Pioneering Paradox: A podcast for conflicted saints

Casey McFarland
  • 4.8 (12)
  • RELIGION

An attempt to find a middle ground in the Mormon experience.

  1. OCT 22

    Melissa Mason- A journey between two faiths

    Today, we’re joined by the incredible and multitalented Melissa Mason. Wil and I had a hard time staying on task because there was so much we wanted to ask her, from her therapy practice, which includes Ketamine-Assisted Therapy and Sex Therapy, to her talents as a modern quilter and presenter, her commitment to social justice, her political science background from Notre Dame, and her current participation in the Living School. And, of course, we were eager just to hear her thoughtful perspectives on current affairs. In this episode, Melissa shares her story of growing up Catholic, losing her faith, joining the Latter-day Saints, and eventually re-embracing elements of her original tradition. We deeply appreciated her candor, intellect, and insight and we hope you will too.

    59 min

  2. SEP 6

    Greg Jensen- Can we do humanitarian work better?

    Today, we’ve invited a close friend of mine who has been living in Guatemala for the last 14 years and during that time he and others became deeply involved in humanitarian work. He shares what he has learned—and unlearned—over the years to help us better understand how to address humanitarian issues in meaningful ways. Back in 2019, while our family was living in Guatemala and closely connected with Greg’s family, news broke that the Church was sitting on roughly $100 billion (and growing). Like many others, I found myself wondering, “Why aren’t we doing more with that money?” Yet as we’ll explore, addressing these questions is far more complex than simply throwing money at a problem. Also, We’ve mentioned before that we’ll be taking a group of 15–19 year olds down to Guatemala next February 25. We’ll touch more on that at the end of the episode, so if you’re interested in an experience that could be transformative for both youth and parents, be sure to stick around.

    1h 16m

  3. AUG 28

    Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks - Reporting Abuse, Equality and creating space for struggling members

    In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks—and honestly, it quickly became one of our favorite conversations. We laughed, we cried, and we learned a lot. A quick content note: we dive into sensitive topics, including how we handle claims of abuse in the church, because we deeply wanted to hear Julie’s perspective. With over 30 years of experience as a social worker, psychotherapist, and founder of Wasatch Family Therapy, Julie brings wisdom and compassion that gave us a lot to think about. We asked her how we can raise boys to grow into good men in the church, what young women should look for in healthy relationships, and how we can all create more space for people to be heard in our community. This was a meaningful, moving discussion—and we can’t wait to share it with you.

    1h 10m

  4. AUG 21

    Scrupulosity-with Kathryn Hilton Johnston

    We are told to work out our salvation with the Lord. But what happens when that becomes so heavy it begins to rule almost everything you do?  Kathryn Hilton Johnston is an active member, mother of two who has been diagnosed with scrupulosity, a form of Religious OCD. Scrupulosity often shows up more in highly religious environments, and because it overlaps with normal religious devotion, it can be underdiagnosed or mistaken for piety. While the topic of Scrupulisity has been more prevalent in main stream,  it is still something many people don’t understand or recognize. Kathryn articulates this struggle very well. We hope you get value from this conversation.

    1h 8m

  5. AUG 5

    Magic, Mysticism, and Mormonism Then and Now. w/Melanie McFarland

    I'm joined by my wife, Melanie McFarland who owns a non-traditonal practice helping people overcome trauma, abuse and heal childhood wounds. She is somewhat of a mystic. When I married into Melanie's family, I married into a world of naturalists, herbalists and neighborhood healers. My more traditional and skeptical family upbring was challenged in ways I couldn’t have ever imagined. Early in our marriage, Melanie was diagnosed with Graves disease. The leading experts told her that her condition was incurable and she would need to kill her thyroid. I plead with her to listen. Against my wishes, she turned to naturopaths and eventually a naturopathic MD, and within six months of treatment her bloodwork normalized—and has stayed that way since. My eyes were opened that maybe traditional medicine doesn’t always have the answers. But is that always the case?  In this episode we discuss how the early Mormon history of magic, visions, and mysticism are alive and well in the underbelly of our culture for better or for worse. We get into everything from treasure digging to why we think women in particular gravitate to more non-traditional healing modalities. As usual it’s a paradox. Thank you for listening.  You can find Melanie on Instagram at @TrueWithinYou.

    1h 5m

  6. JUL 19

    Jeff Low- Healing Men and Building Boys

    Jeff Lowe found himself where many men do—successful on the outside, surrounded by family and friends, but battling deep loneliness and depression. Hitting a breaking point led to a profound shift in his life. Now, he's building something different. Jeff is the host of the Bonded Brotherhood podcast—a space where men can gather, get honest, and find connection. It's a far cry from the typical "alpha male" blueprint. This episode isn’t just for men. If you have a son, a partner, or a friend who’s struggling, this conversation matters. Thanks for listening.

    1h 6m

  7. JUL 14

    Phil's My Pharmacist: The Second Half of Life

    In this episode, we invited social media influencer and latter day saint Phil Cowley onto the show. In 2021 Phil was about to close the doors on his pharmacy when he was approached to do a social media clip for a local gym. Soon after he started his own social media called Phil’s my pharmacist which now has over 3 million followers across his platforms. We discuss faith, parenting, critical thinking and raising kids with disabilities. Thank you for listening.

    1h 9m

  8. JUN 19

    The Buddhist teaching that could change everything..

    In this episode, Wil and I explore the Buddhist teaching of Emptiness. Back in 2017, during a time when I was seriously considering leaving the Latter-day Saint community, I encountered Buddhist teacher and podcaster Noah Rasheta. Through a series of events, I had the privilege of joining Noah and eleven others from across the country in a six-month Buddhist intensive. The most challenging—and ultimately most rewarding—part of that experience was the ominously named teaching of Emptiness. It forced me to confront and question many of the stories I was telling myself and eventually became the foundation of a daily practice I still carry with me. Wil and I discuss how this concept has the potential to move us beyond the dualistic thinking that pervades our culture and touches nearly every aspect of our lives. We hope it brings insight or comfort to someone out there.Thank you for listening.

    1h 11m
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An attempt to find a middle ground in the Mormon experience.

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