Long Steep: Hellfire and Salt - Reflections on Holy War

Spill your ReligiosiTea directly with the show host! Let us know your reactions, stories, and more!This episode discusses heavy themes related to war and religion, including:Graphic descriptions of mental health impacts such as PTSD, depression, moral injury, and substance useMentions of death, grief, and suicideDiscussion of bombings, displacement, and healthcare collapseReferences to Christian nationalism, Zionism, and religiously-justified violenceExploration of spiritual psychosis and religious delusionSome biblical language may be emotionally triggering depending on personal religious background or traumaListener discretion is advised—especially for those with lived experience of war, religious trauma, or moral distress.What happens when faith becomes a weapon?In this episode of ReligiosiTea, we venture into the paradox of holy war: how religion, often associated with peace, becomes the banner under which violence is sanctified. From the Crusades to current conflicts in Gaza, the language of God has long been used to justify conquest, displacement, and destruction. Politicians invoke divine mandates—like “those who bless Israel will be blessed”—to rationalize interventionism. Meanwhile, the machinery of Christian nationalism fuels both foreign and domestic policy, emboldening militarism with biblical flair.But this isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a reckoning. I peel back the layers of rhetoric to ask: what are the actual human costs of faith-fueled warfare?We dive into the psychological aftermath—PTSD, moral injury, collective grief—and the collapse of healthcare systems that follow in war’s wake. We explore how trauma distorts memory, how soldiers and civilians alike carry wounds that don’t bleed, and how war erodes not only bodies, but beliefs. There’s a reason veterans flinch at fireworks. There’s a reason entire generations disappear behind silence and addiction. And there’s a reason some people stop believing altogether.This episode also touches on the concept of spiritual psychosis: what happens when a person—or a government—uses faith to detach from shared reality. When religious delusion becomes a political driver, policy becomes prophecy, and violence becomes divine command. We’re not just talking about isolated extremists. We’re talking about the shaping of geopolitics through warped moral vision.And of course, I turn to the Bible itself. “Blessed are the peacemakers.” “Turn the other cheek.” “Live at peace with everyone.” These passages exist alongside verses used to justify genocide and conquest. So which scriptures get remembered—and why? What agendas do they serve?Through it all, I’m asking one thing: how do we cope when the sacred becomes weaponized? And is there a way to return to faith—not as a justification for war, but as a source of healing?This one’s heavy. Bring tea. Bring salt. We’re going to need both.Follow me on Instagram and Threads: @ReligiosiTeaYou can use the link at the top of the show notes or email me at [email protected] to share your stories, thoughts, insights, reactions, and much more! I'm waiting for you to spill your ReligiosiTea!