The Atheist Experience

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The Atheist Experience 25.07 02-14-2021 with Matt Dillahunty and Jim Barrows Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back fellow Atheist Experience lovers. Today Matt Dillahunty is Jim Barrows, such a great duo!
Our first caller, Sarah in OR is an atheist but believes in reincarnation and argues that e-meters work to show past lives. There is no scientific basis behind e-meters, it’s complete BS. Sarah has no other evidence than personal experience. We don’t believe in something without any evidence.
Duke in IN claims to be a skeptic but retains belief in god, arguing peculiar experiences with a ouija board opened his mind. We wouldn’t know the cause of a ouija board getting every answer right, let alone less impressive examples. Being skeptical means refraining from belief until the claim is demonstrated.
Manuel in OH asks why atheism is better than any other religion. It's not a religion, it's a label for people who do not accept the religious claim. If religions aren’t true and you believe it was a limitation on your life, all belief has a consequence.
Noah in OR is a believer that became a skeptic but argues that the odds are astronomical against the big bang. If the only thing keeping you believing in god because no one has been able to prove god, thats a bad reason. Just because the odds are against something, doesn’t mean that thing didn’t happen.
Michael in CA argues that god is a rational concept and has logical arguments. He goes on to define god as a mind like entity that has the ability to affect physics in a teleological direction. What is a mind-like entity?? If you can’t define your god, try again next time.
Patrick in FL claims there is a problem claiming there is not scientific evidence of a supernatural god. Science is not able to investigate the supernatural, because no one knows what it is. If you advocate for a non supernatural god, that is something we can investigate. You defined the universe as a natural god, but the universe is not conscious.
Cliff in MI asks advice about an attack against the kalam, arguing things coming into the universe are just reformulations given that the universe is the thing that came into existence. It could be a good rebuttal but they will try to claim there is something that did not begin to exist.
Todd in CO argues science isn’t the only method to observe reality. There are plenty different methods to view facts of the world, science seeks to minimize the likelihood of being correct using rigorous investigation. “True for me” does not sound like a good method to view reality, sounds like a wild ass guess.
Allan in NY asks why we won’t permit cherry picking in the bible. If the bible is the inerrant word of god, you don’t get to pick and choose. Cherry pickers are just basing it on their own preference.
Last up, Chris in CA argues for the supernatural and there is something out there that reads our minds. He tells of a story of having lunch with coworkers, or thought they were coworkers. We were on a good call, or so we thought.
That’s our show, thanks for tuning in!
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The Atheist Experience 25.06 02-07-2021 with Matt Dillahunty and Dr Josh Bowen Feb 08, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back fellow Atheist Experience lovers. Today Matt Dillahunty is joined by Dr. Josh, known as Digital Hammurabi. Check out more videos at https://www.youtube.com/c/DigitalHammurabi
Our first caller, Ayham in Toronto grew up Jehovah Witness and was diagnosed with schizophrenia and asks our take on if Jehovah is god. Why would that god speak to you if it can be written off as a medical issue? We can’t prove one way or another if the voice you hear is god. If your medicine makes the god visions go away, is god less powerful than your meds?
Michael in Germany asks if claims of religious experience is reason enough for atheists to look into it. It depends on the claim, it may make us look into it more but it's not evidence of their claim. Regarding “gods morality”, we can’t evaluate what the god says but we can evaluate what the bible says.
Mickey in NY argues that theists are rationally justified in believing in god. Your 4 premise argument does not prove god and can be rejected out of hand. You are rushing to say your argument is sound, it is not. Try again another day.
Pablo in AZ asks if we have completely ruled out god/s. We don’t know how one could completely rule out any deity, we are not absolutely certain about anything. The world doesn’t appear to support any deity. We have been doing this show since 1997, no evidence of gods yet…
Wade in LA picks Dr. Josh’s brain about Shamhat in the Epic Of Gilgamesh, focusing on a scene of man on woman sex. What’s the point? As fun as this is, it's not relevant to our show.
Elvis in CA argues that every moral a political belief is just intuition which is post hoc justified. That is not true of EVERY belief. We don’t just intuit something and try to justify it after the fact. Some people just distrust vaccines out of hand, but we can show the science behind it. The default position is disbelief until evidence is shown.
Harry in England asks why we wouldn’t afford an unborn baby special rights? We don't give special rights to anyone. Harry goes on to ask about setting up a secular society. See if the secular student alliance has ties in the UK, let the group be what the people need and grow from there, make sure the president of the group is not a senior.
Bob in VA makes the claim that atheism is a psychological issue. “That’s bullshit” is not an argument...good luck next time.
Last up, Mike in CA is an atheist and gives his assertion of a creator. You don’t just assume the universe is created to prove a creator. “If there was no creator, there would be no creation”...Prove that assumption. “It exists therefore it’s created” Gee we’ve never heard that one.
That’s our show, thanks for tuning in! Matt predicted the big game for Kansas City 31-20...let's see if he is correct.
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The Atheist Experience 25.05 01-31-2021 with Jenna Belk and Shannon Q Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back, the ladies have taken over this episode of The Atheist Experience! We have Jenna Belk and ShannonQ talking to our callers, this is going to be good.
Our first caller, Hugh in The USA asks the definitions of Theism/Atheism/Antitheism. Theism/Atheism deal with truth beliefs about a deity, whereas antitheism is a supplemental belief about religion and religious practice. Hugh believes deities are imaginary proclaims himself an antitheist.
Kenny in CA want’s to tell us that he believes in the biblical god and why he believes it. He can’t seem to describe god but stating he is the self existing Yahweh. “All of history supports it” is not evidence, that is a ridiculous reason.
Mike in Austria claims he can use mathematical logic to prove the unprovable, arguing if you have a set of axioms, arriving from those axioms you can never get all true statements. To what end are we having this conversation? How is asking for proof illogical?
Solomon in WA argues that abortion should be illegal becuase it’s taking a life from another person, defining life starting with a heartbeat. You are placing life at the wrong stage of fetal development. There is a notable difference in a fetus and 4 month old baby. It boils down to bodily autonomy, no one has consent to use your body...inside of birth or out.
Jack in AZ believes that god does provide evidence, saying “interesting” coincidences can point to bigger truths. Jack tells a story where the number 3435 resonated with his mother. How is that proof of god? Listen to Shannon on this one, there is no thinking with your heart and gut bacteria doesn’t make you believe different things. Defining god as everything means nothing to us, why use the label god then?.
Christian in CA asks whether atheists have the duty to deconvert people. You have to pick your moments, family would be the last place to start. You can casually mention it and gauge their interest. You are the one that decides when beliefs are causing your harm. Don’t give anyone time in your life that uses your lack of belief as a cudgel to abuse you.
Last up, David in CA claims that everyone operates on faith, because we just trust our parents from birth. You should not just blindly trust your parents. We require a higher burden of evidence of claims you may just trust. We use source methodology and logic to find the truth in a claim. We investigated the claims of religion and found it lacking sufficient evidence to believe.
That’s our show, thanks for tuning in!
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The Atheist Experience 25.04 01-24-2021 with Matt Dillahunty and Jim Barrows Jan 25, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back to The Atheist Experience. Today Matt Dillahunty is joined by Jim Barrows! Today’s show is going to be a good one, get ready!
Our first caller, Bo in MT is surprised we would respond that we wouldn’t worship god if proven real. We don’t have the baggage of “god is good” and, if real, has a lot to answer for. The god of the bible has acted atrociously toward humans and does not deserve reverence.
Raphael in Sweden asks, hypothetically, if Hitler would have been correct in wiping out a race of humans if it did the world good? Was he correct though? Rafael asks who defines morality. It’s not a matter of who, it's a matter of maximizing happiness and wellbeing and applying that across society.
Kaden in WA asks what is the value of morality if this world is all we’ll get? That’s like asking what good are the rules if we are only playing 1 game. Is it better to be polite to someone or punch them in the face upon first meeting them? Kaden thinks he is a psychopath without his god belief. Good luck, get some help, and keep believing.
Aaron in VA thinks he would fall in line if the Christian god presented himself to be real, fearing damnation. Would It be more moral to kill your kid or burn in hell? The moral thing is to tell that god to go fuck themselves. We can see what happens when a dictator is worshiped as a god, people do what they can to survive.
Mohammad in Australia claims a creator is the most logical explanation for consciousness. It’s true consciousness came from either something conscious or nonconscious. However, simply thinking the other option is not reasonable is not a good reason to believe anything.
James in The UK argues that, secularly, abortion is wrong. Abortion is simply the termination of pregnancy. Do you agree we should allow people the autonomy to make their own decision? A born human doesn’t have a right to anyone’s body. We are not willing to grant special rights to a human in utero.
Calvin in CA asks if time is the enemy in creating life in laboratory conditions, how can you come to the conclusion that evolution is correct? What we can/can’t do in a lab is irrelevant to what happened in the course of our history.
Michael in FL has been listening to more atheist content and has been trying to address issues in his faith. Should we work towards the best heaven, or the worst hell? It’s best to say I don’t know, if the god is good then they shouldn’t fault you for living the best life you can.
John in KY believes there is a god because of a near death experience but can’t even tell of his experience.
Last up, Jeremy in CO finds his Aunt’s cured cancer as a miracle and thinks the best explanation is a god did it but agrees god has never been proved. Faith is not a good path to finding the truth. You can just say I don’t know, that is reserving judgement.
That’s our show, thanks for tuning in!
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The Atheist Experience 25.03 01-17-2021 with Matt Dillahunty and Johnny P Angel Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back to The Atheist Experience. Today Matt Dillahunty is joined by Johnny P. Angel! Strap in for a good show today!
Our first caller, Murri in IN was diagnosed with Parkinson's and is tempted to go back to her faith. We are sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Religion/Church isn’t the sole source of comfort, support, or community. Give yourself some time to come to grips with how you feel about your diagnosis. Look into the secular therapist project
Austin in WA asks if the scientific method is the best way to truth and how do we evaluate whether things are more or less true? We have yet to see any more reliable method to evaluate evidence. A consensus of opinion is a horrible method to ascertain capital T truth. Science deals with the natural world, not “spirits of the jungle”.
Kaden in WA asks what is the value of morality if we are going to die anyway? Acting morally is beneficial to you and the people around you. Stealing a loaf of bread may be the most moral thing you could do, given certain scenarios. Morality impacts our life right now, even if we are going to die.
Sam in TX asks how to deal with a friend that received a “prophetic reading” from a megachurch pastor given Sam doesn’t believe. Sounds like a trick or cold reading to us, we don’t buy it. Is it more likely god or some form of deception? We recommend showing them mind reading or James Randi videos, mentalists are way more impressive than any preacher.
Matthew in MA argued last call that the Christian worldview was correct. After the last call, he is appreciative that we helped open his eyes. This never happens, thank you so much for sharing.
Tom in MO is trying to determine a non supernatural explanation to Christianity. Have you looked for non-supernatural explanations to any other religion and do those explanations apply to Christianity? You should be looking for a reason that Christianity is true before believing it.
Priest in The Bahamas doesn’t agree with anything we have to say and argues that god is an intelligent mind. Can you demonstrate that? The human mind IS capable of doing amazing things, but there is no evidence it came from an intelligence.
Mark in FL thinks there is still hope for atheists in the upcoming rapture, believing in Jesus. Why should we believe in your god? Faith is not a pathway to truth, you can be wrong about things you have faith in.
Last up, Ronaldo in Brazil asks our opinions of someone who thinks the burden of proof is on the atheist. The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. If an atheist claims there is no god, they have adopted a burden of proof. Not believing does not carry any such burden.
Thanks for tuning in today! Wear your masks, stay at home and we’ll see you next Sunday for more rants and arguments.
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The Atheist Experience 25.02 01-10-2021 with Matt Dillahunty and Mandisa Thomas Jan 11, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back to another Atheist Experience. Today Matt Dillahunty is Joined by Mandisa Thomas! Mandisa is the founder and president of Black Nonbelievers and they are having their 10th Anniversary Celebration in New Orleans and online January 15-17. Make sure to attend!
Our first caller, Enoch in PA asks if we would become christians if the bible was all proven true. That’s a hard no, there are too many horrible things in that book. Do you not see how abusive it is that you would rather serve an evil god than suffer in a hell? Your god should denounce the immoral crap in the bible.
Neil in ID claims it’s morally repugnant that a god would allow someone to live apart from all goodness and there are supernatural things. Supernatural is not synonymous with unexplainable. If you imagined something under duress, how is that a supernatural vision? If there is a god, we wouldn’t have to argue the existence of the supernatural.
Leeroy in MN claims to have been an atheist but experienced god and changed his mind. His experience was a conversation with god but can’t answer a simple question about it. Moving on…
Kevin in OR asks if we were submerged underwater for 10 minutes would we be alive. That would depend on lots of variables. Think your question through next time before you try to “get us”.
Paul in MI asks why truth matters from an atheist perspective, if we are just all compost in the end. It matters if a bus is coming at you when you are crossing the street. Just because something is going to cease to exist doesn't mean it doesn't have value. We have to deal with reality on reality’s terms.
Austin in TX asks if either host has had a religious experience. Yes, they have, but that term is super broad. Our hosts share their “religious” experiences, explainable completely naturally or scientifically.
Carl in NC asks why so many black people embrace christianity? Mandisa explains the history of forcing religion on slaves, oppression of black people, and the community services that the church provided. Research into those histories to delve into it more. Not everyone can be reasoned out of religious beliefs.
Derek in NV argues that intentionality is built into the fabric of the universe, assuming that naturalism is false. Proof of something isn’t the denial of naturalism. Quit dodging the questions, you haven’t begun to demonstrate that intentionality is built into the structure of the universe.
Lastly, Robert in the UK asked why do we allow theists to speculate about morality. We let anyone talk about anything! When they do talk about morality, you can point out where we have the moral high ground.
Thanks for tuning in, we are so glad you joined us today. Donate to Black Nonbelievers and don’t forget to get tickets at https://blacknonbelievers.com/bns10th2021/
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The Atheist Experience 25.01 01-03-2021 with Shannon Q and Paulogia Jan 04, 2021

Show notes

Happy New Year and welcome back! Get ready for today’s Atheist Experience: The Canadian Invasion! Today ShanonQ is joined by Paulogia to tackle a new year's set of arguments and apologetics. Find more Paulogia content at:
http://www.youtube.com/c/Paulogia
Our first caller, Tim in KS how does atheism better account for the world as we find it than his Christianity does? Atheism isn’t a worldview. Biblical interpretation is not a way to look at the real world. We can argue about morality all day but your personal experience does not hold any explanatory power for us.
Brian in MD is doubting everything and asks how can any human prove science is reliable? Science has predictive power and It’s the best model we have to investigate the world. So many of us go through a heavy doubt phase, it is completely normal. A god is not needed for a moral system. Good luck on your journey!
Enoch in PA asks our take on a story he heard in bible school. Is it probable that a story you were told was prophetic? We have our doubts. We attribute our beliefs to outlandish stories, it isn’t proof of a god. Yes, evidence would change our minds. We might believe in a proven god, but we wouldn’t necessarily worship it.
Kevin in NY asks if the universe has a nurturing or volatile aspect to it. The universe does not care about us. We don’t understand how you are making the connection to we need a god for anything, let alone consciousness. See if we can hone in on one of your topics when you call back.
Lastly, Jo in Canada asks why atheists are mocking other religions, like drawing Mohamad inappropriately? People are bringing light the injustice of others losing their freedoms or lives for blasphemy laws that we don’t face here. Mockery is a way to assert that freedom but not all atheists engage in this type of activism. There are people that don’t have that freedom, like Zara Kay, who is being held in Tanzania on trumped up blasphemy charges.
#JusticeForZara
Thanks for tuning in, we are so glad you joined us today. Thanks for joining us to say goodbye to 2020. Welcome to 2021!
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The Atheist Experience 24.51 12-20-2020 with Matt Dillahunty and Jenna Belk Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

Hello all you atheists (and theists) out there! Strap in, today’s Atheist Experience features Matt Dillahunty and Jenna Belk! Happy holidays!
Our first caller again is Enoch in PA asks our thoughts on why humans are different from other animals, given humans have morality/religion/philosophy. Humans' niche is intelligence but other great apes & pack animals have moral drives. We can’t communicate with other animals and we aren’t special...just different.
Joey in IN asks if we have thought how Star Trek relates to Christianity on earth, given the crew dealt with skepticism and religions on other worlds? It didn’t necessarily teach skepticism and may have helped Matt understand humanism, but didn’t really help with religion. Babylon dealt with religion better.
Kirby in IN believes in a god but thinks the Abrahamic religions are racist and controlling and feels that god is pure energy that evolved from a man. Population, not individuals, evolve. What makes you think this being exists at all? Evidence, not feelings, is the path to truth. Do you care if your beliefs are rational? If so, you shouldn't hold a belief without evidence. There is a difference in “I think there is a god” and “I think there might be a god”.
Kevin in NY believes that a secret passed down by alchemists is that the soul is an emergent property within the magnetic field of the human aura. Aura? There is no evidence of souls or aura. Try again next time.
Mohammed in Pakistan no longer believes in Islam but believes in a god, likely due to indoctrination. Why keep believing it then? We get how insidious indoctrination can be, you need to figure out what is keeping you in that fear. Sounds like you might be suffering from religious trauma syndrome, check out recovering from religion and the secular therapy project. Talking about this is the only thing that can help.
Radu in WA never believed in a god but has started thinking more about it after researching game theory. His basis started with humans being a neural network, however we aren’t a neural network. You are arguing by analogy, where is the god in what you are seeing? The time to believe something is when there is evidence for it.
Tim in ND asks why an atheist values rationality so intensely? Is there anything more valuable than rationality? We would like to be as right as possible, faith is gullibility. It’s important that others are rational because what they do has an impact on our lives. Rationality lends to survivability.
Lastly, Erica in MT is an atheist that sides with Christians on social issues, for example the right to assembly in this pandemic. Do you not think we have a duty to protect the health of others? It’s conspiratorial to think that governments would create emergencies to keep take away rights.
Thanks for tuning in, we are so glad you joined us today. Wear a damn mask and have safe and wonderful holidays, we’ll see ya next year!
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The Atheist Experience 24.50 12-13-2020 with Matt Dillahunty and Jim Barrows Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

Hello all you atheists (and theists) out there! In today’s Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by ACA’s own Jim Barrows. Welcome back Jim!
Our first caller, Enoch in PA argues that it makes more sense to believe that god created everything rather than it happened by chance. That is a false dichotomy, those aren't the only 2 options. There hasn’t been sufficient evidence that there even is a god, let alone that god is more likely the explanation. I don’t know a perfectly acceptable answer.
Connor in TX argues that he can debunk atheism and atheism is making a blind assumption about a material world. Atheists aren’t making a blind assumption about reality, that’s an everyone assumption. An atheist is someone not convinced a god exists, there are no assumptions made.
Jim in the Faroe Islands asks if there is a duty to countering unfounded beliefs at social events, saying he struggles with not speaking up. There may be a duty, as a humanist, but that is mitigated by the impact it’s going to have on your life. It kind of depends on how egregious the claim is, for example if it was pandemic related and harming others.
Avishai in MD claims Exodus 21 is not talking about slavery, saying the catholic church added that. It doesn't matter how you define it, the bible allows you to own people as property and pass them down. That is slavery. Have you ever read Leviticus 25:44-46?
Phillip in Australia claims the evidence of God is all around us. Define your god, “god in general” and “eternal prime mover” are useless definitions. Do we know what matter is...Try again next time.
Wade in SC asks why we should care about the wellbeing of others. There is no imperative, it is in fact in your best interest. In the example of slavery, a slave could be the one to cure the slave owners cancer.
Paul in MI asks why slavery is wrong without a moral arbiter. So you believe the bible is moral, does god oppose slavery? The world is better off without slavery. Ugh, now we're onto Jesus existing. The gospel’s authors are anonymous, we don't have originals, nor would any of it prove the supernatural claims of Jesus. Could your god prove his existence right now, if so why doesn't he?
Veria in the UK asks our opinion on the argument of believing A equals A is a form of faith. Generally, theists use faith as confidence in the absence of certainty. For your afterlife example, the soul is the most dead concept in philosophy. It’s just speculative. It's reasonable to believe a=a but not a soul or afterlife.
Sammy in England has experience with fiery supernatural beings. We can’t verify personal experience, how did you rule out natural explanations? It’s irrational to just jump to the supernatural.
Lastly, Mark in CA claims we can see the evidence of a creator, saying a painting requires a painter. We have evidence that a painter created a painting, you have no evidence that the universe was created.
Thanks for tuning in, we are so glad you joined us today. Please be safe on these upcoming holidays.
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The Atheist Experience 24.49 12-06-2020 with Matt Dillahunty and Shannon Q Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

Hello all you atheists (and theists) out there! Today’s AXP Matt Dillahunty is joined by Shannon Q. Glad to have Shannon back in the co-host chair!
Our first caller, Stephen in OR asks if there are any aspects of religion that we miss? There isn't much of anything we miss, we have been building a community. If anything, we miss the relationships with believing family/friends. It was nice to not have those religious arguments. We are appreciative in everything we gained since, looking at the universe without the lens of religion is amazing.
Ahmad in Syria says that slavery in Islam is perfectly logical. Arguing that you can’t start a war, and if someone does then you can take them as your slave. There is no justification to own people, full stop. Keeping a slave as a deterrent to war/battle is not moral, they started it is not a justification to keep slaves.
Daniel in NY asks if god didn't create everything, then what did? I don’t know, is a perfectly acceptable answer. Claiming to know takes away the motivation to keep looking for the answer. Daniel goes on to ask if consciousness exists after death, there is no good evidence for that. There isn’t even consciousness that exists outside of our brains.
Penelope in OK asks how “spiritual health” translates over to atheists, she read that overall health is affected by this “spiritual” health. We would know how it's defined and what metrics they use, spirituality is a useless term.
Hunter in NC doesn’t believe but is a soon to be father with religious family and a Muslim girlfriend. He worries his child will fall in these religious trappings. You need to have discussions on how you are going to raise your child. Teaching them critical thinking is a good way to stave off indoctrination. Keep the conversation on raising the child, not your religious differences.
Moldred in NY argues that owing people is morally correct if they volunteer. BDSM slave relationships are not about owning people as property, that’s just kink.
William in MA says that Matt is getting god’s morality wrong, he is too focused on the smaller picture. The god of the bible sanctions slavery... God’s wrath is abated by Jesus??? Aren’t they the same and never changing? Jesus didn’t come to fix things, he never changed the rules about slavery or changed views on the worth of women.
Jacob in The UK was disowned by his Jehovah Witness family for talking to an apostate. Shunning is a way to force people into adherence through fear. We agree, an all loving god wouldn’t do that. Check into www.recoveringfromreligion.org they help with religious harm, not deconversion. Also look into ex JW communities.
Lastly, Zaman in India asks why we don’t believe. We don't see good evidence for anything supernatural, including gods. Personal revelation doesn’t equal truth. We can’t have the experience you had, you need to demonstrate you are correct.
Thanks for tuning in, we are so glad you joined us today. Please follow safety guidelines and wear your mask!
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