SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist This podcast is a digression from our usual subject matter...a romp through the interesting explanations of random sayings, occurrences, facts and traditions. What makes a cat purr? Why do weddings have a "best man?" Why do tennis scores use "love" instead of "zero?" Why do people choose chopsticks over the fork? Why is it "soccer" in America and "football" in Europe? Can a human live for any length of time exposed in space? Etc. We w...
Jan 06, 2016•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Another year closes its doors, and we look forward to 2016. In advance of the New Year holiday, we take a look back at many of the people and events that defined the past twelve months.
Dec 28, 2015•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast David Silverman is a self-proclaimed "atheist billboard" and "firebrand atheist." As President of American Atheists, he has been at the point position on many controversial issues (and the occasional lawsuit), and he has just released a new book called, "Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World." David spoke with Seth Andrews about the book, the lightning rod of David's particular brand of activism, and the rise of non-belief in America. This conversation can also be seen on YouT...
Dec 18, 2015•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.harrys.com (promo code: thinkingatheist) This will be the last radio podcast until the Christmas holiday. It's a romp around the globe, as we explore some Christmas traditions beyond Santa, Frosty the Snowman, holiday ham, and the baby Jesus. Get ready for Christmas witches, fried chicken feasts, Festivus ("for the rest of us"), the Spanish pooper, and of course, the Krampus. Seth writes about the Krampus (and many other things) in his book, "Sacred Cows: a Lighth...
Dec 10, 2015•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is a 30-minute conversation between Seth Andrews and YouTube activist Steve Shives, recorded recently at the Pennsylvania Atheist/Humanist Conference in Harrisburg, PA. Video of this conversation can be seen here: https://youtu.be/2Q4Yv3rgv-0
Dec 09, 2015•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.evolvefish.com "War On Christmas" has been used so much in the media, it has become a parody of itself. And yet many still hold to the belief that the baby Jesus is under attack by atheists and secular humanists, and the protests sound at full volume every December. In this broadcast, we talk about some of the noise out there, and we speak to Andrew Seidel of the Freedom From Religion Foundation about the holiday, church/state separation, lawsuits over nativity sc...
Dec 02, 2015•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast From time to time, we do an unscripted broadcast where the listeners provide the theme and content. This is one of those shows. Lots of random stuff in here. Enjoy.
Nov 23, 2015•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast This podcast features the audio from Seth Andrews' presentation at FreeFlo 2015, the Freethought Florida Conference in Orlando. The speech is an often lighthearted (but occasionally alarming) exploration of "sacred" ideas and practices in the 21st century, and it explores the merits of retiring damaging rituals in favor of better ones. SPEECH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/biBULlkmBFE VIDEO WITH NATHAN PHELPS "Something Beautiful": https://youtu.be /L6IPFyHEv3o...
Nov 17, 2015•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Religious parents and institutions know the importance of a child's developmental years, and how difficult it is to tell/sell supernatural claims once the child reaches his or her teen years. In this podcast, Seth Andrews explores the "programming" of young minds, and explores the difference between education and indoctrination. Capping the show is the personal story of a young woman named Kaitlyn, whose apostasy prompted her devout Mormon parents to kick her out of her home. The Tiny Thinkers p...
Nov 11, 2015•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Steve Hill, Maryellen Hooper and Keith Lowell Jensen are professional comedians. They are also atheists. In this roundtable discussion, Seth Andrews asks them about life on the road (and the stage), how their non-belief in the supernatural influences their material, facing the hecklers, and their desires to make people laugh while, perhaps, also making them think. Steve Hill: http://www.stevehillcomic.com Maryellen Hooper: http://www.maryellenhooper.com Keith Lowell Jensen: http://www.rockass.ne...
Nov 06, 2015•1 hr 19 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.harrys.com (promo code: thinkingatheist) Is it possible to "talk someone out of their faith?" Is it even appropriate or worthwhile to make an attempt? If so, how might atheists best approach those with deep-seated (and often lifelong) religious convictions to foster real discourse and encourage critical thinking? Dr. Peter Boghossian is author of the book, "A Manual for Creating Atheists." Anthony Magnabosco is a YouTube activist and advocate of "street epistemolo...
Oct 27, 2015•1 hr 25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Halloween is almost upon us, which means it's time again to turn down the lights, crank up the podcast, and share some ghost stories. Yes, skeptics can enjoy ghost stories, and this annual tradition has become hugely popular with the TTA audience. So prepare to enter a world of ghosts, ghouls, footsteps in the dark, whispers from under the bed, and things that go bump in the night. Happy Halloween!
Oct 20, 2015•2 hr 37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do we become afraid? Is it rational or irrational to fear the dark, spiders, the boogeyman, the things that go bump in the night? It's October, the month of frights. So, a week in advance of our Ghost Stories episode, we expore the concept of fear, and we talk about the things that keep us awake in the still of the night (or in the light of the day). Special thanks to our special guest: Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez of Stanford University.
Oct 13, 2015•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Christianity. Where did it come from? Who wrote the books of the Bible? Is there any evidence for a god or man named Jesus? Why has Christianity remained so popular over the ages? This podcast features two interviews, conducted by Seth Andrews, with historians and researchers who speak about the origins the New Testament Gospels, the ever-changing face of Christianity, history versus myth, and the Jesus story In separate interviews, David Fitzgerald and Dr. Robert Carrier each tackle the Bible a...
Oct 06, 2015•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.audiblepodcast.com/thinkingatheist Muhammad Syed is the executive director and Sarah Haider is director of development of Ex-Muslims of North America. Both are former Muslims. Armin Navabi is a former Muslim from Iran and the founder of Atheist Republic. In this broadcast, the panel speaks with Seth Andrews about Islam, radical Islamism, cultural Muslims, "The Religion of Peace," the widely conflicting perspectives on Islam, and the difficult and often dangerous r...
Sep 29, 2015•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist Chris Matheson was co-screenwriter on the 1989 comedy film, "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure." Chris' most recent adventure is an exploration of the Christian holy book, rewriting the "sacred" texts and releasing his synopsis of scripture as the new book, "The Story of God: a Biblical Comedy about Love (and Hate). In this broadcast, Seth speaks with Chris about his sarcastic (yet accurate) take on the Bible, and he finishes the show ...
Sep 15, 2015•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: audiblepodcast.com/thinkingatheist A listener on the TTA Facebook page recently asked Seth Andrews to respond to a "Letter to the Editor" posted in Seth's hometown paper, the Tulsa World. Usually, as skeptics, we let these kinds of posts slide, because they often don't accomplish much and/or they generate more trouble that they're worth. But in this case, Seth responded, and this show chronicles the exchange, the fallout, and the curious tactics of the indignant commenters w...
Sep 10, 2015•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist Gretta Vosper has been an atheist for many years, and she preaches/teaches from the perspective of a Bible skeptic, a rationalist, a humanist, and a non-believer in a literal god. Now, the United Church of Canada is considering her removal from church leadership because of her atheism. In this broadcast, we talk with Gretta personally and ask: Why does an atheist minister belong in a church?...
Sep 08, 2015•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Support our sponsor: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist Penn Jillette is half of the hugely popular duo, "Penn & Teller." Over the decades, he's done appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, Letterman, The Simpsons, The West Wing, Babylon 5, Fear Factor and a host of other shows. Penn & Teller's Showtime series "Bullshit" ran for 8 seasons, and they're the feature show at Las Vegas' Rio casino. Penn, like his on-stage partner, is a fearless critic of the Bible and claims of th...
Sep 01, 2015•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.harrys.com (coupon code: thinkingatheist) Relating to Chaos Theory, the term "butterfly effect" relates to the tiniest of influences leading to large differences in deterministic nonlinear systems. One incarnation of the saying suggests that one flap of a single butterfly's wings in Beijing might change the weather in New York. (Perhaps you remember Jurassic Park's Ian Malcolm waxing about Chaos Theory in advance of the park's inevitable meltdown.) We're not spend...
Aug 25, 2015•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist What is "transgender?" How is sexual identity determined? What are the challenges and opportunites facing those who don't fit into established cultural definitions of gender? What is this all about? In this broadcast, we get an education and have some frank and positive discussion on the issue. Joining us is Stephanie Guttormson of the Richard Dawkins Foundation and Thinking Stephtically, YouTube activist Zinnia Jones, Callie Wright o...
Aug 18, 2015•2 hr 41 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist What's on your mind? Well...this is your chance to sound off. Call the broadcast to speak with Seth Andrews, or send an email to podcast@thethinkingatheist.com
Aug 11, 2015•2 hr 32 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist This show is dedicated to the more unusual, bizarre, weird, wild, and often jaw-droppingly offensive apologetics defenses of religious beliefs. What's most surprising is that many making these claims aren't actually deviating very far from the edicts of their various religions and holy texts. Steve Shives' YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/stevelikes2curse Steve and Stuffy Burn In Hell: https://youtu.be/_wYzh7WGxCA God of Evo...
Aug 04, 2015•1 hr 29 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.evolvefish.com SHOP THE TTA STORE: http://www.evolvefish.com/The-Thinking-Atheist-s/1840.htm Wait. Sex addiction is a myth? This podcast features two major parts: 1) The June 20th, 2015 presentation by Dr. Darrel Ray at FreeOK on this very subject. VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/zzmQsjeqOyk 2) A follow-up radio conversation between Seth Andrews with Dr. Ray to explore some of these issues in more detail. Darrel is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors o...
Jul 28, 2015•2 hr 32 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist Three special guests join us for tonight's broadcast. Joshua Roseneau is an evolutionary biologist and serves as Programs and Policy Director for the National Center for Science Education (NCSE). Dr. Barbara Forrest is a professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University and author of "Creationism's Trojan Horse: the Wedge of Intelligent Design." And Dr. Donald Prothero is a paleontologist, geologist, educator and author of ...
Jul 21, 2015•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist In his June 20, 2015 speech at the Oklahoma Freethought Convention, Seth Andrews explored how easily we, as human beings, become infatuated with ideas over facts, often leading to incorrect and even damaging assumptions that keep us in the dark. What happens when we'd rather believe than know? This presentation explores the question in a compelling and entertaining way. SPEECH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/tZiYgZ3Hvag...
Jul 14, 2015•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist Beat Magazine calls Shelley's voice an "enchanting, knowing croon...with brilliant pop melodies." Raised in a traditional Jewish culture, Shelley Segal ultimately found herself an atheist with a new zest for life and a message of encouragement for others to do the same. Her music can often be heard at freethought conventions, and her new album, "Strange Feeling" just released. Shelley Segal joins Seth Andrews for some conversation. An...
Jul 07, 2015•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.harrys.com (promo code: thinkingatheist) Today's show is, simply, a reading of the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac. However, author Ed Suominen has fleshed out the story in alarming detail...and he has added a bizarre twist to the tale. How do most people feel about Abraham's deed (or "almost deed")? His faith? His character? And after they hear this version of the Old Testament account, will they feel any differently? No calls. No headlines. Nothing but the t...
Jun 23, 2015•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist They're often known as PKs. Preacher's kids. Children of clergy who often grow up either embracing or condemning the often strict church cultures imposed upon them. They've seen the "ministry" from behind closed doors, and their stories are enlightening. In this broadcast, we explore the life of a Preacher's Kid.
Jun 16, 2015•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist This is a fun one. Seth Andrews explores some religions borne or (or influenced by) iconic films. In this episode, he interviews a representative of The Temple of the Jedi Order (Star Wars), and a Dudeist Priest from The Church of the Latter Day Dude (The Big Lebowski). These are likely not the churches you'd see on a neighborhood street corner, but they're out there, and we're going to take this opportunity to find out more....
Jun 09, 2015•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
