Question About Atheist Lifestyle | Albert - Florida | Talk Heathen 01.06

[@ohyeah1994]

"How will atheism help humanity?" By helping humanity to understand that it's a wonderful thing to be able to live your life without illusion and constant fear.

[@JMUDoc]

It won't help humanity. ChristianITY doesn't help humanity, either. Actions help humanity.

[@benf6822]

@@JMUDoc understanding helps to drive action. If you weren't aware of something how would you act on it?

[@jeziscricket4448]

@@benf6822 Lets say your not aware of anything but yourself. How would you act?

[@benf6822]

@@jeziscricket4448 that's a nonsense question, it's impossible to only be aware of your self. You'd have to have had parents give birth to you at some point in time and raise you to at least the point of self sufficiency.

[@JMUDoc]

@vernon padilla Atheism didn't point that out. The question is analogous to "how does not believing in fairies help humanity?" The question is barely sane; the response only changes when "gods" is put in place of "fairies" because people a lack of belief in gods with a truckload of associated - but not *entailed* - positive beliefs.

[@bthearen]

The first caller gave me flashbacks. My dad was also a pastor and would quote Proverbs while whipping us kids. Even as a child I swore I would be the opposite of my father and so far, I've kept that promise.

[@MaMastoast]

I'm curious... I hear these kind of stories quite a bit from Americans which puzzles me.. Isn't it illegal to hit your child in the US? Wouldn't repeatedly doing it lead to your child being removed? Honestly question... I'm danish and if anyone is seen being violent towards their child people will probably step in/report it.

[@Naomi-gr7fm]

@@MaMastoast Wasn't as hounded upon in the past as it is in the present with child protective services and advances of technology, communication, and knowledge. It's relatively less acceptable today by more people in general modernly to use physical punishment than it was for the previous generations. Doesn't mean it still doesn't happen depending on individuals, culture, etc. but yeah now kids are more likely to be removed with evidence. But even Child Protective Services is so consistently overwhelmed at times that they can't effectively help every child depending on how good the parent is at hiding their tracks for example.

[@brucebaker810]

Opposite your father. So you've been...a woman with no kids? Smartass is my mode. But good for you. Rock on.

[@paulgemme6056]

You and I are the evidence and every other created molecule, star, planet, etc... Everything that exists screams I am created by a magnificent creator. It took the most intelligent mind to figure out just exactly how far the sun has to be from the earth so that the earth does not melt or turn into an ice ball. Nothing that came from a so-called big bang could ever figure that one out.

[@joelscull]

@@paulgemme6056 sure thing Paul. Lay off the crack pipe

[@karlrschneider]

Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't do it!" He said, "Nobody loves me." I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said, "A Christian." I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me, too! What franchise?" He said, "Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?" He said, "Northern Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region." I said, "Me, too!" "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912." I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him over. -Emo Phillips

[@Raz.C]

The story/ joke reminds me of the time I killed Fzoul Chembryl...

[@vertigo4236]

@@Raz.C Down with false Cyric!

[@Raz.C]

@@vertigo4236 I'm relieved someone actually understood that :D

[@NyxSilver8]

@@Raz.C I've been talking to so-called atheists for 11 years online. Nearly each claimed adherent says stuff like, "Atheism is a religion like bald is a hair color" and they say "You can be an atheist and a Buddhist because Buddhism is a religion that doesn't worship a monotheistic god. You can be an atheist and believe in the soul. You can be an atheist and be spiritual. You can be an atheist and accept you live after you die. You can be an atheist and accept you have free will to say that. You can be an atheist and reject evolution (evolutionary psychology). You can be an atheist and accept the supernatural, you can be an atheist and believe you're going to heaven." Yeah? You've never said any of things and accept Elmo's poem about schisms in the Body of Christ and think you don't each hold to your own unique ideas of what "atheism" means to me? Why not just say, "You can be an atheist and accept God exists as the end of the line of concurrent explanations"?, you know, as long as you're lying about helping people off bridges.

[@Raz.C]

@@NyxSilver8 What the fuck are you talking about? Seriously? NOTHING you've said has ANYTHING to do with the Forgotten Realms™, or with Faerun™, or with my accomplishments in acquiring the Gauntlets of Moander (before I took an arrow to the knee and had to give up adventuring, that is). In answer to your completely irrelevant tirade: Atheism is a person's stance on a single question; "Do you believe in a god/ gods." If the answer is "Yes," you're a theist. If the answer is anything but, then you're an atheist. All the other stuff you brought up has nothing to do with that single question. Or are you one of _those_ people... The ones who hear something completely different to what was said? The ones who read something completely different to what was written? Help me out here, please. I'm trying to understand your how your gibberish is relevant in ANY way and I just don't see it.

[@magsgreenslade3132]

As an English woman of 49 years of age I have always had problems with belief. I was baptised in to the Church of England at 10 months old. I have never believed in God. I attended CoE schools and had to attend daily assemblies where prayer was made. I tried, but couldn't force myself, to believe in the Christian God. I'm a reader, and having read a book by Charles Kingsley called the Water Babies, I try to live my life as Mrs Do As You Would Be Done By. If everybody treated others as they themselves would wish to be treated the world would be a much better place.

[@TahoeJones]

Mags Greenslade : Western culture is encouraging people growing up, actually caring for no one but themselves and their impulses. I've been Athiest since nine, as an altar boy I caught the pastor and his assistant enjoying some wine and cuddling in the back room. But I'm beginning to believe that the general public is not capable of civil behavior, without the threat of religious oversight. It's sad to think that, but I'm more convinced as things progress.

[@Argeaux2]

That's rubbish, Mags. Religion is not responsible for people setting laws to moderate each other's behaviour.

[@joegillian314]

+Argeaux I don't think she said that? I think a better way to say it is, don't treat someone in a way that you wouldn't have them treat you. It's presumptuous to assume that others have the some preferences as yourself. But I think what this really means is, be a model of the behavior that you think is reasonable, i.e. behave as a social animal, and you'll be treated like a social animal. Behave like a predator, you'll be treated like a predator.

[@peteraschaffenburg1]

@Tahoe Jones " the general public is not capable of civil behavior, without the threat of religious oversight." That´s crap! That is what laws are made for. You are saying we need religion to have moral standards. Well, you yourself have established that priests are best suited to tell us about moral standards ;-) What Mags Greenslade is actually referring to is "the golden rule" wich is and has been valid in almost all cultures and centuries. We do not need religion for that.

[@sarahann530]

@@Argeaux2 Of course it is , Have you ever heard of Dry Counties in the US ? Have you heard of the threat to repeal Rowe Vs Wade ? Have you even been to a muslim Country ?

[@megamus3]

As an atheist, who used to believe in the "god" that I was brainwashed with as a child, now believe whole heartedly, that it is easier to fool someone than to convince them that they've been fooled.

[@skepticalminarchist3896]

Most theist love to be brainwashed and fooled Just to make them feel good.

[@paulgemme6056]

Atheists offer no hope, just death. You die, bye, bye see you no more. God/Jesus offers life, eternal life (to know him). No religion needed. Just faith, faith plus nothing. John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.

[@paulgemme6056]

@@skepticalminarchist3896 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world (Satan - the devil) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

[@megamus3]

@@paulgemme6056 is this guaranteed like, where's the evidence for it, I'll wait for you're reply with the evidence...otherwise you're just another stinking Islamist fucktard.. k?

[@skepticalminarchist3896]

@@paulgemme6056 Why should I give a shit what corinthians say??

[@ffflustered9qr]

"Atheist lifestyle" has the same bizarre, weird, "i cannot comprehend that you are also a human like me" energy as "gay lifestyle."

[@aronrosas4191]

Smh

[@spaghettimonstersjudgingyo504]

Just wait till we get an agenda. That's when things get fun.

[@veganarchistcommunist3051]

@@spaghettimonstersjudgingyo504 There's already an "atheist agenda".

[@spaghettimonstersjudgingyo504]

@@veganarchistcommunist3051 Oh for real? What's that about and where do sign up? I guess since I'm an atheist I better get on board right? What kind of atheist would I be if I was supposed to have or be carrying out some agenda and didn't even realize it? Am I going to be expected to hate religious people and go burn down churches while chomping toddler kebobs as a snack or is this more of like a hi I'm Larry, I work in an office, have 2.5 kids, volunteer at my local homeless shelter and I'm also an atheist type of things? How long have you been part of this agenda? I would have thought being an atheist I probably would have heard about our agenda but maybe I'm a bad atheist. What kinds of stuff do you do? Do you have to pay membership dues? Are we running atheist training camps or is this just an excuse for a bunch of dudes to get away from their wives for a while? Oh man what if it's all women? Maybe that's why I haven't heard of this. Oh god the feminists have simped us all.

[@veganarchistcommunist3051]

@@spaghettimonstersjudgingyo504 Have you not been getting the weekly newsletters and paychecks from Satan?

[@Berbs73]

I'm a non-Christian. Just like the majority of Christians.

[@waltergrimminger6191]

Freeyourmind - Nietzsche said in all of history there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.

[@nagavamsip]

@@waltergrimminger6191 Pretty sure Jesus Christ was a Jew all his life.

[@johnlopperman2161]

@David Renton Yeah. He died too.

[@johnlopperman2161]

@David Renton That's where I'm heading, and likely to beat you there.

[@0hate9]

@David Renton Who says it's going to be age?

[@chucheeness7817]

"below the ark, I drew dead animals." That sounds pretty metal.

[@nonamesupplied1875]

Yeah, I liked this guy. He's just honest.

[@bryanjohnston1490]

I think u mean "mental" 😂

[@technomage6736]

🤘

[@tylermanning4321]

Locks cats in crates, justifies beating children draws dead animals, yeah this guy is a psyco

[@severalwolves]

heck yea dude, hail S8N

[@Author-dad-veteran]

“We’re on about floor 13 of a building with a bad foundation..” best quote of the day, perfectly timed as well

[@jetkismet195]

My father told me the story of Noah’s arc all the time, as if he thought it was just a good bible story for children. But like Albert here, I was also disturbed by the wonder of how many babies and children and pregnant mothers were killed indiscriminately. And afterward all the incest that would have had to go on in Noah’s family in order to repopulate the earth again.

[@miekekuppen9275]

Jamie is so *nice*. I´ve had trouble listening to this show because Matt reacts to callers the way I probably would (although of course he´s much more eloquent than I´d be) and it´s bad for my blood pressure but Jamie just keeps everything so pleasant - without letting people get away with talking nonsense.

[@michaelafischer6177]

The caller was a very nice, respectful, intelligent man. I hope he finds guidance, support, and fulfilment in his journey away from religion (and perhaps ultimately even God). I think the hosts did a pretty good job, and I really enjoyed this episode of TH.

[@stacythompson1384]

Agreed. This was a very good and thorough.

[@kenbee1957]

Indeed My favorite episode on here And I do believe I've watched most of them

[@Jamie-Russell-CME]

Albert is gonna be before Jesus on the Last Day. Who will be able to stand?

[@skepticalminarchist3896]

unfortunately this theist really feel like he has "guidence,support and fulfillment" IN his religion and God.Don't really care he has a right to his religion.

[@richiejohnson]

@@Jamie-Russell-CME There is no judgement day. LOL All anyone has is today.

[@MonicaHernandez-yn8ct]

When I stopped believing in God I felt really free for the first time. It was like a conversion but in reverse.

[@whocares3591]

Hi on life

[@paulgemme6056]

You and I are the evidence and every other created molecule, star, planet, etc... Everything that exists screams I am created by a magnificent creator. It took the most intelligent mind to figure out just exactly how far the sun has to be from the earth so that the earth does not melt or turn into an ice ball. Nothing that came from a so-called big bang could ever figure that one out.

[@Sir-Complains-a-Lot]

Very nice, very, bad argument. Your basically sayin, we exist therefore god. You might want to elaborate the tiny stepps in between there.

[@paulgemme6056]

@@Sir-Complains-a-Lot Jesus is the King of Glory! Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

[@claudiopalmeri8882]

​@@paulgemme6056bruh citing a completely unrelated bible verse simply tell us you aren't worth attention. That's probably why he didn't answer you and why i'll ignore you after this comment

[@PhilJRose]

Imagine how many more wells they could have dug if they'd skipped building the churches.

[@TheKim369]

People in the third world know how to build things, imagine if they also skipped the airfare and just sent the money.

[@joecoolioness6399]

@@TheKim369 it would be nice if their charity didn't come along with a sermon. Are they doing it to be good or just to sucker more people into their world view?

[@TheKim369]

@@joecoolioness6399 I live in the third world and I also see a lot doing "good" works just so they can remind themselves and others how "good" they are. I meant what I said about people already knowing how to build. In fact they have to treat volunteers well if they want the financial aid and volunteers often require a lot of attention and get in the way. But poor people make for such a good photo op. They should skip the flight and the personal photo ops if they really want to help. Also, most places these days already have some kind of religion, in Latin America it's Catholicism, which I don't agree with, but how much of an ass do you have to be to make helping someones hungry child contingent on changing, or pretending to, change your religion. Would they "deny" their God to feed their child? No of course not, they believe in their god more, he's the true god. Or maybe they just don't have a hungry child. What a horrible position to put someone in.

[@missz9241]

because u need water to live but u don't need a church to live

[@perryegolson833]

How about building shelters for the homeless, or affordable housing, instead of these huge, massive churches.

[@brynpookc1127]

When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion. (Abraham Lincoln)

[@natanaellizama6559]

Good but not enough I think. If doing harm felt good, then you would do good. If you doing good you felt bad you would do bad, so it's not really moral. You're saying "the way I feel" is my religion, not the consequences of your actions, those are secondary to the primary concern which is how you feel about your actions.

[@jethrotool4828]

Natanael Lizama that’s obviously what the quote is implying. If you do something that felt good initially but had a negative consequence towards someone else, you would feel bad. But you ultimately weren’t ‘doing good’ if it had that negative consequence, regardless of how you felt when doing it. The ‘doing good’ doesn’t rely on your feelings. The good feeling comes after

[@abbreviatedalex2418]

Yeah, I think it's obviously a simplistic mode of functioning, but serviceable in many situations. Makes a much better pithy quote than "I ultimately base my moral decisions on empathy and understanding of how my actions affect others, allowing that understanding to be informed by direct communication from others and the social norms of the culture around me". Which is what I think Lincoln's quote sort of implies.

[@OnizukaKakashi47]

@@abbreviatedalex2418 The problem with the actual quote is it loses accuracy and context. Your quote is at least an order of magnitude better than President Lincoln's quote.

[@josecala4164]

@@natanaellizama6559 well, then to be a little bit more accurate I would say when I do good , most of the times I feel good... and so on.

[@jamtaco2667]

I was SDA- from 1994-1998. I lived with my aunt and her husband. Her daughter (2 years older than me) and his daughter (2 years younger than me). It wasn't an option. When I read the part about "a bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord" I started asking more questions than they could answer. I was used and abused and told I could never be saved - no matter what I did I would burn in hell for eternity. My mother was told I was a sinful little lying shit when I tried to speak out against what was happening to me. I still don't understand everything I went through... I just know I've failed at multiple suicide attempts and I'm trying so hard to be hopeful for the future to be something better than what many billions of us suffer thanks to religion. Thank you all for what you do and say. Much love

[@terrywright9765]

Great call. Albert sounds like a good guy with an interesting background and an interesting perspective on life.

[@kenbee1957]

Damn, the dude has had quite the life And I'm a Ugandan that has studied on three different continents

[@paulgemme6056]

@@kenbee1957 You and I are the evidence and every other created molecule, star, planet, etc... Everything that exists screams I am created by a magnificent creator. It took the most intelligent mind to figure out just exactly how far the sun has to be from the earth so that the earth does not melt or turn into an ice ball. Nothing that came from a so-called big bang could ever figure that one out.

[@kenbee1957]

@@paulgemme6056 Interesting.... Because at some point in the earth's past it has been either a molten rock or a snowball And it will be at least one of those things again in the future It's also quite interesting that the earth's distance from the sun varies quite drastically across millenia and even over the course of a year ....kind of like we just happen to survive best in a particular state of any number of factors that are not in any way connected to or affected by any magnificent creators...

[@paulgemme6056]

@@kenbee1957 Fire next time. But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

[@IRGeamer]

"May you live in interesting times" - ancient curse

[@philipinchina]

What a refreshing change to have an intelligent educated and reasonable caller.

[@alittleofeverything4190]

I about died when he said he drew a bunch of dead puppies under Noah's ark

[@lavenderteal8485]

🤣😂😆😅

[@mattjindrak]

I'm surprised he wasn't cast out as a heretic

[@reanimated6]

If every religious person was like this guy the world would probably be A LOT better. Damn - give the guy a medal! Seriously. Great guy.

[@ericlarue8010]

So well said. Design a society not knowing who you will be in the society. It will take some serious honesty to pull this off.

[@bpdmf2798]

Sucks that the people who do design society know exactly where they are in it and they are almost always rich and powerful.

[@doctorshell7118]

“In order to believe you have to turn off rational thought “. Truer words were never spoken.

[@MRayner59]

Hadn’t heard of that “veil of ignorance” concept before. Quite a brilliant notion.

[@bobbimke82]

"Hadn’t heard of that “veil of ignorance”" ==> "A Rose By Any Other Name..."

[@tb9489]

Yes., those that refuse to investigate what they believe to be true and why wear a veil of ignorance..

[@malcolmhodnett8874]

T B that wasn’t even the concept as they talked about it

[@elzoog]

Too bad people don't apply that to communism. In a communist system, you could be born into one of the groups the communist elites don't like (such as the gulaks).

[@flyingdog1498]

Veil of ignorance = Dunning Kruger effect.

[@ivaanwut]

He sounds like a good person with very well established morals. Maybe he's just struggling to fit religion into it. Wonderful show! Much love to Matt and his lovely adopted son Jamie :)

[@michael-h8153]

Ivan Sosnin what's a matter with you? This is dribble

[@MohawkPigeon]

Michael -H What evidence do you have of this being dribble?

[@kaneriseley3124]

Mohawk Pigeon what evidence do you have that it isn't?

[@ladybucket9798]

Kane Riseley doesnt matter. Ivan wasnt the one stating the claim :D

[@sarahann530]

Ivan Sosnin Which religion would you suggest and why that particular one ?

[@TheRonnierate]

Albert is smart and engaging. Thank you Albert. Mat is doing a good job too. Brilliant actually.

[@Codswallop58]

Albert is dim. Not stupid exactly, just low-wattage.

[@sophiefilo16]

He seemed fairly knowledgeable and intelligent until he started getting into "cognitive dissonance" and his entire argument shattered...

[@LIZABETHYEAUX666]

Albert symbolizes my hope for the rest of those caught in the chokehold of Christianity 🖤

[@LIZABETHYEAUX666]

Marko Pollo you have to ascribe some of what comes off as “dim witted”, as indoctrination at such a young age. This man didn’t choose this world view necessarily, it was given to him very early in life. Not intending to criticize you at all , I just think it’s important to identify. I feel so bad for this man and others like him. Hope he is able to break free of Christianity and live more freely.

[@IRGeamer]

"Albert is smart and engaging." "You are entitled to your own opinion, not your own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

[@Nanamowa]

I like the background on this show. It's very visually appealing in contrast to "The Atheist Experience". Also, I really like the fact that I can comment on the videos.

[@mullm5375]

Bismuth LD Agreed, I hate that some of the atheist experience videos have the comments disabled.

[@Argeaux2]

Same and same.

[@luisbo3]

AExp explained why they turned off comments and provided a link of a discussion forum for the episodes

[@mattalli739]

@@luisbo3 Do you know what video they explain in?

[@EmpireTextbooks]

luisbo3 what is the reason for why they disabled it

[@dannysouheaver1931]

How does anyone get appropriate morality from the Bible? Cherrypick what you like.

[@ericlind6581]

Danny Souheaver And that is exactly why the argument put forth by christians that “god must exist because there can be no moral objectivity without a god” fails. By cherry picking the bible which all christians do, it is moral SUBJECTIVITY.

[@Zaprozhan]

The major moral lesson I get from the Bible is, "Might is right, and you'll be punished for my failures."

[@d_camara]

@@ericlind6581 if they had god almighty come down and say what's wrong and right, it'd still be subjective. the subject would be god. if god suddenly vanished then so would his "morality", it's just his opinion. if you view morality as a measure on how much things fit with a particular society-wide goal, which is 99/100 times human wellbeing and flourishment, then morality can be as objective as a move in chess can be objectively good or bad once we define the rules and goal of the game. no transcendental chess god needed

[@Carelock]

How this show helps the world? For me it has helped me examine my ideas and beliefs honestly, rationally and with a healthy dose of skepticism. I’m a non believer but it has still helped just with things I assume about the world and other people. I now constantly question my predispositions and assumptions. I believe that is a quality approach to life.

[@SunXia]

"How is Atheism going to help humanity" One word: Freedom. I was raised in a very loving but strict Catholic home. However I made mistakes during a time when I was under a lot of pressure from various abuses. My belief made me feel shame. Made me feel suicidal. Because I was taught to be shameful if I did certain things. Now, bear in mind I never hurt anyone but maybe myself and I was only hurting myself through the belief. Now, I didn't fall out of religion because of that, I fell out due to knowledge and logic. That Catholicism is no different to any other religion based on doctrine.. We can't prove any of it. It was only after that I stopped believing in God that massive weight of shame was lifted from me. So many years of pretending to be someone I am not simply because I was taught this. Atheism and Religion are neither moral or immoral, they are amoral.

[@bobbimke82]

"How is Atheism going to help humanity" One word: Freedom. Truth: "Freedom is Slavery." CHECKMATE, ATHEIST! (h/t B.B.)

[@chrischickering1959]

Is your profile the leader of the Octoberists

[@TheKim369]

I live in Central America, and we get these religious types here, who come to build homes and wells and schools and such. They really come for self aggrandizement. Look around, if you are going to build a home where homes already exist, you can assume the local people already know how to build. Save the airfare and send more money and don't come down here so they can kiss your ass while you preach at them. You won't get pictures to post of yourself "Doing God's work", but you'll actually be doing more good - if that's your honest intention.

[@BeachsideHank]

These "mission trips" are really nothing more than all expenses paid vacations for the favored few. Tax free money must be spent, but you don't have to account for how, and how much- great racket here in America isn't it?

[@markeastlack4180]

Scream it! Make sure they hear you in the back, brother

[@ldw051290]

When he said new deconverts call to ask "I'm a heathen, how do I do that?" The question "How do I heathen?" jumped into my head lol

[@brucebaker810]

There's a fairly new podcast dedicated to that. "How to Heathen" may be the title. If that doesn't work, look for Thank God I'm Atheist. There's a host in common, so they'll appear with each other. I'm not sure of the title because they're pretty mild. I prefer more vitriol. So I go for The Scathing Atheist and Godawful Movies.

[@topcat2069]

"The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste ... Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim." - Gustav Le Bon, The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind, 1895

[@sonicfan23]

Love this show, so glad I found it.

[@kenbee1957]

Here here

[@whocares3591]

Me too

[@paulgemme6056]

You and I are the evidence and every other created molecule, star, planet, etc... Everything that exists screams I am created by a magnificent creator. It took the most intelligent mind to figure out just exactly how far the sun has to be from the earth so that the earth does not melt or turn into an ice ball. Nothing that came from a so-called big bang could ever figure that one out.

[@hockeyinalabama]

This got so frustrating. He's obviously saying, "You don't want to harm the cat by something like putting it in crate, but you're ok with killing the pig simply because you want to eat bacon."

[@paulhadlington8179]

... Just to add Albert, Your positive contribution will make a difference. Whichever route you choose in life, Goodluck :)

[@johnathanhenley2251]

Albert, if you ever read this... I was also abused. I now work with children. I never want what I experienced to happen ever again to anyone else. I use my experiences to empathize with what a kid is going through. I want to help others cross through their period of crisis. I never reach to any place of violence; I reach only to compassion and kindness.

[@worldpeace1822]

It must be difficult for the caller to fit some of his views with that of his family. I wish the best for him. What I like about this show... it allows commenting.

[@kathyheitchue6069]

Matt,your facial hair is just beyond awsome -gray hair is the best😉👍

[@PabloDGomez-sl1ho]

This is one of the best calls I have listen to on this channel so far.

[@jimengle1615]

How are there 42 thumbs down (at this point)? What could you poss. not like? Are they professing ANYTHING that you can show to be untrue? Truth is their goal.

[@stephaniemccord8677]

I have seen quite a few of these debates and 😮 WOW Maybe theee best one I have heard yet. Well done all around everyone!!! Focused, calm and some major awesome points hit on! 🎉❤

[@theother1281]

Nearest secular equivalent to 'preaching to the choir' might be 'teaching your grandma to bake'.

[@J4MF]

I thought it was "Go teach your grannie to suck eggs," although I've never really understood that one. I mean, who wants to suck eggs?

[@anie1983anie]

in German we say "to run into open doors" (you know, when you run against a door trying to push it open, only to find that it already is open)

[@fullup91]

Polishing turds?

[@bobbimke82]

"secular equivalent to 'preaching to the choir' might be..." ==> Teaching army recruits to kill strangers.

[@briangak8815]

The Other as someone who has a grandma who could not cook anything more complicated than heating up canned food on the stove or microwaving food that doesn’t really nail it for me. The best I could think of is rallying the cheerleaders.

[@bakert7000]

I understand where this guy is coming from because I grew up as a Seventh-day Adventist. They don't eat the unclean meat so pick and choose what to obey in the Old Testament. This was a very good caller and he is searching like me. I love both of the hosts on here. They work well together. I don't go to church anymore but when I do I go to a Sunday church. I have been going for a social thing. I really enjoy the show guys and keep it up.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

There is no such thing as an atheist lifestyle. An atheist is an ordinary person that is not convinced an invisible magic man lives in the clouds. And you should not believe that either.

[@capitalb5889]

Part of the lifestyle does involve a sense of freedom on Sunday mornings 👍

[@adrianjanssens7116]

@@capitalb5889 Thanks for reminding me. I've gotten used to it and my time is my own as is my mind. Yippee! I was a church musician and there every week. Freedom!!!

[@capitalb5889]

@@adrianjanssens7116 - I was attending church until a few years ago (all to do with getting children into schools in the UK), but have now dropped the charade, instead of cramming into a church with lots of other atheists and their children. You might think that that is hypocritical, but I am Catholic, so it is part of the religion.

[@nikolasmad9]

@@capitalb5889 very tue sunday morning were the worst when my mother made me go to church

[@aeroprime3322]

I'm sorry but I got an advertisement for Pureflix at the start of the video. That cracked me up. :D

[@PlayNiceFolks]

YT does this to me almost half the time I watch any of these videos. YT is either really inept or a hilarious asshole

[@MrROKinROK]

And I think cognitive dissonance and hypocrisy can be cousins. Cognitive dissonance can be hypocrisy minus the self-awareness.

[@Tupelo927]

That's an excellent point! Posts like yours are why I enjoy the comments section. Cheers!

[@kenbee1957]

I'm quite convinced this is the best episode on the channel

[@DangerIsMyMiddleName]

I think that Albert is correct here, because farm animals are mistreated (he didn't prove this), and are killed for us to eat them, which is why I almost never eat meat, but I would never expect another person to do the same thing that I do. He has a good point, but he did a bad job of presenting it.

[@petrockspiracy3120]

And they did an even worse job of tackling it tbh.

[@JaySantanaofficial]

I just made a burger with bacon

[@markeastlack4180]

All of American industry is completely immoral and Americans have been conditioned and programmed to not even try. We're lucky to get 50 percent voter turnout and we allow ourselves to be rules by Duopoly who doesn't serve us. Yes factory farming is horrible but not eating meat won't fix that and I promise every industry is just as gross. The way to change American industry is to elect representation that will get the money out of politics and actually reign corporate America and Wall Street way the fuck in Being a Vegan does nothing to address the issue it only serves to make inferior humans

[@davidlewisjohnson4235]

I really, really like Jamie as a host. His voice is soothing, he has a lot of patience, and he approaches topics with empathy.

[@eriness]

I honestly think he's right about the vegan thing

[@thomasroyal6260]

Eoin Lynagh So it’s wrong to eat an animal because it was killed, but it’s okay to eat vegetables that were also killed?

[@eriness]

@@thomasroyal6260 well yeah, I think it's fine to eat insects and stuff, I don't really care about killing in general, but it just seems unnecessary to kill fairly smart mammals, especially when raising them is very detrimental to the environment

[@daz_gibowski348]

@@thomasroyal6260 you seriously think that there is no difference between slicing an animals throat and slicing a carrot....?? Oh and let me guess you think plants have feelings too..??

[@johnsheppard4428]

​​@@thomasroyal6260 no sane and reasonable person equates vegetables with animals but ok.

[@thomassmith-s4i]

The "Veil of Ignorance"- despite its title, an absolutely brilliant critical thinking concept- it should be iron clad proof that theism is NOT the path to morality, to anyone- even Albert. And after Albert goes through his long recital of logical reasons to be an atheist, and how atheist nations tend to have such low rates of crime, he goes right ahead and says that he "feels better" when he prays. Yea verily- as Mark Twain said, or should have said, "Man is the only animal that prays- or needs to."

[@WheelsofSteal]

By far, one of the best talks between both shows ever. Matt didn't lose his shit. (Almost) haha. Good caller. Actually beneficial to the head and heart. Jamie made sense and was cool. Amen dude's!

[@anand.suralkar]

Lol yesss

[@hollyvaughn7764]

‘Veil of ignorance’....brilliant ! I hadn’t ever heard this. I’m impressed! Must study on this.

[@honestlyna]

Preaching to the choir = lecturing to the teacher assistants. Do I get a lollipop for my secularist translation?

[@adamhousego9977]

One lollipop

[@adamhousego9977]

One lollipop 🍭

[@TheOCO8]

Too long 👎

[@kenbee1957]

Okay But you don't get the gum inside the Loli

[@HeardFromMeFirst]

Albert was an honest caller..its now 5 years on. I wonder where he is now..?

[@riaagarwal6840]

I feel very sad for the caller. To me this is what Christianity has done to him. Totally messed him up.

[@dickvarga6908]

Maybe this is what veganism does to people? PETA? Jainism? Some forms of Bhuddism?

[@scipioafricanus5871]

55:00 or not spending any significant amount of money or showing up in (lets just choose three accidentally states): Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin...

[@krissanders987]

Matt seems to look better and younger with age I've noticed as years pass and going back to old episodes of TAE in mid 2000's.

He's made a deal with the devil. In another 10 years he will have acne.

[@MasterOfSparks]

taledarkside they say that ignorance is bliss. Has that matched with your experience of it?

[@mahrenballs]

taledarkside Considering you called it "atheist church preaching" it's more than likely that you believe in nonsense.. so ignorance is a given.

[@MasterOfSparks]

Only an ignorant person would think that knowing who Charlie Manson was means that they aren't ignorant. And only an ignorant person would accuse someone of "atheist church preaching". But, of course, christians Pride themselves on being ignorant.

[@mahrenballs]

taledarkside Ok well now it's obvious that you believe in nonsense now that you've demonstrated that your ability to reason is severely crippled, and as insightful as your response was one thing you never bothered to mention, for some odd reason, is whether my assumption was actually wrong or not. Gee.. I wonder why?!

[@aquachonk]

When you hear "...in Florida..." and you just know it's gonna get weird.

[@emrk6517]

I live in a non-religious country where it is illegal to beat a child or declaw a cat.

[@fionafiona1146]

The German constitution has a religious preamble and 60% of people would vote "Christian" partys... the more that looses in relevance the better people get along.

[@eva_pilot]

u can't beat ur child in ur country? what's even the point in havin em then?

[@Gerryjournal]

My father was also a preacher, a Baptist minister. I was a child who questioned everything (I'm sure I drove adults crazy) and at 8 years old I walked out of Sunday school because I could not absorb such nonsense. I'm 76 now and never walked into a church again. 68 years a very well adjusted, contented atheist. Just imagine if all children had the same time spent on them teaching them to think and question as is spent teaching absurd religions

[@sagatuppercut2960]

I wonder if that Seventh-day Adventist caller might end up becoming an atheist and a guest host on the show.

[@shanehisle1294]

I am having a debate with someone like this caller right now. When people think they have this wonderful, well thought out gotcha and you step by step show how this isn't the case, it's like their brain just can't take it. They get so frustrated that their gotcha wasn't at all well thought out, and they just get nasty. They repeat their assertions in a different way, trying to rehab their gotcha. It's quite annoying.

[@Xalmuster]

That caller doesn't seem to be familiar with humane treatment of animals and humane slaughter. Just because there's been news that certain farms mistreat animals (and I'm not sure we can even be sure of that since they are regulated) doesn't mean that all slaughter of animals is torturous. And of course plants are also living things who feel too. You're still consuming something that at some point was alive either way.

[@hy-roller7771]

Sooo yeah. My parents did the same "you divide the thing, and he gets to pick first" thing. So then the trick was to make the slightly smaller peice look more desirable then the bigger piece. Idk, my brothers and I were always trying to pull one over on each other. I guess that's just sibling rivalry🤣🤣

[@hellshade2]

i once tried being a 7th day Adventist but i only made it to the 6th day... ;D ;D

[@tb9489]

LOL, you're funny! Here's my like my friend!

[@saralopez193]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@IamAdoribull]

Ex-SDA (7th Day Adventist) and ex-Catholic. My mom was looking for the TRUE RELIGION. She thinks she found it! Now all she does is tell me I'm a sinner and going to Hell. No kind words or encouragement just I'm a sinner and there is no hope for me any more. Good thing is I am 74 and I no longer feel the need to please my mom. But it does piss me off that she feels the need to keep reminding me I am a sinner and going to Hell!

[@erictrumpler9652]

Let's face it...people who eat meat are supporting a meat production industry that that uses highly inhumane and morally questionable treatment of the animals raised for slaughter, in the United States in particular. In some parts of the world, where people raise their own animals in a familial environment and slaughter them themselves under humane conditions, I would not consider it morally unethical. But 99% of the meat products you buy in a supermarket are produced under highly inhumane and unethical conditions.

[@kujo5998]

Man i really like both of these hosts and happen to agree with them, but damn, LET THE MAN TALK!

[@Deicide-xi5eo]

A cat wont go outside of the litter box unless their is a good reason like if u never clean it or the cat is stressed or other medical reasons. Punishing the cat will do nothing but psychologically harm the cat.

[@tatern3923]

"What do you believe in?" I believe theists got their red and blue pills mixed up.

[@paulgemme6056]

You and I are the evidence and every other created molecule, star, planet, etc... Everything that exists screams I am created by a magnificent creator. It took the most intelligent mind to figure out just exactly how far the sun has to be from the earth so that the earth does not melt or turn into an ice ball. Nothing that came from a so-called big bang could ever figure that one out.

[@tatern3923]

@@paulgemme6056 Yea yea....same ol "look at the trees" crap. This doesn't work, please stop using it.

[@paulgemme6056]

@@tatern3923 I hope someday something will. We all need God/Jesus. No religion needed. Just a personal relationship with our Maker/Creator. The soul is eternal. There is more to life than what meets the eye.

[@frankmurphyburr3598]

Thanks for that Albert. What a nice guy. Honest

[@megamus3]

This is an example of the worth of a "degree" in theology.

[@DJDarkGift]

Great Segment, It's always a pleasure spending quality time listening to an intelligent conversation, for the most part, without having to tune out because of when callers are so delusional and/or close-minded that one cannot even make a case against their views/beliefs. I have to hand it to Albert for being a stand-up caller and sharing his thoughts, although he did kind of lose me there for a while on the whole pigs/cats and farm animal line of questioning.

[@Italo5killer]

The only thing that bothered me wachting this video, is that the hosts always interrupt the caller.

[@flyingdog1498]

If you want to listen to religitards preacher you are watching the wrong channel. The callers starts preaching, Nuff said.

[@Notthetimeforit]

Yeah sorry this isn't a show where people vet to call in and just monologue. This is a show about discourse and then regularly explain why they don't let people drone on ad nauseam, it's pretty hard to have a debate or discussion that way.

[@paolagrando5079]

Nice nickname 😹

[@wildraconteuse2272]

I Feel........I feel comfort........I prayed to communicate............who feels? I feel....who prayed? I prayed. Who is doing anything? I am. Who is trying to communicate? I am. I think therefore I am. It's all coming from your mind. Feelings are real. You really feel that way but feelings are not necessarily TRUE.

[@docb8316]

Great job guys. Like what you are doing.

[@TalkHeathen]

doc B Thanks! -Eric

[@Argeaux2]

I agree. Fantastic new show. Nice to see some new (and some younger) voices on an ACA program.

[@WillPhil290]

What a great call... It's rare you get someone who has this kind of flexible thinking...

[@Superchilliface]

I think Albert got you on the animal argument. And yes eating bacon does equal killing the animal.

[@AV57]

.... in almost every practical scenario. Many people love to bring up the practice of happening upon a dead animal and eating it as a way to deflect from the other 99.99999% of scenarios in which humans eat animals by intentionally targeting live animals then killing them in order to eat them. It's annoying having to make this clarification, as if some poor scavenging humans will be misrepresented.

[@joecoolioness6399]

@@AV57 we are meat eaters after all

[@AV57]

Joe Coolioness, if that were necessary then I should have died many years ago. Yet, here I am all healthy and shit.

[@Superchilliface]

Yes - 15 years for me.

[@FinalBossWTMN]

Tell us you're vegan without telling us

[@BelRigh]

Albert.... I wanna give you BIG HUGS

[@putzthewondersloth]

My first thought about the putting a cat in a crate for pooping on the floor was that the cat wouldn't know why it was put in the crate and would do nothing to curb the behavior. Case in point: when I see my cat on the counter, I bark at her because she can associate the counter with me being upset. If I see paw-prints on the counter and she's sleeping on the couch, I don't bother doing anything because she wouldn't know what the hell I was upset about.

[@ObservantHistorian]

I'm subscribed to "Atheist Lifestyle Monthly," so I know EXACTLY how to live the lifestyle to the fullest!

[@frickinfrick8488]

I do wanna mention that I think you misunderstand what cognitive dissonance is. It’s the conflict between an action and a belief, eg believing supporting the meat industry is unethical while still eating meat. Just a small difference, but you can’t say “my belief is consistent therefore it’s not cognitive dissonance” you have to acknowledge that your actions and beliefs are in accordance.

[@psychlos21]

Cognitive dissonance is essentially where evidence to the contrary conflicts with your beliefs or decision about something and you irrationally attempt to reconcile it.

[@danhemming6624]

I believe in chocolate! I pray to, worship and imbibe chocolate everyday.

[@RHaYE]

What we believe is closely related cause i believe on the "flying spaghetti monster"😁. I pray and worship for it be be more delicious everytime.

[@danhemming6624]

@@RHaYE is that the meat sauce one or the meatball one?

[@RHaYE]

I go on their combination The meatball as the head, the noodles as the body and the sauce as a topping

[@brucebaker810]

Holy Sucrament

[@joshriver75]

9:00 Man..I too had "Saturday school" as a kid. CONSTANTLY!!!

[@marlinperry4250]

Please allow the caller to say more than 3 words.

[@sophiefilo16]

This is honestly the most I've ever seen them allow a person to speak uninterruptedly...

[@JJ_SDWR]

@@sophiefilo16 right, not to mention he got to stay on the line for a full hour, I'm not sure what OP is talking about.

[@bobbimke82]

Easiest way I know to demonstrate theistic faithlessness: Ask the questions "Choose ONE and ONLY one. (a) "When you're injured, do you call a doctor or a preacher?" (b) When you've got a toothache, do you call a 'DDS' or 'DDiv'?" (Doctor of Dentistry vs. Doctor of Divinity) (c) "When your kid's got cancer, do you seek an Oncologist [cancer specialist] or bible orator?"

[@byakkola]

"I believe in the monkey" is the phrase people used on me when I told them I don't believe in god. in Hebrew it sounds even dumber than it is...

[@unikracoon1913]

Some people are as stupid as they sound haha

[@veganarchistcommunist3051]

Was your response "Which monkey? You'll have to be more specific."?

[@fionafiona1146]

@@veganarchistcommunist3051 Likely Davinian evolution.

[@fredwigham1391]

I always appreciate a Maine reference! Thank you!

[@JamesRichardWiley]

There is no atheist lifestyle. An atheist does not believe there is an invisible, unknowable, man named Yahweh, with three personalities, who dictated a book, living in his Kingdom in the Sky above the Sinai Peninsula. And I am tired of hearing about it from my fellow men and women, who should know better.

[@joecoolioness6399]

Or in the thousands of other gods that xians also don't believe in.

[@1yellowbutterfly679]

Oops y'all strawmaned the shit out of that. Caller: Would you keep a cat in small crate? Then why would you do that to pigs which you use for bacon. Matt&Jamie: What you think we shouldn't have prisons!? I would put a cat in a crate if harmed people. What are you even talking about? You want to clarify that's not what you're talking about? No!!

[@deeewd]

Matt consistently loses his meat eating arguments

[@glenhill9884]

Look up the gazillion interpretations of that Proverbs 23:13 passage. NIV - Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. NLT - Don't fail to discipline your children. They won't die if you spank them. ESV - Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. CEV - Don't fail to correct your children. You won't kill them by being firm, KF - Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with a rod, he shall not die. Pretty different at times! Besides, as Jamie pointed out, corporal punishment is not a proven method to discipline a child.

[@ecostarr]

When I'm nervous or scared I like to recite the Bene Gesserit Litany of Fear: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain It's calming to me and I do not at all have any belief in the Religion that created the Litany as put forward in the Dune books.

[@ericmishima]

I made me a Tshirt with that on it.

[@ffsno9078]

Respect.

[@mitchhaelann9215]

The benefits of atheism that I always cite, are identical to the benefits of being a non-smoker. It improves your quality of life, and if helps you make better decisions. Healthier, happier, wealthier living. Helping others become atheists is virtually identical to helping people kick smoking habits or recover from being alcoholic.

[@tedgrant2]

The thing that will help humanity is family planning. Two is enough.

[@sarahengert4541]

tedgrant2 family planning means the family does the planning, not some separate person that isn’t a part of that family and doesn’t get to decide how many kids they can handle. 2 may be enough for you but not for everyone.

[@marveloussoftware4914]

Albert is a Florida man.😅😂🤣😂😅

[@jasonbone5121]

Great show!

[@donkmeister]

18:33 good way of explaining it. A form of same-sex marriage (civil partnership) was legalised in the UK in 2005, which conferred the rights of marriage but without the name. The reason they didn't do full-blown marriage equality is because some politicians objected on grounds that were their concerns and no-one else's. Fortunately, the majority of people really didn't care because they followed the same thought process as you so the next government (the UK equivalent to your Republican party, if you can believe that!) pushed through the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act of 2013, ensuring full equality in law. Obviously all the religions retain rights to needlessly discriminate, as they do in all things for some reason, but I am aware that many Anglican churches will bless same-sex unions even though they won't perform the union itself.

[@capitalb5889]

UK politics is definitely somewhat further to the left that US politics. The centre right would happily sit in the Democratic party. And the fact that religion plays almost no part in UK politics means it is much more socially liberal. Thankfully.

[@ninjaturtletyke3328]

Though Robert had sloppy thinking I'm on his side. I would say animals lives are more valuable than ingredients in food. I think we could say when we say we love animals but we pay to have them killed so we can eat them says something else. But it depends on a case by case basis of peoples justification. If we made a pinata and filled it with candy; we then proceeded to hang it from a tree then beat it with a bat eat the candy and just have a fun time by ourselves privately. Is this moral, amoral, or immoral? I would say amoral. If you value pleasure you could argue it's slightly moral for you to do that. Or immoral because the consequences of getting cavities or better things you can do with your time. But for this example we aren't interested in these concepts. Now say you took the pinata from a little girl who made it for her birthday party and did the same thing. Is this moral, amoral, or immoral? This is clearly immoral right? You ruined a little girls birthday potentially and made the time she put into that less valuable for it's intention. Now let's say it's the same situation as the first example. It's just your pinata. But magically it comes to life and has the same mind as a dog or a cow. Has the same enjoyments and preferences. Is it moral, immoral, or amoral to take this beings life for your enjoyment?

[@Dan_C604]

Yes, I love Matt brilliance but also I’m loving Jamie’s nice and calm voice ;)