Chapel Probation
By Scott Okamoto
Chapel ProbationFeb 01, 2022
"Special K"- An Anonymous Listener Tells Her Story for the First Time
"K" had the unique experience of growing up Southern Baptist in Southern California. She went to UCLA fully intending to maintain her deeply held fundamentalist Christian faith and sought to fortify her faith by learning as much as she could from campus ministries and local churches. But K realized she was not satisfied with the answers to her questions. It wasn't even close. After a few powerful realizations, she had to give in to what her heart and a mind were telling her: The bible was flawed, and she faced a crisis of faith. But this is a story with a happy ending after some twists and turns. It's sure to inspire.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
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Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
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Chapel Probation s3- Sarah Hayward- Author of Giving Up God
Like many of us, Sarah Henn Hayward did everything she could to remain a christian. She read books, she asked questions, and she learned to be inclusive and affirming. And everything she did to remain helped her deconstruct all the way out of christianity. It's not so much a "slippery slope" as it is a snowball succumbing to gravity as it rolls down a hill, gathering mass and momentum. And it's a glorious ride.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Ryan Stollar- Child Liberation Theology
Ryan "RL" Stollar is an invaluable online presence, writing about homeschooling and child liberation theology on his blog and for many online publications. His new book, The Kingdom of Children, is a must-read for those of us interested in fighting the fundamentalist christian parenting movements that seek to indoctrinate children with harmful ideologies. With resources like Ryan, we can use the Bible against the evangelicals.
The bonus segment is a rendition of an old blog post I did when my kids were young. In it, I decry parenting norms and call for an end to Christmas. You know. That whole thing.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Simon Graham- Deconstructing Whiteness and Patriarchy
I met Simon Graham during my last year at UC San Diego, and though we've rarely seen each since that year, we've kept in touch, marking our growth as people, as husbands, and as fathers in this complex world. And Simon is one of the finest humans I've had the pleasure of knowing. In the past year, we've talked about our views on race, gender, patriarchy, and all aspects of life, and I knew I wanted to have a conversation with him on Chapel Probation. Think of this as an adjacent conversation to our usual talk of religious deconstruction. We're skipping ahead from religion and just focusing on what it takes to be a good human on this planet. And Simon is winning.
Here is a link to his daughter Zeta's Youth Ted Talk.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- A Conversation with Jo Luehmann
I bonded with Jo Luehmann last year over our shared love of comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, and I even had the honor of introducing Jo to Atsuko. Two epic women for sure. In this bonus episode while I'm on vacation, Jo and I talk about our books while sitting on a bench in Central Park just a stone's throw from one of Turmp's towers. Jo's forthcoming book, Predatory God is due out next year, and she's currently in the editing phase, which can be a soul-crushing part of the writing process. From the haunting voices of our past selves to the patriarchal and White-dominated world we all live in, it can be tough to fight through our traumas to write a book. But Jo is doing it. She even wrote one of the endorsements for my book.
As we talked about our books, we get deep into our lives and our processes, and I hope you enjoy this candid, vulnerable conversation between to friends and writers.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- PDX Ben- Vanguard to Seminary to Great Dad
Ben is a friend I first met at the epic PDX meetup last year. He had told me a little about his past as an evangelical who wanted to be a pastor or some kind of biblical scholar, but I had no idea how far he had come from his early adulthood. It's really an honor to bring you this story that goes all the usual places with problematic evangelical culture and dodgy theology and ends up with Ben just trying to heal and be the best father and partner he can be. I was moved by Ben's willingness to be his authentic self and talk about his life.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Kristin Luna- A Sister 9 from APU
Back at APU with another of the badass Sisters 9 writing group. Kristin Luna, aka K-wing, was such an important person to me. She was part of the group of students who saw me and welcomed me in as a fellow fringe/bad person at APU. I remembered my mentor professors who let me into their personal lives at UC San Diego, and I allowed myself to be that professor with them. And Kristin being an amazing writer meant we spent a lot of time workshopping her work and talking about life. I saw her go through some of the toughest times of her life, but I also saw her meet her now husband Nik. I even went to their wedding in the Bay Area.
But we've never really talked much about the christian stuff before, so this was an amazing chance to unpack all the turmoil and all the great times we had as we went through it.
At the end, there is a special "Band of my Deconstruction" segment with Sugarcult, who Kristin and I went to see once in Bakersfield, where she was living with her father at the time.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Timothy Cooper- Newly Deconverted and Kicking Ass after Masters College
I spend way too much time trying to figure out how fundamentalist, conservative White folks become enlightened and caring of the world around them. We may never know, but meeting Tim Cooper has given me hope. Tim deconverted slowly over time and taught himself to interrogate first his faith and then his worldview. And in a relatively short time, he has become an incredible human being, far from his religious and White-centered past. As recently as 2022, he was still trying to live as a christian, but no more. After going to Masters College, he asked all the questions even as he repeatedly doubled down on his faith. And then he decided to stop doubling down. And the world is better for it.
Sketch-Alert: After hearing Tim talk about how Masters is known as a school that is "serious" about the bible, I let some King Louie inspire me to come up with a sketch based on Monty Python moments. A bunch of christian college admins go on a talk show to decide whose school is the most serious about the bible. CONTENT WARNING: The usual offensive material we are known for.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Nat Turney-Author of The Seeds of De(CON)struction.
I was a guest on the podcast, This Is Not Church with Jon and Nat Turney a few months ago, and we had a great time talking about my book and rock music. Sometimes you meet people, and immediately click, and this was the case with me and the Turney boys. So when I heard that Nat was publishing his book, The Seeds of De(Con)struction, I messaged him to come do time on Chapel Probation. And we had an epic conversation about life, theology, and living life constantly searching for truth.
You can hear my episode of This Is Not Church here.
And definitely check out Nat's book, The Seeds of De(Con)struction.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Jon Carl Lewis- Sex Education for All of Us
Jon Carl Lewis went to Princeton, but he sought out the repressive Christian elements he grew up with, hoping to "pray the gay away." But, he deconstructed after some horrific and lonely times to progressive forms of Christianity, eventually finding his way to leather bars in Boston and a life of sexual liberation. He has written and taught about sex and sexuality, even in largely White spaces like the Wild Goose Festival, using all of his life experiences to help others deconstruct their guilt-ridden purity culture pasts find liberation through their bodies and their sexuality.
Here are links to Jon Carl's work:
https://linktr.ee/joncarllewis
https://joncarllewis.substack.com/ - Ramblings (of a Queer, Christian Contemplative)
https://calendly.com/joncarllewis - I'd like to let people know that I'm available to talk about anything they'd like to explore spiritually (and sexually--but not with me). First hour is free. And that's often all some people want, although I'm open to providing professional spiritual companionship on an ongoing basis.
Bonus Segment: Songs of My Deconstruction
I look back at a moment that and a concert that changed me as a young college student for the better. The Indigo Girls, "Closer to Fine."
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Xeres Villanueva- From APU into the Mystic
Xeres survived APU as a neuro-divergent Filipina woman and went on to explore personal and generational healing through community activism and explorations into the mystical aspects of religion. Leaning into her culture and her identity have helped her to find ways to help others with her project, The Estuary Moments. And I've had the privilege of knowing and witnessing Xeres' development from her freshman year to now, almost 15 years later. She is a staff member of the beloved Tuesday Night Cafe, an arts and activism space in Los Angeles.
You can read more about Xeres' work in Inheritance Magazine.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Paul aka "The Fictitious Prof" and the Divine in Music
Paul Kirz is a classically-trained pianist and musician from Souther California who went to APU. Thankfully, his rigorous training, practicing, and performing in the Music Department kept him so busy that he didn't get the full brunt of all the usual racism, bigotry, and conservative fundamentalism of the school. And as the concept of the divine has come up in the past few episodes, Paul learned to find the divine in music and art as he deconstructed his faith. This episode features Paul's original music throughout, so be prepared to get your groove on.
Paul is part of the AAPI arts and activist community in Los Angeles and has been known to attend and perform at the Tuesday Night Cafe, Scott's beloved home community.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Paul the Fictitious Prof
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
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You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3: Father Shannon TL Kearns- A Transition to the Divine
Shannon Kearns grew up in a fundamentalist family and church knowing he was outside of the parameters of acceptable christian living. He resolved to live as a celibate queer woman and become a youth pastor, and even did so for a time. But he eventually found a fuller life and a viable faith by transitioning. It was this new perspective as a man secure in his identity that unlocked the missing elements of christian faith and a life fully-lived.
Shannon's book, In the Margins: A Trans Man's Journey With Scripture, gives us 9 examples of scripture celebrating life in our bodies and identities.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Brandon Flanery: Sex and the Divine after YWAM
Brandon Flanery grew up in fundamentalist evangelical culture, but he knew early on he was gay. This caused him to dig in harder to his faith, leading him to an evangelical school and eventually YWAM. But he eventually discovered that embracing his sexuality gave him a peace and joy about himself, and he has since explored all manner of experiences leading him to better understand himself and the world. Brandon has a new book out now from Lake Drive Books, Stumbling: A Sassy Memoir About Coming Out of Evangelicalism.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Email Scott at info@rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Heather Owens: IBLP/ATI Survivor
Heather Owens was literally born of IBLP/ATI indoctrination, the result of her parents deciding to resume filling up their "quivers" for christs by having "reversal babies." We are grateful that Heather is here, though, and her story sheds more bad light on the IBLP/ATI world with its systemic abuse of babies and children and its shielding of powerful men who groom and assault women.
Heather may have been born with some health issues, but her three-valve heart is strong, as you'll hear. From dutiful, yet repressed, childhood to an out and proud bisexual woman living free, Heather's story will inspire all who find themselves climbing out of oppressive religious culture.
This week we have a very special Songs of My Deconstruction with the incredible music of IBLP/ATI bringing Scott back to faith, which he then rejects with demonic results.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Andrew Pledger: Surviving BJU
Andrew Pledger grew up in a Christian fundamentalist cult (IFB) that led him to attend Bob Jones University. He knew he was gay, and he knew things were not right with the faith that criminalized his very existence. But as a young man, he had no options to escape his family's control or the bizarre, abusive rules of BJU. At first, Andrew tried to put his head down, follow the rules, and get out with a degree. But BJU, a global pandemic, and his own development as a human made that impossible. He pushed back, got expelled, and has been speaking out ever since. Through it all, Andrew found his voice, and he's using it to help bring healing to survivors and attention to the dangers of these christian institutions that harm so many people.
Andrew is the creator and host of Surviving BJU, which is set to premier on August 23. You can also listen to Andrew's previous podcast, Speaking Up.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Em Torres: The Life She Wrote
Before Chapel Probation and before Asian American Apostate existed, Em Torres invited me to come onto her podcast, The Life She Wrote. I had written her a theme song, but other than that, I didn't have anything public out there, but Em saw me as someone with something to say. I'll always be grateful for that.
Em went to Vanguard University for a year, trying her best to follow God's will, but when it became financially impossible for her to continue there, she started to question what God's will even meant. She attended and worked at churches that were trying to be "relatable" and "contemporary," but the cracks in the shiny surface became something she couldn't ignore.
Today Em lives with her husband and kids and is trying to be the supportive parent her own parents could never be because of their fundamentalist beliefs. And she's doing great.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation bonus segment: OK, Oppenheimer
CW: descriptions of nuclear war
I wrote a longer version of this in my substack, but here is something I wanted to say on this platform. I had to stop and regroup a few times, and I even had to omit a few lines because I just couldn't say them out loud.
But I'm not OK with Oppenheimer. I'm not saying anything against anyone who enjoyed it, as I'm sure it's a well-crafted movie. I'm just thinking big picture and how this historical figure is now viewed as an Oscar-worthy film, a complex genius, and media partner with Barbie. He's not a "destroyer of worlds" as the movie poster says. He's just a murderer of Japanese people.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Jazz Robertson- Follow the Drums to Deconstruction
Jazz Robertson grew up and came of age playing drums in churches. From CCM to gospel, she found connection to musicians and music which kept her involved in church. But the connection to the bible and God never quite happened, despite her best efforts. But like a lot of us, she held on to the music in church until she just couldn't anymore. For both of us, music kept us in church and it led the way out and into the world.
You'll hear clips of our jam session and learn about the bond between musicians, which is something you do not hear much these days. Best of all, you'll hear Jazz talk about her life during and post faith. She's just so damn cool.
Jazz is also a co-host for the Multiple Sources podcast, which is currently on hiatus, but is well-worth a listen.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Jessica Goforth- IBLP/ATI Nightmare Survivor
If you've watched the documentary, Shiny Happy People, you know some of the horrific details of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and the Advanced Training Institute (ATI). Both are systems that drive a cult that became mainstream when The Learning Channel aired too many seasons of that insipid bullshit about the Duggar family. America ate that shit up and made the Duggars the placid faces of IBLP. Sickening. We've since learned of the abuse and grooming of young women to be used by the men in power at IBLP/ATI. Content Warning: a lot of talk of abuse coming.
Jessica Goforth's family got in early with IBLP, and her parents converted to the cult, thus ensuring Jessica's teen years would be spent in an abusive family and later an abusive "training center." This one is hard to listen to, so take care of your own mental health as you listen.
Jessica is also a co-host of the Leaving the Village podcast that should be restarting soon. The podcast covers the stories from inside IBLP/ATI and will feature some of the people from Shiny Happy People.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Priska- From PK to the Two Horny Goats Podcast
About 11 years ago, I went to a Tuesday Night Cafe and saw a young woman in her early 20's perform there for the first time. Priska's voice and playing floored us as she performed her original songs, and she immediately became part of our community as an incredible singer/songwriter and all-around amazing human. As I got to know her, I discovered that she was in the process of deconstructing her faith, and we bonded over our shared love of music and our leaving christian faith.
From trauma experienced as a young woman worship leader to navigating family dynamics with her still-christian family, Priska has experienced the full range of life in deconstruction.
This is a special episode that features 5 songs from Priska's 2018 EP, State Change, which you can buy on itunes. She is working on a new EP that will be out soon.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3- Tim Mathis- Asbury to "Dirt Bag" Living
Think you know about evangelical revivals? Did you hear about the one at Asbury this year? This episode with author and life adventurer, Tim Mathis, will shed new light on how revivals erupt, so to speak. I promise you, it's not what you think. Or if it is, you're probably a regular listener of Chapel Probation.
Tim Mathis shares his personal stories and observations of his time at Asbury, and he makes a compelling case that revivals and repressed sexuality are connected. We even have a sketch to explain it.
CW-The sketch is R-rated, so be advised. Thanks to Ashley Dunston for playing the lead. Thanks to my nephew, Luke, for being the opening boy voice. And thanks to Owen, Ethan, Audrey, and their friends, Waseem, Shaunt, and Maria for lending their voices to the madness.
And finally, Tim talks about his life as a self-described "Dirt Bag" which he writes about in his book, The Dirtbag's Guide to Life: Eternal Truth for Hiker Trash, Ski Bums, and Vagabonds. Tim's first book, I Hope I Was Wrong About Eternal Damnation, was about his decision to leave faith for a more fulfilling life.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Chapel Probation s3: Gail- Full Mutuality in Life and Podcasting
One of the best people I've met in the past couple years doing this work is Gail, the co-host of the Full Mutuality Podcast. I want everyone who listens to Chapel Probation to also get to know the other podcasters in our Dauntless Media group, and Gail is one of the founding members. From rough family beginnings to foster care, Gail grew up in Canada in highly religious settings. But she, like her fiance, Nate Nakao, deconstructed to become an amazing human with a heart for all people. We talk about her story and her life and perspective today.
Gail and Nate had me on Full Mutuality back in April when my book came out, and Nate was a guest here in season 2 where he talked about his time at Bob Jones. If you haven't already, you gotta get to know these great people.
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Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
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Chapel Probation s3- The Religious Exemption Accountability Project (REAP) Erin Green and Paul Southwick
I admit it. There was a time I has zero hope for the LGBTQIA students and faculty at evangelical schools. But that was before REAP came on the scene bringing legal firepower to the fight against the inhumane bigotry and discrimination all evangelical schools are guilty of promoting and enforcing. The tide is turning now. Paul Southwick started REAP after working with trans students at an evangelical school, and Erin Green, an established queer activist on evangelical campuses in her own right, joined up to make one hell of a badass duo. You'll hear how Paul and Erin started out and how they do their thing. And you'll even have an opportunity to join a new religion that can have the same religious exemptions as christians, but you'll have to worship Erin...I mean we get to worship Erin. White nationalist, cis-het christians beware!
You can read about the work REAP has done and is doing here.
You can donate to REAP here.
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Chapel Probation s3- Janice Lagata: Inside Hillsong "College" and Hillsong NYC
You've seen (hopefully) The Secrets of Hillsong. You lamented how it centered Carl Lentz cosplaying Zoolander at his "corporate" job (That wasn't just me, right?). And you were introduced to Janice Lagata, if you didn't already know her work. So forget Carl and listen to Janice tell her story of attending Hillsong "College" in Australia and being part of the beginning of Hillsong NYC. More importantly, listen to her talk about getting out and moving on. Janice's podcasts, God Has Not Given, and Bad Words, are great resources for all of us moving on from evangelical faith.
This week, Scott's Songs of My Deconstruction segment takes us back to the beginning of his love for music with the incomparable Stevie Wonder.
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Chapel Probation s3- "Holly" Survived the Worst of EV and Catholic Culture
"Holly" is a Spanish teacher and an avid runner who listens to Chapel Probation every Tuesday on her regular run. She went to an EV college almost by accident before switching to a public school to finish undergrad, but then found herself at a conservative Catholic high school. Her experiences there were eerily similar to my own experiences teaching at APU with racism, misogyny, and anti-LGBTQIA hatred run amok. But Holly did her best to be a teacher who created space for the marginalized students and forged alliances with other teachers and students. Through it all, she deconstructed her faith and found her own worldview and identity. Just like I did.
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Chapel Probation s3- Peter Fenton- From Wheaton to Off-Broadway
Peter Fenton is a young man just 6 years out of college at Wheaton, and he is killing it. His creative output for this year alone is incredible, and his past life as an evangelical has served to fuel his creative energy. He's got a film he produced making the festival rounds, and his play, Abandon All Hope is set to premier at the Rougue Theater Festival Off-Broadway this Saturday night. A lot has happened in a short amount of time for Peter professionally and personally. His faith, his sexuality, and his career path have all been affected by his deconstruction, and a lot of it can be traced back to his time at Wheaton.
The bonus segment this week is a minor rant from Scott about the Texas battle to mandate a 10 Commandments in every public school classroom. As someone who loves public schools and once taught in them, myself, I have some thoughts. Question: can you list all 10 Commandments? I didn't think so. UPDATE: thankfully Texas Bill 1515, which sailed through the Texas senate, stalled in the House and didn't get a vote before the deadline. You can read about it here.
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Chapel Probation s3- Marla Taviano: From Cedarville Fundamentalist to White Girl Learning
You've probably come across Marla Taviano on Instagram or Twitter where she posts as "White Girl Learning," a book-promoting persona that focuses on BIPOC writers and authors. In this episode, Marla talks about her early days as a dedicated evangelical Christian, blissfully unaware of the bigotry and oppression BIPOC people face and her experiences and relationships that helped her see the world as it is in all its beauty and tragedy. After some missionary work and a wrenching divorce, Marla now lives a joyous life elevating marginalized voices and celebrating a life of wonder.
Today's bonus segment is another Songs of My Deconstruction where I share my love for a band called, Rush. Because of the amazing musicality and heartfelt lyrics, Rush was part of my faith journey. They were also part of my deconstruction, as I saw the world through their eyes, musically and poetically. The video I mention in the segment can be seen here.
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Chapel Probation s3- Dr. Sara Moslener: Purity Culture Writer and Researcher
Dr. Sara Moslener was once a Pro-life, abstinence-only culture warrior who won awards for her fundamentalist activism, but she deconstructed and became one of the foremost researchers of purity culture and its harmful effects on society. From Calvin College to Claremont Graduate University, Dr. Moslener has become an academic force exposing the dangers of purity culture. Her first book, Virgin Nation: Sexual Purity and American Adolescence , put her on the radar of everyone interested in the creepy history of purity culture, and she has a new book coming out next year called, After Purity. She is an incredible speaker and conversationalist, and she is definitely funnier than Brad Onishi.
At the end of the episode, I give my plug for my book as part of AAPI Heritage Month and talk about how the audience of this podcast is revolutionary simply for listening to Chapel Probation.
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Chapel Probation s3- Jeff Karow: The Reluctuant Moody Grad
Jeff Karow took a stand against evangelical culture in the deep south, and it cost him dearly. Advocating for social justice alienated him from his community, his best friends, and his family. The episode starts out as another great, fun, look at an evangelical school, in this case Moody Chicago, but it ended up being a life-changing experience for both of us. No comedy or music segments in this episode, although I did record a parody song, which I apologize for to everyone except Ed Sheeran.
If you have a message for Jeff, send it to info@rscottokamoto.com. Let's send some encouragements his way. He's been through the wringer.
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Chapel Probation s3- Dr. Julie Ingersoll: From Christian Reconstructionist to Religious Studies Professor
Dr. Julie Ingersoll is an expert fly fisher and fly fishing writer, but that's not why you're here. Dr. Ingersoll is also a researcher and scholar of religious studies, and she has been a leading voice in exposing American evangelicalism as a threat to democracy and a pluralistic society. Like me, she deconstructed decades ago, forging her own identity as a scholar and as a human outside of the confines of American christianity. Interestingly, she was once a part of the Christian Reconstructionist movement, one of the movements that influenced today's dominionist groups, including the New Apostolic Reformation. We eventually get to how fly fishing can heal our damaged psyches, but not before Dr. Ingersoll speaks some hard truths about how many branches of christianity harm us all today.
Buy Dr. Ingersoll's book, Building God's Kingdome: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction.
Today's bonus is another segment of Songs of My Deconstruction at the end of the episode. Today we learn about Scott's 2nd guitar hero, Eddie Van Halen. Closing music of the segment written and performed by Scott Okamoto and Patricia Ja Lee.
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Chapel Probation s3- Lily Rose Atherton- Lily is Winning- APU
Lily was a founding member of the Sisters 9, a group of writers, musicians, and artists, who carved out a space for themselves as free-thinkers devoted to lives filled with art and exploration. Naturally, she was an enigma at a place like APU, and she quickly deconstructed her faith, replacing it with a mission to bring uncensored art to the campus through zines and an open mic event called, "The Line." Clad in a dingy pink Bunny suit, she stood before the entire school during chapel and announced her event as a place to express unfiltered thoughts and expressions. Like me, she caught the attention of the school and had to answer for it all. But Lily began distancing herself from evangelical people and all faith, even fleeing SoCal when she graduated to live completely untethered from christianity in San Francisco. Dealing with her rough upbringing and religious trauma helped her become the person, the mom, and the artist she is today.
A couple of new components to Chapel Probation in this episode: a new sketch of a "children's" bible story program (1:11:30) about a terrifying story of Zipporah and Moses. My wife Geri and my son Owen helped out. And we have some bonus content at the end of the episode.
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Chapel Probation s3 Chrissy Stroop
We're back with Season 3!
We start the season with someone who helped Scott get started in the deconstruction world, Dr. Chrissy Stroop. Everyone who listens to this podcast is likely familiar with Chrissy's work, but she joins us to talk about her educational experiences and how they shaped who she is today.
Dr. Stroop is a co-editor in the groundbreaking Empty the Pews anthology of stories of deconstruction.
Support Dr. Stroop by joining her Patreon here.
At the end of the episode is the debut of the Songs of My Deconstruction segment. We look at an obscure Queen song that catapulted Scott into puberty. The closing music of the segment was written and performed by Scott and Patricia Ja Lee.
Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
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Music by Scott Okamoto, and Jenyi
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Season 2 Wrap- Asbury Wins Chapel Probation!!!
Just a quick finale to an amazing season. Thank you to everyone who came on Chapel Probation and thank you to everyone who has tuned in.
Asian American Apostate: Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is coming out soon, so stay tuned for pre-orders.
Apologies to Blake Chastain for this Moonlight moment where I gave him the Chapel Probation award, but I gotta give it to Asbury. Warning: Unpopular Opinion herein.
See everyone in Season 3 which should fire up in April!
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S2.E34: After Hours with Gloria Beth Amodeo- Author of God's Ex-Girlfriend
Like me, Gloria Beth Amodeo went to a "normal" school for college. But also like me, she got caught up in an evangelical ministry on campus. Cru was once Campus Crusade for Christ, and Beth joined up to escape what she thought was the evil secular values of the school. There she was indoctrinated into purity culture and fundamentalist views of the bible and church. She compares her experience to those of my guests from the Inter Varstiy Christian Fellowship episode, and tells us about her new book, which is out now, God's Ex-Girlfriend.
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S2.E33: Sex-Positive Valentine's Day with Hope and Nicole
It's Valentine's Day. Yay. Whatever.
The topic that I get asked to cover most is purity culture. And while many of the guests on Chapel Probation have mentioned sex and sexual experiences, almost all the stories get told as cautionary tales that result in punishment or guilt or shame. Not fun. Sex and sexuality should be a normal part of human development, but if you add evangelical culture to the mix, it gets toxic. We were taught to deny our sexuality and fetishize our virginity as some kind of mark of Jesus on our soul. So how about we just talk about sex and sexuality without the guilt and shame. No embarrassment, even for the less good experiences, and no shame for our desires and identities.
So, I brought S2.E1 guests, Hope and Nicole to help me tell stories and talk about sex. We had a blast, and we could have talked all night, but Nicole had a hot date with her husband, so we got a solid hour-plus of stories, observations, and claiming our sexuality.
Content Warning: Lots of frank, open talk of sex and sexual acts. Listener discretion is advised.
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S2.E32- After Hours with Ariel Climer
Ariel has been a big supporter of Chapel Probation as a moderator for the Facebook group and the inspiration behind in-person events. She attended APU and is connected to A Scott and Mahrs Shoppman as a housemate in the famed Synchronicity LA house, which was an intentional community formed by some APU alumni. I wanted to hear Ariel's thoughts on the podcast and her own experiences at APU, so it's kind of a hybrid episode.
We want to hear your sexiest stories from christian or religious colleges and universities which we will feature in the upcoming anti-purity culture Valentines Day episode. You can send your story (which will be anonymous unless you want your name in it) to info@rscottokamoto.com. More info to come.
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S2.E31: Daveo Mathias- The Writer Who Lost Faith at APU
No, I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about Daveo Mathias, a talented writer and creative human who got hammered by APU's evangelical culture to the point where he stopped believing in God because of his time there. As a new freshman, Daveo got a story published in the prestigious and new at the time web site McSweeny's. And while that might have offered a young writer some serious writing cred at a normal university, for Daveo, it was just one in a list of sins he committed simply by being a thinking, living human. Like many others, he found his people, but he still feels the pain of being rejected by an intractable, unforgivable culture that demanded conformity of its White students.
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S2.E30: After Hours with Meghan Crozier and Cortland Coffey- Thereafter Podcast on Chapel Probation
Meghan and Cortland of the Thereafter Podcast join me for a wild and fun conversation about sexual loopholes in Purity Culture, online communities, and how we navigate tricky subjects like purity culture and identity in life after evangelical faith. And we ask the question of the ages: Can people have sex before curfews on evangelical campuses? It's more complicated than you might think. Or not.
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s2.E29: Brad Onishi- The Angry Asian Professor (APU)
Dr. Bradley Onishi is a man on the rise. His podcast, Straight White American Jesus, which he co-hosts with Dr. Daniel Miller, is one of the most popular shows in the politics and religion category. Brad's book, Preparing for War- The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next is already a best-seller on Amazon during its presale days, and it's out today, January 3, 2023. It's a book that should be required reading to all who care about the state of this country.
We talk about Brad's time as a student at APU, and note how the white nationalist culture of the early 2000's grew into the nightmare of MAGA Nation. And we talk about our heritage as Japanese Americans and how evangelical culture made us ashamed of who we are. We're all good now, and learning and growing still, but it's tough looking back at what we once were.
We do settle a score from earlier this season when Blake Chastain and I called out Brad to outdo Blake's chapel probation story, so you can hear the results of the contest now. It was a close one, but I think I made the correct ruling. Let me know if you disagree.
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S2.E28: After Hours with David Morris- Psychology, Publishing, and Finding Writers Like Me
A lot of people have told me to just get my book published, as if that's something I could just do. Get an agent, find a publisher, bam. Book. But, no one I ever talked to, outside of my own friends and family, thought I could write a book worth reading. Until I met David Morris. First of all, how many male Asian American (much less Japanese American) authors of non-fiction can you think of? That pretty much tells you what the publishing world thinks of us. But David saw me and heard what I had to say. He saw value in both my voice and the stories I have to tell. Once I had David in my corner, I knew I could accomplish anything.
David, in addition to a couple decades in the religious publishing world, has a doctorate in Psychology, and he brings his unique perspectives to Chapel Probation After Hours to talk about the podcast and his thoughts on the evangelical world. I even get him to cuss.
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S2.E27: UPDATE: NOW GOES BY NOVA BRIGHT- The Trans Woman Warrior Forged in APU's Fires
I remember Chris as a thoughtful person who was often deep in thought when she was a student. The underground LGBTQIA club, Haven, was fairly new, and the school was now fully aware of its existence and activities. Chris was part of the first group of leaders, along with Liz Cirelli, to start openly challenging the school's hateful policies and advocating for the rights of queer students. This led to the school doing the unthinkable to Chris, which made crystal clear the values of evangelical culture. Thankfully, Chris is living a great life today, advocating for queer youth, and raising a family of her own.
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Music by Scott Okamoto, Elephants with Guns, Azeem Kahn, Jenyi, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
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S2.E26: After Hours with Matt Kendziera The Author and Drummer ex-Pastor
Matt Kendziera is a writer, podcaster, and drummer who has lived an amazing life full of growth and change. And like all of us on Chapel Probation, he has had trouble with the evangelicals. But despite the hard times, Matt is a supremely positive person with a personality that draws people in, allowing them to tell their stories. His book, Bring it Home: The Adventure of Finding Yourself After Being Lost in Religion is out now, and it's a lovely read. You get a sense of nostalgia for childhood and youth, and you get Matt's story of experiencing various christian faiths before leaving most of it to create his own identity. There are many similarities to my own book in the themes, but readers of Matt's book will get a great sense of the midwest and the culture therein. And Matt's podcast, Chasing Goodness is an inspiring conversation between deep thinking people who have experienced a lot of life.
Matt reflects on his own Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship experience, and relates his life to the themes of Chapel Probation. A really great conversation.
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S2.E25: Brent Walmsley- The Man From Three Christian Schools Who Left the Faith (North Central, Bethel, and Fuller)
Brent Walmsley has attended 3 evangelical schools, so naturally, he is no longer evangelical. From the Assemblies of God North Central, Bethel, to Fuller Seminary, he deconstructed at each stop, leaving it all in 2016 when Trump became the face of evangelical christianity. Along the way, Brent disagreed with the evangelical treatment of women, LGBTQIA people, and BIPOC people, as the culture of christianity cemented itself into bigotry and hate. Today, Brent is a moderator of the Life After Facebook group which is dedicated to providing resources to ex-evangelicals, and he is committed to being a resource for people who want to get out of evangelical christianity. You can follow him on Tik Tok by clicking his name above.
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Bonus/Break Week- Behind the Scenes at Chapel Probation- Back with a real episode next week
I needed a little break this week as I finished up copy edits of the book and worked on the amazing Straight White American Jesus series about the New Apostolic Reformation with Brad Onishi and Matthew Taylor. I wrote the scary theme music and do the editing and mixing for them. Mostly I just needed a little breather after 20 straight weeks of putting out episodes. We'll be back next week with another real episode and a new After Hours segment.
This week I talk about the music behind Chapel Probation, shout out a few listeners, and ask the question: What should season 3 look/sound like? Have we decisively made the case against evangelical higher education? Certainly, there are lots more stories to tell, so we'll continue to tell them, but what other angles should we take? Let me know what you think.
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Music by Scott Okamoto, Elephants with Guns, Azeem Kahn, Jenyi, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
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After Hours #5 Keiko Agena (Gilmore Girls) and Shin Kawasaki- Heroes of the Asian Kids at APU
Even as the show Gilmore Girls was winding down, Keiko Agena came to APU to participate in the first ever Asian club campus-wide event. Her husband, Shin Kawasaki came, too, joining several of our friends who came to support the Asian American students at APU. Keiko and Shin are two of my favorite people in the world, and they went on to come to APU for the next 6 years until I left. In this XL episode of After Hours, they reminisce about their memories of the events and the students, and they talk about some of the episodes of Chapel Probation. Shin's music has elevated this podcast for both seasons, and we get to hear him perform at a recent concert in Little Tokyo.
You can support Shin's music by purchasing it on Bandcamp here.
You can purchase Keiko's book, No Mistakes: A Perfect Workbook for Imperfect Artists here. And if you are interested in letter writing to encourage people to vote, check out Vote Forward, an organization Keiko has worked with for the past few elections.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Music by Shin Kawasaki
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S2.E22: The Worst Place for a Black Woman- An APU Staff Story
This week we have our first staff person who worked at APU. My guest, a super cool Black woman who wishes to remain anonymous, worked at APU for 12 years and was beloved by students and her non-racist co-workers. But the culture of the staff at APU was ridiculously white supremacist and conservative, making most days at work unbearable. Anti-Blackness became the norm at places like APU in 2008 when Obama was first elected, and it rose to a fever pitch by the time Trump was elected. My guest endured so much racism, but she learned to push back before she finally left. The Black students had it bad at APU. The Black staff had it worse. Students were at least paying customers with some protections. There were no protections for staff like my guest today. She was literally told to take the opportunity to exercise forgiveness and grace when racist shit went down.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
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After Hours #4 Mandy Capehart- Processing Grief
Mandy Capehart joined me to talk about her thoughts on Chapel Probation and share her approaches to helping people grieve. Her book, Restorative Grief, and podcast of the same name are great resources for anyone processing and living through grief. We talk about Mandy's thoughts about Ella's and Lina's episodes and how telling our stories helps us process trauma and develop our identities.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
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You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
S2.E20: Michael Smith- The Prof Who Thought it was an Academic Institution (APU)
Like some professors at evangelical schools, Michael Smith came to APU assuming he would be teaching at an academic institution. He quickly learned that the school was more concerned with teaching fundamentalist and conservative lifestyles than actual academic learning. Combined with the school's obsession with criminalizing sexuality and any faith traditions outside of evangelical christianity, Professor Smith struggled to find his footing. Faculty and administration seemed wary of his Episcopalian faith and status as a single man. Things got better when he got married, but the seeds of discontent were planted. Like so many other awesome profs, he left feeling disenchanted with both evangelical higher education and christianity in general.
The draconian treatment of LGBTQIA students, the twisted manner the school treated all sexuality, and the campus-wide internet filters which no one, not even professors, could circumvent ultimately showed Professor Smith that the school was a Sunday School first and an academic institution second.
This week's sketch features Hope and Nikki from the Biola episode that kicked off Season 2. Along with Scott's kids, Audrey and Owen, they parody the whole internet filter situation.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
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You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
After Hours #3 Jenny Yang- The Acclaimed Actor and Comedian Remembers...APU?
Before Jenny Yang became a big-time comedian and Buzzfeed sensation, before she became a writer for television, and before she was cast as one of the stars of The Brothers Sun, a Netflix dramedy starring Michelle Yeoh, Jenny was a brand new comic, looking for stage time. I had her perform at APU for the Asian club, APASO, and the head of Student Life liked her so much, he booked her for the big APU comedy night, giving Jenny her first full-length set of 45 minutes. Sure, APU was kinda pissed to later find out that Jenny was not, in fact, christian, but Jenny absolutely destroyed the audience. So much so, that I had an extra 5 or 6 students trying to crash my classes for the next few semester simply because of my association with her.
Jenny was always so supportive of my work at APU, giving her time and talents to the APASO group, singing with my band, and doing standup. So I brought her onto Chapel Probation After Hours to reminisce our days of slogging through evening 210 freeway traffic to help out the Asian kids at APU.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com