“Avoid talking about politics and religion” is such a boring cliche. It’s not helpful. Obviously, it’s prudent to know when to give in to that rule, because meaningless fighting is the real problem with a discussion about politics or religion. When it comes to politics and religion, differentiation should be the goal. In this episode of Factory Settings, Bridget and Jeren dive into religion, God, moderation, Catholicism, a Higher Power, and how to manage —all of the stuff, and more. We’re living through an era of infernal Discourse. This episode is an example of how to escape it.QUESTIONSBridget* If you’re celebrating Lent, what are you giving up? And if you’re not celebrating Lent, or religion at all—whatever you need to access your higher self: What are some distractions in your life? What’s distracting you?Jeren* What’s one thing in your life that you would better for, if you gave up? Is there something you’re doing that you shouldn’t be doing? Or if you did less of it, or gave it up, it would allow you to access some other part of yourself or achieve something—what would that be?MENTIONED“The Lord’s Prayer” from The Sermon On The Mount by Emmet FoxThe War of Art by Steven Pressfield“Bill’s Story” from The Big Book - Audio VersionHumbuggery Substack by Father Tom MillerBeyond Parody with Bridget Phetasy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comBridget and Jeren discuss their diverging relationships with AA as they approach 13 and 9 years of sobriety, respectively, exploring what it means to feel “dry” (acting like a drunk without drinking) and how resentments, control issues, and the loss of spiritual connection can creep in during long-term recovery.QUESTIONSHow does a normie kind of do this…

The Epstein news cycle has captivated Bridget in a way that it hasn’t captivated Jeren. Why?Why do we latch on to certain stories, but not others?QUESTIONSWhere are you at with the Epstein Files?If you are captivated by the Epstein Files, why? How did you get to that place? If you’re not interested: Why? What makes you go, “Don’t care”?And, whatever you believe, why do you want to believe it?What are you getting from the Epstein Files? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comIn a hilarious return episode Jeren finally sits down and explains to Bridget how Dungeons & Dragons and other Role Playing Games work. Her endless questions include; Does sex come into the campaigns? What happens if I just walk up and stab the guy in the tavern? What does a Dungeon Master actually do? And so many more. Questions:Have you ever played a …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comBridget Phetasy and her co-host/husband Jeren Montgomery, a licensed marriage & family therapist, have a fun catch up conversation about their lives lately, what they’ve been reading, what they’ve been watching, the general loss of our ability to focus, the different types of science fiction, and the form and function of art as a means of protest and in…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comBridget Phetasy and her co-host/husband Jeren Montgomery, a licensed marriage & family therapist, discuss technology this week. They cover what it’s like to raise a young child in today’s technology environment, the rise of AI, the debate about screen time, the number of technological shifts that occurred during their lifetimes, which new technologies b…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comThis episode will remain open to the public for 2 weeks and then go behind the paywall.Bridget Phetasy and her co-host/husband Jeren Montgomery, a licensed marriage & family therapist, decided to talk about optimism this week to bring a little more positivity into the world. They discuss whether being in the real world is a more optimistic place than be…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comThis episode will remain open to the public for 2 weeks and then go behind the paywall.Bridget Phetasy and her co-host/husband Jeren Montgomery, a licensed marriage & family therapist, discuss discipline this week. They talk about their first exposure to the concept, what it looks like to them, whether they agree with the idea that discipline equals fre…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comThis episode will remain open to the public for 2 weeks and then go behind the paywall.Bridget Phetasy and her co-host/husband Jeren Montgomery, a licensed marriage & family therapist, discuss pets this week. They talk about the ups and downs of pet ownership, their first pets, having traumatic experiences with pets, and how their dog Hope changed both …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.phetasy.comBridget Phetasy and her co-host/husband Jeren Montgomery, a licensed marriage & family therapist, talk about the gifts they’ve found in sobriety. They discuss how they feel about the phrase “this too shall pass,” the relationship between stoicism and some of the AA teachings, recognizing that sobriety wouldn’t just automatically solve your problems, the…