I have been an atheist for about 2 years ,I have been on this road all my life.It wasn't just one thing. It was a collection of people , things and ideas.It started when I was in first grade .My first sign of dout and I see things now that really confirms my atheism

If your family reject you because you're an atheist, then you have not lost them. They have lost you!

That girl was just like me! I used to be like that too ALWAYS praying, reading Bible everyday etc. And I used to hurt myself too, because I felt I had to punish myself for being so "sinful" person. And I felt just like her, that when I became and atheist I have been happier than ever and I am FREE. I am also 22 and found my true love and had a baby. :)

I would love a show for kids. So many are stuck and scared to have their voice out there because they don't want to be rejected for what they think. A kid's podcast would be a great opportunity for those people to open up... including myself.

Seth...you are brilliant. I was so lucky to be born without the capacity for the religious emotion, though I was born into a JW family in the 1950s. I love your work. I have great empathy for those newly emergent. Butterflies.

"Truth wins in the end." ---my personal mantra I drank the Kool-Aid completely and was a staunch defender of rational Christianity, but Christianity's utter unwillingness to challenge its opposition consistently pissed me off. Doesn't the book of Revelations teach us that truth ultimately wins? Aren't these arguments watertight? If Christianity is really the real deal, why aren't we out there proving it? Then I realized it was because we couldn't. Now I'm an atheist.

I came out to my sister today. Broke up with a girlfriend because she didnt want to date an atheist. I have no regrets! Great work Seth!

@davidpersson250

Жыл бұрын

She wanted to go on her spiritual journeys finding herself for herself

yeah you can live after faith.....amazing

Forced into church as a child. Rejected it and left the day I turned 18. I never taught my kids or forced church on them. But twice in my adult life the seeds of hell sprouted up and i went bible and Jesus on everyone. My son was having none of it. In my quest to prove the "truth" to him I became aware of the fact that it's just man made shit. The shackles are gone forever and people like Seth,and others have been instrumental in living life without religion. Thanks Seth.

This is a very encouraging video. I unfortunately still carry some of my religious fears and thought patterns. The main one was the thought that I was special and could be perfect. Religion allowed me to think that I not only had the right to change the world and people's lives without knowing anything about them; but, in fact, had to responsibility to do this. I am now on the road to true humility and shedding off the burden of religion.

I loved the podcast, and I would be really happy to hear a Thinking Atheist podcast about young nonbelievers like myself and my friends.

Yes, the youth idea sounds brilliant!

What really scared me about death as a child was burning forever in Hell sucks, but life in Heaven according to Paul sounded like going to church for an eternity. I hated going to church! I preferred to watch Transformer reruns.

@theuncalledfor

9 жыл бұрын

The Last Salafi So it's either dark hell, or light hell. Lose-lose scenario.

@emenanjonwadiei

9 жыл бұрын

theuncalledfor Exactly! LOL! :-D

@GenerationX1984

8 жыл бұрын

No G1 Transformers reruns in heaven? Bummer.

@emenanjonwadiei

8 жыл бұрын

+Chris Tubestinks I wouldn't call that Heaven. 😂

@tylersimons9067

4 жыл бұрын

i prefer playing super mario games.

Absolutely great show!

As a Christian, I was constantly worried about not living up and making the cut to get into Heaven. I was terrified of going to Hell and burning for eternity, and feared death. The thought of coming to after death in a fiery inferno petrified me. As an atheist I am no longer afraid of Hell or death.

These podcasts just seem to get better and better.

I don't like the term "lost my faith." It makes it sound too much as though we became deprived of what we once had. I prefer to think that I "gave up my faith." I voluntarily cast it aside as I did not need it anymore. I didn't "lose" it.

GREAT SHOW!

1:16:35 "I'll take this life any day over what I had as a Christian." Truer words have never been spoken. In fact, the entirety of the segment following that statement sums up my philosophy on God now. Why should I show reverence and respect toward something that held me in bondage for so long? Answer: I. Should. Not.

“I don’t know if god exists, but if it does, I know it won’t mind my doubts”. “Yo no sé si Dios existe, pero si existe, sé que no le va a molestar mi duda.” Mario Benedetti

Yup have a show for kids..... I would have appreciated it when I was younger and coming out.

To this day I find it hard to hold the same respect for my parents that i did, my dad has told me he doesnt believe either but that even if its not true, it is the only way to live a happy and forefilled life. It guttered me even more that on the hand I had a parent who wouldnt even entertain the idea of no god and the other wouldnt entertain the idea of not being christian. The lonelyness you feel at a young age where neither of your parents has the capacity to understand you was terrifying

You're a hero, Seth

I became a "Truth seeking" as they called it in my church in my early teens, after jumping online and honestly seeking the truth, I could no longer believe...The frustration I experienced was going back to my parents with this information (That I thought they had jst never heard) and seeing them get angry that I found the wrong "truth" that i didnt understand that atheism is a miserable life, it made me doubt myself for so long until i realised their hypocrisy, it killed me inside

Very good podcast..

What sucks about becoming an Atheist is when something bad happens to someone, you can no longer say "I'll pray for you" or "I'll keep you in my prayers" or "I'll be praying for him/her" or "I'll keep him/her in my prayers".

I can't wait to hear the next show :D

love the relaxed style of this show, the callers get time to say goodbye and are not just cut off like in other talkbacks. Expressive vocal effects and humour soften the heavy emotional content.

looking foward to the next one :)

I can never finish watching an entire show.. It's so long, but still so good :)

14:25 I was agnostic for about a few days. I've found it through Aronra, Thunderfoot, and ironicly through the bull that was intelligent design and creationism.

love this!!!!

52:00 Talking to dead people - Hey, I do that. Sorta. No, I don't expect a response. I don't even imagine a response. But sometimes it's nice to be able to actually vocalise a thought, which is what I'm doing when I'm talking to myself. Or plants. Or the cat. Or whatever. But when thinking of someone who isn't here, it's usually something I'd like to have been able to say to them. Usually "I miss you." I don't think anyone can hear it, but saying it can be theraputic. Meanwhile, my habit of holding conversations with my cats has resulted in a generation of cats that have a surprising vocabulary. Third or fourth generation of a family line living with me and I've chatted with 'em all. (No, it's not inherited knowledge, but it's me leaning how they respond and chatting with them since they were kittens so theyve had a long time to learn me too). One of them, when she hears me talking to my father, will charge into the room, run between us and shout at each of us in turn until we include her in the conversation.

This episode brought up an important topic I've ran into in discussions lately. Yes, you can get over religious indoctrination in time and escape to a life of freethinking as long as you have access to the right information and your mind hasn't been too badly warped, but it tends to leave you mentally scarred. There may well be some lucky people who manage to leave true religiosity without any damage, but I bet the majority does not.

My Yorkie Stevie Ray is a bad ass!

Great show ★★★★★ Katalyzt

I think that would be an outstanding idea to have a show that allows teenagers to vent. I think religion is forced upon them more than any other age groups by their own family.

@waltermh111 peoples churches out of curiosity, as thats how I am, but I never had a label for myself, even while questioning things. I stopped knowing people who I would go to church with for a few years and it wasnt til my early 20s when I got online and started thinking deeply on the issue as I was expanding my mind over all areas. I finally learned what atheism was and that so many people were atheist. I always saw theists as hypocrites, but never thought about what it was not to be theist

I'm crying right now. I'm a young recently-out atheist, and this episode embodies all of my fears and hopes. It's MY fault and I'M going to Hell because I'M doing something WRONG. But I'm not. I want so desperately to become as at ease with my mortality as you are. I want to stop being afraid. And the day I do will be the best day of my life. Thank you for existing.

Bark of encouragement at 40:06.

I'd love a show on people who are still in between Christianity and Atheism. I'm a Christian and probabily transitioning into Atheism. Would love to hear from others like me.

Best show in a while. Keep up the good work :-)

lol, I connect with the next one also. I was always an analytical type. I had my habits from indoctrination. When you are forced to weekyl church, catacism, confessional, etc... even for me, I questioned it all, but couldnt break away til I was taken out of that environment. I was put in foster care for other reasons at 11, so the indoctrination stopped but I still had 11 years of trappings. I stopped thinking about the issue for awhile, but knew I didnt believe. Sometimes I would go to other...

I'm a Christian and probably becoming an Atheist. Last week I was sick and was feeling miserable. I felt like praying but then the Atheist part of me was thinking that God might not exist so praying might do not help. It sucks because in the past I would always pray, thinking that God would make me feel better and now I can't do that.

Awesome episode, well done everyone! I would love to hear a whole episode dedicated to the kids and teens. :)

@maxskinnies01 thats a good point, because losing your faith does make it sound like something even thou it's really something you can gain from.

0:54:06 I was the same way. I didn't even know what to call it. That was probably the worst in trying to find like minded people when you don't even know what to look for.

1:01:56 The retrospect of a church being uncooperative in the face of a SARS encounter is a little chilling

ubcalling luv your show

that is probably one of the reasons I suffer is worrying about my personal goodness.

It took a long time, but I finally came to terms with knowing that a loving God would not let so many people suffer in famine, oppression, illness, poverty, loneliness, and misery. A just God would not take the beauty and wealth of the planet and give it to a handful of people who wouldn't share it with everyone. A righteous God wouldn't kill children, destabilize families, and tell people in faith that they should rejoice in their condition because it was part of a greater plan to bring them closer to their creator. The basis of Christianity is believing in and being grateful for human sacrifice. One of its most sacred rites is the symbolic reenactment of it. Most of its high holy days coincide with ancient pagan rituals and most followers refuse to accept this. How am I the one who is being led astray?

After I moved back to Missouri from Texas and got a dog (pug), I had a lot more visitors. lol

Thanks for another interesting episode. Love the leaving faith stories.

i watch this while playing mass effect 2

@CrimsonRefractions Yes the social studied curriculum changes are disturbing. and note the TSBE noted the great weakness of the system that they can't change it for ten years.

I find myself every week waiting for the youtube upload....wish I could listen to the show in real time. Damm time delay

@MyMonkeyKnowsKungFu If she is a good person then don't worry too much about it. Be yourself and be composed whenever the subject comes up. Respond as needed but no need to be over the top. Most people take years to deconvert and others may never do so regardless what they are shown or experience.

@TheSolitaryTraveller Thank you :) og I agree. However I do find it hard to only live by scientific evidence and the idea of objective knowledge, since that doesn't truely exists. So my notion of an afterlife, might be based on some peoples experiences, which could be called evidence, however there is a faith aspect in it and I accept that I will only truely know when I die (or not know, if existence is terminated). Doubt is more powerful than knowing anyway

If we could understand what gave rise to the concept of hell, we would be less afraid of it.

@krapptacular Great observation dude! I agree completely.

If you listen on blog talk radio for some reason this weird loop of techno music plays over and over... if you don't feel like getting up to turn it off.

Aw missed the live show. Oh well, time for some fun.

@Thethinkingatheist: Your are wonderful to listen to, both when it comes to amusing little stories about the dog or the deeper stuff. Ignore the Holydude.

@Jrct89 Better put, If Matter Time and Space were created at one point, then the maker is Spaceless Timeless and Immaterial.

@CrimsonRefractions Yep there is some of that.

Cool! Kermit's the first caller!!

I like your podcasts in general, but this one was a little bit special. Exploring the aftermath of coming out as an atheist is very important to help the newly liberated. You are an inspiration Seth. I know I do not need to tell you to keep it up as I have another 150 odd podcast to catch up on. I look forward to everyone of them. Thank you.

@dlbrad300

9 жыл бұрын

I understand totally.

I totally understand those teenagers and their past. In my city religion isn't so "inhaled" as in other Israeli cities, but when you look at Israel which is supposedly THE place for the three main religions, the strongly religious is taking over. They don't have to go to the army like every other 19 year old teenagers so they could study the bible, they get a lot of payments due to them having tons of babies (reaching around 12 children by the age of 40), they pay less for water and electricity

@MrAdvancedAtheist You can also tell them that the concept of hell is the result of primitive man's experience with rivers of fire(lava) flowing from a volcano while it belched smoke and ash and brimstone. They also could hear the screams of those who were engulfed by the lava as they fled their villages. Those who lived to tell the tale over the ages must have come to the conclusion that this was a place of eternal torment.

I think it'd be awesome if you did a show on young non-believer.

Hi Seth; I saw you for the First time at Free Ok convention last summer & i have your youtube segment in my Favorites channel, this pod cast really hit a cord with me, i love to listen to coming out stories & how people deal with superstition. MY biggest struggle is;I exist & could be gone tomorrow..Lance Armstrong has the same sense, since he is a cancer survivor..Love yer Video's, can we get some video with your podcast?? this is like listening to radio.

@AmendMD and the thing what start the universe need a cause and so on ..

(1/2) I have a yorkie called Rose, most intelligent dog I have ever had & with a wonderful personality. Religion has always been around for me but mostly as background noise; my family consists of Christians, Atheists & Pagan spiritualists & we’re all excepting of each other, I’m pretty lucky in that regard. Problem is when I come on the internet & hear/read some of the complete bull allot of religious people spew.

@AmendMD If you are going by that then your creator also needs a cause.

@VidsBySS I'm in the same boat.

@lisaemel yes, but he might hate missing out on intellectually figuring out religion on his own, even though his parents did the right thing, you and i, have that experience : ) peace!

Just promise me that and one more thing: if you realise that a kid is being abused, mentally or otherwise, talk with them about it after the show and bring them into contact with the right authorities. Again, we are talking about kids. They may vent all they want, but their problems won't go away with that. Hopefully it's not needed, of course, but to take actual action wouldn't be in your hands, but in the hands of those kids and the authorities that assess the situation

@Jrct89 THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I SAID!

@lisaemel dont talk yourself up, and you wont fall so far!

the sad thing is that as i'm watching this ther's an ad for the church of scientology in the sidebar.

For the girl talking to a dead friend. I know the feeling, I used to "talk to god", and for a long time after I knew I was atheist, I still had the feeling of "talking to god". Its a habit, to need a personal being to talk to. lol, typing while listening and as I was about to use the example of a smoker, so did TTA. Thats basically the issue, shes replacing the habitual talk with a god to talk with a person she knew was real I got out of it completely after awhile and talk to people when I can

@2Pains1Love I never said you could get sound without vibrating air, nor did I say a square with 5 sides was possible even by God.

hey, great danes are not dumb. my little tiberius is smarter than my doberman george. he knows sit, down, up, he's learning heel, he knows to ring the bells when he wants to go outside, he knows "get over" when he is in the car (to get over to the passenger side) he knows stay and come, he knows bed (telling him to go to his bed) "kennel" (to go to his kennel) he stays in the yard. he is a great dog (still only 21 weeks old)

@Jrct89 1. According to Relativity, If Space and Time were made at one point then matter came along with it. Matter does not generate matter, therefore God is not material, or Immaterial. Spiritual rather than physical

Keep in mind that this ex-preacher would NEVER have had to rebuild his entire life were it not for his wife who seemingly (guessing) took EVERYTHING in divorce. She did not deserve it, certainly. I now that we're trying to combat the ignorance of religion, but I swear if you turn that skeptical mind toward how the courts and society treats men as disposable appliances you'll find another great injustice. manwomanmyth does a convincing series on this issue and I encourage you to go there.

@BjornSeverinLarsen Life without death is eternal hell, life has meaning because it can end thus it's something precious . Now i don't know if you mean eternal life in an afterlife, if so then your wishing for eternal suffering, what happen at first but it will happen. Now just an afterlife in general, where the dead can good to do the things they couldn't do in life and finally be able to treat themselves, then when ready fade away. That I can understand.

@AmendMD If the sound could exist without air vibration, so does the square with 3 angles could. The definition of sound is literally, THE VIBRATION OF AIR. Using your same logic, the god who created the square, which defines for shape with four angles and four sides, can also make the square with 3 angles and 5 sides. THINK, BEFORE YOU WRITE.

im 27 years old

A girl at my school asked me what I gave up for lent and I said 'irrational christian ideology' she laughed. I love living in the U.K :D

A furthering of the commentary towards the end...Why are we supposed to feel reverence for it? They're the ones who believe it. Let them keep their reverence for THEIR beliefs, we'll keep reverence for things that are tangible, things that are quantifiable, things that make sense to anyone over the age of 4. "You should respect all beliefs." Why then, do they not respect ours?

@BjornSeverinLarsen Furthermore, there is extensive scientific indication that everything we are from personality to cognitive ability is detirmined by a functioning brain and there is absolutely no basis on which to assume that once that brain ceases to function "we" somehow lift off of the body and go anywhere. Bottom line: until reliable evidence of something "after death" is uncovered, near death experiences are most likely and most logically simply brain function breaking down.

@BjornSeverinLarsen Thats an understandable reasoning, behind your view. But remember we know very little about the brain and may just lack the tech for more detailed information. But it could be also a bit of damn.. when people do a test and look for the result they want, forgot the term but it could be a bit explained by that to. Self for filling prophecy i think it called.

I became an atheist when I was 11

LOL, I got mormon commercial, for my ad.

@TheThinkingAtheist about HolyCity2012, thers allways some that dont like it...for what its worth, ithink your work is great man...

@XxAmericanLedxX I'd love to hear your story on the show because it sounds like a very unique one. I would strongly suggest emailing or contacting Seth through the website about possibly getting on this kid's episode if one happens.

@TheSolitaryTraveller Well by afterlife i mean, some kind of continued existence. Not really in any specific form or another. The reason for this question is the strange uniformity of experiences descripted by people who have died and then brought back to life. This can ofcourse again be explained by lacking oxygen in the brain or braincells dying, however not all these experiences can be explained this way, espcieally not the uniformity of it.

@2Pains1Love You think of the universe as a closed bubble. If God did have the power to create the universe, then he would surely be able to interact with it.

The woman at 53 minutes might enjoy reading Alain de Botton's 'Religion for Atheists'.

Any new habits that people formed? Like meditation instead of prayer ect...