Thethinkingatheist

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR.  Your first month free!   http://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/sethandrewsIs Buddhism a religion?  A philosophy?  Both?  Something else?  Many Buddhist organizations - physical and online - promote it as a way of "finding peace within oneself.  What about atheists who are Buddhists?  Is this a spiritual journey, or a method for framing a physical one?LINKS:David G. McAfee on Buddhism:  https://davidgmcafee.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/buddhisms-lived-and-portrayed-traditionsStephen Batchelor:  http://www.stephenbatchelor.orgNo Religion Required podcast:   https://noreligionrequired.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.casper.com/sethandrews  ($50 off any mattress purchase with promo code seth andrews)Aron Ra has a new book based on his popular YouTube video series, "Foundational Falsehoods of Creationism."  We talk to Aron about these falsehoods, and the new book.VIDEO of this discussion:  https://youtu.be/9bToIwtUQCAAmazon link for FFoC book:  https://www.amazon.com/Foundational-Falsehoods-Creationism-Aron-Ra/dp/1634310780The YouTube video series:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnJX68ELbAY&list=PL126AFB53A6F002CCBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR.  Your first month free!   http://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/sethandrewsSummer has come and gone, but for many of us, our memories of summer camp remain fresh in our minds, partially because those camps were more interested in Christ than they were in campfires, swimming holes, nature hikes, team sports, friendships and fun.In this broadcast, we share some stories from our listeners, highlighting their own "Jesus Camp"-esque experiences, and we highlight Camp Quest, a secular summer camp which is providing a welcoming, woo-free alternative to the church-run (and church-funded) religious camps that sell camp...but deliver church.Help us support a secular solution:  Camp Quest.  Our goal is $15,000 raised by October 15, 2016.  Donate at http://www.campquest.org/donateBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR.  Your first month free!   http://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/sethandrewsJohn C. Wathey is a computational biologist whose research interests include evolutionary algorithms, protein folding, and the biology of nervous systems. From 1991 to 1995, he was a senior applications scientist at Biosym Technologies (now named Biovia), a company that develops molecular modeling software for the pharmaceutical industry. In 1996, he founded his own business, Wathey Research, and since that time, most of his scientific research has been funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health. John (who goes by "Jack") has written a new book titled, "The Illusion of God's Presence: The Biological Origins of Spiritual Longing."  In this broadcast, Seth andrews speaks with the author about humankind's (evolved?) tendency to seek the supernatural in a natural world.John Wathey's website:  http://www.watheyresearch.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR.  Your first month free!   http://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/sethandrewsWhat happens when people with conflicting views about God, religion and spirituality fall in love and decide to share life together?  This broadcast features the stories of those who are either married or life partners, and who have differing faith traditions and beliefs (or none).  Their successes and failures.  The challenges of being divided on a critical (or not so critical?) issue.  And the meeting of two very different viewpoints within the same - and very small -space.Does love conquer all?  We discuss.  Plus, Dale McGowan, author of "In Faith and in Doubt," joins us to cap the show with some notes about his research on interfaith couplesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

This isn't a podcast, per se.  It's a short bonus clip highlighting a couple of interesting things happening in the freethought movement:  a film in production which links Batman to Jesus, and an October 2016 debate between Jesus historicist Bart Ehrman and Jesus mythicist Robert M. Price.Seth Andrews takes a few minutes to speak with Jozef Richards and Rob Moore about the projects.LINKS:The Ehrman/Price debate:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mythinformation-conference-iii-feat-bart-d-ehrmandr-robert-price-debate-tickets-19701931006Mythicist Milwaukee:  http://www.mythicistmilwaukee.comBatman & Jesus website: http://www.spadeheartclub.com/batmanjesusBatman & Jesus trailer:  https://youtu.be/cnS8FjMQx0k Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://polarisfinancialplanning.com/polaris-blog/the-phil-ferguson-show-podcast/National Public Radio has declared that it is nixing the comments sections on its website.  This decision has resulted in a lot of discussion about the merits of comments sections, the nature of online discourse, and NPR's responsibility to the public.  We discuss.We also speak with Sarah Haider of Ex-Mulims of North America regarding France's (now suspended) Burkini ban, and we finish the show with a reading from Chris Matheson's humor book, "The Story of God."_____NPR article on its comments section decision:  http://www.npr.org/sections/ombudsman/2016/08/17/489516952/npr-website-to-get-rid-of-commentsSarah Haider's Heat Street article "Repressive Burkini Bans Will Do More Harm Than Good:"  https://heatst.com/culture-wars/repressive-burkini-bans-will-do-more-harm-than-goodDavid Smalley "What's Killing the Atheist Movement:"  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dogmadebate/2016/08/whats-killing-the-atheist-movement

An Oklahoma children's home happily accepted a $100 donation (given by Matt Wilbourne, a Muskogee resident), until it realized that the money was given in the name of the Muskogee Atheist Community.  The Murrow Indian Children's Home is managed and funded by the American Baptist Churches Association, and they apparently don't wish to associate with an atheist financial gift.  So they attempted to return the gift.  In a strange turn of events, this story has made national news, brought many atheists and Christians together, and propelled a GoFundMe page into the $10,000+ range.In this short bonus podcast, Seth Andrews speaks with Matt Wilbourne about the gift, the children, the money, and what happens next.DONATIONS VIA GOFUNDME AT:  https://www.gofundme.com/2zc57tpgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Jake and Hugo host the weekly podcast, "The Bible Reloaded," an irreverent show (hosted by atheists) which examines the Bible, lampoons Bible-based propaganda produced by companies like Chick Tracts, and reviews various religious films (like "God's Not Dead").Last week, the TBR hosts announced that they were suing a Christian film company owned by the Christiano Brothers (Christianfilms.com) over the filing of false DMCA claims in regard to TBR's reviews of some of their movies.  If you're unsure what any of this means, don't worry.  Jake and Hugo join Seth Andrews to talk about the lawsuit, the players, and the very real phenomenon where organizations use bogus copyright claims to silence the voices of (and potentially shut down the pages of) their critics.If you wish to support the lawsuit, click:  https://www.gofundme.com/tbrdefensefundBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

This broadcast is about the 2016 Olympic Games, but it's also a series of observations (ok, rants) by Seth Andrews on athletic God-speak, genuflection, glory, and the notion that Jesus cares who wins the gold medal.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.lootcrate.com/sethandrews (promo code: sethandrews)Atheos is a new smartphone app, developed from the template outlined in Dr. Peter Boghossian's book, "A Manual for Creating Atheists."  In this interview, Seth Andrews interviews 2 key players in the development of Atheos, Christine Vigeant and Sarah Paquette, and he walks through a quick demo of the app for the viewers.LINKS: http://www.atheos-app.comTwitter: @AtheosFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/atheosappVIDEO of this discussion is at https://youtu.be/x0gT4aT_KaMBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.lootcrate.com/sethandrews (promo code: sethandrews)David G. McAfee is an atheist activist and author.  His first book, "Disproving Christianity and Other Secular Writings," brought him national attention, and three other books followed.  David has written for American Atheist Magazine, the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, and other sites and publications.Seth Andrews spoke with David about his work (much of it geared towards encouraging critical thinking in children).WEBSITE:  http://www.davidgmcafee.comFACEBOOK:  www.facebook.com/AuthorDavidGMcAfeeTWITTER:  @DavidGMcAfeeVIDEO of this interview:  https://youtu.be/WkD5081JuYE Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

This show is a random romp through recent pop culture phenomenons (and whatever else pops into the host's mind).  Plus some listener calls.  Enjoy!New Yorker Article: "Donald Trump Ghostwriter Tells All" - http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/25/donald-trumps-ghostwriter-tells-allBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.warbyparker.com/thethinkingatheistKen Ham's "Ark Encounter" has been hyped - by some - as a tour de force of biblical truth, adventure, and potential tourism dollars.  It officially opened on July 7th.Our four (atheist) panel guests were there for the occasion: David Silverman, Tracey Moody, Dan Broadbent and Aron Ra.  They give us the report from the field.  VIDEO of this interview:  https://youtu.be/ZL2_q3sbdB4Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.harrys.com (promo code: thinkingatheist)Proverbs 13:24 says, "Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them."  Is this a healthy approach to child-rearing and the discipline of children?This is the second part of our 2-part broadcast on (often religiously-motivated) corporal discipline for children, where we hear more of our listeners' perspectives, examine more of the data supporting or refuting the effectiveness of spanking, and we speak with Janet Heimlich, author of the book "Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment."  An Open Letter to Roy Lessin:  http://cdugan0.tripod.com/RoyLessinOpenLetter.htmlHemant Mehta's article:  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/05/18/this-christian-is-selling-child-beating-sticks-but-he-doesnt-want-the-internet-to-find-out/Phil Ferguson's podcast (show 168): http://philfergusonshow.secularmediagroup.com/category/pfs/Become a supporter of

SUPPORT THIS SHOW on Patreon:  http://www.patreon.com/sethandrewsProverbs 13:24 says, "Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them."  Is this a healthy approach to child-rearing and the discipline of children?We explore many religious rules for parenting, and we share the perspectives of listeners who have firsthand experience with strict (and not-so-strict) homes, physical punishments, and the often lasting consequences.This is part one of a 2-part series.  The second half airs next week. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

The Bible says in John 14:13-14, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."  Mark 11:24 assures the faithful, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."Christians (and those of other religions) worldwide pray fervently for the cures to cancer, disease, and all manner of malady and misfortune.  Are those prayers activating the healing hand of God as promised in scripture? This is a difficult and often unpopular conversation, but a necessary one.  And amid the global avalanche of human suffering, we must address and understand what prayer is, why we do it, what results it does (or doesn't) bring, and the nature of the god who receives our desperate pleas.  We must also reevaluate our models for compassion, help and healing...and the agents of rescue and goodness who are so often, tragically, ignored.This presentation by Seth Andrews, g

John W. Loftus is a former Church of Christ minister. Today, he's an atheist, author and activist. He joins Seth Andrews to talk about his journey.Video of this interview: https://youtu.be/C794qlswPzIBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

In this short, unscheduled broadcast, Seth Andrews addresses the recent mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, as well as the responses peppering social media, the connection to radical Islam, the indoctrination of bigotry and hate, and a few reasons to remain vigilant and hold onto hope.Kaveh Mousavi's article "Orlando Shooter: The Sinful Executioner:"  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/marginoferr/author/kmousavi/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.casper.com/sethandrews Eli Bosnick, Heath Enwright, and Noah Lugeons are hosts of a podcast called "God Awful Movies," which skewers the hideously bad (and unintentionally funny) religious films produced by God's public relations department here on earth.Seth Andrews joins the GAM team to examine - and skewer - three specific religious movies:1)  A Matter of Faith2)  If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?3)  International GuerrillasThere is VIDEO of this podcast (complete with many actual film clips):  https://youtu.be/4r-GT4OgblAGOD AWFUL MOVIES LINKS:podcast page:  http://godawfulmovies.libsyn.comFacebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/GodAwfulMoviesThe Scathing Atheist YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/NoahLugeons  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.