An interesting issue came up during episode #8 of Drunk Ex-Pastors. A female caller relayed her frustration over the fact that when she was a churchgoer, many of the other women in the congregation viewed her with suspicion because of their fear that she would try to tempt and steal away their husbands. Of course, the first question that arose in my mind was, “So what’s the deal? Are men simply passive agents in this whole thing? Are they just acted upon, the way a wallet is acted upon when picked up from the table and placed in one’s pocket?” In fact, this whole attitude sort of feeds the idea that men aren’t really responsible for what they do. They’re simply duped, picked off, hypnotized, and forced into doing what their urges … [Read more...]
Women: Walking Vaginas? Or Something More?
Many of you with a religious background will know that Genesis records the creation of Eve from Adam’s rib because Adam needed a “helpmeet” or counterpart with whom he could relate (up to that point there were just animals roaming around). It is very easy for religious people to jump from the Genesis record to the idea that women only exist to make men’s lives easier, and have no distinct purpose of their own outside pleasing their husbands and bearing his children (a position that, as we discussed in episode #7 of Drunk Ex-Pastors, Mark Driscoll appears to hold). Have any thoughts on this? If you’re a female, got any horror stories to share? Have a listen below. . . . … [Read more...]
Boobhack!
As has been reported, a massive security breach has recently led to over 100 celebrities’ cell phones being hacked and their personal photos stolen and uploaded to the web for all the world to see (I believe the celebs were all female). As you can imagine, the majority of the pics shared fall into the category of nude selfies. The victims include Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton, two women that I’m sure no one would like to see naked (</sarcasm>). Unsurprisingly, many on the Right are blaming the women themselves for even having these pics on their devices in the first place (basically, it serves them right for being such hussies). Not unlike when the creepier details of the Patriot Act were made known, the response among … [Read more...]
Does ISIS Speak for True Islam?
The latest episode of Drunk Ex-Pastors deals in part, again, with the issue of ISIS (you can click below to hear our full discussion). I just read a very interesting article by Sam Harris called “Sleepwalking Toward Armageddon” in which the author argues a few controversial points, among which are (1) the idea that as long as the West is invoking the “true religion” to combat Islam’s false one, we’ll have no choice but to also and forever combat our enemies with missiles as well, and (2) those who deny that ideas like martyrdom, armed jihad, and hatred of infidels are central tenets of the Koran are as misguided as those who would say that the resurrection of Christ is some secondary or tertiary doctrine of Christianity. I would highly … [Read more...]
“You’re a RABID Anti-Doggite!”
In episode 5 of Drunk Ex-Pastors (which you can listen to below) I sort of launch into this complaint about pets and pet-people that I want to qualify a bit. Because, you know, say a disparaging word about dogs these days and you’re liable to lynching. Look, I had a dog growing up he needed space so we cleared the backyard with help from wildlife control service who helped with squirrels bats and more. I also had a mother who smoked two packs a day (at least when I was very young, she quit ages ago). Both of those facts had their effects on me, my home, my clothes, the way they smelled, etc. If you are a smoker (or live with one), your hair and clothing will reflect that reality, and so will your furniture, just like with a pet owner. … [Read more...]
Hot Enough for Acting?
As I explain in episode 4 of Drunk Ex-Pastors below, it is my contention that only around 10% of household-name “actors” are actually talented at acting, while the rest just aren’t (among this other 90% are names like Brad Pitt, Diane Keaton, George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, etc.). Now don’t get me wrong, these people can act, kind of. But they are not more talented at acting than most people are at doing whatever they like doing in their spare time (unlike professional athletes like Kobe Bryant or Lionel Messi, who excel at what they do on a level far beyond 99% of most people do at what they’re passionate about). Put another way, I, Jason Stellman, am about as good at public speaking or writing books as Jason Bateman is at acting. … [Read more...]
Just the Vax, Ma’am
One of Drunk Ex-Pastors’ listeners submitted a question during our last podcast concerning vaccines: Should parents just submit to their kids’ doctors’ recommendations regarding vaccines? And what should their attitude be toward those who refuse to vaccinate their children? First off, I think I speak for both of us when I say that we welcome these kinds of difficult and many-layered questions on issues of such significance, because let’s be honest, if there’s anyone on earth qualified to tackle such nuanced matters, it’s two drunk guys with absolutely no training in any related field. But we are ex-pastors, so. For my part, here are some issues to consider: 1. Is the malady for which I am being asked to vaccinate my child a … [Read more...]
Just a Bunch of Random Crap
OK, a few random points. . . . This evening your humble Drunk Ex-Pastors will record our fourth podcast. We have gotten suggestions from a handful of you about topics you’d like to hear us address, but there’s always room for more (and if we don’t get to your question or issue this week, we will eventually, I promise). Just go over to the podcast page and click the link beneath the main image and submit an audio recording telling us what’s on your mind). Have you ever noticed that when girls hang out together in a group, they always choose friends with a similar body-type? Seriously, you never see a super athletic-looking girl cruising around with an overweight or a skin-and-bones girl. It’s like some unwritten code, where if one of … [Read more...]
Where the Hell are All the Real Christians?
We’ve had almost 300 listens to our third episode of Drunk Ex-Pastors in just a few days (whoa!), but for those of you who haven’t heard it yet, co-host Christian and I debate a religious point that I would be curious to get some feedback on. He contends that 99.99% of fundamentalist Christians don’t actually believe their own rhetoric about hell, for if they really thought that hell was a place of eternal and conscious torment that an unbeliever, who could die at any moment, is constantly only a heartbeat away from facing, they would spend their time doing nothing but pleading with pagans to repent and avoid the Lake of Fire at all costs. I have a couple thoughts by way of response. First, while it is true that every person could … [Read more...]
Stop! Colaborate and Listen….
As I indicate in our latest edition of Drunk Ex-Pastors, I have always been something of a skeptic about the issue of “raising awareness” of a disease. In most cases, it is some form of cancer of which awareness is attempting to be raised, and yet I can’t remember the last time I heard about a form of cancer I was not already aware of (with the possible exception of Al Pacino’s portrayal of Lefty in Donnie Brasco, who insists he has “cancer of the prick”). I will admit, though, that a huge amount of awareness has been raised this summer about Lou Gehrig’s Disease, due in no small part to the Ice Bucket Challenge that has been sweeping social media of late. And along with this awareness has come millions of dollars for research of the … [Read more...]