The God Theory Podcast: Recent Episodes
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A Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student and a literary analyst talk about topics surrounding atheism and disbelief in a predominantly Christian culture.
We dismantle the PR spin and modern day myth of the sadistic Albanian hypocrite who was recently given sainthood by an international cabal of child rapists.
Back from summer hiatus, we talk about the rising number of Millennials who identify as nonbelievers, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the existential threat of Trump and his theocratic goons.
Why do so many people believe in miracles and the supernatural? Are they lying or do they genuinely believe in magic? Short answer: Memory is fallible as fuck.
We interview Dr. Dan Fincke of Camels with Hammers concerning violence. Is it ever justified? What is the metric we can use to determine the appropriate use of violence if it is? Check out http://www.patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers/ or https://www.facebook.com/CamelsWithHammers/ if you'd like to hear more from Dr. Fincke or sign up to one of his myriad classes on philosophy, ethics, religion and atheism.
Why do people resist admitting that they're wrong? Why is "let's agree to disagree" preferable to actually updating your worldview to be more accurate with reality? The old bugbear of confirmation bias haunts us again this episode.
God's even less dead with the sequel that hit theaters yesterday! Find out what happens to a teacher who so much as MENTIONS Jesus in a school in Arkansas that exists inside the deranged martyr fantasies of evangelical Christians! Seriously, what is up with Christians wanting to be persecuted so much that they invent insane stories like this?
Another terror attack. Yay religion!
Also, motivated reasoning, liberal extremism and why universal healthcare is a moral issue.
Narcissism is a word that gets used colloquially. But it is also a diagnostic used in psychological medicine. Does Trump suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder or is he just a dick?
We read an article about Hillary Clinton that attempts to defend her from her Democrat detractors. Some points sway us, others, not so much. Also: Bernie Sanders as potentially the first non-Christian president since the 1700's? Exciting times.
We discuss the concept of kafkatrapping and how to avoid it. How can the left have constructive discourse where all ideas can be scrutinized while still signal boosting the voices of minorities? No easy answer, but an important discussion to consider.
Should we support the troops even if we don't agree with them? Why is secular government part of the Constitution? Are American laws based on the 10 Commandments? What is the psychology behind motivated reasoning and how can we learn to be less wrong?
We discuss an old cracked.com article offering a behind the scenes look at life as a Mormon Missionary, aka cult brainwashing 101. David gives his own personal glimpse behind the curtain. To read the original article, visit http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1326-5-hardcore-realities-my-time-as-mormon-missionary.html
Reupload of episode 36 with better sound quality after I effed up the compression. Hopefully this sounds much better. Sorry, folks! :)
Due to audio issues, we've recompressed and rereleased the last two podcasts. Sorry for the audible assault!
We look into the issues of racism, terrorism and the Mormon background to the Oregon militia standoff.
We respond to a listener's question about being a high school atheist in a Catholic school, and give advice for secular students everywhere. JT Eberhard joins us to share his expertise.
After a series of unfortunate events, David found himself taking comfort in being an atheist. What does atheism help with and what is more difficult because of atheism? That's a good question, thanks for asking.
Last one was just a text file, oops! Can atheists proselytize? Are we really pressing our beliefs, thoughts, or "religion" on others? Should we? When should we play nice, and when should we stand up for ourselves?
Can atheists proselytize? Are we really pressing our beliefs, thoughts, or "religion" on others? Should we? When should we play nice, and when should we stand up for ourselves?
We discuss the function and effects of trigger warnings, as well as how America has behaved after the November 13th terrorist attacks in France.
Leaving the supernatural behind makes demons and witchcraft a lot less scary. How Heaven and Hell are behavioral control mechanisms dialed up to the max.
We discuss Plato's dialogue in which Socrates deconstructs the ideas of justice, piety, and divinity. Why do Christians have a double standard for mythologies that don't come from ancient Israel?
We get a little snooty about academia. Not every PhD is created equal. Also, schools continue to get confused about what the separation of church and state means.
Odds and ends as the Republicans continue to self destruct, going down kicking and screaming as gay marriage sweeps the nation and God threatens to destroy any county not protected by non binding prayer resolutions passed by a three fourths majority.
Mississippi makes headlines about school football and religion...again. Another horrifying mass shooting takes place in an American college...again. Not a cheerful episode.
The Pope's visit brings adulation from the media, who seem willing to ignore a host of horrific bigoted nonsense for a few trite talking points. Also, what happens when skepticism becomes cynicism?
The Oathkeepers bring to light just how big a problem Christian terrorism is in this country and abroad. Also: Is pornography addiction a real thing and can Jesus cure it?
We speak with JT Eberhard of WWJTD to discuss Kim Davis, the first martyr of the war on Christianity! Also, we get taken in by an elaborate Poe account. Well played, sir or madame.
Jeremiah runs through the most recent PEW survey data on recent trends in the U.S. while David conjectures on why Christians are so eager to point the blame on evil pop culture when their Christian celebrities cheat on their spouses.
This week, we talk about a contemporary historical theory that states that Jesus was likely a myth and not an actual historical figure. We had an interesting discussion. Enjoy!
Jeremiah is interested in politics for the first time ever! Jeremiah and David discuss Trump and Sanders, his bizarro-world doppleganger. Will we finally see the long awaited political reforms we need? And why do evangelicals hate socialism exactly?
David discusses the Mormon Seer Stone revealed by the LDS church, the history behind the Mormon Church, and 19th century Mormon magical thinking. Jeremiah is astounded by the 'crazy pants' value of it all.
Catholics are doing some very immoral things, many women are very excited about an event that just occurred, and black people are still being targeted by law enforcement disproportionately. We've come a long way, and still have a long way to go.
Russell Glasser from The Atheist Experience joins us this week to discuss myriad topics. This one was a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Superstitions and religions have their roots in behavioral psychology, confirmation bias, and the infallibility of memory. Come give pigeons religion!
God gets credit for David's charity, Jeremiah's wife is outted as an atheist at work, and we bathe in the tears of Christian temper tantrums now that gay marriage is the law of the land.
We talk with Mat Boes of the Positive Dissent podcast about language, censorship, and his experience growing up Pentecostal and experiencing spiritual gifts.
Jeremiah and David dredge through the mire that is biblicalgenderroles.com to read the most misogynistic and patronizing marital advice they have ever encountered. Surprise! It comes from a Christian reading the Bible. Learn how to rebuke your wife when she is refusing you sex, and why Jesus is cool with that.
This week, David talks about a new theory about the Bible that might clarify the narrative! Also, a new study came out revelaing more information about how people view some of the icons in the debate on religion. Enjoy!
In the light of LBGT controversies, Jeremiah and David discuss getting values straight. People from all walks of life make decisions that put them in an entirely different direction than what they want out of life. Let's talk about that.
A recent article was published on Cracked.com that was meant to help atheists better argue their cause. David and Jeremiah go over this article this week. Enjoy!
JT Eberhard joins us this week. Social support structures are critical for behavioral and psychological health in primates. How are atheist communities addressing this very real need in human life? Enjoy!
Our culture has inherited some really unsavory and unproductive ideals. David and Jeremiah talk about that in this week's episode. Enjoy!
The power of the everyday citizen having a voice in huge matters has really changed the social flow of power. There have been so many applications in recent events to illustrate this that we felt compelled to make an episode on it. Enjoy!
David spent two years as a door-to-door missionary. His technique was actually incredibly well-aligned to what therapy is designed to do. Like...incredibly well-aligned.
JT Eberhard and Steve Cauthren join Jeremiah and David in discussing the future of atheist conventions in America. After returning from the American Atheists convention in Memphis, a lot of questions came to mind. Hear about them here and give us your thoughts on our social media pages. Enjoy!
Have you ever felt frustrated when talking to someone with different veiws? As it turns out, we're all predisposed to this stance. Find out why. Enjoy!
There has been a lot of positive press contrasting the current pope to previous, more conservative popes. Does the hype live up to his behaviors? Enjoy!
Is there a cold war between religion and psychology? They both make prescriptions for pursuing a "good life." What do you think? Enjoy!
How is it possible that a cultural majority in the United States perceives itself as persecuted? As it turns out, there's a psychological reason behind this. Enjoy!
Hello, and welcome to The God Theory Podcast. Let us tell you a little about us, and we'll see if we're a good fit. Thanks for giving us a listen. Enjoy!