Dan Barker: Preacher to Atheist

FFRF Co-President Dan Barker is interviewed by Annie Laurie Gaylor about his deconversion story, going from “preacher to atheist.” Personal photographs from his religious upbringing and career, including some rare footage, are featured as Dan talks about why he “just lost faith in faith.”
Learn more about the Freedom From Religion Foundation at ffrf.org.

[@junevandermark952]

After 70 years of being confused by religion, I became a born-again Atheist, at which time I finally felt whole for the first time in my life. I am now 83, and trying my best to help others who are on the brink of leaving their personal religions, to believe that there never was a judge-mental god in existence, but rather the stories were all created by men with overactive imaginations.

[@aob4214]

What is lovely. I’m listening to this. Interview in the in the UK. 5 am. It just shows you, you are a perfect example of young, never too old to find a life beyond religion. Well done.

[@pamlico53]

Religion is dangerous and can be confusing. God is not the author if confusion. If your 8384 and haven’t got past yourself yet you better get get busy because your running out of time. ( Yes there’s much much more than yourself; if you did not believe that you wouldn’t bother trying to convince others to go jump off the cliff as you say you do). BTW, any honest, rudimentary study of the history of the survival of the Holy Bible in itself leaves one whose honest with a sense awe over its continued survival. That along is a faith builder. Additionally, being over 70 years old myself, I learned decades ago that my words are of little significance, it’s the life we live that makes an impact, if any. I’ve never met any one that had rejected God that did not routinely use/ demonstrate the the ugliest word I know- hate. I look at much of the evidence , much like the richest person to ever walk this planet, King Solomon looked at the Lillie’s and know their beauty is no random accident. I look at this world and have to believe there’s something Greater because in the end , mankind, when left to itself, is reduced to arguing over the use of the word mankind. Often times we “ walk too proud”.

[@garyarnold602]

My god...Annie on Oprah was so beautiful... And still is

[@bobh5087]

A wonderful show, Dan and Annie Laurie. Thank you! I especially liked what you said about "meaning in life" being found through/in problem-solving. 👍 👏

[@scienceownsimposters2142]

He had the spiritual awakening we all have to have.Congrats brother.

[@kaveeks808]

Your story is very inspiring and uplifting, thank you for all the great work you do Dan!

[@mender722]

I enjoyed hearing your story. Just today, I had to block someone, a person that I went to church with and believed the same things, but now that I no longer believe, things got nasty between us. I tried to be cordial with all that he was saying, but enough is enough. He thinks he knows what it means to be atheist (with a book definition, like his faith, based on a book) and wouldn't listen to what I mean when I say that I am an atheist. It felt toxic to keep the dialogue open, so I closed that door. I feel so much better.

[@MustAfaalik]

@Coyote. Same here, where my ex partner, who got married to a religious guy and recently made an elder, wanting me to accept Jesus into my life lest heaven would be denied me when i die. My reply was why wait till i die to go to heaven when heaven can be now and in the afterlife as a Buddhist.

[@gdobie1west988]

Really enjoyed "Godless" and "God The Most Unpleasant Character In all of Fiction". Got both books signed by Dan a couple of years ago. Seems like a real nice, honest guy.

[@danielgautreau161]

I love that quote from Bertrand Russell that all those old arguments attempting to prove god just boil down to bad grammar. A new one for me.

[@juba9575]

Thank you Dan and Ann

[@26beegee]

I am still hoping my brother/pastor will contact you some day for help in leaving religion behind. So glad you have a place to which pastors can turn when they need support!

[@theotherside5865]

Religion taught me not to think. It keeps you dumbed down in my experience.

[@scienceownsimposters2142]

Correct.Glad you are out of that "prison"

[@rogerroger5649]

Nice and enjoyable video. Thanks. Also, thank you for the work you do. I can only imagine the flack you have to endure from "loving" Christians and other religious people. I hope to be able to come out myself some day soon and would love to be a part of what you all do.

[@peanutbutter1841]

I mean that's the people themselves and not God, but I would agree that it's better to be an atheist or christian rather than stuck between something.

[@bobbiehoward780]

Excellent show! The photos and all the family history were so interesting.

[@MrMrh1958]

How can you not like this couple!✌️👏

[@carlose5751]

Saludos a Dan Barker desde América Central. Eres un ejemplo para mí como librepensador y argumentador, eres bueno debatiendo con bases bibliográficas, lógicas y fundamentos epistemológicas. Espero seguir tu ejemplo de ser un promotor del pensamiento crítico y conocerte algún día. Me encantó el gato que dijo : "ALÁ ES EL ÚNICO DIOS VERDADERO", me sorprendió escucharte hablar español y el mensaje de hecho hasta me sacó un susto, casi creí en ese gato que habla. :D

[@Baa975]

This is the most positive comment section I've stumbled over in a while

[@tonespinner]

Great video. PS: Given Mr. Barker's musical background, I now know why this great version (Cal Tjader?) of the musical theme "It Ain't Necessarily So" was chosen. I always love listening to it.

[@honesty1234]

So glad you made it passed your indoctrination Dan. You are one of the main reasons I am now utilizing reason. Thank you for being yourself.

[@davidhamilton2496]

Religion: How to get money from your pocket into mine". Face it. Ha

[@keke8880]

I was born right the first time 😅 Thanks Annie Laurie, I need to start saying that too

[@jasoncarpp7742]

My favourite book written by Dan Barker is called *"The Good Atheist".* It talks about all the well-known atheists, agnostics, secular, and freethinkers in history, past and present. :)

[@ATOK_]

Dan is amazing

[@404_profile_not_found]

I had seen that Oprah segment a long time ago and was frustrated at what I saw as Oprah's apparent disgust, forced pity and her bemusement that one would be an atheist. I hope she's still not as 'confused' at this notion of no belief in gods.

[@spaceghost8995]

Oh she is still confused. Or at least ACTS like it.

[@koki84ji7]

She praises the one true God...money

[@scienceownsimposters2142]

Oprah is a sellout like all those celebrity and religious types which are in on it.Oprah knows the truth and knows whats in store for her.

[@robertlight5227]

And now you are an evangelist for critical thinking. U rock dude!

[@Lolaaestereo]

Great interview

[@elcomentario8913]

Whether or not people agree with Dan is there opinion, but i find it fascinating that his own parents abandoned their faith.

[@wanakmar0734]

You are lucky living in a country allow freethinker... i think a lot of people in other conservative countries like mine wont be able to "come out of the closet" because the threats and risks to you and family just too high. Hope one day human can accept we are not all the same in our thinkings..

[@Sham9909]

I enjoyed listening to Dan as I always do but his key light has to be on the opposite side of his face. It just takes a little more work.

[@richardwilliams473]

It would be nice to have Dan Barker interview his wife as a future presentation?

[@jasoncarpp7742]

When you think of the hatred and violence against people because they don't believe, and because they happen to live a life that is *"contrary to what 'God' says is acceptable",* it makes me glad I never grew up in such a fundamentalist Christian household.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Although I never grew up going to church, nor did I ever read the Bible growing up, I have family members who did, and would try to get me to join their church. I would politely and respectfully decline, often saying that I'm not interested. I knew, even then, that I didn't need Jesus Christ to be a good moral person.

[@jeffbrown3400]

Thank you for sharing. Keep up the good work.

[@franco00767]

Very smart man

[@havenbastion]

Thank god for Annie-Laurie keeping the conversation flowing in the right direction.

[@peterpackiam]

Thanks for sharings FFRF...Cheers

[@calliebriggs9021]

NOTHING FAILS LIKE PRAYER THANKS ANN GALORE

[@markwhitman72]

Dan"s story out of superstition is truly amazing and worthy of much respect!! His parents had the HONOR of appearing with the great icons Garland and Astaire but were unfortunately christers as Madalyn Ohair would say! Also I used to laugh at the female charlatan Kathryn Kuhlman when I was young and in college in the late sixties and early seventies. How can anyone with a brain fall for her schtick? Oh well, Congrats Dan and Laurie you are doing great work and keep it up!!

[@YY4Me133]

*Annie Laurie

[@elainejohnson6955]

Annie Laurie never seems to age!

[@jasoncarpp7742]

My favourite book written by Dan Barker is *"The Good Atheist".* It talks about many well-known atheists, agnostic, and otherwise non-religious people.

[@your_being_led_by_your_nose]

We shouldn’t need the word atheism. If people didn’t invent ridiculous, irrational gods, rational people wouldn’t have to deny them.

[@Anne--Marie]

Dan, I hope that you have deconverted ten times as many people as you have converted.

[@johngant3991]

Why? What difference does it make to you if someone else believes in God?

[@JohnAnderson-ss9vn]

i find it ironic that onward christian soldiers so sung with great gusto by protestants was written by a catholic priest a religion that is anathema to them

[@honesty1234]

Very impressive

[@caroladams8666]

Dan Barker has been a preacher for many years, now he is an atheist, what will he be in the future?

[@IzzysTravelDiaries]

I want to hear Annie's story! I've read Godless, but I'd really like to hear about Annie!

[@jasoncarpp7742]

So would I.

[@ivonna.tinkle]

In the first few moments of Dan's life story I began to think, what about Dan's parents? Then he talked about how his parents became atheists too! I was so relieved that they didn't shunn him. My parents didn't shunn me either but my mom said "you just have to have faith" when I spoke about the contractions of the bible and the book of mormon, btw I was raised mormon.

[@yolandaolson5131]

Why are Dan and Annie Laurie not upfront about their marriage relationship? Why isn't Dan up front in telling his whole life personal story, including the demise of his marriage and why?

[@mikimike]

I saw that opera show, and it disgust me the way opera disrespected all the atheists throughout the whole program. I think that was one of the moments when I started losing respect for opera. Here's a clip of the program. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5DXYmqZbL-eqtU

[@scienceownsimposters2142]

Oprah is in on it all famous people know the truth but they sold their souls and not to Satan but to the doomed mafia christianity.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Oh, I have family members are devoutly fundamentalist Christian, and would no doubt have my head on a plate if I told them that not only am I an atheist, but that I'm also gay, that I'm attracted to guys.

[@YY4Me133]

Wow. That's so sad.

[@jamesmoon3844]

Hey Jason, I don't care if you're gay, my friend. I accept you.

[@heymynamesaidan7918]

For me nobody in my family can know I’m an atheist, I’ll get disowned, my grandma is a bitch and breaks down when she doesn’t get her way so she’ll have a mental breakdown and since she lives near me I’m stuck, my grandfather, father, uncle, aunts, mom, grandma, theyre all Christians, I hate it.

[@robb5828]

@@heymynamesaidan7918 anti civilisation, that's how I call it, anti humanity

[@jasoncarpp7742]

@@jamesmoon3844 Thank you. I appreciate it. :)

[@michaeldejonge7837]

THANKS a lot! Mr. Barker can you arrange that you're books come out in Holland and in Dutch translation?? That would be so great!! 😊👍🙋❤

[@marcuspi999]

Kindle can translate books now.

[@carlose5751]

Is there any interview of Anna Laurie Gaylor? Please share.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Is that Dan Barker's father in the video. You see Judy Garland singing, but where's Dan's dad? Is he in the video?

[@bobh5087]

Yes, I believe he's the trombonist in front of/beside Judy.

[@pansepot1490]

The guy playing the trombone.

[@bruceshand8052]

I think he was the trombone player in the foreground.

[@jasonrussell1160]

Jason Carpp I think he’s the trombone player.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

@@jasonrussell1160 Ahhh! Okay.

[@johnokka]

Great Couple

[@rhondah1587]

Great video. Loved your book Godless. Tried to get my mother to read it but she refused.

[@robertnelson1646]

RhondaH I enjoyed that book as well as several ‘historical critical’ books by Bart D Erhman, try one.

[@YY4Me133]

I would have loved to sit next to Dan on a bus. We'd have had a lively conversation.

[@friedtofu4568]

Relationship goals

[@CasaNoemi]

But the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will fall away from the faith, listening to deceitful spirits. 2 Tim 4:1

[@johnokka]

powerful couple

[@junevandermark952]

The Jewish "story" was not Adam and Eve. It was Adam and Lilith. It was the Christian theologians that twisted the story to Adam and Eve.

[@scienceownsimposters2142]

It is not a "jewish" story either but Pagan/Basque/Goth Phoenician/real American story.

[@junevandermark952]

@@scienceownsimposters2142 To a Christian ... Judaism IS paganism ... or heresy. And the Jews believed that Christianity was heresy. Maimonides was a Jewish Rabbi who lived in the Middle-ages and because he told the Jews what they wanted to hear … he was extremely popular. And he was right … that if Jesus gave up on preaching Judaism as his one and only truth … which was his birth-right … to in turn preach ANY Christian doctrine … Jesus WOULD have been a heretic and OF COURSE hated by the Jews. Just as the Catholic popes wanted the Jews and Protestants to be put to death for heresy … the Jews wanted Jesus to be put to death for heresy against them. I agree with the words of the now-dead Christopher Hitchens … “Religion poisons everything.” From the book … god is not GREAT … How Religion Poisons Everything … Christopher Hitchens. Maimonides described the punishment of the detestable Nazarene heretic as one of the greatest achievements of the Jewish elders, insisted that the name Jesus never be mentioned except when accompanied by a curse, and announced that his punishment was to be boiled in excrement for all entity. What a good Catholic Maimonides would have made!

[@robertallan6373]

If our morals only came from the bible we would all be in big trouble, it would be be literally hell on earth.

[@marcuspi999]

We'd all be the Taliban.

[@joep7753]

That remark is evidence you don't understand the Bible and probably never read it.

[@larismitani1009]

The Bible literally teaches us to love God with all your heart and love others how you love yourself how is that bad morals?

[@Ergeniz]

I love this, but I don't understand how Dan Barker is an 'guest' of an organization he is Co-President of. XD

[@aboyandhisdog]

It's just an interview of Dan...what's hard to understand???

[@bruceshand8052]

He's a co-host who happens to be being interviewed because of his story.

[@scipioafricanus5871]

Dan Barker is a trinity consisting of the Guest, the Co-President of FFRF and Husband of Annie Laurie Gaylor.

[@julianmontoya428]

My daughter was on one of the last Oprah shows, book be Helen Benedict " lonely soldier girl"...my daughter was born at ft hood Texas, yet claims in the book she didn't know who her father was, what a scammer

[@havenbastion]

Dan, why aren't you giving the good life you enjoy as the fruits of sustaining religious idiocy to someone who is currently destitute because they fought the good fight all along?

[@GodlessFiend]

Dan barker is the only “god” I’ll believe in

[@subnegro4946]

You guys probably met when I was born. Sept 14 84.