Things I Wish I Could Say in Sunday School

May 4-10: Numbers 11-14, 20-24, 27.

Topics: 1) Manna and Quail; 2) Moses was the most meek; 3) The Brazen serpent; and 4) Balaam.
 
Includes a personal, humorous story about manna, reflections on gratitude and leadership, and an invitation to spark honest discussions with friends and family.

April 27 - May 3: Exodus 35-40; Leviticus 1, 4, 16, 19.

Topics: 1) The Tabernacle; 2) Animal sacrifice; and 3) Leviticus.
This episode focuses on the Tabernacle, animal sacrifice, and the laws in Leviticus. We question priestly barriers to God, the necessity of blood or other rituals for forgiveness from sin, and the origins of temple practices.
With candid reflection, the episode critiques religious hypocrisy, highlights Leviticus' calls to care for the poor and strangers, and urges personal spiritual growth over dependence on ritual intermediaries.

April 20-26: Exodus 19-20; 24; 31-34

Topics: 1) Honor thy father and thy mother; and 2) Idol worship.
This episode offers an honest, questioning look at the Ten Commandments — especially "honor thy father and thy mother" — and the Golden Calf and idol worship.
We critique how the parent-honoring commandment can be harmful when parents are abusive or unworthy, and explore why people create idols, offering a sympathetic reading of the Golden Calf and inviting thoughtful discussion.

April 6-19: Exodus 7-18

Topics: 1) Hard and soft hearts; 2) God's miracles; 3) Strict rules; and 4) Symbols.
This is things I wish I could say in Sunday School. I share honest, critical reflections on Exodus 7–18 (lessons for April 6–19), exploring hard and soft hearts, supposed miracles, strict religious rules, and the power of symbols.
I question literal readings of the plagues and the parting of the sea, examine how stories and rules consolidate authority, and celebrate symbols as flexible carriers of meaning that can spark new conversations and deeper personal interpretation.

March 23-29: Exodus 1-6

Topic: How much does God control us and what happens to us?
This episode explores the beginning of Moses' story (Exodus 1–6) and questions how much God controls our lives. We discuss the view that God may be powerful but not constantly intervening, arguing for human agency and thoughtful independence from institutional dependence.
This episode challenges common interpretations that present believers as mere instruments of God's will, and considers how churches can benefit from promoting dependence on divine control. A thoughtful, honest discussion meant to spark conversation.

March 9-22: Genesis 37-50

Topics: 1) Joseph’s brothers betray him; 2) Potiphar’s wife; 3) The Lord was with him; and 4) Joseph reconciles with his family.
We critique parental favoritism, toxic group dynamics, and prosperity gospel readings of the story. We highlight how abuse of power and victim consequences are too often overlooked, and emphasize that reconciliation is a personal choice that requires work and boundaries.

March 2-8: Genesis 24-33

Topics: 1) Covenant marriage; 2) Dishonest leadership; and 3) Complicated family relationships.
A candid episode covering Genesis 24–33 that questions how church lessons frame covenant marriage, calling out awkward examples like incestuous unions and subtle anti–race-mixing vibes, and noting a shift toward the term "covenant marriage."
It examines dishonest leadership through Laban’s repeated betrayals of Jacob, draws practical lessons about honoring commitments and treating employees and people ethically, and reflects on the messy, flawed relationships of Jacob, Esau, Isaac, and Rebekah.
We discuss how reconciliation is often more of a detente than true forgiveness, offer guidance on when to reconcile or stay distant, and invite thoughtful discussion rather than easy answers.

February 16 - March 1: Genesis 12-23 and Abraham 1-2

Topics: 1) The Abrahamic Covenant;  2) Unfulfilled desires; and 3) Sacrificing Isaac.
This episode offers a candid, critical reading of Genesis 12–23 and Abraham chapters 1–2, focusing on the Abrahamic covenant, Abraham and Sarah's struggle with infertility, and the near-sacrifice of Isaac.
We challenge the covenant’s modern application and elitist implications, highlight the mistreatment of Hagar, and explore the pain of unfulfilled desires and the ethics of promised blessings.
Ultimately the episode condemns extreme obedience and religious justification for harm.

February 9-15: Genesis 6-11 and Moses 8

Topics: 1) The flood as a baptism for the Earth; 2) The feasibility of the flood and the ark; 3) The flood was mercy?; and 4) Prophets then and now.
We discuss the idea of the flood as a baptism for the earth, practical doubts about the ark and a global flood, arguments that the flood was an act of mercy, and a critique of how ancient prophets compare to modern church leaders.
The goal is to encourage open, thoughtful conversation rather than to promote doctrine — a candid take on one of the Old Testament's most discussed stories.

January 26 - February 8: Genesis 5; Moses 6-7

Topics: 1) Enoch and the Gulf of Mexico; 2) What Joseph Smith might have been thinking; and 3) Zion.
A candid episode exploring Genesis 5 and Moses 6–7 with a fresh look at Enoch, the claim that Zion became the Gulf of Mexico, and how Joseph Smith may have drawn on utopian and transcendental ideas.
We reflect on what Zion means, contrasting conformity with expanding belonging, while considering wealth disparity and family dynamics. We share growing skepticism about building a literal Zion while holding out hope for a community founded on love and inclusion.