Conversion: Baptist To Atheist - Matt Dillahunty Part 1/3

[ilovelani69]

I used to be a southern baptist as well, actually my father is the pastor of the church, I no longer go now, and I'm a happy atheist actually. I wish I can meet others like me, but there aren't many that make it out in time unfortunately.

[ADSciple]

I don't know how his church operates, or how he was raised, but I've always believed that relying the church is a fatal mistake. Basing beliefs on what others tell you is foolishness.

I can see that he was a typical man of "religion". Empty religion, and noting more. The Bible does not in fact discourage thinking, that is absolutely ridiculous. In fact, the Bible itself encourages it, because showing the scientific, historic, and logical facts and evidence is all the greater to support it.

[skywize]

I wonder if Matt feels bad at all about converting people to Christianity, if he ever did. I was lucky. As a Christian I was rather useless, and didn't bother much with my faith, or try and convert people.

[jsong1974]

You can't get there through human will or reason. This man was never saved. Anyone who is truly saved their faith will endure. Faith is a gift from God. Faith in Jesus Christ is a gift. John 6:28

Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

[FAVREandREDD]

@jsong1974 so you think that quoting a book is going to get you anywhere...ha you have a lot to learn. And yes that is all the bible is, a book nothing more.

[jsong1974]

@FAVREandREDD What did you not understand? You prove the bible to be true by your ignorance of the Truth. Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. John 8 REPENT AND BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST

[FAVREandREDD]

@jsong1974 so you think that quoting that book proves that the book is true, you are giving me a circular argument. that does not make any sense at all. I found a notebook in my closet that said that i am god and if you do not believe me you will suffer forever. Please for your sake repent, believe in me, i am the savior and am the only way to the light. Tell me how that is any different from quoting your bible

[TheLivirus]

Oh god, Matt definately did the right decision going full bald! That's brutal.

[Unguidedone]

hey what job did you do in the navy and do you have a full retirement?

[trufuknplaya]

@Unguidedone obvi not u have to do 20 years to do that. if he did 20 years in the navy he would tell about it likely

[TheBiAtheist]

Baptist to Atheist is a deconversion, not a conversion. It makes it sound like Atheism is a religion, and it's not.

[Drweavil]

@TheBiAtheist To quote Jimmy Carr. "Becoming an Atheist is a revolution for one".  Nail on the head Jimmy, nail on the head.

[JoeNietzsche]

@itiswrittenbaptist Its a parade!! Everyone loves a parade!

[bastardoftheparty1]

Matt, I love the arguments you make concerning the truth about Christianity, but I can't help but wonder is the fallacy of Christianity the ONLY reason you are an atheist? You've done an excellent job debunking religion, but you don't have a good argument concerning the existence of God, which in my view is another issue altogether.

[AgowTisro]

@bastardoftheparty1 Without the doctrine or reason to worship the god, there's no reason to believe in it. No one really says there is absolutely no god. I could very well see Deism being a good answer to all our unanswerable questions, if there happen to be any left.

[bastardoftheparty1]

@AgowTisro Excellent comment

[bastardoftheparty1]

@bastardoftheparty1 I wonder the same thing. He has an excellent argument against Christianity, but it stops there. My position is that all religions are false, but that does not disprove the existence of some sort of God.

[JoeNietzsche]

@bastardoftheparty1 The question of whether there is a god or not is not one for atheists to answer. The burden of proof is on anyone that claims there is such a being. Furthermore, while it is often suggested that because there are unanswered questions about existence, the universe and so on, it is therefore reasonable to say a god did it - this is what is known as the god of the gaps fallacy. There is only one rational answer we can give in the absence of evidence - and that is: We dont know.

[bastardoftheparty1]

@JoeNietzsche That is the question of our lifetime.  Everyone is going to answer that question. Burden of proof is on ANYONE posing or ANSWERING that question. Especially YOU because you are on this page answering right now! So stop that burden of proof BS. If those Christians nuts turn out to be right then both of us would suffer the consequences of our answer. To become an atheist you have to answer that question for yourself or otherwise you'd be something else entirely.

[bastardoftheparty1]

@bastardoftheparty1 PS, I'd bet a fat man a box of donuts, the first time you answered THE question, your answer wasn't no. Deny that and we can stop talking because then I'd know you aren't being real your just arguing and I can get that any where.

[bastardoftheparty1]

@JoeNietzsche PS, I'd bet a fat man a box of donuts, the first time you answered THE question, your answer wasn't no. Deny that and we can stop talking because then I'd know you aren't being real your just arguing, and I can get that any where. I wish to engage only in intelligent discussion. This is how I arrived at my own conclusions and also how I improve my thought process which I have tremendous confidence (Faith).

[JoeNietzsche]

@bastardoftheparty1

I spent a good 10 minutes writing out a rebuttal but it occurred to me that there is no point because you clearly have no clue how logic works or any grasp of what constitutes a functional standard of evidence. Wikipedia has decent pages on critical thinking and the scientific method; check them out then we’ll talk.

[bastardoftheparty1]

@JoeNietzsche  Logic? How about honesty? You won't see the OBVIOUS logic because you won't be honest with yourself. I'll give you the last line my man. So you can avoid addressing the real topic. Remember that? Burden of proof is on the theist. Poseltyzing notwithstanding, EVERYONE asks THE question; Where did I come from? The natural intellect of the human animal dictates that you will at some point address THE question. And you want to talk logic? Your not qualified. Start with honesty.

[pianoman8778]

I love how his hair is the main discussion happening here haha

[AntEyeTheist]

Christians who say I was an Atheist don't understand what atheism is.

[TheCaptainLulz]

Matt is bearing out a pet theory of mine. The hypothesis is thus - there is a direct link between the amount of southern drawl and religiosity. Matt was born in texas yet he has no drawl, thus adding evidence to my hypothesis.

[translucentorb]

@TheCaptainLulz He was born and raised in Missouri.

[TheCaptainLulz]

@translucentorb My bad, but my theory still stands.

[translucentorb]

@TheCaptainLulz Perhaps, but no matter where you go in America, the poor religious white trash will always have some kind of a redneck drawl. Also, the mormons are very well spoken with no drawl at all.

[TheCaptainLulz]

@translucentorb mormons are a separate issue. Their trademark is abercrombie and fitch, they seem to like it.

[HistorySkeptic]

Matt is an incredibly articulate, insightful man. I'm glad he is so open and has put himself 'out there' on his show.

[gholwiih]

@itiswrittenbaptist He is not a heretic. He is apostate. Read a book once in a while, please. And good for him, by the way.

[FortuneInLies]

ACHOO!

[johnsom33]

he looks like a pedophile with hair, shaving his head was a good decision.

[DeadlyChinchilla]

Hmm... its confirmed. I like bald men. Gotta love something about a man with a well shaped brain holder, eh? ^_^

[Pgaither84]

I am still new to the show, but this has been one of the better clips/episodes so far.

[GermanChocolateCake]

@itiswrittenbaptist And yet you readily, gladly believe that it is. Spare us your fake compassion.

[GermanChocolateCake]

@itiswrittenbaptist If you only recognized that your insults and claims only make your beliefs look that much more irrational, judgmental, hypocritical, and arrogant.

But, alas, you probably won't ever recognize that.

[Pilaf1984]

@itiswrittenbaptist What if the Hindu hell is real? What if Allah or Buddha are real?

[Wened]

Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick! Hair!

[XTJimbo2010]

@itiswrittenbaptist Yeah forget the fire, what if in hell they make you listen to a Justin Bieber CD on an endless loop :(

[1ND1G0O]

Holy crap! He had hair? Wow!

[rounder421]

@itiswrittenbaptist It's disheartening to see how a human could accept a faith that sends 99% of their brethen to an eternal punishment I hope you can enjoy your 'reward' knowing that good people went to hell for not picking the right god out of the noise that is modern religion. 'So, you were a doctor who spent his life helping African children survive starvation, but you picked the wrong God..unlike Kathy here who picked Jesus. She was an alcoholic who selfishly drank herself to death, but...

[rounder421]

@itiswrittenbaptist He is leading others away from the fear of hell.

[GLICKTON]

there is no hell stupid lol, and believing theres no hell does not mean we think its ok to go killing people, we are born with morals we dont need to be frightened into being good, we are human beings with feelings get real...

[SkullVodka]

I dont believe in leprechauns because they fucking piss me off, the annoying little fuckers.

[CalicoVall]

@SkullVodka Especially those stupid leprechaun movies. >_< FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU­UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCC­CCKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!

[finallyfreethinking]

Add me to the list of people rededicating to jebus. Glad that is behind me.

[latuman]

That hair looks so out of place.

I'm sorry, I missed the content of the video, I'm only noticing the hair.

[Skepticktok]

I haven't heard Matt's story before. This is awesome. 

[SuperRSPimp6969]

your a lot like me after i was confirmed i became atheist about a year later

[TN4R69]

@SuperRSPimp6969 Hopefully your user name was created post-conversion.

[Slacktoo]

wow lol Matt got quite old and bald in 4 years

[99minerkc]

I got PISSED AT GOD and will cut his evil head off if I ever see him(lol)!!

[yubarraboo]

I know why they draw two different conclusions.

Find out which one sees the claim 'there is no god' as injuring their ego.

The one that bases his ego on god, is the one that clings to faith.

[gilraen789]

If I believed in deities I would say that Matt Dillahunty is god!

[jlabrecque1]

I think Matt looks more badass with the shaved head :) Balding was a blessing, lol.

[thesparitan]

word

[ruin3r]

Lol you can instantly tell this was an old clip, Matt still has hair!

[Letsmakeasamich]

BARELY! LOL

[cokular]

@ruin3r and there is a date thing

[betlamed]

@ruin3r Hehe. OTOH, he got slimmer, ain't he?

[slash3rr]

@ruin3r maybe its a wig :P?

[shearoberts]

Fits me pretty well, minus the military and pursuit of ministry points. But otherwise...yes.