Best Counterapologetics Podcasts (2024)

1
ISM 24: Dan Barker 1:59:00

7+ y ago1:59:00

1:59:00

Dan Barker is the Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the purpose of which, as stated in its bylaws, are to promote the constitutional principle of separation of state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism. Become a member here. Mr. Barker is prolific author and speaker on the topics of atheism and…

1
ISM 23: Rastafarianism 1:59:00

7+ y ago1:59:00

1:59:00

After some obligatory coverage of the sometimes-funny-sometimes-sad antics of Texas Rep. Randy Weber during this year's "Washington - A Man of Prayer" event, Cory and Scott settle in for an exploration of two major chapters of Ethiopian history: a bit of biological anthropology from the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs (Lucy!) and the middle of the …

1
ISM Episode 22: Spirituality Without God 1:59:00

7+ y ago1:59:00

1:59:00

Its a packed episode! We have a lot of news to cover, followed by a conversation about spirituality in the absence of a god belief. We are also excited to bring you another Logic That Fallacy segment (sponsored by Recovering From Religion) What is spirituality without religion? Is nihilism a natural conclusion for atheists? In our second hour, we a…

1
ISM Episode 21: Pastafarianism (The Flying Spaghetti Monster!) 1:56:00

7+ y ago1:56:00

1:56:00

Our episode begins a bit dark, as we follow up on a serious breach of secularism in Alabama. That state is approving church employed police officers (what could go wrong?) and is still reeling from the resignation of its evangelical gevernor Dr. Robert Bentley. Also, there's something deeply disturbing happening in Chechnya... OK, we admit that cou…

1
ISM Episode 20: Skepticism & Inculcation 2:00:00

7+ y ago2:00:00

2:00:00

Skepticism: we need more of it. Scott and Cory focus on religious skepticism, and offer a few classic thought experiments as a demonstration of why skepticism is a rational approach to extraordinary claims. Is atheism in line with skepticism? What is the difference between an agnostic and an atheist? Why is it ok to reject claims that cannot be dis…

1
ISM Episode 19: Blasphemy! 1:58:00

7+ y ago1:58:00

1:58:00

Blasphemy is among the silliest concepts we can think of, and is antithetical to secularism. In this week's show, we discuss what blasphemy is, and how it is seen from some of the major religions. Where are blasphemy laws in effect today, and how do they affect citizens? How has blasphemy impacted culture in America and abroad? Why is blasphemy a t…

1
ISM Episode 18: That's Not In The Bible... But This Is! 2:00:00

7+ y ago2:00:00

2:00:00

Lots of people attribute colloquialisms and bits of wisdom to the bible that simply aren't there. Why does this happen? What are some famous examples? The bible does, however, include many strange and bizarre things that are rarely mentioned. Scott and Cory have fun (and cringe) while exploring several of these as well. The team also explores a few…

1
ISM Episode 17: Antitheism 1:58:00

7+ y ago1:58:00

1:58:00

Informed Secular Minds is pleased to welcome Matt Cawthorn on the program for a wide range of topics. What is antitheism, and how does it differ from atheism? Why is religion a bad idea for the world, and in what ways is it harmful? Are the central tenets of theism (belief in an afterlife, the concept of sin, and the narrative of God) inherently ne…

1
ISM Episode 16: Heaven & Hell 2:00:00

7+ y ago2:00:00

2:00:00

Life after death! So many religions make extraordinary claims about this concept in their doctrines, and the path to getting to heaven (or avoiding hell) is perhaps the greatest carrot-and-stick ever employed. What do the major religions say about heaven and hell? What are the implications of such a reality? What are the prerequisites for acceptanc…

1
ISM Episode 15: The Concept of Prayer 1:55:00

7+ y ago1:55:00

1:55:00

With Cory travelling, Scott is joined by guest host Maris Warfel (@YoungAthlon399) for a discussion on prayer in its many forms. Why do so many religions implement prayer into their theology? What do believers hope to achieve through prayer? Does it work, and how would anyone ever be able to tell? Call in to the show LIVE: 646-564-9551 Follow Scott…

1
ISM Episode 14: The Concept of Sin 1:49:00

7+ y ago1:49:00

1:49:00

The concept of sin exists in most of the major religions on earth. It is generally defined as "an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law." Many believers think of sin as being anything that impedes a perfect relationship with God. How do believers determine what is and is not a sin? What do religious texts tell us about thi…

1
ISM Presents... Truth Pursuit with ELDUDEIRENO! (Fun with Noah's Ark) 54:00

7+ y ago54:00

54:00

Truth Pursuit will set the tone for a larger week long conversation with Scott on social media. You can engage with him on Twitter and Periscope @ELDUDEIRENO as well as on the official Informed Secular Minds accounts @ISMPodcast_ to add your voice to the topic at hand. The first Truth Pursuit centers around one of the most famous myths ever promote…

1
ISM Episode 13: Scientology - Rise of The Church (Part 2) 2:00:00

7+ y ago2:00:00

2:00:00

Cory starts the episode with a brief review of Steve Bannon, the chief strategist inside the Trump administration and helps shed light on some revealing and troubling comments made in 2014. So much left from Part 1 to get to! The second half of L. Ron Hubbard's biography gets a discussion, followed by the rise of the early Church of Scientology inc…

1
ISM Episode 12: Scientology - The Origin of an American Religion (Part 1) 2:00:00

7+ y ago2:00:00

2:00:00

America has a long tradition of customized faiths and notorious cults. In this episode, ISM explores and critiques Scientology, one of the most successful cults in history. What are the core elements of this faith? What defines its theology? Who is L. Ron Hubbard, the cult's founder? What makes Scientology fundamentally American? Call in live: 646-…

1
ISM Episode 11: President Obama in Review 1:59:00

7+ y ago1:59:00

1:59:00

President Obama will be leaving office in less than two days. Its been an eventful eight years since he entered the White House: the United States has been through a recession, the end of a war, the passage of landmark legislation, and shifting political and cultural climates. Has secularism been strengthened or weakened under President Obama? Wher…

1
ISM Episode 10: Simulation Hypothesis 1:57:00

7+ y ago1:57:00

1:57:00

As our scientific understanding increases, a fascinating hypothesis has emerged: the idea that we exist in a high functioning simulation, indistinguishable from another reality. How is such a thing possible? Who are the scientists investing time into investigating this hypothesis? What would be the motives in creating such a simulation? We tackle t…

1
139 What's Past is Prologue 2:01:00

9y ago2:01:00

2:01:00

Here it is�the final episode of Reasonable Doubts, featuring new Counterapologetics, God Thinks Like You and Polyatheism segments mixed with goodbyes from our fans and outtakes from the past eight years of doubtcasting. Thank you to everyone who made this show what it was. Special thanks to Jonathan MS Pearce for the spoken word introduction to the…

1
rd138 Interview with Shelley Segal 42:16

9+ y ago42:16

42:16

This podcast features a previously unreleased interview with Australian Singer and Songwriter Shelley Segal. Shelly shares about her experience growing up in a conservative Jewish household and how her music naturally turned to turned to secular themes when she decided she was an atheist. She also performs two songs from "An Atheist Album."…

1
rd137 Je Suis Charlie with guest Dan Fincke 1:17:35

9+ y ago1:17:35

1:17:35

This one is all about Charlie. Guest Dan Fincke defends free speach and the right to blaspheme. Dr. Galen examines the psychological root to religious extremism and the Enuma Elish is the subject of this episode's Polyatheism.By Reasonable Doubts Podcast

1
rd136 Freedom Isn't Free 1:23:08

9+ y ago1:23:08

1:23:08

Dale McGowan, executive director of the Foundation Beyond Belief talks about some of the exciting ways the organization plans to put humanist principles into action in 2015. Also, statistics on the public's attitudes towards the Christmas holiday, the John Templeton Foundation donates millions of dollars to philosophers who study free will and the …

1
RD Extra: Brayton v Schmig - Was the U.S. Founded on Christianity? 1:09:22

9+ y ago1:09:22

1:09:22

Is the US Government Founded on the Christian Religion?Ed Brayton is the founder and owner of the Freethought Blogs network and the voice behind the popular blog Dispatches from the Culture Wars. He is the co-founder and past president of Michigan Citizens for Science and the recipient of the Friend of Darwin Award from the National Center for Scie…

1
RD Extra: Lowder v Vandergriff - Metaphysical Naturalism or Christian Theism? Where Does the Evidence Point? 1:42:18

10y ago1:42:18

1:42:18

This RD Extra features a debate, hosted by the Reasonable Doubts Podcast, between Jeffery Jay Lowder and Kevin Vandergriff on "Metaphysical Naturalism or Christian Theism? Where Does the Evidence Point?"By Reasonable Doubts Podcast

1
rd135 Pain and Paradox 1:35:15

10y ago1:35:15

1:35:15

Physical pain plays an important biological role, but should we expect it to in a world created by God? Also, a recent paper in the journal cognition posits distinct cognitive attitudes underlying religious belief and factual reasoning, but is the evidence from cognitive science and philosophy sufficient to support this claim?…

1
rd134 Coming Out Atheist 1:15:11

10y ago1:15:11

1:15:11

Many non-theists keep their doubts hidden for fear of losing friends and love ones. But remaining in the closet also has drawbacks: stress, hypocrisy, the oppression of silence and fear of being found out. Despite the risks, those who've made the decision to be open about their atheism almost never regret it. Luckily, doubters do not need to make t…

1
rd133 Your God Detector is Busted 1:16:29

10y ago1:16:29

1:16:29

Our cognitive faculties evolved to help us detect agents in our environment and to predict the content of their minds but those same faculties also generate beliefs in supernatural minds and divine agents. While this seems to suggest that religious intuitions are untrustworthy by-products of ordinary cognitive processes, Cognitive psychologists lik…

1
rd132 Euthyphro's Revenge 1:24:37

10y ago1:24:37

1:24:37

Does God approve actions because they are good? Or is an action good because God approves it? Euthyphro's Dilemma is perhaps the oldest challenge to a theistic conception of morality, but many modern philosophers of religion believe the dilemma to be a false one. While the traditional formulation of the dilemma may have an answer, Socrates' challen…

1
rd131 Witch-Hunt 1:59:35

10y ago1:59:35

1:59:35

The award-winning human rights activist Leo Igwe exposes how witchcraft accusations are used to prey upon societies most vulnerable, often with tragic consequences. He recounts how the study of philosophy emboldened him to speak out against the dangers of superstitious and magical thinking in his home country of Nigeria and some of the challenges o…

1
RD Extra: Kozak vs Schieber - Does the Christian God Exist? 1:53:26

10y ago1:53:26

1:53:26

This debate on the existence of the Christian God took place at Ferris State University on October 23rd.Steven Kozak - Christian Apologist, Author (Stevenkozak.com)Justin Schieber - Atheist, Podcast Co-host (doubtcast.org)By Reasonable Doubts Podcast

1
rd130 How Jesus Beacame God with guest Bart D. Ehrman 53:23

10y ago53:23

53:23

How did Jesus, an apocalyptic prophet from Galilee, come to be regarded as a God by his followers? Bart D. Ehrman, Professor of Religious studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, joins us on the show to discuss his new book "How Jesus Became God", which traces the historical evolution of early Christian thought about the nature and …

1
rd129 Get A New Hobby, Lobby 1:26:03

10y ago1:26:03

1:26:03

Ed Brayton of Dispatches from the Culture Wars joins the Doubtcasters for an analysis of the SCOTUS ruling on the recent Hobby Lobby case. Some popular misunderstandings about the ruling and its implications are dispelled, and the true dangers of the decision are discussed. Also, Luke Galen reviews polling data on where the American public stands o…

1
rd128 Inside the Mind of a Religious Sexual Abuser 1:18:51

10+ y ago1:18:51

1:18:51

Major League Baseball player Chad Curtis will always be remembered as the man who led the New York Yankees to victory by catching the last out of the last World Series game of the 20th century. To many religious sports fans, Curtis was a hero for taking a strong stand for Christian principles. He regularly spoke out against performance enhancing dr…

1
rd127 God's Not Dead 1:14:16

10+ y ago1:14:16

1:14:16

The Doubtcasters spend the whole hour reviewing the film "God's Not Dead." The whole hour. Seriously.By Reasonable Doubts Podcast

1
RD Extra: Does Religion Make Us Better People? 47:20

10+ y ago47:20

47:20

Does Religion Make Us Better People? An Empirical Critique of the Religious Prosociality Hypothesis. Does religion make us happier, healthier and more helpful? A number of popular psychology books and articles argue that religion is a positive force for enhancing the health and well-being of both individuals and whole communities. A careful examina…

1
rd126 Why Would God Hide? 1:33:47

10+ y ago1:33:47

1:33:47

Jesus said "seek and you will find" but for many spiritual seekers, clear evidence for God cannot be found no matter how hard they search. If He really exists, why would God reveal himself only to some people and not to all? For this episode we examine "The Argument from Divine Hiddenness" which assumes that a perfectly moral being would want to en…

1
rd125 Nye Smokes Ham with guest Jordan Fett

10+ y ago

—

The doubtcasters, along with friend of the show Jordan Fett, share thoughts and analysis (scientific, philosophical and psychological) on the debate between Creationist Ken Ham and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Also we discuss some of the psychological barriers to understanding evolution that both creationists AND evolutionists share, for this weeks "G…

1
rd124 The Role of Religion in Global Conflict 1:21:54

10+ y ago1:21:54

1:21:54

New data from the Pew Research Center shows religious violence is on the rise world-wide. Religiously motivated sectarian violence, harassment of women, mob-violence and terrorism have increased steadily and dramatically over the past 7 years in every region except the Americas. Still, many of these conflicts erupt in areas plagued by disputes over…

1
RD Extra Hallquist vs Rauser 1:59:34

10+ y ago1:59:34

1:59:34

In late 2013, Chris Hallquist (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/hallq/) and Randal Rauser (http://randalrauser.com/) participated in a debate on the rationality of belief in God. This debate was not a live debate, rather it was a series of audio exchanges that took place in late 2013.� The exchanges were according to agreed upon time limitations on eac…

1
rd123 Rules vs. Concequences 1:02:20

10+ y ago1:02:20

1:02:20

For the second part of our "Winter of Morality" series, Dr. Galen examines the psychological factors that make a deontological (rule-based) approach to morality more appealing to most religious people than a consequentialist approach. Meta-ethical questions aside, does adopting a deontological perspective over a utilitarian ethic actually make any …

1
rd122 a Deluge of Stupidity 1:30:53

11y ago1:30:53

1:30:53

Ken Ham is trying to raise 24 million Dollars to build a life size replica of Noah's Ark for the Ark Encounter theme park and zoo. Ham hopes that the park will convince people that Noah really could have fit two of each of the worlds animals on a 450 foot wooden boat. While apologists like the Creation Research Institute's John Woodmorappe argue it…

1
rd121 Divine Deception with Erik Wielenberg

11y ago

—

Philosopher Erik Wielenberg joins us on the show to discuss his upcoming paper on Skeptical Theism and Divine Deception. The evidential argument from evil concludes that the existence of God is unlikely given the many cases of gratuitous suffering we witness in nature. Some theists have responded that we cannot grasp the mind of God and have no rea…

1
rd120 Church for Atheists? with guest Jerry Dewitt

11y ago

—

After 25 years of ministry, Pentecostal preacher turned atheist, Jerry Dewitt, finds himself behind the pulpit once again. He's still singing, teaching and calling upon his congregation to share testimonials...but this is no ordinary "church." The Community Mission Chapel, where Dewitt now serves, spreads a humanist message to a congregation of ath…

1
rd119 Quivering Part 2 with guest Vyckie Garrison

11y ago

—

Ex-quiverful mom and activist, Vyckie Garrison, joins us in the studio to talk about the aftermath of her decision to leave her husband and religious community and to share what she is doing to help women like her to escape abusive patriarchal households. Also on this episode we take a critical look at Bill O'Reilly's new book "Killing Jesus". We a…

1
rd118 Quivering Part 1 with guest Vyckie Garrison

11y ago

—

A disturbing trend is catching on among Christian fundamentalists across the nation. Couples are abandoning birth control and encouraging women to view their “wombs as weapons� in America's culture wars. Dubbed the “quiverful� movement, these families come from different denominational backgrounds but are united in the hope that by out breeding the…

1
rd117 Why Are Atheists More Intelligent?

11y ago

—

The Doubtcasters return from their ridiculously long, unannounced break to dissect the research behind the much reported headline that non-religious people are, on average, more intelligent than the religious. While the available data makes it clear that religion is negatively correlated with intelligence, the reasons behind this relationship are l…

1
RD Extra: Andrews vs Schieber Debate - Does the God of Christianity Exist

11y ago

—

This debate was not a live debate, rather it was a series of audio exchanges that took place through the months of June and July of 2013. The exchanges were according to agreed upon time limitations on each section. For each of their several sections, the debaters were given at least a week to analyze, script and record their entries before submitt…

1
RD Extra: A Skeptical Review of Religious Prosociality Research

11y ago

—

This RD extra features a lecture by Luke Galen "A Skeptical Review of Religious Prosociality" delivered to CFI Michigan June 26th 2013It is often suggested that religion leads individuals to be more prosocial, that is, more cooperative, generous, friendly, and happy. A commonly held belief is that "religion makes better neighbors". However, a close…

1
rd116 The Outsider Test For Faith

11y ago

—

How can one accept the Bible at face value but reject the Quran's teachings? How can one accept Christian miracles as evidence but reject Hindu miracles? John Loftus, author of the Christian Delusion and God or Godless, joins us on the show to discuss the Outsider Test For Faith, which challenges believers to thoughtfully consider why they reject t…

1
rd115 The Myth of Martyrdom part 3

11y ago

—

The doubtcasters wrap up their "Myth of Martyrdom" series by discussing the evidence of others (non-apostles) who supposedly witnessed the resurrection, other miracle claims from antiquity and the false dichotomy at the heart of the "die for a lie" argument. Also, the Dr. Professor makes up for lost time by reviewing numerous studies on the psychol…

1
RD Extra: Smith vs Schieber - The Status of God in the 21st Century

11+ y ago

—

Last month Justin Schieber was invited by Etcetera (Etcetera.org) to Traverse City, Michigan to debate/discuss with Scott Smith (TCApologetics.org) the �Status of God in the 21st Century�. The lively discussion touched on a wide range of topics from moral intuitions to the strength of positing a God as an explanation. For video of the debate go to …

1
rd114 The Myth of Martyrdom part 2: Who Would Die for a Lie?

11+ y ago

—

Would anyone knowingly die for a lie? Christian tradition teaches us that many of Jesus' disciples were persecuted and martyred for their faith. But if Jesus did not really rise from the dead why would the apostles be willing to sacrifice their lives over claims they knew were false? To many Christians, the apostles martyrdom is compelling confirma…

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