Mezzo by Chris Damian

Chris Damian

Mezzo is a space for the "in-between." For deconstructing and deconstructed Catholics, and those who want to learn with and from them. We cover
Catholicism, intersectionality, dialogue, deconstruction, sexuality, race, creativity, healing, change, and much more!

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24 episodes
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Avg 42 min
English

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Wednesday · 35 min
Deconstructing FOCUS Catholic: part six
This is the sixth episode on FOCUS Catholic, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. FOCUS a ministry with more than 1000 young people based largely on college campuses around the United States and which last year had a revenue of $126 million. In this episode, we'll continue to explore the disparities between the external image of FOCUS and what too many suffered from the inside. I'll share allegations of abuse behavior on the part of FOCUS Founder Curtis Martin, how Martin kept a man in ministry even after a Court detailed sworn testimony of abuse, and how today FOCUS even has that missionary living in a $2 million luxury home owned by the ministry. We'll unpack: - The allegations against Curtis Martin that were reportedly raised to Focus and its board - What court records say about the missionary’s conduct in his marriage - How staff say Focus handled the victim and the public narrative - Why a $2 million home tied to Focus raises fresh financial questions how messaging around femininity, masculinity, and submission can become a recipe for abuse And we'll connect this case to broader church failures, showing how silence, reputation management, and unchecked authority can harm the very people ministries claim to serve. This is not just about one organization’s scandal - it’s about what happens when leaders are protected, victims are minimized, and accountability is treated as optional. 00:00 — Introduction: Allegations surrounding Focus 03:46 — The letter accusing Curtis Martin of threatening behavior 08:23 — Court findings in the missionary’s marriage case 10:41 — How Focus allegedly responded to the abuse allegations 14:02 — Gender culture, control, and patterns of abuse 18:42 — Wider allegations and the case for an independent investigation 22:45 — Questions about luxury properties and financial transparency 28:12 — A call for accountability from Focus leadership 30:34 — A message to current and former Focus members 33:24 — Advocacy, healing, and resources
Monday · 50 min
Deconstructing FOCUS Catholic: part five
This is the fifth episode on FOCUS Catholic, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. FOCUS a ministry with more than 1000 young people based largely on college campuses around the United States and which last year had a revenue of $126 million. In this episode, we explore how FOCUS didn’t just recruit students - it shaped identities, relationships, and entire careers. Kelly, Mat, Carol, Anton, Christine, and Mary return to tell us what it’s actually like to be “won, built, and sent” by one of the American Church’s most influential ministries, and why they’re still processing what they experienced years after leaving the ministry.What left missionaries facing panic attacks and hiding in bathrooms during Mass? Why do many former missionaries struggle with substance abuse today? How do those once engaged with the ministry process the harms they helped perpetuate within it? And how did the mental anguish from messages within FOCUS get so bad that it led one former leader to get checked into a psychiatric hospital? We’ll explore all this and much more. 0:00 — When Care Becomes Control2:09 — Burnout, Boundaries, and Work Culture8:53 — Control, Privilege, and Gendered Harm19:27 — Hiding Pain and Losing Trust21:58 — Family Leave, COVID, and Physical Safety27:10 — Shame, Substance Use, and Delayed Growth32:24 — Trauma, Testimony, and Spiritual Authority37:14 — Leaving FOCUS and Reclaiming Identity39:36 — A Crisis and Choosing Survival43:31 — Why These Stories Matter46:27 — Accountability, Apology, and Healing48:56 — Finding Support Without an Apology
September 29 · 43 min
Deconstructing FOCUS Catholic: part four
This is the fourth episode on FOCUS Catholic, a ministry with more than 1000 young people based largely on college campuses around the United States and which last year had a revenue of $126 million. In this episode, we explore how the inside story of FOCUS is far messier than its public image. Six former insiders—Carol Marceau, Kelly Wuebben, Mat Wuebben, Christine Grote, Anton Kallungal, and Mary Forbes—reveal how a ministry that claimed belonging, mission, and spiritual zeal would normalize shame, control, and silence for those harmed. Beneath the Bible studies and the conference highs is a machine that relied on love bombing, emotional unchastity, gender discrimination, transactional relationships, and the pressure to appear joyful while your mental health unravels. We'll also unpack some more issues related to finances and hiring. This includes the bar being so low for male hires that one woman had to push against a group of other recruiters who wanted to hire a male candidate who was "on fire" for his faith... even after the recruit admitted to lying during the application process.The panelists occupied a range of roles within the organization, from student leader to missionary to team director to events coordinator to accounting manager, and together they help us unpack the harms behind FOCUS and the hope for the future. 00:00 — Introduction: A Closer Look at FOCUS02:07 — Fundraising, Isolation, and Spiritual Pressure07:05 — The Emotional Cost of Fundraising11:36 — A Breaking Point at Headquarters19:19 — Unqualified Leadership and Pay Inequity25:11 — Financial Controls, Expenses, and Accountability31:39 — Race, Representation, and Recruitment38:54 — Double Standards and the Suppression of Strong Women40:37 — A Choice Not to Continue with FOCUS42:54 — Closing
September 25 · 25 min
Deconstructing FOCUS Catholic: Part Three
This is the third episode in the multi-part series on the Catholic ministry FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. In this episode, we’ll hear from both sets of panelists: Carol, Kelly, Mat, Christine, Anton, and Mary. They talk us through love-bombing on the part of missionaries, the handling of unmarried missionaries who become pregnant, and some HR practices that discriminate against women. Some of what they shared was shocking, including how those involved in hiring were at times given different parameters for male vs female candidates, and also how a traumatized missionary was forced to go endure a talk on pornography that directly triggered her traumatic experiences.We talk through the shame behind the machinery of FOCUS, what harms they themselves participated in, and how they’re unpacking accountability for themselves as they move forward. How can Catholic ministries do better? And how can we assist with healing for those who have already been harmed in them?Much more to come.00:00 — FOCUS, marriage culture, and belonging02:54 — Unequal hiring standards for women and men06:16 — How gender inequality became systemic08:04 — Vocation, marriage, and pressure on women11:31 — Mary’s experience of sexuality and belonging17:11 — Mentorship barriers and pregnancy in ministry18:57 — Modesty culture, control, and harm22:10 — Processing complicity, grief, and healing24:22 — What’s next: financial practices within Focus
September 22 · 26 min
Deconstructing FOCUS Ministries: Part Two
This is the second episode in the multi-part series on the Catholic ministry FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. In this episode, we welcome a second group of panelists: Christine Grote, Mary Forbes, and Anton Kallungal. They discuss how FOCUS promised purpose, belonging, and holiness, but how those promises came with normalized shame, the marginalization of women, and psychological confusion. They'll share how they went from Catholics with many disagreements with Church teaching to impassioned FOCUS apologists, to largely no longer identifying with Catholicism. They shared a similar pattern in which they felt that FOCUS took advantage of their vulnerability and need for community, meaning, and healing. Christine shares how grief, desperation, and simple messages drew her into the ministry. Anton shares how belonging, identity, and a desire to be valued made him vulnerable to radical traditionalism and double standards. And Mary opens up about coming to terms with her sexuality, and how her attractions to other women faced a double bind within the ministry. There's much more to come.00:00 — Introduction01:54 — Looking back: who they were before FOCUS09:37 — How FOCUS drew them in18:19 — Belonging, pressure, and deciding not to stay20:05 — Exclusion and hierarchy within FOCUS23:21 — Shame, scandal, and controlling the narrative26:14 — Coming up
September 18 · 38 min
Deconstructing FOCUS ministries: Part One
This is the first episode in the multi-part series on the Catholic ministry FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. In this episode, we explore how FOCUS built a culture of belonging, then quietly taught people to doubt themselves, their bodies, and their instincts. In this conversation, three former FOCUS leaders—Carol Marceau, Kelly Wuebben, and Matt Wuebben—unpack what happens when a ministry built on mission, image, and influence collides with real human vulnerability.What starts as a story about Bible studies on campus becomes something much more complicated: emotional manipulation, purity culture, fundraising shame, gendered double standards, and the hidden cost of calling young adults “leaders” while treating them like disposable labor. Carol, Kelly, and Matt each bring a different vantage point—student, accountant, HR manager, therapist, missionary, and leader—and together they reveal how deeply the system shaped their careers, relationships, mental health, and faith.00:00 — Intro: FOCUS, religious trauma, and why these stories matter02:20 — Looking back: what their younger selves would think now05:00 — Where Kelly, Matt, and Carol are today10:25 — Framing the conversation: harm, accountability, and different experiences11:25 — How Carol first found belonging through FOCUS14:10 — Kelly and Matt’s path into ministry18:20 — Vulnerability, belonging, and recruitment culture20:00 — Targeting influence and the dynamics of love bombing23:40 — Emotional chastity, purity culture, and lasting wounds27:10 — Gender expectations, dating culture, and “FOCUS widows”31:55 — Masculinity, isolation, shame, and life on mission37:30 — Closing reflections and what’s ahead
September 10 · 9 min
A Girl Started SCREAMING During Eucharistic Adoration... Here's What I Think Happened
For my whole life, I've just accepted one of Catholicism's most unbelievable claims: that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. In this episode of Mezzo, I revisit one unforgettable night at a Catholic youth retreat where a girl suddenly began screaming during Eucharistic adoration, students believed they witnessed spiritual phenomena, and I experienced something that has shaped my faith ever since. Looking back as both a lawyer and a gay Catholic, I reflect on the tension between genuine encounters with God and emotionally manipulative religious environments. I talk about why I'm skeptical of dramatic spiritual experiences, why I still believe the Eucharist matters, and how I've learned to embrace mystery without pretending to have all the answers. Whether you're Catholic, former Catholic, atheist, or simply curious about faith, I hope this conversation offers an honest look at what it feels like to believe. 00:00 A Wafer and Wonder 00:46 Retreat Night Setup 01:52 Screams in Adoration 02:47 Aftermath and Doubt 03:22 What Catholics Believe 05:03 Touching the Veil 05:56 Faith With Limits 06:14 Manufactured and Real 07:31 Deception and Humor 08:12 A God Who Meets Us 08:45 Closing and Thanks
September 3 · 54 min
Black Natural Law & the Christian Response to Oppression, with Dr. Vincent Lloyd
Today, I’m joined on Mezzo by Dr. Vincent Lloyd, professor at Villanova University and author of Black Natural Law and co-author of Break Every Yoke: Break Every Yoke: Religion, Justice, and the Abolition of Prisons.We discuss natural law, suffering, Christianity, oppression, prisons, abolition, Martin Luther King Jr., Anna Julia Cooper, and why the experiences of marginalized communities matter for understanding human nature and justice.This conversation challenged a lot of the assumptions I grew up with around Catholic natural law, punishment, suffering, and political theology. We talk about how Christianity became overly focused on rules and punishment, why suffering can both reveal injustice and be dangerous to romanticize, and how communities shaped by oppression often develop unique wisdom about domination and human dignity.We also discuss immigration enforcement, protest movements, prison abolition, the role of faith in activism, and why Christianity has historically offered people hope in moments that seem impossible. 00:00 Why Black Natural Law 03:01 Two Common Natural Law Frames 06:14 Human Nature Power And Dependency 12:55 Education Beyond Protest 16:14 Anna Julia Cooper And Integrated Life 20:37 Suffering And Redemptive Insight 22:15 Against Valorizing Suffering 29:07 Prisons Punishment And Bad Theology 35:31 Why Abolish Prisons 40:57 Natural Law As Communal Discernment 48:25 Faith Activism And Finding Hope
August 27 · 22 min
What It's Like to Be a "DEI Hire": My Story as a Gay Catholic Lawyer
In today's Mezzo episode, I share a very personal story.Rather than debating DEI, merit, or politics in the abstract, I wanted to explain what these conversations have looked like in my own life. As a gay Catholic and lawyer, I've experienced both opportunities that were closed to me because of my identity and opportunities that were opened through diversity initiatives.I discuss losing a Vatican internship despite being the top candidate, why a corporate diversity externship changed the trajectory of my career, how discrimination has shaped my life, and why I believe these conversations are far more complicated than today's popular political commentary suggests.Whether you agree with me or not, my hope is that this conversation encourages greater empathy and a deeper understanding of the people on the other side of our political disagreements.If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about faith, politics, law, sexuality, and the Catholic tradition, I'd love for you to subscribe and join me for future discussions.00:00 Why We Stay Connected00:46 Setting the Stage on DEI02:26 Stories Over Sound Bites04:11 Trump Orders and Merit06:07 Growing Up Gay Catholic07:15 Vatican Internship Rejected09:37 Family and Future Kids11:32 Lawrence v Texas Reality13:51 Protections Won Then Lost15:35 My DEI Externship Breakthrough17:12 Owning the DEI Label18:02 Fears and Fair Critiques20:10 Special Education Targeted21:44 Closing and Call to Action
August 20 · 59 min
Why Christian Stories Need More Honesty (Not More Arguments)
What happens when you stop trying to win arguments and start telling honest stories?In this conversation, I sit down with Simon, creator of the acclaimed Dear Alana podcast, to talk about the years-long journey of bringing Alana Chen's story to life. We discuss grief, creativity, Catholicism, deconstruction, conversion therapy, and why so many people—religious and secular alike—feel trapped by simplistic narratives.We explore why Dear Alana resonated so deeply, the challenge of telling a story instead of making an argument, and how authentic storytelling can create empathy across political, religious, and cultural divides. We also discuss the future of faith conversations, why we need more nuanced media, and what it means to create art that serves people rather than ideologies.Whether you're Catholic, former religious, LGBTQ, questioning your faith, or simply interested in meaningful storytelling, I hope this conversation helps you think differently about grief, creativity, and what it means to seek truth together.00:00 Welcome00:48 Simon background01:44 Starting Dear Alana03:44 Alana story parallels07:08 A vocational calling10:00 Telling grief responsibly12:24 Story not argument14:59 Bridging inside outside audiences22:39 Catholicism in politics now25:24 Grief and faith reckoning30:58 Grief reshapes priorities33:02 Grief without resolution34:00 Beauty in hard stories34:48 Building bridges across divides35:57 A small life's big impact37:03 Rated R faith conversations39:00 Beyond clean arguments40:43 Capacity to face suffering41:55 Dismantling secular religious divide44:47 Conversion therapy legal lessons47:30 Religious literacy and governance49:22 Making space for honest doubt52:32 Outsider honesty as gift55:11 Create together not alone58:38 Wrapping up
August 13 · 24 min
Does the Catholic Church Really Condemn Socialism?
Socialism is presently all over American news, with democratic socialist politicians currently competing for key roles in state and national leadership. These developments have elicited forceful commentary from Catholic leaders such as Bishop Robert Barron. Catholics are often told that the Church has always condemned socialism. But is that actually what the Church teaches? In this episode, I examine Bishop Robert Barron's response to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and use it as a starting point to explore more than a century of Catholic social teaching. What does Barron get right? And what does he get wrong? Looking at Rerum Novarum, Quadragesimo Anno, Laborem Exercens, Centesimus Annus, and the writings of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis, I explore how the Church's understanding of capitalism, socialism, democratic socialism, collectivism, private property, and the common good has developed over time.Rather than asking whether Catholics must embrace capitalism or socialism, I explore the principles that have remained constant throughout Catholic tradition: the dignity of work, the rights of workers, the universal destination of goods, private property, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the preferential option for the poor.If you've ever wondered what Catholic social teaching actually says—and whether modern political labels fit the Church's tradition—this episode is for you.00:00 Catholicism Meets Socialism00:53 Barron Versus Mamdani02:09 Collectivism And Socialism05:00 Democratic Socialism Question05:23 Leo XIII Rerum Novarum07:29 Pius XI Quadragesimo Anno09:36 John Paul II On Work14:04 Centesimus Annus And Capitalism18:08 Benedict On Democratic Socialism20:24 Francis And Marxist Dialogue22:51 Back To Barron Tweet24:00 Closing Thoughts
August 6 · 43 min
From Youth Ministry to Mental Health: Faith, Fear, and Healing with Ashley Kieffer
Former youth minister–turned–therapist Ashley Kieffer joins Chris to talk about black-and-white Catholicism, youth ministry culture, and what happens when faith gets tangled up with OCD and scrupulosity. They unpack safety vs fear, confession as compulsion, sexuality and shame, and what it means to move from “cookie-cutter Catholic” to a faith rooted in love instead of anxiety. If your religious life feels more like panic than peace, this conversation is for you. 00:00 Ashley's Background and Early Faith Journey 01:35 Youth Ministry Experience 05:54 Transition to Mental Health Therapy 09:51 Exploring Faith and Mental Health 18:10 Understanding OCD and Scrupulosity 21:57 Navigating Scrupulosity in a Hyper-Catholic World 23:05 Therapeutic Approaches to Religious OCD 29:39 Challenges in Youth Ministry 36:17 Overcoming Fear and Embracing Nuance 44:42 Gratitude and Connection with God
July 30 · 1 hr 1 min
Why So Many Women Don’t Believe Women (From Someone on the Front Lines)
In today’s episode of Mezzo, I talk with Katherine Mitchell, therapy program director at Bridging Hope, a sexual assault crisis center in northeast Georgia. (You may also know her as the former manager of Reconstructing Catholicism.) Katherine oversees therapy for survivors whose trauma may have happened yesterday or decades ago, using EMDR, somatic work, and trauma-informed care to walk with people through some of the worst things that can happen to a human being. We talk about what actually happens inside a sexual assault crisis center, why juries and even other women often struggle to believe survivors, and how politics and power shape which stories are taken seriously. Katherine shares candidly about being a survivor herself, raising two young boys with consent and safety in mind, saying “no” to things like sleepovers and certain church events, and learning to set boundaries that protect connection instead of shutting it down. We also explore burnout, how therapists know when they’re not okay, the limits of what therapy (or faith) can promise, and why religious communities so often hurt instead of help. Underneath all of it is a quiet invitation: your trauma wasn’t your fault, and you deserve support in the work of healing. 00:00 The Importance of Healing and Community Support07:15 Differences Between Therapist and Social Worker11:46 Challenges in Addressing Sexual Violence18:36 Parenting and Teaching Consent23:32 Empowering Parents to Advocate for Their Children34:21 Challenges of Clergy Abuse Survivors41:59 Finding Meaning and Motivation in the Work44:58 The Role of Autonomy in Healing52:55 Spirituality and Healing57:21 Current Interests and Self-Care
July 15 · 50 min
Why I Protested: A Catholic Response to ICE in Minneapolis
Over the past year, I've watched my community in Minneapolis experience fear, grief, and incredible acts of courage. In this episode of Mezzo, I share my own experiences living through the recent ICE operations in the Twin Cities, how they affected my friends, my faith, and my understanding of what it means to love our neighbors.This isn't simply a discussion about politics. It's a reflection on Christian hope, peaceful resistance, constitutional rights, and the responsibility we have to care for one another during moments of crisis. I talk about community solidarity, fear, forgiveness, and why I believe hope is something we practice—even when it feels impossible.Whether you agree with me or not, I hope you'll listen with an open mind as I share why these events have changed me and why I believe our response to suffering ultimately says something about who we are.00:00 Minneapolis Under Occupation01:08 Marching With Our Neighbors02:21 Minnesota Nice In Action04:36 Fear And Escalation09:19 Alex Preti And The Aftermath24:33 Disconnection And Solidarity26:28 Faith Leaders Mobilize29:38 Rest Guilt And Grief32:32 Hope As Moral Effort41:40 Constitutional Crisis Call To Act
July 2 · 16 min
My Grandfather Was an "Illegal Immigrant": A Catholic Perspective
In this episode, I share some of my personal story about immigration, faith, and family. My grandfather once overstayed his visa and, for a time, was considered an "illegal immigrant." Looking at today's immigration debate, I can't help but wonder how differently my own family might have been treated under our current political climate. I also reflect on why I was initially hopeful about JD Vance as a Catholic public figure, why that hope ultimately faded, and what I believe Catholic teaching—including the concept of ordo amoris (the order of charity)—actually asks of Christians when it comes to immigrants and refugees. This isn't a discussion about political parties as much as it is about neighbors, compassion, and the responsibility we owe to the people whose lives become intertwined with our own. Whether you agree or disagree, I hope you'll listen with an open mind and join the conversation in the comments. If you enjoy thoughtful discussions on Catholicism, politics, ethics, LGBTQ issues, and faith, consider subscribing for more. 00:00 The Personal Legacy of Immigration 02:55 Reflections on J.D. Vance and Political Discourse 05:52 The Complexity of Love and Responsibility 08:59 The Impact of Immigration Policies 11:58 A Call to Compassion and Understanding
June 29 · 8 min
Why Catholic Arguments Against Transgender People Don't Work
In this episode, we explore why many Catholic arguments against transgender identities fail to persuade—even among people who are sympathetic to Catholic teaching.Drawing on the work of Catholic philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe, we examine how many Catholic discussions about transgender people begin with assumptions that don't accurately describe how trans people understand themselves. Instead of engaging real experiences, Catholic leaders and apologists often end up arguing against simplified caricatures.We also examine the 2019 Vatican document Male and Female He Created Them, discuss how transgender people commonly describe their identities, and compare today's debates about gender to the ways Christians once misunderstood and misrepresented gay people.Whether you agree or not, I hope this conversation encourages a deeper, more honest engagement with both Catholic tradition and the lived experiences of transgender people.Subscribe for more conversations on Catholicism, sexuality, faith, culture, and the future of the Church.Follow me:Substack: Chris DamianInstagram/X: @cdamianwrites00:00 Why Arguments Fail01:47 Vatican Gender Document04:15 Trans Identity Not Choice05:47 Euthydemus Moral Discourse06:13 Lessons From Gay Debates07:15 Credibility And Consequences08:02 Better Conversation Ahead
June 22 · 1 hr 1 min
Can Gay Men Be Ordained Catholic Priests? Canon Lawyer Explains the Rules
Can Catholic seminaries admit gay men to holy orders? In this long, nerdy, and surprisingly hopeful conversation, I sit down with my friend Dan Quinan, a canon lawyer and Substack writer, to unpack what Church law actually says about “homosexual tendencies,” “gay culture,” and seminary admissions.We walk through the 2005 Vatican instructions, the difference between actions, habits, and desires, and why canon law cares far more about chastity and double lives than about labels like “gay” or “homosexual.” We also talk about Pope Francis, the Italian bishops’ recent proposals, and how pathological frameworks around sexuality have fueled both confusion and abuse.If you care about vocations, gay Catholics, canon law, or just understanding what the Church really teaches beyond the hot takes, this one’s for you.00:00 Admittance to Holy Orders03:24 Understanding Canon Law and Instructions07:08 Frameworks and Interpretations of Homosexuality29:53 Discussing a Bishop's Allegations and Identity33:06 Understanding Celibacy and Chastity34:15 Seminary Admissions and Homosexuality41:06 Virtue Ethics and Canon Law
June 15 · 46 min
Do Gay Penguins Matter? Unpacking Catholicism and Natural Law
Today, natural law arguments about sexuality are often based on distorted understandings that risk dehumanizing and dismissing the profound complexity of human persons. What if the way natural law is currently used—objectivized, empiricist, and mechanistic—is actually a betrayal of Aristotle and Aquinas’s true tradition? In this episode, we'll unpack how modern misreadings of natural law not only warp our understanding of human flourishing but also enable harmful narratives and abuses within Catholic culture.We'll explore how contemporary natural law debates reduce moral reasoning to rigid checklists and formulae, stripping away the personal, experiential, and relational dimensions that form the core of Thomistic and Aristotelian thought. We'll explore down how natural law, when properly understood, begins with human experience—starting in the heart rather than in abstract lists—and how this dynamic tradition can guide us toward genuine moral clarity without dehumanizing others or losing sight of our shared dignity.We'll examine the dangerous rise of a Nietzschean, emotivist natural law that replaces dialogue with dogmatism, fostering a culture of shame, fear, and coercion, especially around sexuality. You’ll hear stories of how these distortions infiltrate Catholic institutions, enabling abuse and marginalization, and why moving beyond flowcharts toward authentic moral discernment is essential for true human development.This episode is perfect for Catholics, religious thinkers, and anyone interested in understanding how genuine natural law can serve as a force for healing and truth—if we resist its monstrous false children. Whether you’re a theologian, a lover of philosophy, or someone seeking a more compassionate moral vision, this episode will challenge you to rethink the way we engage morality in personal and cultural contexts.00:00 Do Gay Penguins Matter01:27 Nature Debate Setup03:53 Three Natural Law Versions06:30 Error One Objectivizing09:21 Aristotle And Aquinas Method12:46 Error Two Empiricizing14:29 Words As Signs And Seeds20:15 Nietzschean Natural Law23:26 Conscience Over Flowcharts28:27 Error Five Dehumanizing34:20 Error Six Emotivism40:07 Catholic Culture And Control41:22 Clergy Scandal Case Study46:08 Resisting False Natural Law
June 8 · 1 hr
“Catholicism Is for Bad People”: James Alison on Faith, Forgiveness, and LGBTQ Catholics
When the Church’s most rigid teachings threaten your identity, the path to authentic faith often starts with a simple truth: You Can, If You Want To. James Allison, theologian and priest, unpacks how embracing God's love and forgiveness—not morality—can radically transform our understanding of ourselves and others. If you're tired of the moralism that keeps good people feeling defective or rejected, this episode seeks a breath of fresh air and a blueprint for living with grace in a legalistic world. Join us as we unpack James's most recent book, You Can, If You Want To: Navigating Christian Faith, Conscience, and Matters LGBTQ+. James explores the profound idea that God's love is not about punishment or blackmail but about liberation—demonstrated powerfully in the life and sacrifice of Christ. He challenges the misconception that Christian life is about following rules to avoid sin, instead framing it as a journey into truth, goodness, and community. Whether you're grappling with LGBTQ+ questions, Church rigidity, or simply seeking a deeper, more compassionate faith, you'll discover how forgiveness and honesty serve as keys to releasing shame and building authentic relationships with God, yourself, and others. 00:00 Introduction to James Allison and His Work 04:05 Understanding Basic Christianity 09:15 Cultural Perspectives on Catholicism and LGBTQ+ Issues 12:06 Legalism vs. Compassion in Catholic Teaching 18:01 The Shift in American Catholic Discourse 27:09 Basic Christianity and Affirmative Approaches to LGBTQ+ Lives 31:01 Understanding Relationships and Structures in LGBTQ+ Lives 36:06 Navigating Different Paths in Faith and Sexuality40:47 The Role of Forgiveness in Christianity 49:10 Hope Amidst Injustice and Legalism 55:27 Looking Ahead: Future Directions in Faith and Society
June 1 · 13 min
Coming Out as Civil Disobedience in the Church
In this episode, we explore why coming out in the Church can function as an act of moral agency and even civil disobedience. Drawing from the work of Martin Luther King Jr., Black Christian theology, and his own experience as a gay Catholic, Chris Damian discusses silence, disclosure, queer identity, Church power structures, and the spiritual cost of marginalization. We talk about being pressured into silence by Christians, losing opportunities because of LGBTQ+ identity, and how public disclosure can transform understandings of justice, dignity, and resistance. We also examine how LGBTQ Christians, gay priests, immigrants, and other marginalized groups can challenge unjust systems simply by speaking openly about their experiences. This conversation touches on civil disobedience, Catholicism, queer theology, religious trauma, homophobia in the Church, and the example of Christ himself in confronting authority. 00:00 The Weight of Silence: A Personal Journey 03:02 Civil Disobedience and Moral Agency 06:10 Learning from Dr. King: Lessons for LGBTQ Christians 08:50 The Power of Coming Out: Transforming Victims into Agents 12:09 A Call to Action: Solidarity and Resistance

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