Informed Secular Minds

Dan Barker is the Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the purpose of which, as stated in its bylaws, are to promote the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism. Become a member here. Mr. Barker is prolific author and speaker on the topics of atheism and secularism. He has written many books including Life Driven Purpose, The Good Atheist, and God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction. Our discussion includes Donald Trump's recent executive order on "Religious Liberty" and the FFRF's legal response, as well as the debate between theists and atheists. Follow Scott Follow Cory ISM on Twitter  ISM On Periscope A lot of hard work goes into the broadcast each week. Please contribute!!

After some obligatory coverage of the sometimes-funny-sometimes-sad antics of Texas Rep. Randy Weber during this year's "Washington - A Man of Prayer" event, Cory and Scott settle in for an exploration of two major chapters of Ethiopian history: a bit of biological anthropology from the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs (Lucy!) and the middle of the twentieth century during the reign of Haile Selassie. This is a fascinating individual, and he leads us to the inspiration of a new religion... Rastafarianism! How are the two related, and what does Rastafarianism teach? What is a rasta and what informs their theology? How does this religion fit in with the ones that came before it? Please stay tuned until the end of the episode for a very, very special announcement! (Seriously. We've got exciting news.) Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope A lot of hard work and rese

Its a packed episode! We have a lot of news to cover, followed by a conversation about spirituality in the absence of a god belief. We are also excited to bring you another Logic That Fallacy segment (sponsored by Recovering From Religion) What is spirituality without religion? Is nihilism a natural conclusion for atheists? In our second hour, we are joined by Kate, the Doubting Pastor for a conversation about her journey through and out of Baptist Christianity. We are very glad to have the opportunity to share her story with our listeners! Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope Lots of work and prep go into the broadcast! Please consider contributing to the show: Patreon

Our episode begins a bit dark, as we follow up on a serious breach of secularism in Alabama. That state is approving church employed police officers (what could go wrong?) and is still reeling from the resignation of its evangelical gevernor Dr. Robert Bentley. Also, there's something deeply disturbing happening in Chechnya... OK, we admit that could refer to practically anything that happens in Chechnya. This is a new disturbing thing. Logic That Fallacy is back! Our gratitute goes to our sponsor Recovering from Religion The real meat(balls) of our episode concerns the divine truth of the revelation of our savior, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, hallowed be his name. Who is his Noodliness, the great FSM? What do the holy texts reveal about reality and where we came from? How can anyone doubt such extraordinary claims? Prove that the great and benevolent pasta creature DOESN'T exist! Join the conversation:  Call in live 646-564-9551 Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow C

Skepticism: we need more of it. Scott and Cory focus on religious skepticism, and offer a few classic thought experiments as a demonstration of why skepticism is a rational approach to extraordinary claims. Is atheism in line with skepticism? What is the difference between an agnostic and an atheist? Why is it ok to reject claims that cannot be disproven? What is the burden of proof, and who holds it? Discussion includes Russel's Teapot, Eric the God-Eating Penguin and Ontological arguments. In our second half, we are joined by Mikey, a former member of the Church of Latter-day Saints to discuss his experiences as a young man joining the faith, and what was involved in converting others as a missionary, elder and high priest. We will discuss how inculcation works, what emotions and concepts the conversation plays on to convince potential believers of the truth of the faith, and what life was like as an active Mormon. Join us exclusively on Periscope for an open Q & A after the broadcast (Starting at 10PM

Blasphemy is among the silliest concepts we can think of, and is antithetical to secularism. In this week's show, we discuss what blasphemy is, and how it is seen from some of the major religions. Where are blasphemy laws in effect today, and how do they affect citizens? How has blasphemy impacted culture in America and abroad? Why is blasphemy a threat, and why does it often result in threats or violence? How can this concept be refuted and dismissed? It's going to be a fantastic episode! Join the conversation:  Call in live 646-564-9551 Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope Lots of work and prep go into the broadcast! Please consider contributing to the show: Patreon

Lots of people attribute colloquialisms and bits of wisdom to the bible that simply aren't there. Why does this happen? What are some famous examples? The bible does, however, include many strange and bizarre things that are rarely mentioned. Scott and Cory have fun (and cringe) while exploring several of these as well. The team also explores a few interesting bits of news involving religion in the United States and evaluates what some recent legislative proposals mean through the lens of secularism.   Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope Lots of work and prep go into the broadcast! Please consider contributing to the show: Patreon

Informed Secular Minds is pleased to welcome Matt Cawthorn on the program for a wide range of topics. What is antitheism, and how does it differ from atheism? Why is religion a bad idea for the world, and in what ways is it harmful? Are the central tenets of theism (belief in an afterlife, the concept of sin, and the narrative of God) inherently negative? Why even bother with the topic at all? Tune in and listen as the guys talk shop about publically engaging in these discussions and break down the concept of antitheism. You can call and talk to us live! 646-564-9551 Follow Matt: CaptAtheism on Twitter    CaptAtheism on Periscope Visit his Blog: Epicurean Pop Contribute: Captain Atheist on Patreon Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Contribute to the Informed Secular Minds Podcast: Patreon

Life after death! So many religions make extraordinary claims about this concept in their doctrines, and the path to getting to heaven (or avoiding hell) is perhaps the greatest carrot-and-stick ever employed. What do the major religions say about heaven and hell? What are the implications of such a reality? What are the prerequisites for acceptance or damnation? What is it like in paradise and why? What can we learn about the formation of religion based on these ideas? It’s good to be back! Cory is thrilled to return to the airwaves, and we thank you as always for spending some of your time with us. You are welcome to call in and chat about this or any religious or secular matter of interest to you at 646-564-9551.  Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope Please consider contributing to the show: Patreon

With Cory travelling, Scott is joined by guest host Maris Warfel (@YoungAthlon399) for a discussion on prayer in its many forms. Why do so many religions implement prayer into their theology? What do believers hope to achieve through prayer? Does it work, and how would anyone ever be able to tell? Call in to the show LIVE: 646-564-9551 Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Maris: YoungAthlon399 on Twitter   YoungAthlon399 on Periscope Your support for the show is crucial. Contribute here: Patreon 

The concept of sin exists in most of the major religions on earth. It is generally defined as "an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law." Many believers think of sin as being anything that impedes a perfect relationship with God. How do believers determine what is and is not a sin? What do religious texts tell us about this concept? Is avoiding sin a realistic goal? How do believers repent for the inevitable sins they commit? The notion of sin, or committing a crime against God, can lead to deeply negative attitudes towards ourselves and others. Cory and Scott discuss this problem, and consider what sin has to do with morality. Give us a call to join the conversation live! Call 646-564-9551 Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope Please consider contributing to the show: Patreon

Truth Pursuit will set the tone for a larger week long conversation with Scott on social media. You can engage with him on Twitter and Periscope @ELDUDEIRENO as well as on the official Informed Secular Minds accounts @ISMPodcast_ to add your voice to the topic at hand. The first Truth Pursuit centers around one of the most famous myths ever promoted as historical fact: the story of Noah's Ark! Call 646-564-9551 to join the broadcast live, and stay connected on Twitter and Periscope to make your opinion known. Do you believe in the story of Noah's Ark? Do you reject it as nothing more than a legend from antiquity? Tell Scott why! Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope Please consider contributing to the show: Patreon

Cory starts the episode with a brief review of Steve Bannon, the chief strategist inside the Trump administration and helps shed light on some revealing and troubling comments made in 2014.  So much left from Part 1 to get to! The second half of L. Ron Hubbard's biography gets a discussion, followed by the rise of the early Church of Scientology including the infamous Sea Org and its abusive practices. What is Going Clear, and how does one achieve it? What are engrams? Who is the mysterious David Miscavige at the center of the modern Church, and where the hell is his wife? No in-depth discussion of Scientology would be complete without an overview of the celebrity weirdness surrounding it. Tom Cruise, John Travolta and others are discussed as they pertain to the theology, as well as some less famous key players who have left the Church over the decades. Stay tuned until the end, we have some big news about the show!! Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephr

America has a long tradition of customized faiths and notorious cults. In this episode, ISM explores and critiques Scientology, one of the most successful cults in history. What are the core elements of this faith? What defines its theology? Who is L. Ron Hubbard, the cult's founder? What makes Scientology fundamentally American? Call in live: 646-564-9551 Follow Scott: ELDUDEIRENO on Twitter    ELDUDEIRENO on Periscope Follow Cory: Dopinephrine on Twitter    Dopinephrine on Periscope Follow the show: ISM on Twitter    ISM On Periscope Please consider contributing to the show: Patreon

President Obama will be leaving office in less than two days. Its been an eventful eight years since he entered the White House: the United States has been through a recession, the end of a war, the passage of landmark legislation, and shifting political and cultural climates. Has secularism been strengthened or weakened under President Obama? Where did he succeed and fail as President? We'll be taking calls live during the show; let us know how you feel about the outgoing POTUS! 646-564-9551 On Twitter and Periscope: Follow Chuck: @Jotunar Follow Cory: @Dopinephrine Follow @ISMPodcast_ The show needs your support to continue! Please consider becoming a Patron: www.patreon.com/informedpodcast

As our scientific understanding increases, a fascinating hypothesis has emerged: the idea that we exist in a high functioning simulation, indistinguishable from another reality. How is such a thing possible? Who are the scientists investing time into investigating this hypothesis? What would be the motives in creating such a simulation? We tackle these questions and more in the strangest episode of Informed Secular Minds yet!   From "The Simulation Argument: Why the Probability that You Are Living in a Matrix is Quite High" by Nick Bostrom We should accept as true at least one of the following three propositions: (1) The chances that a species at our current level of development can avoid going extinct before becoming technologically mature is negligibly small (2) Almost no technologically mature civilizations are interested in running computer simulations of minds like ours (3) You are almost certainly in a simulation.   Give us a call with your questions or comments: (646) 564-9551 Follow ISMPodcas