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The Awakening Podcast

The Awakening Podcast

De : Heather Foy
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Join our Hosts, Heather and Tamara as they feature guests that have survived 'Religious Trauma' and the stories about that trauma and how they survived.Copyright 2026 Heather Foy Développement personnel Réussite personnelle Sciences sociales Spiritualité
Épisodes
  • Current Events and Recent Church Scandals With Tamara and Heather

    Current Events and Recent Church Scandals With Tamara and Heather
    Jul 14 2026
    ⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of religious trauma, church abuse, child abuse, physical violence, and disturbing content involving children in religious settings.This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I are doing something a little different. No guest this week — just the two of us, taking stock of where we've been and what we've seen.We reflect on the guests who have sat across from us this season, the stories that have stayed with us, and the cumulative weight of bearing witness to so much harm done in the name of God. We get honest about what this work does to us — and why we keep doing it.We also dig into the news, because the church never stops giving us material.Steven Anderson — pastor of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona, a man already banned from more than 34 countries for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and calls for the execution of gay people — is now facing abuse allegations from his own children. Four of his adult kids have gone public, describing closed-fist beatings, whippings with electrical cords, starvation as punishment, and years of psychological harm. Anderson's response from the pulpit? He called his children "evil wicked brats," prayed for God to destroy them, and threatened to quit pastoring if they didn't publicly repent. The institution protected him. His own children had to take it to YouTube to be heard.Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana — who you may remember from his COVID-era defiance of public health orders — was arrested on June 23rd for second-degree battery after allegedly running across a four-lane highway to attack his 20-year-old neighbor. He bonded out and went straight to the pulpit, where he told his congregation he had "fulfilled the scripture" by "laying hands on the sick." Body camera footage later showed him using homophobic slurs and threatening the neighbor's father. A protective order has since been issued against him. His congregation applauded.And then there's Pastor Dewayne Walker of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, who apparently decided the best way to teach Vacation Bible School is to have men in camouflage carry air rifles into the sanctuary, simulate shooting someone in front of small children, and lead the kids in chanting "Take him out! Blow him up!" — all while calling it "killing the devil." The video went viral. Walker defended it. He called it a 32-year tradition. Multiple people came forward to say this has been happening since the 1990s, including one person who said they were removed from VBS as a child because they were crying too hard to calm down.This is what accountability looks like in the church. Which is to say — it doesn't.In This Episode, We Discuss:• Reflecting on our guests this season and the impact their stories have had on us• Why their stories keep us out of religious spaces for good• The pattern of unchecked power and zero accountability in institutional religion• Steven Anderson — abuse allegations from his own children and his response from the pulpit• Tony Spell — arrested for battery, went straight to church, called it scripture• The Mt. Olivet Baptist VBS gun skit — and what it tells us about how violence gets normalized in church cultureConnect with Your Hosts:Heather: https://linktr.ee/HappyheathersmilesTamara: TikTok @feralatheistjezebel321 | Instagram @tamarajo321🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAwakeningPodcast-w6s📩 Be a guest: theawakeningpod@gmail.comIf you're listening and wondering why you ever trusted these institutions — that's not cynicism. That's clarity. You were not wrong to question. You were not wrong to leave. And you are not alone in your anger. We see it too. You belong here.If you like what you here, check out other great pods on the BIG Media LLC Podcast Network!Barrett and Zac host The All About Nothing: Podcast, discussing everything from news and politics to entertainment and sports! All About Nothing, but All About Something too!Zac and Barrett host What The Pod Was That with Cari Simmons, available everywhere you listen to podcasts.Take a deep dive down the rabbit hole with Amii on the pod Welcome to Wonder Land.Check out Black White and Blue In the South, With Dr. Jumelle Brooks and Bill Kimler!Politically Speaking with Erica Sampson, Kirsten Pruitt, and Emily Mayer is a sharp, engaging podcast breaking down politics with insight, wit, and a fresh perspective.The Preach Jacobs Podcast is hosted by Columbia South Carolina's very own Ambassador, Hiphop Artist, Columnist and Owner of SoulHAUS Art Gallery, Preach Jacobs!All of these fantastic podcasts can be found on the BIG Media LLC Podcast Network!FAIR USE COPYRIGHT NOTICE The Copyright Laws of the United States recognize a "fair use" of copyrighted content. Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act states:NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 106 AND 106A, THE FAIR USE OF A COPYRIGHTED WORK, ...
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    1 h et 4 min
  • From Morning Star To Freedom - With Tyler Fulton

    From Morning Star To Freedom - With Tyler Fulton
    Jul 8 2026
    ⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of high-control religious environments, spiritual manipulation, and unaccredited religious education.This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Tyler Fulton — agnostic social worker, former charismatic, and a man who got the full MorningStar experience and lived to tell about it.Tyler's journey into the charismatic movement eventually landed him at MorningStar University in Fort Mill, South Carolina — the school founded by Rick Joyner, founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries and a prominent figure in the Charismatic and New Apostolic Reformation movements, known for his emphasis on prophetic revelation, supernatural experiences, and apostolic authority. (AU)Tyler spills all of it — what campus life was actually like, how the institution operates, the fact that MorningStar University is not an accredited institution, and yes — he tells the story of how he came to know Rick Joyner's favorite whiskey. We are not going to spoil it. You just have to listen.Today Tyler is out of the charismatic world entirely and working as a social worker helping people in his local community. His story is equal parts eye-opening, absurd, and deeply human — and we loved every minute of this conversation.In This Episode, We Discuss:• How Tyler got pulled into the charismatic movement• What life was like as a student at MorningStar University• Why MorningStar University is not an accredited institution — and what that means for students• Rick Joyner, MorningStar Ministries, and the culture they've built• The moment Tyler knew it was time to leave• Life as an agnostic social worker on the other side of it all• And yes — Rick Joyner's favorite whiskeyConnect with Your Hosts:Heather: https://linktr.ee/HappyheathersmilesTamara: TikTok @feralatheistjezebel321 | Instagram @tamarajo321🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAwakeningPodcast-w6s📩 Be a guest: theawakeningpod@gmail.comIf you've ever been drawn into a movement that promised something transcendent and delivered something else entirely — you're not alone. The charismatic world is seductive, and leaving it can feel like losing everything. Tyler's story is a reminder that there is a full, meaningful life waiting on the other side. You belong here.If you like what you here, check out other great pods on the BIG Media LLC Podcast Network!Barrett and Zac host The All About Nothing: Podcast, discussing everything from news and politics to entertainment and sports! All About Nothing, but All About Something too!Zac and Barrett host What The Pod Was That with Cari Simmons, available everywhere you listen to podcasts.Take a deep dive down the rabbit hole with Amii on the pod Welcome to Wonder Land.Check out Black White and Blue In the South, With Dr. Jumelle Brooks and Bill Kimler!Politically Speaking with Erica Sampson, Kirsten Pruitt, and Emily Mayer is a sharp, engaging podcast breaking down politics with insight, wit, and a fresh perspective.The Preach Jacobs Podcast is hosted by Columbia South Carolina's very own Ambassador, Hiphop Artist, Columnist and Owner of SoulHAUS Art Gallery, Preach Jacobs!All of these fantastic podcasts can be found on the BIG Media LLC Podcast Network!FAIR USE COPYRIGHT NOTICE The Copyright Laws of the United States recognize a "fair use" of copyrighted content. Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act states:NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 106 AND 106A, THE FAIR USE OF A COPYRIGHTED WORK, INCLUDING SUCH USE BY REPRODUCTION IN COPIES OR PHONO RECORDS OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS SPECIFIED BY THAT SECTION, FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS CRITICISM, COMMENT, NEWS REPORTING, TEACHING (INCLUDING MULTIPLE COPIES FOR CLASSROOM USE), SCHOLARSHIP, OR RESEARCH, IS NOT AN INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT.This Video/Audio in general may contain certain copyrighted works that were not specifically authorized to be used by the copyright holder(s), but which we believe in good faith are protected by federal law and the fair use doctrine for one or more of the reasons noted above. If you have any specific concerns about this usage, or our position on the Fair Use Defense, please contact us at preachjacobs@gmail.com so we can discuss amicably.Thank you.Mentioned in this episode:BIG Media LLC Copyright 2026BIG Media
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    1 h et 10 min
  • What The Church Covered Up: Surviving Earnest Angley With Azraela

    What The Church Covered Up: Surviving Earnest Angley With Azraela
    Jul 1 2026
    ⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains detailed discussion of cult involvement, suicidal ideation, child abuse, stalking, and murder.Cassandra Blondheim's story is discussed in detail. Please take care of yourself as you listen. This episode may not be appropriate for all audiences.This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Azraela — a survivor of Ernest Angley's Grace Cathedral cult in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio — for a conversation that is as heartbreaking as it is necessary.Azraela shares her firsthand experience of abuse both at home and inside the church, and what it was like to grow up inside a high-control religious environment built around one man's unchecked power. Ernest Angley — the televangelist faith healer who built a megachurch empire — faced decades of allegations including sexual abuse, forced vasectomies and abortions, child labor violations, and a culture of silence and control that protected predators within his walls.Azraela also tells the story of her friend Cassandra Blondheim — a 15-year-old fellow church volunteer who was stalked and ultimately murdered in 1999 by a 27-year-old man named Shane Partin. Investigators found that Partin had been obsessed with Cassandra, and had been told repeatedly by her family and church members to leave the girl alone. At one point Angley suspended Partin from church activities, but then allowed him to return after a so-called healing session — after which Partin stabbed Cassandra to death. Angley's ministry later paid $100,000 in a settlement to Blondheim's family. (Wikipedia) (Roger Ebert)This is a story about what happens when institutions protect themselves instead of the people inside them. Cassandra deserved better. Azraela deserved better. And their stories deserve to be told.In This Episode, We Discuss:• Growing up inside Ernest Angley's Grace Cathedral• Abuse at home and within the church community• The culture of control, silence, and protection of predators inside high-control religious environments• The story of Cassandra Blondheim — and how the church's failure contributed to her death• Survival, healing, and speaking outConnect with Azraela:🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@azraela_the_hagathaConnect with Your Hosts:Heather: https://linktr.ee/HappyheathersmilesTamara: TikTok @feralatheistjezebel321 | Instagram @tamarajo321🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAwakeningPodcast-w6s📩 Be a guest: theawakeningpod@gmail.comTo Cassandra — you are not forgotten. To every survivor who has been silenced by a system that chose its reputation over your safety — we see you. Speaking these names out loud is an act of resistance. You belong here.If you like what you here, check out other great pods on the BIG Media LLC Podcast Network!Barrett and Zac host The All About Nothing: Podcast, discussing everything from news and politics to entertainment and sports! All About Nothing, but All About Something too!Zac and Barrett host What The Pod Was That with Cari Simmons, available everywhere you listen to podcasts.Take a deep dive down the rabbit hole with Amii on the pod Welcome to Wonder Land.Check out Black White and Blue In the South, With Dr. Jumelle Brooks and Bill Kimler!Politically Speaking with Erica Sampson, Kirsten Pruitt, and Emily Mayer is a sharp, engaging podcast breaking down politics with insight, wit, and a fresh perspective.The Preach Jacobs Podcast is hosted by Columbia South Carolina's very own Ambassador, Hiphop Artist, Columnist and Owner of SoulHAUS Art Gallery, Preach Jacobs!All of these fantastic podcasts can be found on the BIG Media LLC Podcast Network!FAIR USE COPYRIGHT NOTICE The Copyright Laws of the United States recognize a "fair use" of copyrighted content. Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act states:NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 106 AND 106A, THE FAIR USE OF A COPYRIGHTED WORK, INCLUDING SUCH USE BY REPRODUCTION IN COPIES OR PHONO RECORDS OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS SPECIFIED BY THAT SECTION, FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS CRITICISM, COMMENT, NEWS REPORTING, TEACHING (INCLUDING MULTIPLE COPIES FOR CLASSROOM USE), SCHOLARSHIP, OR RESEARCH, IS NOT AN INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT.This Video/Audio in general may contain certain copyrighted works that were not specifically authorized to be used by the copyright holder(s), but which we believe in good faith are protected by federal law and the fair use doctrine for one or more of the reasons noted above. If you have any specific concerns about this usage, or our position on the Fair Use Defense, please contact us at preachjacobs@gmail.com so we can discuss amicably.Thank you.Mentioned in this episode:BIG Media LLC Copyright 2026BIG Media
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    1 h et 21 min
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