My Religious Conflicts With Playing a Killer – Penn Badgley
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– VIDEO NOTES
Penn Badgley is an actor best known for his roles in Netflix’s You and the popular drama series Gossip Girl. He is less known as a podcaster and member of the Baháʼí Faith, a religion which teaches that there is a historical unity between major world religions and their prophets, having itself developed out of a branch of Twelver Shia Islam in the 19th century.
– LINKS
Penn’s podcast: @podcrushed
– TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – What does it take to play a sociopath?
08:01 – Blasphemy in TV scripts
16:46 – Is religion a choice?
21:37 – Penn’s introduction to the Baha’i Faith
30:34 – Human Manifestations of God in the Baha’i Faith
39:19 – Is there proof of God’s existence?
46:49 – Using life as a spiritual classroom
50:38 – How do Baha’is reconcile conflicting religious ideas?
54:38 – Identifying the manifestations of God
59:24 – Why are Baha’is so progressive?
1:15:42 – Alex’s and Penn’s religious views
1:25:06 – Unity: the foundational idea of the Baha’i Faith
1:34:06 – Why can’t the Baha’i attempt to convert others?
1:37:43 – How our relationship to death has changed
1:44:39 What happens after death?
1:51:08 – Penn’s relationship to money and fame
– CONNECT
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The Within Reason Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/within-reason/id1458675168
– CONTACT
Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com
——————————————
@generickd
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
as someone that is diagnosed, 'You' is the closest show ive ever seen to accurately portraying the sociopathic thought process. Lots of issues but I was actually able to watch the show and found myself enjoying the logic and rationalization monologue. My primary issue is that emotion was used as a motivation in certain situations, I assume that is just to capture the emotions of the emotionally bound audience.
@TitanPet
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Awesome discussion!
@blondie5910
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Oof this one is hard to sit through the entire thing
@emilykathleen6959
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
It’s weird to me that people still think “taking gods name in vain” means saying “oh my god” or “Jesus Christ” like no, it means don’t use god/jesus as your reasoning for doing unjesus like things. Aka the way conservative Christians in the us have taken the awful things they’re doing and use Christianity as a shield
@hemlocklatte
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
29:57 might you call it a … Bahaias? (Sorry)
@jack.1.
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
1:44:40 beautiful answer
@angierosario5192
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Intelligent men are so hot
@KoreDevotions
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
This is the fandom crossover we all needed.
@j.nilsson5362
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
I’m rewatching GG right now so Penn are Dan for me and it’s pretty weird that he doesn’t mention Serena???
@j.nilsson5362
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
I can’t understand how a pedø warlord who want to control women can be the spreader of world peace. Should have been more questions about that…
@S.D.323
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Joe must be happy surrounded by all those books you have Alex
@lipikax
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
ALEX PLEASE DO A Q AND A
@fallen0005
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Wow this was great! You should have this guy on again!
@Alannahroisin
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
21:13 i thought i had paused the video haha
@mse5739
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
You become a psycho due to the stress of your mother in her utero?!😂 sure.. certainly men doesnt have anything to do with it.
Why is is so hard for society to admit that the male biology is much more prone to mental deformations like sociopathy, violence, rage, all reinforced by patriarchal male-centered and entitled culture?! a culture that idolizes murder, murderers calling them kings and emperors. Pathetic
@caleighem
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Just finished, and I’m just so in love with this conversation 🥰🥰🥰
@caleighem
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Yayyy I’m fan girling right now because I had requested more Baha’i content. I feel like this was just for me 😂🤪 Thank you so much Alex. I still vote for more Baha’i (like a scholar or something more official)
@axel63neo
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
This is the best conversation I’ve ever seen from Alex, interacting with someone who has knowledge and understanding about religion and how smooth and intelligent communication this two have, the level of respect, sophisticated use of words is incredible, so interesting that time goes by so quickly and watching it again is so satisfying to notice parts that makes me feel so connected because is not about the actor, is about the two people having a real conversation about their philosophy and this is the most beautiful thing we forget, to engage with respect and be able to be open to make it real.
@stevenlee9064
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Loved the show but not the ending. The ending revealed the true nature of the narrative which was female sexual fantasy.
@richthe1
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Religion truly is for the utterly bewildered… stick to the scripts mate. No diss but you really have the intellectual fortitude of a plastic spoon…
@Kaleb-y2h
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
This guy looks like unsolicited advice
@gracembugua1757
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Saying this with as much love❤ as possible, not wanting to say the name Jesus in such a manner is called Conviction.
@blubblub_8072
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Love this crossover, love the episode, so well executed. Something I found interested about the Baháʼí Faith is that it is very much "modern" in the sense that it believes in a harmony between science and religion and that it sort of marries all of the religions as equally true and categorises them fundamentally speaking as progressive revelation of God. On the other hand, at least from what I have read about the Faith describes homosexuality as a sin, which I find to be anything but progressive and it bothers me, honestly. And there is always this aspect to religion, that you have to pay a certain percentage of your income, which is true in Christianity, in Islam, in Mormonism and also in the Baháʼí Faith. It's 19%, this sort of obligatory charity, which for Penn Badgely is probably a lot.
@marinaradic6297
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
The 2 most pleasant voices on the internet
@vkzo3824
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Jeff buckley tho..need to see that film. Never knew
@nativetube
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
This is gold, the total environment of conversation and interview set gave cinematic vibe🔥
@Light-tc8xc
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
35:37 This discussion reminds me of the very first revelation to prophet Muhammad PBUH. IQRA! And he stated he didn’t know how to read. Prophet Muhammad PBUH was unlettered.
@Light-tc8xc
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
As a Muslim, it’s so interesting to hear mainstream people talking about Islam in a more academic way.
@Lahoucine_
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Honestly, this might be one of the best interviews I’ve listened to in ages. I couldn’t stop watching , you 😊 and Joe 😅 have such a grounded, genuine energy. Been a fan of his show for a while, but this made me respect him on a whole new level.
As someone who left Islam and spent years exploring esoteric traditions (Baha’i teachings included), this really resonated. For me, logic will always come first yet belief is optional. Whatever path you choose, it's still a belief at the end of the day. What matters is being honest with yourself.
P.s: I like those pauses he makes while trying to answer
@bluecollarWHITEHEADIAN
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Penn far better than Rain. Thank you Penn!
@7oa178
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
The room is worth mentioning
@dandeliondunmer3637
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
I would classify myself as an agnostic but I've always had the intuitive feeling both that all religions are interpretations of God if God exists, and that after this life we are born into another life and we are here to learn certain lessons. So to hear that there is a religion that aligns with what I sort of have intuitively felt as true for a long time is fascinating. Pity that while they focus on unity and eradicating discrimination in other areas they are still not accepting of gay/lesbian people and relationships. Although interestingly they don't have an issue with trans people as long as they fully transition and then only have heterosexual marriages. Overall this was really interesting.
@catholicjournalism
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
He's a predator and I am thankful for Penn being the way he is, because for women who love men too much, aka empaths, codependents and bpd women these men are viscerally attractive and dangerous.
@theblackmillomen
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
The set kind of looks like Mooney’s bookstore 😅
@markgoodwin5306
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Its so wild seeing a dude who plays a lunatic not act like a lunatic.
@SahelSarai
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
This guy is actually brilliant
@HamiltonIsLife
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
4:30 I agree. Narcissistic, incel, murderous, dissociative, sex addict, staler, anti social but charismatic… a lot going on.
Comorbidities exist but Joe has alot going on
@dcassis3051
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Wait, one of the gossip girl cast is obviously intelligent and likeable? I may be a presumptuous dick 😂
@metamarfasis
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
lawdhavemerthywhatishappeningwhyamisobewildered
@fluffy_cloud-r6w
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
All your recent readings were very specific and accurate, even of today… But turns out he is posting about someone else.
@Samilord755
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
His voice is so much deeper than in the show
@PostThaMost
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Nice interview
@tahartouati9349
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
I find Alex's interest in Islam in general through comparison intriguing
@Jp1049bo
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
Penn is an amazing actor and very grounded. Normal. Low key. Smart and can hold a deep conversation. We don't get many people like him these days in the entertainment industry… who are fame-hungry and so shallow.
@noureenm6966
October 8, 2025 at 10:20 am
I love this interview so much! Thank you Alex for asking these questions 💕
Comments are closed.