The madness of crowds - The Atheist Experience #673

Michael, a former Christian from Memphis, Tennessee describes how "disgusted, mortified, and yet intrigued" he was by watching a television show with faith healer Bennie Hinn. Matt mentions the book "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" (1841) by Charles Mackay (1814 - 1889).

This is an edited clip from The Atheist Experience #673 of September 5, 2010 with Matt Dillahunty and Jen Peeples. This entire episode (topic: "Purpose of Religion?") is archived on Blip.tv and Ustream.tv:

► http://www.blip.tv/file/4089522 (TV broadcast)
► http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9383303 (webcast)

The original video of Bennie Hinn ("God's Healing Presence in Denver Crusade") can be watched here:
► http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6uj1KYTlrg


WHAT IS THE ATHEIST EXPERIENCE?

The Atheist Experience is a weekly cable access television show in Austin, Texas, geared at a non-atheist audience. It is produced by the Atheist Community of Austin. The Atheist Community of Austin is organized as a nonprofit educational corporation to develop and support the atheist community, to provide opportunities for socializing and friendship, to promote secular viewpoints, to encourage positive atheist culture, to defend the first amendment principle of state-church separation, to oppose discrimination against atheists and to work with other organizations in pursuit of common goals.


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Tags:

• Atheist Experience
• Bennie Hinn
• faith healer
• healing
• trance
• spell
• crowd
• mass
• hysteria
• Madness of Crowds
• Charles Mackay
• delusion
• delusional
• Atheism
• religious
• belief
• faith
• science
• evidence
• logic
• reason
• rational
• irrational
• purpose of religion
• Matt Dillahunty
• Jen Peeples
• ACA
• Atheist Community
• Austin TX
• Michael
• Memphis TN
• yt:stretch=16:9

[pnoozi]

JESUS GOT ME A FREE XBOX 360 I JUST HAD TO SEND 100 DOLLARS TO NIGERIA

[AndrusPr8]

Dude: "Hi, my back is aching me like hell"

B.H. : "Touch"

Dude (while falling back): "HOLLY CRAP MY BACK AAAAAH!!!!!!!!!"

B.H.: "JESUS!"

[ExtrackterYT]

"What was wrong with her again...?"

He's really a magician if he gets away with that... :P

[noble381297]

hahahahaa!!!!!!!! the beginning was funnyyyyy!!!!!!!!

[TempleOfInanna2]

"I'm like rubber...everything is gone." Proceed to fallout. Hinn chimes in "Jeeesus." Made me giggle.

[Gameguy602]

That FSM on their desk... Do want.

[SierraSierraFoxtrot]

Cheeeeez us!

[Thelondonbadger]

@ab330 If faith heals all then why doesnt the make a wish foundation take cancer pateients especialy kids to get them cured? LOL Would make sense...I guess because its a show to entertain people they dont need to prove it works so by adopting that stance they are admitting they are fruadsters :L

[Tarynus]

@ViperRob42 "What was her problem again?"

Good going, Benny, that's sure to get people believing

[KevinSolway]

If she was rubber she would have bounced off the floor and back onto her feet.

[scotchlouis]

@AndrusPr8 (Cracking sound while falling back) hahaha

[pedarikarhu]

"Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssus"