The Decline of Dogma If you're a religious leader, you might want to sit down for this one. A recent Pew Research study found that globally, 1 in 10 adults under 55 have left their childhood religion. That's right, folks, the kids are not alright – with their parents' faith, that is. This trend is a slap in the face to the notion that religion is on the rise, and it's a sign that the youth are leading the way in the secularization of society. Now, I know what you're thinking: "But what about the power of faith? What about the moral guidance that comes with being part of a community?" Well, let me tell you, those are just euphemisms for "we're scared of change" and "we need to control people's thoughts and actions." The fact that young adults are ditching their childhood religions in droves is a sign that they're not buying what the church is selling. The Numbers Don't Lie According to the Pew Research study, 12% of adults under 55 have left their childhood religion. That's a significant chunk of people, especially when you consider that this trend is global. The study found that in some countries, like the United States, the number is even higher – 23% of adults under 55 have left their childhood religion. Now, I know some of you are thinking, "But what about the people who are still devout? What about the ones who are still attending church and following the teachings of their faith?" Well, let me tell you, those people are the exception, not the rule. The fact that a significant number of young adults are leaving their childhood religions is a sign that the tide is turning. Did You Know? According to the Pew Research study, globally, 1 in 10 adults under 55 have left their childhood religion. The Rise of the Nones The Pew Research study also found that the number of people who identify as "nones" – that is, people who don't identify with any particular religion – is on the rise. In fact, 16% of adults under 55 identify as nones. That's a significant increase from previous years, and it's a sign that people are becoming more comfortable with the idea of not identifying with a particular faith. Now, I know some of you are thinking, "But what about the moral implications of not having a faith? What about the sense of community and belonging that comes with being part of a church?" Well, let me tell you, those are just myths perpetuated by the church to keep people in line. The fact is, people are perfectly capable of being moral and compassionate without the need for a higher power. "The numbers don't lie," says the author, noting that 12% of adults under 55 have left their childhood religion. The Hypocrisy of the Church One of the main reasons people are leaving their childhood religions is because of the hypocrisy of the church. Let's face it, folks, the church has a long history of hypocrisy – from the Crusades to the sex abuse scandals. The church has consistently shown that it's more interested in maintaining its power and influence than in actually helping people. And don't even get me started on the moralizing. The church is always ready to tell people how to live their lives, but when it comes to its own members, it's a different story altogether. I mean, who can forget the Catholic Church's stance on birth control, or the Mormon Church's stance on gay marriage? It's all just a bunch of hypocritical nonsense. Fact Myth The majority of young adults are leaving their childhood religions globally. Religion is on the rise and gaining popularity among young adults. People can be moral and compassionate without the need for a higher power. Not having a faith leads to immorality and social isolation. The church's historical actions and statements demonstrate a pattern of hypocrisy. The church is a source of truth and morality. The Future of Faith So, what does the future of faith look like? Well, it's not looking good for the church. As more and more people leave their childhood religions, the church is going to have to adapt or die. And let's be real, folks, the church is not exactly known for its adaptability. But here's the thing: the decline of the church is not a bad thing. In fact, it's a sign of progress. As people become more educated and more informed, they're naturally going to start questioning the dogma and superstition of the church. And that's a good thing. The Secularization of Society The decline of the church is also a sign of the secularization of society. As more and more people leave their childhood religions, society is going to become more secular. And that's a good thing, folks. Secular societies are more tolerant, more inclusive, and more just. So, to all the young adults out there who are ditching their childhood religions, I say: keep on keeping on. You're not alone, and you're leading the way to a more secular and more just society. And to the church, I say: get used to it. The tide is turning, and there's no going back. The Final Nail in the Coffin The fact that 1 in 10 young adults are leaving their childhood religions is just the latest sign that the church is on its way out. It's a sign that people are becoming more educated, more informed, and more skeptical. And that's a good thing, folks. So, let's raise a glass to the secularization of society, and to the decline of the church. It's about time, if you ask me.

Uncle Steve is back at the table armed with the usual Fox-flavored folklore: “schools are indoctrinating kids,” “it’s grooming,” “trans is a trend,” and the classic imaginary litter box story (because nothing says serious political thought like a viral hoax). We translate the subtext, fear, control, and borrowed children-as-shields, and then hand listeners a stack of boundary-setting comebacks that keep dinner from turning into a cable-news hostage situation. Part two leans hard into the big-ticket holiday hits: the “God made male and female” bumper-sticker theology, the weaponized “mental illness” label, and the exhausting “I can’t keep up with pronouns” routine (spoiler: they can learn quinoa, but not basic respect). You also point out the recurring hypocrisy: if the crowd’s actually worried about kids, maybe panic less about “crotches” and more about, you know… school shootings. But sure, let’s pretend “Happy Holidays” is the real oppression. And just when Steve tries to launch the War on Christmas™, you torch it with humor, practical redirects, and the reminder that “persecution” is not “a cashier used a generic greeting at Target.” Bonus detours include green bean casserole slander, “hide the pickle” lore, peanuts-in-the-stocking-toe traditions, and the exact kind of petty chaos that keeps your sanity intact. Now go eat something delicious and refuse to litigate human rights over gravy. 👉 Listen now at sacrilegiousdiscourse.com 👉 Join our godless rebellion on Discord: discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC 👉 Support the snark on Patreon: patreon.com/sacrilegiousdiscourse 📌 Topics Covered: * “Think of the kids!” as a convenient emotional shield (and how to call it out without flipping the table) * The “indoctrination” panic… from people whose churches run kid-programming as a business model * “It’s grooming” —what grooming actually is (hint: not “don’t bully people”) * “Trans is a trend / social contagion” and why that language is just dehumanization in a lab coat * “God made male and female” + “sinful” = theology-as-excuse for contempt (and why “love your neighbor” doesn’t have an asterisk) * “I can’t keep up with pronouns” (a.k.a. selective incompetence as a personality) * “You can’t even say Merry Christmas anymore” and other persecution fantasies * “Christian America” claims, Founders context, and the “please shut up and pass the casserole” exit strategy 💬 Best Quote from the Episode (actual quote): “You can learn the word quinoa, but you cannot keep up with pronouns.” --- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a Christmas Eve special, recorded on “Christmas Eve Eve” (aka “Christmas Steve Eve”), where Husband and Wife roleplay the dreaded holiday boss fight: Uncle Dude Bro (a.k.a. Steve) and Aunt Karen, armed with bumper-sticker theology, cable-news grievances, and the unstoppable urge to ruin the ham with culture-war nonsense. The hosts roll out a grab bag of survival tactics: polite shut-downs, hard redirects (“Who made this pie? It is criminally delish.”), allyship call-outs, and the crowd-pleasing move, weaponizing the Bible back at Christians (because if they want “biblical marriage,” congrats, they just signed up for polygamy, concubines, and assorted Old Testament weirdness). This episode’s greatest hits include responses to: “It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” “I’m not homophobic, but…,” and “People are too sensitive.” Also: a cameo from Gen Z queer energy, point, laugh, and hit ’em with the “stinky” hand-wave, and a mini-rant about how these “just joking” lines are often code for “I’d like credit for being nice while saying something mean.” 👉 Listen now at sacrilegiousdiscourse.com 👉 Join our godless rebellion on Discord: discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC 👉 Support the snark on Patreon: patreon.com/sacrilegiousdiscourse 📌 Topics Covered: * “Adam & Eve, not Adam & Steve” — and how to shut it down without flipping the gravy boat * Redirect magic: pie praise, Christmas movies, and “Die Hard is a Christmas movie” derailments * The “I’m not homophobic, but…” disclaimer (aka the verbal airhorn before the bad take) * Bible-based clapbacks: “traditional marriage” turns into a Leviticus-level mess real fast * “People are too sensitive” — or maybe you’re just being a dick, Steve * How to be an ally at the table without becoming the night’s designated punching bag * When to set a boundary, when to walk away, and when to let silence do the stabbing 💬 Best Quote from the Episode: “Let’s not do bumper sticker theology over dinner, Uncle Steve.” --- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Sacrilegious Discourse , where we read the Bible so you don’t have to. This week 2 Maccabees Chapter 4 delivers the spiritual equivalent of a corrupt city council meeting… with bonus nude wrestling. The story kicks off with Sinister Simon blaming Onias for political chaos, and then immediately devolves into a bribe-fueled merry-go-round where Jason buys the high priesthood, then Menelaus outbids him like it’s an eBay auction for religious power. (Spoiler: everyone sucks.) Things get extra gross when Jason pushes hard into Hellenization, aka “Let’s turn Jerusalem into Greek culture cosplay,” complete with a gymnasium right under the citadel. The hosts dig into why this matters (hint: Greek athletics + Jewish circumcision = weaponized humiliation and cultural erasure), while also spiraling into side-quests about the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile, track & field, and the ancient origins of “the ruling class does crimes, the public pays for it.” Then the chapter tries to pret

1 Maccabees 11 is basically Game of Thrones if every character had the same three names and the narrator kept shouting “he” like it explains anything. Ptolemy rolls into Syria “with words of peace” (classic), plants garrisons everywhere (less peaceful), and then the whole Alexander–Cleopatra situation turns into a diplomatic soap opera where wives get traded like baseball cards and heads get mailed as party favors. Meanwhile, Jonathan keeps doing what Jonathan does: besiege first, ask questions never, and then show up with a pile of shiny bribes like he’s trying to buy a VIP wristband to the Seleucid afterparty. Demetrius is mad… until he’s thrilled… until he’s mad again—because loyalty in this chapter lasts roughly the lifespan of a cheap candle. There’s also a glorious moment where the hosts basically scream into the void about how God is barely in this book, because this isn’t “divine providence,” it’s raw politics, opportunism, and dudes swapping crowns like Funko Pops. And just when you think the chapter might settle down, it veers into citywide slaughter numbers, sudden revolts, Tryphon dragging a new Antiochus onto the stage (because of course), and a final battle where everyone runs away until Jonathan rage-prays and flips the script. If you like your Bible stories confusing, violent, and suspiciously modern in their power games—welcome home. 👉 Listen now at sacrilegiousdiscourse.com 👉 Join our godless rebellion on Discord: discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC 👉 Support the snark on Patreon: patreon.com/sacrilegiousdiscourse 📌 Topics Covered: * 1 Maccabees 11: the “who’s king this week?” chapter * Ptolemy’s “peace tour” that somehow includes garrisons and conquest * Cleopatra gets traded like a political coupon * Alexander loses his head—literally—and the plot keeps sprinting * Jonathan’s signature move: besiege + bribe + become besties * Demetrius uses the Jews to save his throne… then immediately turns on them * Tryphon + a new Antiochus = sequel bait nobody asked for * The hosts’ running theme: Where the hell is God in all this? 💬 Best Quote from the Episode: “If you stick your dick in enough holes, one of them might be a vagina.” --- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pronouns in 1 Maccabees 8–10 are doing crimes against clarity, so we hit pause and run a full-on Q&A intervention. Judas hears about Rome (yes, that Rome), decides “distant empire bestie” is a solid plan, and sends envoys to lock in a treaty… which mostly functions as a symbolic “don’t make me call my big cousin” threat. Then the story hard-swerves into “and now Judas is dead because… choices.” Demetrius I sends Bacchides to crush the rebels, the movement splinters, and we finally decode who the “lawless” actually are (spoiler: collaborators). With Judas gone, Jonathan takes over and switches from battlefield heroics to pure political chess—playing rival claimants (Alexander vs. Demetrius) to claw out legitimacy and autonomy. And because we’re apparently masochists, we compare the first ten chapters to Josephus, who rewrites the same events with a Greco-Roman “everybody calm down, Rome is totally benevolent” filter. It’s historiography meets PR cleanup: the Macadoodles are writing revolutionary memory; Josephus is writing “please don’t revolt again” damage control. 👉 Listen now at sacrilegiousdiscourse.com 👉 Join our godless rebellion on Discord: discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC 👉 Support the snark on Patreon: patreon.com/sacrilegiousdiscourse 📌 Topics Covered: * Rome shows up like a mythic superhero… then immediately “leaves the chat.” * Judas sends envoys west, because nothing says “freedom” like foreign empire paperwork. * Judas dies at the battle of Elasa and the rebellion’s vibes collapse instantly. * “The lawless” finally decoded: collaborators aligned with the Seleucids. * Jonathan replaces sword-swinging with backroom dealing (and it works). * Alexander Balas vs. Demetrius I: two kings fighting over Jonathan like he’s the last Wi-Fi password in town. * The high priesthood gets politicized; appointed by an outside king, not hereditary. * Josephus vs. 1 Maccabees: same history, wildly different spin, rebellion vs. respectability politics. 💬 Best Quote from the Episode: “So much is because of pronoun abuse.” --- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A peaceful 20-minute protest walks into a Southern Baptist church in St. Paul, Minnesota… and somehow the church reacts like it got hit with the Book of Revelation and a Yelp review. The target? A pastor with ties to ICE, because nothing screams “Jesus loves you” like deportation logistics and van-based kidnapping cosplay. From there, the episode spirals (beautifully) into the modern American classic: Christians claiming persecution while holding most of the cultural power, and then calling in the feds when someone brings consequences to their front door. The hosts tear into the hypocrisy of churches demanding “sanctuary” from criticism, while cheering the state’s cruelty when it’s aimed at immigrants, protesters, and anyone who doesn’t look like the “default setting” of patriot Jesus. And because this timeline is a clown car, we also get a breakdown of the FACE Act and how laws can get selectively enforced depending on who’s crying loudest (spoiler: it’s usually the people with the biggest crosses and the thinnest skin). It’s equal parts rage, dark humor, and that special Sacrilegious Discourse vibe: “we read the Bible so you don’t have to… and then we watch the church ignore it anyway.” 👉 Listen now at sacrilegiousdiscourse.com 👉 Join our godless rebellion on Discord: discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC 👉 Support the snark on Patreon: patreon.com/sacrilegiousdiscourse 📌 Topics Covered: * ICE + pastor = “Christian values” doing parkour off a moral cliff * A 20-minute protest, zero violence… and the church still hits the panic button * The FACE Act, why it exists, and how it gets wielded like a political cudgel * Christian nationalism—the “patriotism” flavored version of religious domination * “Persecution” as performance art: when disagreement = spiritual warfare * Churches getting political, endorsing candidates, and staying tax-exempt anyway (cool system!) * Protest safety reality check: rights, risks, and why the state isn’t neutral anymore 💬 Best Quote from the Episode: “If your faith can't survive 20 minutes of peaceful protesting, then maybe find another fucking religion.” --- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.