TheThinkingAtheist

Nate Phelps is the son of Fred Phelps, infamous pastor of Kansas' Westboro Baptist Church, an entity which asserts that "God Hates Fags," that President Obama is the AntiChrist, and that the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were God's punishment upon the United States. One of 13 children, Nate ultimately broke away from his father's extreme Calvanist teaching (and the emotional and physical abuse he asserts was prevalent in the Phelps home) at the age of eighteen.  He built a new life, declared himself an atheist and is now on the front lines against Westboro, religion, child abuse, and is a strong supporter of the LGBT community. Nate's website is http://www.natephelps.com His story, plus your calls and emails (send to editor@thethinkingatheist.com).  Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc

A studio computer meltdown last month has kept The Thinking Atheist radio podcast from airing for a month.   At long last, warranties have been fulfilled, computers have been replaced and TTA is back on the air. In this episode, we'll talk about the hot topics over the past several weeks (including the Chick-Fil-A controversy, the Mars mission, Pat Robertson and the Sikh Temple shooting, and more). Let's make up for lost time!  Your calls and emails (send to podcast@thethinkingatheist.com) (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

Seth was the keynote speaker at the 2012 Oklahoma Freethought Convention. His presentation takes an often humorous look at the claims of religion in the Age of Information. This speech has been abridged from the "live" version for time and features a few extra visuals for the YouTube audience. There's a brief drop-out of audio at the 45:30 mark, due to a loss of feed from the house sound system. The full video of the speech can be viewed on YouTube at http://youtu.be/8JKOxh3syoo

Atheists are often skeptical.  About everything.  And from time to time, atheist forums and Facebook pages will encounter claims that stand against the tide of accepted opinion.  They assert that 9/11 was an inside job.  They insist that the moon landing was faked.  They posit elaborate theories on everything from the JFK assassination, to the Roswell flying saucer to the death of Princess Diana. What are some of the conspiracy theories you've encountered in your own circle?  Do they have merit and warrant further time and attention?  Or are they merely products of overactive imaginations? Your calls and emails (keep emails brief and send to editor@thethinkingatheist.com). (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

This show is about whatever you want to talk about.  Questions.  Comments.  Experiences.  Rants.  Concerns.  Advice.  Humorous anecdotes.  Complaints.  Etc. No special guest.  No set agenda.  Just your host, your emails and your calls, and we'll see what sticks to the wall. Email (and keep it brief) editor@thethinkingatheist.com (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

Inside the church, there are countless programs for recovery and counseling targeted to the ill, the afflicted, the abused, the addicted and those struggling in various areas of their lives. But recovery outside of religious programs (and organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous) often gets little attention, despite the fact that the challenges (and solutions) are human ones, and the success stories are often much more compelling. This show is about overcoming.  No deity required. Special guest in the first half hour is Dr. Darrel Ray, psychologist, former Christian and author of "The God Virus: How Religion Affects Our Lives and Culture." (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

When atheists tie the knot, do they do so inside a church?  Does a pastor officitate?  Are religious songs played or prayers given? What are the secular alternatives to the classic religious wedding ceremony?  We speak with newlyweds Matt Dillahunty & Beth Presswood, of The Atheist Experience and Godless Bitches, respectively.  Matt Dillahunty's links: http://www.atheist-experience.com http://www.nonprophetsradio.com http://www.freethoughtblogs.com/axp Beth Presswood's link http://www.godlessbitches.podbean.com Plus, your experiences and opinions.  Call the show, or email editor@thethinkingatheist.com (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

Ever notice how the same arguments keep popping up in everyday debate?  The Information Age has given us the resources to properly examine and debunk the most common religious claims, yet those ridiculous charges persist. The age of the earth.  The human genome.  The transitional fossil.  The historical inaccuracy of religious texts.  These don't seem to bother the faithful. Is this because they worship their god?  Or do they, in fact, worship ignorance? Al Stefanelli's article: Willful Ignorance: The Chosen Mindset Of The Religious Community http://freethoughtblogs.com/alstefanelli/2012/06/04/willful-ignorance-the-chosen-mindset-of-the-religious-community/ Your calls and emails.  (Email to editor@thethinkingatheist.com) (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)    

Those who have never practiced religion often wonder how and why the religious ever began to believe in the first place.  And it's a good question:   Why did you believe?  Were you indoctrinated as a child?  Were you convinced at a time when you were emotionally vulnerable?  Were you deceived?  Weak-minded?  Insane? These are the questions about the origin of belief in superstition, and we want to hear your stories and perspectives.  Your calls and emails:  (send to editor@thethinkingatheist.com) (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

In this impromptu podcast, Seth spends some time talking about his experiences at the Imagine No Religion 2 event in Kamloops, BC Canada. No heavy topics.  No callers.  Nothing but a stream-of-consciousness series of recollections from the weekend.   Conference DVD is available at http://www.imaginenoreligion2.com    

What are the perspectives, the opinions, the facepalm moments and the success stories of today's atheist young people? This show is all about teenagers.  Some come from religious homes.  Some come from secular cultures.  All are welcome to weigh in and talk about why they don't believe in any deities, what the consequences are, and how they're dealing with it all. Your calls and emails.  (email to editor@thethinkingatheist.com) (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

Churches, religious institutions and organizations have implemented sophisticated, often costly advertising campaigns and tactics to bring non-believers into the fold.  This is especially true regarding the targeting of young people, as churches host concerts, pizza parties, movie nights, door prizes and a host of other gimmicks. How is religion attempting to win converts by sheer marketing, and why should the public be skeptical? Your calls and emails.  (Email to editor@thethinkingatheist.com) (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

In many cultures, the influence of faith permeates many businesses and organizations that are not officially religious.  What happens when a secular employee is accountable to a religious boss?  How is the atheist treated by religious co-workers?  Do secular workers fear personal and career consequences for being as vocal about their non-belief as the religious are about their faith? We explore these questions and more.  Your calls and emails.  (Email to editor@thethinkingatheist.com) (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

This topic isn't overtly related to the subjects of atheism and religion, but it comes up often enough to warrant some attention. The religious often homeshool children to focus their studies and to protect them from harmful "secular" influences.  We explore the issue. And we'll talk about secular parents homeschooling their children.  Why they do it.  What the benefits/detriments are?  Plus your calls and emails.  (Email to editor@thethinkingatheist.com) (Time Zone Converter at http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc)

Theists charge that goodness and morality are the domain of the believer.  They assert that, without their deity, it's impossible to be "good" or to commit moral acts. In this episode, we talk about goodness in the religious and secular context, we explore our recent charity efforts and we share stories of moral acts done for their own sake.