Best Scott Okamoto Podcasts (2025)

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What Does Hope Look Like Right Now? (feat. Nia. Chiaramonte) 56:31

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2d ago56:31

56:31

Today, Nia Chiatamonte is back on Found Family to talk about her new memoir, I Hardly Knew Me: Following Love, Faith, and Skittles to a Transgender Awakening. Nia Chiaramonte (she/her), with her wife Katie J. Chiaramonte, is the co-founder of Love in the Face and co-author of Embracing Queer Family. Nia and Katie work to support other transgender a…

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Chapel Probation s5- Marla Taviano: Celebrating the Majesty of "Fuck" 1:22:44

2d ago1:22:44

1:22:44

Marla is back with some things to say about language, prude christians, and thoughts on finding our people. In a relatively short time, Marla has gone from dutiful Christian wife living as a missionary to outspoken advocate for BIPOC and Queer voices. Her latest project is called Mouth: A Little Book of Cheeky Poems, but as of this typing, there ar…

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Bibleman - Six Lies of the Fibbler (f/Stephen Bay) 46:51

4d ago46:51

46:51

This week we are joined by Analog Jones and the Temple of Film creator Stephen Bay who makes us watch one of his favorites of the Christian VHS Market ... BIBLEMAN specifically the adventure of The Six Lies of the Fibbler! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Ari Sherwood and a Jesus Named Jeff 1:29:12

9d ago1:29:12

1:29:12

This episode comes with a content warning: we are discussing heavy themes including coerced marriage and modern slavery. Please look after yourself as you read. This is an important episode. Art Sherwood, host of the DisAllusioned podcast, joins me to talk about how she applied for a job as a massage therapist and got radicalised into a philosophy …

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Chapel Probation s5- Rick Pidcock- BJU to Empathy and Fatherhood 1:25:28

10d ago1:25:28

1:25:28

We are back at Bob Jones University, or BJU, with Rick Pidcock. Rick is a writer with Baptist News Global, and he has come a long way from those bizarre, high-control days of BJU. He tells his story of finding his way to being an empathetic human being in stark contrast with the uncaring theobro culture of BJU and how he became a stay-at-home dad, …

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The Donut Hole - Jesus Shows Us God's Love 28:17

11d ago28:17

28:17

This week we dive into The Donut Hole. Matt was under the impression this series was a beloved piece of Christian content but quickly learned the host was a local performer and it's possible he's in the minority of people who remember (or even were exposed to) this strange show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Centering Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors (feat. Karen González) 48:11

16d ago48:11

48:11

Today, Karen González and I talk about practicing generosity without a savior complex. Karen González (she/her) is a speaker, writer, storyteller, and immigrant advocate, who herself immigrated from Guatemala as a child. Karen is a former public school teacher and attended Fuller Theological Seminary, where she studied theology and missiology. For …

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Chapel Probation s5- Jeff Karow Returns 1:21:22

17d ago1:21:22

1:21:22

Jeff Karow told one of the most moving stories a couple of seasons ago, and he returns to Chapel Probation to give an update and to share some of his insights into putting his life together after leaving his conservative church and getting divorced. Like for so many people, deconstructing faith can have dire consequences. Relationships with family …

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7th Heaven Pilot 31:38

18d ago31:38

31:38

While not specifically a show for Christians by Christians ... 7th Heaven fit right into that wholesome family entertainment for Christian families box at least briefly. Matt has never seen it but Katie's family watched it weekly so we decided to dive into it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Contemplative Spirituality for Queer People (feat. Matt Nightingale) 50:06

23d ago50:06

50:06

Today, Matt Nightingale and I talk about why we need queer only spaces for spiritual conversations. Matt Nightingale (he/him) is a pastor, musician, speaker, writer, and spiritual director from San Francisco’s North Bay Area. He is the founder and executive director of Common Sanctuary, and co-pastor of a progressive American Baptist church called …

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Chapel Probation s5- Rohadi Nagassar- Finding Our Voice as Asian Men 1:18:30

24d ago1:18:30

1:18:30

It often comes as a surprise to non-Asians that people like Rohadi Nagassar and myself have things to say. Especially inside of North American Christianity. Like the proverbial tree falling in the forrest with no one to hear it, we do exist. We Asians often have to find our way out of church to develop our voices. Forget about "platforms." We have …

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Catholic Cringe - A Catholic Moms Life Blog - 10 Catholic Customs 34:26

25d ago34:26

34:26

With it being Mother's Day we decided to bring back Catholic Cringe and go over a blog post Matt found of the 10 Catholic Customs from the Catholic Mom's Life blog! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Reimagining Church (feat. Eugene Kim) 44:29

1M ago44:29

44:29

Today, Eugene Kim and I talk about practicing mutuality in church communities. Eugene Kim (he/him) is an ordained minister with over 25 years of experience in local church ministry. However, recognizing the need to rethink traditional models, he discerned the need to step beyond the familiar in order to reimagine how we do “church” from the ground …

1
Chapel Probation s5- Scott's Periodic Check-in: Things Are Not OK 20:37

1M ago20:37

20:37

As someone who was born into a family that got completely fucked by this country, I have some thoughts about the current situation. My family lost everything and had no due process before being incarcerated in concentration camps simply for being Japanese American. No one in my family takes freedom for granted because of this, and no one assumes th…

1
Kirk Franklin: The Nu Nation Project (f/Jenae Thompson) 1:01:56

1M ago1:01:56

1:01:56

This week we are joined by Jenae Thompson to discuss Kirk Franklin and the influence of his massive hit album "The Nu Nation Project" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Chapel Probation s5- Liz Matthews- Biola Basketball to Authentic Living 1:30:38

1M ago1:30:38

1:30:38

Liz Matthews has been a social media friend and member of the Chapel Probation Facebook group, and we finally got her on to tell her story. She graduated from Biola where she played basketball, but she actually had a good time there. Liz brings up the concept of "shelving" borrowed from Ex-Mormon podcasts. It's where you place all the doubts, quest…

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Christian Colleges (f/Scott Okamoto) 59:19

1M ago59:19

59:19

This week we are joined by Scott Okamoto who was Katie's English teacher when she attended a Christian College. The team discusses the experiences of Christian College both as a student as a professor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Releasing Certainty and Embracing Mystery (feat. Cara Meredith) 38:37

1M ago38:37

38:37

Today, Cara Meredith and I talk about what church camp gets right (and wrong) about community. Cara Meredith (she/her) is the author of Church Camp: Bad Skits, Cry Night, and How White Evangelicalism Betrayed a Generation (Broadleaf Books, 2025). She is also a sought-after speaker, public theologian, and development director who found home at a chu…

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Chapel Probation s5- Mary B Safrit: Young Life Evangelical to Found Family 1:12:07

1M ago1:12:07

1:12:07

Welcome to the first full episode of Season 5! We kick things off with Mary B Safrit, a writer and podcaster who actually interviewed Scott a few weeks ago on her podcast, Found Family. Mary B grew up in a mix of christian traditions and went to a normal college where she worked with Young Life. This solidified her evangelical identity at the time,…

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Relient K (2000) 51:31

2M ago51:31

51:31

25 years ago Relient K released their debut album on Gotee Records and made immediate fans out of Katie and Matt. This week we dive back into the record that started it all to try to determine if it holds up to nostalgia or not! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Decolonizing Our Way Toward Holistic Belonging (feat. Rohadi Nagassar) 53:39

2M ago53:39

53:39

Today, Rohadi Nagassar and I talk about the challenges of creating the belonging we crave. Rohadi (he/him) is a writer predominantly engaging the topics of decolonizing and deconstructing Christianity. Discover Rohadi’s latest book, “When We Belong. Reclaiming Christianity on the Margins.” His podcast on decolonizing Christianity is called: Faith i…

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Chapel Probation s5- Scott Talks About "Community" in the Deconstruction World 32:57

2M ago32:57

32:57

What is Chapel Probation today? Who knows? Not me. But I'm going to keep going to give voice to people who are not ok with the state of things. Christians are to blame for where we are today, and our stories can help lead us out of this mess. That said, I wanted to also address what I think "community" is or should be. I give some thoughts on the T…

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Reacting to Comedians Talking About Religion 50:53

2M ago50:53

50:53

This week Matt reacts to some of Katie's favorite stand-up routines about religion! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Losing Our Good Christian Reputations and Finding Ourselves (feat. Aimee Byrd) 49:00

2M ago49:00

49:00

CW: spiritual abuse Today, Aimee Byrd and I talk about finding the courage to admit we were wrong. Aimee (she/her) is an author, speaker, blogger, podcaster and former coffee shop owner. Aimee is the author of several books, including Saving Face, The Hope in Our Scars, Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and Sexual Reformation. Her arti…

1
Semler "Preacher's Kid" 54:10

2M ago54:10

54:10

This week on the podcast we talk about a more recent release. It 2021 there was a controversy about the number 1 Christian album on iTunes having a parental advisory sticker. Matt became a fast fan of the EP and the artist Semler and given the general state of the world it felt like we needed to shine a light on this truly amazing concept album fro…

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Catholic Cringe - Lets talk about Lent Baby (f/Mark Hampton) 40:13

2M ago40:13

40:13

We take a break from our personal Cringe to invite back our first guest Mark Hampton who shares with us some of the cringy things the catholics do... specifically Lent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Quigley's VIllage Episode 1 - Responsibility (f/Nate Lopez) 52:02

2M ago52:02

52:02

This week we are joined by Internet Supreme Court dishonorable judge Nate Lopez to discuss the weird puppet show his Grandmother forced upon him and his brothers ... Quigley's Village! We dive into Episode 1 "Responsibility" and how this is a nightmare version of Sesame Street meets Mr. Rogers. This might be the cringest thing we've discussed so fa…

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The Horny Chapel: Diana: Conservative Iranian Immigrant to Sex-Positive OnlyFans Star 1:27:25

3M ago1:27:25

1:27:25

In deconstruction circles, it can feel like our experiences are so unique, and in many cases they are, but thestruggle for identity and agency in our identities is a universal one. ⁠Diana's⁠ story of immigrating from England to the US as part of a conservative Iranian family mirrors our fundamentalist Christian upbringings in so many ways. Diana te…

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How Stories Shape Our Gender and Identity (feat. Shannon TL Kearns) 56:09

3M ago56:09

56:09

Today, Shannon TL Kearns (he/him) and I talk about the complex journey to understand masculinity A former fundamentalist who became the first openly transgender man ordained to the Old Catholic priesthood, Shannon TL Kearns believes in the transformative power of story. As an ordained priest, a playwright, a theologian, and a writer, all of his wor…

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MxPx : Pokinatcha (1994) 36:22

3M ago36:22

36:22

This week Katie and Matt dive into the debut album from Punk Legends MxPx! Even though both are huge fans, Katie and Matt rarely listen to this album, will this revisit reveal why that is? Only way to find out is to listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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The Horny Chapel- Janice Selbie: Mennonite to Shameless Sexuality 1:10:52

3M ago1:10:52

1:10:52

This week we talk to therapist, author, and podcaster, Janice Selbie. Scott and Priska saw an ad for the Shameless Sexuality conference and knew they had to talk to Janice about her story in which she went from the most conservative fundamentalist world to a sex-positive, religion-free life. The Pentecostal life wasn't restrictive enough for Janice…

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How to Know What You Want (feat. Tracey Gee) 53:06

3M ago53:06

53:06

Today, Tracey Gee and I talk about the unexpected vulnerability of naming what we want. Tracey Gee (she/her) is a certified leadership coach and consultant dedicated to guiding individuals toward transformative self-awareness and meaningful personal and professional growth. As an author, Tracey draws insight from her extensive experience across wor…

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The Cross and The Switchblade (1970) (f/Woody Massie) 51:48

3M ago51:48

51:48

This week Katie and Matt are joined by Woody Massie who introduced both of them to the bizarre 70's film The Cross & The Switchblade! It captures the dark gritty vibe of a grindhouse movie with the preachiness of a church service, what more could you ask for! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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The Horny Chapel Episode 9: Purity Culture...Loopholes...? WTF 1:13:30

3M ago1:13:30

1:13:30

UPDATE: Uploaded the sizzle file by accident. Should be the correct file now. In start contrast to last episode's rundown of I Kissed Dating Goodbye's no-touch, no fun, no-humanity mindset, we look at more recent trends in remaining "pure" while still managing to get some. And it's bizarre. The Horny Chapel is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dauntless Media C…

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Reclaiming Deconstruction from White Dudes (feat. R. Scott Okamoto) 1:00:26

3M ago1:00:26

1:00:26

Today, Scott and I talk about his journey out of Christian higher education. Scott Okamoto (he/him) is a 4th generation Japanese American (sansei) writer, musician, and podcaster. He grew up in a conservative evangelical household but found his way out while teaching English at Azusa Pacific University, a conservative evangelical school. He has sin…

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Katie's History of Testament's Worm Hole (f/Joe Fejeran) 48:52

3M ago48:52

48:52

The premise was simple. Katie was going to do a presentation on the history of Christian Foods with our friend Joe Fejeran joining for the ride... unfortunately when she got to Testamints a mystery unfolded that Katie couldn't help but deep dive. WATCH THIS WEEKS EPISODE HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Five Iron Frenzy Guitarist Micah Ortega Interview 1:02:23

3M ago1:02:23

1:02:23

We wrap up our Five Iron February by sitting down with Five Iron Frenzy's guitarist Micah Ortega. We discuss the early days of the band, some of the themes of Our Newest Album Ever! and our feelings on Christianity in 2025! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Queer Theology Is for Everyone (feat. Rev. Brandan Robertson) 53:35

4M ago53:35

53:35

Today, Brandan Robertson and I talk about navigating the spectrum of queer faith in community. Rev. Brandan Robertson (he/him) is a noted author, activist, and public theologian, dedicated to exploring the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and social justice. He serves as the Pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church in New York City and is the f…

1
Five Iron Frenzy "Our Newest Album Ever" 1:16:01

4M ago1:16:01

1:16:01

This week Matt continues Five Iron February by exposing Katie to the 2nd Five Iron album "Our Newest Album Ever!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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What to Do When You're Not Seeing Progress (feat. Ashley Nadine Lopez) 49:45

4M ago49:45

49:45

Today, Ashley and I talk about finding community that fuels you. Ashley Nadine Lopez (she/her) is the founder of Life Curious Women, a thriving platform empowering millennial and Gen Z women leaders to build confidence, pursue their passions, and live purpose-driven lives. As an on-camera actor, podcast host, speaker and advocate for holistic perso…

1
An Interview with Five Iron Frenzy Drummer Andrew Verdecchio 59:57

4M ago59:57

59:57

This week we are joined by Five Iron Frenzy drummer Andrew Verdecchio who talks to us about the early days of the band, how the reaction was to Upbeats & Beatdowns, His own journey in his faith and what fun things we can look forward too when we get to their next album! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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From Othered to Belonging (feat. Jenai Auman) 52:16

4M ago52:16

52:16

Today, Jenai Auman and I talk about reclaiming our agency after experiencing othering and religious trauma. Jenai Auman (she/her) is a Filipina American writer, artist, and author of Othered. She draws from her years in church leadership as well as her trauma-informed training to write on healing and holistic spiritual formation. She received her b…

1
Five Iron Frenzy "Upbeats & Beatdowns" 1:04:23

4M ago1:04:23

1:04:23

It's the beginning of Five Iron February and we kick it off with the debut album from Five Iron Frenzy "Upbeats and Beatdowns". Is this the most punk-rock debut album in Christian music history? Matt certainly thinks so! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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McGee & Me Episode 1 "The Big Lie" 37:40

4M ago37:40

37:40

This week we dive into the first episode of the VHS series McGee & Me! In Episode 1 "The Big Lie" our protagonist and his cartoon buddy McGee move into a new town and make a first impression in the worst possible way! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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The Horny Chapel- I Kissed Dating Goodbye: Worst Book Ever Written? 1:54:19

4M ago1:54:19

1:54:19

We're about 25 years late to this and about 7 years past Japanese American Joshua Harris denouncing his shitty book, but here we are. After Scott's Substack post about Harris had 4x as many reads as he has subscribers, we figured we should take a look back at why today's Christians are so damaged. A big part of it is purity culture. Scott never rea…

1
The Pipelines - Under the hands of Gods General to exposing the New Apostolic Reformation 1:17:18

4M ago1:17:18

1:17:18

This episode lands at a crucial point of religiopolitical history, as we talk about all things New Apostolic Reformation. Academic Jon Sawyer joins me as we talk about some juicy, heavy hitting topics - conspiratorial demonology, weaponisation of testimony culture, self-invisible LGBT Christians, sexual orientation and gender identity change effort…

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Looking for Belonging? Try the Church Basement (feat. Ian Morgan Cron) 53:50

5M ago53:50

53:50

Today, Ian Morgan Cron (he/him) and I talk about why the twelve steps are for everyone. Ian is a bestselling author, psychotherapist, Enneagram teacher, Episcopal priest, and the host of the popular podcast Typology. His books include the Enneagram primer The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery, which has sold over one million …

1
Exodus Journey to the Promised Land (f/Eric Conner) 54:14

5M ago54:14

54:14

This week we venture into the crazy world of Religious video games with EXODUS: JOURNEY TO THE PROMISE LAND! We found a play through of the game that we watched (you can find the video on the Geekscape YouTube) while Katie tells us the crazy story of the bootleg studio that created this game! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc…

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Let's Talk About Mental Health (feat. Ayana Lage) 44:06

5M ago44:06

44:06

CW: Ayana and I discuss some tender topics today, including mental health, pregnancy loss, and postpartum psychosis. If you are struggling, please reach out to a hotline such as the NAMI Helpline (1-800-950-6264) or a trusted mental health professional. If you are in extreme distress, please seek immediate medical care. Today, Ayana Lage and I talk…

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Chapel Probation s4- Rochelle Younan Montgomery- From APU to a Life of Embodiment and Social Justice 1:08:18

5M ago1:08:18

1:08:18

As we wrap up season 4, we return to where Chapel Probation began: Azusa Pacific "University." 20 years ago, I was asked to take over a Freshman Writing class because the other adjunct quit suddenly. There I met Rochelle and we've been friends ever since. From the shallow, fake people of the dorms to the fringes of APU's then progressive crevices, …