logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
26m 28s

Heart and Soul: Losing my religion

Bbc World Service
About this episode

'Spiritual but not religious’ is the fastest growing faith category amongst Gen Z and Millennials around the world. However, in Nigeria, where most people identify as either Christian or Muslim, questioning doctrine or exploring alternative beliefs is still often seen as taboo. Kamsy and Ore were both raised in evangelical Christian households, but began questioning their faith in their early 20s. Separately, they began reading about other belief systems, such as Judaism, Buddhism and traditional African religions, and posting their thoughts and experiences on social media. Neither were prepared for the backlash they received. When the two of them finally connected, they bonded over how lonely their ‘deconstruction’ journeys had been. So they created a WhatsApp group for others like them. Today, The Table defines itself as a community for the irreligious yet spiritual, and aims to provide a space for connection and discussion free from the dogma.

Up next
Yesterday
Stemming the tide in Normandy
<p>Coastal erosion has become a serious problem for many seaside communities, no more so than in Normandy, in north-west France, where rising sea levels, strong tides and stronger storms have swept away homes, sand dunes and beaches. </p><p>Every year the sea here is reclaiming s ... Show More
26m 40s
Nov 24
The Shiralee: D'Arcy Niland's 1955 Australian western
<p>The Shiralee is a 1955 novel by D'Arcy Niland, telling the story of a wandering swagman on a journey through the Australian outback, accompanied by his 10-year-old daughter. It was made into a 1957 film by Ealing Studios, starring Peter Finch, and now it is being brought to th ... Show More
24m 34s
Nov 22
Inside India's war on Maoists
<p>For nearly 60 years, the Indian government has been fighting a violent group of Maoists in the country. They are followers of the late Chinese leader, Mao Zedong and have carried out bombings and killings in different parts of India. Now, the Indian authorities claim to be on ... Show More
26m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2021
Are We Spiritual?
Spirituality is a convoluted subject. With Ammar being raised as a Muslim and myself being raised mainly agnostic, we had two extremely different experiences growing up with religion. On today’s episode, we are also joined by Rotana Tarabzouni. Rotana was raised under Sharia law ... Show More
28m 22s
Jan 2017
Cult vs. Community – Khutbah by Nouman Ali Khan
This Khutbah was recorded at Islamic Center of Irving on May 20th, 2016. Introducing his reflections on ayat 166 and 167 of Surat Al-Baqarah, Nouman Ali Khan highlights the differences between a cult and community to warn against the threat of allowing unhealthy social pressures ... Show More
1h 5m
Jun 2022
LGBTQ+: Religion and me
We explore the interplay of faith, spirituality and LGBTQ+ identity in this special episode for Pride Month 2022. We hear three fascinating cross-cultural and religious conversations between people who are also LGBTQ+. Furgie was raised a Muslim as a child in Pakistan. He speaks ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 2021
Krishnamurti on Religion
<p>‘Religion is not the authoritarian, accepted form of religion, the state religion, the religion of belief, of faith, of dogma, of rituals, of worshipping a symbol.’</p> <p>This week’s episode on Religion has five sections.</p> <p>The first extract (2:24) is from Krishnamurti’s ... Show More
59m 39s
Sep 2022
Spiritualism and the soul
Twenty-one-year-old journalism graduate, Saskia Masaun has been attending meditation, mediumship and healing classes at the Spiritualists National Union (SNU) Church in Wolverhampton, UK, since she was 16, alongside her spiritualist mother. Saskia explains how her faith, which in ... Show More
26m 29s
Oct 2021
The Rise of the Religious "Nones" (And What It Means for Society)
<p>In 1972, the number of Americans who described themselves as religiously unaffiliated was 5%. In 2018, it was almost 24%. Why has the number of people answering "none of the above" to the question of their religious affiliation jumped so dramatically in recent years, and what ... Show More
50m 9s
Apr 2022
Religion IRL
In the past two years faith communities have lived through an unprecedented experiment. With places of worships closed for long periods, they've been forced to adapt digitally. Not everyone could do so fulsomely, with some acts of worship prohibited by religious teachings. As res ... Show More
28m 1s
Aug 2022
Leaving my religion
<p>When doubt creeps in about the faith you’ve grown up in and nobody will tolerate your questions, when you look at your life ahead mapped out by others and wonder where your ambitions fit - how do you step away? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women from Tanzania and Scotland about ... Show More
28m 16s
Nov 2023
129 | My Arranged Marriage + My Conversion from Muslim to Christian with Lily Meschi
<p>Lily Meschi's journey took her from Iran to the United States as a teenager, and it was a transition that left her feeling like she didn't quite fit in. Despite having lived an affluent life in her home country, she suddenly found herself in a cramped apartment, sharing living ... Show More
54m 6s
Jan 2018
Thomas Moore: A Religion of One's Own
<p>Religious scholar, psychotherapist and former monk Thomas Moore has dedicated his life to exploring the questions at the heart of theology. Thomas' classic 1992 book, &quot;Care of the Soul,&quot; redefined spirituality in the modern age, and now he believes we are facing an e ... Show More
36m 45s