Dead Wrong On Deconstruction: William Lane Craig's Terrible Take!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Hope you all enjoy this one. Deconstruction is one of my favorite things to talk about.

[@TonyLambregts]

Thank you for sharing your perspective.

[@somedude5281]

I thought you said you would upload a vid on pascals wager today.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

@@somedude5281nope i said it might be my next Tuesday takedown after this. Hope to get to it. So much on the list

[@somedude5281]

​@@MindShift-BrandonOh well, this helped as well.

[@Critical_Explorer-vw5hy]

@MindShift-Brandon your earlier video about your personal deconstruction was so helpful for me as I started down that path. Your advice about when/how/or not to share was good advice. Thanks for all your help!

[@Rhewin]

“Feelings are very deceptive… unless they lead you to my beliefs. Then they’re totally epistemologically justified.” Ah, good ol’ Low Bar Bill.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Right?! Its crazy

[@tangerinetangerine4400]

Exactly. If feelings lead to his theology then it's ok. All religion is based on feelings, wishful thinking and pure ignorance. Religion doesn't care about the truth as it continues to dismiss scientifically supported facts.

[@suicune2001]

LOL! Yep. Even my family member used his feelings as "evidence." I find this especially ironic since he has schizophrenia and literally has to take medication to not see things that don't exist. So he KNOWS what his "feelings" are worth and yet still uses it as evidence. Mind-blowing.

[@dereknoto6555]

Through the floor!

[@HarryNicNicholas]

exactly, he is full of crap. why people glorify him beats me, a liar and an idiot simultaneously.

[@dougt7580]

Deconstruction is pretty much the opposite of indoctrination so of course it's dangerous to any high control religion.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Well said

[@gavinyoung-philosophy]

Precisely

[@annemurphy8074]

Very well said! People who are self actualized and have individuated as a person are harder to control and manipulate. Taking down brainwashing is a very, very difficult process but it leads to greater freedom. Beliefs have nothing to do with truth/reality.

[@KaMaAh-hv4id]

I wish I’d said that. Spot on!

[@theol64]

@dougt7580 "...high control religion." For just a moment I thought you were talking about Christianity.

[@farrex0]

Atheists: This are the reasons why I don't believe. Apologists: Nu uh, you left because of feelings.... Atheist: I gave you my reasons, I never spoke of feelings or anything like that. Apologist: Who hurt you? Atheist: I won't speak with you if you are unwilling to engage on a mature way. Apologist: See the angry atheist? There is no reason, no rationale, they are atheists because of emotions.... Anyway, let me tell you about how emotions converted me into Christianity.

[@Jcs57]

Without realizing it they’ve established a reputation of being inherently dishonest and disingenuous. Liars for Jesus have literally undermined their own credibility.

[@suicune2001]

LOL! Spot on. The gaslighting is incredible.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

🤣🤣👍🏼

[@dougt7580]

​@@Jcs57That's true for me. Apologists didn't lead me away from religion, but their prolific dishonesty, evasiveness, and word games ensure I'll never come back.

[@thomabow8949]

You are forgetting something; eventually they pull a pity card, and say they'll pray for you!

[@robertnelson5645]

"Feelings are very deceptive and misleading" says the guy who bases his faith on the feeling of the holy spirit burning in his bosom.

[@boleperishon5272]

The hypocrisy of WLC to dismiss emotion from belief, when he, himself, said that he would continue believing no matter how much concrete evidence against god came up.

[@JimCastleberry]

You are lying about what Dr Craig argues. Typical atheist.

[@pineapplepenumbra]

Well, you know what they say about every accusation by the religious is an admission/confession.

[@JimCastleberry]

@@pineapplepenumbra I know you atheists created lazy lies like the lazy atheist lie you just claimed. I know you cannot justify your sleazy atheist lie.

[@jdnlaw1974]

His reasons for “Constructing” were literally the reasons for my Deconstruction. He’s also gliding over the horrific, devastating and scary feelings one goes through during the early stages of Deconstruction.

[@annemurphy8074]

Very frightening!

[@chemtrooper1]

💯! I spent months utterly devastated that I could no longer honestly hold on to my Christian beliefs. When your faith is built on the inerrancy, univocality and divine inspiration of the Bible; the whole structure collapses with a basic critical reading.

[@jdnlaw1974]

@@chemtrooper1 A Little Faith sometimes I feel like I’m someone else, but I can still believe if I make myself, it’s a hell of a thought, it’s emptiness, to be honest it scares me half to death, Chorus like i’m in the sky, on the outside of a plane, no parachute, too late to get back in, and I see the ground below, so far away, no idea, how I got to this place, oh God show me a sign, ‘cause I’m afraid, so afraid, throw me a little faith, well I fell from Heaven, kicked me out, would’a never left but they sensed my doubt, said I was the devil, clipped my wings, paid a heavy price, for my need to think, Chorus (Repeat) yeah I guess I might’a kinda questioned things, but my doubt was less than a mustard seed, did I ask too much when I begged to see, really wanna believe, yeah I need to believe, Father I pray, throw me a little faith, I don’t need no miracle, just a little sign, pull a rabbit from a hat, turn water into wine, take me into ecstasy, send chills down my spine, anything if even in my mind, ‘cause I’m afraid, so afraid, throw me a little faith, sometimes I feel like I’m someone else, but I can still believe if I make myself... Jarrod Nichols

[@kettei7743]

It always confuses my why some christians have a "response" to deconstruction, since that is just the process of examining ones beliefs, which is healthy at every level

[@KrelianLoke]

It's not healthy for Christianity since it thrives on not examining one's beliefs.

[@soyevquirsefron990]

If something makes sense, after you deconstruct it you’d reconstruct the same way. The truth doesn’t fear questions.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Agreed

[@TonyLambregts]

Thoroughly examing what you believe and why you believe it is is a worthwhile investment. Being honest with yourself is the best thing you can do for you.

[@Finckelstein]

Because a honest deconstruction of the christian faith will inevitably lead to deconversion. I'm tired of having to pretend otherwise. There is absolutely no way anyone could deconstruct their christian beliefs without dogma and remain christian.

[@DavidRichardson153]

"A view that is biblically coherent." Well, he just tripped before the starting shot with that quite glaring paradox.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yup!

[@Llortnerof]

Show me a coherent bible and i show you one that was mistranslated badly.

[@suicune2001]

It's as coherent as the Zelda timeline.

[@theunknownatheist3815]

>Biblical >Coherent Pick One

[@Uryvichk]

Actually, it's not that hard to have a Biblically coherent worldview, assuming by that he means "an interpretation of the Bible that does not entail a contradiction with any of my other knowledge or beliefs." Coherency is an incredibly low bar to clear, so low that an atheist can have a "Biblically coherent" interpretation: "The Bible is a collection of Jewish and early Christian mythology, philosophy, and literature, and the presented supernatural elements are mythmaking, metaphor, or mistakes." Nothing is inherently CONTRADICTORY about that view; to be incoherent, it would have to be the case that such an interpretation of the Bible is logically impossible.

[@gavinyoung-philosophy]

You really hit the nail on the head with the lack of a coherent and unified Christian…anything! When a Christian tells me I need Christianity to ground my morality, I just think of the lack of ground (or at least the turgid and tumultuous ground) of Christianity when it comes to literally any moral question.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

yes, it simply does not work!

[@pilar8323]

They can't even come to an agreement within the same denomination. When I was in Catholic school I heard conflicting responses from the nuns who ran the school, the priest from the local church and another priest that came to the school to give us seminars.

[@tonymiller3788]

One of my favorite new oxymorons is "Gospel Truth" Now thanks to WLC I'm adding "Biblically Coherent" to the list.

[@artemisnite]

I left Christianity BECAUSE it's blatantly obviously untrue once you study ancient mythology, history and logical fallacies.

[@JimCastleberry]

Really, try to justify that claim without lying. Of course, you won't.

[@jmparker78]

@@JimCastleberry Sounds like you'd dismiss anything they replied with as a lie whether you can prove it's untrue or not.

[@JimCastleberry]

@@jmparker78 Nope, I'm very honest. I just know atheists are incessant liars who never justify their dishonest atheist claims. Here, we have one more lying atheist idiot posturing and feigning pretenses with empty bluster. He won't deliver on his claims either. Atheists lie and never hold themselves accountable..

[@Saje3D]

@@JimCastleberryA perfect god that’s jealous AND requires worship? Do you grasp how fucking nonsensical that is? No, of course not. It’s like the most obvious lie ever and gullible twerps gobble it right up.

[@timbertome2443]

@@JimCastleberry Your input here is useless, except in showing all of us how bad the mind-virus of christianity can make people.

[@umbomb]

Faith is an expression of desire; it’s pure emotion- or it wouldn’t be faith, it would be knowledge.

[@MrCanis4]

Fear the stick and long for the carrot. Hell and Heaven.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

yup!

[@ajh3301]

I was brought up in a fundamentalist church. I started seriously questioning things in my late 20s. I am now in my mid-50s and still deconstructing. It is very hard and very scary,but I just can’t believe the things I was taught as a child anymore. My life has not born them out. They are simply not true. And yet it is very difficult to make the break. Thank you for your channel.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to help!

[@weirdwilliam8500]

“My feelings come from a magic ghost and are special and truth-determining, your feelings are unreliable. Also, I’m an intellectual.”

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol! It really is ludicrous

[@weirdwilliam8500]

@@MindShift-BrandonRight? I’m also fascinated by apologists talking about deconstruction. It hits them right in the cognitive dissonance, and is like an ongoing tragicomedy.

[@soyevquirsefron990]

It’s interesting that Craig will say that Christian belief is “epistemically justified” because of the witness of the Holy Spirit, but when Alex O’Conner asked him how a person would know if god was commanding them to shoot up a school, Craig said (paraphrase) “that’s an epistemological question I’m not interested in answering that” So Craig WILL speak about epistemology but only when it’s convenient. And let’s not forget that his own reason to believe is that (paraphrase) “if there’s one chance in a million that god could love Bill Craig, I lower the bar to believe it”

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Nailed it! The inconsistency of christianity!

[@Llortnerof]

Claiming it's justified because of another belief is really not making for a good argument anyway. He's just kicking the can down the road.

[@toonyandfriends1915]

He answered the question by saying that perhaps no one is justified into believing that the voice come from God too. So it's not like he avoided the answer. He's saying that they don't know exactly how the authencity of God used to be transmitted in the ancient age. Why do you ignore someone's answer for a narrative. I disagree with Craig but still.

[@work3753]

I've found that to get yourself into a "christian mindset" or "allowing the holy spirit", it takes one of these leaps where you're willing to just believe without reason. And in my experience Christians are VERY happy to help you with that unfounded leap. Maybe the philosophers will say you can apologize without error, but the actually evangelists, pastors, small group leaders etc will happily take someone confused, emotionally hurt and hungry and once they feel that tingly sensation when singing a worship song and claim its the holy spirit and thus proof that god is reaching out to comfort you.

[@JimCastleberry]

You are lying about what Dr Craig argued. Dr Craig will not allow the core problem (moral ontology) to be ignored - as atheists always do, by shifting to epistemology. You are also lying about what Dr Craig argued 'triple warrant' on game theory justification in ADDITION TO logical and rational proofs.

[@Sky-sm2jz]

Im not one for eloquent words, but my gratitude for your well prepared and thought out lessons/talks is deep and sincere.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Unbelievably generous! Thank you so very much for the support. It really is what allows me to put this much time into the channel. Thank you dearly.

[@jenna2431]

"Biblically coherent" is an oxymoron.

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

Great statement in just two words.

[@TheRealShrike]

Yes, literally anything can be explained away as biblically coherent.

[@BeccaYoley]

Just a few minutes in, I can already see the manipulation in how he plays off the idea that constructing or creating is typically seen as more admirable than tearing something down. But, this greatly depends on what you are deconstructing. It could easily be reworded to say that a person deconstructing is actually building a life with a more reliable and true foundation.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Couldnt agree more!

[@CommonSense_Skeptic]

you nailed it, you're not allowed to question it , so they manipulate people into thinking they're bad people if they question it or that they're going to hell if they question it because they must not really be saved etc so you got it exactly right

[@MindShift-Brandon]

its a very sad system!

[@EmissaryOfStuff]

That beginning quote from Low bar Bill is an amusing self-own on his part.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Indeed!

[@infosecrogue8883]

Brandon, you nailed it. I started deconstructing because I was trying to be a better Christian and grow in my faith. I wanted to know why I believed what I claimed to believe and actually read through the scriptures. Once I started finding conflicting scriptures and other issues like the not-so-synoptic gospels, I had to come to grips with the fact that my faith wasn’t built on any real foundation.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

isnt it amazing that so many of us deconstructed simply by wanting to please or know god. But thats what reading the bible seriously will do for ya.

[@timothymulholland7905]

You can be honest and you can be an apologist, but can can't be both at the same time.

[@davidrexford586]

And yet an Atheist can? Tell me what is meant by being honest instead of being dishonest because it seems no matter what I say about how I found God and still believe in God which is by Faith , I am called either a liar or something else and how can you call me a liar unless you ABSOLUTELY know God doesn’t exist??? You can only doubt what I believe instead so until you can prove God doesn’t exist , you can only agree to disagree with me in the meantime.

[@ChillAssTurtle]

​@@davidrexford586faith is believing something in spite of a lack of evidence or even in the face of evidence against.. a swing and a miss buddy boy lol

[@wakingforbacon6439]

​@@davidrexford586faith is dishonest by nature. That's believing something without evidence. That's dishonest.

[@Jcs57]

@@davidrexford586 Because you can’t know a god exists much less the particular flavor of god existing so asserting it does without evidence is dishonest at best and lying at most.

[@suicune2001]

@@davidrexford586 Yeah, it's extremely easy to be an atheist and honest. You look at reality and say, "Yep, that is reality" instead of what religious people do which is look at reality and insert fanfiction in the mix and claim that to be the true reality. Also, if you've watched enough videos on this channel, it has debunked this particular deity through the many many incorrect claims in the Bible. Fact: If you weren't born during this time and place, you would have never heard of Yahweh. You would have been raised with a different set of deities and you would have been just as happy with those deities as you are with this one. Fact: No religion has ever spontaneously popped up across the entire human population. If one religion was the true religion, then we should have all been born with that knowledge. Instead, humans have invented roughly 18,000 deities. You feel you don't have any reason to worship Thor because you think Thor is "fake" while having no evidence to support that. Atheists feel the same way about your deity. Your deity is just as fake as all the rest. Fact: Isn't it funny how literally everyone has a different religion? Even when in the same religion, the members believe different things and don't even act like they truly honestly believe their deity exists. Because if they did, they wouldn't do what they do. If your literal immortal soul was at risk if you made ONE mistake then not only would you live in constant severe anxiety but you'd be sure to never ever do anything against the rules. (not that Christians even know what the rules are....) The priests in your own religion can't even act right. What does that say about your religion and your deity? Fact: "I found God" means absolutely nothing. I could say, "I found Ra" with just as much conviction but you'd think I was ridiculous for worshipping the ancient Egyptian deities. Fact: The human brain literally can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality. People literally see and hear deceased loved ones because their brain wants to soooo badly. I shouldn't have to delude myself into finding something. If a deity wants me to know it exists then it should prove itself in a tangible way or everyone should have been born with the knowledge of its existences and desires. Fact: Asking people to prove a negative is silly. Prove my imaginary friend Steven isn't real. I'll wait.

[@andresvillarreal9271]

We, the engineers, are the experts in deconstruction. We usually start with something that should be working but does not, and with end-user diagnostics that may be good, bad, or awful. Then we start taking pieces off, testing both the piece we took out and the remaining kernel of the machine, and we question everything, even our own diagnostics. The only time to stop is when things start working. And our preconceptions that we had before we started are rarely right. Also, constructing before you deconstruct what does not work is the most direct path to failure.

[@8journey8]

I can't tell you how many hours I spent worrying about whether or not I had committed the unforgivable sin: "blaspheming the holy spirit". The bible never did outline what that meant, and it left lots of room for people to ponder what it might be. I realize now what the purpose of that verse was: >>to instill a fearful dread about leaving the religion. No Wonder that phrase was put in the bible. That verse alone kept me from examining the details of what I was expected to believe during all those years as a beleaguered believer. Fortunately for me, I Kept Thinking.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes! Like so much other myth an “unforgivable sin” it doesnt even make sense but yes its useful in the fear department

[@Chuck-se5hh]

Well said.

[@B.S._Lewis]

The unforgivable sin is an admission that the Christian god is not powerful enough to save, despite it's desire to save all.

[@sundayoliver3147]

I looked up the origin of the word "reverence." It's from the Latin "re" (an intensifier" and "vereri"-- the first meaning of which is "fear".

[@wakingforbacon6439]

​@@B.S._Lewismost say yhe unforgiveable sin is denying god in front of men. Saying he is not God. Othwts believe blasphemy is cursing God. Who knows what it is. A fictional character I'm sure isn't worried about blasphemy.

[@adalbertred]

It is hard to believe the speed with which WLC moved the post from deconstructing to deconversion. He may either have an under average intellect and just doesn't understand other people points, or he is so much trained in deception that he cannot function anymore in the realm of honesty.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Confused or calculated! Exactly. And i am not sure which is worse honestly

[@duediligence8888]

Why not both!

[@DrakeTimbershaft]

My deconstruction was not an easy path. The first time I was confronted about the constance of my faith was by "campus crusaders" who quoted lines from the Bible (the New Testament, natch) in an effort to convert me. I supposed it was an emotional reaction, but something instinctive said, "Get as far away from these people as you can." As calmly as I could, I excused myself from the meeting. As I left, someone called out, "What you are doing is ignorant and uneducated!" That hurt, but it made me think I had made the right decision if they were going to resort to bullying and name calling. I stepped out on to the street and took a deep breath, and yes, I felt relief. But I didn't settle for that. I read the Bible along with comparative religious texts and books based on cosmology and evolution. The more I tried to square the circle of religion to fit the concrete evidence the more I saw that reconciling fatith with facts was a dead end. During this time, the campus crusaders would dispatch an evangelist, a new face every time, who would invite me to Bible readings, claiming they were going to have "intellectual conversations" about the book. I knew that the conversation was nothing more than an attempt to convert and they were not interested in debating the veracity of the Bible. The more I learned, the easier it was for me to say "No, thank you." There was always that tug of "Maybe I should have said yes?" But that was an emotional reaction and I was learning that a feeling is just that, a feeling. I wrangled with the question for a while, like Jacob and the angel, but in the end i realized that I was striving with a phantom. My life is far from perfect, but I'm glad it is not caught in the snarl of religious faith and the supernatural.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@deb6252]

On vacation and took your channel with me. Thank you. This mess about something as normal and human as feelings. When it works for them - feelings important and good. When it doesn't - feelings meaningless and bad. I'm weary of it.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Weary indeed but glad to be traveling with you. Enjoy!

[@micahiverson1985]

Great video, Brandon. I am really impressed with not just your reasonable arguments for reconstruction, but also the clarity and humility with which you offer them to the rest of us. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to have you as a supplemental resource on my own journey.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

That's incredibly kind. Thank you so much for the generous encouragement.

[@Charlotte_Martel]

In Catholic school, we were taught critical thinking skills and logic and were encouraged to apply them to our faith. However, it was always w/the understanding that the conclusion would be that the faith was true, exactly as you described here, Brandon. I just followed it to its logical, not foregone, conclusion.

[@toonyandfriends1915]

Well obviously the Catholics thinks they are right, like any intellectual position you could disagree

[@MrCanis4]

For many Atheists in Northern Europe, we did not abandon religion, it simply disappeared. Separation between church and state and you go a long way.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

When I started to question "what I believe and why I believe it", the senior pastor of the church we were attending at the time, started to do the same thing, and teaching it from the pulpit. Long story short, they railroaded him out of the church, he developed chronic pain and had gone completely the other direction. The poor man wasn't allowed to question because I'm sure they knew he'd walk, and possibly teach others to think critically. Keep them in the church by keeping them ignorant of truth, or at least the pursuit of it.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

"Keep them in the church by keeping them ignorant of truth" What is the truth?

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

@@heavenbound7-7-7-7 I can tell you what isn't. Not going to run down the rabbit hole with this loaded, broad question 😸

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

@@CatDaddyGuitar You don't know the truth, but you know what isn't the truth. 🤔

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

@@heavenbound7-7-7-7 it's an enigma wrapped in a quandary that only a certain perspective and experience can ascertain.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

Not sure where my other comments went to. Floated off in cyberspace.

[@farrex0]

Low Bar bill: "I don't care about feelings I care about truth!" Also Low Bar Bill: "If there is even one chance in a million.... I don't raise the epistemic bar in fact I lower it!"

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol yup! Just sad

[@FluidThinker]

It eerily looks like a projection. I recently talked with someone who I was in a relationship with and after our break up, I finally was able to deconstruct and then deconvert. She told me the same sentence. It was like looking at my old, religious self. She still thinks the bible is the absolute truth and that she values truth but she can't recognise all the contradictions because then the truth would attack her feelings. It's honestly amazing how the human mind can trick itself after enough indoctrination.

[@RandyAndy7373]

I liked Brendon saying, that even for a believing Christian deconstruction maybe meaningful. I agree. Not only for (upcoming) atheists. I am a RC and I profit a lot from your videos. William Lane Craig surely is right saying, that its about the truth and not about feelings. But I have to push back here. Never I had the slightest doubt, that what you Brendon tell in your videos is untrue or incoherent. It's stringent and logical. Always intellectually honest. It's the reason why I am here. WLC tells us he is not interested in deconstruction. This is already partial. What he should say (if he were impartial): I am interested in the truth and if the truth tells me or any other person to deconstruct we all have to follow this (painful) path. Good work Brendon!🎉 By the way. To me deconstruting is not painful. At times. But not really. If you love the truth you like any information thats enlightening.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

This was very kind of you thank you

[@KaMaAh-hv4id]

I deconstructed 40 years ago. I lost my first girlfriend over my loss of faith and that taught me to keep my mouth shut about it. I avoided talking about god/faith to friends and family. Fast forward to now, I’m so grateful there are videos like this. Knowing there are lots of people like me is a relief. Now when someone wants to talk about god/religion I just say I don’t believe in ghosts. They aren’t terribly butt hurt, and know not to discuss it with me.

[@dakotabeeson]

Brandon, could you please do an episode on how you personally co-parent with a believer?

[@BeccaYoley]

Choosing not to deconstruct is simply irresponsible, IMO.

[@TheRatzor]

I used to like Dr. William Lame Craig , but he started to defend the horrible shit in the Bible and I was like yeah nah!

[@JimCastleberry]

You are lying. Try watching what he says in context. Then tell me where he is actually wrong, rather than listening to all the atheist liars caricature his position.

[@nuuwnhuus]

@@JimCastleberry There is no context in which genocide is suddenly defensible.

[@Equinox2149]

​@JimCastleberry Dude, he says he is in support of Divine Command theory

[@JimCastleberry]

@@Equinox2149 So what? He does not argue that God did command evil. He also argues that God's inviolable moral NATURE (not God's commands) is the foundation of objective moral values and duties,. He argues that some of these verses could be embellishments based upon legends. He then goes on to explain how it is logically POSSIBLE that God could have sufficient reason IF God did make the command. You clowns don't pay attention to what he actually argues, but instead latch on to something out of context, then spin and lie out of context.

[@wakingforbacon6439]

​@JimCastleberry dude yout lying. He said if God commanded a school shootings then that would be okay with him. He didn't day god commanded it. But he said if God commanded it then it would be moral. How would that be moral? It wouldn't be. No matter who was commanding it. You have to be in major cognitive decline to believe otherwise.

[@robinette64]

Thank you for this! So many “friends” watch this nonsense and it affects the way they relate to me. It’s really frustrating, because they don’t really listen to what I’m actually saying.

[@FluidThinker]

What I've learned in my young life here on earth is that friends don't necessarily have to share every opinion when there is mutual respect / tolerance for the other person. My friends even tolerated my horrendous views that were put on me by the religion. When I was ready to talk and examine everything critically, then they only started to state everything clearly. Do these people actually respect you and your world view? If not, I would reconsider my friendship with them if I were you.

[@floccinaucinihilipilifications]

Itoo have noticed that apologetics based podcasts/ KZbin channels explain deconstruction as solely based on emotion/ trauma … my experience and that of my friends/acquaintances has been entirely research/intellectually based.

[@FoursWithin]

WLC makes faith look like a cult bubble to protect people from truth , logic, and intellectual challenges.

[@rebanx1]

Christianity happened to me when I wasnt looking.....Atheism happened to me when I started thinking . Deep within the religious mindset...it matters more that you believe, than whether it's actually true''...Aronra.

[@TrevonFoxxx]

“You’re not looking for the truth, you’re looking for what church you best align with” Dropped a nuclear sized BAR with that one, period

[@bradypustridactylus488]

When Low Bar Bill dances the limbo, I think he cheats. He implies different questions of epistemology require different standards of evidence based on desire, relevant to the plan of salvation, irrelevant to deconstruction. Lane always manages to wiggle lowest under any bar just because.

[@Cincyboy56]

Brandon, your channel is terrific. Somehow you post nearly everyday, while maintaining a high level of quality; great set, graphics, production. Do you do these without a script? That’s a gift, son. More importantly, your content is always on the nose. You outdid yourself on this one today.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Man so kind and encouraging! Too much credit though. Only 3/week. But no i dont script on tuesday takedowns. Turn it on and go. But i do make outlines for SBS and some sunday vids. Appreciate the love so much

[@Cincyboy56]

@@MindShift-Brandon Great to hear from you, man. I think I have some good insights after 40-years as a tv news anchor and host, and I became a student of the craft. So am I getting this right? Without even an outline, you just talked extemporaneously? With no stumbles, umm’s, or uhh’s? For 30 straight minutes? With no background as a professional presenter? Damn. I think you came to the right place.

[@LUMIN69]

Been watching since you started the Mindshift channel; its really quite amazing how you elucidate your thoughts and arguments with seamless logical flow whilst still (rather cohesivley) weaving in your insightful side tangents.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Such an amazing compliment. Thanks for being here from the start!

[@Sky-sm2jz]

Lumin69, That's the compliment I wish I could've written to Brandon. Perfect.

[@sordidknifeparty]

God's morality is written on everyone's heart, so there's no excuse to not have good morals. The heart is deceitful Above All Else, so we can't trust it. Any Christians I ask you to make this make sense

[@MindShift-Brandon]

yes!!

[@thedavesiknow4598]

I have been using the term Reconstruction/restructuring for myself. The D word makes people freak out😁

[@damzey911]

You're explanation on these videos are so well done sir! Thank you

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad you like them! Thanks

[@leehun4044]

Brandon, please don't stop bringing videos and stay strong. Greetings from Switzerland

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Will do. Thank you! Wish i lived where you do!

[@leehun4044]

@@MindShift-Brandon ugh, no i will definitely not recommend you to live here. Switzerland is a country full of racism, even against American. I can tell you after over 30 years.

[@EstherH85]

I told myself that I'm going to spend less time online, but it's Tuesday! I had to come see the Take-down😁

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Honored to be an exception!

[@jmwild1]

I have barely started the video and I'm already hearing "SPECIAL PLEADING" aloud in my brain.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

You are not wrong

[@MrLightning20]

“If Hitler is not in hell, then he got away with it” - that’s a main problem with the reasoning of a lot of Christians. What you want to happen is not always reality.

[@chriswest8389]

He’s dead. He misses out on heaven. Punishment is for eternity

[@Uryvichk]

@@chriswest8389 Not really much of a punishment when we're all going to miss out on heaven.

[@shaereub4450]

Also: that's the point of Christ's sacrifice. As long as you repent and accept Christ in the end, the find you committed don't matter. If Hitler had a death bed conversion, he's in heaven now. If the Jews he & his people killed didn't accept Christ, they're on Hell. That's the justice system, according to their book.

[@aak2931]

I'm pretty much on my way out of this religion and I've started sharing it with those close to me. One of my close friends said to me to 'Be very cautious'. I pressed him on why he feels like this, after all Truth should stand examination. And plus this is a feeling I was very familiar with just as I started to deconstruct, we got to the bottom of it and he asnwered 'Fear' and that's all I needed. Thank you for all the work you're doing Brandon!! Also just a quick suggestion, each time you recommend one of your videos, please also show the title and not jus the thumbnail coz they're getting harder too find especially as your channel grows.😅

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for sharing. And great tip. Will do!

[@philb4462]

"Feelings are so deceptive." WLC is all about feelings! He knows there is a God because he has a feeling about the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. He felt that the Christian message of forgiveness is so wonderful he lowered his epistemic bar so he would believe it. He has a whole video about how he feels that a life without God would be empty and meaningless. This man is painfully lacking in self-awareness.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

yes, hard to watch.

[@erinimagines]

Whenever I would ask questions growing up my parents would say "I just don't question it I just have faith", and that they'd rather believe and be right than to not believe and be wrong. To this day that's what they say and they think I left the church because someone hurt my feelings.

[@trythelight8319]

Especially over the course of your final thoughts, I found it agreeable that feelings and emotional attachments tie me to concepts that - in my mind - I can’t say are truthful. This constant innate desire to fit a mold that I don’t want to only hurts in the long run and I know that some level of pain for multiple people can come from my potential “coming out.” Part of that is because I feel a desire to help and be compassionate, and I get the sense of doing that via leading worship services. Being able to “create a space in music for people to worship or ‘check themselves’ or get close to who they believe they create” drives me. But I also love how the music sounds and that I can use my hard-earned and developed specialties. I constantly tell others it’s okay to be where they are, but everytime a Christian or believer asks me where I am, I give them half-honest answers because I’m just simply afraid of hurting them and potential detachment. One thing that helps which you’ve pointed out, is that I don’t have to have an answer for everything. I don’t have to replace god. Doesn’t mean i quit pursuing truth, but I shouldn’t let fear of missing out deprive me of honesty and potential gain. Maybe it’s time for some of us to bite the bullet.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

What a comment. I feel ya and for ya so much!

[@LeoVital]

A reminder that in his book titled "Reasonable Faith", Craig mentions Martin Luther's distinction between the "magisterial use of reason" from the "ministerial use of reason". The former is when reason is applied to judge everything, including the gospels and faith. The latter is when the gospels take precedence over reason, since the witness of the Holy Spirit is the most important thing to a Christian. And, naturally, he defends that only the ministerial use of reason is legitimate. My point being that the guy literally defends the idea of putting Reason as secondary when dealing with Christianity. If you have this "witness of the Holy Spirit", Reason just serves to strengthen Christianity. If you use Reason to poke holes into Christianity, then you're misguided. Seriously. Lol. Of course, he just acts like Mormons talking about the "fire in the bosom" or Muslims talking about feeling Allah are also misguided. Only his version of "feeling touched by a supernatural God" is valid. You really can't make this up.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

It truly is the most blatant cognitive dissonance i have seen in a long time

[@n.c.1201]

I needed this right now. Thank you. Hitting play right now...

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to help!

[@n.c.1201]

Thanks for adding the tidbit about how much "we" suffer when we deconstruct. It is a very serious issue and usually what holds people back from physically leaving... even when they sit in the pew and disagree. They can't leave because of the pressure and the benefits they don't want to lose. Thanks for adding that to this. Greatly appreciated. I think our personalities will determine how easily we leave. I left easily, but miss a community. I know many who agree with the disturbing/disagreeing facts in the Bible but haven't left.

[@n.c.1201]

Just finished... Those last few sentences... On point. ​@@MindShift-Brandon

[@MindShift-Brandon]

@@n.c.1201 thank you so much for all the feedback and encouragement

[@n.c.1201]

@@MindShift-Brandon Thank you, Brandon. As always, best wishes. Enjoy your day!

[@mariearce8021]

I like your analogy about the foundations. I have knocked down and re-constructed areas of my life many times. It's been very hard and scary but I have sought support along the way. I sure have acquired some good tools. Leaving religion/belief has a cost and a huge cost for many. The cost of losing friends or family. The cost of feeling like an outsider. The cost of being demeaned, etc. Losing a community is hard for many because it's there you can find acceptance and the like minded but I was not being honest in my fake participation. I felt like a fraud in my own life. I'm not an overly social person and I have found other ways to communicate and become involved with other groups that have nothing to do with religion. What I consider most valuable to me and to others I engage with, is that finally I don't feel like a dishonest fraud. Thanks for this one today.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

My pleasure. Thank you!

[@blossom357]

"Feelings are very deceptive and misleading." Hmmmmmm...

[@Jcs57]

Self awareness is something they aren’t aware of.

[@michaellomax8058]

Thanks!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you for this!

[@JamesRichardWiley]

Bill doesn't recognize contradictions, inaccuracies, false claims, bad ideas, logical fallacies, and barbaric immoral practices when he reads the words from his favorite book. He only sees the hope of his own salvation.

[@tiffanyh1274]

The realizations I’ve come to on my own I’ve seen you express perfectly in your videos. Phenomenal channel. Thanks. It helps me not feel so alone hearing someone else talk about exactly where I’m at. You’re doing good work.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

So glad to hear that. Thanks!

[@greenleaf239]

I think it's worthwhile to look at any idea, whether it's about relilgion or politics or whatever, as a hypothesis. Don't place value on having faith; place value on trying to find if the hypothesis is true.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes!

[@hamobu]

As an atheist I feel horrible about the fact that horrible evil goes unpunished and even profits.

[@cherylmcelveen2817]

Sounds like you're talking about governments. Fun fact: religion was the government before enough people wised up to the scam that is religion. That's when governments were invented...

[@crusnik4000]

​@@cherylmcelveen2817Not exactly true, government and religion have existed side by side throughout history. Many forms of government had a "divine right to rule" attachment. And evil profiting has been a thing since before recorded history.

[@tussk.]

Leaving the cult weakens the cult.

[@agingerbeard]

You're so close to 50k, it's great to see your non-hostile and compassionate style of deconstructing reaching ao many people who need it. Your empathy really seems to insulate you from cynicism in this topic, and that is a real inspiration to me; I've accrued a fair amount of bitterness from my experiences with religion, and it doesn't help me one bit. Thanks for another great video that succinctly disarms the superficially charming WLC, and thanks for providing me with such a positive example.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

what a wonderful and kind comment. Thank you!

[@stm345]

I went through deconstruction of my Jehovah’s Witness faith due to a perfect storm of three crises, marriage, midlife and faith. I didn’t set out to deliberately do it but once I found out the truth about it, it was an inevitability that I would leave, simply because I had had it instilled in me to be honest, tell the truth, don’t follow anything false, be a person of integrity. And yes there was pain, but deconstructing my faith changed my life and made it so much better.

[@montagdp]

There's so much good stuff in here that I want to keep in mind as I go through the process trying to explain my deconstruction and ultimate deconversion to my parents. Well done.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to be helpful!

[@jasonhighlander]

"I don't whisper into the mic to draw you in" The actual whisper you did really took me by surprise. XD

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ha. Might have to start doing it lol

[@duanethompson8770]

Thanks for another awesome video. I feel like I have been deconstructing most of my post-high school life. The more I have learned the more I realize the less I am certain of. Everything is complicated-even people. Maybe that’s why some Bronze Age men that lived in a tiny county in the Roman Empire didn’t know all the answers for everything.

[@flaviaaraiza2415]

My pastor used to tell me, "oh you just need a dozen of bible" disgusting 🤢 that made no sense to me!!!

[@simonkoster]

I feel like WLC is apologising on autopilot for quite some time now.

[@MrCanis4]

I find him very creepy, and I'm not just talking about his voice

[@timbertome2443]

He's like the way-over-aged politician who can parrot their old talking-points, but gets completely blindsided by anyone asking a new question or exploring a new concept.

[@ritawing1064]

I love so much that we all know Craig as "low bar Bill".

[@jmparker78]

It's funny about the emotions thing, because my baptist minister father is, for one, the first one to try and bring up the topic of my deconversion and try to lazy-apologetics me back into belief, and for another, is the first to get riled up and start raising his voice if I do engage him.

[@mr.c2485]

I feel the fire 🔥 in my belly!! Oh…could be the Taco Bell I had last night?

[@tonymiller3788]

Taco bell fire is more in the lower abdomen, not the belly.

[@tylertucker2608]

Yasss! That “come to the cross” music, hit us every Sunday! It was tough to deny

[@chameleonx9253]

I never had to deconstruct, because I was never constructed to begin with. I was lucky enough that my parents never tried to indoctrinate me, so I started from as neutral a position as it's possible to be in America. So, for me, it was as simple as learning about the religion the same way I learned about every other culture's mythology, and the more I learned, the more obvious it became that all of it was made up nonsense. There was never any emotional struggle or soul-searching, just reading the words on the page and being like, "Wow. This is bullshit. How can anyone with a brain think this is real?"

[@Fierylove111]

So much good information in this video as always! Pros of deconstructing: Better understanding for yourself and finding truth for yourself instead of what people say or teach. Cons of deconstructing: Realizing what you’ve believed has been a lie and relationships might be impacted. But honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life!

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

"finding truth for yourself instead of what people say or teach." How do you know that you are able to find the truth for yourself?

[@Fierylove111]

@@heavenbound7-7-7-7 one example is in the Bible I have read 2 stories so far that Christian’s add a little to the story and I just believed it was part of what was said in the Bible. Once I read it I realized those things are never said or implied ever in the Bible. But those things help the Christian belief system. That’s just one example of where I can physically see truth and what was taught was different.

[@Fierylove111]

@@heavenbound7-7-7-7 I also think indoctrination can run deep and when you take a step back out of that you can see things so much clearer. That has been my experience.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

@@Fierylove111 "I also think indoctrination can run deep and when you take a step back out of that you can see things so much clearer. That has been my experience." I agree, I was blind but now I see.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes! Exactly

[@mender722]

I wouldn't say I 'deconstructed', as in taking apart my faith piece by piece, I just let it go. I was on a quest to be the best Christian I could when I realized it is based on a myth (the Genesis accounts). I stopped calling myself a Christian, but it would be a few more years before I used the word atheist.

[@wearloga]

Your channel has been a great help in deconstructing my lack of belief. About a decade ago I got asked the question "why don't you believe in Christianity". Just saying "because I don't" didn't sit right with me. Now at least I know how to answer that question, and am ready to answer that question. Though it will be a very long-winded explanation.

[@oxcart4172]

On a similar note, can i recommend Prophet of Zod's videos 'WLC: Idiot, or Wilful piece of s***? 😂😂

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol is that really the title?

[@oxcart4172]

​@MindShift-Brandon Really! I hope u enjoy it, Brandon!

[@Joshua52391]

​@@oxcart4172They're definitely thought provoking videos but I feel like zod was being Unnecessarily hostile to Dr. Craig

[@SentimentalApe]

The fact that Dr. Craig considers the witness of the Holy Spirit to be a properly basic belief aligns perfectly with his assertion that he lowers the epistemic bar for warranting belief in God.

[@dasbus9834]

It seems WLC is genuinely ignorant of what "deconstruction" actually means. Which is not a good look for someone whose job should include a precise use and knowledge of relevant terms.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes exactly. I am not sure which would be worse from my title. Confused or calculated. At this point, in his position, its downright unacceptable not to understand these things

[@toonyandfriends1915]

Because no one says " Descartes deconstructed his beliefs" like so in philosophy, like, it's not a term. Deconstruction is used for people like Derrida etc...

[@dasbus9834]

@@toonyandfriends1915 This wasn't exactly a philosophy circle. I mean, they were mentioning Tik Tok...

[@toonyandfriends1915]

@@dasbus9834 well no shot they dont know what deconstruction mean though. Only ex Christians and atheist use it so yeah his "whatever that means" was probably honest. Don't see anyone use ot for other belief systems. They just use the term "examine".

[@toonyandfriends1915]

@@dasbus9834 like imagine if you used " examine belief" or even systematically so. Pretty sure Craig would claim he already "deconstructed" too and plenty of apologist and I doubt it is something we'd want.

[@christopherknight3737]

Thank you for another excellent video Brandon! In particular the logical flaws in Dr. Craigs appealing to the notion of a "biblically coherent worldview". One believer's biblical coherence is very often to another believer "obvious" biblical heresy. Love your work and your love of the deconstruction topic really shows!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for this thoughtful feedback!

[@Warrior-re5fn]

Brother this one made me cry. You nailed it. Love you bro. Don't stop speaking truth.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

I knew that atheism is based on feelings.

[@Warrior-re5fn]

@@heavenbound7-7-7-7 Because I can relate to what he's talking about. Always a excuse from people like you to judge. Who said I was a atheist? Have a nice day😁

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

@@Warrior-re5fn "Who said I was a atheist?" Educated guess. 😁

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to help normalize! Thank you

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Are you this desperate for a win? Do you think atheist have no feelings? Are you so confused on the points made here?

[@stumpiee]

Deconstruction definitely hurts. I got to the point where I realised I could no longer be a Christian. I did not believe it's claims anymore. I lost my fiancé because of that because he did not want to be unequally yoked. The sorrow and bitterness I feel will probably never leave me. But I had to be true to myself.

[@omnikevlar2338]

Always remember the most emotional and unintellectual thing you can tell yourself. “If there’s just one chance in a MILLION that it’s true. It’s worth believing in.” -William Lane Craig

[@jofish5678]

This is my new favorite video! I really like how you pointed out that emotional reasoning is baked into Christianity. Yet they criticize it when the results go the opposite way.

[@jade93000]

dude i appreciate your videos a lot you’ve helped me be more comfortable being an atheist and literally speak what’s on my mind

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thats the goal! Glad to hear it and thanks for being here.

[@MichaelFerraro-bt4ig]

I’ve spent the past 20 minutes writing and rewriting how best to convey how much I respect you and this message…….. I don’t have words, I gave you a like and subscribed, lol. Think good stuff about yourself, I thought it too.

[@Bistra4982]

This is excellent, you are very talented and special! ❤

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lovely comment. Thank you!

[@kathrynyoung3362]

Excellent video! Thanks, Brandon.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

My pleasure, thank you!

[@Fierylove111]

I feel like I’m the exact same person after deconstructing and leaving Christianity. The only changes in my daily life and the person I am is that I seek truth more over what people say and I’m way more accepting and supportive of those that are part of the lgbtq community. In the end… I’m a better person and have grown so much. But I’m not out there trying to live a sinful and immoral life… actually the complete opposite.

[@JimmyTuxTv]

well done, working on a video right now and your conclusion is perfect. look for a clip and mention!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you! Will do

[@riluna3695]

Again and again we see that so many people, even highly respected apologists, work on only the most surface, bare-bones level. He hears the word "deconstruction" and in his mind that means "tear a thing down", and assumes that it MUST mean that and that it CAN'T mean anything else. But as Brandon rightfully points out, the process of deconstruction absolutely necessitates constructing. That's the goal, that's the entire _point._ Think of it this way: You have a car engine. You want to know if the engine is in good working order. Now you _could_ just take it on faith that it's working, or give it a quick looksie, notice nothing obviously wrong, and judge it safe based on that, but deep in your gut you know that there's a risk that you're wrong, and that if you ARE wrong, the consequences could be disastrous. So you decide to be absolutely certain. Maybe the engine works just fine, but if it doesn't, you NEED to know, because the truth of the matter has consequences that could dramatically change your life, in very unpleasant ways. So you deconstruct the engine. Literally. Take it apart piece by piece. Well it's not in working order NOW, is it? What'd you go and do that for, silly? You did it so you could get a very careful look at each individual part of the larger engine. If you understand how engines work (I sure as heck don't), then you can give each piece a thorough check to make sure everything's where it should be. And if everything looks perfectly fine, you can reassemble it back exactly the way it was, and be far more confident driving with it, because you KNOW it's in good shape. You no longer have to just blindly trust it. And that's a huge relief, a weight of uncertainty off your shoulders. But say you find a problem. A piece that's scratched up in a way that could potentially lead to an explosion. You do NOT want to put that piece back in, that would be unbelievably stupid. But what you can do instead is either fix up the part to remove the dangerous blemish, or if it's just too far gone to save, outright replace it with a fresh, new part (which you give the same thorough check to). Do that for every part that's in bad condition, and then assemble all the old working pieces and the fresh new working pieces into one complete and working and SAFE engine. Now, did you notice what happened there? The engine was either in perfect working order, or in need of a patch job, and in the end, both of these opposite paths led to good, positive things. Either you improved your situation, or you became more confident in your existing situation. Both are desirable, except for one tiny little problem... Religion, and Pseudoscience of all stripes, likes to play a different sort of game. The thing about untrue beliefs is that they're necessarily broken engines. Maybe a little scuffed up, maybe a deathtrap on wheels, the scale varies but the fact remains that they are not, and can never be, in perfect working order. The only working engine in this analogy is a worldview built on only true beliefs. But what religions, and cults, and sometimes individuals do is they make you fall in love with your faulty engine. Every piece of it is a treasured pet, named and respected and well-loved. So when someone suggests to you "your engine looks like it might be dangerous to drive with, you should maybe think about replacing some of those faulty pieces", they're essentially telling you to put down a beloved pet. This is how manipulators make you refuse to engage with the truth. By making you cherish lies. By making you viciously protect their lies FOR them, because you care so much about them. This is why they have to make deconstruction sound like destruction. To make you resent it, think of it as evil, and do everything you can to avoid it. And at that point, you're living your entire life on a powderkeg of an engine. You've lost all sight of the truth. This is why it's important to keep in mind both sides of deconstruction. That one of the options is that it will show you that you were always correct, and give you more confidence in your existing ideas. Because if the ideas ARE worth holding onto, deconstruction will only help you prove that. But if a cherished belief turns out to be false, as much as that may hurt you, it needs to be discarded. Because if your beloved pet keeps viciously biting you, over and over again, then maybe it's time to look into why that is, and what should be done about it. Because you can't go on like that. And you shouldn't have to. And you DON'T have to.

[@onedaya_martian1238]

Brilliant !! Love the analogy and clarity of presentation !! Best regards !!!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

She always had a great comment!

[@stefanheinzmann7319]

As a teenager (at perhaps 14, I don't exactly remember) I took apart my father's chainsaw. Just out of curiosity, really. It started with something simple that needed fixing, and I just kept "deconstructing" it, carburetor and everything, until I had all the individual parts lined up in front of me. When my mom discovered it she was shocked, and thought that was the end of the chainsaw. But I put it back together again, and it worked. And I had learned a lot in the process. Not least, my self confidence rose, because I was able to do such a thing successfully. What I learned is this: - You only really understand something when you've taken it apart. - If you have understood it, you can put it together again. - If you have understood it properly, you can perhaps even improve it, or put it together differently. - Taking something apart in order to understand it, and perhaps fix it or improve it, is a constructive act. Deconstructing your faith is never purely destructive. You'll never be left with a box of unassembled bits. You will always, whether you are doing it consciously or not, reassemble them in some way. You will pick up new bits and jettison some old ones. You will end up with a new faith (using a rather wide definition of that word), and unless something goes seriously wrong, the amount of difference between the new and the old faith is an indication of how much was wrong with the old one.

[@ellyam991]

Oh hell no. Mr "Even if the evidence turned against me, I would still believe because of the witness of the Holy Spirit" should be the last one saying that how you feel is irrelevant. A man advocating for a view that requires faith should be the last one saying something like that. It's selective evidentialism

[@MindShift-Brandon]

agreed!!

[@convinceme6676]

fantastic breakdown, you have an excellent grasp of concepts and their components. Thanks for the video.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate so much. Thanks!