Gods of the Smoke Machine (with Scott Latta)

·58 min·5 clips

Leaving a megachurch means losing your friends, your kids' friends, and your whole life, not just your beliefs.

Seth Andrews hosts author Scott Latta to discuss his book 'Gods of the Smoke Machine: Power, Pain, and the Rise of Christian Nationalism in the Mega Church.' Latta begins by describing his experience visiting megachurches like Fellowship Church in Dallas, where services feel like a show with lights and fog. He argues megachurches present a modern, worldly facade but harbor a 'fundamentalist core of steel' that enforces strict, legalistic rules once people are involved. The model has shifted from single large auditoriums to franchise systems; for example, Church of the Highlands in Alabama has 26 locations across the state. Latta notes that while overall evangelical attendance is declining, megachurches are growing, with the median megachurch growing 10% from 2015 to 2020. He discusses the appeal of anonymity in large churches, contrasting it with the pressure of small churches where visitors are singled out. The conversation turns to theology, with Latta explaining that Sunday services avoid hard doctrine to not turn people away, saving deeper, often fundamentalist teachings for small groups. Andrews and Latta share personal backgrounds in Southern Baptist and Pentecostal churches, respectively. Latta describes the severe community loss when someone leaves a megachurch, losing friends, social networks, and even employment. He highlights the financial scale of megachurches, citing Life Church's over $500 million in assets and $200 million in revenue in 2023, all with little tax transparency. The discussion covers abuse, focusing on cases like pastor Robert Morris, who abused a child for years and faced delayed justice due to church protection systems. Latta explains 'pastoral restoration,' a process where abusive pastors are moved to other churches with minimal accountability. He also touches on the role of figures like Boz Tchividjian, Billy Graham's grandson, who now sues churches on behalf of abuse survivors. The episode explores the political shift in megachurches, with examples like Mark Driscoll's church in Scottsdale preaching nationalist, far-right messages. Latta concludes by pitching his book as a collection of personal stories to give voice to those harmed by megachurch power dynamics.

As heard by us

A skeptical look at megachurch money, tax rules, emotional pressure, and Christian nationalism.

Scott Latta's Gods of the Smoke Machine gives The Thinking Atheist a focused lane: the way megachurch power can join religious authority, tax advantages, and emotional pressure into a system that is difficult to question.

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Why you'd press play

If you want to understand how megachurch money, church tax loopholes, and Christian nationalism can sit inside the same power conversation, press play.

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