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Room 9 Podcast: Where Beliefs Go to Be Challenged
Welcome to Room 9— a show that refuses to play it safe, tiptoe around sacred cows, or let anyone (host included) off the hook when it comes to their beliefs. If you’re tired of echo chambers, allergic to dogma (whether it’s religious, political, or scientific), and hungry for conversations that actually interrogate the roots of what we think we know, then you’ve just found your new favorite listen.
It's not just another podcast where ideas politely brush past each other. Here, we take a sledgehammer to the foundations—left, right, center, and every shade in between. The goal isn’t to shock for the sake of it, but to create a space where honest, uncomfortable, and sometimes downright confrontational dialogue is the norm. If you’re looking for a show that will challenge your assumptions, force you to confront the tough questions, and maybe even make you squirm a little, you’re in the right place.
A Borderline Anti-Theistic Edge
Let’s be clear: we’re not here to coddle religious sensibilities. In fact, this podcast leans unapologetically toward an anti-theistic perspective—not merely skeptical of supernatural claims, but openly critical of the ways religious thinking can distort our understanding of reality, morality, and each other. But unlike the shallow, meme-driven atheism that’s content to mock from the sidelines, Room 9 goes deeper. We break down the actual arguments, dissect the psychology of belief, and expose the subtle ways faith traditions shape our collective consciousness.
The show doesn’t just poke holes in religious thinking; it asks why so many of us are drawn to myth, ritual, and transcendence in the first place. And it doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff—the contradictions, the atrocities, the parts of sacred texts that most apologists would rather you ignore. If you’re ready to wrestle with the Bible’s “worst bits,” question the moral legacy of Christianity, or just see what happens when faith is subjected to relentless scrutiny, you’ll feel right at home here.
Data, Science, and the Relentless Grind of Truth-Seeking
At the core of Room 9 is a commitment to the scientific method—not as a collection of facts, but as a way of thinking. Every episode is grounded in skepticism, logical analysis, and a refusal to accept comforting narratives just because they’re popular or emotionally satisfying. Science here isn’t a set of dogmas; it’s a process: observe, hypothesize, test, critique, and—crucially—be willing to change your mind when the evidence demands it.
We champion healthy skepticism, but not cynicism. The show’s attitude is that real intellectual integrity means exposing every idea (especially your own) to the risk of disconfirmation. It’s about the grind of peer review, the pain of admitting you were wrong, and the discipline of never letting your beliefs calcify into dogma. If you want to see what it looks like to defend the integrity of the scientific process—warts and all—while refusing to worship authority or tradition, Room 9 is your laboratory.
Guests Who Disagree, Conversations That Matter
Room 9 isn’t just a solo rant. Expect a steady rotation of guests, many of whom are “more spiritual for lack of a better term.” The goal is not to stack the deck with like-minded atheists or skeptics, but to bring on people who genuinely see the world differently—pastors, mystics, Jungians, theists, and seekers of every stripe. The trick is to find guests you can argue with fiercely, but still be “completely cool with it” once the microphones are off.
Debate is encouraged, disagreement is inevitable, and civility is non-negotiable. These aren’t softball interviews; they’re real confrontations—sometimes heated, always honest. You’ll hear local pastors’ sermons dissected and debated, spiritual experiences put under the microscope, and cherished beliefs (from all sides) subjected to the same relentless cross-examination.
Series That Dig Deeper
Room 9 isn’t afraid to get specific. One recurring series will feature the host listening to local pastors’ sermons and picking them apart, line by line—testing their claims against logic, evidence, and ethical scrutiny. Another might dive into the world of spiritual but not religious thinkers, exploring why myth and ritual still have such a hold on the modern mind, even in an age dominated by science and data.
But the approach is always the same: no cherry-picking, no hiding from the hard passages, and no letting anyone (least of all the host) off the hook. Whether it’s the “worst bits” of the Bible, the latest pop-psychology trend, or the comforting fictions we tell ourselves on the left and right, Room 9 is here to ask: “Is this actually true, or just another poetic framework that makes life feel more coherent?”
A Host Who Challenges Himself
Room 9 isn’t just about challenging others; it’s about the host putting his own beliefs on the chopping block. The show’s creator is no stranger to spiritual journeys, existential crises, or the seductive power of narrative. He’s been through the “it’s not religion, it’s a spiritual journey” phase, dived deep into Jung, and come out the other side with a commitment to relentless questioning.
Every episode is an exercise in intellectual honesty—willing to admit when an argument lands, when a critique stings, or when a cherished idea just doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. The host’s writing style is direct, unflinching, and allergic to self-deception. He’s not here to provide easy answers, but to model what it looks like to wrestle with the hardest questions, even (especially) when they hit close to home.
Why Room 9?
Because most podcasts are afraid to go where this one goes. Because most conversations about belief are either too polite, too shallow, or too invested in protecting someone’s feelings. Room 9 is different. It’s a place where the only sacred thing is the pursuit of truth—where beliefs go to be challenged, not coddled.
So if you’re ready to have your worldview shaken, your assumptions questioned, and your mind stretched, subscribe now. Bring your best arguments, your deepest doubts, and your thickest skin. In Room 9, nobody gets out unscathed—and that’s exactly the point.
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Room 9: Where data, logic, and the scientific process meet the messiness of belief. Edgy. Unapologetic. Relentlessly honest. Come for the debate, stay for the discomfort—and maybe, just maybe, leave a little smarter than you arrived.
Episodes
Monday Mar 18, 2019
Monday Mar 18, 2019
In episode 19 of the Room 9 Podcast Sean chops it up with Carlee Hulsizer. Carlee is involved with a not for profit organization called "Friends Of Recovery" and "Youth Voices Matter". She discusses her role with the problem of addiction in teens, her involvement in recovery since high school, and the importance of informing young adults about addiction.
Tuesday Mar 12, 2019
Tuesday Mar 12, 2019
In this episode of Room 9 Sean sits down with a good friend Patrick Zuccari. They discuss why Patrick has had a couple relapses and why he thinks this time it is different. This episode was pulled from the vaults and was recorded in November but none the less much can be learned from the mistakes of others.
Music Credit: www.bensound.com
Monday Mar 04, 2019
Monday Mar 04, 2019
In this episode of Room 9 Sean sits down with Abby Clark, a recovery coach for Horizon Health Services, and one of her coachee's Matthew Ostrander. They discuss what brought Abby into this line of work, the benefits of having a recovery coach, and how we should react to a lapse.
Music Credit: www.bensound.com
Monday Feb 25, 2019
Monday Feb 25, 2019
Zach Jividen is a president of an Oxford house. He has spent many years, in the dumps, trying to get his addiction under "control". In the sixteenth episode of Room 9 Zach sits down with Sean and shares the ways in how he was able to do so.
Music Credit: www.BenSound.com
Monday Feb 18, 2019
Monday Feb 18, 2019
In the 15th episode of Room 9 Sean has a conversation with his very good friend David Riffel. Sean and Dave discuss the lies and manipulation that were a product of Sean's addiction, Dave shares what it means to have relationship with God, and they discuss the true beauty that can come on the recovery road.
Music Credit: bensound.com
Monday Feb 11, 2019
Monday Feb 11, 2019
In this new side series of Room 9 Sean goes through some of his favorite parts of some episodes from Room 9. He discusses how there are times when we need discipline when motivation will not suffice, the importance of family education in a recovering addicts life, the benefits of naming and talking about our issues, and much more.
Monday Feb 04, 2019
Monday Feb 04, 2019
In this wonderful episode of Room 9 Sean has a conversation with his BFF of over five years, Christine Glavey. Christine talks about how she seen Sean's addiction take form, what it was like during, and what it is like after his addiction. Christine also touches on the things she would do differently if she could go back and do it all over again. You will not be disappointed with this episode as every word shows you the connection between the two that are having the conversation.
Monday Jan 28, 2019
Monday Jan 28, 2019
In this episode of Room 9 Sean sits down with a couple Paul and Jackie Thompson. They discuss the troubles of having to set boundaries with their own child and how they have dealt with loosing a son to the disease of addiction.
Monday Jan 21, 2019
Monday Jan 21, 2019
In Epsd. 12 of the Room 9 Podcast Sean sits down with his right hand man Matthew Ostrander to talk about defining addiction. They get into how addiction affects your neurology, psychology, physiology, and spirituality. They also touch on how, as addicts, there are times we do things, in order to maintain our habit, that we don't want to do.
Monday Jan 14, 2019
Monday Jan 14, 2019
In episode 11 Sean dives into a in depth conversation, with Dave Fusani, about A.A. and the 12 steps. Dave talks about what it's been like to be in recovery before the age of 21, his 9th step, and the importance of having a higher-power.