Skeptical thinking - The Atheist Experience #692

[christianmendieta1]

hello TheAtheistExperience i want to know why do you mock and laugh at our religion??? that is all i want to know

[timdnwd]

@christianmendieta1 Because not only your religion but all others teach their congregation to be absolutely DUMB. You must stop being brainwashed with ~2000 year old fairy stories written by unknown authors with the prime motivation to scare the follower into believing nothing short of myths and give to the church money and so on as so it retains power over the unsuspecting individual. Open your mind and catch up with the times.

[ndrthrdr1]

@christianmendieta1 said "why do you mock and laugh at our religion?"

If American money said "In Santa We Trust", if young Americans marched off to war believing they go to the North Pole and play with toys forever if they die in battle, if people prayed to Santa to bring insulin for a diabetic child instead of calling the doctor, or if businesses avoided paying their fair share of taxes on donations and book sales because they claim they were working for Santa, I would mock SantaClaustianity.

[FaganRoberts]

If Thomas Jefferson were alive today he'd be an atheist.

[cruelbusiness1984]

cont from below-it is selfish 2 b good. when u try not 2 do wrong, negative impact, things which cause others 2 feel sad, angry, violated, or worthless or hurt thier ability 2 feed thier families, u don't need 2 worry about rejection, reprisal, and people shunning u 4 selfish actions. there's no risk of facing consequences and being 'caught' if u avoid wrong/negative behavior. it's as simple as that.

[cruelbusiness1984]

@JoshuaXiong100 how can any1 respect that when u just said an oxymoron? u can't b skeptic, rational and religious. u hav no observable evidence 4 what u believe. u make no sense after the 1st comment. r u tryin 2 talk about morals? visit the humanistic website 4 reason 4 morals outside of god. we're social creatures, we've survived this planet because of our ability and tendancy 2 care for each other. when the group is happy each of the parts r happy. no one who is selfish is truly happy

[iz2sicc]

@cruelbusiness1984 You can't make that claim as there is no evidence to support it. How sure are you that no truly happy selfish person exists? I respect people's opinions, but don't counter someone's views by basically saying they are absurd when your rebuttal is equally absurd.

[horbergaren]

Matt dillahunty should get on the young turks someday

[GoogleVideoMan]

"Copy any argument you want and spread it out." I like that.

[jameshanley40]

@GoogleVideoMan

simpleton.

[cruelbusiness1984]

@GoogleVideoMan spreading the good word....of reason :)

[Bobbiethejean]

I think what these guys do is extraordinarily important and I hope they keep doing it.

[Rhoky]

Good job adding the last part; it will help others get the word out.

[GodlessMorality]

Really well said, Matt. I like the way you've covered this topic. You express our thoughts and experience so well for we Atheists out here, and I really appreciate it!

[mamaschristmasbunny]

What would probably spice the show-up a little; would be to maybe change the topics a little, instead of the closed order of selection or in the box type of thinking Atheist. Maybe if there were a miracle in your life; maybe it would be that you were born? Maybe you could prove your miracle to the fact you birthed yourself from nothing. If' we indeed had not any intercessor at all in our creation. I miss Aron Ra. Aron Ra the Atheist who believes in no God, but he practices Satanism, what.

lol

[cruelbusiness1984]

@mamaschristmasbunny u make no sense. y would he go about proving things that don't exist? miracles hav been debunked so many times its not funny. its not any of our fault that u don't go around learning about how life really started, how the chemical processes started and how evolution, which is observable and has been documented, works. so quit posting till u know what ur talking about

[deveraux009]

Thank you for seeing the portion of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye.

[richaldeano]

Matt Dillahunty and the Atheist Experience are true champions of reason.

[maximusspqr]

Better to pray off each other then some imaginative being.

[phlopstar]

Don't confuse "prey" with "pray" at the end there, which I'm sure some banger will.

[xamot27]

when you going national!!! you can film at my house in canada!!! lol

[FluffyFeralMarmot]

@TheOptimistPrime Yeah, the over-analyzing seems pretty obsessive, doesn't it?

[DeistPaladin]

Regarding the caller, I have that same experience all the time. Just when I think I have an original insight, I find that someone else, whether on your show or another, expressed it much better. Ah well, it's all part of learning.

[artisticlatino07]

“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.” -Rene Descartes

[speedracer123]

I want to see your show with more money, national TV, more viewers and more callers. Make this happen

[BriansBannister]

Check the grey in Matts beard. He is human after all.

[Omnislash2000]

@BriansBannister thats true actually. I've always asked, what gave God the right to be God in the first place. I don't remember voting for him/it/her.

[pyr666]

@BriansBannister

nonono, he's just a clever cyborg PRETENDING to age

:P

[Thayer79]

I'm a skeptic as far as, if one of these religions, at least most of them, turned out to be verifiably then I would believe their claims. I think one thing that is not often discussed is, Would we be loyal to the god(s)? Would we lay down our freedoms and life to it or them, because they created us? I for one, don't think there is a god(s) that is worthy of my devotion. Most if not all should be rebelled against. I have yet to see one not actually be dictatorial.

[XDigdug45X]

530 people vs 1...i think we can take him!

[SwineNahNah]

"..has thought it already", same here, for similar reason I still haven't red "God Dellusion" past first 20-30 pages, it was all like "I have realized it myself already", so it's somewhere on a shelf. 8D

[draxxus902]

Nice to see 1 christian is watching. Keep doing so you may learn something haha

[Darkest209]

Skeptic

[aldphillip2003]

What asshole disliked this?

[ImperiousViking]

@aldphillip2003

salmagnum disliked it....

he sent me a message you youtube afterwards

[Fas6pa]

No one really gets converted via solid philosophically arguments.

[joestfrancois]

Original thought? There is nothing new under the sun.

[bartonim]

That point at 2:00 is really true. Religion affects everything in our human fibre, everything. That's why I would rather let my human nature influence me. Better still, I should say I try to let me influence myself. It isn't always easy, because there are other influences--but most often, they are better influences than religion.

[Cromper]

I'm an atheist and love this show - but I have done 'dowsing' and it works. It is NOT a work of god, but I'm sure in time science will prove dowsing a fact.

[jacobromu]

@Cromper James Randi Challenge.  Dowsers are the most popular applicants. It's because it really seems to work.

Doesn't work though.

[faetrn]

@Cromper I think it has something to do with the magnetism of the Earth.

[mikekoz68]

@Cromper This justshows how all Skeptics are Atheists but not all Atheists are Skeptics. How can science prove it to be a fact when there is no experiments that shows it even works? If you can do it then take a week off work, go to Florida and just do what you say you can do and get $1million. --I care whether or not mybeliefsare true-youdont

[Cromper]

@mikekoz68 If you read my post again I didn't say science can prove it. I said 'in time' science will prove it. And I am a sceptic, but that doesn't mean I dismiss everything at the drop of a hat. I did dowsing with a colleague at work to kill time on a boring day. We worked in engineering so it took just a few minutes to make some dowsing rods (we also made some clip-on earings for a laugh). But the dowsing worked so well we were convinced it actually works. I'm quite happy to be proven wrong.

[o0smokingmonk0o]

I was ready for the caller to start, "It's a belief and you know it!"

[Thrashaero]

I would whole heartedly join in praise of Matt and crew if only they were just a little more consistent with those principles. Meanwhile, they dismiss ANY claim of conspiracy, throw the baby out with the bathwater on things like Zeitgeist (sure, has a lot of errors, but also happens to do the heresy of questioning the monetary system, etc.)

Being a very well versed atheist doesn't make you automatically a well versed skeptic. it helps, but it's not quite the same. It's hard for most people tho

[DerrenBrown100]

Rise, Sir Matt Dillahunty.

[Ricardius1710]

Yes, I agree, religion should not be given a pass. Many of my atheist friends disagree with this approach. They take the "can't we all just get along" approach. That's bs! Religion affects us and our society in unmeasurable ways. It promotes ignorance and superstition first and foremost. Religion has been the one thing that has been off limits to critical debate for the most part in America. This is no more thank goodness!

[TheUnmaskedMagician]

well said

[AQGOAT24]

The Power balance company admitted that their product is fake rofl.

[TheAndyLoraProgram]

I don't know how the dumbest people get Elected, meanwhile someone as intelligent as Matt Dillahunty goes barely unnoticed.

I guess we're not ready for critical thinking.

[avalsonline2]

@TheAndyLoraProgram people elect people who appeal to their values. religion and gullibility seem to be the most important values. people in a democracy deserve their leaders

[cruz1ale]

@TheAtheistExperience

Why do you post 480p and 720p versions of the videos when they have exactly the same image quality as your 360p version?

[Caltwentynine]

@cruz1ale The show is broadcast in HD from the studio in texas, when a video is uploaded to youtube with a higher resolution then multiple resolutions become available to us.

[TheAtheistExperience]

@cruz1ale

- "Why do you post 480p and 720p versions of the videos when they have exactly the same image quality as your 360p version?"

The original videos (from Blip.tv) are smaller than 360p, but the audio quality of 480p and 720p is better on YouTube.

[SinnFein4ever]

@TheAtheistExperience

If you put Jesus and Santa Claus in a cage-match, who do you think would win?

[stiimuli]

@SinnFein4ever "If you put Jesus and Santa Claus in a cage-match, who do you think would win?"

santa definately has a size advantage, better striking power and he has a better ground game (his full-mount ground-and-pound is legendary) but if jesus can avoid the take-down, keep the fight on its feet and stay mobile his stand-up skills might win him the fight by attrition if he can make it out of the first round.

If santa doesnt gas out, jesus has shown he's vulnerable to submissions.

[SinnFein4ever]

@stiimuli

Do you think that Jesus would have some experience of Eastern martal-arts to draw upon?

The Buddest monks have been famous for their martial arts abilities for about two-and-a-half thousand years; and there are striking similarities between Jesus's teachings and Buddah's teachings.

[stiimuli]

@SinnFein4ever "Do you think that Jesus would have some experience of Eastern martal-arts to draw upon?"

ya know, people like to talk about jesus' aikido and judo expertise but his past fights have not demonstrated this. His 3 round bout with Judas showed that once he gets to the ground he just cant finish.

A former sparring partner of his revealed in MMA Weekly that he adopted buddhist styles but ultimately rejected their teaching because he claims buddhists are going to hell.

[SinnFein4ever]

@stiimuli

Of course, Jesus' youth and superior reflexes may allow him to comphensate for that.

Santa is way past his prime, and hasn't exactly kept in shape.

I don't think that Santa's faced a serious challenger in quite a long time.

This may make him over-confident.

Then again, when you can magically make yourself thin enough to fit down any chimney on Earth, I suppose you don't have to keep in shape.

Are powers allowed in a MMAM?

[stiimuli]

@SinnFein4ever I do agree there, jesus seems to have a time-defying youthful quality and we know he's hungry to prove himself again.

I also agree Santa hasnt stayed in shape and may be overconfident but after his complete domination of Frosty "the Snowman" last month in Vegas his confidence might be justified.

Like I said before, If Jesus can keep this fight on its feet, his agility and that absolutely monster "superman punch" may be all he needs to bring down the fatman.

[SinnFein4ever]

@stiimuli

I definatly agree with you about his superiority in his match with Frosty in Vegas.

The poor bastard never had a chance.

And let us not forget his match with the Easter Bunny last April, in which he actually bit off his opponont's

EAR, and said "I got you, you wascally wabbit!".

(I think he actually faced charges, for that one)

So Santa's deffinatly not playing with a full deck.

Which can be an advantage or a disadvantage.

[SinnFein4ever]

@stiimuli

I know a guy who runs the numbers racket, named Pascal, and he said that he'd wager on Jesus.

Personally, I am not so sure about Jesus.

And I preferr not to wager on things that I'm not sure of.

[stiimuli]

@SinnFein4ever And lets not forget that jesus is coming off that devastating injury at the hands of the Romans. Some people think "its been 2000 years...surely he's healed" but I gotta wonder if a man can fully recover not only physically but mentally after the brutal crucifixion he endured in that fight.

[SinnFein4ever]

@stiimuli

I don't know...I heard that he came back from it with just some scars in his hands and feet.

You have to admitt, that that's a pretty impressive physical recovery.

As for mentally...well after the whole Gulgatha fiasco, he got a reputation for becoming more of a...well I don't want to use the term "loose cannon", but deffinatly someone that you'd think twice about getting angry.

I don't think that he's above fighting dirty.

[nemo3590]

Atheism is rising exponentially in the U.S. It's still not "kosher"--it's still splitting families and is used as a byword for demon-baby-eater. But it's growing. And it's thanks to people like Matt Dillahunty and the other people at TAE, as well as the YouTubers and bookwriters.

Who knows where we might be in ten years?

[MsWanderer1]

There is a big difference between saying that "skeptical people believe in god" and saying "skeptical people believe in a religion"! Which one does Matt really mean?

[mrx0066600]

Fucking magnets man.... Fucking magnet...

[ImperiousViking]

207 likes 0 dislikes, wow!

the bots have not come you...

[ImperiousViking]

@ImperiousViking

yet*

[sakar181]

There are those of us that think like this, then theres the others who simply dont understand what Matt said, nor do they want to understand.

[OneCerebralSamurai]

One of his best.

[Generalcashmycheque]

Mr Dillahunty, tear this wall down.

[Drathora]

Wow, you guys are on it lately. I was beginning to consider removing my subscription from this youtube channel because I feared you were no longer maintaining it. But wow, a video per day for three days. I kind of wish you guys had this show on earlier in the day so I could actually watch it in real time, and perhaps call in. Anyways, keep up the good work.

[duf9991]

man you're just a freaking genius!!!

[creationofself]

The real damage is done when people over identify to their beliefs and opinions. This not only applies to religion, and spiritual ideologies but to everything which groups of people can come together and debate and or agree upon. Not saying that having differences and conflict of differences is a negative thing. I am saying when we over identify we carry these things with us at all times which limits the quality of every moment life.

[misteranonymousguy]

Matt IS epic! But Matt wouldn't win an election because too many myth-holders would oppose him. HOWEVER Matt would be a great presidential advisor..a great sanity check on domestic and foreign policy, etc. Personally I think Secretary of Education is where he could make the biggest changes in what/how the next generation thinks.

[mythinktube]

@misteranonymousguy I like that idea!

[SmokeRingsPipeDreams]

Matt is doing "gods work".

[misteranonymousguy]

Matt wouldn't win an election because too many myth-holders would oppose him. HOWEVER Matt would be a great presidential advisor..a great sanity check on domestic and foreign policy, etc. Personally I think Secretary of Education is where he could make the biggest changes in changing what the next generation thinks.

[garveya1]

@wvguy8258

semicolon

wut

[MadocDoyu]

The video quality has become really great in the last few videos. Thanks!

[WorkHard91]

I feel skeptic about religion, first time I tried reading the bible I could not pass through the first part "The Creation of the World" :\

sometimes I feel like believing in god but then science comes into my mind and there is where I feel skeptic

[srtounez]

this show has opened my eyes to so many thing not just religously but to every day life, how people are basically brain washed to everything not just church... i had a discussion with my girl i told her to read the book "the secret"(law of atraction) and she freaked out cuz it was about methaphysiscs and went "against her morals and believes" but just finnished reading a book abouth psychopaths, rapist and murderers, and she doesnt find reading that its agaist the same believes...

[emperorkang]

@srtounez the secret is a big pile of bullcrap.

[xxSilverPhinxx]

@emperorkang

And now I'd bet that "The Power" (I think it's called) would be a load of bullshit to top that load of bullcrap.

[emperorkang]

@xxSilverPhinxx yep. it has about as much credibility as the mentality of "warm fuzzy feeling attitudes of money" in the book Rich Dad Poor Dad. stay away.

[roohif]

@xxSilverPhinxx "The Secret"?

[HerrKnitler]

@srtounez

The Secret is a psychological technique muddled with crappy quantum theory and metaphysics. Read a book on goal oriented thinking instead.

[srtounez]

@HerrKnitler yes i know... the secret its a good book wether one believes it or not , the book really help the reader to guide his thinking pattern and to manipulate ur thoughts from negative to positive and thats a good thing, i said to my girl to read it just because of that and she freaked out by that recomendation

[HerrKnitler]

@srtounez

No it's a book about magical forces in the world which tried to hijack a psychological technique to get the author rich. It's basically religion updated for the 21st century. Read a book from sports figures and get a real view of what setting up goals and following through is all about.

Sorry if I sound arrogant or whatever but people who write books like that really get to me. One kernel or truth is not enough to justify that big pile of horseshit you have to wade through to find it

[srtounez]

@HerrKnitler yeah those people get to me too... and like i say i dont believe everything i read its just that putting all the "skeems" the book has a side its a good book to read... i recomend it to people just for the fact that it helps concentrating ur thought to positive thinking not because i believe everything it says... and no u dont sound arrogant at all! i get ur point, im just one of those people that try to take everything i can from stuff even if i think are BS

[jwlbailey]

Do you guys listen to The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe? I love that podcast.

[jwlbailey]

Have you guys thought about doing a weekly podcast?

[SinuousStudios]

@jwlbailey They have it's call the non-prophets, and it's GREAT!

[irrelevanthuman]

@jwlbailey they already do a weekly show

[mullen2105]

Matt Dillahunty for president, questionmark

[cloud4an]

@mullen2105

An atheist president in America, that's about as likely as a black pres-

....Maybe someday...

[bersaba]

@cloud4an

Yeah but, didn't you hear Bill O'Reily? Obama isn't really black.

[mslewp]

@bersaba

a) he's 50% black, which hurt his campain.

b) O' Riley's a liar.

[bersaba]

@mslewp

I was being sarcastic. I know he's black I have the power of sight. And yes, BillO is a liar. And a dick. and (in my opinion, the other 2 being facts) I feel a threat to the country.

[mslewp]

@bersaba agreed. all religion is a threat (the GOP is just a product of religion).

[mslewp]

@cloud4an We've had 4 Atheist/Deist Presidents. Including Jefferson.

[bersaba]

@mslewp

I'm really surprised more isn't made of Jefferson's religious remarks. Though I doubt he was an atheist, more of a deist (similar to Einstein, belief in a god, but not a 'interfering' god, for lack of better description). Regardless, some of his quotes are fantastic.

I concur with you strictly in your opinion of the comparative merits of atheism and demonism, and really see nothing but the latter in the being worshipped by many who think themselves Christians.

-TJ, Jan. 8, 1789

[cloud4an]

@mslewp

My word, I completely forgot. But, let's see an atheist president nowadays.

[tranquility4all]

@cloud4an We may have already had a President who either questioned or rejected the existence of all gods. Throughout America's history many people would not admit they didn't believe in the existence of a god. There is a chance 1 or more may have been President.

[linkforever92]

@tranquility4all i know abraham lincon and jefferson were but thats just off the top of my head

[tranquility4all]

@linkforever92 Today many Americans would not vote for Jefferson, Lincoln or anyone who doesn't profess their faith.

[Inductus]

@cloud4an Actually I'd think you guys (people in the U.S.) have already been there. That president or those presidents just haven't been able to tell the truth about that AND receive such a position thanks to the bible thumping idiot majority. I refuse to believe that all those people smart enough and/or otherwise capable enough would somehow also been stupid enough to really buy into all that religion crap. I'm not saying you necessarily have to be smart to become president though, either.

[leisulin]

@mullen2105

yeah, who needs the question mark?

[Dacurath]

@mullen2105 The Atheist Experience needs to be an internationally televised TV show. youtube is great, but we need to wake up the world.

[sirbestnameever]

@mullen2105 he hafe to run for mayior in texas, I dont think that will happen

[hosebeatings]

@mullen2105 I think he just replaced Cthulhu for my standard write-in. Dillahunty-Luthor 2012!

[QuantumV3]

Matt Dillahunty is EPIC  :D

[EliteDoomer]

Well stated, death to dogma. One thing I was wondering about is if focusing on economic collapse or athiesm would be most beneficial. Yet reasoned thinking promotes reasoned thinking and perhaps it is not too late for this species.

[44jackhammer]

this video is good shit

[34jake34]

You guys rock

[nutty01]

I don't exactly know why it rubs me so wrong when I see people choosing comforting self-delusion over difficult reality. I feel as if they're cheating themselves somehow. I value my own life so much, and I find reality so interesting and challenging as it is, that I am downright offended when someone puts themselves in a delusional bubble.

[okgo43]

@nutty01 i feel exactly the same. It's such a privilege to view reality as what it is. Why waste it?

[hamboney9]

@okgo43 dont you ever get tired of seeing reality? too much ignorance...everyone waits for you "to come around" when there so caught up with their story books from the ancient land..Sometimes i wish i could visit a delusional bubble.Escaping for a while,but only to return to the "shitcycle"

[mavs2147]

Hey, first viewer! Keep doing a great job guys.