TheThinkingAtheist

Dr. Peter Boghossian and Anthony Magnabosco discuss talking people out of their faith, reconnecting philosophy with science, the relationship between faith and hope, reflecting on beliefs and questioning faith, and growing up with conflicting religious beliefs.

Halloween is almost upon us, which means it's time again to turn down the lights, crank up the podcast, and share some ghost stories.Yes, skeptics can enjoy ghost stories, and this annual tradition has become hugely popular with the TTA audience.  So prepare to enter a world of ghosts, ghouls, footsteps in the dark, whispers from under the bed, and things that go bump in the night.Happy Halloween!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Why do we become afraid?  Is it rational or irrational to fear the dark, spiders, the boogeyman, the things that go bump in the night?It's October, the month of frights. So, a week in advance of our Ghost Stories episode, we expore the concept of fear, and we talk about the things that keep us awake in the still of the night (or in the light of the day).  Special thanks to our special guest: Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez of Stanford University.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Christianity.  Where did it come from?  Who wrote the books of the Bible?  Is there any evidence for a god or man named Jesus?  Why has Christianity remained so popular over the ages?  This podcast features two interviews, conducted by Seth Andrews, with historians and researchers who speak about the origins the New Testament Gospels, the ever-changing face of Christianity, history versus myth, and the Jesus storyIn separate interviews, David Fitzgerald and Dr. Robert Carrier each tackle the Bible and its deity.  VIDEO VERSIONS ON YouTube:DR. CARRIER:  https://youtu.be/WXou9IcH2BE  FITZGERALD:  https://youtu.be/DgPrKHsRpJ8  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.audiblepodcast.com/thinkingatheistMuhammad Syed is the executive director and Sarah Haider is director of development of Ex-Muslims of North America.  Both are former Muslims.  Armin Navabi is a former Muslim from Iran and the founder of Atheist Republic.In this broadcast, the panel speaks with Seth Andrews about Islam, radical Islamism, cultural Muslims, "The Religion of Peace," the widely conflicting perspectives on Islam, and the difficult and often dangerous road faced by the apostate.Ex-Muslims of North America:  http://www.exmna.orgAtheist Republic:  http://www.atheistrepublic.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistChris Matheson was co-screenwriter on the 1989 comedy film, "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure."  Chris' most recent adventure is an exploration of the Christian holy book, rewriting the "sacred" texts and releasing his synopsis of scripture as the new book, "The Story of God: a Biblical Comedy about Love (and Hate).In this broadcast, Seth speaks with Chris about his sarcastic (yet accurate) take on the Bible, and he finishes the show by reading an excerpt from the book.  Enjoy.CHRIS' BOOK ON AMAZON:  http://www.amazon.com/Story-God-Biblical-Comedy-about/dp/1634310241/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442329908&sr=8-1&keywords=the+story+of+godBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  audiblepodcast.com/thinkingatheistA listener on the TTA Facebook page recently asked Seth Andrews to respond to a "Letter to the Editor" posted in Seth's hometown paper, the Tulsa World.  Usually, as skeptics, we let these kinds of posts slide, because they often don't accomplish much and/or they generate more trouble that they're worth.But in this case, Seth responded, and this show chronicles the exchange, the fallout, and the curious tactics of the indignant commenters who couldn't prove the god they were defending.Yes...it's a rant.  (Gonna be one of those shows.)  Enjoy.Sam Harris: An Atheist Manifesto:  http://www.truthdig.com/dig/item/200512_an_atheist_manifestoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistGretta Vosper has been an atheist for many years, and she preaches/teaches from the perspective of a Bible skeptic, a rationalist, a humanist, and a non-believer in a literal god.  Now, the United Church of Canada is considering her removal from church leadership because of her atheism.  In this broadcast, we talk with Gretta personally and ask: Why does an atheist minister belong in a church? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Support our sponsor:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheistPenn Jillette is half of the hugely popular duo, "Penn & Teller."  Over the decades, he's done appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, Letterman, The Simpsons, The West Wing, Babylon 5, Fear Factor and a host of other shows.  Penn & Teller's Showtime series "Bullshit" ran for 8 seasons, and they're the feature show at Las Vegas' Rio casino.  Penn, like his on-stage partner, is a fearless critic of the Bible and claims of the supernatural.In advance of his appearance at Apostacon in Dallas on September 18, 2015, Penn Jillette joined Seth Andrews for a casual conversation about God, atheism, magic and much more.Penn & Teller website:  http://pennandteller.netPenn's Sunday School:  http://pennsundayschool.comApostacon:  http://www.apostacon.orghttp://www.apostacon.orgVIDEO of this interview:  https://youtu.be/2lbBtUcJ1y0Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.harrys.com (coupon code: thinkingatheist)Relating to Chaos Theory, the term "butterfly effect" relates to the tiniest of influences leading to large differences in deterministic nonlinear systems.  One incarnation of the saying suggests that one flap of a single butterfly's wings in Beijing might change the weather in New York.  (Perhaps you remember Jurassic Park's Ian Malcolm waxing about Chaos Theory in advance of the park's inevitable meltdown.)We're not spending much time on the hard science of Chaos Theory.  This show is more interested in the stories - the human stories - about the small intersections of life, the tiny changes, the unexpected encounters which changed the trajectory of people's lives.What was a moment or encounter which seemed inconsequential at the moment, but ultimately came to re-frame and re-define you?  Share your stories and perspective at podcast@thethinkingatheist.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.