The Atheist Experience 30.38 with Thinker and Fe
Shownotes
In today's episode of The Atheist Experience, Thinker, Fe, and The Beard of Empathy examine whether Christianity is a scam, the problem of divine attribution, and when beliefs become harmful.
Andrew argues Christianity isn't a scam because there are no customers or payments. But believers do pay costs: tithes, sacrifices, obedience, all in exchange for salvation. That's a transaction. When you promise eternal reward for compliance and eternal punishment for refusal, how is that not a protection racket? What makes this different from any other pay-to-play scheme?
Yolanda in MD credits God's voice for saving her life during a brain aneurysm, telling her not to lie down and to call 911. Why didn't God just heal the aneurysm? Why give cryptic instructions instead of preventing the crisis? If God intervened, why did you still need surgery? How do you distinguish God's voice from your own survival instinct?
Heresy in Canada asks whether we should respect comforting beliefs or prioritize knowledge. Personal beliefs are fine if kept private, but they become harmful when imposed on others or used to shape policy. Comfort doesn't make something true. When does your right to believe what you want end and someone else's right to live free from those beliefs begin?
Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.
Andrew argues Christianity isn't a scam because there are no customers or payments. But believers do pay costs: tithes, sacrifices, obedience, all in exchange for salvation. That's a transaction. When you promise eternal reward for compliance and eternal punishment for refusal, how is that not a protection racket? What makes this different from any other pay-to-play scheme?
Yolanda in MD credits God's voice for saving her life during a brain aneurysm, telling her not to lie down and to call 911. Why didn't God just heal the aneurysm? Why give cryptic instructions instead of preventing the crisis? If God intervened, why did you still need surgery? How do you distinguish God's voice from your own survival instinct?
Heresy in Canada asks whether we should respect comforting beliefs or prioritize knowledge. Personal beliefs are fine if kept private, but they become harmful when imposed on others or used to shape policy. Comfort doesn't make something true. When does your right to believe what you want end and someone else's right to live free from those beliefs begin?
Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.