A-News Episode 16: Pro Gay Rights, Not Pro Republicans, and Southern Baptists

[oregonatheist]

great show!!!!!

[UrbanTurtleFarm]

Do you guys ever hang out in Durham? Fullsteam, Bullcity...? You look wicked familiar! :)

[kaptainlee1]

@UrbanTurtleFarm

Lee here, I cant speak for everyone but I know I dont go out to Durham much and am not aware of either place you mentioned.

[apartmentj]

@UrbanTurtleFarm Cody does some and i have been to Durham we were there yesterday for Gay Pride Parade in Durham

[UrbanTurtleFarm]

@apartmentj They did a great job this year, glad you caught it!

[antonahill]

Great episode! Already linking away on Atheist Asshole dot com.

[shadonaruto33]

lol brians whole clouds thing was so funny

[TraxTheAlien]

oh, and nice show. keep up the good work.

[TraxTheAlien]

As an atheist(no god) who believes in an immortal consciousness that is separate from the body. I believe that there are several options after death depending on the state of mind at the time of death. I also believe in reincarnation and the option to be born again. I disagree with " when you're dead that's it's".

The ghosts phenomenon, past life regression, psionics, out of body experiences, there are many indicators that there's much more going on than the physical body.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien What evidence is there that there is "immortal consciousness"? Several options? Is this some kind of secularly celestial insurance policy? What evidence do you have of reincarnation? All that you mention has either been specifically debunked or it has no evidence to support it. Not only that, but we have evidence that brain activity is who we are. Nothing else defines us. When that activity ceases, so do we. I challenge you to prove, not assert or insist, but prove otherwise.

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

There are cases where what you state is correct. There are also cases with verified 100% brain death, 0 brain activity while the patient remembers details about surgery and actions of those in the room while brain dead. It's east to only pay attention to information you agree with while ignoring evidence you disagree with. May I suggest trying Remote Viewing. This will give you some personal insight.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien Name one verified case in which we know, not believe, but know that the subject was 100% brain dead and remembered details about surgery that are verified to have occurred during brain death. Then tell me how this proves anything about NDEs or the other supernatural events you describe. (More...)

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

You're going to depend on me for information? I finished my investigation over 10 years ago and I never kept and documentation of what I found. You live in the information age. Do a search, actually investigate. There are many well documented cases of out of body experiences. As to remote viewing you have no need to depend on other peoples beliefs or experiences, find out for yourself.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien As a self-identified atheist, you seem to rely on some very well trodden fallacies. You made the positive claim that there are cases with verified 100% brain death, etc., yet you cited not a one. It's not my job to make your citations for you. That's shifting the burden of proof. (More...)

[antonahill]

And, once I do my google search and presumably find nothing at all to substantiate your claim, all you have to do is move the goalpost and claim I didn't do the right search, or I didn't search hard enough. I'm not denying that there are well documented cases of NDEs. What I am skeptical of is that the experience described literally took place. I challenge you to prove otherwise. (More...)

[antonahill]

Added to this the fact that I cited an OBE in my piece, my mother's. But, as I said in the piece, just because she claims to have had an OBE doesn't mean it literally occurred as described. And how would we verify that it had? It's unfalsifiable. As to remote viewing, I have attempted it, and not only did it not work, if it did "work", I would have no way to objectively verify it. So here we are again. You made the claim, so prove it. You won't because you can't. (More...)

[antonahill]

You'll appeal to popularity, that lots of people have reported NDEs and OBEs, therefore the experiences are what they're claimed to be. You'll appeal to authority, that people with PhDs have documented them. You'll appeal to morality, that the alleged subjects have no reason to lie. You'll do all this, something similar, or much more, and not once will you cite a single piece of objectively verifiable evidence for your supernatural claims. Because there is none. (More...)

[antonahill]

But rather than be honest, admit that, and move on, you'll cling to your belief in the "possibility" of supernatural events. If, however, you are able to provide one piece of objectively verifiable evidence, I will change my mind in a heartbeat because I'm perfectly okay with destroying my pre-conceived notions. Hell, I'll even make a retraction video about all that I said in the A-News piece. So go ahead, prove your claims. I have nothing to lose. Do you?

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

There is nothing I can say that would provide proof just as there is nothing you can say that would provide proof of your opinion. All I have asked for is that you actually investigate There is plenty of evidence out there for those that want to know the truth whatever that may be. That's all I can offer you. I just don't want people to listen to your OPINION and simply accept it as fact, that's all.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien There is indeed something you could say to provide proof. Cite one, just one case in which NDEs or OBEs were objectively verified. Just one. Scientific fact is not my "opinion." As science has demonstrated, our personalities are 100% defined by our brain activity. When this activity ends, so do we. (More...)

[antonahill]

It's not my job to investigate the veracity of your claim. That's shifting the burden of proof. You've claimed that supernatural events occur, so prove it. If there really is "plenty of evidence" as you claim, then it should be easy for you to cite even one case in which NDEs and OBEs have been objectively verified. The only reason people should listen to what I had to say and accept it as fact is that it contained facts. You've not cited one fact, not one, to support your claims. (More...)

[antonahill]

Evidence supports what I said. Logical fallacy, emotional appeals, and a desire for magic support what you said. How is what I said not fact? How is what you said not opinion? If you're honest, you'll just admit the difference, stop relying on fallacies, the attempt to shift the burden of proof, and the appeal to so-called "open-mindedness", and move on. :)

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

The concept of life after death documented cases: I would recommend the studying the medium John Edward and his entire life. The ghost phenomenon I would recommend studying "The heartland Ghost" the event not the movie. Or The true story of Doris Bither.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien Are you honestly suggesting that John Edward is a medium? If so, prove it. Prove that he really can talk to the dead and really doesn't rely on cold reading techniques. All of these stories that you recommend are that and nothing more. Stories. (More...)

[antonahill]

If you find the existence of a story sufficient evidence of its claims, then do you believe in Robin Hood, King Arthur and Camelot, Cthulhu, banshees, leprechauns, sirens, and fairies? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed in fairies. He was smart, therefore they must exist, right?

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

You ask for evidence and than state "It's not my job to investigate the veracity of your claim" That would be the argument of a theist, not a scientist. A true scientist would investigate any claim and acknowledge all evidence for and against the argument. Don't ask for things you don't want.

You have a blind faith to your beliefs and are no different that the religions you rally against. Good luck with your crusade.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien 1. When did I ever say I was a scientist?

2. How is your assertion that mine is an "argument of a theist" any different from the Not a True Scotsman fallacy?

3. How does this change the fact that you've made the positive claim and have provided zero evidence for it? I would acknowledge the evidence if there were any. All you've claimed is there are stories. If stories were enough, we should believe in animals who could play instruments. (More...)

[antonahill]

How do I have blind faith when that's believing either 1. in something for which there is no evidence or 2. in something despite evidence to the contrary? I don't believe in NDEs or OBEs because there is no evidence to support them. How is that blind faith? How is my skepticism a belief? Is it also a belief that Paul Bunyon doesn't exist? (More...)

[antonahill]

Crusade?? So, first you asserted stuff with no evidence. Then, when I called you on it, you pleaded for an open mind. When that failed, you now rely on hyperbolic accusations? Just admit you have no evidence at all for what you claim and move on.

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

John Edward did several readings where it was imposable for him to get visual or verbal cues from his subject and he also remembers his past lives sense childhood. This is documented.

NDE validity 3w . near - death . com slash experiences slash research11 . html

It is exceedingly difficult to provide links here.

There is much more evidence and someone who actually wanted to know would know this. You simply accept information provided like a theist, hence accusation.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien How do you know it was "impossible for him to get visual or verbal cues from his subject"? How do you know that "he also remembers his past lives sense childhood"? How is documentation evidence? Is all the documentation of Big Foot evidence of its existence? How about the documentation, including photographic and video, of aliens? (More...)

[antonahill]

From the page you cited:

"A large number of near-death experiencers have witnessed verifiable events occurring outside of their body. Unfortunately, such evidence does not constitute 'scientific evidence.' The reason is because scientific evidence involves replication of the experience and the existence of strict controls over the events being witnessed. (More...)

[antonahill]

"However, the example I gave at the beginning of this page is the kind of test environment which can provide such scientific evidence. Many examples of anecdotal evidence of verifiable perception are provided on this web page." He admits right there that it isn't scientific evidence. He can. You can't. Go figure.

"...someone who actually wanted to know would know this." Again with the Not a True Scotsman. (More..)

[antonahill]

With the entire internet at your disposal, the best you can do so far is 1. claim that Edwards did readings with neither visual nor verbal cues with NO evidence to support your claim and 2. cite a site where the author ADMITS to using anecdotal, NOT scientific evidence. You can't simply admit that there is no objectively verifiable evidence at all for anything you've claimed. :)

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

Robin Hood was an actual person, Unicorns are non magical 1 horned goats, That there is physical evidence (verified video) of fairies although nobody knows what they are, Leprechauns are non magical little people, John Edward directly addressed the concept of "cold reading" several times and there is solid evidence to the accounts I references to. You are not as knowledgeable as you think you are and you are blinded by preconceptions just like a Theists.

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien Prove that Robin Hood was real. Prove Maid Marion. Point out the video of fairies. Link to the video or article in which Edwards addressed cold reading. Link to the "solid evidence." I've not claimed to be knowledgable. I've claimed to be skeptical. I've already admitted that I'll completely retract my NDE video with even one objectively verifiable case. You've not cited it because you can't.

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

watch?v=lOSbRCg0B4g

There are things in reality that are far more bazaar than fiction and the scientific community will not acknowledge it in fear of being discredited no matter what the evidence. Open your mind.

[apartmentj]

@TraxTheAlien the reason science doesn't acknowledge things like this is because they are making claims that it is an alien or something otherworldly. If they just said hey we found this weird thing can you guys take a look it might actually get somewhere. when you take a stance of "look at this alien" no one will ever take you seriously because you are making claims with no support and jumping to illogical conclusions.

also you seem to not understand the term open minded .

[TraxTheAlien]

@apartmentj

The skull is only 900 years old. The DNA and philology are clearly not mandrill. Are you actually suggesting there is another humanoid species on this planet that hasn't been accounted for?

Never mind, go crawl back into your box and wallow in your own ignorance.

[apartmentj]

@TraxTheAlien lol

[apartmentj]

@TraxTheAlien also a quick wikipedia search for starchild gives plenty of source sited verifiable proof of the DNA and origins of the "Alein Skull"

[TraxTheAlien]

@apartmentj

Talk about trusting sources that go along with your point of view. Seriously, you all sound like theists. Do any of you do research beyond what is convenient?

starchildproject . com slash wikipedia . htm

[apartmentj]

@TraxTheAlien WTF your source is a place called startchild project as if that isnt biased at least the wiki has links to sources and has to be verified. if the people over at startchild project found it to be in accurate they could contact wiki and have it corrected if they had verifiable sources that something was incorrect

[TraxTheAlien]

@apartmentj

You actually think if the powers that be have covered this information up for this long they would allot information to be verified by "a reputable source"?

Did you bother reading the information or just make an assumption based on preconceived notion? Theist?

That's ok. Much is going to be coming out in the next year. Until then I'm just some nutball pinhead conspiracy theorist. Just ignore me.

[apartmentj]

@TraxTheAlien i did read it, went all over their website (you made an assumption i didn't) then you presented an ad-hominem attack against me. You have made no valid points just misdirected arguments with no credibility. The powers that be are the same scientist who who are turning the scientific world on its ear because they possibly have broken the constant speed of light.. that wasn't covered up that is published and out for discussion. if this was a for reals alien it would be too

[TraxTheAlien]

@apartmentj

I've been saying they were wrong about the speed of light for over 20 years and that there were those that already knew that. There comes a point where you just can't hide something anymore.

Some people only see what they want to see. I guess I'm just that way.

Good journey.

[TraxTheAlien]

@TraxTheAlien

And if your interested something else they have been able to do sense the 70's wile declaring it imposable. Antigravity field created by a rotating charged superconductor. The diagram of witch was actually found in a crop circle a few years ago. They won't be able to hide that for much longer either.

[TraxTheAlien]

@apartmentj

essaysbyekowa . com / olmecs . htm

[TraxTheAlien]

@apartmentj

watch?v=6xKUass7G8w&lc=-yOBtiL­x-s24DGz8AL70SzArLSOu447v6uC_S­DT05kI&feature=inbox

[antonahill]

@TraxTheAlien You're a Poe. You don't honestly believe that an alien skull was found.

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

Just take your red pill and go back to sleep, everything is fine.

[TraxTheAlien]

@antonahill

Being someone that remembers there past lives I have always assumed that those that don't remember their past lives simply forgot. I've never considered that only a few of us actually have immortal consciousnesses that live on after the body dies. That's a sad thought.

[antonahill]

I'm very well aware of confirmation bias. I've also been guilty of employing it. If you have any evidence at all that one single NDE actually occurred, a subject has been objectively verified as having floated out of his body and through a celestial tunnel, then please cite it. Also, please cite one objectively verified case of Remote Viewing.

[aajoeyjo]

Thanks for having me on the show!! Yall Rock!! :o)

[apartmentj]

@aajoeyjo we enjoyed having you

[TheGalamoth]

where did you get that Carl Sagan shirt? lol

[apartmentj]

@TheGalamoth egolikeness.bigcartel*dotcom* just remove the *dotcom* and replace with ..... well .com lol

[TheGalamoth]

@apartmentj lol thank you and great ep *cheers*

[TheGalamoth]

@apartmentj lol thank you and great ep *cheers*