Should Atheists Worship the Sun? | Dr. Eric Steinhart on Religious Naturalism & Spirituality

Welcome to a fascinating and rather novel dialogue on the project of religious naturalism and an evolving trend of spirituality that can be practiced by atheists. As opposed to some who call themselves "spiritual but not religious" Dr. Steinhart has worked on developing a philosophically rigorous and deeply scientific view of religious practice reconceived outside of mainstream western Christianity.
For more information on Dr. Steinharts work and ongoing research projects, this is his website: ericsteinhart.com/
as well as his KZbin channel: / ericsteinhart
Joining me to co-host this discussion is my friend Joe Schmid who I am sure most of my viewers know. In case you don't. here is a link to his blog which should also be able to take you to his KZbin channel: majestyofreason.wordpress.com/

[@TheAtheopaganismChannel]

I wouldn't say they "should" be anything, but if they want to, they certainly can be.

[@lowkeytheology]

This was not the conversation I expected to be listening to tonight but I’m not disappointed

[@RanchElder]

Excited to watch. Thanks gents.

[@heycaseydilla2]

Mark Green is pretty cool. The book he did - "Godless Paganism" - does a great job of talking about the idea of non-theism without putting down theism. The Facebook group tends to be a bit more intense about the dislike of woo. But most discussions in the group are very constructive and filled with respectful people.

[@HumblyQuestioning]

I don't think the gravity of "you gotta do something with your kids on Saturday" is appreciated enough. It is really THE reason.

[@adamkennedy3800]

This was great. Mind blown that this is a thing.

[@whitemakesright2177]

We goin full Solaire of Astora with this one ☀️☀️☀️

[@matthewsteele5229]

I actually broke away from the satanic temple and pursued a more independent satanic atheo-paganism for the very reasons Dr Eric has pursued religious naturalism. Spirituality may just be baked into what humanity is, even if there’s no gods or ghosts to commune with. I wish I’d known about this idea of his when I first deconverted from Christianity

[@whitemakesright2177]

I agree, I wish this kind of idea had been out there when I first left Christianity. Instead, I became a typical materialist nihilist, and that was so unsatisfying (both intellectually and personally) that I went back to Christianity. It was a different denomination than I grew up with, with a different theology and practice, and I rationalized that I had just grown up with the "wrong denomination" 🤦 . But nope, it was still Christianity, with all the same problems (both intellectually and personally). I think Dr. Steinhart is right that we as non-theists need to just forget Christianity. Stop accepting Christian definitions, stop defining ourselves in opposition to Christianity. This was why I always avoided Satanism: it seemed to be just defining itself as inverse Christianity. I also think that the Western world is ripe for something new like this. 1/3 of people under ~30 in America (and more in Europe) identify their religion as "none," but the vast majority (over 80%) of these people do not identify as atheists, probably because they reject the kind of materialist nihilism that the label "atheist" has come to be associated with. I think people are craving a real alternative to religion that accepts science, does away with superstition, yet retains meaning, value, and morality.

[@Bhuyakasha]

This was so enjoyable, finally a philosopher with a passionate and fun way of speaking haha

[@grimm5155]

That was a ton of fun

[@TheBrunarr]

Although I find Dr. Steinhart's project interesting and unique, I find it ultimately a vain endeavor. However, I first came to learn of him by watching his videos on Plotinus and neoplatonism, which are really great, so I do want to emphasize my appreciation for what he has done.

[@racoon251]

awesome

[@dekagedleh7214]

This is interesting topic even though I'm not an atheists but I know a lot of my friends who went from atheists to wiccan or other form of pagan religion to connect to their ancestral roots.

[@ObsidianTeen]

Yes, Atheists should be pagans. "If I'm a pagan of the good times My lover's the sunlight To keep the goddess on my side She demands a sacrifice Drain the whole sea Get something shiny" -Hozier, "Take Me to Church"