, his interest in aliens and UFOs, the connection between Christianity and colonialism, and the power of changing your environment. Other fun topics we touch o...
We Were God the Whole Time - with Chase Burnett
February 04, 2020 18:26 - 1 hour - 2.89 GB VideoIn this episode of Backsliders, we talk with our friend, the talented musician Chase Burnett. Chase grew up near Dallas, Texas in a Jesus-loving family. For years, he dedicated his life to the church and was even a worship band leader. We talk about his upbringing, how his beliefs evolved, and where he is today. Other fun topics we touch on: angels, hell, masturbation, Christian sex-ed, and more. All music for Backsliders was made by Chase! If you want to hear more of his work, click the li...
BACKSLIDERS Episode One
January 28, 2020 18:21 - 29 minutes - 2.12 GB VideoMicah was born into a Christian cult. Keylee grew up in a megachurch. In this very first episode, we talk about how we stepped away from organized religion in order to become our healthiest selves. We discuss shame that still clings even after our beliefs have changed, what we can learn from examining pain, and letting go of what other people think to claim who we really are. We think a lot of growth can come from talking about things honestly. Thanks for listening. Like this? Watch our ...