For my readers who are not familiar with the podcast, it is very atheistic and the hosts are extremely irreverent toward religion. They also have no problem with making copious off-color and potentially offensive jokes. However, the philosophy being discussed is very real, and I did my best not to lower my standards of decency unnecessarily.

For those of you who are fans of the podcast and are reading this blog for the first time, I suggest that you read through some of the tracts I have prepared on various subjects in atheistic and moral philosophy. They should give you a good idea where I am coming from. If you have questions or would like to discuss some aspect of morality, religion, or atheism, please send me your thoughts via the site’s comment form and I’ll respond to as many of them as I can through this blog.

My spouse and I were having a conversation last night about movies we like, and somehow “movie mashups” became a topic of conversation. Cutting to the chase, is there someone out there with the artistic ability to draw me a mashup of “The Ten Commandments” and “Spinal Tap” — showing Moses holding two tablets, saying “These go to 11″? If anyone can help me out, I’ll gladly post your artwork (and a link to your Web site, if you like) on this blog.

Thanks!

I did want to note an interesting curiosity, though: on the current Stand to Reason apologetics podcast, they use Sarah McLachlan’s remake of XTC’s “Dear God” as intro music for one segment. That’s easily the most atheistic song I’ve ever heard on a Christian broadcast. Either they’re far more tolerant that I might have given them credit for, or someone made a big mistake.

I’m hoping for “tolerant.”

In the meantime, I’m experimenting with an online version of a manuscript I wrote about a decade ago. It’s a “choose your own adventure” style argument between a theist and an atheist. You can find it at www.arguingatheist.com.

I only made it live a few days ago and it still needs plenty of work, but I probably won’t be doing much with it until the book is done. (By the way, the first e-mail I received through that site read simply, “You are a g*y f*g f**k.” Things don’t change much, do they?)

I hope to start posting at least occasionally to this blog in the coming weeks, but most of my concentration is on the book at the moment. Thanks for your patience!

I just wanted to say I appreciate the dialogue you have created here. If I was to deem something as “holy” or better yet, holy-like, I think dialogue would be at the top of the list. It is the basis of understanding, whether it be internal or external. I cannot say that I have proof of a higher existence or lack thereof, but I do feel that there is a moving force in the universe, something that I feel connects me to every other living and non living thing in the universe. I cannot say whether that force is biological or spiritual or both, but I know that when I feel this, it drives me to understand the world around me and the people and things in it. By creating a fluxus of information, dialogue, we are essentially trying to understand the connection and how it pertains to us as individuals, as a human race, etc. Some people turn to religion to satisfy their need to feel a part of something bigger, some people turn to their own logic of deduction, experience, some people turn to science, but we all essentially embark on the same search with the same purpose. I feel that in order to give ourselves a true chance at reaching any sense of personal belonging or understanding, we cannot discard any options, whether they be atheism or theism. By maintaining yourself in a state of constant query and not feeling like conclusions have to be made and lived by, we are allowing ourselves the chance to be open and ready for other truly important questions. Its ok, and sometimes better, for a question to be met with another question, and not necessarily an answer written in stone. To be open is my goal. Not to reach a conclusion and shut out other possibilities. If living this way creates better relationships with myself and everything in the world around me than there was before, then I will know I am on a right path. I cannot expect everyone else to come to this by treading on the same ground. I can share my experience with people and hope that in some way, what I tell them or my example plants a seed of question that may in time evolve into their own personal dialogue with the world. To encourage others to seek answers by being involved in the search instead of by being disconnected and accepting requires a deep respect and compassion. Respect for what point that person is at in their path, whether it be stagnant or fluctuating, and compassion even when you personally disagree with where its going. Not to say that there’s a big finish line with a banner that says “you did it!” at the end, but hopefully that along the line you did the best you could, with the least damage afflicted. So in conclusion, forge on!

Thank you very much for the note — I am in agreement with much of what you say.

My only significant bit of disagreement involves your statement that “we cannot discard any options.” I would clarify this by noting that when a concept is no longer a viable option, it’s okay to discard it. Also, even when we hold on to options, we can assign them priority or possibility. For example, I think that it is possible that God exists, but I feel that the odds are very, very small.

Where we get into difficulty is when we pretend that all options are equal. This is what often happens during the discussion of creation and evolution. Creationists act as if creationism or intelligent design is just another option and should therefore be given equal standing with evolution. But the fact is that intelligent design and the theory of evolution are not equal, and therefore should not be treated as such.

Still, I certainly agree with your larger point, that only honest, unbiased inquiry can lead to true understanding.

hi, i was brought up a half athiest half christian type thing. My mums hasnt a clue, my grandparents are strong christians and my dad is a strong athiest (bit confusing). After a lot of thought i have become an athiest, ok im only 13 but i think i have got it all sorted out in my head. I was a bit bored and sort of scrolled the web because i felt like looking at a christian website to see what they had to say. Then i came accross this and I love it. The opening made me laugh. I really appreciate the way you critcise even your own belief, which i think i what a lot of religious people failed to do. Reading through the hate mail but made me open my eyes a bit. Ecspecially about all the ‘loosing computer priveledges and all that’ and your right they will rebel. I dont understand why the parents dont let them have their own view, are they scared? Im trying not be bias here but i feel athiest parents give their child freedom to think and i think freedom to think leads people to athiesm and that, even though it’ no proof, is strong back up for atheism. Humans special skill is thinking and criticising your own thoughts and not doing that is like a bird not flying or something. It seems a waste. Wouldn’t be lovely if there was a heaven? But your right reality would get in the way. Do people really think we would perfer to believe in heaven? I think religious kids are often protected from the out side world they are brought up in a safe godish enviromwent but i think, well i am, athiest children are exposed to the world. The only way kids can get a proper view on the world is if they are exposed. I suppose its like you body getting immune to something if it gets exposed. And thats why I believe there is no god, because athiests criticise and thats the best way to think. Sorry im rambling. I just needed to let off steam. I do have more to say but im tired so… thanks.

I agree that critical thinking can lead to atheism. It can also lead to informed theism. I think that either of these results is far more acceptable than unthinking or reactionary belief — whether it’s in theism or atheism.

You are absolutely right that it’s a tragic waste when people don’t use their minds to the fullest or try to restrict the intellectual exploration of their children. I feel that theists should be secure enough in their beliefs to let their children ask questions, and that parents shouldn’t worry if they don’t have the answers. If children are allowed to explore questions, they will be better able to deal with new information when they are outside their parents’ sphere of influence. Your analogy to the immune system is a good one!

Thanks for writing!

I “Stumbledupon” your site and, after poking around a bit, I have yet to find anything you have written that I disagree with. I have often wondered if I was alone in my beliefs (or lack thereof). Other atheist sites I have seen tend to border on militant anti-American separate church and state types. They seem to have as passionate need to persecute those who believe differently from themselves as any actual religion does. After all, the main problem with religion as I see it is that for any one religion to be true, all others must be must be false because if any of the others IS true then then your’s must be false and your whole life is based on a lie.

There are plenty of people out there who agree with us on religion, but we tend to be quiet. I think the rise of what some are calling “new atheism” isn’t helping things, since many of these new atheists come across as very intolerant and “in your face.”

I am not anti-religion (obviously), but I do think that at least some religions are wrong, and I encourage religious people to examine their own religious beliefs. Sadly, some people think that even this is evil.