Atheist Roundtable

You are in for a treat tonight!!  JT Eberhard is coming on the show to talk about Atheist Gamers!!  Joining him will be the hosts of the Game Theory podcast, David Drake and Jeremiah Beene.   Could there be anything more awesome than that?  No.  There cannot.  This will be ALL the awesome. Find Atheist Gamers at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/atheistgamer/ Find JT Eberhard at :  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd Find The Game Theory Podcast at:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/gametheorypodcast/ and http://gametheorypodcast.libsyn.com/ Find the God Theory Podcast at http://godtheorypodcast.libsyn.com/  

In the last episode, I talked about the equivocation believers make between being a christian and being a good person.  This episode, I want to talk about an equivocation made by atheists. I'll often point to the harm religion does, but more broadly, I'll point to the harm FAITH causes, and even more broadly, I'll point to the harm caused by not thinking critically.  These are not all the same, but sometimes, atheists will be quick to lump them together, Is that fair? My take, plus your calls. Awesome doesn't begin to describe it.

"Some of you atheists act more Christian than most Christians I know."  Ever heard that before?  Sure, it's equivocation, but it is so common.  I know it's meant to be a compliment, but is it? You'll get my thought, plus your own, but only if you call. Let the awesome begin!

Last weekend, I went to the most awesome convention under the sun.  ReasonCon2015 was so amazing, so incredible, that I can't say enough about it.  But I'll try. Join me for a re-cap of what may have been my best weekend, EVER!! If you were there, you know the meaning of awesomesauce.

I was listening to a preacher talk about this verse.  It's Philippians 4:13.  It was supposed to be an inspiration message; a platform of power and encouragement.  But I heard something different. I'll talk about what I heard, and my take on this verse.  Even the best sermons can sometimes be damaging. Plus, your calls. May the Awesome be with you.

My family and I did a whole day of Easter, much of it with religious family.  As I listened to the conversations, I got to refect on how I used to view this holiday, and how I see it today. I'll talk about how my perception of Easter has evolved, and how I think this holiday, like everything else, is better without god. Plus your calls. The awesomeness is risen!

Last week, Indiana's governor, Mike Pence, passed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  This is a state level version of the national law that gave us the atrocious Hobby Lobby decision by the Supreme Court.  However, that national law does not extend to the states, thus the push to have state level laws. I'll talk about the blow back, the backlash, and the consequences of this new law.  I'll give my perspective on how this law affects those around me.   Plus, your calls. http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/article/2015/mar/29/fact-checking-march-29-news-shows/ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/03/28/listen-indiana-restaurant-owner-pledges-to-refuse-service-to-gays/ http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/29/religious-freedom-law-really-means-indiana/70601584/ http://fox59.com/2015/03/27/why-all-the-opposition-how-indianas-religious-freedom-act-is-different/ http://www.lambdalegal.org/news/in_20150329_pence-stop-deceiving-nation-on-sb101  

"You only want to be an atheist so you can go on sinnng!"  Ever heard that before?  There is so much wrong with this question, I want to do an entire show on it. Do I want to be an atheist?  Is sin the reason?  What sin?  Why would anyone think this? I'll give my perspective. Plus, your calls.  The awesomeness is in your hands.

A post on Facebook this past week read something like this,"I'm glad I'm a believer.  It's better than believing in NOTHING!" Do atheists believe in nothing?  Do we think there is nothing that merits belief?  Is that so? My perspective on this important question, plus, your calls. Awesome sauce will be plentiful!!

My super special co-host this evening is my wife, Felicia.  She joins me for a review of some wonderful news stories that came to us from the Raw Story.   You'll love what Felicia brings to the table!! Let her feel the love!  This show is pre-recorded, so no calls tonight.  Still, the awesome sause will have no end!! http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/02/texas-republican-we-should-send-chuck-norris-after-isis-instead-of-obama/ http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/02/irate-christian-parent-i-am-getting-sick-and-tired-of-dinosaurs-being-forced-on-our-children/ http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/02/this-preachers-twisted-anti-gay-rant-to-an-alabama-city-council-is-both-vile-and-absurd/  

The horrific murders at Chapel Hill have been on all our minds lately.  What happened there was horrific and sad.  The murderer was an atheist, but did he do what he did in the name of atheism? I'll give my perspective on what we as atheists should say in response to this tragedy. Plus your calls. Let the sauce of awesome flow!

Atheism is a matter of belief, or more accurately, a matter of non-belief.  An atheist does not believe in god or gods.  But there are some atheists, myself included, that take things at step further.  I believe gods do not exist. Some people call this positive statement "strong atheism."  Some say it is unnecessary, and places a burden of proof on the atheist that should not be there. I'll give my perspective on this, and how it has changed.  I'l talk about what exactly I believe and why. Plus your calls.  I believe the awesome sause will flow.  Prove me right!

I hear so often that the angry atheist isn't helping the movement.  Being angry doesn't help our position or cause.  It doesn't push the conversation forward.  It doesn't help move people away from faith or belief.  It only serves to fortify the religious in their rut of superstitious ideas. Or does it?  When I was a believer, I got angry at all the caustic atheists, and wanted to prove them wrong.  Doing so moved me to atheism.  I realized that the jerk may be a jerk, but he was also right. Let's talk about the different ways people talk about atheism and within the atheism movement.  Are the mean, angry atheists helping? Plus your calls.  Let the awesomeness wash over you.

In the wake of the tragedy in Paris, a conversation about religious moderates has come up more than once.  Are the religious moderates helping by denouncing such horrific crimes, or are they harming everyone by giving fundamentalists a shield behind which they can hide? I'll give my two cents.  Plus your calls will make the awesome sauce overflow!!

For quite some time now, my 10-year old son, Corbin, has asked to be a part of this show.  Tonight, he makes his debut!  I was a little hesitant to bring him on the show, but then I figured, why not? I'll talk a little about why I was hesitant, what made me change my mind, and why I think Corbin makes an awesome co-host, even if his segment will always be pre-recorded. The awesomeness will be epic!!

Being able to be yourself is so very important, but what if you had to hide a part of yourself from those close to you?  What about those atheists who can't be open about their lack of belief because of one reason or another?  Have you ever been in the closet?  Did you find it hard to come out?  What happened? I'll talk about the only instance I have personally about being in the closet, and why I've chosen to be as out and as open as I can.   Plus your calls.  Let the awesome sauce flow!!  

I've got nothing tonight, so call in and help me make this show awesome!  If you don't, I'll have to be awesome and lonesome.

When I think of the harm religion does, I often think of violence.  I think of the killings ISIS does, the brutal, deliberate kind of violence.  I also think of parents who refuse to seek medical attention for their children, that passive, inintentional kind of murder. But isn't there a commandment against killing?  Isn't this forbidden?  I'll give my take on why so much violence comes from religion. Plus your calls. Come forth, Awesomeness!

I find the story of jesus is often touted as this wonderful example of love, sacrifice and forgiveness.  I find the story morally vile.  I think this idea of jesus saving us from eternal damnantion to be a distict failure to understand morality and what it means.  I find the story appalling. Why?  Why isn't this story insprational?  Why do I find the "greatest story ever told" to be flawed at it's basic level?   Plus your calls. Let the awesomeness begin!

So I did another debate, this time on morality.  Is morality objective or subjective?  I wasn't too impressed with how the debate went down, mostly because I didn't get to do all the talking.  If I HAD done most of the talking, this is what I would have said. Plus your calls.  The awesomeness returns tonight