An Ex-Christian Q&A (Inside the Ark Encounter)

Two atheists visit Ken Ham's Ark Encounter. What could go wrong?
Growing up young earth creationist, I'd always dreamed about seeing Noah's ark in real life. As an evolution-accepting atheist these days, I'm still fascinated by the world wide flood myth. Answers in Genesis, which also founded the Creation Museum, has expanded the lore surrounding an ancient myth so intricately that some people think a literalist reading of Genesis is scientifically verified, with the hard proof housed inside a life-sized recreation of the Ark in the middle of Kentucky. My trip there was... a trip.
Here, I decided to explore my viewers' questions about my life as a (former) devoted Christian fundamentalist while surrounded by quite possibly the most extreme display of loyalty to Biblical literalism and creationism there is. Enjoy the Q&A!
------------------------------------------FOLLOW------------------------------------------
Twitter: / gm_skeptic
Facebook: / gmskeptic
Discord: / discord
------------------------------------------SUPPORT------------------------------------------
Patreon: / geneticallymodifiedske...
PayPal: www.paypal.me/GMSkeptic
------------------------------------------Resources for atheists in need------------------------------------------
Find a Secular Therapist: www.seculartherapy.org
Recovering from Religion helps connect those who are leaving or have left their religion with support, resources and community: www.recoveringfromreligion.or...
Resources for Ex-Mu’s: exmuslims.org/join-us/
This video contains 100% therapeutic grade skepticism.*
*This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA

[@davidroosa4561]

ATTENTION RELIGIOUS PEOPLE you're not going to change an atheist's mind by quoting the bible to him. or telling him he was never a real Christian

[@bartimisfoul3459]

At this point, I could care less if someone finds salvation. It's war, and they have declared themselves my enemy.

[@DavyDavePapi]

@@bartimisfoul3459 bruh what 💀💀 who are you referring to

[@angelakelly3679]

@@bartimisfoul3459 what on earth are you talking about? 🤭

[@bloobiebutternuts7613]

@@bartimisfoul3459 wow sounds especially jesus-y of you to say that.... SARCASM

[@mgscheue]

@@bartimisfoul3459 Gosh, you seem nice… 🙄

[@nayR5]

“Imagine a godless world. Full of sorrow, disease, bloodshed, and death.” Sounds a lot like our world.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

Christian Nationalists are trying to install Yahweh in the White House using their imaginations.

[@Krikenemp18]

They still haven't caught on that all their examples of what it would look like if God and absolute morality were real don't reflect reality, and all the examples of what it would look like if God wasn't real and morality was subjective do reflect reality. They keep proposing these examples but then stop before evaluating them and instead assume them true.

[@waxsee6921]

Wrong logic. The fact the "something" came to exist like sorrow, etc., is the proof the a God exist.. .. Everything wont exist out of nothing.. Theory of evolution proves it.. The theory cant explain how the single-celled organisms came to exist..

[@waxsee6921]

@rvidal0001 study astrophysics. What your saying could probably true. I agree. But study more, I advice.

[@waxsee6921]

@rvidal0001 i have two degrees, physics and chemistry..im working as a chemist and part time physics professor..

[@ghostofabody]

I'm an atheist in the closet, and my family is heavily invested in the Creation Museum and the Ark. One family member works there full time leading the art department, two others volunteer, and I got to watch my dad create one of the old kiosk games.......... It's so fun🙃

[@JamesRichardWiley]

I waited until my Catholic mother died before I began defending my non belief to my family. I mostly ended up by myself posting atheist arguments on Creationists you tube videos.

[@raymondcarter1137]

I’m guessing they control the life of the employees as ridiculous as a cult. Tell your family member that they have a friend of opposite sex is picking them up because of car trouble. Let them see for themselves the reaction. The reason I know what is going to happen is because former employees spoke out. But if you think it’s useless then just remember it’s not your fault because that’s what cults do.

[@stopgont7360]

you can destroy the structure from it's insides

[@ghostofabody]

@@stopgont7360 Yes.

[@Dianasaurthemelonlord7777]

And are places of lies

[@akorn9943]

Just that image of the father dying a horrible death at 12:20 and saying “it’s okay, these terrible things are our fault,” is just so sad man, it sounds so much like abusive relationship talk and I just can’t believe so many people think that this is the life that an all loving God wants for us.

[@slevinchannel7589]

GMS is the single most polite Atheist-Channel, but what if i told you that is Strength and Weakness? Both? A lot of stuff has to be harshly criticized in the world we live in, that's just fact. That's why i usually say Atheist-Channel are like a Puzzle. Please be aware you need a Balanced Diet, which includes Goofballs like Sir Sic and Darkmatter, just like it includes those like Viced Rhino and Telltale.

[@lisadetweiler8700]

Jesus died on the cross for us!!! That's how much He loves you!! He nailed everything to the cross and said it is finished! God will not be mocked 😐

[@paul20g20]

We genetically mutated our foods and started having unhealthy life styles for 100s of years. We mingled with people who genetically had dormant cancerous genes and mixed it with each other. We were made perfect but because we like to sin for our pleasure, we cursed our future offspring. This has nothing to do with God but science explains it.

[@jacopomorini8915]

@@lisadetweiler8700 how can a pig be crucified ?

[@catbox1677]

@@lisadetweiler8700 did you watch the video? dude what

[@koyokalyn]

Wow, "I don't allow one sided relationships in my life, so if someone treats me with less respect than my character has earned... I don't bother with them any more." Is some wisdom I was not prepared for in a video about the ark encounter!

[@JamesRichardWiley]

Ken is a perfect example of how religion damages the logic circuits of the cerebral cortex and the viral impact it has on children and vulnerable adults.

[@eziospaghettiauditore8369]

Are you supporting the continuation of abusive relationships?

[@mischarowe]

It is indeed.

[@tonylelavallois5950]

Wise for morons with no abstract thinking maybe.

[@koyokalyn]

@@eziospaghettiauditore8369 Not any more - my parents are both narcissistic and prefer for our relationship to be one sided... I'm just now realizing that this is far more than just disagreements between them and I. They straight up told me that they see no problem with never accommodating me and that they expect to never have to compromise/make accommodations. It was really helpful to hear how GM put it in his video, clearly he has had a similar experience with someone.

[@ShotgunLlama]

Isn't this the place that tried to sue their insurance for not covering flood damage?

[@Payne2view]

There was a collapse of a piece of bank along one of the access roads I think, due to heavy rain. I don't think it was the "boat shaped on one side shed" that got damaged.

[@calebcain4729]

I'm betting they aren't covered for acts of god...

[@ferociousfeind8538]

yeah, unfortunately, it was the dirt roads and paths leading up to the Ark that were damaged due to the flooding. The structure itself does, indeed, include modern enough architecture to resist the sort of damage any sort of boat- that a hypothetical Noah and his family could've possibly ever constructed- would've taken during a global flood.

[@davekreskowiak3258]

@@ferociousfeind8538 Yeah, like all those steel bolts and plates holding everything together. That's quite period accurate. (Not!)

[@ferociousfeind8538]

@@davekreskowiak3258 and yet not a single creationist saw how much effort it took to make this fake mockup of what one half of the Ark could potentially look like, and decided that perhaps it's all bullshit. :(

[@paulmcconnell7405]

"God sent himself to sacrifice himself to himself to save humanity from the torment he said we deserve for breaking rules he designed while knowing completely that we weren't even capable of following them to his satisfaction." I've heard many variations of this same point, but this one was very well laid out. Nice.

[@radiocinema1819]

It´s so frustrating the dinosaurs inside this Ark are more high-budget and far more scientifically accurate than the museums in my city. Give me those! You are wasting them!

[@Damienn1776]

DEADASS THO, that legit pissed me off the most, especially as it means most of the exhibitions are real interpretations of genuine archeology mixed in with religious bullshit

[@deshrektives]

Go see them, then.

[@gorefieldluvr6921]

Someone should steal them hahahaha

[@chuckoneill2023]

According to some people (who know this stuff) a lot of them aren't accurate --- for example, no feathers on dinosaurs we know had them.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

I don't understand why the dinosaurs are on the Ark. Surely the reason why they died out is because they overslept and didn't get there in time to be saved... from the flood... that was supposed to be about 4,200 to 4,100 years ago.... when the archaeological evidence shows that there was a huge *drought,* lasting more than a century, happened, instead...

[@AlexJewellAlex]

“That god sent himself to sacrifice himself to himself to save humanity from the torment he said we deserve, for breaking rules he designed while knowing completely we weren’t even capable of following them to his satisfaction.” Lol what a golden nugget. As someone who also grew up evangelical, I identified with so much of this. Thank you!

[@engineering5090]

You have to think bit differently about sacrificing self to self. In future human (coder) can exist in three different levels, physically in our universe, thoughts etc. in code/settings he made for virtual universe and inside the virtual universe as virtual being. What are direct writings from God in bible and what are written by humans? If I remember correct only 10 command are directly from God and not trough human. Why evolution proves God and Christianity wrong? Earht really doesnt have to be young (does time even exist) Evolution can be true and nothing in bible excludes these scientific truths. Do people really think that creator of our universe should have make people write technically detailed accurate and precise history and "blueprints" of our reality? Think about your new smart phones manual, it doesn't tel you lot about gsm specifications yet just those specifications have more data to read than person have time to read in lifetime. Why not just inject information to all of us? We would not be free beings, we couldn hadle it. Could someone think really wanting or being capable for direct inputs from God and living life "normally" after it? Nothing inside our universe cannot prove that God doesn't exist. We do not have any kind of interface out of this sandbox of ours. It is also futile to try convince Gods existence to atheists with bible or anything else. As silly it might seem only really advanced and genious future technology will prove concept of God to be true, quite oppisite what many have tought to happen. What im writing about is of course virtual being with consciousnes and emotional intelligence placed in virtual "universe" or what they will call it. Settings could be exactly same as we are experiencing and have now.

[@chaschoune]

@engineer ing So much BS in three paragraphs. What are the evidence of your three levels of existence? The commandments were given by a human (Moses) but supposedly come from a god. How do you know it even comes from a god? Evolution does not prove god or Christianity wrong. It proves the creation story in the bible false if you take it literally. Do you have any evidence there is a creator of our universe? How do you know the future will prove god exist? It seems, to the contrary, that more knowledge means less religious people.

[@engineering5090]

Even with todays limited technology you can have three level of existence. 1 You sit infront of your coding desk thats all of you . 2 your thoughts, ideas, desires what ever input you made to your virtual world code. It is part of you, disconnect thought. Trought your input information/doings etc you exist even after your physical self (1)is gone. 3. You inside virtual world, thoughts and mind can be yours from direct connection to(1) virtual helmet etc. In future might also be possible to "copy" information from your brain to virtual version of you. It is impossible to have technically accurate creation story in Bible. No one would have enough time to read it and no one would have understand anything of it 2000 years ago. I cannot prove anything from Bible writings but still it is quite right in its simplicity. Firs was nothing then came light. Then came all matter: gas, solid and liquid. After oceans there came plants (not so accurate) then animals and last human. I could say its like universe was not fine tuned for life, life was fine tuned to universe. Futures undeniable proof for concept of God to be true is our own made virtual universe with conscious virtual beings. How many years its still going to take, I cannot give accurate answer but we are definitely heading faster and faster to it.

[@chaschoune]

@@engineering5090 A lot of BS. 1) You exist or you don't, that's all. Analogies are not evidence of anything. 2) There are evidence the creation account in the bible is wrong. No need to know everything to know that. 3) Life is fine tuned to survive in its environment. It is called evolution 4) Nobobdy knows the future. And certainly nodody has proven our universe is virtual. You can invent anything in your mind, but that does not make it true. As I said, you talk BS.

[@engineering5090]

@@chaschoune Read more, much more and try to learn manage your anger, that helps thinking and learning. Even with todays tehconoly we can have AI virtual human or robot that is very difficult to figure out is there "real"human behind it or is it just AI. I know it can be frustrating and hard to accept that what you think is simply certain can be much more complicated than it appears. Even tough it should be impossible to prove virtual universe/simulation what you call it inside the system, still it seems that math is giving hints to that direction: www.space.com/32543-universe-a-simulation-asimov-debate.html If this eases your mind you still can keep on arguing who is God of God after we have proven concept of God to be true. Tough atheims has to be altered, todays definition is wrong then.

[@amurrjuan]

The sexual tension between Christians and the word “encounter...”

[@nemo9864]

The Priest Encounter. Ages 12 and below.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

The Ark Encounter is a test of the logic circuits of the Christian brain.

[@amurrjuan]

@@nemo9864 lmaooooo 🤣🤣

[@amurrjuan]

@@JamesRichardWiley what logic circuits?

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

@@amurrjuan Christ chips inside

[@akgamer1825]

"you just left because you want to sin" Ah yes, I turned down an eternity of bliss for 80 years of fun and then an eternity of unbearable pain.

[@curiousnerdkitteh]

Good point, it's VERY revealing when they say that, that maybe deep down they're not sure they believe either, it's more like a hope they've convinced themselves of/a fear they can't go against. From having been a very dogmatic evangelical I remember what was going through my head when other people got to do what they wanted, be happy and have fun without any apparent consequence and without me receiving any "reward" for my self sacrifice: envy, and self-loathing for how I felt towards them. I'd want to see them encounter some level of suffering to "draw them back to God" because I was taught that true happiness could only be found with God and that we had to guard against being deceived by the appearance of happiness when deep down they were not happy. But they sure as hell looked happy, not living under this condemnatory religion which demanded everything from them even loyalty at the level of one's own thoughts and a denial of the "luxury" of questioning, as that would have been a sin of unbelief in God. Only when I realised that I was not going to hell for questioning did I actually start allowing myself to listen to those doubts, but that fear ruled me for decades.

[@curiousnerdkitteh]

Yeah it's bizarre they could say that. Before I became an atheist, back when I was an evangelical I was afraid even to get angry at someone without instantly forgiving them in case I died right at that moment with unforgiveness in my heart and then went to hell for eternity. It just wasn't worth it. But I guess they struggle to understand that some people genuinely don't believe the same thing, just as many atheists struggle to conceive of the fact that many Christians don't believe what they do out of choice but because of an actual, fear-filled genuine belief. It's weird how both groups think the other group is "choosing" what they want to believe based on convenience because they can't see the vastly different informational contexts each other comes from.

[@Lisorael]

Next time anyone claims that, ask them what they mean, specifically, so you can refute each "sin". Eventually, they will always come back to human rights. Remember, thinking for yourself, supporting gay rights, and treating women equally, are all considered sins too. The more vulgar stuff is a smokescreen.

[@Drooblemeister]

@@curiousnerdkitteh I’m sorry to hear that you were taught if you become angry at someone you will ‘lose your salvation’! You are right, it is possible to never sin and never become angry, whoever says God doesn’t love us when we blow it or mess up doesn’t really understand the gospel very well or the whole point of Jesus dying on the cross in the first place!

[@joshuaa7266]

@@Drooblemeister Why was a sacrifice needed at all? And yes, I know Christians say it's because of "sin." But I want to know why a sacrifice is needed because of sin. Why can't God just snap it away? Isn't he all-powerful? Can he, or can he not make sin go away instantly without any negative side effects?

[@_Booker_DeWitt]

Imagine being a kid being taken through this ark, growing up firmly believing dinosaurs were in coliseums with humans, horses came out of tornados and trees instantly materialized out of the ground. And that kid becoming an adult with all of this insane shit drilled into their head... and we live alongside people like this, that may seem normal but exist in a completely different reality in their head. It's bizarre to think about.

[@kasperpedersen1527]

Its scary.

[@Texasguy316]

You’d be out debated by a Christian. Men find themselves to be “so wise” yet they’re truly foolish. Most Christian’s grew up very secular and humanistic, so we relate deeply to the adults who are still children blinded by secularism. So your statement is actually backwards. These “kids” grow up to find the adults who’ve been converted.

[@waynesitarz424]

"Imagine a Godless World Full Of Sorrow, Disease, Bloodshed and Death". OK What's the difference?

[@redhollow9079]

absolutely nothing

[@neoasura]

In that case, then whats wrong with believing? If the world is screwed either way, why do atheists constantly try to demean and push their beliefs onto Christians?

[@terrythompson2461]

In that case, then whats wrong with not believing? If the world is screwed either way, why do Evangelicals constantly try to demean and push their beliefs onto non-Christians?

[@williamchamberlain2263]

@@neoasura in that case why are you denying the obvious sovereignty of Lord Shiva?

[@danielvodo1]

@@terrythompson2461 difference between Evangelicals and atheists is that Evangelicals won't murder you for not believing. Anywhere atheists take power Christians are tortured and murdered for not recanting. Be it USSR , CCP, Italy and Germany etc. Coming from a Christian whos grandfather was destroyed by the Russian athiest State barely 40 years ago. It comes down to I find, people not wanting to separate from their sin

[@andrewdarnley4608]

I keep wondering where Noah kept the termites.

[@deductivereasoning4257]

They lingered on all the trees that didn't get mashed into crude oil...

[@alejandrorojas1423]

Metal Box. Then you feed them with sticks and sawdust.

[@andrewm.1623]

Jars

[@PhoenixPlaneswalker]

IN the ark

[@ToabyToastbrot]

And the beavers?

[@steveneagan3953]

As a kid I always questioned how Noah kept the Arctic animals comfortable when they didn't have a way to make ice. And I wondered where he put all the microscopic organisms. The Bible doesn't mention anything about them. I wonder if God even knows, or cares, about them. 🤨

[@LolSumor]

Think about fish who didnt get into the arc :(

[@aliensoup2420]

None of that matters - or anything else in the Bible - God did it with his god magic, and that is all you need to believe. Obedience is the primary issue, not understanding.

[@ashlynnsmith369]

they had a sign that said polar bears didn’t need to be cold and they weren’t made yet lol i hated going it felt like a bunch of made up bullshit

[@colatf2]

Yea, literally most of insect life would be completely wiped out because almost no insect can stand salt water for the full duration of their lifespan. And not only insects, but also arachnids and all other bugs. God only cared about land mammals????

[@amramjose]

I wonder what did it take to keep Trex and Velocirator from running amuck and eating or killing everything in sight...

[@MrLeviathan34]

The Carnotaurus in the gladiator pit really got me. 10/10 very funny museum

[@kurtjk01]

Agreed. I instantly thought: "What a great scene for a fantasy movie! I'd pay good money to see something like that!"

[@singingway]

Yes, however are they justifying that? Dinosaurs and people -- at the same time in history?

[@MrLeviathan34]

@@singingway yes.

[@alalalala57]

@@singingway Remember the age of the Earth thing. The timeline just got squished, I guess.

[@marcomoreno6748]

That would unironically be a kickass game/movie.

[@cielrobinson]

lived in kentucky my whole life, and heard about this, uh, experience, except didn't want to give them my money. thank you man for taking one for the team

[@msn769]

@@nobody-ti4mw is listening to your claptrap..

[@anime.soundtracks]

GMO 3:16 for drew so loved the atheists he gave his money to this exhibit & record it so that other atheists don`t need to contribute just to see what's inside

[@anime.soundtracks]

@Andrei Salvaleon right.. idk why GMO keeps popping in my mind instead

[@herbiehancock7901]

Live like 5 minutes from it and never have been in it.

[@gunsandpolitics5510]

I was a youngster in Sunday school 60 years ago. We were talking about Noah's Ark and all the animals going on it. I thought about it, raised my hand, and said "They wouldn't fit!". I was told "You have to believe!". I responded "Doesn't matter if I believe or not! They wouldn't fit!" Was the end of my church going.

[@sudz58]

I was canned for asking how did the kangaroo get to the ark.

[@jony891]

They would be baby’s and not full grown adults

[@probablyparker4044]

@@jony891 they still wouldn’t fit there are over 8.7 million animal species

[@jony891]

@@probablyparker4044 in the Bible it says by their kinds which according to my knowledge, its like a dog for instance there are many breeds but nonetheless a dog so God put dogs in the ark and ya that’s my take on it but if anyone is more knowledgeable pls correct me if I’m wrong I’m still learning...

[@Ellasarr]

@@jony891 exactly, Noah took 2 kinds of animals that then ADAPTED to different species we know of today. What started off as a pair of dogs (for example) on the ark, adapted to the breeds of dogs we see today, as they moved to different parts of the world they went through adaptations so that they can survive. And to add ok to what you said, Noah did have room because he didn’t need to take full grown adults on board. He could have taken juvenile animals.

[@chadd990]

Why is it that whenever someone talks about leaving religion, it sounds like they just escaped Orwell’s 1984?

[@KeyFrame11Media]

Because 1984 is a story about authoritarian rule in a dystopian future where everyones life is predetermined. Religion in many cases follow suite in that regard where in many of those same elements exist to different degrees. Normally you hear about "leaving" a religion from someone who was in it deeply and can look back to see exactly what aspects truly defined why they left. My wife came from a mormon background and her leaving was a difficult and freeing thing and it can be scary. There is a subtle but obvious inference of authoritarian command over followers in religion.

[@sassylittleprophet]

"He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." I can't speak for other religions, but this is exactly what it feels like when you're a Christian and you "surrender" to God: it feels amazing, you're free. But in doing so, you're setting aside your entire personhood, your mind and ability to think freely, and you're going blindly on faith, to follow a Being WORSE THAN THANOS. Loving God comes before loving people, before your friends, before your family, before yourself. If you have been raised in this madness since childhood, you have been conditioned to believe you are rotten at your core, that you deserve eternal torture for it, and that the only one who could perfectly love you in this degenerate state is God. God: the Being who created you, the same Being who defines morality, the same Being who determines you deserve eternal torture for failing his standard of morality. But this same Being loves you unconditionally IF (so it's conditional), IF you will "accept" his own personal sacrifice of his own life (because Jesus is God), that's all you have to do, and eternal life in heaven awaits. But DON'T accept, and oh well, it's your fault for choosing to "remain in your sin" and reject God's "free gift of salvation." And the cognitive dissonance that comes with still believing people have free will to choose. No, we don't. If the choice is between your cult or eternal torture, that's not a choice. I'm sorry, it's not. My escape from Christian fundamentalism, now looking back, feels like escaping a dystopian Orwellian nightmare. In both worlds, there was a Supreme Dictator who watched and "graded" everything we did, commanded absolute obedience and blind loyalty as well as cognitive dissonance and intellectual dismissal, and should you be disloyal, you will suffer until you lose everything in agony or until you're broken into submission to love Big Brother once again. But once you do that, you're so wrapped up in the love, you forget what was the big deal in the first place. In short, the biggest abuser in my life was the concept of the Christian fundamentalist God of the Bible, and escaping the concept of God felt like escaping the world of 1984.

[@amramjose]

Because of its mind control, its own unique language (newspeak), totalitarian control of every aspect of a person's life from thinking to working to education to morality to...

[@MrCmon113]

The Party relies on faith. That is basically what doublethink is. That's the superpower of the Inner Party.

[@cringeginge7663]

@@sassylittleprophetbanger comment

[@jvmeel7454]

The fact that they have dinosaurs casually living along side humans as fact in that exhibit.... Just stresses me out how wrong it is yet they're trying to pass it off as fact.... I feel sorry for their children

[@jennprescott2757]

At least they have two parents. Statistically better off.

[@jvmeel7454]

@@jennprescott2757 if u say so

[@treescape7]

Here in Europe Christians can hardly believe that there are people out there who have actual creationist beliefs. American Evangelicalism is just such a weird version of christianity but it seems to be growing. On the positive side, reading about such outright lunacy helped me confront the fact that my own faith was based on nothing and I am now an atheist.

[@MrHat.]

@@nobody-ti4mw cares

[@Ricocossa1]

@@nobody-ti4mw asked.

[@late8641]

I live in Finland (which is supposed to be a moderately secular country) and I'm an atheist myself, but somehow I have multiple friends that are creationists... They're really cool and sweet people, so I try to ignore it.

[@kronos01ful]

So as ADs you believe in the scientific impossibilities everything comes from nothing?

[@kronos01ful]

Guys ! If there's no God life doesn't make sense.

[@EroticInferno]

When you wink as the sermon says, “atheists” *click* Noice

[@nathanjasper512]

ahh a fellow bread tuber

[@MacetazzOpina]

why call yourself anonymous if you put a picture of your face tho

[@AngstOfCetra]

@@MacetazzOpina real questions that need to be answered lmaooo

[@DEPARTMENTOFREDUNDANCYDEPT]

Noah: "If this rain doesn't let up soon we are going to have to eat the unicorns."

[@Mortthemoose]

Hehe

[@Ellalivesforjesus]

If you actually went to the Ark encounter you would know that they led a fully sustainable vegetarian diet while they were on the Ark lol

[@forsaken-exile9083]

"Me and the boys on the Arc, 4000 years ago, looking for BEANS" lmao!

[@Ashaliyeva]

That was my favorite part! 🤣

[@goldfishislife3931]

bruh that sign that says "imagine a godless world... full of sorrow disease bloodshed and death" kinda sounds like our world for most of history

[@josiahbubba1409]

Y'all are taking that out of context because what it's saying is that ppl r stopping to believe in God and that is the consiquince

[@KappaHunter]

That's exactly the point it's making. Our world is currently separated from God

[@josiahbubba1409]

@@KappaHunter Yes thank you you worded that better than I did

[@keiishine]

Exactly. And some of that bloodshed’s actually been in the name of God.

[@atrixsauza2068]

@@josiahbubba1409 The history of Christianity, is full of bloodshed of people, disease and death as well. These doesn't happen bcs of people didn't believe in God. It happened bcs we as aggressive apes were barbaric for the must history and still are in some level. Ironically the barbarianism increased and pertained with religous ideologies. Diseases were here even before the existence of mammals, so that's a bad statement. Men thrives on knowledge, never on dogma.

[@florencekeagan1572]

I love all the creativity they used to try and make "godless" ancient peoples exhibit look evil and hedonistic, whereas instead it just looks really cool and fun.

[@johnmichalski3402]

It did look like a great party, didn't it?

[@spaceletsgothere8906]

Looks like something from Conan the Barbarian. I would definitely watch a movie or show in a setting like it. Wasted potential here when they could've made an epic bronze age fantasy series with demons, dinosaurs, and giants.

[@pastlife960]

@@spaceletsgothere8906 Closest we got is that weird Noah film with Russel Crowe.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

Good point. I notice that the anonymous authors of Genesis and it's modern promoters really dislike humanity and want to wipe us out if only through hate filled narratives proclaiming love.

[@etherealstars5766]

@@JamesRichardWiley @James Richard Wiley And it's working to a great extent what with COVID deniers, Trump worshipers, etc. The dogma fuels supersticious and pseudoscientific thinking which leads to death for thousands upon thousands, if not millions while stealing away rights from women, lgbtq, etc. I'm still dealing with religion-induced trauma. This mindset that's fueled by child indoctrination survives as one of the biggest walls on developing empathy and a more caring society not brought up on bigotry.

[@ethancooke593]

I just visited this place with my Christian family, who doesn't know that I left Christianity over a year ago. It was an odd experience.

[@vhawk1951kl]

There *are* no christians, for the simple reason that it is impossible to folloe christ's precepts exactly- and by the way, he never used the word "god" in his entirely life because that is *forbidden* to Jews; Jesus never said word one about Noah- which is a Muslim story. In fact Jesus strictly forbade his pupils from b-e-l-i-e-v-i-e-i-n-g anything.

[@OkayUser]

@@vhawk1951kl why should I care in the first place what the bible says

[@amramjose]

That adds a total new dimension to "staying in the closet". I admire your fortitude.

[@recoswell]

you didn't leave anything - you simply started using the brain that allegedly god gave you - something your family might want to try

[@ethancooke593]

@@recoswell I don't appreciate your insults toward my family. I may not share their faith, but I would place their overall competence at an above average level.

[@zxKAOS1]

"Meh". If you want something "epic", just read the lore to the WarCraft franchise, or Lord of the Rings. Either are far more entertaining.

[@indoorsandout3022]

LoTR is largely derived from Norse Mythology. I recommend the Poetic Edda, it's pretty good as stories go.

[@TheCalebMoline]

Far more entertaining and just about as historically accurate. 😂

[@dieSpinnt]

While watching I thought they should read the lore of the regulations, because where is the fire protection in this wooden building? Where are the escape routes and emergency exits? Maybe someone should take a closer look at that?!!! zxKAOS1: Maybe add "Conan". This is more appropriate (in terms of time and genre) to compete with the Bible, or to show that there are more exciting things about magic and sorcery:)

[@10Tabris01]

Or actual history; stuff like the voyages of Zheng He or Hanno the seafarer are nothing short of breathtaking

[@dlight7599]

When u get to a certain point of knowledge, u realize “how did I ever believe this?”.

[@deductivereasoning4257]

1700 years later and people still support the Catholic theory of evolution. Clearly whatever point of knowledge you are at, is not much different than ancient goat herders. Then again, their archeological, geological, and geographical claims are always proven correct - but that stuff is so far beneath biology...

[@stickiedmin6508]

@@deductivereasoning4257 "Then again, their archeological, geological, and geographical claims are always proven correct" Examples?

[@bunkyman8097]

Dlight, "a certain point of knowledge", like or the 3rd grade? LOL

[@JamesRichardWiley]

We need more critical thinking and less indoctrination.

[@vhawk1951kl]

I do not suppose that you ever knowingly did, because men(human beings) believe wholly without any awareness that they are believing, as the followers of the religion scientism illustrate most vividly- They simply swallow whole all that obvious imagination about atoms and electrons - None of which they are in any position to verify or falsify*for-themselves* No, men (human beings) b-e-l-i-e-v-e passively automatically faute de mieux -It is one of their more prominent weaknesses.

[@thejudgmentalcat]

As a former advertising student, I believe the high level of noise was designed to a) scare children, and b) keep people from hearing non-believers whisper how ridiculous it is. What do you think?

[@eb2564]

Lool!

[@timothycarr]

It also drowns out the fact that the place has far fewer visitors than they expected. Makes the space feel more crowded, and gives the sense that you aren't a lone sheep in a creepy old church.

[@CloudsGirl7]

Good point. Though I would have no problem with shouting my doubt and disgust.

[@mischarowe]

Invoke fear of god's wrath.

[@thoughtaddict2739]

@Lemmings gotta Go Those don't work that well as much as people think they do.

[@rob5894]

So why an Ark at all? Why didn't God just strike all the evil people dead instead of drowning all of the innocent animals?

[@Phlegethon]

That's pretty crazy that you managed to get yourself out of the brainwashing, mad respect.

[@vhawk1951kl]

While you call your brainwashing "Education" which have been programmed to suppose is desirable or likeable or a goood(sic) thing

[@antoinemadec]

Two days ago, in France, a middle school teacher was beheaded for talking about freedom of speech and freedom of blasphemy. While i do understand that a majority of believers would never commit such a crime, I really think that people like you make the world move in the right direction. With respect, reason and love. Kudos from France ❤️

[@Robert-yc9ql]

Here's what the loving god Allah teaches: www.cnn.com/2020/10/17/europe/paris-suburb-man-decapitated-intl/index.html I suppose by comparison it could be worse here...

[@KristerAndersson-nc8zo]

Given a charismatic shaman yes you would.

[@butterskywalker8785]

Another French revolution when?

[@damianbylightning6823]

And in the name of equality and the community, the story has hardly been covered in mainstream news. People are perfectly able to read about it online though. Other people then get quite snobby when the less educated tend to believe in conspiracy theories. Lies come with a high price.

[@KristerAndersson-nc8zo]

@@damianbylightning6823 That is because most journalists are marxists and proislamists.

[@randomblueguy]

Ken Ham is the one de-converting most literalists. The irony.

[@hifijohn]

His face alone would turn people off of religion.

[@randomblueguy]

LMAOOOO

[@azsli2]

My hubby loved him to I checked him out and realized he was easily debunked

[@derreckwalls7508]

Exactly! It was just this type of lunatic literalists like Ken Ham that made me as a Christian (back then) start to realize I was believing in a delusion. Now as an athiest I'm waiting for AiG and other religious extremist idiots to kill Christianity altogether. Good job, Ken!

[@Questionablexfun]

Exactly lol

[@iggysfriend4431]

The ark encounter should have been built as a floating exhibition with capacity for 2 or 7 of every animal with all their food and water needs taken care of. It also should have been made with only traditional methods and tools, no metal fixings and no power tools. However Ken Ham has managed to make it half boat sitting on stilts and half concrete building. So he basically chickened out of the real challenge and built a theme park, not proof.

[@PaulMurrayCanberra]

Just from the outside: why does that boat have a wave-cutting prow on the front, when there's no means of propulsion?

[@lucaso.8496]

That's the power of god right there

[@DoubIoons]

It looks cool

[@jasoncuculo7035]

A wave cutting prow is not Biblical

[@listerfeend2004]

Better question to ask: Why didn't they build this Ark out of timber?

[@jasoncuculo7035]

@Imjust Observing Documentaries on other, older flood stories (older than the Bible) believe a round ark (possibly a Choral) was used to escape an unusually large Mesopotamian flood and that is is the true basis for the story of Noah's Flood.

[@caleb3175]

ngl, to see you say "apparently atheists worshiped shiny snek" made my day.

[@tupsu92]

HAIL SNAKEN

[@MendicantBias1]

Please no step on snek

[@angelsartandgaming]

I for one welcome our snek overlords.

[@alenasenie6928]

That was Nehebkau or Apophis, so apparently atheists are all Egyptians

[@soapiscooler]

@@alenasenie6928 Can I be Ahkmenrah

[@Luemm3l]

The whole ark is naturally bonkers, but gotta give credit to their sculpturists, the figures and models are quite nice.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

What's frustrating is the entertaining aspect that hides the underlying message that genocide and incest are fine.

[@Wertbag99]

Exactly what I was going to post. The models are very detailed, the dinosaurs are life size, even the whacky christians being fed to dinosaurs scene was a great piece of work, I'd love to see that movie. It's bat shit crazy done by top quality artists.

[@bettesfragrancereviews1994]

@@Wertbag99 That scene has stuck with me, too. Then again, I’m a big fan of the Jurassic Park franchise. 😃

[@samham9931]

Honestly it's really cool world building

[@serpenthydra]

Just shows what can be done with enough money, no matter what message it might be designed to send. The Nazis did exactly the same thing with the 1936 Olympics!

[@fi4re]

My girlfriend (an atheist all her life) asked me why I watch Genetically Modified Skeptic (GMS) videos. I told her that, as someone who spent the first two decades of my life Christian and then converted to become atheist, I felt like I had a rug ripped out from under my own feet. Christianity was my whole world, and it vanished when I de-converted. I feel like GMS videos are sorta therapeutic in the sense that I get to see someone else talk at length about their experience which was quite similar to mine.

[@CitEnthusiast]

I understand getting a therapeutic value from his videos, they are quite good. But I'd like to disabuse you of the notion that you "converted" to atheism. Atheism is not a belief system, it is the absence of belief. Since it isn't a system one cannot convert to it, one simply becomes an atheist. People have many varied reasons for calling themselves atheists, some more informed than others. That's the pleasure of listening to GMS, he makes very informed and reasoned arguments to the discussion.

[@MiamiChicken]

That section for kids was brutal, imagine being a hyper-religious child going into that exhibit

[@turnerturner3281]

Still trying to get my head around that one. What exactly is the point being made??

[@diegog1853]

@@stephenmartin7632 But... the story of the flood is a fairy tale. Sure not necessarily for children. But it is copied from the epic of gilgamesh which was ancient epic poetry from mesopotamia. Not very different for how the oddyssey and the iliad were also always considered fiction. Not some recounting or real events or something divinely inspired. And like... of course it is a fairy tale, the earth was never flooded in its entirity, at least not while humans lived, and of course it is impossible to fit two of each of the millions of species of animals in one man made boat, let alone include two of each extinct species that has ever lived. Like... it is completely silly right? Something that only makes sense with childhood wonder an imagination as a fairy tale. It even ends with a cute rainbow and all the animals being dropped in a mountain potentially thousands of kilometers away from their habitat and with absolutely nothing to eat. Really I don't understand how can any adult take this story seriously in anyway, and not just as some metaphoric fable about the power of god and the dangers of sin.

[@kencporter]

It is sad he even had to say "im a proponent of evolution". Its like saying im a proponent of a sun centered solar system or im a proponent of gravity.

[@deductivereasoning4257]

Gravity has not been defined on a sub-atomic level so no one can be a proponent - it's still magic to the greatest minds in science...

[@goose6112]

@@deductivereasoning4257 so it's magic because we haven't figured out yet

[@deductivereasoning4257]

@@goose6112 after over a 100 billion spent in attempts to figure it out, it's still magic to them...

[@draco_1876]

@@deductivereasoning4257 Gravity isn’t defined does equal to doesn’t exist. Gravity is one of the four fundamental forces in the universe, alongside electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces. Despite being all-pervasive and important for keeping our feet from flying off the Earth, gravity remains, in large part, a puzzle to scientists. Atheist don’t think science have the answer to everything.

[@deductivereasoning4257]

@@draco_1876 I feel I can answer gravity at the subatomic level. But why should I help scientists?

[@rockgodwannabe]

"If i can convince you the flood is not real i can convince you heaven and hell aren't real" i mean...you right

[@faepunk]

Worked for me!

[@thejudgmentalcat]

Especially if "the devil" showed up as a total badass red viper! Noice...

[@ZephLodwick]

@@thejudgmentalcat If the Devil showed up, wouldn't that prove at least some elements of the Bible?

[@thejudgmentalcat]

@@ZephLodwick Being sarcastic, dude.

[@zoranocokoljic8927]

@@ZephLodwick Everything you know about the devil is from the bible, and guess who "wrote" it.

[@isentropic8279]

I appreciate your way of calm and kind communication with those who still believe. I love many who believe and need to be the peace rather than the storm. 😊

[@isdrakon9802]

I wish his comment section reflected him, so many hateful people

[@northstar5]

9:35 The "blacksmith" mannequin is exactly the same as the "bean basket" mannequin. Lol. Good work.

[@BillyKamp]

Wow, not gonna lie, the things inside the Ark are awesome. Kind of wanna see someone use the same resources and do a accurate historical line.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

The stupidity of the project is beyond human comprehension.

[@BillyKamp]

@@JamesRichardWiley The list is big and increases every day.

[@kalinaszek]

Like a tree of evolution building or something similar

[@BillyKamp]

@@kalinaszek That would be awesome, with the different biomes, and a special area were it follows the first marine creatures all the way to the first mammal.

[@Wombat_Astronaut]

Would be interesting as some kind of weird alternative history video game

[@jaymason8352]

"Imagine a godless world... full of sorrow, full of disease, full of bloodshed, full of death" Is this the premise to 2020...

[@JamesRichardWiley]

This is a godless world. The goal of religion is to convince everyone that it isn't.

[@AetherealGirl]

The world has always been full of disease, bloodshed, and death. Just open a history book lmao.

[@colixnaia6512]

Well... Maybe that was all that was in the draft for 2020, but the final script also included authoritative lunacy and toilet paper shortages LOL

[@CassidyStarke]

All them christians praying and 2020 still happend. That’s a sign that God doesn’t give a fuck💀.

[@Caroline_Tyler]

"Have you red the bible or taken other people's word for it?" The WHOLE bible is taking other people's word for it as it's all written from hand me down stories!

[@vhawk1951kl]

T he word for which you are struggling is Hearsay.

[@EyeMixMusic]

7:33: "Death, like life, is a meaningless chemical phenomenon." *said no atheist ever*

[@taylorsenay7819]

I’m so glad you included the colosseum dinosaur. I went to the Ark with my Creationist parents a couple years ago and I was beginning to doubt my memory of that scene.

[@Rfc1394]

I prefer the expression "No God - Know peace." When i was a believer I was in fear all the time and had trouble thinking. When I read a different book and discovered I was trying to believe multiple different things that conflicted with each other, and that belief in Original Sin is flat out erroneous, I lost my faith but gained peace of mind.

[@randykuhns4515]

Jacobs name was changed to Israel because he wrestled with God,.. you simply quit wrestling,.. and He let you go,

[@CP-012]

I don’t understand why you would be in fear. The gospel is quite clear that those in Christ are not condemned. What was to fear?

[@danielvodo1]

@@CP-012 its 100% of the time the love of sin that causes these "ex Christians" to leave. And the fact that frankly 99.9% of them claim to have read the bible cover to cover multiple times and then have the most erroneous beliefs, always taking the bible out of context just shows they are being dishonest to begin with.

[@CP-012]

@@danielvodo1 yes, most insist they don’t believe that there is a God, yet they are so angry with him.

[@johncahill3644]

@@CP-012 Try reading his comment again, he's pretty clear what his fear was about. And your answer is a perfect example of why he was in conflict. You should understand that there's something in your brain that's different than the rest of us. We look for consistency of information, you guys are too accepting of ambiguity (I mean this quite literally, not pejoratively).

[@jdx3738]

I am a Christian, but I have a lot of respect for you. You give good criticism, which is also well substantiated. I especially appreciate the fact that you talk about the content of Christianity and the fact that you don't ridicule people believing in a God. You keep talking neutrally, without using too many emotions. Thank you for that, I think we should all take you as our example. (I'm sorry if I made any errors, it's not my first language)

[@McCammalot]

(Your English is great. This is from an ESL teacher.)

[@thispenguinisflying]

I related to so much in this video. My upbringing was so similar to yours and it's incredibly helpful to finally find videos from the point of view of someone who actually understands that lifestyle, but no longer follows it. Thank you

[@MarkArandjus]

Excuse me, but that shiny snek idol is badass and I must worship it immediately. HAIL SNEKAN

[@AnitaBlackmann]

Hail Snekan.

[@spaceletsgothere8906]

HAIL SNEKAN!!

[@ivyrose779]

HAIL SNEKAN 🙌🏻🙌🏻🐍🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@tupsu92]

HAIL SNEKAN

[@watsisbuttndo829]

Interesting. Can i get some more detail on what Snekan worship brings to the table.

[@Payne2view]

The Ark is looking a bit rough these days. Perhaps they will 'raise money' to paint it back to a more brown wood look?

[@ColinTimmins]

I noticed that, looks like an old barn. Hopefully it will collapse and be forgotten.

[@SchizoGenius]

You see, that's why we haven't found the wreckage of the Ark. Instead of having a genuine relic left over from this apocalyptic event that future generations can point to and say "God," we in the modern day have to look back at these 5,000 year old stories written in Evil Mypos as the sole source of any knowledge and just "have faith" for the rest.

[@hispid1]

you mean to disguise the concrete?

[@erzr]

perhaps we burn down all the religious texts for all the cancer it has brought into this world

[@biblebot3947]

@@erzr we need it to serve as a warning in the same way we shouldn’t erase all records of Hitler. Never forget and never repeat

[@Melpheos1er]

A large part of the "ark" is made of concrete and steel, they just forgot this part in the Bible. No worries

[@jennprescott2757]

Probably because attractions have regulations and it doesn’t need to just float for a few months.

[@andrewdarnley4608]

One of the interesting things about the legend of Noah and The Flood is that it's not an original story. Back around 5000 BCE the Sumerians [ forebears of some of the Babylonian culture ] developed the legend of Gilgamesh this predated the Old Testament by thousands of years. In part of this epic a wrathful god unleashes a great flood that sweeps over the land. The main character in this legend is Utnapishtam builds a large circular craft od reeds and tar/pitch and saves his close family and their grain and animals from destruction. So during the Great Babylonian Exile leaders of the Judean people were taken into captivity for . Not so strangely the Babylonians still had much of the Legend of Gilgamesh in their culture. The later generations of Judeans that returned to the west brought with them much of the religion and culture which ended up in the Old Testament.

[@DarkAdonisVyers]

And yet now, most Abrahamics smear the legends of Gilgamesh, Semiramis, etc.

[@SirPoofyPants]

I love that to build this arc they had to use standardized hex head bolts and an impact driver or at least a torque wrench to build the arc. Guess Noah must have buried all this amazing technology after he built his arc.

[@vhawk1951kl]

As a grownup to explain" straw man" arguments to you, one day.

[@Outcast115]

@@vhawk1951kl are you having a stroke?

[@Outcast115]

@@vhawk1951kl I'm going to both assume and hope that you did, and are now paralyzed and incapable of commenting anymore.

[@MrCmon113]

Well Noah was a descendant of the gods, who got hundreds of years old. Probably used his carpentry magicm

[@paul20g20]

There is nothing new under the sun. I believe personally. Preflood, people were already traveling through space and landed onto the moon at the very least.

[@cmlogan7094]

I lost it at the "lookin' for BEANS!" reference. Well played, good sir.

[@kylen9954]

Imagine a godless world...full of sorrow - full of disease - full of bloodshed - full of death. Sounds an awful lot like the earth in all recorded history.

[@behnnie]

Your compassion in the way you address these issues is so valuable to me as someone grappling with many of them for the first time myself. Thank you.

[@TooManyCables]

"If someone treats me with less respect than I earned...I don't bother with that person." I respect the way you show an extra layer of intelligence in your discussion. Using the word "earned" instead of "deserved." BRILLIANT.

[@Hurricayne92]

I hate the term “Mainstream scientists”, I prefer the term Real Scientists.

[@wolfieinu]

Creationists like to equivocate about "science" and also "evolution," so I just go with "conventional model" or "conventional science" versus "pseudoscience." I then support the characterization of YECism as "pseudoscience" via the fact that YEC cannot be falsified and makes no useful predictions.

[@albertrogers2506]

@@wolfieinu I'd even go so far as the phrase "established science"

[@albertrogers2506]

@@wolfieinu One of the most brilliant and adamantly Christian physicists, who was elevated to the rank of "Baron Kelvin of Largs", abolished by four orders of magnitude the estimate of Archbishop Ussher, which is the basis of YEC. They have NO EXCUSE.

[@clarkkent3730]

Just like security guards prefer the term "police officer"

[@martinsoukup562]

Strong words

[@danmallery9142]

I have to laugh when someone says "you left the church because you just want to sin". My life was so much harder when I left faith behind. I lost all my friends (by instruction from my former pastor) and most of my family distanced themselves or almost completely cut me out of their lives. It took a long time to rebuild my social/family life. For someone to suggest I chose the "easy" path is absurd. Also, after I left religion, it took a great deal of soul searching to decide who I was going to be morally and ethically. In the end, I feel that my morals and ethics are more clearly defined and "more strict" , for the lack of a better term, than they were when I was a christian.

[@ChristianF15cher]

You escaped a cult.

[@Terrato.Worzen]

6:04 : "Imagine a godless world... full of sorrow, full of disease, full of bloodshed, full of death" Yeah... nothing at all like where we are right now... If this is how things are -with- a god in charge... I'm not impressed.

[@Plutario9715]

Me watching Aron's ark videos: "is that Drew?" The next day:

[@Error-zg2if]

LOL

[@3laws292]

Which video?

[@Questionablexfun]

🤣

[@xironevarus576]

Which video?

[@wynnadorno6132]

I feel bad for all those kids walking around with their parents, having that religious doctrine drilled into their heads

[@BestofBestStudio]

Yeah and don't get to wonder all the things we don't know. It's the best part of being a kid. Asking questions, wanting to know more about things, mainly dinosaurs.

[@samalextij445]

@@BestofBestStudioI grew up with pretty religious family and I remember asking my mom about dinosaurs and if it was a volcano or asteroid, and my older brother just told me that we dont believe that stuff, and then I never asked them about dinosaurs again. It's so sad to just deny kids form knowledge due to ideology...

[@BestofBestStudio]

@@samalextij445 Agreed. I'm pretty lucky my parents weren't too religious. The brain of a kid is meant to take as much information as possible. So adding things which can't be backed up and denying burning questions they have will ruin their lives if no change is done.

[@Inferno5150]

My church had an oral tradition that dinosaurs and cavemen were part of the "First creation". Notice the part of the story when God says "Never Again" . . . . "will I flood the world" . . . key words "never again". The flood story was actually the second flood, the first one wiped out the dinosaurs and cavemen. They would point out that the creation story as we know it starts out with the world covered in water until God separated the waters to form dry land.

[@BestofBestStudio]

@@Inferno5150 Wow. Sounds like something straight out of a facebook page filled with 40 year old mothers.

[@curiousnerdkitteh]

You describe my experience - I literally believed, and I thought that it had not been disproven. Unfortunately I was also programmed with biases to not see the contrasting evidence for what it was but to interpret it differently and never in greater rational context so it always seemed ridiculous and irrational. Also this: "Being taught to fear the outside world [...] I didn't have enough access to or understanding of information of perspectives outside of my Christian bubble to even bat an eye at [these beliefs]" - this was me. It's incredible to finally find someone who has had these same experiences as me down to the biblical literalism. It has been very hard to relate to people in my past experiences and people prefer to mock cult victims for their ignorance which is punching down mocking abuse victims for how they were groomed, imprisoned and indoctrinated their whole lives to be unable to function outside that environment. It was a struggle finding my way out of this largely on my own, knowing I couldn't honestly ask my questions because I'd be told I was terrible for believing things I'd never been exposed to counter arguments to as if it was a choice. I did NOT want to believe that through sheer luck of the draw I was one of a few people who escaped the flames of hell and was now responsible for saving the world and if I ever slipped up even once I could be responsible for someone suffering eternally and not being saved through my being a bad Christian. Any "sin" I could commit might put someone off believing in God and they might die never being rescued from the flames of hell and eternal torment. I did not WANT to bother people and pray for them. I hated myself for prioritising my and their comfort over being more persistent for their own good. "A rebuke from a friend is better than a kiss from an enemy" played often in my head and I hated having this "responsibility" I couldn't escape but truly believed that if I didn't do something more people would suffer eternally. Whenever people told me I chose a convenient and easy belief because it somehow made me feel morally superior it guts me because it feels like gaslighting of the decades of abuse I suffered. The notion of being able to CHOOSE a belief regardless of reality and simply because it was easier to accept was just staggering to me. I believed there was literal danger people had to be made aware of it and that I was failing people who were not as lucky as me to have happened to learn the way out of it by sheer roll of the dice. I felt like a robot not a person, I did not know what it felt like to be comfortable in my body, I feared my own mind, rationality and senses as evil and I was constantly afraid that I or someone I loved would die with unforgiveness in their heart and be lost in torment forever. I did not choose any of that. That was abuse over 23 years and it's taken me another 10+ years to process and figure out what the hell happened. These videos are helping me work through things I still hadn't processed and it's incredible that someone actually can describe my experience and how they found their way out of it, this is so relatable and someone else who has the same experience of what has taken me a decade to process through my cPTSD, indoctrination, gaslighting, mental illness and confusion. The only difference here is I wouldn't describe Christianity as having brought me peace of mind.

[@scottkruger5899]

Well dang brother!! I live in the town where that atrocity of a theme park is built. Had I known, I would have loved to take you and your wife to dinner just to have a chat, one recovering evangelical to another!

[@ShotgunLlama]

Last time I was this early, YEC's didn't think the Earth existed yet

[@joppippoj]

#metoo

[@WetDoggo]

Haha lool 👌

[@deathbyneon2103]

Nice

[@mohammedjalloh7658]

Nice and original use of this meme lol

[@GlossRabban]

🤣 LOL, you believe in earth.

[@giulialana2815]

I can totally relate to the prayer thing. It felt so weird at the beginning to go to bed without saying my prayers because I had been doing it everyday since I was 7 years old. It took me at least a month of me being an atheist before I could leave that habit.

[@TheNightwalker247]

Little ritual's are important in life. Maybe you could use this period of time you already freed up in your day for a short meditation or a self affirmation or just a little poem or something. Might help you change it into a helpful habit

[@cygnustsp]

I left the jehovah's witnesses 23 years ago. Developed an alcohol problem, and went to secular based (not AA) sobriety meetings around 11 years ago, and when the hour long meeting ended i kept expecting a prayer lol.

[@AegixDrakan]

I've been an agnostic anti-theist for like....A decade at least. I STILL get this anxious feeling that makes it hard to sleep if I don't do at least some vague generic "thank you for life" type prayer before bed. x_x I often still do so just out of pure reflex/habit.

[@jennprescott2757]

@@AegixDrakan sounds more than deeply rooted. Could literally be God drawing you to Him.

[@comfeytimid1207]

@@jennprescott2757 nope, that could be a trauma-like response. But OP haven't said anything like that. Anyway, old habits die hard.

[@Alchemy818.]

When I went to the arc, I took five pictures. One in front of the huge rainbow because I am in fact a gay, two of pretty dresses I saw that I wanted to draw, some Hebrew, and a goat. That place is honestly just weird. I had a little bit of hope for it when I went (before I knew ken ham was apart of it) but that hope was immediately crushed when a book there suggested that maybe the trex ate watermelons. Further crushed when there’s was something there about “but the humans and animals sinned by eating meat” like animals have the capacity to sin by following their natural diet.

[@LittleBitVic]

The fucking carnotaurus coliseum made me lose my shit from laughter. I'm wheezing. Lmao. One of the dudes at the front of the model made me want the name of this diorama to be, "CarnotaurUST. DO IT." *_ᵃᶜᵗᵘᵃˡ ᶜᵃʳⁿᵒᵗᵃᵘʳᵘˢ ˢʰᶦᵃ ˡᵃᵇᵉᵒᵘᶠ_*

[@simongiles9749]

Every time I see images of the pre-Flood dioramas at the Ark Encounter, I always think that it looks like a cool setting for Dungeons and Dragons.

[@turinturimbar3435]

Yes!! You want to Co-DM pre-flood D&D game where the characters have to kill the evil god trying to genocide a bunch of humans

[@dxjxc91]

KZbin: we now interrupt your making fun of genesis to bring you an ad for a course on genesis.

[@ambulocetusnatans]

As if that ad would change our minds.

[@thhseeking]

A few days ago I went to watch a Holy Koolaid video, and ahead of it there was an ad for spreading the Gospels amongst Israelis. They never stop.

[@ambulocetusnatans]

Here's a tip; they don't pay for the ad if you skip it. So I mute them and go check my email or something so they have to pay for it.

[@TheCalebMoline]

“Before you leave you have to get right with Ken Hamm in your heart.” 😂

[@colepuleo6809]

It was that "I trust authority biblical or otherwise " this says a lot. Very well said Drew!!!!

[@n0etic_f0x]

I had a Christian demand that the Ark was an actual functioning boat. He was shocked to find it was not on the water and would work as a boat the same way the local mall would work as a boat... which is to say not at all. I can not believe someone thought that it could be a boat. I told him it is impossible to make a wooden boat that large and he just kept large and I am just sitting there like "The same reason they do not build skyscrapers out of wood" and posited the same question. Also holy shit the Ham V Nye debate came out when you were still a creationist and that was your take away? Good, I was a Christian but never a creationist and have always intensely disliked creationism. In that debate, I could see why because Nye addressed Ham several times Ham gave a sermon as if Nye was not even present. A scenario I had gone through first-hand several dozen times.

[@SerKnightGuy]

In theory, I'm pretty sure they calculated a boat the size of the Ark could technically float with its cargo if you accept the Creationists' perverted form of evolution that allows them to squeeze the number of animal "kinds" below 10,000. It still, however, struggles with the fact that any wooden ship of that size would break after its first storm and leak regularly.

[@ZephLodwick]

I think you can build quite tall wooden buildings if you arrange the wood like a jenga tower. Not a wooden ship, though.

[@justsam7919]

@@SerKnightGuy yeah but God made the ark waaaayyyyy stronger and durable than humanly possible with the knowledge he blessed Noah with that no other human is capable of ever comprehending.

[@TheNightwalker247]

Well actually you can build up to 30 floor and higher skyscrapers out of a new kind of laminated wood. So now you can actually build quite tall with this new kind of composit wood. But it's just a little side note on how awesome humans can be. There is a good ted talk on this topic available it was really fascinating

[@BriannadaSilva]

Watching that debate was one of the first things that planted the seeds of doubt and skepticism in my mind. I was a Creationist then, but I was so disappointed in Ken Ham, and so inspired by Bill Nye. That was my first exposure to actual scientific thinking, with all the curiosity and humility that comes with it. I remember writing down a bunch of things Nye brought up that Ham failed to address. It was the beginning of the "end" for me...

[@kyramonnix1520]

I'm autistic, this place would be a total nightmare for me. o.o;;

[@ferociousfeind8538]

Oh no, rip! Yeah, the loud noises (especially the children's laughter tracks) were getting on my nerves throughout the video. You're not alone in that regard.

[@Drake-ct2we]

Hey, both my kids are autistic, one mild and one severe. They had no problem handling the lights, noise, and people. The inside is big enough that you can easily avoid the human waves, or you can sit on the many benches, get a drink at the several snack bars, and let people move on. They didn't even have a problem with my daughter's service dog.

[@AJSai3007]

I’m also autistic, and I will admit that this place will probably give me the creeps if I go there. I’m very sure the sounds would give anyone the creeps if they were listening.

[@Robert-yc9ql]

I highly recommend you do not go there. Anyone who might have a seizure or anything close to it would surely be pointed out as "possessed" by the staff, who I seriously doubt have any medical training at all. Was there even a first aid station in there?...

[@nicktheswampert1646]

@@Robert-yc9ql Why would you even want to go there in the first place lol

[@Kwolfx]

Before covid I thought about a trip that would take me near Ken Ham's Ark Encounter and wondered if I could fit in time to see it. Then I thought about atheists who end up supporting Ken Ham's work, however unwillingly, by going to see his monstrosity. However, I'm glad our Genetically Modified Skeptic made the journey so we; or at least I, don't have to. If I went to the ark I would probably ask many impertinent questions like: It doesn't have sails or oars, so what propelled it? Without a way to control its forward momentum; like sails or oars, how did the ark avoid getting turned perpendicular to waves and capsize? This ark is over 500 feet long, correct? You know you can't build a durable wooden ship much past 200 feet long without a considerable amount of internal iron bracing? This great flood did happen during the bronze age, didn't it? So, no iron available. You think they could have used copper? Assuming copper could work for bracing; which is questionable, you think Noah and his sons learned to smelt copper and work with it? So, on top of all the wood work, they also became metal smiths? Plus, Noah and company would have had to pay for the copper, unless you think they mined it too? Oh, I forgot. Once you get past about 320 feet in length, a wooden ship just won't hold together very long. That's true even with internal bracing. It's probably a good thing I didn't make that trip. Though one day I must visit one of the creationist museums. (I think there are two of them.) That should be fun.

[@kyleb8117]

When he said he felt bad giving Ken Ham money to visit the "museum", this was my first thought. Yes, you support him once (for two adults), but think of the countless people (like myself) that get to see the insanity and also not support him. All it takes is two people two watch this video and it balances out. Anything past that is gravy.

[@thoughtfuldevil6069]

The fact that they didn't set the Ark out to sea shows how much faith they have in it.

[@DaveLH]

6:49 -- Oh, I see -- The Romans didn't throw Christians to the lions, they actually threw them to the _Carnotaurus_ -- Gotcha.

[@ShadowKirbz]

Local atheists upset about creative works that depict dinosaurs and man existing at the same time, despite evidence that this was actually the case. More at 6.

[@lightbearer313]

@@ShadowKirbz If there were dinosaurs on the alleged ark, where are they now? Where are dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible? Why don't any ancient peoples writings record their encounters with dinosaurs?

[@swagner7767]

@@ShadowKirbz literally where in the hell are you getting the idea that dinosaurs were alive that recently?

[@ShadowKirbz]

@@lightbearer313 Being on the ark doesn't mean they didn't die out later. With as big as some of them are I bet the earth couldn't keep up with their diets and they died. Behemoth and leviathan are dinosaurs. Behemoth is in Job. I think leviathan is too. We have plenty of cave drawings of dinos and Knight's tales of dragons, which is what they used to be called.

[@ShadowKirbz]

@@swagner7767 Where are you getting the idea they died millions of years ago and their bones just happened to stay within digging range? Shouldn't they be way further under the surface if millions of years have gone by? That's not even to mention the faulty results of carbon dating.

[@LisaForTruth]

Also, am I the only one who thinks it's weird that Christians don't know their own history?

[@theblancmange1265]

The deeper they look into it, tje higher the chance of realizing it's bollocks.

[@christiang208]

Grew up Catholic in europe.. most here didn't even read the bible, so why do you think anybody would be interested in church history?

[@Drake-ct2we]

What history are you referring to?

[@johndemetrii809]

Humanity in general has lost its history. What happened before written language?

[@LisaForTruth]

@@Drake-ct2we Christian history; everyone should know the Council of Nicea answered the trinity question. The Council of Rome in the fourth century put the Bible together

[@lucisferre6361]

Hey man, glad to see you finally went to the ark park. So many others went to make videos, I had been wondering if you were ever going to. Excellent I'm going to enjoy this.

[@ulyerabrooks]

I think it was easier for me to detach from my creationist way of thinking because I don’t think I ever truly believed the creationist theory. But what you said about relationship and prayer really resonated. As someone who deals with anxiety, prayer and worship music were the two most frequent coping skills I would go to in order to abet my stress. It has taken me so long to detach those aspects from my daily routine, and to this day I often struggle with not falling back to those mechanisms.

[@FGuilt]

The older I get, looking back on my religious upbringing, the more it occurs to me just how much like a cartoon or comic book the whole bible is. Glad to be over it. It is a very very long journey to fully overcome a false view of reality. Best of luck to everyone going through deconditioning.

[@wownewstome6123]

Yeah, it took me years to recover. What helped me were Christopher Hitchens debates and lectures, and then Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris lectures.

[@kurikuraconkuritas]

only remember that in the greek days. people believed in zeus and his brothers, it's not like people believe in zeus wholeheartedly today. it is so insane how beliefs can blind you

[@spin6720]

It is still very much surreal for me to look back on how, almost a year ago, I was still a fundamentalist christian. The fact that I got out of that mental cage thanks to sheer circumstance.. terrifies me.

[@FGuilt]

@TeleSoap an imaginary being can't forgive you.

[@FGuilt]

@TeleSoap that's funny, I thought I was going to hell for not believing jesus died for my sins.... Silly me.

[@Ioraek]

I love how their recreation of the the ark has a bulbous bow, an engineering development of the turn of the 20th century.

[@Ricocossa1]

No but it was god inspired, so of course it would be modern. I just don't know why god didn't inspire Noah to build a jet airplane.

[@susanmaggiora4800]

鋼の無神論者：The Fullmetal Atheist Or anything invented in the future, perhaps? Maybe a vehicle a thousand years from now.

[@iangoodchild8247]

I think it is even funnier that modern scholarship suggests that the ark, if it existed , would have been round and made out of rope not wood. Sometimes you have to be amazed and think only in America can they do it on this scale and get it so wrong! I mean a round ark would have worked so much better for a tourist attraction and a lot cheaper with a waterslide on the outside to get you back to the bottom.

[@Ioraek]

@@susanmaggiora4800 Or even useful equipment, like genetic sequencing tech, to preserve the selection of animals in a more space efficient way.. .. wait.. no, not that!..

[@Ioraek]

@@iangoodchild8247 haha a waterslide would have completed it, no doubt.

[@kingroberti9643]

"If I can convise you that the flood wasn't real then I can convise you that heaven and hell aren't real" Aw yeah, that's like the easiest part to disprove in the bible. Thanks for making our job so easy guys :)))

[@brennanruiz1803]

"The bible has no errors" Okay, so, how do we explain the contradictions between Genesis I and Genesis II? Like, they're both a creation mythos, but they present two different, competing stories.

[@slevinchannel7589]

GMS is the single most polite Atheist-Channel, but what if i told you that is Strength and Weakness? Both? A lot of stuff has to be harshly criticized in the world we live in, that's just fact. That's why i usually say Atheist-Channel are like a Puzzle. Please be aware you need a Balanced Diet, which includes Goofballs like Sir Sic and Darkmatter, just like it includes those like Viced Rhino and Telltale. I would argue this stretches even to Science-Channel like Professor Dave, who debunks Frauds, Pseudoscience and Anti-Science all the time, like in his video about the Discovery Institute or Lies People Tell About Water.

[@_VioletValor_]

Love how you went directly from “don’t let people disrespect you” to BËÆÑŠ

[@carolkawisimba1506]

Drew: Enters Fairy tale ark Me: Hopes no child entered there.

[@Ixnatifual]

Inception.

[@rrock2025]

Me: ok

[@loriw2661]

Love the Pascals Wager at the end. Lol!

[@Nickh354]

I really needed this channel more than I thought my bro... the lack of community was still getting to me until I found out I’m not alone

[@Twinrehz]

I'd totally worship shiny snek. Obviously only ironically, because I'm such a hipster.

[@levistokes3960]

I love snakes so much. They’re sweethearts. I have a ball python myself and my religious family think I’m a satan worshipper for having a snake 🙄🙄. In Chinese philosophy snakes represent good fortune and fertility.

[@phalangelicheathen1792]

@@levistokes3960 lmao can’t wait to get a snake and piss everyone off

[@revwroth3698]

You could always become a Holy Roller.

[@CaBdosdos]

I do want to go here just to laugh at it all but man they did put a lot of thought and love into it. Those dioramas of the people drinking are awesome.

[@Ecb23]

“What’s a god to a nonbeliever”

[@curiousnerdkitteh]

Drew's story is so like my own and he is so relatable to me. I also really find his voice soothing. Please write a book about your journey and experiences in your upbringing and then questioning your faith and how you became an atheist, and please narrate the audio version of it so I can buy it and listen to it.

[@ruready2343]

Times almost up, heres a compass take it or leave it, the choice is yours. God loves you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpaummt6Z9iUjZo

[@colepuleo6809]

Drew's story is many of our stories. And I'm so glad he has the platform and the guts to say this stuff.

[@treeeva]

Your videos come about 40 years too late to have helped me through what you've gone through more recently. Nonetheless, I'm confident you are helping others now. Therefore I'll do what I can to support your efforts. 😎

[@GeneticallyModifiedSkeptic]

Thank you! This means a lot to me. 😊 I hope you’ve been able to do some healing since things changed for you as well. We’re in this together!

[@spiritrealminvestigator6342]

@@GeneticallyModifiedSkeptic do you have an answer for this question: psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/25986/do-bodily-manifestations-e-g-jerking-and-intense-euphoric-sensations-e-g-h? If you do, I invite you to create an account and post an answer.

[@Psalms-fr8yy]

Who is Jesus Christ to you?

[@petertocher6845]

@Get 2 I was wondering why this Christian business was operating when there was a global pandemic on. Perhaps Pascal's Wager came in to play here and Drew figured he wouldn't contract the virus whilst in one of God's buildings ? I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your Mum and Grandad, this virus has taken a ghastly toll.

[@JeffreyChadwell]

Wow, Ken Ham managed to create something that's both Christian and creepy.

[@JJanesMedia]

Those terms were already synonymous.

[@HAL_NINER_TRIPLE_ZERO]

There are many things about Christianity that are creepy. Ken Ham created none of them.

[@Topazdemonia]

You act like that's hard to do

[@elijahgavin6706]

So...just Christian?

[@WhenHumanistsAttack]

That IS his speciality!

[@Mortthemoose]

Thanks so much. I'm new to your channel, but I read about you in your description, and subscribed instantly! Lol I grew up in ignorance, to the bible, and to christianity. In my late teens, I became curious about it, and I then when I was about 21, I became a christian. My faith became strong, and I was very passionate about it. I got the travel bug though, and spent several years working my way around the uk (I'm British). 🇬🇧 Wherever I laid my hat was my home! I lived/worked in many different places, met many different nationalities in my jobs, and went to many different churches....often just whatever church happened to be nearest to me, as I lived in some remote locations. As time went by, and I experienced these churches, and made christian friends en route, I too started to question things. I found that with each church I went to, there was bias, arrogance, and almost a hated towards other christian demonisations!!! Don't even get me started on what these so-called christians thought of other people's religions!!! I always felt very comfortable with people who either didn't have a faith or went to a church with a different denomination, or even a different religion. This hatred, very opinionated and arrogant view towards people outwith their particular church, was the first nail in christianity's coffin for me....and the rest is history! My faith didn't disappear over night, it was just eroded away over the years, initially for the above reasons, but then, realising that the bible just makes no sense, constantly contradicts itself etc etc. Anyway....your story was interesting, and I understand exactly where you are coming from. That tour was terrifying!! Imagine taking your children to see that!

[@colepuleo6809]

Thank You So much Drew for making this content. We need so much more of this. There's some other atieist skeptics I follow on here. And I hope all y'all keep up the great work!!!