For season 4 of The Wikkid Podcast, love is in the air (as things tend to be when they blow up). This episode explores that thing we tell young people that "there's someone for everyone," or in the Christian circles "the Lord has someone picked out for you to spend the rest of you life with." Author and actress Susan Isaacs (Angry Conversations With God) contributes to this season. Additional Musicians: Evan Sauve: drums Bill Ranger: bass guitar Adam Puddington: banjo

The entire host of Wikkid commenters weighs in about pointless arguments, and about whether they ever speak with, or listen to, people with whom they RILLY, RILLY disagree. Groupthink. George Carlin, Larry Norman and Faust are mentioned. Jam at George's new place. I get an electric piano. Jenny speaks Chinese for us. The huge, sprawling Death in Tiny Spoonfuls album is brought to an eerie, atmospheric close.

Church zombies. Staff meetings and other endless sermons. Melody, Ruth and Emilee talk about what made these unceasing dronings so tedious. Michael remembers what it was like to speak up in bible study, and talk about talking about talking about the bible. Johann talks about how staff meetings should be run. Kim talks about what being a preacher's daughter was like (spoilers: it sucked) and what her preacher dad was like as a dad (spoilers: he sucked). I talk about the difference between educating people and indoctrinating them. Kim uses bible passages to write a punk song. Excerpt from "The Grunge Song" by The Vestibules. Additional Musicians George Turcotte: drums

They're everywhere. You want to do your day, and they want to pull you in, online or uptown, into some kind of lecture, sermon or talk. Putting on the full armour of God and then claiming to be as thin-skinned as the princess from The Princess and the Pea. Friends: The One Where Ross Does Something Problematic. The shameless use of describing one's self in "light" (vs. "dark") and "awakened" (vs. "still asleep") terms. Fellowship: it's all about coffee, somehow, isn't it? (I don't like coffee.) Do digital or organic chipmunks sing better?

Recording cello. With fireworks. An in-depth interview with John, raised in the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, the extremist offshoot of my own birth culture, which I have no real trouble calling an outright cult. Also much insight into the Mormon experience, from Natalie. South Park. Emailed drums. Spiritual cripples looking to hobble everyone nearby.

It's pretty hard to talk to people when they've got you cast in a different story from the one you feel you're living. Religious groups that split up family relationships. Trying to interact with family and friends from a group that's kicked you out of it. The difference between getting kicked out and leaving voluntarily. Playing with Plato. Narcissism and gnosticism.

If you had a chance to sit down of an evening and have a chat with the residents of a community graveyard, what would you ask them? The Guy Code. GenXers sorry to get everything we always wanted. People who will move heaven and earth to avoid having conversations that need to be had. Additional Musicians George Turcotte: drums

What makes you really feel alive? What makes you feel like you're sleepwalking through a living death? The importance of play. What works when you feel like crap? Where does inspiration come from?

What's it like to experience suicidal ideation? Many people do. Finding a good answer to the question "Why not?" Why does writing and singing and recording about dark thoughts help them go away? Everyone needs to deal with death in some form, from time to time. What works? Jay Semko of The Northern Pikes and I go over songs he's written that tell "a pretty dark story, but with a happy tune." Where was all the bliss supposed to come from, in Christianity? Troy reveals his favourite jokey stuff I've recorded. I record George playing drums in my living room. Singing into the corner of a room. I strum guitars with a razorblade for a pick. Additional Musicians George Turcotte: drums

Getting the boot or walking away from one's birth culture. Doesn't matter whether you're fundamentalist Christian, Orthodox Jewish, Muslim, Sikh or Mormon... it's quite the mind effword. A bunch of stories, including people who were excommunicated and shunned for being gay. An elaborate music collaboration manages to get the song done two hours before the podcast airs... Additional Musicians Guitar and riffwriting: Troy Tuttle Drums: George Turcotte (YouTube music channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsYyXQ7ItRMjEN8FNn9LrPw )