About The Interview
Thank you so much for wanting to share your story on my podcast. I will do my best to make sure that your story comes through and is really heard by people that it can help. I know this can feel like a lot of pressure, but if it helps you can just see it as talking with a friend (hopefully you’ll view me that way, lol).
There are two requirements to get on the show:
1. You need to be shunned, of course. I will make exceptions for people that are PIMO (physically in, mentally out) that are having to live a lie to prevent shunning for the time being. At times I may interview someone that was also never baptized and therefore not officially shunned, and/or those that are “soft shunned”.
2. To be willing to hop on a Zoom call with me to record your interview. Both audio and video will be recorded and your interview will be produced both as full video on YouTube and as full audio on all major podcast apps. Please be sure that your recording space is quiet and peaceful. This is an audio medium as well, so we need to have a space that doesn’t have dogs barking, cats meowing, children running around, cars driving by, etc.
I’ve tried to make the questions below logical in order. Feel free to write out your responses if it makes you feel better or to make notes, or if you want just speak freely on the subjects as I ask the interview questions. I will do my part to guide you through the interview, and I may ask follow up questions not listed here. This is a conversation so I don’t want you to feel too tied to the questions. They’re just a guide.
Note: You don’t need to submit written answers to me or anything like that. Again, these questions lend structure so that we progress in a somewhat logical manner, they aren’t a test or anything.
This is your story. These questions are a guide to help you tell it. Feel free to print this out to help you work on your story. You can tell as much or little as you are comfortable with. Just remember, the more vulnerable you are and the more you say, the better you’ll feel about it and the more people you will help. We may or may not use all of the questions depending on how the conversation is going, it is just there to help guide us if we need it.
Interview Outline
The first part of every story for “shunned” is this statement, please have it prepared to get off to a good start:
“My name is (first name), I’m x years old, I was a (religion) and I am shunned.”
After you say that we’ll get into the interview………
How did you come into the religion? Age?
If raised that way, how did your parents come to the religion or how many generations does it go back? What did it mean to you back then?
What was your life circumstance then? (who were you and where were you at in life when you were introduced to the religion)
What was the worldview that your religion gave you?
What was childhood like at home, school, in the church? How did people treat you in each setting? How did you feel in each?
How did things progress as you went into your teenage years and young adulthood?
After high school did you go on to college, move out and get a job, get married? What was that change like? How did it play out?
How did your adulthood play out before you left the religion?
Why did you leave? Or why are you shunned? What helped you wake up? What lessons did you learn? Were there any books or podcasts or videos that helped you?
If you could say anything to your family and friends that shun you, what would you say?
What is one important thing you have learned since leaving the religion that has really impacted your life for the better?
What do you enjoy about your new life since leaving?
What dreams do you have for your new life? What are you planning to make of it?
After The Interview
And that’s it! Once I have your interview I’ll work on putting it all together. I will let you know when it goes live and you can tell others about it.
If I get feedback regarding your story I’ll forward it to you, keeping their privacy of course. If anyone wants to reach out to you I’ll give you the option to respond or not. Additionally, people may comment on the shunnedpodcast.com website for your particular episode and you can go respond to people there if you like. All episodes are featured in the Shunned Podcast Facebook group and you may want to join and participate there at well.
I really thank you for doing this and I’m sure that you appreciate the opportunity. Together I know that we can make a difference in the lives of other people, and I’m sure that you’ll find this process very beneficial for you as well.