Podcasts by Serious Inquiries Only

SIO56: Who Speaks for the Atheist Movement? from 2017-07-06T06:10:37

This podcast is an audio version, with some elaborations, of my first ever blog post, entitled "Whoever I Don't Like Is Ruining The Atheist Movement." Listen

SIO55: Debating Evergreen and the Merits of Whitesplaining from 2017-07-03T04:00:41

This episode is another attempt at debate across the social justice divide. CJ (@VieKeng on Twitter) has taken exception with my characterization of the Evergreen situation, and perhaps most strenu...

SIO54: Ishmael of Angry Black Rant on Appropriation, Bill Maher and More from 2017-06-29T04:00:30

Back for the severalith time is Ishmael from Angry Black Rant! Lots of listeners requested this interview and Ish was kind enough to oblige. We discuss cul...

SIO53: What Is Postmodernism? With Aaron Rabi from 2017-06-26T04:00:18

What the Gender Studies Hoax and Jordan B. Peterson's pronoun mania both have in common is the bogeyman of postmodernism. It seems to be conventional wisdom that postmodernism is manifestly crazy. ...

SIO52: Democrats Should Be Happy About the Special Elections from 2017-06-22T04:00:25

Please share this podcast with any Democrat you witness losing their mind about the special election results. In reality, the trend is very, very positive for Democrats going into 2018 elections. I...

SIO51: Andrew Torrez on Manslaughter: Philando Castile and Michelle Carter from 2017-06-19T04:00:59

In the same weekend, a teen found guilty of manslaughter for convincing her boyfriend to commit suicide, and a police officer found NOT guilty after shooting and killing Philando Castile. It has le...

SIO50: Michael Shermer on Evergreen and Gender Studies from 2017-06-15T04:00:35

Back for a second time is Michael Shermer! He's the editor of Skeptic Magazine and has been a very prominent voice in the community for decades. After our last conversation, a couple of things happ...

SIO49: The Pro-Truth Pledge, with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky from 2017-06-12T04:00:04

Joining me this week for interview Monday is Dr. Gleb Tsipursky! Gleb is an expert in decision sciences, focusing on politics and business. In the wake of the 2016 election, Gleb has decided to foc...

SIO48: What's Really Going On at Evergreen College? from 2017-06-08T03:49:45

Due to popular demand, I've decided to embark on a fact-finding mission regarding the Brett Weinstein/Evergreen College fiasco. It took an incredible amount of digging to find anything beyond the s...

SIO47: Conversation with a Critic on Bill C-16 from 2017-06-05T04:00:51

It is immensely important to me that I do my best to engage with those who disagree, and in that spirit I present a conversation with someone who argued a lot with me on Twitter about Jordan B. Pet...

SIO46: AHCA - The Scandal Hiding in Plain Sight from 2017-06-01T04:00:40

After a few small points about the last couple episodes on the hoax paper, we're back to normal here on commentary Thursday! Today's main topic is the CBO score on the new incarnation of the evil A...

SIO45: James Lindsay, Co-Author of the 'Conceptual Penis' Hoax Paper from 2017-05-29T04:00:22

Last week you heard Eli Bosnick's side of why the 'Conceptual Penis' hoax paper was disingenuous and unskep...

SIO44: Debunking the 'Conceptual Penis' Stunt with Eli Bosnick from 2017-05-25T04:00:59

An embarrassingly unskeptical article appeared in Skeptic Magazine recently featuring a hoax paper published in a Gender Studies journal  by two authors: James Lindsay (Listen

SIO43: Debate and Discussion with Dan Arel from 2017-05-22T04:00:58

I'm pleased to bring you Dan Arel, of danthropology.net, who is self-admittedly far, far left. While last week had me debating free speech with a more ri...

SIO42: Trump Impeachment Talk; Fox News Is A Fairytale Land Right Now from 2017-05-18T04:00

We've reached the point where it might actually be reasonable to talk impeachment. Can we let ourselves get carried away though? I don't know. I've definitely got some thoughts on it for you! Also,...

SIO41: Talking Free Speech, with Michael Shermer from 2017-05-15T04:44:03

I'm very pleased to be speaking to Michael Shermer this week, someone who has been more on the free speech war side of things, and someone who has said previously that liberals won't dialogue with ...

SIO40: Actually, Berkeley Is A Fierce Defender of Free Speech from 2017-05-11T04:00:34

This might be my magnum opus on the overblown "war on free speech" in Universities. In my research I discovered that, to a degree even further than I thought, Berkeley administration has gone above...

SIO39: Seth Andrews of The Thinking Atheist from 2017-05-08T04:00:05

Joining me today is Seth Andrews, of the immensely popular podcast The Thinking Atheist! I've long followed Seth's work and have always wanted an ex...

SIO38: Obama's Unfortunate Payday from 2017-05-04T04:00:45

When I saw the news of Obama's $400k paycheck for a speech to a Wall St bank, I posted this reaction on Facebook. The sl...

SIO37: Josh Zepps of #WeThePeople LIVE from 2017-05-01T05:03:21

Joining me today is Josh Zepps! I first came across Josh's work when Sam Harris and Hannibal Buress had a bizarre interaction on his podcast #WeThePeople LIVE Listen

SIO36: The New Version of Trumpcare Should Scare You from 2017-04-27T05:45:33

Trump is closing in on 100 days as president, something that he simultaneously has said means nothing but is also important enough to have him scrambling for any sort of policy victory. I'm going t...

SIO35: The Perils of Being Ex-Muslim, with Eiynah from 2017-04-24T05:40:14

Joining me today is Eiynah! You may know her from her podcast Polite Conversations or from a very active and insightful Twitter account, @NiceMangos. First up we talk a bit about the jarring experi...

SIO34: Did Assad Use Chemical Weapons? - Debate with Nanar from 2017-04-20T04:18:15

When Nanar came on the show a few weeks ago to discuss the background of the Syrian Civil War, we all learned a lot and the response was great! After messaging back and forth about the Sarin attack...

SIO34: Episode no longer available from 2017-04-20T04:18:15

The guest has requested I take this episode down and I'm respecting that request. Apologies.

SIO33: Thinking Clearly on Syria from 2017-04-17T04:00:40

I support Trump's Syria strike against the Shayrat airfield. That is the punchline of today's episode but I encourage you to listen with an open mind as I go through the reaction to the Syria strik...

SIO32: What Happened In Syria? from 2017-04-13T04:00:31

I'm back from my Europe trip! And it couldn't have come at a more news-heavy time. First I've got a couple quick stories to talk about - Chechnya and Susan Rice. After that I go to the main topic f...

SIO31: Why We Ignore Facts, with Sara Gorman from 2017-04-10T05:01:38

Joining me today is Sara Gorman! Sara is a public health expert and author based in New York. She is the co-founder of Critica, a community commi...

SIO30: America Last, with Zachary Kiser from 2017-04-06T04:00:34

Joining me today is Zach Kiser, a graduate researcher and Director of Policy and Communications for the National Science Policy Group (NSPG)! Za...

SIO29: The Syrian Civil War, with Nanar from 2017-04-03T04:00:53

Joining me today is Nanar, who was referred to me by listener and friend Chantelle. Nanar grew up in Syria and lived there until 2016, and as such has very personal insight to share with us on the ...

SIO29: No Longer Available from 2017-04-03T04:00:53

The guest from this episode has requested that I take it down and I'm respecting that request.

SIO28: The Discussion With Dave Rubin That Never Was (and more bad news....) from 2017-03-30T04:00:36

Yeah, that excitement didn't last too long. I was scheduled to speak to Dave Rubin at Mythinformation in Milwaukee in September, but despite everything having been agreed to and announced, Dave dro...

SIO27: What Grounds Our Morals? With Aaron Rabi from 2017-03-27T04:00:04

Joining me for the second time is philosopher and now podcaster, Aaron Rabi! Aaron specializes in ethics, and I have questions. I'm fairly certain that our morality ultimately boils down to consequ...

SIO26: The Trump Administration and Russia - An Incredible Amount of Smoke from 2017-03-23T04:53:22

With a heavy news week full of depositions, testimony, odd press conferences and more, today I take a look at some of the evidence of Russia-Trump collusion and what it all means. Ok, what it MIGHT...

SIO25: Lawrence Krauss - The Greatest Story Ever Told from 2017-03-20T04:28:29

I'm so excited to have Lawrence Krauss on the show today! Professor Krauss is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist who blew all of our minds with his lecture and previous book, A Universe from N...

SIO24: Can We Rely on the CBO's Projections? from 2017-03-16T05:00:35

Given the preemptive bashing of the CBO by Republicans and the subsequent release of a pretty damning score on the AHCA bill, I wanted to take a look at how the CBO did at predicting the effects of...

SIO23: Is It Morally Acceptable to Have Children? with Travis Rieder from 2017-03-13T04:47:20

Joining us today is Travis Rieder! Travis is a philosopher at Johns Hopkins who deals with Population Ethics and related questions. Find his...

SIO22: From Obamacare to Trumpcare from 2017-03-09T07:19:21

In today's episode I want to discuss one of the most significant battles that will be fought in the new administration: that is the repeal and replacement of Obamacare. While looking into a lot of ...

SIO21: Be Reasonable, with Michael Marshall from 2017-03-06T05:06:42

Joining me today is Michael Marshall, host of the podcast Be Reasonable.  On his show, Marsh speaks with...

SIO20: Can We Change Minds? from 2017-03-02T05:00:20

In today's episode, after a few thoughts on the Trump address to Congress and his BS spending plan, the topic is "How to change people's minds." Haeley and I set about to do some research on a: how...

SIO19: Interview with Ron Miscavige from 2017-02-27T05:00:44

Joining us today is Ron Miscavige - the father of Scientology cult leader David Miscavige. Ron has a long history with the church and he takes us through the background of how his son went from an ...

SIO18: Milo's Long Overdue Downfall from 2017-02-23T07:47:20

It finally happened. Milo said something that was horrifying enough for people who 5 minutes ago talked like it's all about freedom of expression and it doesn't matter how much we disagree, to say ...

SIO17: Dialogue with Trump Supporter Dr. Robert Price from 2017-02-20T06:00:56

Today's episode is my attempt at a calm, rational dialogue with a Trump supporter. I knew Dr. Price supported Trump as a candidate but I was unsure how he would view the first month plus of Trump's...

SIO16: Debunking Liberal Fake News from 2017-02-16T07:12:06

This week, Thomas talks about the recent increase in "fake news" coming from the more liberal outlets. From "spin", to misinformation, to outright lies there are plenty of examples to choose from a...

SIO15: Did the Catholic Church Support Hitler? with Tim O'Neill from 2017-02-13T05:00:24

Joining me for a third time is Tim O'Neill of the blog History for Atheists! Tim is back to take us through some really fascinating possible m...

SIO14: President Bannon from 2017-02-09T07:09:05

Today Thomas is taking a closer look at the other terrible hairstyle in the White House, Steve Bannon. There has been a lot circulating about how much power and influence Bannon may have, many say ...

SIO13: Food Fight! With Kavin Senapathy from 2017-02-06T08:32:56

Today Thomas talks with Kavin Senapathy about science, food, and the misinformation and pseudo science that is so prevalent in the food industry today. Kavin is co-Executive Director of Listen

SIO12: Is the Left to Blame for Trump's Muslim Ban? from 2017-02-02T05:07:39

But first I have to offer a correction on the Jordan B. Peterson episode. He said in other interviews that he would use she and he appropriately for trans people but not any other pronouns. I made ...

SIO11: Do We Have Free Will? with Aaron from 2017-01-30T05:04:44

Today's episode is brought to you by hellofresh.com!! Click the link and make sure to enter promo code seriouspod for $35 off ...

SIO10: Jordan B. Peterson is Just Wrong (or lying...or both). from 2017-01-26T08:58:24

This week we listened to Waking Up with Sam Harris and as big fans we were very disappointed in how he handled his interview with Jordan B. Peterson.  So in this episode Thomas goes over exactly wh...

SIO9: Punching Nazis, with Eli Bosnick from 2017-01-23T06:03:05

Recently the internet exploded in debate over a video in which neo-Nazi Richard Spencer was punched while giving an interview. Even the New York Times published an article that asked whether this i...

SIO8: Completely Unpresidented from 2017-01-19T10:23:50

It's another Thursday full of inquiry! In this episode I discuss Trump's inauguration and the obscene amount of money he's collecting for it, as well as the congress persons boycotting it. Are they...

SIO7: An Atheist and a Christian Walk into a Bar... from 2017-01-16T06:06:29

Joining me today are that atheist and that Christian, and their names are Justin Schieber and Randal Rauser. Justin and Randal have written a book containing a very fruitful and respectful dialogue...

SIO6: Too Much Identity Politics Or Not Enough? from 2017-01-12T04:41:07

Welcome to the first edition of Thursday Inquiries!! My unofficial or maybe official name for the new format. Mondays will be interviews and Thursdays will be commentary and news and so forth. A lo...

SIO5: Fake News Epidemic from 2017-01-09T07:46:14

Today I'm talking with Dr. Joel Breakstone, director of the Stanford History Education Group. He was co-director of a recent study that looked at thousands of students, from middle school through c...

SIO4: Trollology 101 from 2017-01-05T06:49:53

In this episode I am joined by Scott and David. We discuss some of the science behind the rise in internet trolling. They share their ideas about the ways psychology, sociology, and our ever increa...

SIO3: Trump's Cabinet: Filling the Swamp 2 from 2017-01-02T05:00:36

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SIO2: Trump's Cabinet: Filling the Swamp from 2016-12-29T08:58:01

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SIO1: Chris Shelton; No Longer Atheistically Speaking from 2016-12-26T07:22:42

The podcast name change is officially underway!! It's going to take a little while for everything to filter through, but as you should already be noticing, things are different. Joining me for epis...

AS304: Clarifying Empathy, with Eli Bosnick from 2016-12-22T08:43:23

A few weeks ago, Eli and I had a conversation with two people who may or may not be characterized as trolls. This can be found on AS298. In the beginning of that recording, Eli made a bit of a s...

AS303: Doing Charity Better, with Foundation Beyond Belief from 2016-12-19T08:51:06

Joining me for today is Noelle George, Executive Director of Foundation Beyond Belief! Since the holidays have rolled around again and you’ve likely started to hear the annoying, holier than tho...

AS302: Andrew Torrez and Cognitive Dissonance! from 2016-12-15T06:00:32

Here’s the 3rd and final part of my episode 300 spectacular! Joining me first is Andrew Torrez from the little known fledgling podcast Opening Arguments! First we do a little reminiscing, then a...

AS301: Angry Black Rant and Jake Farr-Wharton! from 2016-12-12T06:00:32

Two more great guests for part 2 of the 3 part episode 300 spectacular! First up is Ishmael Brown of the Angry Black Rant podcast. Ishmael is someone I really enjoy speaking to because he’s thou...

AS300: The Scathing Atheist, Plus a Personal Message and Announcement! from 2016-12-08T08:25:37

Joining me first to kick off my extra special 300th episode, 3 part, 3+ hour extravaganza are none other than Noah, Heath, and Eli of the Scathing Atheist and God Awful Movies! Oh right, and the...

AS299: Let’s Get Into the Arguments from 2016-12-05T07:41:11

Alright the response for part 2 of the discussion that went bad was actually pretty overwhelming. Eyeballing it, I’d say it was at least 4 to 1 in favor. However, the people who didn’t want to h...

AS298: The Best Podcast Ever, Part 1 from 2016-12-01T07:02:40

Well, this is the recording you may have heard or seen me allude to. Joining me is Eli Bosnick, Mike, and Dustin. WARNING: This episode contains a lot of profanity. This is an attempt at a reall...

AS297: Are the PC Police Out to Get Us? from 2016-11-28T09:14:53

In today’s episode I talk about several very striking examples of misleading headlines that have been created and shared in furtherance of the narrative that the PC police are ruining our lives....

AS296: Life in the Light of Death, with James Lindsay from 2016-11-24T05:00:58

I’m joined once again by James Lindsay! James has a new book out with some very useful insights on death. Find it here. The first 20 minutes we talk a bit about the election and the fact that ma...

AS295: Michael A. Wood Jr, Part 2 from 2016-11-21T05:00:31

Time for part 2 with Michael A. Wood Jr! Michael is a retired Baltimore police officer and veteran of the USMC. He originally went viral in 2015 for publicly speaking out against police brutalit...

AS294: Michael A. Wood Jr, Part 1 from 2016-11-17T08:31:10

Today’s guest is Michael A. Wood Jr! Michael is a retired Baltimore police officer and veteran of the USMC. He originally went viral in 2015 for publicly speaking out against police brutality an...

AS293: President Trump’s Second Term, with Eli Bosnick and Andrew Torrez from 2016-11-14T05:00:18

Here is part 2 of my truly excellent recording with Andrew and Eli. We commiserate, we give our answers to a lot of the common questions, we laughed, we feared and I feel slightly better knowing...

AS292: President Trump, with Eli Bosnick and Andrew Torrez from 2016-11-10T08:02:12

It f*cking happened. President Trump. We elected President Trump. The first 12 minutes of this episode are my live reaction from Tuesday night when it happened. It may make you uncomfortable. It...

AS291: What In the World Is The SPLC Thinking? from 2016-11-07T05:45:02

On October 25th, the SPLC released this report identifying 15 individuals who they view as anti-Muslim extremists. Some inclusions make total sense, but 2 stood out: Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Maajid N...

AS290: Are We Living In A Simulation? With Phil Torres from 2016-11-03T07:13:44

Got a nice long action packed episode for you today. In what was originally going to be a two parter, Phil Torres and I talk about the simulation argument made popular by Nick Bostrom. I highly ...

AS289: Abortion Clinic Escort, Michelle from 2016-10-31T06:26:39

Today we are joined by Michelle. Michelle works with a group that defends abortion rights by volunteering as safe escorts for patients through protestors. Recently some of the tactics the protes...

AS288: A Final Election 2016 Episode (VOTE!!!) from 2016-10-27T06:44:55

I’ve got plenty of interviews loaded up for the coming weeks, so I wanted to get in one final commentary on this election before we vote Trump out of relevance. I’ve got several new thoughts tha...

AS287: Atheist Ethics and Implicit Biases, with Alonzo Fyfe from 2016-10-24T07:03:26

Joining me today is Alonzo Fyfe, who publishes the blog “Atheist Ethicist.” We talk about some really interesting topics including implicit biases and how they’re affecting this election. Alonzo...

AS286: Dr. Robert Price on Jesus Mythicism, Part 2 from 2016-10-20T04:00:16

Today we are talking to Dr. Robert Price about the historicity of Jesus.  Dr. Price is a former Baptist minister and current Professor of Biblical Criticism at the Center for Inquiry Institute. ...

AS285: Dr. Robert Price on Jesus Mythicism, Part 1 from 2016-10-17T05:36:12

Today we are talking to Dr. Robert Price about the historicity of Jesus.  Dr. Price is a former Baptist minister and current Professor of Biblical Criticism at the Center for Inquiry Institute. ...

AS284: Vaccines Are Not Killing Us! with Ken Camargo from 2016-10-13T07:52:28

My guest today is Dr. Ken Camargo. We discuss the anti-vaccination movement, the facts about vaccination, and what is behind all the misinformation out there.  Ken is an MD with a Master’s and a...

AS283: The Liberal Version of Trump from 2016-10-10T09:01:42

Today’s episode is a Tommentary on… Trump. Look I can’t help it, he’s the news right now. I’ve got a few thoughts on Trump’s taxes and his comments on PTSD that may run counter to what you’ve be...

AS282: How Not To Hit On Tracey Moody from 2016-10-06T07:34:17

Today’s episode might be a bit of a departure but this is a very important topic to me. No matter what your views on the whole social justice divide might be, I am hoping that Tracey’s story of ...

AS281: Village Atheists with Leigh Schmidt from 2016-10-03T07:32:12

My guest today is Leigh Schmidt. Leigh has a Ph.D. in religion from Princeton and his latest area of study is the irreligious. He has written a book called Village Atheists in which he discuses ...

AS280: Richard Carrier’s Lawsuit, with Andrew Torrez from 2016-09-29T08:44:32

Dr. Richard Carrier has launched a lawsuit against several parties, including prominent atheists that the listeners will likely be familiar with. You can find the details spelled out pretty well...

AS279: No Child Left Alone, Part 2 from 2016-09-26T04:00:36

Today we delve even further into the study found here. We talk more about the implications and possible explanations for the ultimate finding, which of course was a strong effect of people evalu...

AS278: No Child Left Alone from 2016-09-22T06:34:53

For the next two episodes I bring you a fascinating discussion with two of the three researchers who conducted the study described here. This is the perfect topic for this show because it illust...

AS277: Tommentary on the Harris-Buress Trainwreck, Kaepernick and More from 2016-09-19T06:33:42

It’s Tommentary time! I’ve got a few brief thoughts on the Sam Harris Hannibal Buress conversation that went off the rails a bit. After that I offer some brief thoughts on some general themes of...

AS276: Jesus Mythicism, with Tim O’Neill, Part 2 from 2016-09-15T04:00:03

Tim is back with much, much more on the case for why Jesus was a historical figure! Tim blogs about history here.  Here’s an article that I used to try to grill Tim a bit on the counter argument...

AS275: Did Jesus Exist? With Tim O’Neill from 2016-09-12T05:41:51

Joining me for a second appearance is Tim O’Neill! Tim blogs about history here. After Tim’s very successful first appearance on the show, many listeners asked for a follow up on Mythicism and T...

AS274: David Smalley of Dogma Debate and Andrew Torrez from 2016-09-08T04:00:15

Listeners will know I’ve been very critical of a particular exchange David had with Andrew, so I feel absolutely obligated to give David the chance to come on the show to provide his point of vi...

AS273: The Marketplace of Ideas, with Peter Coffin from 2016-09-05T04:00:10

Here’s part 2 of my discussion with Peter Coffin! In this one, we finish up talking free speech and then wade into the topic of his second mini doc. This one is about what created Trump and Pete...

AS272: Comedian, Satirist, Weirdo… Peter Coffin from 2016-09-01T05:34:16

Joining me for an extensive and wide ranging interview is comedian, youtuber, and satirist Peter Coffin! Peter has been making high quality and thought provoking mini documentaries on youtube re...

AS271: Living Up To Smalley’s Message from 2016-08-29T05:33:07

I’ve gotten quite a few requests that I comment on David Smalley’s debate with PZ Meyers, so in today’s episode I do just that. Smalley has a message of putting aside our petty differences in se...

AS270: Rondale and Jabari, Part 2 from 2016-08-25T04:00

We’ve got even more of the great discussion between Rondale and Jabari. This time we talk about, in addition to other things, racism as a term and how it is being defined. We also briefly discus...

AS269: Rondale and Jabari on Black Lives Matter from 2016-08-22T04:34:19

This week I’m very excited to bring you a discussion between Rondale and Jabari, two black atheists who have differing views on Black Lives Matter and on race in America in general. I also inter...

AS268: Tommentary: Is BLM Trash? Is Ellen Racist? from 2016-08-18T07:00:24

It’s been so long since I’ve been able to do some Tommentarying! I’ve had so many great interviews lately, but today is a chance for me to get my thoughts out on a few issues buzzing around. Rub...

AS267: Just How Close Was Al Gore to Being President? from 2016-08-15T06:04:52

Andrew Torrez is here to tell you, he was REALLY REALLY close. Andrew takes us through the background politically and through was he views as some mistakes the campaign made that cost Gore the e...

AS266: Was Richard Carrier Wrong About Evo Psych? from 2016-08-11T04:00:45

Here’s part 2 with Lindsey and her defense of evolutionary psychology against the incredibly critical attack featured on this show several months back. We get into even more interesting territor...

AS265: A Defense of Evolutionary Psychology from 2016-08-08T04:21:15

Some time ago, I had Richard Carrier on to discuss an article he wrote that harshly criticized Evolutionary Psychology as a pseudo-science. Well, at long last, we now get a chance to hear from t...

AS264: Sarah Haider, Part 2 from 2016-08-04T04:11:48

Sarah is back for more! In this episode we discuss her talk for the AHA that went viral, and we debate about whether or not the left is to blame for Trump.

The post Listen

AS263: Sarah Haider from 2016-08-01T04:00:19

Joining me this week is Sarah Haider! Sarah is someone I’ve wanted to have on the show for quite a while. You likely saw her talk on YouTube to the AHA which went viral and became quite a sensat...

AS262: History for Atheists from 2016-07-28T06:12:13

Joining me today is Tim O’Neil. Tim has a website called History for Atheists (find it here http://historyforatheists.blogspot.com/) But I thought religious people had a monopoly on biased and r...

AS261: Interview with a Chicago Police Officer from 2016-07-25T04:05:14

A listener named Elizabeth reached out to me offering her perspective on Black Lives Matter vs Blue Lives Matter and the police violence that has been dominating the media lately. Elizabeth talk...

AS260: President Trump from 2016-07-21T04:42:16

Get used to it! That’s what’s going to happen if we screw around and vote third party and all that because we can’t get around our dislike for Hillary. Yes, there are reasons to dislike her. I g...

AS259: 2nd Amendment Masterclass, Part 2 from 2016-07-18T04:00

Andrew Torrez is back for the exciting conclusion of his 2nd Amendment Masterclass. Everything you need to know in order to speak from a more educated perspective on the 2nd Amendment!

Th...

AS258: 2nd Amendment Masterclass, Part 1 from 2016-07-14T03:54:53

At long last! The great Andrew Torrez is here for part one of his masterclass in 2nd amendment history!

The post AS258: ...

AS257: Andrew Torrez on Christian Mingle from 2016-07-11T05:32:28

Today I’ve got Andrew Torrez to talk about the Christian Mingle settlement and hi quite awful interaction with David Smalley. After that I offer some commentary on the shootings and related even...

AS256: Super AI and Terrorism, with Phil Torres from 2016-07-07T07:23:31

Today I’m joined by existential risk expert Phil Torres! Phil wrote a book called The End, in which he detailed out several different ways that humanity might become extinct. Phil has written se...

AS255: How To Be Wrong Better from 2016-07-04T05:38:56

I’ll come right out and say it: David Smalley was badly mistaken in his legal analysis of a settlement (find the article here) and when he was corrected by an actual lawyer, he doubled down and ...

AS254: Eli vs Travis Part 2 from 2016-06-30T05:36:23

It’s time for part 2 with Eli and Travis on gun control. After they’re done, I offer a few thoughts on the debate. Thanks so much for listening!

The post Listen

AS253: Eli vs Travis on Gun Control from 2016-06-27T06:47:05

Everyone’s favorite Christian movie critic and Atheistically Speaking master debater, Eli Bosnick, is back at it defending a strong anti-gun position against listener Travis. Atheists actually t...

AS252: Commentary; Inciting Incident from 2016-06-23T05:41:46

First up is some commentary on a common misconception about my Trump arguments. I do not think PC culture is blame to Trump. There’s a comment of disagreement I keep getting that I deal with in ...

AS251: Andrew Torrez on Hate Speech from 2016-06-20T05:02:50

Recently a hashtag went viral called #IStandWithHateSpeech. While that might seem to be on its surface a pretty insensitive statement, it perhaps voices a legitimate concern with EU hate speech ...

AS250: Thinking Clearly on Orlando from 2016-06-16T06:17:04

In a world of knee jerk reactions and the desire for easy scapegoats, I hope to bring you some balanced analysis on the shooting. Many different contributing factors coalesce here – Islam, homop...

AS249: Tom and Cecil, Part 2 from 2016-06-13T04:00:28

I’ve got those dirty bastards Tom and Cecil back for more! We talk about whether or not Hillary can get more done than Bernie would have, and whether PC culture has led to Trump. After the dudes...

AS248: Cognitive Dissonance Or Bust from 2016-06-09T06:24:59

The dudes are back! Tom and Cecil are in the house, and we’re talking everything politics. What do they think about Bernie or Bust? Are they #neverTrump? Also, how do they feel about free colleg...

AS247: Ableist Language with Ania Bula from 2016-06-06T04:00:53

Here’s the somewhat more contentious part 2 you’ve all been waiting for! In this one, Ania is a bit more critical of some of the ableist aspects of society, including language used by your host....

AS246: Ania Bula on Living with Disability from 2016-06-02T05:53:23

Ania Bula has written a book called Young, Sick, and Disabled. Find it on amazon here. It’s about the challenges of living with disabilities and having everyone and their mother recommend things...

AS245: Objective Morality, Boltzmann Brains and More from 2016-05-30T03:57:03

I’m back for some more analysis of points brought up in the Sean Carroll episodes. Spoiler alert: Sean Carroll was right about Boltzmann brains. Who would have thought! It took a commenter with ...

AS244: Sean Carroll, Part 2 from 2016-05-26T04:00:13

We’re back for more with Dr. Sean Carroll! This time it’s even more action packed. We talk about his debate with William Lane Craig, which I think is one of the best atheism/religion debates out...

AS243: The Big Picture, with Sean Carroll from 2016-05-23T04:00:54

This week I have Dr. Sean Carroll on the show!!! I’m more excited than I can contain! Sean has a new book called The Big Picture. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here. In today’s episode, ...

AS242: Einstein, Godel, and God from 2016-05-19T07:08:33

Time for a change of pace! This episode I speak to a listener who doesn’t want to call himself an atheist. We debate about that, and we also discuss Einstein and Godel’s religious views. If thos...

AS241: Social Justice Commentary 2 from 2016-05-16T04:47:52

Back by popular demand! I had almost universally positive answers when I asked listeners if I could get away with doing some more commentary on this. So I did! This time I’m getting more into th...

AS240: Social Justice Commentary from 2016-05-12T04:00:29

Well today’s the day I finally speak up after staying virtually silent for 3 episodes. I talk about some aspects of the Eli James debate and actually also explain some practical issues, like why...

AS239: Eli and James on Trigger Warnings from 2016-05-09T04:00:37

The third and final part of the lengthy debate between Eli and James focuses on trigger warnings.

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AS238: Eli and James, Part 2 from 2016-05-05T04:26:47

You guys know the drill. Two great minds squaring off on social justice and related topics. Here’s a nice long part 2 out of 3! If you’d like to hear part 3 early, you can always hop on over to ...

AS237: James Lindsay and Eli Bosnick on Social Justice from 2016-05-02T07:35:24

This is it! Something I’ve been trying to have happen for a long time! I’ve been critical of people on both sides of these issues only dealing with their respective echo chambers and never engag...

AS236: Originalism with Andrew Torrez from 2016-04-28T06:23:29

Back by popular demand is Andrew Torrez! Last time we talked about Scalia and originalism, this time we’re going to do that again but also touch on some surrounding issues. Prepare to learn a to...

AS235: Do We Live In A Simulation? from 2016-04-25T05:43:27

It’s an argument I’ve seen floating around multiple places lately. In the future, simulations of universes will surely outnumber the one regular universe. Therefore, it’s more likely we’re in a ...

AS234: Scientifically Speaking from 2016-04-21T03:19:55

It’s time for some science up in this podcast! Joining me for the second time is Krakus Varsovian, who you may remember from an episode back in September. The state of science funding in Canada ...

AS233: The Gender Wage Gap from 2016-04-18T03:51:41

In the spirit of Equal Pay Day which happened recently, I’ve got Miss Bea Haven from Promoting Secular Feminism on to talk about gender inequality in income. Is the 79 cents figure a myth? well…...

AS232: Finding Uncommon Ground from 2016-04-14T07:21:40

Today’s episode was scheduled to be a Tommentary, but after a back and forth with a listener by the name of Ben Young, I decided to have him on for a little chat in place of my normal monologuin...

AS231: Dr. Kevin Folta, Part 2 from 2016-04-11T05:00:21

It’s part 2 with Kevin!  Lots more on GMOs and labeling controversies. Also, I found out WE AREN’T EVEN USING FISH GENES. My mind is blown. I’ve been defending something we weren’t even doing. T...

AS230: Dr. Kevin Folta from 2016-04-07T04:52:28

In light of all this GMO debate, Dr. Kevin Folta was kind enough to hop on the show and educate us! Kevin is the professor and chairman of the horticultural sciences department at the University...

AS229: No Straw Men Allowed from 2016-04-04T02:37:48

It’s a Tommentary episode! Last week I let a straw man argument get by me and I even encouraged it. So, I spend the first part of this Tommentary trying to right that wrong. I never want to perp...

AS228: Should We Label GMOs? from 2016-03-31T04:27:40

In today’s show, I’ve got two siblings! We’ve got Melonnie, a listener of the show and someone wary of GMO products. Also on is Derek, her brother and a scientist who has some expertise on GMO f...

AS227: Tommentary Time, Easter Edition from 2016-03-28T05:32:02

Several announcements in this show!!! One you may already have noticed, and another has something to do with this page here. I’m very excited! In this episode I’ve got a ton of Tommenting for yo...

AS226: Sarah Morehead from 2016-03-24T05:45:14

Sarah Morehead recently wrote a must-read article, which you can find here. It deals with something I also expressed an opinion about online, which is the disgusting positive reaction people see...

AS225: Andrew Torrez on Scalia’s Legal Activism from 2016-03-21T05:14

Have you always known Scalia was the worst but didn’t quite have the legal expertise to say exactly why? I’ve got the podcast for you! My guest is Andrew Torrez who is a graduate of Harvard Law ...

AS224: Tommentary from 2016-03-17T04:33:57

Fresh off a great interview, it’s time for some Tommenting! Lots of people asked if I was going to talk about Sam Harris and Omer Aziz, and while I’m definitely not doing a full review like I di...

AS223: Angry Black Rant from 2016-03-14T04:12:57

Today we’ve got a lot more discussion with Ishmael Brown, host of Angry Black Rant! This time we talk about Black Lives Matter and whether or not their protests go too far! And there are other t...

AS222: The N Word, with Ishmael Brown from 2016-03-10T04:55:36

My guest today is Ishmael Brown, host of Angry Black Rant! His podcast may or may not have been somewhat inspired by yours truly… But that’s neither here nor there, as he’s here today to talk ab...

AS221: Tommentary from 2016-03-07T05:51:05

Haven’t had an opinion episode in a while, so here it is! Lots of interesting stuff discussed today. Peter Hitchens thinks Christopher and the rest of us atheists just didn’t believe in god beca...

AS220: Eiynah Returns from 2016-03-03T05:27:36

My guest today is Eiynah, @nicemangos on Twitter. She’s a blogger/writer/and now podcaster who has been on the show before. Being an ex-Muslim is a distinctly difficult place to be because of th...

AS219: The Sam Harris Maryam Namazie Breakdown from 2016-02-29T06:47:34

The Sam Harris Maryam Namazie Breakdown Today’s episode is all about breaking down the Sam Harris Maryam Namazie breakdown which happened on Harris’s Waking Up Podcast. The episode in question c...

AS218: Politics with The Skepticrat, Part 2 from 2016-02-25T06:25:44

Noah and Heath are back at it for a tasty part 2!

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AS217: Politics with The Skepticrat from 2016-02-22T08:22:41

The Skepticrat are back!! Noah and Heath of The Skepticrat and of course Scathing Atheist and Godawful Movies are back!  In this first part we’re talking all about the US primaries. Are the guys...

AS216: The End, with Phil Torres, part 2 from 2016-02-18T06:34:58

This week I have an incredibly interesting guest by the name of Phil Torres. Phil just wrote a book called The End: What Science and Religion Tell Us about the Apocalypse. We’ve got a really coo...

AS215: The End, with Phil Torres from 2016-02-15T06:26:07

This week I have an incredibly interesting guest by the name of Phil Torres. Phil just wrote a book called The End: What Science and Religion Tell Us about the Apocalypse. We’ve got a really coo...

AS214: Eli and Cecil from 2016-02-11T07:37:32

Eli and Cecil are back for an extra long show! No two parter this time, I figure you guys deserve a nice long juicy episode. The 3 of us talk about the infamous Eli episodes and what we all lear...

AS213: Thoughts on the Dillahunty-Giunta Exchange from 2016-02-08T06:53:18

As promised, I’ve got a breakdown of the Matt Dillahunty Blake Giunta debate over Divine Hiddenness. I opted not to do any sort of detailed breakdown of the exchanges because that could devolve ...

AS212: On Dawkins, the NECSS, and Bernie Bros from 2016-02-04T05:56:32

Today I share my thoughts on what happened with Richard Dawkins and the NECSS. Find out where I come down on that whole mess! Heavy spoilers: I have criticism for all involved. After that, I tal...

AS211: Matt Dillahunty and Blake Giunta, Part 2 from 2016-02-01T06:01:06

Matt and Blake continue the discussion on Divine Hiddenness.

The post AS211: Mat...

AS210: Matt Dillahunty and Blake Giunta from 2016-01-28T06:25:03

Matt Dillahunty and Blake Giunta Today’s episode is part 1 of a fascinating discussion on the problem of Divine Hiddenness. Matt Dillahunty joins us, who you no doubt have heard on Atheist Exper...

AS209: Twitter Trolls and Online Harassment, with Eli Bosnick from 2016-01-25T06:39:08

This episode came about in kind of an interesting way.. I explain in the first few minutes of the show. Long story short, Eli is here to talk about Twitter and our blocking policies (or lacks th...

AS208: Misogyny, PZ Myers, and Politics from 2016-01-21T07:32:33

I’ve got some commentary on the aforementioned issues. Lots of stuff. PLUS big announcement for next week’s shows!! Here’s a link I reference: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-scheer/hillary...

AS207: Abortion Debate Criticisms, Part 2 from 2016-01-18T06:30:25

We continue the conversation on the abortion debate with Tyler, and how to go about such debates in the future.

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AS206: Abortion Debate Criticisms from 2016-01-14T08:59:32

I’m joined by two female commenters who had some criticism for me on how I dealt with the Tyler Vela abortion debate. In the spirit of listening to criticism and learning from it, I thought I’d ...

AS205: Listener Tomments from 2016-01-11T05:04:33

I hope everyone knows changing comments to Tomments is completely meant to be a stupid joke. I wonder if anyone thinks I’m super into changing words into being my name? It’s actually the opposit...

AS204: Tommentary Thursday from 2016-01-07T07:05:16

In today’s episode I talk about a number of things I found interesting. Among them are gun control, Obama’s tearful speech, the sexual assault crisis in Germany, and free speech.

The post...

AS203: Dr. Richard Carrier, Part 2 from 2016-01-04T06:14:11

We continue the discussion on whether or not 90% of all Evo Psych false. That’s the claim Dr. Richard Carrier makes in his mammoth article, which can be found here. While I’m hoping to have Rich...

AS202: Dr. Richard Carrier on EvoPsych from 2015-12-31T10:09:31

Is 90% of all Evo Psych false? That’s the claim Dr. Richard Carrier makes in his mammoth article, which can be found here. While I’m hoping to have Richard on at a later date to discuss the topi...

AS201: Tommentary; Critical Comments from 2015-12-28T09:06:21

This episode, I look at a story from a few months back that I never got to comment on. It’s a very fascinating news item about a parent allowing her child to choose to end her medical care and t...

AS200: Abortion Debate Followup from 2015-12-24T08:23:14

Thank you guys for the avalanche of comments, emails and messages on my debate with Tyler Vela. This is likely the most response I’ve gotten to anything, and I think it’s because there is plenty...

AS199: Debating Abortion, with Tyler Vela Part 2 from 2015-12-21T06:25:10

Here’s part 2 of a 2 part spirited debate with Christian and past guest, Tyler Vela. Tyler hosts a podcast called the Freed Thinker, which you can find on iTunes or through google. I will be doi...

AS198: Debating Abortion, with Tyler Vela from 2015-12-17T06:19:32

Here’s part 1 of a 2 part spirited debate with Christian and past guest, Tyler Vela. Tyler hosts a podcast called the Freed Thinker, which you can find on iTunes or through google. If you’d like...

AS197: Goldsmiths Followup; Radicalizing Muslims from 2015-12-14T07:07:03

Today I’ve got some more Tommentary for you. Because I’m pretty sure Eli and Cog Dis will all agree with me on the Goldsmiths issue, I decided to tackle a brief portion of commenter Mike Samsa’s...

AS196: Tommentary on Tump, Eli Bosnick Followup from 2015-12-10T07:51:35

I’ve got a couple Tommentary items to talk about that I promise aren’t trigger warning or safe space related… But then after that I go into the Eli Bosnick adventures both Cog Dis and I have had...

AS195: Eli Bosnick, Part 2 from 2015-12-07T04:52:47

The funniest man on the planet is back for part 2 to talk about SJW issues further. Be sure to let me know your opinions on this episode, because I think these issues are important and controver...

AS194: Eli Bosnick On Safe Spaces from 2015-12-03T04:45:43

The funniest man on the planet is here to talk about something not funny. Safe spaces, trigger warnings, and is the secular community targeting the wrong thing when we speak out against shriekin...

AS193: Abortion and Christian Terrorism from 2015-11-30T07:27:12

I’m back to my Tommentarying ways with some thoughts on the abortion clinic shooting. Is it Christian terrorism? Is Christianity just as responsible for the shooting as Islam is for Islamic terr...

AS192: Everybody Is Wrong About God, Part 2 from 2015-11-26T08:12:40

We’re back for the second installment with James Lindsay, discussing his new book, Everybody Is Wrong About God. The book can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Is-Wrong-About-Go...

AS191: Everybody Is Wrong About God, with James Lindsay from 2015-11-23T07:31:30

This is an interview that has been months in the making. James Lindsay is here to talk about his exciting new book, Everybody Is Wrong About God, which you can find here: http://www.amazon.com/E...

AS190: Scientology with Chris Shelton from 2015-11-19T04:23:07

This week I’m joined again by the great Chris Shelton! Chris appeared on the show some months back to discuss his 27 years of working for the Church of Scientology! I definitely recommend checki...

AS189: Paris and Beirut Attacks from 2015-11-16T07:09:56

Well, I wasn’t about to ignore this major event that everyone is talking about. I offer my opinion on some of the reactions people are having, from the far right to the far left. As usual, find ...

AS188: More Transgender Discussion with Fiona from 2015-11-12T10:14:24

In this second installment with Fiona, we debate a bit about what the rules should be for transgender kids or kids who begin identifying as another gender in high school, and request full use of...

AS187: On Being Transgender, with Fiona from 2015-11-09T07:14:09

This week I’m joined by Fiona to talk about her life as a transgender person. Fiona came out within the past year and has had to overcome a lot of challenges along the way. Fiona talks about how...

AS186: Skepticrat Noah Lugeons! from 2015-11-05T05:29:44

One of my absolute favorites is back to talk politics! Best wishes also to Heath and his family, I would have loved to have both the guys on for this one but Noah and I soldiered on with a great...

AS185: Tommentary Tuesday Monday Sunday from 2015-11-02T06:45:21

I guess that’s slightly shorter… Alright another few topics in need of some Tommentarying this week! I had so much feedback from last week, thanks to all of you! This week I’ve got a clip from W...

AS184: Jake Farr-Wharton On 23andMe from 2015-10-29T05:23:58

Joining me today is someone you may be surprised to learn is somewhat an expert in the field of genetic testing, Jake Farr-Wharton! 23andMe has started operating again in the US in certain capac...

AS183: Tommentary Tuesday, Except It’s Monday from 2015-10-26T05:48

….and is usually released on Sunday nights. That’s my new super catchy slogan for what is now going to be every Monday episode! That’s right, slightly new format for the show, and you’ll be able...

AS182: Portable Atheist, George Eliot from 2015-10-22T06:13:30

Since I went two months without it, we’re doing back to back Portable Atheists. And with this one, we’re in for a treat! George Eliot, AKA Mary Ann Evans, was an absolutely brilliant writer. Con...

AS181: Portable Atheist: Karl Marx on Religion from 2015-10-19T06:36:34

It has been a few months since the last portable atheist, and this one’s a weird one. Today’s reading is the essay which features the famous quote “Religion is the opium of the people.” What did...

AS180: Anti-Science In Canada from 2015-10-15T06:15:01

Joining me this week is a scientist from Canada who goes by the name Krakus. @DrVarsovian on Twitter. He’s here to talk about anti-science attitudes and politics in Canada. Did you think the US ...

AS179: Tommentary: 2nd Amendment Needs To Go; Blaming Atheism for Atheist Killers from 2015-10-12T07:00:23

Yeah I decided to just try to pack it all into the title…. Here’s a link to an article I discuss: http://freethoughtblogs.com/ashleymiller/2015/10/02/atheist-tribalism-poisons-everything/ Is ath...

AS178: Tyler Vela on Interpreting the Bible, Part 2 from 2015-10-08T04:55:32

More challenges from Tyler Vela on how me and other atheists are reading and interpreting the bible. Am I doing it all wrong or is Tyler simply trying to deflect my biblical criticism? Better li...

AS177: Tyler Vela on Interpreting the Bible from 2015-10-05T05:37:18

I’ve got a great episode for you, but first, I want to inform anyone who hasn’t heard about the Patreon hack. I explain in the first 5 minutes. Here’s a url you can use to see if you are affecte...

AS176: Justin Schieber vs Robert Johnson, Part 2 from 2015-10-01T02:42:09

The first ever Atheistically Speaking live debate, part 2! Thanks so much to those who participated! If you’d prefer to watch the debate, you can definitely do so by following this link: https:/...

AS175: Justin Schieber vs Robert Johnson, Part 1 from 2015-09-28T06:50:56

The first ever Atheistically Speaking live debate! Thanks so much to those who participated! If you’d prefer to watch the debate, you can definitely do so by following this link: https://www.you...

AS174: Ryan Bell, Part 2 from 2015-09-24T03:52

More with the incredibly engaging and interesting Ryan Bell! Last reminder, watch the live debate between Justin Schieber and Robert Johnson! This Saturday, noon Pacific time! https://plus.googl...

AS173: An Interview with Ryan Bell from 2015-09-21T06:37:38

This was a really really good interview.I mean it. I know Ryan has been making the rounds lately due to his new project, Life After God, but I’ve wanted to have Ryan on the show for quite a whil...

AS172: Tommentary On Ahmed; Sam Harris; Maajid Nawaz from 2015-09-17T05:47:03

It’s about time for another Tommentary show! I have plenty of opinions, and I hope you enjoy an episode where I express those opinions on occasion. Ahmed Mohamed brought a clock to school and wa...

AS171: Secular Parent Panel, Part 3 from 2015-09-14T05:18:15

The final installment of the secular parent panel on dealing with the topic of sex and porn. Also, important announcement! First ever Atheistically Speaking Live Debate! Find the details here! h...

AS170: Parenting as an Atheist: Sex and Porn Part 2 from 2015-09-10T07:49:36

More with the porno parent panel! What happens when you catch your 8 year old looking at porn? Well, when you are religious, you can freak out and give a very distraught lecture to your child. B...

AS169: Parenting as an Atheist: Sex and Porn Edition from 2015-09-07T07:24:49

What happens when you catch your 8 year old looking at porn? Well, when you are religious, you can freak out and give a very distraught lecture to your child. But what about when you’re an athei...

AS168: Baha’i With Sahar, Part 2 from 2015-09-03T09:28:21

More with the lovely Sahar! She was a great guest and really knew her stuff, and I think we as listeners really benefitted from that.

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AS167: Ex-Baha’i Sahar from 2015-08-31T04:07:27

Sahar is an ex-Baha’i and she is here to tell us all about it! She very recently came to the realization that she is an atheist, and one of the things that she claims has helped her through this...

AS166: Discussion With Lauren; Postmortem from 2015-08-27T07:56:43

Here’s the conclusion of the Lauren discussion. After that, I go in a bit of depth on the disagreements of fact we had, and also some analysis on the whole discussion.

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AS165: Lauren Responds To Tim Hunt Episode with Cog Dis from 2015-08-24T04:39:42

Not the greatest title but I really couldn’t think of a good way to give all the facts… Anyway, listener Lauren, who had a few choice words on Twitter for my discussion with Tom and Cecil about ...

AS164: John Stuart Mill, Part 2 from 2015-08-21T08:24:38

Sorry for the late episode! I believe this is only the second time I’ve missed a deadline with Atheistically Speaking, and I have good reason, I promise! Hear all about the story behind that, pl...

AS163: John Stuart Mill from 2015-08-17T03:59:44

Here we are for the nth installment of the Portable Atheist! This time it’s time to learn about John Stuart Mill and the thinkers who contributed to his upbringing. Very interesting stuff!

AS162: Real Atheology with Justin Schieber, Part 2 from 2015-08-13T06:56:50

We’re back for more with Justin Schieber! We delve deeper into the evidential problem of suffering and as always, I ask some meandering questions that hopefully take us in some interesting direc...

AS161: Real Atheology with Justin Schieber from 2015-08-10T07:45:41

Welcome back to the show for what I think is the third time, Justin Schieber! Justin has himself a brand new youtube channel called Real Atheology that I think you guys will love! We talk about ...

AS160: Ishmael, Part 2 from 2015-08-06T06:44:58

Today we have part two of Ishmael from http://www.angryblackrant.com.  Ishmael was inspired by my interview with Rondale to possibly start a podcast. When you hear him, maybe you’ll agree with m...

AS159: Tommentary; Interview with Ishmael from 2015-08-03T08:14:29

First I have some things to say about the whole Cecil the lion debacle. After that, I have a cool interview with Ishmael of http://www.angryblackrant.com.  Ishmael was inspired by my interview w...

AS158: “My Father’s Funeral Was Stopped By Gay Marriage” from 2015-07-30T05:46

Yeah, you heard that right. But first, it’s a continuation of Monday’s episode with Nathanael. He turned the interview back on me, and we continued the exchange. Overall I’m very happy to have t...

AS157: Dialogue With A Christian, Nathanael from 2015-07-27T04:44:06

Show friend Tracey Moody connected today’s guest, Nathanael, and I. We ended up having a really cool discussion that I think was very positive and due to the miracles of modern science, was caug...

AS156: Cognitive Dissonance on Tim Hunt from 2015-07-23T06:52:48

Alright, Cognitive Dissonance, take 2! This time we’re here for real, and the topic at hand is the Tim Hunt controversy. Find out Tom and Cecil’s take on the matter, and see what their responses...

AS155: Cognitive Dissonance from 2015-07-20T06:09:13

The guys are back! Well, we intended to talk about the Tim Hunt stuff, and its implications on free expression, etc, BUT we got a little sidetracked.  I thought the recording was comedy gold, bu...

AS154: The Portable Atheist from 2015-07-16T05:55:26

Ok ok, a REAL one this time! This month’s reading is A Refutation of Deism by Percy Shelley. Lots of cool stuff to talk about in this reading. Shelley was a poet but honestly in my opinion, he c...

AS153: An Atheist In A Catholic Church from 2015-07-13T05:04:02

..plus Portable Atheist, kind of. You’ll see. This weekend I had the unique experience of attending a Catholic wedding. It has been a while since I’ve stepped foot in a Catholic Church and it ce...

AS152: An Atheist In A Muslim Country, Part 2 from 2015-07-09T05:30:09

Today we continue the discussion with Adrian, an atheist who lives in a majority Muslim country. Lots more interesting stuff on part 2! Take a listen!

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AS151: An Atheist In A Muslim Country from 2015-07-06T05:14:55

My guest this week is Adrian, who has appeared on the show a few times before. This time might be the most interesting yet, however, because Adrian recently moved to Malaysia. So, that makes him...

AS150: Pale Blue Dot, Part 2 from 2015-07-02T06:39:35

We round out our first book club book with a couple more interviews. Then, what better way to take us out than with the man himself, Carl Sagan, reading his most beautiful passage ever.

T...

AS149: Pale Blue Dot, Part 1 from 2015-06-29T04:43:41

Yay the first book club book is done! This was so much fun, and thank you to all who participated! Make sure to read the next book and contact me to get on the show next time.

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AS148: Live Listener Feedback from 2015-06-25T04:40:31

Today I have two listeners on as guests to provide some feedback on the recent Elijiah T episodes. Some of my listeners reacted a bit negatively to Elijiah and I’m curious to find out why. Let’s...

AS147: Tommentary from 2015-06-22T06:21:53

It’s with a heavy heart that I have to launch on another Tommentary. Pretty much every time there’s a horrible massacre, there are a number of things to react to. Here’s an article I talked abou...

AS146: Ex-Mormon, Rondale Part 2 from 2015-06-18T05:46:48

More discussion with Rondale. In part 2 we talk a bit more about being an atheist in the black community.

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AS145: Ex-Mormon, Rondale from 2015-06-15T07:02:20

This week’s guest is another ex-Mormon, but coming with yet another unique perspective. I’ll give you a hint, he wouldn’t have been allowed in the church before 1978.

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AS144: Atheists Say the Darnedest Things, Part 2 from 2015-06-11T03:51:32

Here’s the second half with Elijiah T! I’m liking the response to this. Keep those comments coming.

The post Listen

AS143: Atheists Say the Darnedest Things, with Elijiah T. from 2015-06-08T06:50:18

Elijiah was a guest about a year ago, and now he’s back for another round! This time, we’re going to discuss what Elijiah alleges are bad arguments atheists make. It’s a really cool discussion a...

AS142: Armed Peaceful Protests, with Jake Farr-Wharton from 2015-06-04T05:54:22

Continuing the discussion from Monday, Jake and I go on to react to the CNN Anderson Cooper interview with the organizer of the obnoxious event. Also, I read most of this really well written res...

AS141: Real Islamophobia, with Jake Farr-Wharton from 2015-06-01T05:12:25

This week I have Jake on to discuss what is an actual case of Islamophobia. That is, the biker “protest” outside of an Arizona mosque where members wore t-shirts saying “F*** Islam” and carried ...

AS140: At Long Last, Listener Comments from 2015-05-28T04:19:47

But not just any comments, really good comments! I go back over the Louis CK stuff from Monday in light of a few comments, and then I finally comment back at a comment on Christina Hoff Sommers....

AS139: Louis CK, Filters, Mad Max, MRAs… from 2015-05-25T06:57:44

It’s a bit of a potpourri for today’s episode! What did Louis CK’s SNL monologue from the other week have to do with free will and determinism? Also, I saw Mad Max and felt the need to talk a bi...

AS138: David Hume, Of Miracles Part 2 from 2015-05-21T04:56:24

Continuing from Monday, we’re finishing up Of Miracles by Hume. It’s quite an important piece in skeptic history, and seeks to provide an argument against miracle testimony of many kinds.

AS137: David Hume, Of Miracles from 2015-05-18T06:58:02

The Portable Atheist, part 6! Rather than claim I will come back to the Portable Atheist in a month and then wait like 4 months as I have previously, I decided to be proactive and get right to i...

AS136: Being Raised A Mormon Girl, Part 2 from 2015-05-14T03:05:47

Megan is back for part 2 about being raised as a female Mormon. It’s quite a bit different than as a male.. Also, NCMOs are real! Here’s some of the resources/links Megan mentioned: http://www.c...

AS135: Being Raised A Mormon Girl, with Megan from 2015-05-11T05:06:36

Some time ago I had two ex-Mormons, Bill and Gerald, on to discuss their experience with the church. After hearing that, Megan sent me a message asking if I wanted to get the female perspective ...

AS134: Moral Arguments, with Jeffery Jay Lowder, Part 2 from 2015-05-07T04:25:02

Much more with Jeffrey Jay Lowder! This time we get even deeper into the arguments, and I get to try out a couple of thoughts I’ve been having on Jeff. It was a real treat to have an expert on t...

AS133: Moral Arguments, with Jeffery Jay Lowder from 2015-05-04T06:20:37

I’m very pleased to have a special guest this week, Jeffery Jay Lowder! Jeff is one of the founders of Internet Infidels and the Secular Outpost. He’s also someone with a vast knowledge of apolo...

AS132: The Portable Atheist, Part 5 from 2015-04-30T06:20:53

Lots of great comments on my last episode to discuss, but ALAS! There’s no time! We’re on to the Portable Atheist 5! I cannot believe how long it has been since I did this last. This edition is ...

AS131: Hiding From Ideas from 2015-04-27T04:28:13

This week I want to take a break from interviews. I’ve absolutely loved the interviews I’ve been doing lately, but I recognize that some people come to my podcast for some commentary, or Tomment...

AS130: Reddit Toxicity, with Ben Bell, part 2 from 2015-04-23T04:26:18

Part 2 with Ben Bell. For a description and if you haven’t heard part one, refer here: http://atheisticallyspeaking.com/as129-reddit-toxicity/

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AS129: Reddit Toxicity, with Idibon’s Ben Bell from 2015-04-20T06:18:31

Atheism’s Reddit Toxicity   The company Idibon recently conducted a Reddit toxicity that made a lot of headlines. The study can be found here.  Many subreddits reposted the study and reacted to ...

AS128: Ex-Witnesses Kenny and Harley, Part 2 from 2015-04-16T06:03:32

In part 2 we get to hear @secularlad Harley’s update and story. Then we get into some general stuff about Jehova’s Witnesses with Kenny Wyland. He can be found on twitter @kennywyland or at the ...

AS127: Ex-Witnesses Kenny and Harley from 2015-04-13T06:06:45

Continuing a bit of a series on ex-religion, I have two ex-witnesses this week! You’ve heard @secularlad Harley before, but now we’ve got a brand new guest in Kenny Wyland! He can be found on tw...

AS126: Women in Bags, with Eiynah Nice Mangos from 2015-04-09T05:55:42

In part two of our discussion, Eiynah breaks down the recent situation in Canada where a woman wants to be able to wear a niqab during the citizenship oath. Is it basic religious freedom to allo...

AS125: Eiynah Nice Mangos from 2015-04-06T03:39:24

This week I’m joined by Pakistani-Canadian illustrator/blogger Eiynah! If you’re wondering, that’s not her real name. Why would she need to be anonymous? Well she used to be a Muslim, I wonder i...

AS124: Our Secular Wedding, with Lydia from 2015-04-02T06:26:27

Back by popular demand is my alarmingly attractive fiance Lydia! In a follow up to the Jake and Marilee episode on secular weddings, we discuss our experiences planning a wedding. Well… Lydia’s ...

AS123: Religion and Music with Ruby Rose Fox from 2015-03-30T05:06:20

Here’s the much anticipated interview with Ruby Rose Fox! Ruby is a really unique and talented musician who also happens to be an atheist. We discuss the role religion played in her life and sti...

AS122: Secular Weddings, with Jake and Marilee from 2015-03-26T07:48:41

In today’s episode I’m joined by Jake Farr-Wharton and Marilee to discuss secular wedding ceremonies! They can be a challenge, since religion has had a monopoly on weddings and other special occ...

AS121: Leaving Scientology, with Chris Shelton from 2015-03-23T06:45:54

We have the thrilling conclusion of our Chris Shelton trilogy! Today we find out what led Chris out of the cult of Scientology, and how he dealt with leaving the religion that was his life for 2...

AS120: 27 Years In Scientology, with Chris Shelton from 2015-03-19T05:22:34

Prior to the scientology segment, I briefly discuss some rather odd things Patton Oswalt had to say of atheism in this article: http://www.salon.com/2015/03/11/salons_patton_oswalt_peace_summit/...

AS119: Guide to Scientology, with Chris Shelton from 2015-03-16T07:22:41

Hello Thetans! In this episode we’ll be learning a ton about Scientology. Chris Shelton is an ex-Scientologist who will be taking us through the basics. I would go on more about Chris, but I act...

AS118: Two Ex-Mormon Stories, Part 2 from 2015-03-12T05:44:40

We continue the very fascinating conversation with Bill and Gerald. Find out how their stories continued and how they got to where they are today!

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AS117: Two Ex-Mormon Stories, Part 1 from 2015-03-09T05:18:51

This week I’m very pleased to be joined by two ex-Mormons, Bill and Gerald. Their stories are similar in many ways, but also diverge at a few key points. Get a glimpse into what it’s like to gro...

AS116: Politics With The Skepticrat, Part 2 from 2015-03-05T06:27:39

We continue our discussion with Noah and Heath. https://www.facebook.com/skepticrat

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AS115: Politics, With The Skepticrat from 2015-03-02T06:24:59

We’re joined by none other than Noah Lugeons and Heath Enwright! After becoming famous for being Scathing Atheists, the guys are now branching out to politics with their new podcast, The Skeptic...

AS114: Hate Speech Laws, with Michael from 2015-02-26T05:07:53

Previous guest and awesome Patron Michael, AKA Bangs Naughty Bits, joins me to talk about free speech. In particular, we’re discussing a very interesting article which I read aloud on the show: ...

AS113: Intellectual Honesty Is Important from 2015-02-24T05:23:38

… And CJ Werleman doesn’t have it. In this 24 hours late episode, my voice is still sounding a little rough, but better than it did. I had a few interactions with the infamous CJ Werleman, and i...

AS112: Justin Schieber Returns, Part 2! from 2015-02-19T06:57:58

It’s Justin Schieber, part 2! Justin Schieber is back for a discussion on apologetics! Justin is an accomplished debater, and a refreshingly clear thinker regarding apologetics. Justin gives the...

AS111: Justin Schieber Returns! from 2015-02-16T05:21:47

Justin Schieber is back for a discussion on apologetics! Justin is an accomplished debater, and a refreshingly clear thinker regarding apologetics. Justin gives the arguments a very fair shake, ...

AS110: Chapel Hill Shootings from 2015-02-12T07:02:53

I finish up the Spinoza reading from the Portable Atheist, and then I talk about the awful shooting deaths of three Muslims in Chapel Hill. Is atheism to blame?

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AS109: Portable Atheist 4 from 2015-02-09T07:40:53

It’s finally time for another edition of the Portable Atheist! This time it’s Benedict de Spinoza!

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AS108: ISIS; Huckabee’s Brilliance from 2015-02-05T07:23:07

Well you’ve no doubt heard what’s in the news. ISIS is terrible. I discuss some difficult questions involved. Then, since we all went through that ordeal, I give us a nice easy issue: Huckabee’s...

AS107: Dr. Steve Sentenced to Catholic Mass from 2015-02-02T04:57:54

Joining me in today’s episode is Anonymous Steve, who you might remember from a previous episode. Steve was oddly sentenced to Catholic Mass by a crazy judge in the UK. You may have seen the sto...

AS106: A Few Thoughts; Patron of the Week from 2015-01-29T07:45:43

I have a few loose ends to tie up with Charlie Hebdo stuff, and then we have a great Patron of the week! This week’s Patron is Wes, and he works in intelligence, which sounds way cooler than it ...

AS105: The Secular Parent Panel, Part 2 from 2015-01-26T07:10:29

I forgot to announce last week, it has been a year since Atheistically Speaking started! How cool is that! Thanks for everyone’s support and here’s to another great year! Also, second half of th...

AS104: Secular Parent Panel, Part 1 from 2015-01-22T06:49:05

At last, it’s here! The secular parent panel we’ve all heard so much about! This was a ton of fun, and I really appreciate the three panelists coming on to share their experiences as atheist par...

AS103: French Atheist Stephane on Charlie Hebdo from 2015-01-19T06:47:02

I’m very privileged to have listeners all over the world, and one such listener is Stephane, who lives in a small town just outside Paris. Stephane and I discussed Charlie Hebdo from beginning t...

AS102: Charlie; Patron of the Week Adrian from 2015-01-15T07:11:30

Today I have some quick thoughts on your comments from the last episode, and then a great Patron of the Week, Adrian! Also, I talked about the terrible stuff that happened with Noah of Scathing ...

AS101: Je Suis Ahmed from 2015-01-12T06:33:14

This week was supposed to be the Parenting Panel, but given recent events, I am electing to delay those episodes by a week. In this episode I wade into the mess that is the popular response to t...

AS100: Episode 100 with Cog Dis!! from 2015-01-08T07:19:22

For the second half of our episode 100 spectacular, Tom, Cecil and I discuss this article: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/dalhousie-dentistry-scandal-free-speech-101406801.html This turned out to be ...

AS99: 100 Episodes Celebration Week, with Cog Dis! from 2015-01-05T04:48:58

This week I have Tom and Cecil, two of my absolute top 100 favorite guests, on to celebrate 100 episodes of Atheistically Speaking! In today’s episode we discuss a variety of impromptu topics, a...

AS98: Transgender Acceptance; Patron of the Week from 2015-01-01T05:37:49

The bulk of this show was actually a very fun Patron of the Week interview, but I also had some thoughts on the suicide of Leelah Alcorn. Her death is incredibly sad, but I hope her words may he...

AS97: Holidays; ReThink Prize Results from 2014-12-29T08:17:10

The ReThink prize results are in and they are very interesting. Winners Did they accomplish what they set out to do though? I have some thoughts. Also, general holiday stuff. And this: http://ww...

AS96: Sony Hack Part 2; Patreon of the Week! from 2014-12-25T05:07:28

We continue the discussion with computer expert Michael about the Sony hack. Then, it’s Patreon of the week Katie!

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AS95: The Sony Hack, with Michael from 2014-12-22T08:37:51

This week listener and computer expert (imprecise term, I know..) Michael give us a great run down of the Sony hack. I learned a lot from our discussion and I highly recommend listening if you’r...

AS94: Islamism; Patron of the Week from 2014-12-18T09:10:19

You’ve no doubt heard of the awful incidents of the past few days. In Australia, several people were held hostage for hours and two ended up losing their lives. And of course, in Peshuar in a fa...

AS93: Enhanced Interrogation from 2014-12-15T07:48:09

In this episode I discuss the Senate Report on Torture that came out last week. As you’ve no doubt heard by now, it’s pretty horrifying. But does Sam Harris condone such behavior? According to C...

AS92: Former Officer Bobby C on Ferguson, part 2 from 2014-12-11T07:14:27

Bobby C and I continue the excellent discussion. Also, we have yet another great Patron of the week!

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AS91: Former Officer Bobby C on Ferguson from 2014-12-08T07:28:36

This week I’m joined by Bobby C of No Religion Required. I’m very grateful to Bobby for coming on to give us some insight on what it means to be a police officer. We talk about the NYC case a li...

AS90: Atheism in the Netherlands, with Marcel from 2014-12-05T03:30

Atheistically Speaking welcomes to the show an avid listener and fantastic supporter, Marcel! We talked about a wide range of differences between the Netherlands and the US. Turns out they are q...

AS89: Comments and Tommentary from 2014-12-01T08:01:22

In this episode I revisit some Ferguson stuff in light of your comments. I have to revise something I said last week. Then, I do some Tommentary about comments Ayaan Hirsi Ali made a week ago, a...

AS88: Ferguson Followup from 2014-11-27T08:04:23

Several months ago I gave my initial thoughts on the happenings in Ferguson. Well, as you’ve no doubt heard, the grand jury came back with no charges filed. Also, the evidence has been made publ...

AS87: On Privilege, with Erik from 2014-11-24T07:54:54

Listener Erik sent me a very thoughtful email outlining some thoughts he had on the James Lindsay episodes, especially our brief discussion on privilege. Since Erik comes from a different backgr...

AS86: Jonathan Figdor, Part 2; Commentary from 2014-11-20T07:55:03

We finish up the discussion with Jonathan Figdor. Lots of interesting stuff! Then I move onto some commentary about last week’s episodes. Definitely a lot to think about and discuss moving forwa...

AS85: Jonathan Figdor from 2014-11-17T06:51:07

This week Jonathan Figdor joins us to discuss a multitude of topics. First up, he’s promoting a new book, Atheist Mind, Humanist Heart. That can be found on Amazon or on the home page here : htt...

AS84: James Lindsay, part 2 from 2014-11-13T06:56:56

Continued discussion on discussion. We maxed out the time, so I’m going to have to address comments and give more thoughts on a later date. Thanks for the many good comments on this topic!

AS83: Category 5 Shitstorms, with James Lindsay from 2014-11-10T07:21:54

This week I have James Lindsay on the show, @goddoesnt on Twitter, to discuss the recent shitstorm that resulted from Peter Boghossian’s tweets. This is a chance to talk at a deeper level about ...

AS82: Catcalling with Lydia (and Actual Cats) from 2014-11-06T08:03:16

Lydia returns! You likely have seen the video going around featuring a model being catcalled hundreds of times throughout New York. I’ve mentioned before my stance on catcalling and how absolute...

AS81: Conversation with Ex-Muslim, Ben from 2014-11-03T07:20:04

Today I have listener Ben on, who is of course much more than simply an ex-Muslim, but having an episode named “Ben” seemed weird. Ben had a great comment on the site about the Affleck/Maher deb...

AS80: The Portable Atheist, Part 3 (cont.) from 2014-10-30T06:40:14

I’m continuing where I left off from Hobbes’s Leviathan chapter, Of Religion. Very interesting stuff!

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AS79: The Portable Atheist, Part 3 from 2014-10-27T08:08:16

We’re back to our Portable Atheists studies! I love these! This time, we’re reading Of Religion by Thomas Hobbes, from his book called Leviathan. It’s very fascinating, and brilliant of course. ...