Serious Inquiries Only

In this episode I’m revisiting some of the Islamophobia ideas. This time I’m reading some new articles and blog posts about the subject. Here are some links: http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119898/bill-maher-ben-affleck-islam-debate-there-no-muslim-world http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/10/reza-aslan-on-what-the-new-atheists-get-wrong.html http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/on-the-mechanics-of-defamation The post AS78: Islamophobia; Reza Aslan and Nathan Lean appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Please note that CJ is not actually on this episode. He’s been a guest several times before but this time I wanted to talk about what’s happening with him, and not have him in the proverbial room. He has been very vocal about his dislike of Harris’s views, as seen in this video: And now … Continue reading AS77: Observations on CJ Werleman → The post AS77: Observations on CJ Werleman appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

In this episode I talk way too long about this article: http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/there-is-nothing-brave-about-suicide/ It’s very relevant to topics we’ve discussed recently. Apparently there are people who think you owe it to someone to stay alive in the face of terrible suffering. I’m sure if they were being tortured or something they would never want to have the … Continue reading AS76: Dying with Dignity and Abortion Debate Follow-Up → The post AS76: Dying with Dignity and Abortion Debate Follow-Up appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Today I have the executive director of http://www.prolifehumanists.org, Kristine! Oftentimes it seems as though atheists are 100% pro-choice, but Kristine is here to represent the other side. She contends that there are perfectly reasonable secular arguments to be pro-life. I’m really excited to get into these arguments! The post AS75: Pro-Life Humanist, Kristine Kruszelnicki appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

On this episode I first discuss the Ben Affleck Sam Harris Bill Maher video that has made some waves. Here’s a link: http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/can-liberalism-be-saved-from-itself Then, I spend a lot of time going back on the circumcision discussion from Monday. I received a ton of comments and unfortunately couldn’t get to them all, but I went through a … Continue reading AS74: Holy Codified Doctrine of Islam, Batman! → The post AS74: Holy Codified Doctrine of Islam, Batman! appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

I’m joined today by Sarah from The Whole Network. This organization wants to provide accurate information about circumcision. Is it just as bad as FGM? Are Americans culturally blinded about this issue? Find out! https://www.facebook.com/WholeNetwork Thanks to @helpfulatheist3 for bringing this issue to my attention! The post AS73: Circumcision Vs. FGM appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

The three of us continue the discussion. Thanks so much for all the positive reaction to these episodes! Talking about this stuff is very difficult but it will become easier the more people talk openly about it. Big thanks to Steve and Jake. The post AS72: Anonymous Steve and Jake Farr-Wharton on Suicide, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

This episode is exactly what it sounds like. Listener Anonymous Steve, whose has made appearances on the Skepticule podcast, contacted me after the episode with Jake previous, regarding depression and suicide. Steve considers himself suicidal. This was a difficult episode but was an incredibly unique experience and hopefully good will come out of it. The post AS71: Anonymous Steve and Jake Farr-Wharton on Suicide, Part 1 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

The topic of sexism in atheism has warranted another episode. There was a huge response from Monday, and a huge range of response as well. I discuss a lot of the comments and emails I got, as well as the following blog post: Is Sam Harris Sexist? The post AS70: Sexism in Atheism appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Sam Harris made some comments that feminists did not take kindly to. Here’s a link to his explanation: http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/im-not-the-sexist-pig-youre-looking-for I think there are some troubling points to his commentary, and here are some critics: http://freethoughtblogs.com/greta/2014/09/12/sam-harris-is-just-factually-wrong-globally-atheism-has-no-gender-split/ http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/09/15/a-professional-responsibility-to-get-the-facts-straight/#more-20633 I find this one pretty outrageous though: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/09/another-week-another-atheist-demands-we-call-his-sexism-not-sexism-this-time-sam-harris/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+(The+Raw+Story) Amanda Marcotte writes this as though Sam Harris has said women … Continue reading AS69: Is Sam Harris the Sexist Pig We’re Looking For? → The post AS69: Is Sam Harris the Sexist Pig We’re Looking For? appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Well here we are for part 2. It’s like part one, but twoer. The post AS68: Cognitive Dissonance on Atheist Celebrities, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Tom and Cecil are back! Talking with these guys is the absolute most fun. They are such a great blend of humor and insight! This time we’re discussing the phenomenon of atheist celebrities. We rehash a bit of the Dawkins Twitter stuff simply because it’s germane to the discussion, but we also go on to … Continue reading AS67: Cognitive Dissonance on Atheist Celebrities, Part 1 → The post AS67: Cognitive Dissonance on Atheist Celebrities, Part 1 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Tracey and I have a lengthy discussion on abortion. Despite both being pro choice, there is still quite a lot of gray area that is very interesting to discuss. Then of course, there’s always Richard Dawkins to spice things up. Is it ethical to abort a fetus that has a high chance of Down’s Syndrome? … Continue reading AS66: Abortion with Tracey Moody → The post AS66: Abortion with Tracey Moody appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Part 2 of The Portable Atheist features Omar Khayyam. Poet, astronomer, mathematician, husband, lover, rotary member, blood donor, etc. Omar had it all. He was a multifaceted Iranian who lived around 1050ish to 1150ish. Then I discuss 3 comments at length. One of them has a corresponding link. Here is that link. This is not … Continue reading AS65: The Portable Atheist, Part 2, and More → The post AS65: The Portable Atheist, Part 2, and More appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Can’t really put it any more plainly than that. But FIRST, I have a long and uninteresting story about being Comcast free at last! I’ve gone through some decently big life changes and you get to hear about them for 20 minutes! (fast forward to 20:00ish if you want to skip straight to discussion on … Continue reading AS64: Stealing Private Nude Photos is a Sex Crime → The post AS64: Stealing Private Nude Photos is a Sex Crime appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Jake joins me to discuss a topic very near and dear to him. Jake lost his grandfather some years back in a slow and undignified process. His grandfather had been a vocal supporter of the right to die with dignity so his being denied that right was particularly difficult for Jake. The post AS63: Euthanasia with Jake Farr-Wharton appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

We have a very special guest on today’s show! Lydia joins me to start on a long journey through the history of Christianity. We’ll be working through the book A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years which I heard Christopher Hitchens recommend in a debate video. Lydia brings the research and I’m sure I bring … Continue reading AS62: History of Christianity, Part 1 → The post AS62: History of Christianity, Part 1 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Lots to talk about this episode! Catching up on listener comments and reexamining some of the major stories of recent times. It has been quite the depressing month of news. Cool new segment coming up on Thursday, and an exclusive interview with Tracey Moody coming up on Bonus Content! Better sign up at http://patreon.com/atheist ! The post AS61: Tommentary Time appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Part 2 of my discussion with author CJ Werleman. His new book is Atheists Can’t Be Republicans, If Facts and Evidence Matter. http://www.amazon.com/Atheists-Cant-Be-Republicans-Evidence/dp/1908675276 Atheistically Speaking ventures into rare political territory! This discussion is sure to spur opinions, make sure to leave them on the facebook page or on the website! The post AS60: Atheists Can’t Be Republicans, with CJ Werleman, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

PZ Myers has really lost me. I had no previous reason to dislike him until he wrote the following two posts: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/08/12/robin-williams-brings-joy-to-the-hearts-of-journalists-and-politicians-once-again/ http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/08/13/even-atheists-have-sacred-cows/ Plus, we welcome back the great CJ Werleman! He has a recent book about why atheists cannot be Republicans. http://www.amazon.com/Atheists-Cant-Be-Republicans-Evidence/dp/1908675276 Find out why! The post AS59: PZ Myers Tommentary; CJ Werleman Part 1 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

I’m doing something new here on Atheistically Speaking! I’m summarizing and reading selections from the first reading of The Portable Atheist. I really enjoyed doing this and I think it could be a great chance for us all to learn some new stuff together and be exposed to more brilliant writing. Please let me know … Continue reading AS58: The Portable Atheist, Part 1 → The post AS58: The Portable Atheist, Part 1 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Richard Dawkins Twitter Explosion What in the world is Richard Dawkins Twitter up to? As you likely will have read/heard by now, Dawkins tweeted several tweets that had people in uproar. Essentially, he said that asserting x is bad but y is worse is not an endorsement of x. Why was this such a problem? … Continue reading AS57: Richard Dawkins Twitter Explosion → The post AS57: Richard Dawkins Twitter Explosion appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Scathing Atheist on Israel-Palestine Scathing Atheist Noah joins me to help wade through the incredibly polarized world of Israel-Palestine commentary. It’s likely you already have a staunch opinion on this conflict, if you’re anything like mine and Noah’s Facebook/Twitter friends. The focus of this show is to do my best to take an unbiased approach … Continue reading AS56: Scathing Atheist on the Israel-Palestine Conflict, Part 2 → The post AS56: Scathing Atheist on the Israel-Palestine Conflict, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Scathing Atheist on Israel-Palestine Scathing Atheist Noah joins me to help wade through the incredibly polarized world of Israel-Palestine commentary. It’s likely you already have a staunch opinion on this conflict, if you’re anything like mine and Noah’s Facebook/Twitter friends. The focus of this show is to do my best to take an unbiased approach … Continue reading AS55: Scathing Atheist on the Israel-Palestine Conflict → The post AS55: Scathing Atheist on the Israel-Palestine Conflict appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Free Will with Ryan Born This week we’ve got Ryan Born, who you may remember as the winner of the Sam Harris essay contest. Ryan is a philosopher who runs the blog http://pointofcontroversy.com. Last time we spoke, Ryan had a ton to teach us about Moral Philosophy. This time though, we’re here to discuss a very … Continue reading AS54: Free Will with Ryan Born, Part 2 → The post AS54: Free Will with Ryan Born, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Free Will with Ryan Born This week we’ve got Ryan Born, who you may remember as the winner of the Sam Harris essay contest. Ryan is a philosopher who runs the blog http://pointofcontroversy.com. Last time we spoke, Ryan had a ton to teach us about Moral Philosophy. This time though, we’re here to discuss a … Continue reading AS53: Free Will with Ryan Born → The post AS53: Free Will with Ryan Born appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? This week I have two guests on the show with the experience to answer this important question. First there’s Mike of the Digression Sessions Podcast, http://digressionsessions.com/. Mike was a very precocious alcoholic who was able to hit rock bottom at the impressive age of 21. Just in time to actually legally … Continue reading AS52: Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? Part 2 → The post AS52: Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? This week I have two guests on the show with the experience to answer this important question. First there’s Mike of the Digression Sessions Podcast, http://digressionsessions.com/. Mike was a very precocious alcoholic who was able to hit rock bottom at the impressive age of 21. Just in time to actually legally … Continue reading AS51: Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? → The post AS51: Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

I continue the discussion of free will, covering a ton more territory. The debate between Harris and Dennett got a little bit hostile and I wish Dennett had written another response to Harris. In this episode I’ve got tons of thought experiments that I think outline the difficulties of the problem. I think I have … Continue reading AS50: Free Will, Part 2 of 2.5 → The post AS50: Free Will, Part 2 of 2.5 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

This week I’m going to attempt to tackle the topic of free will! This is a favorite of mine. Do we have free will? Who was right in the debate between Harris and Dennett? Does determinism by definition negate free will or is there some way that they are, one might say, compatible? This is … Continue reading AS49: Free Will, Part 1 of …. → The post AS49: Free Will, Part 1 of …. appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

This week we have Justin Schieber who I’m sure all of my listeners know from Reasonable Doubts, http://doubtcast.org! His website though is http://Justinsweh.com where you’ll find some great debate videos and other content. For Thursday’s show we ventured deeper into counter apologetics and religious philosophy. I loved this discussion! Don’t miss it! The post AS48: Nonresistant Unbeliever Justin Schieber, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

This week we have Justin Schieber who I’m sure all of my listeners know from Reasonable Doubts, http://doubtcast.org! His website though is http://Justinsweh.com where you’ll find some great debate videos and other content. Justin is a perfect guest for Atheistically Speaking because he brings a calm, well-read and meticulous approach to religious philosophy. Tune in as … Continue reading AS47: Nonresistant Unbeliever Justin Schieber → The post AS47: Nonresistant Unbeliever Justin Schieber appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

Is consequentialism the obvious choice for moral theory? Well not according to most philosophers. But then again, no one theory is the obvious choice for philosophers. They are split 3 ways. What are we to make of this? Hear Thomas’s thoughts on moral philosophy and consequentialism in particular in light of last week’s episodes featuring … Continue reading AS46: Moral Philosophy → The post AS46: Moral Philosophy appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

We’ve gone a ton of shows in a row with demanding, intellectual topics. While this is definitely my favorite thing to do, occasionally it’s good to mix it up a little! So today is a more lighthearted topic: soccer. Is Ann Coulter right when she says it’s a liberal conspiracy to ruin America? No. It’s … Continue reading AS45: Religion and Sports → The post AS45: Religion and Sports appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

We continue our talk with the winner of Sam Harris’s essay contest, Ryan Born! We have a very enlightening discussion of philosophy, specifically moral philosophy. Is Sam Harris right when he says that science can determine moral values? Is wellbeing really the bottom line objective in terms of morality? These are some of the many questions … Continue reading AS44: The Moral Landscape, with Ryan Born, Part 2 → The post AS44: The Moral Landscape, with Ryan Born, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

This week we have the winner of Sam Harris’s essay contest, Ryan Born! We have a very enlightening discussion of philosophy, specifically moral philosophy. Is Sam Harris right when he says that science can determine moral values? Is wellbeing really the bottom line objective in terms of morality? These are some of the many questions … Continue reading AS43: The Moral Landscape, with Ryan Born → The post AS43: The Moral Landscape, with Ryan Born appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

On today’s show we have The Moody Atheist for a first ever Atheistically Speaking book review segment! It’s not just a simple review though, we go in depth into A Manual for Creating Atheists, by Peter Boghossian. Is it a bit insulting to believers? Is it a little too evangelical in nature or is it … Continue reading AS42: Creating Atheists with Tracey Moody → The post AS42: Creating Atheists with Tracey Moody appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

We’re joined by Hemant Mehta! We talk about a range of topics, first focusing on what it means to be friendly as an atheist and how that plays out for Hemant. Then, we talk about the recent Ken Ham related incident where Hemant’s book, The Young Atheist’s Survival Guide, was involved in a bit of controversy. … Continue reading AS41: Friendly Atheist, Hemant Mehta! → The post AS41: Friendly Atheist, Hemant Mehta! appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

We continue the conversation with ex-Jehovah’s Witness Harley, @secularlad. Such a gripping story. I can’t even imagine having to go through the loss of friends and family to the extent that Harley has simply because he no longer buys into absolute nonsense. Make sure to check out http://atheisticallyspeaking.com/trial for a free month of premium content! The post AS40: Ex-Witness Harley appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

First we have a follow up with Blake from last week, fresh off his appearance on Dogma Debate. Then, we begin a very gripping and engaging interview with Harley, an ex-Jehovah’s Witness who has somewhat recently come out atheist. This is no easy task and there have been many challenges and heartbreaks for him along … Continue reading AS39: Blake Follow Up, Ex-Witness Harley → The post AS39: Blake Follow Up, Ex-Witness Harley appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

I continue my debate with Blake Giunta. Can an immaterial mind even exist? Seems ridiculous to me, but let’s see what Blake has to say about that! Then, I do a bit of a post-mortem on the debate, as well as discuss several listener comments. Thanks for all the feedback and participation! Blake’s impressive website: http://treesearch.org/ … Continue reading AS38: Debate with Blake Giunta, Part 2 → The post AS38: Debate with Blake Giunta, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

This week I have an apologist on for my second debate! Blake Giunta was a recent guest on Dogma Debate where he attempted to talk philosophy while 3 people completely rejected the very legitimacy of philosophy. I’ve promised him that won’t happen here though! Blake’s impressive website. Blake’s twitter: @BlakeGiunta The post AS37: Debate with Blake Giunta appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

In this episode we finish off the interview with the great Massimo Pigliucci. There’s much more back and forth in this part, which was a lot of fun for me. We discuss Sam Harris and how exactly we make moral decisions. After that, I have a lot to say on the entire interview. I think … Continue reading AS36: Scientism, with Massimo Pigliucci, Part 2 → The post AS36: Scientism, with Massimo Pigliucci, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

At long last, the interview with Massimo Pigliucci! First, we discuss a recent article by Massimo regarding Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s dismissal and contempt for philosophy. This article can be found on his new “webzine” here: http://scientiasalon.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/neil-degrasse-tyson-and-the-value-of-philosophy/ Also, his twitter handle is @mpigliucci After that, we begin the discussion on scientism and the New Atheists. That … Continue reading AS35: Scientism, with Massimo Pigliucci → The post AS35: Scientism, with Massimo Pigliucci appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

We continue the discussion with Thomas Wells. Wells has some concerns about the New Atheism movement. Are they too much like the religious? Are there better ways they should be going about getting their message out? Find out what this well-reasoned and well-spoken philosopher has to say! His article can be found here: http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2014/05/07/3999576.htm And … Continue reading AS34: Why I’m Not An Atheist, with Thomas Wells, Part 2 → The post AS34: Why I’m Not An Atheist, with Thomas Wells, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

In this episode, I have Thomas Wells on to talk about his article Why I’m Not An Atheist. Wells has some concerns about the New Atheism movement. Are they too much like the religious? Are there better ways they should be going about getting their message out? Find out what this well-reasoned and well-spoken philosopher … Continue reading AS33: Why I’m Not An Atheist, with Thomas Wells → The post AS33: Why I’m Not An Atheist, with Thomas Wells appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

In this episode I have part 2 of Jake Farr-Wharton on to discuss the death penalty. You can find him on Twitter @JakeFarrWharton and of course his podcast, The Imaginary Friends Show is on iTunes and elsewhere. After that I discuss a great comment left on the website by @SallyStrange regarding feminism and Greta Christina. … Continue reading AS32: Death Penalty with Jake Farr-Wharton, Part 2 → The post AS32: Death Penalty with Jake Farr-Wharton, Part 2 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

In this episode, I do my longest Tommentary yet on the terrible situation in Nigeria. Can we finally blame religion for this one or is it still just geopolitics? Here are some links discussed: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/may/09/behind-rise-nigeria-boko-haram-climate-disaster-peak-oil-depletion http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/Climate_Change_Nigeria.pdf Then, I have the great friend of the show, Jake Farr-Wharton, on to discuss the death penalty. You can … Continue reading AS31: Death Penalty with Jake Farr-Wharton, Part 1 → The post AS31: Death Penalty with Jake Farr-Wharton, Part 1 appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

We begin with part 2 of my debate with Elijiah T! You can find his blog here: http://hashtagapologetics.wordpress.com/ And on Twitter @elijiaht After that I give an analysis of the debate and what I was trying to accomplish. If anyone knows of other believers who are willing to have a discussion with an atheist, point … Continue reading AS30: Debate with Elijiah T, Supreme Court Fail → The post AS30: Debate with Elijiah T, Supreme Court Fail appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.

AS28 received a ton of feedback. So many people felt comfortable to confess their possible unpopular opinions, which I look at as a great accomplishment for the show. In a very long Tommentary, I talk about all the messages I received about the show, and make several points about feminism and atheism, again. Also, don’t … Continue reading AS29: Reaction to Reaction to Greta Christina, and Debate with Elijiah T → The post AS29: Reaction to Reaction to Greta Christina, and Debate with Elijiah T appeared first on Atheistically Speaking.