Truth Wanted

Hello Truth-Seekers and welcome to another episode of Truth Wanted. This week ExXtian Erin is joined by a Talk Heathen favorite, welcome back JMike!First up tonight is Kyle, he’s got ancient Sumer on the mind. The notion that aliens visited early Bronze Age humans is fascinating, but our hosts are unconvinced. Kyle suggests that the Drake Equation supports the likelihood that we’ve had visitors, but JMike illustrates that Drake’s conjecture is just that, and we can’t draw conclusions from speculation. Kyle is clear that he doesn’t subscribe to this belief, he’s just spitballing. Call again Kyle!Next we have Liam in Louisiana, who met the Ancient Aliens guy! We chat about the burden of proof when it comes to potential explanations that employ unfounded claims, and land on the old axiom that it’s best to scale your belief with the available evidence. Thanks for providing the title for this clip Liam, this was an interesting conversation!Alex in Colorado wants to drill down on how presupposition is necessary for any constructive conversation. We must move past the problem of hard solipsism and value what we experience to be true, otherwise any wacky unprovable explanation could have us bogged down for days. Gods, for example. That’s our show tonight folks! Wear your masks, get your booster shots, and let’s get back to some kind of normal!

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Truth Wanted! This week, ObjectivelyDan is joined by Brently!First up tonight is Robert from CA who wants to vent his frustration with the right wing’s use of “dog whistle” terms to rile up their base. The caller specifically dislikes their use of the word “indoctrination” with regard to education & science as it devalues the issues caused by actual religious indoctrination.Next up is Monty from ID who wants to discuss his experience with sleep paralysis and how their plan to stay calm and not panic the next time it happened may have helped keep them from experiencing it again.Next is Tony from Mexico who presents seemingly credible doctors who are against the mRNA vaccine as authorities to dispute the pro-vaccine position.Kelly from CA is back in the queue and this time has his evidence for a God. Technically the caller believes in the Christian God but opts to justify a more general God using genetic “code” as evidence. Unfortunately, the caller doesn’t really understand the scientific consensus or the burden of proof.Next is Brian from OR who tells our hosts a cool story regarding demons that could be heard on a cassette tape, but was really just radio interference.Next up is John from TX who starts by asking how evolution can exist in a universe with entropy, and then follows up by quietly accusing our hosts of just regurgitating information without thinking just like theists do with religious texts.

First up tonight is Connell from FL who doesn’t want to break his dad’s heart with his Atheism and wants advice on what to say so as not to hurt him.Next is Frank from IL who has a detailed sleep paralysis/lucid dream story and explains how they go about testing whether they are dreaming or if they are awake.Next is Micha from WA who is a paranormal investigator who doesn’t believe in the supernatural or ghosts. Despite being unconvinced, they continue investigating in the hopes of uncovering something incredible, specifically regarding an afterlife.Next is Zach from HI who explains his story of nearly hitting what he and others believed to be an evil demon pig. Now, after careful thought, the caller no longer believes that it is a spirit trying to kill him, but they still don’t have an explanation for what happened.Next up is Queer Atheist from IL who wants advice on how to deal with presup apologists and their circular scripts.Next is Joe from MI who has another story where they saw something spooky while they were riding a bike. Was it a Ghost or something sinister?

Hello Truth-Seekers and welcome to another episode of Truth Wanted. This week ExXtian Erin is joined by Trevor Poelman of the Belief it or Not podcast.Liam is our first caller, and wants to talk about premonitions that he’s noticed since deconverting. Erin points out that coincidence and the human tendency to see patterns are more likely than clairvoyance. Pareidolia is a thing and Liam seems to agree. Stay curious, friend!Next up is Queer Atheist from Illinois, who recently had his dirty, dirty chakra cleaned at work. He’s also been turned down for dates because of his astrological sign, and wants our hosts to opine about how to gently push back on such nonsense. Liam points out that promoting personal beliefs in the workplace is inappropriate, whether it be theology or astrology. No -ologies allowed folks! Erin offers tips on how to politely set boundaries, and our caller makes clear that a clean carpet is better than a clean chakra.Keeping the woo theme going is Kennita, who’s been offered Reiki massage by someone close to her, and while she appreciates the massage, the magic crystals are a bridge too far. How best to be honest? Erin points out that touch therapy and human contact is valuable and doesn’t rely on discredited claims. Both hosts agree that the placebo effect of pseudoscience is harmless until folks prefer it to actual medical care!David from WA wants to know whether our hosts think morality is subjective or objective. Erin thinks goals are key to determining what’s right and wrong, and like a typical Canadian, Trevor just likes being nice to people. Our spidey senses go off when anyone brings up Adolf Hitler and slavery in a conversation about morality, and our hosts quickly identify and deconstruct a weak apologist argument for why we ought to listen to an invisible sky daddy.That’s our show this week! Join us this Sunday after The Atheist Experience for a very special episode of Truth Wanted, live from a haunted hotel room!

Hello Truth-Seekers and welcome to another episode of Truth Wanted. This week Objectively Dan is joined by Genevieve!Our first caller is Barrie from New Zealand, who’s asking how to talk to an otherwise brilliant family member who believes in wacky conspiracy theories. Dan points out that folks on both sides of the political spectrum are susceptible to delusions that feel empowering, and suggests Street Epistemology may be an effective approach. Genevieve concurs, which is exactly what we would expect from a lizard person in disguise.Next we have Mark in Oregon, who saw a UAP and as one does, grabbed his eldest cell phone and got it on video. Sadly, our hosts can’t review the evidence live on the show, and remind Mark that unidentified doesn’t mean aliens.Mark’s footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCXN-WUGvrQCassius in Virginia wants our hosts to offer advice on how to combat the Old Testament/New Testament, old covenant/new covenant apologist argument. Dan makes the point that objective morality shouldn’t magically change one day two thousand years ago, because “Jesus”. Genevieve thinks Christians just aren’t familiar enough with the OT to really grasp how awful it is, and reiterates that their god is allegedly eternal and unchanging. You can’t change the rules in the middle of the game Yahweh! The hosts wrap up by pointing out that the Christian notion of a deity seems to evolve with human culture. Seems sus…Next up is Tony in Mexico is seeing conflicting COVID information on social media, and is seeking methods to vet this content. Dan reminds Tony that the Colgate College of Fresh Breath is not a reliable medical school, and that the vast majority of medical professionals are in agreement. Genevieve points out that social media is not the best place to get accurate medical advice, and directs Tony to consult accredited sources. Both hosts agree that no drug is without side effects, and the evidence agrees that being vaccinated is far less risky to your health than the alternative.Finally we talk to Casey in Colorado, who’s bringing a follow up to last week’s conversation about cryonics. Casey doesn’t see the harm in a small chance to be thawed out sometime in the future, and is aware that the company could conceivably go out of business. Our hosts are proponents of bodily autonomy, and put this one on ice until the science is clear.That’s our show tonight folx, stay safe, and get the jab if you haven’t already!

Hello Truth-Seekers and welcome to another episode of Truth Wanted. This week Nate Smith is joined by MD Aware!First up tonight is Richard from NY who claims that they made themselves time travel. Is there any way we can verify that this truly is time travel and not some other phenomenon?Next is Kennita from CA who wants to ask our hosts about the subject of cryonics and its potential efficacy in the future.Our final caller of the evening is Otangelo from Brazil who wants our hosts to explain the existence of life without a God.Thank you all so much for tuning in! Until we see you next week, keep on wanting the truth!

In today’s episode of Truth Wanted! Objectively Dan is joined by Dan Beecher from the “Thank God I’m An Atheist” Podcast. Welcome to the show, Dan!First up in the calls is Cononthebarber in the UK to discuss sentientism, the belief that all sentient beings deserve moral consideration, not limited to aliens or-in some cases- even plants. But where do we draw the line? This is a much needed moral conversation, so thanks for the call!Next we’ve got Mark in Oregon with a question for (not objectively) Dan; Do Mormons believe in aliens? They’ve got quite the interesting space theology, according to our co-host. Planets, gods and aliens, OH MY!Colson in Texas has a brother who is hesitant about getting the vaccine. He wants to encourage him to get it but doesn’t know the best way to go about having the difficult conversation. This is such an important issue, and you have every right to bring it up with unvaccinated family members. Stay calm and ask a lot of questions along the way. Good luck, Colson!Donny J in Canada is getting ready for a trip back to his homeland but is concerned about visiting his mother because she is unvaccinated, and doesn’t even want to have a conversation about it. Although this is an important topic, we can’t expect to change anyone’s mind. We just have to continue asking the hard questions and steering the conversation in a positive direction.That wraps up tonight’s show. Thank you so much to our co-host, Dan Beecher for bringing your perspective to these important discussions. Remember to always keep wanting the truth. See you next week!

In today’s episode of Truth Wanted! Objectively Dan is hosting with Apostate Prophet. Welcome to the show!First up is Barrie in New Zealand who feels awkward criticizing beliefs within politically oppressed groups. While we think it is important to maintain respect for others, we also think it is worth speaking up when a certain ideology is harmful.Next in the calls is Allen in California who has taken a revisionist approach to Christianity, believing that it is the religion of atheists. Although your theological take is interesting, we prefer evidence over interpretation.Anthony from North Carolina is attempting to navigate conversations about the supernatural with friends in the most productive way. Try using street epistemology techniques and don’t expect to change anyone’s mind in one conversation.Up next is James in the UK who thinks perhaps western culture has gone too far in encouraging a lack of religion when it often provides community and comfort. While it is true that religion has given comfort to many, we hope to see more communities embracing secular humanism and encouraging individualism.Lauren in Arizona was once involved with a cult that made her believe that symptoms of her neurological illness were supernaturally related. She wonders how many other people are ignoring their mental health for the sake of religion. Great discussion, Lauren!That wraps up tonight’s show. Thank you so much to our co-host, Apostate Prophet for bringing your perspective to these important discussions. Remember to always keep wanting the truth. See you next week!

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Truth Wanted! This week, Exxtian Erin is joined by Prophet of Zod!Our first caller tonight is Jeremiah from TX who is wondering if our hosts have any opinions regarding evangelical involvement in politics. As the hosts briefly touched on earlier, the evangelical narrative oftentimes revolves around a “good vs evil” dichotomy which has, over time, enflamed the opinions of and vocabulary used against the other non-evangelical side.Next up is Eric from IA who recently discovered Dantes Infernoand Apocalypse of Peter, and wants to know the atheist opinion of them and potentially their context within Christianity. Those texts among many others have and continue to influence the way the bible is interpreted and imagined by its followers.Up next is Andy from TX who wants to know how we can demonstrate that free will is just an illusion. If the societal, functional assumption is that we all have free will, why is that not the default position in philosophy?Up next is Otangelo from Brazil who wants to know if our hosts would accept the Christian God if he were proven to exist. Just because a God claims that they want a loving relationship is completely separate from whether they actually do want one. The threat of eternal punishment for those that do not truly believe, worship out of fear not counting, isn’t the foundation of a loving relationship.Last up is Sandra from OH whose boss is forcing her to stay in a haunted hotel for a work trip. Bring things that will help make you feel safer in the dark like a flashlight and avoid discussions of the paranormal leading up to your visit, especially of this exact site, to help keep your imagination at bay.That’s it for this week Truth Seekers, thank you so much for watching. Until we see you next week, keep on hunting for the truth!

In today’s episode of Truth Wanted! Puck is back in the host chair alongside Paulogia, best known for his atheistic response videos on YouTube. Tonight we get a peek at the Paulogia behind the avatar and learn about his walk from teaching theology to taking on the bigger names in apologetics. First up! Molly in IN believed she would miss a sign god if she didn’t pay attention to her dreams, later realizing dreams aren’t important. All humans make attribution errors and place more importance on some things that maybe shouldn’t. Thanks for sharing Molly!Erin in Canada asks if she should have disclosed her atheist activism with her family, as they just discovered it? Someone outed you before you were ready, it may hurt for a bit. You may have to set boundaries for religious conversations, ask them what they are comfortable in discussing. Phil in TX recognizes there isn’t enough skeptic presence around conspiracy videos and thinks there should be more of a pushback there. It is worth addressing conspiracy theories, people CAN change their mind. We are all susceptible to confirmation bias. While it’s best to have someone in that community fight back, we can tackle some of that too! Otangelo in Brazil is back. He asks Paulogia if using a recipe to make a cake is a mental process… uh oh here comes intelligent design. Yes, but you can stumble on a recipe by accident. We can demonstrate design in making a recipe, or blueprint, but not design of humans. How can you ascertain the purpose of design for humans? Once again, we don’t see the intentionality of design behind humans. That wraps up tonight’s show. Make sure to check out more at youtube.com/c/paulogia Until next week, keep wanting the truth!

In today’s episode of Truth Wanted! Objectively Dan is hosting with CeaseToKnow. Welcome to the show, we’re happy to have you!First in queue is a super quick call from Jim in Canada who wonders if ethics are determined by context. Great question, Jim!Alex in New York is dealing with religious gaslighting after leaving a Pentacostal cult and wants to know how to navigate it. We recommend sticking to your convictions and realizing that you cannot change what other people think of you.Next up is Deborah in North Carolina who called to talk about morality from the Christian perspective. It can be difficult to take the Christian position on morality seriously when the bible has been used to defend so many atrocities. The truth is, religion has been used to defend power structures in place for a very long time. This is why we do what we do at the ACA!Barrie in New Zealand is an atheist who had a personal experience with a late friend and a coke bottle that he cannot make sense of. Although we often want to believe that coincidences are rooted in the supernatural, our brains seek patterns so it’s best to go with the most simplistic explanation.James in New York claims he was abducted by aliens during a seizure. Although we do not deny his experience, we cannot know for certain what actually happened because it isn’t falsifiable. Belief should be reserved until it can be tested and proven to be true.That wraps up tonight’s show. Thank you so much to our co-host, CeaseToKnow for bringing your perspective to these important discussions. Remember to be kind and always keep wanting the truth. See you next week!

In today’s episode of Truth Wanted! Objectively Dan is hosting with a very animated Suris. Welcome to the show, Suris!Jamie in England is first up in the calls to discuss dark lines he sees in the sky he suspects are magnetic fields used by birds for travel. As cool as this sounds, Suris offers up a more scientific explanation.Next up is Chris in Canada who experienced a dream which has led him to believe he is God incarnate. Unfortunately, you cannot find the truth within a dream.William in California finds himself getting frustrated when having conversations with believers. Try staying humble and compassionate, and enter these situations with a clear end goal. We don’t have to be arrogant when talking about the truth.Another Chris called in from the UK wondering if we are experiencing a new wave of satanic panic in America. While we might find more media pushback today than in the last panic of the 90s, we are seeing the spread of misinformation on a larger scale than ever before. Perhaps the last wave never ended.Mark calling from North Carolina comes from a strong Christian background but is trying to live a life without labels. We understand the desire to live in the grey, but labels help us communicate our thoughts and ideas more effectively.Last up is Harley in Idaho to share some thoughts about abortion from the perspective of someone who grew up Catholic and pro-life, and the catholic position on purgatory for the unborn. Thanks for sharing, Harley!That wraps up tonight’s show. Thank you so much to our co-host, Suris for bringing your perspective to these important discussions. Remember to always keep wanting the truth! See you next week.

Hey, all you Truth Seekers out there! Welcome to this week’s episode of Truth Wanted! This week our very own ObjectivelyDan is joined by Dr. Abby Hafer!First up is Matt from MD who proposes a theist pro-choice argument and is wondering what our hosts think of it, as well as if they have any of their own.David from CA wants to talk about the material collapse theory. Why David? Why are we doing this? Neither host is equipped to talk about this, and you are most certainly not.Our final caller is Alex from NY who wants to talk about the harm that thought crimes in the Bible could pose.Thank you all so much for watching, we hope you enjoyed today’s show! Until we see you next week, keep on hunting for the Truth!

In today’s episode of Truth Wanted! Objectively Dan is hosting with Secular Rarity.First up in the calls is Ken, who believes he had an encounter with a flirty, Victorian era ghost over forty years ago. When considering the validity of experiences like this one, we have to wonder how much our perception of them changes over time. More often than not our memory will fail us. Thanks for sharing your story, and let’s hope you’re not haunted again any time soon.Another caller out of Virginia, Joe, wants to discuss a familiar argument: Kalam Cosmological. More specifically, that everything which begins to exist has a cause. While we see this in the natural world, we’re not sure what happens outside of what we call time. Keep thinking on it, Joe.Daniel In Canada wonders how alien findings might affect our society. Would it unite us or bring mass chaos? How much is the government hiding about alien encounters? If there is evidence for extraterrestrial life, would we want to know? Be careful what you wish for!Kevin in Tennessee has some deep thoughts about existence and consciousness. Give us a moment while we process this abstract interpretation of reality involving various levels of fields representing multiple dimensions...or something like that! Are we simultaneously existing in both potential and kinetic states? We’ve definitely put our brains to work on this call, but we might not be any closer to concluding the truth. We’ll stay in the real world for now, Kevin.That wraps up tonight’s show. Thank you so much to our co-host, Secular Rarity for bringing your perspective to these important discussions. Remember to always keep wanting the truth! See you next week.

In today’s episode of Truth Wanted! Objectively Dan is hosting alongside Cynthia McDonald, an infectious disease case manager and one of our fellow Non Prophets. Welcome to the show, Cynthia. We’re happy to hear your perspective.First up in the calls, a hypothetical scenario: Imagine you were born on a desert Island with nobody else around to teach you about language. How would that define your reality? Matthew In California calls to discuss this very question. Thanks for the discussion, Matthew!Alex in New York is trying to make sense of solipsism and wonders if we really are just brains in a jar. We appreciate the discussion, but is it actually possible to prove one way or another? We’re not sure, but it’s a fun thought to entertain. Keep thinking on it, Alex.William in Alaska called to talk about the gross misrepresentation of truth in modern day politics. The quick spread of misinformation is scary with everyday Americans choosing to trust non-experts for their political commentary. Unfortunately the internet makes it so easy to spread a false narrative these days. We just have to keep having one-on-one conversations to combat this very serious societal issue.Last is Joe in Virginia who’s a theist and wants to know why atheist activism is so important to us. Although many people try to misrepresent our intentions, we believe promoting critical thinking, preventing the spread of misinformation and shining light on problematic views can create positive change within our society. Whew! We had some great discussion tonight. Thank you so much to our co-host and remember to stay funky, get your vaccine, wear your mask, be nice to others and always keep wanting the truth! See you next week.