Thethinkingatheist

"God's Not Dead" is a film produced by PureFlix which released in 2014.  With a budget of only $2 million, GnD grossed over $60 million.  It's not hard to see why a sequel film has just been introduced to theaters.The premises of both films are essentially the same.  Christianity is under attack in the United States, and brave God Warriors must stand up against the evil atheists to defend their faith and their savior.  Are these movies rooted in any shade of reality?  And how do they speak to another, larger phenemenon within many religious cultures: the manufacturing of martyrdom?Seth Andrews shares a recent article by (former Christian) Neil Carter, as we examine the Christian Persecution Complex.YOUTUBE VIDEO "Gods Not Dead (Again!): https://youtu.be/hwffbQiUwLcNeil Carter's article, "Persecute Me, Please: God's Not Dead 2 and the Evangelical Lust for Victimhood:"  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/godlessindixie/2016/04/01/persecute-me-please/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast

A November 2015 Pew Research Center survey revealed that the United States is becoming less religious overall, and "especially the youngest Millennials, who have entered adulthood since the first Landscape Study was conducted {a few months earlier} - are far less religious than their elders."Admittedly, these "nones" aren't necessarily atheists, and many may consider themselves "spiritual" on some level.  But what's driving this exodus from the formal structures of religion, and what do these young people think and say about the often hugely religious climate they see all around them.This show focuses on youth, how they view the world, and how their exit from the church is impacting the United States and the world.Secular Student Alliance:  https://secularstudents.orgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Watch the video of this podcast HERE:  https://youtu.be/YxRdJGqTeXACallers submit their own comments and questions for this show.  We highlight the proposed "Genocide & Incest" counter-billboard to The Ark Encounter's grand opening.  And we spend more than half of the show discussing the recent prison beating of convicted sex offender Jared Fogle and the proper response(s) to the violence carried out against him.  An interview with Sarah Morehead caps the broadcast.Funraising page for Tri-State Thinkers "Genocide & Incest" billboard campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/genocide-incest-park#/Sarah Morehead's blog:  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/03/17/sex-offenders-can-be-nice-guys-how-making-jared-fogle-a-monster-encourages-abusers/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:   http://www.hellofresh.com (promo code thinkingatheist)It's a topic we've addressed in various forms, but this is an entire show dedicated to medicine.  Science-based medicine.  Alternative medicine.  The names and claims of many so-called "natural" cures.  And the charge that medical science should be distrusted in favor of unlicensed "healers" who operate outside the checks and balances of regulatory agencies, and who - in so many cases - are making a pretty penny.Joining us for the show are Dr. Harriet Hall (the "SkepDoc") of Science Based Medicine: https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org, and Dr. Stephen Barrett of QuackWatch.com.Dr. Hall's 10-course lecture series:  http://web.randi.org/educational-modules.htmlBOOK:  "Inside Chiropractic:"  http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Chiropractic-Patients-Consumer-Library/dp/1573926981/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458131680&sr=8-1&keywords=inside+chiropracticBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheis

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistNo theme or topic.  Just a full show of listener comments and questions.  Enjoy.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Sponsored by The Phil Ferguson Show:  http://polarisfinancialplanning.com/polaris-blog/the-phil-ferguson-show-podcast/Matt Dillahunty is one of the hosts of The Atheist Experience television show, he is a frequent speaker and debater, and he hosts the Atheist Debates YouTube channel.Matt and Seth Andrews are friends who often enjoy long conversations on the freethought convention circuit.  This time, they decided to record the conversation for the podcast audience, touching on topics ranging from religion to atheism to Star Wars.THE ATHEIST EXPERIENCE:  http://www.atheist-experience.com/ATHEIST DEBATES:  https://www.youtube.com/user/SansDeityBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.evolvefish.comScience has proven the Big Bang.  So why is it so difficult for the everyperson to communicate the how/why of that event?  Perhaps, it's because the universe is a mind-bogglingly huge thing for us to grasp.  Overwhelmed, we sometimes check out of necessary conversations about cosmology, our origins, and the observable, natural world.Dr. Dan Batcheldor has a Ph.D in astrophysics and is Head of Physics and Space Science at the Florida Institute of Technology.  He's a user of NASA's Hubble telescope, and he studies heavy subjects like supermassive black holes.  He is also eager to provide resources to the rest of us that can be understood and explained, making us better educated, and making us more effective in our discussions with creationists and pseudoscientists who claim that our universe bears the mark of a Divine Hand.There's a video of this exchange on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/Z5-AdCAVgE4Support Dan's book via his website:  http://www.danielbatcheldor.comBe

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistDan Barker's new book (titled after the famous Richard Dawkins quote) doesn't exactly cast a flattering eye at the biblical god.  Truth be told, the Bible itself doesn't flatter God, either.  Not-so-hidden inside the pages of scripture is the profile of a deity so ugly, brutish, bloodthirsty and petty, he would be condemned by the faithful as a monster in another context.Join us, as we speak with Dan Barker about his own personal story, and we examine The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction.VIDEO VERSION:  https://youtu.be/comqy3lQNVMDan's book on Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/god-daniel-barker/1122409434On Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/God-Most-Unpleasant-Character-Fiction/dp/1454918322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455027296&sr=8-1&keywords=the+most+unpleasant+character+in+all+fictionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: The Phil Ferguson Show http://polarisfinancialplanning.com/polaris-blog/the-phil-ferguson-show-podcast/Ken Ham (of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum) prepares to unleash his "Ark Encounter" upon the public.  The road toward completion has been a rocky one, with controversies about tax incentives and discriminatory hiring practices often leading the heated discussions for and against its existence.In this broadcast, we speak with several people who have followed the story closely: Mikel and Ed Hensley of the Kentucky Secular Society, and author Dan Arel.Video version of the podcast interview: https://youtu.be/SLNsKOxbxnsTracey Moody's article "What Ken Ham Isn't Telling You About Ark Encounter Funding:"  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/11/11/what-ken-ham-isnt-telling-you-about-ark-encounter-funding/Noah's Ark: God, Giraffes & Genocide: https://youtu.be/CccaGaKOlSINCSE: The Impossible Voyage of Noah's Ark:  http://ncse.com/cej/4/1/impossible-voyage-noahs-arkBe

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistDr. Paul Offit is Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology, and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Perleman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  He has received awards for his work from the University of Maryland, the Infectious Disease Society of America, the National Institutes of Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and more, and he was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 2011.  An author of over 150 scientific papers, Dr. Offit is the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, "Rotateq," and he released the book, "Bad Faith: When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine," which was selected as an Editor's Choice by the New York Times in 2015.In this 2nd half of our "Medical Neglect" show, Dr. Offit speaks with Seth Andrews about faith, medicine, belief, and faith-based ideas which o

There are two words that, too often, mean the difference between life and death:  Religious.  Exemption.  Individuals and families who reject necessary medical care in favor of prayer and adherence to strict church restrictions often pay with their lives, or the lives of their children.  Rita Swan is the director of CHILD, INC, and she has firsthand experience with this.  Rita has since dedicated her life to child advocacy and the fight to protect children from (often well-meaning) parents who keep them far from hospital care, and far from the health solutions they desperately need.It's a difficult subject, but a necessary discussion about faith, parental responsibility, and the need for real-world solutions to real-world problems.This is part one of a two-part show on this subject.  Part two features Dr. Paul Offit, author of the book, "Bad Faith: When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine," which airs February 2, 2016.CHILD, INC LINKS:http://www.childrenshealthcare.orghttp://www.idahochildren.orgBecom

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.comDr. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine and author of several books, including "The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity Toward Truth, Justice and Freedom," and "Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition and Other Confusions of our Time."  In this conversation with Seth Andrews, Dr. Shermer addresses some of the recent (and alarming) statements made by educated and (it would seem) very intelligent public figures, and we explore the relationship between the intelligent and the irrational brain.Video of the interview with Michael Shermer:  https://youtu.be/jLEQCipy6NMBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistThis podcast is a digression from our usual subject matter...a romp through the interesting explanations of random sayings, occurrences, facts and traditions.  What makes a cat purr?  Why do weddings have a "best man?"  Why do tennis scores use "love" instead of "zero?"  Why do people choose chopsticks over the fork?  Why is it "soccer" in America and "football" in Europe?  Can a human live for any length of time exposed in space?  Etc.We won't change the world with this show, but as seekers of knowledge (even trivial knowledge), we'll learn some interesting stuff, and we'll have some fun together.  EnjoyOATMEAL article "Who VS Whom:"  http://theoatmeal.com/comics/who_vs_whom Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Another year closes its doors, and we look forward to 2016.  In advance of the New Year holiday, we take a look back at many of the people and events that defined the past twelve months. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

David Silverman is a self-proclaimed "atheist billboard" and "firebrand atheist."  As President of American Atheists, he has been at the point position on many controversial issues (and the occasional lawsuit), and he has just released a new book called, "Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World."David spoke with Seth Andrews about the book, the lightning rod of David's particular brand of activism, and the rise of non-belief in America.  This conversation can also be seen on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/9aSyjQjC2yoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.harrys.com (promo code: thinkingatheist)This will be the last radio podcast until the Christmas holiday.  It's a romp around the globe, as we explore some Christmas traditions beyond Santa, Frosty the Snowman, holiday ham, and the baby Jesus. Get ready for Christmas witches, fried chicken feasts, Festivus ("for the rest of us"), the Spanish pooper, and of course, the Krampus.Seth writes about the Krampus (and many other things) in his book, "Sacred Cows: a Lighthearted Look at Belief and Tradition Around the World."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

This is a 30-minute conversation between Seth Andrews and YouTube activist Steve Shives, recorded recently at the Pennsylvania Atheist/Humanist Conference in Harrisburg, PA.  Video of this conversation can be seen here:  https://youtu.be/2Q4Yv3rgv-0Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.evolvefish.com"War On Christmas" has been used so much in the media, it has become a parody of itself.  And yet many still hold to the belief that the baby Jesus is under attack by atheists and secular humanists, and the protests sound at full volume every December.In this broadcast, we talk about some of the noise out there, and we speak to Andrew Seidel of the Freedom From Religion Foundation about the holiday, church/state separation, lawsuits over nativity scenes, atheist holiday celebrations and more.Andrew Siedel onFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Andrew-L-Seidel-750945458347916/?fref=tsTwitter:  @AndrewLSeidelCHRISTMAS: BEHIND THE CURTAIN:YouTube:  https://youtu.be/kenbgMjRvlYFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seth.andrews.31/videos/vb.100001992705053/931270510282697/?type=2&theaterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

From time to time, we do an unscripted broadcast where the listeners provide the theme and content.  This is one of those shows.  Lots of random stuff in here.  Enjoy.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

This podcast features the audio from Seth Andrews' presentation at FreeFlo 2015, the Freethought Florida Conference in Orlando.  The speech is an often lighthearted (but occasionally alarming) exploration of "sacred" ideas and practices in the 21st century, and it explores the merits of retiring damaging rituals in favor of better ones.SPEECH VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/biBULlkmBFEVIDEO WITH NATHAN PHELPS "Something Beautiful":  https://youtu.be/L6IPFyHEv3o  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.