In this episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores the rise of the religiously unaffiliated, a group that has grown dramatically over the past two decades. Drawing from his research, interviews, and the documentary, Becoming Truly Human, he examines the beliefs, intuitions, and spiritual instincts that shape this rapidly expanding demographic.
Far from simple atheism, the world of the “nones” is complex, morally serious, and often deeply spiritual. This lecture begins a three-part series unpacking who they are, what they believe, and how meaningful dialogue might be possible.
This is part 1 of 3 on the religiously unaffiliated, or "nones".
Do you want to watch the Becoming Truly Human documentary? Watch it along with other exclusive content on Jacobs Premium. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount on the highest tier. There's also monthly Q&As and book club meetings: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/store
Life Itself movie trailer (excluded due to copyright): https://youtu.be/b5kwtJkUdpA?si=xw-ismXHDk6-SIh9
Timestamps:
00:00 - Opening
06:09 - Introducing Dr. Nathan Jacobs
09:16 - Becoming Truly Human
16:37 - Outline
19:56 - Trailer for documentary
21:44 - Misconceptions
25:43 - The modern religious debate
30:06 - The numinous
38:52 - What nones believe: 1. Karma
43:22 - Things happen for a reason
46:45 - Life Itself
51:47 - What nones believe: 2. A higher power
53:07 - The moral objection to Christianity
57:21 - What are the nones rejecting?
01:00:11 - Belief in paranormal
01:01:29 - What the nones believe: 3. Spirituality
01:05:27 - What the nones believe: 4. Afterlife
01:11:27 - Q&A: Discerning between intuition and feeling
01:14:18 - Q: Family issues among the nones
01:16:53 - Q: Mental health concerns
01:18:58 - Q: Sample selection
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All the links:
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Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs
YouTube link to this same episode: https://youtu.be/vun_XtxDt5E
