Best Karen Lin Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 251: All About Orgasms! Let’s Close the Gap! 1:02:09

5h ago1:02:09

1:02:09

The evangelical world has an orgasm gap of 47 points between husbands and wives. Only 48% of women orgasm almost always or always, and 33% orgasm never or rarely. The good news is that if you're in that 33%--you can still get to the 48%! Today Rebecca and I look back at all the other episodes we've talked about orgasms, and have a great time discus…

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Certainty v. Creativity 30:11

1d ago30:11

30:11

Certainty or Creativity - which will you choose? This week, Nathan Hill’s novel “Wellness” serves as a springboard for Laura’s spark. The specific line that ignited our conversation? "You can choose to be certain or you can choose to be alive." We'll discuss how this notion impacts all our creative journeys and share wisdom from playwright Stephen …

1
Episode 250: Not All Men—But How Do We Tell? 55:38

21h ago55:38

55:38

We know it’s not all men who are predators. But it’s far too many. And a recent horrible court case in France is reminding women all over the world that far too many men are willing and eager to do the unthinkable. The only way to tell who is safe is to look at their words and their actions. And the words of far too many evangelical leaders and aut…

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Episode 249: Rebecoming: Figuring Out Why You’re Stuck feat. Dr. Merry Lin 57:11

8d ago57:11

57:11

It’s a complete therapy session—in one book and one podcast! Dr. Merry Lin joins us to explain why we so often feel stuck—and how to move forward. If you’ve been confused by terms like trauma, attachment theory, the Stone Age brain, and more, Dr. Merry Lin joins us for a primer that can help us get unstuck—and rebecome who we were meant to be! TO S…

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Episode 248: Making Faith More Tangible in the Holy Everyday feat. Karen Stiller 1:01:23

15d ago1:01:23

1:01:23

What does it look like to actually grow like Christ? Like, not from a sermon, or not from some lofty retreat, but just in the here and now? Can we actually grow “holier”? A beautiful conversation with Karen Stiller, author of the book Holiness Here. We tackle envy, joy, contentment—and even grief, as she shares about processing the death of her hus…

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Episode 247: Ask Sheila and Rebecca Anything! We Tackle Your Questions 1:02:55

22d ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Sheila and Rebecca are answering your questions today! We covered how to find a new church when you feel like church has let you down; how to start your sex life well; what to do when people don’t think purity culture was harmful; and so much more! And we throw data and nuance into the mix too. HELP US OUT AFTER THE HACKING! Please follow OUR NEW F…

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Episode 246: How Toxic Marriage Advice Mirrors Coercive Control 1:09:34

29d ago1:09:34

1:09:34

What if you discovered that marriage books like The Excellent Wife actually follows Steve Hassan's BITE model of cult indoctrination? And what if these marriage books were giving advice that mirrored coercive control? Bare Marriage podcast, episode 246, featuring Bethany Jantzi. Bethany did her thesis on coercive control, and today she shows us how…

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Episode 245: The Problems with The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace 1:27:53

1M ago1:27:53

1:27:53

The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace sells like hotcakes in biblical counseling/ fundamentalist/ homeschooling circles, and even though it seems like a “fringe” book, it’s affecting tens of thousands of women. Today Marissa Burt and Tia Levings and I sit down to talk about the problems with this book that tells women they must obey their husbands and…

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Episode 244: A Well-Trained Wife with Tia Levings 1:26:16

2M ago1:26:16

1:26:16

She went to a flagship SBC church. She wasn’t supposed to get sucked into fundamentalism. But Tia ended up being stuck in an abusive marriage, trying to fix things by following advice from Gothard and more. It made her sick. It made her hopeless. But finally she realized, no one else is going to rescue us. I have to do this for me and the kids. And…

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Episode 243: Modesty vs. Vanity: Maybe We Need to Shift the Conversation! 57:13

2M ago57:13

57:13

The evangelical church spends a lot of time giving modesty messages to girls. But we hardly ever talk about vanity--even though the Bible condemns it. Could it be that in all our talk about modesty, we're inadvertently promoting vanity? And perhaps we can't call out vanity, because our messages to boys essentially enable vanity. Join Rebecca and Sh…

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Episode 242: Spot the Propaganda and Logical Fallacies feat. Scott Coley 1:00:10

2M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

Ever heard people say, "The Bible is crystal clear" or "if you don't believe that, you don't believe the Bible?" Quite often people equate their interpretation of the Bible with the Bible itself--with bad results. Today Scott Coley joins us to talk about his new book Ministers of Propaganda, and to look at how many evangelical leaders have used log…

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Episode 241: Both Hurt and Healed by the Church 1:07:06

2M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

What if the church hurt you terribly? Can you still heal? Today Ryan George joins us to talk about how his fundamentalist family covers up his father’s sexual abuse of others—and how Ryan eventually learned the truth and turned his father in. And then Ryan deconstructed so much of what he had been taught—and found the real Jesus. Join us as Ryan Ge…

1
Episode 240: Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy (feat. Cait West) plus Why People Deconstruct 1:14:00

3M ago1:14:00

1:14:00

What happens when your family gets sucked into fundamentalism, and your father insists on controlling your life, including who you will marry? You grow up under Christian patriarchy, and you experience serious emotional abuse. Today Cait West joins us to talk about her absolutely beautiful memoir Rift, about how and why she had to break free. Then …

1
Episode 239: Who Are Exvangelicals? feat. Sarah McCammon 58:33

3M ago58:33

58:33

People who deconstruct are often accused of never believing in the first place, or of just wanting to sin. But those who deconstruct are often those who have been hurt the most by toxic teachings. Today Sarah McCammon joins us to talk about who are “ex-vangelicals”, and her own story of deconstruction. And then Keith and I talk about what it means …

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Episode 238: The Problems with Lies Young Women Believe by Dannah Gresh and Nancy Wolgemuth 1:41:05

3M ago1:41:05

1:41:05

Why is a frequenty-used book in teen girls' Bible studies focusing on Satan and not Jesus? A deep dive into the book Lies Young Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Dannah Gresh. Let's see what is being taught to teen girls--and why it's so problematic. We can do better, church! Get our Downloadable One Sheet of the problems with the book Li…

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Episode 237: Do We Have to Frame All Dads as Heroes? 1:07:51

3M ago1:07:51

1:07:51

Every Father’s Day, there’s a rallying cry in many conservative evangelical spaces that men are losing out and fathers are under attack. Where’s the truth in this? And what are the problems with talking about marriage like this? Plus we rewrite Harrison Butker’s commencement speech! Thanks to our sponsor, the book The Sex Talk You Never Got by Sam …

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Episode 236: The Sex Talk You Never Got with Sam Jolman 1:01:53

4M ago1:01:53

1:01:53

What if purity culture didn’t just steal sexual health from women, but stole it from men too? What does it mean for a man to have healthy sexuality? Today licensed counselor Sam Jolman joins us for The Sex Talk You Never Got. To Support Us: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work For tax deductible donations in the U.S., su…

1
Episode 235: Wolves, Chimpanzees, and Deer: Let’s confront the Alpha Male Myth 1:01:56

5M ago1:01:56

1:01:56

Evangelical conservatives too often portray masculinity as if men are supposed to be the “Alpha male”—aloof, emotionless, vying for control, and bullying. Today we look at how, even in nature, this concept of the Alpha Male has been overblown. And we present a better picture. To Support Us: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support ou…

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Episode 234: Pastors’ Wives Spill the Tea on Church Life—and the search for authenticity and friendship 1:06:54

5M ago1:06:54

1:06:54

Church is messy. Friendships are hard to find. Life in a fishbowl is awkward. But what if…it’s worth it? Such a great convo with Stephanie, Jessica, and Jenna about their new book Pastors’ Wives Tell All! Whether you're a pastors' wife, or a female pastor yourself, living life in a fishbowl can be hard. We talk about parenting, marriage, and findin…

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Episode 233: The Backlash from Those Defending Purity Culture feat. Zachary Wagner 1:04:54

5M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

With the release of so many books critiquing purity culture, what has the backlash been like? Well, let’s talk about it with Zachary Wagner, the author of Non-Toxic Masculinity as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the launch of She Deserves Better. To Support Us: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work For tax deduct…

1
Episode 232: When Submission "Cults" Groom for Abuse: One Woman's Story 1:03:43

5M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

We've got such a compelling interview with Lauren Rose from Called to Peace Ministries. She's telling her story--and it's a mesmerizing one--of what happened as her family got more and more into the Bill Gothard movement (and she was eventually one of the ones he allegedly abused, and was part of the lawsuit). But when you grow up feeling like your…

1
Episode 231: Are We Saying that Wives Don't Have to Have Sex? 51:14

6M ago51:14

51:14

When we talk about how God made sex to be mutual, intimate, and pleasurable for both, and how, if women don't want sex, the answer is to figure out why, we invariably get people saying, "so you think women don't have to have sex then?" Today on the podcast we look at the 90% problem vs. the 10% problem. In 90% of cases where women don't want sex, t…

1
Episode 230: Why Evangelical Honeymoons Go So Badly feat. Jay Stringer 56:45

6M ago56:45

56:45

Recently Texas SBC megachurch pastor Josh Howerton told brides that on the wedding night, they should "stand where he wants you to stand, wear what he wants you to wear, and do what he wants you to do." Sex was presented as something that HE has been waiting for his whole life, and that she has to provide. There was no emphasis on how she actually …

1
Episode 229: A Victim-Centered Approach to Forgiveness After Trauma 56:26

6M ago56:26

56:26

Forgiveness is so often weaponized against victims in the church. But what does the Bible really say about forgiveness, especially when trauma is involved? How can we value our own mental health but also follow Jesus? This is a fascinating and healing conversation with Susannah Griffith, author of Forgiveness After Trauma. Our Sponsor: The Kingdom …

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Episode 228: How Our Stories Influence Our Marriage Choices feat. Natalie Hoffman 1:06:45

6M ago1:06:45

1:06:45

Natalie Hoffman joins us today to talk about her INCREDIBLE memoir All the Scary Little Gods. Natalie escaped an abusive marriage, and now coaches other women in similar situations. In her memoir, she invites us to listen to the story from the point of view of Little Natalie, and using IFS (Internal Family Systems) to see it from all of her parts. …

1
Episode 227: Are We Creating a Strawman out of Complementarianism? We Respond to Critics 1:04:33

7M ago1:04:33

1:04:33

So many people resist admitting that they are actually egalitarians, because they think they have to be complementarian--even if they don't act like it. Today Sheila and her husband Keith dissect the arguments that are often used to say "we're really complementarian"--even when they're objectively not. And we invite people instead to preach what th…

1
Episode 226: What We've Learned 3 Years After Great Sex Rescue 1:09:48

7M ago1:09:48

1:09:48

The Great Sex Rescue turns 3 this week! And it's been a super eventful three years. So much has changed. So let's talk about the feedback we've had, what we've done since, what people are saying--and where we're going from here. To Support Us: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work Or, for tax deductible donations in the U…

1
Episode 225: Do You Even Want This Kind of Marriage? 56:35

7M ago56:35

56:35

Would our reaction to Christian marriage advice change if we realize how many people who write that advice are actually in abusive or destructive marriages? What if people in those marriages are more drawn to write marriage advice to process how they're feeling? Today we look at two different women that Focus on the Family have held up to be emulat…

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Episode 224: Lies Women Believe Part 2: Is God a Monster? 1:16:02

7M ago1:16:02

1:16:02

Lies Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth taught concerning things about shame, trauma, and even what God is like. On today's podcast, we're joined by Becky Castle Miller, a doctoral student looking at emotions in the Bible, and Helen Blake, a licensed counselor in Sydney, Australia, to discuss some of the damaging teachings--and point us to a J…

1
Episode 223: The Problems with Lies Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth 1:28:22

7M ago1:28:22

1:28:22

Lies Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth is one of the most popular women’s bible study books used in churches across North America. But what does the book actually teach about marriage? About sex? About divorce and abuse? It’s scary, and today Gretchen Baskerville and Natalie Hoffman join host Sheila Wray Gregoire to analyze the harmful messag…

1
Episode 222: How Sex Is Like Chef Boyardee–and Other New Research Findings! 55:31

8M ago55:31

55:31

Links to things mentioned: First, support us! Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work Or, for tax deductible donations in the U.S., support our Good Fruit Faith Initiative through the Bosko Foundation Check out our Merch! Our Resources Sign up for Rebecca’s Friday emails The Orgasm Course (there’s also an add-on for husband…

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Episode 221: Let Men Be Dads! Why Do So Many Evangelical Resources Portray Men as Pathetic Dads? 1:06:34

8M ago1:06:34

1:06:34

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work https://patreon.com/baremarriage Or, for tax deductible donations in the U.S., support our Good Fruit Faith Initiative through the Bosko Foundation: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/goodfruits Check out our Merch–including our Love & Respect His & Her mugs: https…

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Episode 220: Why is Emerson Eggerichs Afraid of Women Talking? A Deep Dive into Love & Respect 53:28

8M ago53:28

53:28

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work https://patreon.com/baremarriage Or, for tax deductible donations in the U.S., support our Good Fruit Faith Initiative through the Bosko Foundation: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/goodfruits Check out our Merch–including our Love & Respect His & Her mugs: https…

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Episode 219: Let Men be Men - Because We Believe Men are Great! 1:02:19

8M ago1:02:19

1:02:19

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month, and get access to our Facbook group, unfiltered podcasts, and more! Thanks to everyone who helped us reach our fundraising goal! You can give to our work and get tax deductible donations (within the United States) by donating to the Good Fruit Faith initiative of the Bosko Fou…

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Episode 218: Let’s Pivot to Healthy Churches feat. Scot McKnight & Laura Barringer 59:34

9M ago59:34

59:34

Links to things mentioned: Partner with us at Good Fruit Faith, an initiative of the Bosko Foundation, as we help impact future church leaders with our data and our message (tax receiptable within the U.S.): https://secure.qgiv.com/for/goodfruits Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month and get access to unfiltered podcasts! https://patreon.com…

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Episode 217: When Religion Hurts You feat. Laura Anderson 1:01:31

10M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

Links to things mentioned: Our marriage survey is still open! We’re looking for married couples to take it. https://baremarriage.com/grim Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month, and get access to our incredible Facebook group, unfiltered podcasts, and more! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Help us raise $52,000 by Christmas to expand our reac…

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Episode 216: Perceived Autonomy vs. Actual Autonomy: It’s Okay to Say No to Controlling Church Spaces 57:52

10M ago57:52

57:52

Things mentioned in this podcast: Our survey link! Couples are invited to take our marriage survey (you take it individually and it’s confidential): https://baremarriage.com/grim Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month and help support our research and our work! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Join our email list and get Rebecca’s awesome Fri…

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Episode 215: A Jesus-Centered Faith vs. Nationalism feat. Andrew Whitehead 56:10

10M ago56:10

56:10

Links to things mentioned: Take our marriage survey! We’re looking for couples to fill out our marriage survey: https://baremarriage.com/grim Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month and support our work, while getting access to our awesome Facebook community! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Our Merch makes great Christmas gifts! Order before …

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Episode 214: What if Momma Ain’t Happy? Why It’s Okay to Sweat the Small Stuff 56:17

10M ago56:17

56:17

Links to things mentioned: Our survey link! Couples are invited to take our marriage survey (you take it individually and it’s confidential): https://baremarriage.com/grim/ Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month and help support our research and our work! https://patreon.com/baremarriage The article where you can find the Elisabeth Elliot quo…

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Episode 213: Stained Glass Ceilings: How the church does gender ft. Lisa Swartz 58:38

11M ago58:38

58:38

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month and help support our research and our work! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Lisa Weaver Swartz’ book Stained Glass Ceilings: https://amzn.to/3suzUfJ A write-up of the amicus brief submitted on behalf of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to deny victims the right to sue…

1
INTUITION feat. Amber Ruffin 36:05

11M ago36:05

36:05

In our season finale (!) we talk about INTUITION, aka our sixth sense, with comedian Amber Ruffin (The Amber Ruffin Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Karen's mom). Featuring references to living in a hot dog, deja vu, Toys 'R' Us, and deja vu. Thank you all for listening to our first season! <3

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Episode 212: Do Women Really Initiate 70% of Divorces for Frivolous Reasons? 58:28

11M ago58:28

58:28

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month and support our work and research, while getting access to our Facebook group, unfiltered podcast, merch discounts, and more! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Sign up for our email list to hear about when our next study is out! http://eepurl.com/z0VFn The study that people say …

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HEARING feat. Hrishikesh Hirway 28:39

11M ago28:39

28:39

This week, we discuss HEARING with musician and podcaster Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder, The One AM Radio, The West Wing Weekly). This episode features references to Shel Silverstein, Columbia House subscriptions, and, of course, ~flan~. Fun fact: All the music you hear in the episode is by Hrishikesh! The song at the beginning is "Cascade," and…

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Episode 211: Bullied for Leaving an Abusive Husband ft. Naghmeh Panahi 1:09:32

11M ago1:09:32

1:09:32

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon and get access to the best place on the internet! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Check out our Domestic Violence Awareness Merch and our Breast Cancer Awareness Merch--20% of profits go to support charities involved in fighting DV and breast cancer: https://sheilawraygregoire.com/product-category/limite…

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Episode 210: The Enneagram and Marriage ft. Christa Hardin 56:44

11M ago56:44

56:44

Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month, and get access to our amazing Facebook group and unfiltered Sheila & Rebecca! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Christa Hardin's new book The Enneagram in Marriage: https://amzn.to/3SmZyxR Christa's podcast The Enneagram and Marriage: https://www.enneagraminyourmarriage.com/pod Christa on Instagram: http…

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TASTE feat. Priya Krishna 32:32

11M ago32:32

32:32

Talk about good TASTE! This week we're chatting with the amazing food writer & cookbook author Priya Krishna (New York Times Cooking, Indian-ish). Featuring references to ice cream cakes, the Vegetarian Times, and sitting alone with your feelings (yuck!!). Tune in!

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Episode 209: Why Don't Evangelical Sex Teachers Know What They Don't Know? 1:08:51

11M ago1:08:51

1:08:51

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon group for as little as $5 a month and be part of the most amazing place on the internet: https://patreon.com/baremarriage Join our email list so that you'll be notified when I'm in your area--and so you don't miss any of Rebecca's amazing round-ups: http://eepurl.com/z0VFn Kristin Kobes Du Mez' Twitter th…

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TOUCH feat. Jeremy Lin 31:03

11M ago31:03

31:03

In this episode we discuss the sense of TOUCH with basketball legend Jeremy Lin. Featuring references to pre-game anxiety, 7 foot tall sweaty men, and the best starter Pokemon. Also, check out Jeremy's Emmy-winning documentary on Linsanity called '38 at the Garden'! P.S. We are all Bay Area Asians #baysians and we are so proud of Jeremy!!! <3…

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Episode 208: What Happens When a Pastor Sets Out to Prove Complementarianism? ft. Terran Williams 56:10

12M ago56:10

56:10

Links to things mentioned: Join our Patreon and support our work for as little as $5 a month! https://patreon.com/baremarriage Check out our new Biblical Manhood Merch! https://sheilawraygregoire.com/product-category/biblical-manhood/ Terran Williams’ Book How God Sees Women: https://amzn.to/3PJjwQ2 Terran’s book What’s So Amazing About Scripture: …

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SMELL feat. Aparna Nancherla 35:39

12M ago35:39

35:39

This week, we're talkin' SMELL with comedian Aparna Nancherla (BoJack Horseman, Corporate, Netflix). This episode features references to school supplies, Subway bread, and Aparna's fantastic new book, UNRELIABLE NARRATOR, which is in bookstores now! Fun fact: While editing this episode, a friend sitting nearby asked, "Is someone interviewing muppet…

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