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September 23, 2025 โ€ข 16 mins

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๐ŸŽ™ Podcast Description

What happens when faith unravels? In this episode, former pastors and believers reflect on the loneliness of leaving religion, the emotional toll of deconstruction, and the importance of finding community.

Youโ€™ll hear stories of loss, resilience, and the shift from magical thinking to evidence-based reality. Whether youโ€™re questioning, deconstructing, or supporting someone who is, this conversation highlights both the struggles and the strength in walking away from belief.


Former pastors and believers share what it feels like to lose faith, face isolation, and rebuild community. This episode tackles deconstruction, loss of belonging, and why reason and compassion matter more than belief. Subscribe for more voices navigating life beyond faith.

๐Ÿ“‘ Relevant Topics / Chapter Headings

The pain of leaving faith and community

Why deconstruction feels like loss

Magical thinking vs. reality-based living

The role of the internet in finding support

Conversations with believers and speaking past each other

Slavery, morality, and biblical contradictions

๐Ÿ“š Suggested Reading List

Godless by Dan Barker โ€” Personal deconversion stories from a former evangelical preacher who became an atheist. https://amzn.to/3T0toY5


Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel Dennett โ€” Examines the psychology of religious experience and how natural processes explain belief. https://amzn.to/45JWYZf


Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible by Jerry A. Coyne โ€” Sharp analysis of why religion and science clash on lifeโ€™s biggest questions. https://amzn.to/3IUdXib

Visit us at www.Atheistville.com for more content from Mike Smithgall and the Atheistville team

๐Ÿ“บ Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@atheistville

๐Ÿ’ฌ Want to be a guest or submit a question? Drop us a note at CONTACT

Check us out at: https://atheistville.buzzsprout.com

๐Ÿ”ฅ New episodes weekly from Atheistville โ€” Mike Drop with Mike Smithgall, Ask an Atheist, and The Unholy Roundtable

ยฉ 2025 Atheistville Media

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