Still Unbelievable!

Still Unbelievable

Welcome to Still Unbelievable!, where we examine Christianity. Sometimes we will discuss an episode of the Unbelievable? podcast, sometimes we will test how well Christian arguments stand up because, as sceptics, we think that all beliefs should be challenged.

  1. Episode 145 - Michelle Van Loon - Downsizing: Letting Go of Evangelicalism’s Nonessentials.

    FEB 8

    Episode 145 - Michelle Van Loon - Downsizing: Letting Go of Evangelicalism’s Nonessentials.

    Episode 145 Downsizing: Letting Go of Evangelicalism’s Nonessentials. In this episode of Still Unbelievable Matthew is in conversation with Michelle Van Loon, a writer with a Jewish upbringing who converted to evangelical Christianity as a teen. She gives her perspective on both traditions. Hear what drew her towards Christianity, what she carried from Judaism, and what she thinks people often misunderstand about Jewish identity and practice. They discuss: - her experiences inside evangelicalism, including patterns of spiritual abuse. Are these isolated situations or symptoms of deeper issues around evangelism and revival culture, that protect harmful behaviour. - religious trauma, what led Michelle to seek counselling, and how others might identify and recover from similar experiences. - What churches might need to let go of, how “downsizing” can compliment deconstruction and how a downsized community might look. - And of course her favourite bible character 1) Downsizing: Letting Go of Evangelicalism’s Nonessentials https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802884626/downsizing/ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224465982-downsizing https://bobonbooks.com/2025/09/15/review-downsizing/ https://amzn.eu/d/6VE2CxW 2) Follow Michelle https://michellevanloon.substack.com/ https://thesageforum.com/about-us 3) Michelle's other books https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/383322.Michelle_Van_Loon 4) Deconversion Anonymous https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion 5) Religious Trauma https://www.empathyparadigm.com/religioustrauma https://therapist.com/trauma/religious-trauma/ https://resilientmindcounseling.com/10-signs-you-may-be-experiencing-religious-trauma/ 6) Jewish Chosenness https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-quot-chosen-people-quot Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    1h 27m
  2. Episode 144 - Angela J. Herrington - Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods

    JAN 18

    Episode 144 - Angela J. Herrington - Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods

    Episode 144 - Angela J. Herrington - Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods In this episode of still Unbelievable! Matthew interviews Angela Herrington author of Embracing the Old witch in the woods. Angela has written another book, Deconstruct your faith without losing yourself. She is a beautiful human being who puts enormous effort and thought into affirming others and guiding them into being validated versions of themselves. We found her book thought provoking and challenging as well as heart warming and helpful. When you've listened to this, please support her by buying her books. Links below. Angela, is the first of several author conversations that we will publish in 2026. This year is going to be a busy year here at Still Unbelievable! 1) Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798889835233/Embracing-the-Old-Witch-in-the-Woods 2) Angela's website https://angelajherrington.com/about/ https://angelajherrington.com/press/ https://angelajherrington.com/books-by-angela-j-herrington/ 3) The Relentless Indigenous Woman https://relentlessindigenouswoman.ca/ https://relentlessindigenouswoman.ca/pages/podcast 4) intersectionality explained https://www.britannica.com/topic/intersectionality 5) perpetual virginity of mary https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/how-to-explain-the-perpetual-virginity-of-mary 6) Mary did not have consent https://blakehereth.com/uploads/1/2/7/5/127509046/w_mary_did_you_consent_.pdf 7) Wilda Gafney https://www.holytroublemakers.com/revgafney https://www.wilgafney.com/ 8) Wounds into Wisdom by Tirzah Firestone https://amzn.eu/d/8GeBkgp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirzah_Firestone 9) other trauma healing resources It Didn’t Start with You - https://amzn.eu/d/3kL8uaZ My Grandmother’s Hands - https://amzn.eu/d/3Y6C8FC The Body Keeps the Score - https://amzn.eu/d/iS56mLX Healing Collective Trauma - https://amzn.eu/d/85L1mM6 Break the Cycle - https://amzn.eu/d/bVJObFT Survivor Café - https://amzn.eu/d/8iYALqB https://www.balancedmindstherapy.com/blog/healing-intergenerational-trauma https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-flourishing-family/202107/breaking-the-chains-generational-trauma https://thepsychologycompany.co.uk/unraveling-the-threads-understanding-and-healing-intergenerational-trauma/ Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    1h 48m

  3. JAN 4

    Episode 143 - No Christianity does not offer a better future

    In this episode of still unbelievable, Matthew reviews an episode of the Unbelievable? podcast. It's an episode that features Stephen Law and Michael Jones in conversation. He'll mostly focus on the things that Michael Jones says, because through his channel, Inspiring Philosophy, he says things about Christianity which are Unbelievable!, at least to the listener who is prepared to fact check things. Which sadly, most christians are not, so let us do that job for you so we can all see how Christianity always was, and is Still, Unbelievable! 1) original episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UOwOCGIPzQ https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/does-humanism-or-christianity-offer-the-world-a-better-future-mike-jones-inspiring-philosophy-vs-stephen-law/19875.article?fbclid=IwY2xjawMFQvhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn10xC1NvdZ0kJ4DK7W0wbeHoLbQEzThrFMsbk6TOJmSPwV_cM7ThYeErj5m_aem_DpmX3nw7Y91-weiovn7nqw 2) Dr Stephen Law https://lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/profiles/stephen-law 3) Michael Jones https://www.inspiringphilosophy.com/team 4) 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (ESV) “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 5) Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages, Edward Grant https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YyvmEyX6rZgC&pg=PA223&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1#v=onepage&q&f=false 6) The Byzantine Empire https://www.worldhistory.org/Byzantine_Government/ 7) Forced Conversion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_conversion 8) Human rights https://www.un.org/en/about-us/udhr/history-of-the-declaration 9) Life Unwasted Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/4z1czHu4yiCPXGU4gauvkM 10) Robert Woodberry and the Benefits of Protestant Missions https://tifwe.org/robert-woodberry-and-the-benefits-of-protestant-missions/ 11) Critique of Robert Woodberry https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-political-science/article/abs/conversionary-protestants-do-not-cause-democracy/89D4552E3CEED18F62E94E4ABEF322F6 12) National context, religiosity, and volunteering: Results from 53 countries https://research-portal.uu.nl/en/publications/national-context-religiosity-and-volunteering-results-from-53-cou 13) Community involvement and mental health https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/england/node/9466 https://www.jstor.org/stable/30038985 14) Secularism and Fertility Worldwide https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/23780231211031320 15) Is the Earth really overpopulated? https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/is-the-earth-really-overpopulated/ 16) Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, By Eric Kaufmann https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/shall-the-religious-inherit-the-earth-by-eric-kaufmann-1939316.html 17) Human Rights https://www.questjournals.org/jrhss/papers/vol10-issue3/Ser-2/B10030812.pdf https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/human-rights-explained-human-rights-origins https://polsci.institute/comparative-politics/human-rights-evolution/ https://lawbhoomi.com/evolution-and-historical-development-of-human-rights/ 18) Children in Antiquity and Early Christianity: Research History and Central Issues https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/50604571.pdf 19) Ancient Marriage in Myth and Reality https://www.cambridgescholars.com/resources/pdfs/978-1-4438-2261-9-sample.pdf 20) John W. Compton https://academic.oup.com/book/32101 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywrobxq-h7U Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    45 min

  4. 12/21/2025

    Episode 142 - Objective Moral Truth is a lie!

    In this episode of Still Unbelievable!, Matthew reviews an episode of J Warner Wallace's Cold Case Christianity podcast where he tries to make a case for objective morality being explained by his preferred god. J Warner Wallace is infamous for his cold case Christianity book, which allegedly claims to be his story of discovery by investigating god like a detective. His podcast is not a good example of honest detective work and in this review of his case for objective morality, we'll see why. Word of warning, there is so much to comment on in this episode that we have added more interjections than any other other episode. if this is too much for you as a lister, please do let me know. Feedback on what is good and bad is always useful, and on that note, please do add a review of still unbelievable to wherever you get your podcasts, it helps others and it certainly helps us. 1) the original episode https://coldcasechristianity.com/podcasts/podcasts-about-gods-existence/why-objective-moral-truth-is-best-explained-by-the-existence-of-god-podcast/ 2) Barna Poll : Survey Reveals Significant Shifts in Faith Allegiance and Growing Confusion about Moral Truth https://georgebarna.com/2025/05/confusion-about-moral-truth/ 3) Human Hunting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human-hunting#cite_note-11 Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    31 min

  5. 12/01/2025 · BONUS

    2025 BONUS The Christmas Narratives

    In in this episode of Still Unbelievable! Matthew reads the Christmas narratives from the gospels. To show that as each gospel is written, the story gets embellished. Unlike the death and resurrection narratives, see our 2025 Easter bonus episodes for thoughts on those, link in the show notes. The birth story of Jesus is not told in all four of the gospels. Like the Easter episodes, we will be looking at each of the gospels in the order written, which means starting with Mark chapter 1. 1) Easter 2025 Bonus episodes on the death and resurrection of Jesus https://youtu.be/f31UpncgmQk https://youtu.be/wgZhMPE-kx0 https://youtu.be/bvtp-REH9oo 2) extra biblical account of the birth of Jesus https://earlychristianwritings.com/infancyjames.html#google_vignette Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    24 min

  6. 11/23/2025

    Episode 141 - Braxton Hunter 5 questions for atheists

    Matthew is joined by David from Skeptics and Seekers to answer Braxton Hunter's 5 questions for atheists 2025. Join us for answers, spattered with laughing and swearing! 1) original youtube video https://youtu.be/gsma6UT3rwk?si=2jdJVDlqIMjuuFxy 2) Robin Collins https://www.messiah.edu/homepage/1662/robin_collins https://www.messiah.edu/info/20003/faith_and_values/5/statements_of_faith https://rintintin.colorado.edu/~vancecd/phil201/Collins.pdf (1999) source of the freemon dyson quote https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=0d385016fc615624829568172ae73c5ac695155a https://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil383/collins.htm#N_1_ 3) Freeman Dyson Quote - (1979). Disturbing the Universe https://archive.org/details/disturbinguniver0000dyso/page/250/mode/2up?q=%22water+could+not+exist+as+a+liquid%22 https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article-abstract/32/12/51/432255/Disturbing-the-Universe Freeman Dyson went on to say: "I conclude from the existence of these accidents ... that the universe is ... unexpectedly hospitable .... I do not claim that the architecture of the universe proves the existence of god. I claim only that the architecture of the universe is consistent with the hypothesis that mind plays an essential role in its functioning." 4) Science Proves There are More than Two Human Sexes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT0HJkr1jj4 5) How evolution gave us free will https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=how+evolution+gave+us+free+will&adgrpid=1175379657968595&hvadid=73461428254687&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=69110&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-73461487665568%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=24459_2219459&mcid=8a9d1f3c3e333d79aab99d6d9ab3256d&msclkid=bb7d0886990714ed0e9660e7a6a19fad&tag=mh0a9-21&ref=pd_sl_2myqx3bdnv_e Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    1h 32m

  7. 11/02/2025

    Episode 140 - Sean McDowell and WLC miss the point on Rhett's deconversion

    In this episode of Still Unbelievable!, Matthew reviews Sean McDowell and William Lane Craig being s****y about Rhett's deconversion. When Christian apologists review the deconversion of a high profile Christian, it's a given that they will miss the point on the things they say and misdirect their adoring Christian fans on the negative aspects of Christianity that cause the person to leave. This conversation is no exception and we're going to have fun highlighting all the predictable and unsurprising ways that Sean and WLC achieve this. Link 1 takes you to the Sean McDowell interview with WLC and Link 2 going to the Alex O'Connor interview with Rhett. It is very interesting that Sean does not provide a link to Alex's show in his YouTube notes. What is he afraid of? 1) original Sean McDowell conversation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75gT-lEgRRw 2) The original interview between Rhett and Alex O'Connor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wjVLKy8Xk 3) The Web of Belief - By W. V. Quine, J. S. Ullian https://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/wp-content/uploads/W.-V.-Quine-J.-S.-Ullian-The-Web-of-Belief.pdf 4) Biola statements of faith and evolution https://www.biola.edu/blogs/biola-magazine/2017/should-christians-evolve-on-evolution https://archive.chosenpeople.com/pdf/Doctrinal-Statement.pdf https://www.biola.edu/about/theological-positions 5) secular scholars on the history of christianity https://www.worldhistory.org/user/rdenova/ https://www.religiousstudies.pitt.edu/people/rebecca-denova https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Origins+of+Christianity+and+the+New+Testament-p-9781119759621 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Pagels https://www.elaine-pagels.com/books/ https://censamm.org/about/people/crossley https://www.librarything.com/work/1968245/book/10922499 6) Still Unbelievable! bonus episodes on the progression of the resurrection narrative https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/ucNqgubkpUb https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/s97AttbkpUb https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/B77lFsbkpUb Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    51 min

  8. 10/12/2025

    Episode 139 - Lee Strobel tries to make a case for heaven

    In this episode Matthew reviews a conversation that Lee Strobel had with Justin Brierley in April 2022. In that discussion Lee tried very hard to make a case for heaven, and Matthew examines the points he makes and revealing why his case is utter bunk. It literally is wishful thinking gone wild. The original you tube video of the conversation is at link 1, it's not long, about 20 minutes. Lee's Case for heaven movie is at link 2. It's longer at almost 2 hours. 1) Original conversation between Lee and Justin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Oeh8L-87U 2) case for heaven movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbkwdT3Tq40 3) hyponatraemia https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hyponatraemia/ https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hyponatraemia/background-information/complications/ 4) Being Close to Death can Transform Your Life. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/understanding-grief/202411/can-being-close-to-death-transform-your-life?msockid=312d907b5d7169080dc782295cba68f7 5) Sharon Dirckx https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/17-february/features/interviews/interview-sharon-dirckx-christian-apologist https://www.solas-cpc.org/book-am-i-just-my-brain-by-sharon-dirckx/ 6) the Lancet https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(01)07100-8/abstract 7) Failure to Elicit Near-Death Experiences in Induced Cardiac Arrest https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/wp-content/uploads/sites/360/2017/01/NDE47.pdf 8) the maria story https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2019/07/the-shoe-on-the-ledge.html https://www.is-there-a-god.info/blog/life/whatever-happened-to-my-tennis-shoean-nde-story/ 9) Blind Vicky NDE https://ndestories.org/vicki-noratuk/ 10) Psychology today article on apparent evidence for a soul https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/biocentrism/201112/does-the-soul-exist-evidence-says-yes 11) Pam Reynolds https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pam_Reynolds_case BBC report on the case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osfIY4B3y1U 12) science articles https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/peace-of-mind-near-death/ https://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/near-death-experiences-science-after-all/ 13) Howard storm traumatic NDE https://thepurposeoflife-nde.com/howard-storm/ https://near-death.com/howard-storm/ To contact us, email: reasonpress@gmail.com our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901 Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below: https://hollykirstensongs.com/ https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

    32 min
See All (157)

4.3
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Welcome to Still Unbelievable!, where we examine Christianity. Sometimes we will discuss an episode of the Unbelievable? podcast, sometimes we will test how well Christian arguments stand up because, as sceptics, we think that all beliefs should be challenged.

Information

  • Creator
    Still Unbelievable
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    157
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Still Unbelievable
  • Show Website
    Still Unbelievable!

You Might Also Like