Why Does the Government Care if We Have Babies Anyway?

Complexified Trailer!: It’s been a ROUGH few years. If you’re like me, you feel overwhelmed. Why can’t we keep our kids safe from guns? Why are voting rights under attack? Why can’t we even talk about abortion, gender, sexuality, or racism? How we got here is not a mystery. For too long we have avoided talking about religion and politics. But when we avoid these hard topics, we stay stuck. On Complexified, we dig into the places where religion and politics collide with real-life, - so we can make real change. I’ll talk with activists and thinkers about the issues tearing our lives up today… the end of Roe v. Wade, climate change, Christian Nationalism, attacks on trans kids, homelessness, and so much more. Complexified launches on August 11th. Join me. Follow the show wherever you listen to podcasts. And become a part of this movement to embrace the complexity of real life – and to move forward, together. This podcast is a project of the Institute of Religion Politics & Culture by Complexified

5 min listen

Ann Marie Benitez; Reproductive Justice after the fall of Roe: Born in a Church, and raised moving between the worlds of poverty in Jamaica Queens, and private school in the wealthy Upper East Side of New York City, Ann Marie Benitez knows what access to healthcare looks like when you have resources, and when you dont. Listen in to learn about Reproductive Justice, and the realities people of color face when trying to access reproductive healthcare after the end of Roe v. Wade. by Complexified

39 min listen

Rep. Sam Park, Leading with a Broken Heart: It’s never been easy, politically or religiously, to be queer or trans in this country – but this year, politics has made it harder than it’s been in decades- state lawmakers introduced 240 anti-gay bills across the US- and some seem to think homophobia is socially acceptable again. That makes Sam Park’s job both more important and more difficult. Sam is the first openly gay state rep ever elected in Georgia…in 2016. I found him to be so thoughtful about how he looks at the conflicts he faces as a gay Korean-American Democrat serving in Georgia – how he deals with adversity, how his own faith informs his work, and where he finds hope. by Complexified

39 min listen

Episode 4:Rob Schenck by Complexified

56 min listen

Brandan Robertson, Religion, Politics & LGBTQ Youth: In the 2022 state legislative sessions across the U.S., 240 bills were introduced that would restrict rights and equality for LGBTQ people. A high number of these bills specifically targeted trans youth. In this episode, we talk with Brandan Robertson to learn about his own experiences growing up in Evangelical Fundamentalist Christianity. Brandon shares his own hatefulness to his LGBTQ peers, to the love and care he experienced in the church– and his own coming-out story and the rejection that followed. by Complexified

38 min listen

Lex & Amanda talk Abortion, Cults, & Religious Trauma: Iliff Student Lex Dunbar and host Amanda Henderson share their personal stories about their relationships with the anti-abortion movement and journies toward championing equitable reproductive health and justice. These stories are powerful and eye-opening - unveiling the truth behind the manipulation, harm, and misuse of religious ideals that uphold the anti-abortion movement in their missionary efforts. **accidents happen when you’re talking on the fly we know Mike Brown was murdered in 2014. Sorry for the mistake!** by Complexified

29 min listen

Rachel Laser: Why the Separation of Church and State is Good for Religion and Good for Democracy: Over the last year, a number of things have happened that signal an alarming change in American life: church and state seem to be no longer separate. In this episode, lawyer, advocate, strategist, and President and CEO of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Rachel Laser tells the stories of those whose lives are directly impacted when the Supreme Court favors one religious ideology over the well-being of families and children. And she shares how her own family story shapes her work and reminds us all why the separation of church and state is vital to our democracy. by Complexified

49 min listen

Lex & Amanda talk Gender, Sexuality & Marriage: With the first two episodes under our belt, Host Amanda Henderson and Iliff graduate student Lex Dunbar dig into the key takeaways they hope our listeners come away with after the first two episodes: 1) The idea that there are clear god-ordained, universal religious teachings about gender, sexuality, and marriage as we know them today is a myth. 2) Regulation of bodies, sexuality, and marriage relationships has been a part of the business of the State since the founding of the U.S. and before. With these two realities in mind, how are we to understand and navigate the deeper questions tied to gender, sexuality, and marriage? by Complexified

25 min listen

Just keep the kids off TikTok: Ian Silverii: political strategist, Jewish dad, and Senator spouse. Ian is a wisecracking fast-talking political genius who has led the progressive fight in Colorado for 15 years. Ian speaks with clarity, passion, and always humor. Even his political foes will tell you that while his words are sharp, he's a softy at heart. I invited Ian on to talk about how we can confront the rise in Christian nationalism because he's one of the smartest and most savvy people I know. And because he is behind the scenes, guiding political strategy and communication to bring the seismic shifts that he made in the political landscape and Colorado to the rest of the country. His family story reminds us, that this is the fight that we were made for! by Complexified

56 min listen

Let White Jesus, Go!: Reverend Dr. Jacqui Lewis is one of those people who transcends all of the categories we like to create - the first female and the first black senior pastor at a historic church in New York City that was founded in 1628. She speaks with pathetic truth. She doesn't shy away from what she calls fake Christianity and holds nothing back when fighting harmful theologies. At this moment, Christian nationalism, which has always been present in US history, is being unveiled. We need people who know the ways this ideology has taken shape and built power. And people who embody and live an alternative story. Reverend Dr. Lewis has the knowledge and clarity we have been and where we are. She has the vision to guide and give us hope. And most notably, she has a contagious joy. If anyone can help us find love and connection in this time, it's her. by Complexified

49 min listen

Amanda, Lex, & Ian Silverii: Religion's In Our Politics: It's Inescapable: Ian is a political strategist, dad, and the first gentleman of the seventh congressional district in Colorado. We discuss the tension between incrementalism and revolutions and how religious ideologies influence our political mindsets. by Complexified

46 min listen

Amanda & Lex Wrap Up Season 2: Amanda and Lex talk about their favorite episodes and what they've learned in these first two seasons of the Complexified podcast! They also share the vision and what you can expect for season 3! by Complexified

16 min listen

Answering Those Lingering Questions on Christian Nationalism: What is Christian Nationalism? Why is everyone talking about it? In this episode, we wrap up our past few episodes by answering those lingering questions to dig into what is - and is not- Christian Nationalism. We share the bad news on the embrace of Christian Nationalism by mainstream Republican politicians and come back to the wisdom we gleaned in earlier episodes to fight to build communities that reject xenophobia and embrace radical love. by Complexified

32 min listen

Episode 11: Eric Smith: What the Bible Actually Says about Abortion: We continue our conversation about religion, politics, and abortion with biblical scholar, pastor, and professor of New Testament at Iliff School of Theology, Reverend Dr. Eric Smith. Eric and Amanda talk about some of the ways the Bible is used in anti-abortion arguments and how it shapes our society and our cultural expectations. We ask what the Bible can actually teach us to understand about abortion. by Complexified

38 min listen

How Do We Talk Politics with Our Families?: We are approaching the holiday season, and many folks have questions and anxieties about sharing space with family members with whom we disagree based on our political understanding and involvement in the world. Sarah Holland and Beth Silvers from Pantsuit Politics talk with Amanda, and they help us approach the holidays with family and engage them in political discussions rooted in love and care. by Complexified

45 min listen

Finding Freedom in Your Religious Tradition - The Choice is Yours!: Reverend Dr. Jennifer Leath speaks on liberation and the AME church. We hear about her journey growing up as a Quare young person knowing that she was called to preach and how she had to make choices aligned with HER TRUTH. We also dive into her decision to move to Canada and her quest to become a mother. by Complexified

39 min listen

Why Does the Government Care if We Have Babies Anyway?: Why does the government care so much about our bodies and whether we have babies? Get nerdy with us as we talk with philosophy professor Thomas Nail, and explore the history of governments forming the populations they want to govern. by Complexified

40 min listen

Rabbi Joe Black: Jewish Thoughts on Abortion, the Gift of Music, and the Messy Parts of Living: Rabbi Joe Black joins us in the studio to share his moving music and poetry. Rabbi Joe helps us understand what Jewish tradition teaches about abortion and shares his own story of navigating difficult life and death decisions in his own family. by Complexified

39 min listen

Change is Disruptive - Choose Mindfulness: Dr. Pamela Ayo Yetunde, an interfaith practitioner of Buddhism, brings unique insights into how our understanding of God shapes the way we navigate change in ourselves and change in the world. She shares practical methods from the Zen Buddhism tradition that invites us to consider the inevitability of Change and how to navigate the disruptions. by Complexified

39 min listen

Amanda, Lex & Dr. Miguel De La Torre: Screw With the Structures & Change Your God: On this season of complexified, we are exploring CHANGE. And we're asking how our ideas of God shaped the way we navigate change, personally, politically, and culturally. Today, we have Dr. Miguel De La Torre, professor of social ethics and Latino Studies at Iliff. School of Theology. Author of 42 books. by Complexified

40 min listen

Amanda & Lex on Season 3: "Change: The Only Lasting Truth": “All that you touch, You Change. All that you Change, Changes you. The only lasting truth Is Change. God is Change”― Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower & Parable of the Talents. This quote in Butler's post-apocalyptic novel is the basis for our season 3 episodes. In this interview, Amanda and Lex talk about the complexities of change and what you can expect from this new season!! by Complexified

28 min listen

Amanda, Lex, & Dr. Philip Butler talk Transhumanism, Artificial Intelligence & Religion: Dr. Philip Butler is an international scholar whose work primarily focuses on the intersections of neuroscience, technology, spirituality, and blackness. Dr. Butler speaks to the vital need for black folks to engage in challenging questions about current and rapidly developing human enhancement. In this episode, we talk about the changing of our bodies and technologies. by Complexified

34 min listen

Ownership, Belonging & Dreaming America: Ben Sanders: Why is homeownership such an integral part of the American Dream? Why have some been systematically excluded from homeownership while others have been incentivized and subsidized to own their home? In this episode, Dr. Ben Sanders shares his family story of ownership and belonging from an experience as a Black American, as we continue to peel apart the myth of the American Dream. by Complexified

22 min listen

Amanda, Lex, and Denise Soler Cox: The Struggle to Belong, & How a Night at a Bar in Miami Changed Everything!: In this episode, we talk about generational change and belonging with Denise Soler Cox. We share our own struggles to belong and investigate what it means to belong, even in the in-between space of identity and culture. by Complexified

51 min listen

Freedom from Violence: Representative Iman Jodeh’s Palestinian-American family story of seeking refuge and finding a life of public leadership: In this episode, recorded before the attacks by Hamas on Israel and the devastating response by the Israeli Military in Gaza, Colorado State Representative Iman Jodeh shares her family story of leaving Palestine in the late 1960s seeking refuge from daily discrimination and violence. by Complexified

31 min listen

The Stories We Hold: Bessie Smith (Dzabahe): One afternoon, she lost her clothes, her hair, her language, her name, and her parents. In this episode, Navajo woman Bessie Smith, who survived the Indian Boarding Schools, shares her story of losing everything and then reclaiming the traditions she learned as a child to find healing. by Complexified

41 min listen

Political Paradox and Prerequisites of the American Dream: Dr. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi: In this episode, Amanda Henderson talks to Dr. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, a biracial scholar and professor at the Iliff School of Theology. They explore the American dream through the lens of personal experiences and the stories of ancestors, especially focusing on the immigrant journey. by Complexified

40 min listen

Dreaming America: Season 4 Trailer: What comes to your mind when you hear the term, "American Dream?" This season on Complexified, we have changed things up a bit! We are taking apart this idea of the American Dream. Turning it upside down to explore our multiple, honest ways of Dreaming America. Each week, I will take you with me as I learn more about where this idea came from– and what it has to do with religion and politics. We will move beyond the theoretical, and explore this idea through hearing people's stories. Join us! by Complexified

4 min listen

The Stories We Hold: Amanda Henderson: As debates rage in state legislatures and school boards about history curriculums or critical race theory or the impact of slavery, we know that how we imagine our future has everything to do with how we remember our past. In this episode, we begin our series pulling apart the stories we have been told about the American Dream through our own multiple, honest, complicated stories of Dreaming America. by Complexified

18 min listen

Broken Glass & Salty Tears: Rabbi Joe Black and his family story of fleeing persecution and finding purpose: In this episode, recorded before the attacks by Hamas on Israel and the devastating response by the Israeli Military in Gaza, Rabbi Joe, from Temple Emanuel in Denver, Colorado, shares his family story. His father’s family fled persecution in the late 19th century to find safety in the U.S. by Complexified

31 min listen

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Why Does the Government Care if We Have Babies Anyway?

Why Does the Government Care if We Have Babies Anyway?

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