Dear God, What the Hell?!
40 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsA podcast from two women who who grew up in the evangelical church and slowly realized it (kind of) messed us up! Tune in to hear our stories from growing up in church and Christian culture as well as the recommendations we have for how the American Christian church can improve to become more loving, welcoming and helpful. New episodes are released early each Friday morning.
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Episodes
Episode 14: My Temple Should Be a House of Prayer
June 04, 2021 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MB... But you have made it - a den of theives!~ (if you understand that reference let us know. Christina will be very happy.) Hey everyone, and welcome to the season finale of Dear God, What the Hell?! Season 2 has been a bit of a bumpy one, but we thank you all for continued support and love! Today your hosts are discussing a very important event in the bible - Jesus cleansing the temple -dun dun dun-. Jesus basically stormed through a temple because it had become corrupt and was taking adv...
Ep. 13 - A Whole Lot-a Laws
May 28, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBWhat's up, cool cats and kittens? This week we're diving into the totally bonkers books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy and reading some of our (least) favorite laws from within them. Prepare yourselves for a lot of misogyny, because that seems to be the running theme of the laws we picked to share. Thank you for listening! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify, and click that button wherever else you're listening. If you want to get a hold of us, you can reach us on Twitter or Instag...
Ep. 12 - Passover: Celebrating it vs Appropriating it
May 21, 2021 09:00 - 58 minutes - 54.5 MBHey there guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Welcome to the (delayed) Passover episode! Here your lovely hosts talk about Passover, why it's celebrated, and how to honor it rather than appropriating it. Amanda talks about the passovers she's been a part of, while Christina talks about how her mom swiped wine from Elijah's cup. As always, thank you so much for listening! You can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @deargodwth. Please take a moment to subscribe to our podcast, and if you've a...
Episode 12: Passover - Celebrating it vs Appropriating it
May 21, 2021 09:00 - 58 minutes - 54.5 MBHey there guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Welcome to the (delayed) Passover episode! Here your lovely hosts talk about Passover, why it's celebrated, and how to honor it rather than appropriating it. Amanda talks about the passovers she's been a part of, while Christina talks about how her mom swiped wine from Elijah's cup. As always, thank you so much for listening! You can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @deargodwth. Please take a moment to subscribe to our podcast, and if you've a...
Ep. 11 - Father Abraham played favorites.
May 07, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBHowdy, partners! Welcome to Episode 11 of Dear God, What the Hell?! Today we realize we know far less about world religion than we thought we did, starting with Islam! Please join us, learn along with us, and read along with us as we dive into Father Abraham (fka Abram) and his wife Sarah (fka Sarai). The sources Amanda planned on summarizing before her computer so rudely crashed are linked below: Sources that Christina so kindly read on behalf of Amanda: https://www.britannica.com/biogra...
Episode 10: In the beginning...
April 30, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBHey there Guys, Gals, and Nonbinary Pals! I bet with the title, you can already guess what this episode is about. That's right, the Creation Myth/Story! Amanda and Christina quickly recap the story and then get into the nitty gritty of it all. How does it hold up in comparision to Jewish beliefs? How were you supposed to believe the story? And you know we look at it through our always wonderful feminist lens - AHEM looking at you ADAM. As always, thank you for listening and sharing us with y...
Ep. 10 - In the beginning...
April 30, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBHey there Guys, Gals, and Nonbinary Pals! I bet with the title, you can already guess what this episode is about. That's right, the Creation Myth/Story! Amanda and Christina quickly recap the story and then get into the nitty gritty of it all. How does it hold up in comparision to Jewish beliefs? How were you supposed to believe the story? And you know we look at it through our always wonderful feminist lens - AHEM looking at you ADAM. As always, thank you for listening and sharing us with y...
Ep. 9 - The Proverbs 31 Badass B!tch
April 23, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBWelcome to this RIVETING episode on Proverbs 31, the chapter that is guaranteed to have given you a great case of religious trauma disorder if it was taught in a hyper-evangelical realm. (But of course, before Amanda and Christina talk about that--they dive deep into navel piercings and other hot topics.) Buckle up for this wild episode in which Amanda firmly asserts her belief that the "Proverbs 31 Woman" is, in fact, a total badass who has her wits about her, her own bank account, and her o...
Ep 8: C.H.A.I.R and C.O.U.P.L.E = Love? (aka the Love and Bullshit episode)
April 16, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 81.7 MBHey there Guys, Gals, and Nonbinary Pals! This week Amanda and Christina are discussing a lovely little acronym that Christina's parents used during one of their many "couples ministries." C.H.A.I.R is the acronym for the ladies, and C.O.U.P.L.E is the acronym for the men. Yeah, it's as bad as it sounds. The feminist lens is strong in this episode. Buckle up, this one is definitely a bumpy ride! As always, thank you for listening and sharing us with your friends! You can find us on Instagr...
Ep. 7 - LOVE YO NEIGHBOR
April 09, 2021 09:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MBWelcome! This week, Amanda and Christina discuss yet another verse Amanda memorized with hand gestures (and Christina doesn't remember it much at all.) But, at the end of the day, let's be real--how the hell do Christians profess that they love God and Jesus and then behave in a way that is hateful to their neighbor? That's our topic of discussion this week. If you're looking for an active way to start loving your neighbor, turn inward and follow Amanda and Christina's joint recommendation th...
Ep. 7 - If you don't love your neighbor, how can you say "I love God"?!
April 09, 2021 09:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MBWelcome! This week, Amanda and Christina discuss yet another verse Amanda memorized with hand gestures (and Christina doesn't remember it much at all.) But, at the end of the day, let's be real--how the hell do Christians profess that they love God and Jesus and then behave in a way that is hateful to their neighbor? That's our topic of discussion this week. If you're looking for an active way to start loving your neighbor, turn inward and follow Amanda and Christina's joint recommendation ...
Ep. 6 - Transform Your Mind, mkay?
April 02, 2021 10:00 - 57 minutes - 53.4 MBHowdy, listeners! This week Amanda and Christina are discussing Romans 12:2--yet another verse from Paul's letter to the church in Rome. Amanda is very familiar with this verse and remembers memorizing it (with hand motions, OF COURSE!) and both she and Christina have an excellent discussion about what "testing and approving" really means (hint: it doesn't mean blindly following church leadership!) As always, thank you for listening and sharing us with your friends! You can find us on Insta...
Ep 5: The Controversy of Spreading the Gospell
March 26, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBThe hosts battle the big one in this episode - Matthew 28:19 - spreading the gospell. We've all grown up with it. Spread the good news! Save your friends! Anyone who doesn't accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior is going to Hell! But... do we have to spread the 'good news'? Or should we try to be better people? Tune in to see how we rip this one to shreds. If you're not interested in that, the hosts also shit on Dave Ramsey for a solid 15 minutes or so. Basically what I'm trying to say, this...
Ep. 5 - The Controversy of Spreading the Gospel
March 26, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBThe hosts battle the big one in this episode - Matthew 28:19 - spreading the gospel. We've all grown up with it. Spread the good news! Save your friends! Anyone who doesn't accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior is going to Hell! But... do we have to spread the 'good news'? Or should we try to be better people? Tune in to see how we rip this one to shreds. If you're not interested in that, the hosts also shit on Dave Ramsey for a solid 15 minutes or so. Basically what I'm trying to say, this ...
Ep. 4 - And You Fall Short, and You Fall Short, and YOU Fall Short
March 19, 2021 06:00 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBDon't you love being told that you're a dirty sinner and fall short of the Glory of God? No? Us either. In this episode, Amanda and Christina talk extensively about how much they don't like the "Romans Road to Salvation." Amanda specifically talks about the Sinners Prayer too, something Christina was never really taught. And then they talk about what a cop out it is. Oh you sinned? Here's a get outta jail free card and that's all you have to do to repent! Ugh... this episode is definitely f...
Ep. 3 - Psalm 23 (The Death Chapter)
March 12, 2021 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBHave you ever recited Psalm 23 to a dying relative? No? Just me? I'll see myself out... But really--this week Amanda and Christina discuss Psalm 23 and all its peaceful (if dark) imagery. The two spend the episode catching up (as per usual) then discussing their first interactions with Psalm 23, how it made them feel at that time, and how the verse makes them feel now. This is an ultimately uplifting episode you don't want to miss (even though they spend a considerable amount of time talkin...
Episode 2: I Can Do All Things... Or Can I?
March 05, 2021 09:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBHey guys, gals, and nonbinary pals! Welcome to season two! This season we are SO excited to bring you refreshing conversations about some of the most common verses and themes in the Bible--all while viewing them through a cultural, literary, and feminist lens. Sometimes we lean more toward one lens or the other (like today) and other times we'll incorporate all three! On today's episode, A + C talk about Philipians 4:13. Is it a verse of comfort, or is it a verse that is used out of context t...
Ep. 1 - The Most Popular Verse
February 26, 2021 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBHey guys, gals, and nonbinary pals! Welcome to season two! This season we are SO excited to bring you refreshing conversations about some of the most common verses and themes in the Bible--all while viewing them through a cultural, literary, and feminist lens. Sometimes we lean more toward one lens or the other (like today) and other times we'll incorporate all three! On today's episode, A + C talk about theeeee most popular verse from our upbringing (and no, it's not "Jesus wept," which wa...
Season 2 Trailer! We're Coming for You Bible!
December 25, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 1.05 MBCheck out the trailer for season 2! And always feel free to reach out to us on Twitter and Instagram at @DearGodWTH! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deargodwth/message
Ep. 16 - Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better... Or So The Christian Church Thinks
December 18, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 72.2 MBMerry Holidays everyone! Welcome to the season finale of Dear God, What The Hell?! Today is all about superiority within the Christian church. The hosts dive into their personal experiences with savior complexes and which religions were considered to be "the ones to save." Amanda speaks on her interactions with anti-Catholicism and Christina speaks on what she's seen in the world of anti-Semitism. Thank you all for joining us this season. We love all of you very much! While you're waiting fo...
Episode 16: Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better... Or So The Christian Church Thinks
December 18, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 72.2 MBMerry Holidays everyone! Welcome to the season finale of Dear God, What The Hell?! Today is all about superiority within the Christian church. The hosts dive into their personal experiences with savior complexes and which religions were considered to be "the ones to save." Amanda speaks on her interactions with anti-Catholicism and Christina speaks on what she's seen in the world of anti-Semitism. Thank you all for joining us this season. We love all of you very much! While you're waiting fo...
Ep. 15 - Money money MONAAAAAY
December 11, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 70.7 MBHappy Friday! May today be your payday because we're talking about 🥁 money! 🥁 Amanda and Christina had very different church experiences when it comes to tithing, but both of them remember these offering plates as children. Additionally, they touch on the importance of charitable giving...or at least importance as it was taught to them. To round off the episode, Amanda and Christina share the ways in which they currently see giving as important (spoiler: neither of them tithes.) If you want...
Ep. 14 - "God has a plan for your life!" ...ok, then.
December 04, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 65.4 MBOkay, Karen, how about you take your toxic positivity and drivelous platitudes back to Hobby Lobby and stop misinterpreting Jeremiah 29:11? Thanks. This week, Amanda and Christina have a special guest from inside the house--Brandon, Amanda's husband! The squad discusses the unintentionally harmful messages they received as children and teens (and young adults) in the church regarding life's "purpose" and the "plan" that God "has for your life." If you're a seminary drop out, former Christia...
Ep. 13 - Volunteering? Really, church...you should pay your workers.
November 27, 2020 10:00 - 59 minutes - 55.5 MBWelcome to (lucky) episode 13 of Dear God, What the Hell?! We hope you ate all you wanted/needed to yesterday and are blessed with only the stretchiest of waistbands today. This week Amanda and Christina have a brazen discussion about volunteering (which often felt like volun-told-ing), mission trips (helllllo white supremacy and white savior complex), and underpaid positions within churches (can you say, "Let's unionize church staff?"). We'll give you a hint, social acceptance and avoidanc...
Ep. 12 - The Destructive Side Effects of Purity Culture
November 20, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 70.4 MBWelcome back everyone, to episode 12 of Dear God, What the Hell?! Hi listeners, this is a content warning. Today we’re talking about purity culture, and more explicitly rape culture. We will be sharing stories of sexual assault, and we will be putting another content warning ahead of the stories themselves. If you find these topics triggering, please find and talk to a licenced therapist in your area or online. This might not be the episode for you. This week Amanda and Christina share their...
Episode 12: The Destructive Side Effects of Purity Culture
November 20, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 70.4 MBWelcome back everyone, to episode 12 of Dear God, What the Hell?! Hi listeners, this is a content warning. Today we’re talking about purity culture, and more explicitly rape culture. We will be sharing stories of sexual assault, and we will be putting another content warning ahead of the stories themselves. If you find these topics triggering, please find and talk to a licenced therapist in your area or online. This might not be the episode for you. This week Amanda and Christina share th...
Ep. 11 - Homophobia, Heteronormativity and Coming Out
November 13, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBHi listeners, this is a content warning. Today we’re talking about homophobia in the church. If you find this topic triggering, please find and talk to a licensed therapist in your area or online. This may not be the episode for you. This week Amanda and Christina share their own personal experiences with homophobia (both external and internal), heteronormativity and coming out. This episode is equal parts joyful celebration that all God's children are made in God's image, and are beautiful...
BONUS -- 2020 Election Reactions
November 10, 2020 00:53 - 55 minutes - 51.8 MBThanks for tuning in to this bonus episode of Dear God, What the Hell?! When you click play, be prepared to hear Amanda and Christina talk about their ~*~feelings~*~ after they heard the results of the 2020 election as well as their emotional, ethical, and logical responses to family members who voted for Trump...again. Or for the first time, as we come to find out about one of our family members. The gals also discuss Parler, the tea party movement, and responsibilities moving forward. Tru...
Ep. 10 - They Love Us, They Love Us… Not? (Dating and the Church)!
November 06, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 77.5 MBWelcome back everyone, to episode 10 of Dear God, What the Hell?! Christina starts off the episode by discussing her car trouble woes. Amanda worked out, but then the hosts talk about food for an additional 5 minutes (surprising no one). Then they talk about getting drunk at Christmas parties, which humanized quite a few people. Once they shoot the shit quite a bit, they finally reveal the topic of today’s episode - Dating! Ah romance, all about being “equally yolked,” right? ...Wrong. Take a...
Episode 10: They Love Us, They Love Us… Not? (Dating and the Church)!
November 06, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 77.5 MBWelcome back everyone, to episode 10 of Dear God, What the Hell?! Christina starts off the episode by discussing her car trouble woes. Amanda worked out, but then the hosts talk about food for an additional 5 minutes (surprising no one). Then they talk about getting drunk at Christmas parties, which humanized quite a few people. Once they shoot the shit quite a bit, they finally reveal the topic of today’s episode - Dating! Ah romance, all about being “equally yolked,” right? ...Wrong. Take a...
Ep. 9 - Ghosts, Ghouls, and the (Holy) Spirit Realm
October 30, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 93.3 MBHappy Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve and (almost) All Saint’s Day! This week, you--our listeners--get a double length episode! The gals are joined by their first guest contributor and close friend Alli (she/her and they/them--follow on TikTok!). The topics of discussion stay in the lanes of all things spooky, scary, paranormal, witchy and gory. Everyone, once again, talks about how they weren’t allowed to read Harry Potter as children, as well as what other forms of media they were and were not ...
Ep. 8 - Toga, Toga, Toga! (The College Episode)
October 23, 2020 09:00 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBWelcome back everyone, to episode 8 of Dear God, What the Hell?! After 12 minutes of story time, we finally dive into the topic of this weeks episode: College! Amanda does most of the talking in this episode, only because Christina didn’t really explore much in the way of religion once she was out of her parents place. Unless food was involved. Amanda talks about her experience finding herself and regrounding herself in her faith. Thanks everyone so much for listening! Amanda Recommends: The...
Ep. 7 - The Parental Figures
October 16, 2020 14:26 - 1 hour - 66.2 MBJoin the gals as they talk about their parents' level of activity in the churches where they grew up. Spoiler alert: Christina does most of the talking this episode--her dad was a Deacon and both of her parents were very involved in youth group, children's church, and the like. Amanda mentions her mom's penchant for working for churches and dad's pottery skills and...that's about it. While recording, Amanda wrote down the following quote Christina said because it really stood out: "Any religi...
Ep. 6 - Sex, (no drugs), Rock n’ Roll!
October 09, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 67.9 MBWelcome back everyone, we’re already on episode 6 for Dear God, What the Hell?! It’s only taken Amanda 6 episodes to finally profess her love for the Dances With Wolves Soundtrack. Amanda’s dad had an eclectic taste in music. Christina talks about the Christian version of Coachella, while Amanda almost physically runs into Jeremy Camp. The hosts discuss the differences between Christian bands and...Christian bands. Don’t worry, it’ll all make sense. Help us out, are there any good Father/D...
Ep. 5 - Camps and Youth Groups Strike Back
October 02, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBWelcome to Episode 5! Amanda has had a long day, and Christina finally has internet in her new apartment! Amanda finally gets to talk about Cry Nights©, and Christina shares a similar struggle with Shame Circles© (both phrases copyright by Dear God, What the Hell Podcast LLC). Guys threw a football. Amanda goes on a mini rant that Christina wants made into a sticker. The hosts lightly poke the topic of sex with a stick, and that leads into the discussion about Youth Groups! Amanda reminisces ...
Ep. 4 - VBS, Camp, AWANA, Oh My!
September 25, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 59.2 MBHello all, welcome to episode 4! Christina exposes the fact that she still has a Tumblr. Amanda talks about her cat (that we love very much). Both hosts talk about their VBS (Vacation Bible School) showstopping pageants and the fact that it was mostly used as free childcare. Christina talks about her weekly grade school church program - AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed). Amanda reads from her "heathen" Bible and talks about her experiences with Missionettes (now called National Girls M...
Ep. 3 - Church Friends and Cliques
September 18, 2020 09:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBThis week, Amanda and Christina discuss their experience developing friendships within the evangelical Christian church. Amanda recounts some of her earliest memories of church friends and Christina does the same only with slightly less friendly experiences involving the ever infamous (and arguably unavoidable) church cliques. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for listening today. Please do us a favor and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening right now. Th...
Ep. 2 - Bible Stories, Diverse Vegetables and Women in Leadership
September 11, 2020 09:00 - 43 minutes - 40.5 MBJoin Amanda and Christina as they discuss their first and favorite childhood Bible stories, their first Bibles (may the record reflect this was Christina's first Bible, and this was Amanda's), and Jesus as a turnip. The gals also unpack the influence of seeing (or not seeing) women in roles of leadership while growing up, deacons, and the purpose of the Levitical law. This week Amanda recommends "No Other Gods: The Politics of the Ten Commandments" by Ana Levy-Lyons and "A Year of Biblical Wo...
Ep. 1 - Growing up in "The Church"
September 04, 2020 09:00 - 40 minutes - 37.8 MBMeet your hosts Amanda and Christina as they awkwardly fumble through audio issues and get to the first base of their story--growing up in the Christian Evangelical church. Amanda recounts the nine churches she has been a part of; Christina tells of her one and only church. Both hosts end the episode with a recap of how they currently feel about the church. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for listening. Please hit the SUBSCRIBE button on whatever platform you are using to listen ...
Trailer for Dear God, What the Hell?!
August 22, 2020 02:01 - 33 seconds - 538 KBTrailer for our podcast Dear God, What the Hell?! Meet the hosts in episode 1! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deargodwth/message