Ep. 48 – Dan Riley: Generation Atheist
Welcome back to another episode of A Matter of Doubt. In this episode we speak with Dan Riley, author of the new book, Generation Atheist. Dan first speaks on his somewhat mild deconversion from Christianity, and then we discuss the importance of a book such as his in today’s receptive world. Generation Atheist is a compilation of deconversion stories from various young people and adults including Harrison Hopkins (a former guest on A Matter of Doubt) and Hemant Metha (author of The Friendly Atheist blog).
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Ep. 47 – John W. Loftus: God’s Failure to Communicate
Welcome back to another episode of A Matter of Doubt! John W. Loftus sits down with us to discuss his deconversion story and then articulates his championed version of the argument against faith called “The Outsider Test for Faith.” John is perhaps most well known for his authorship (the link to his exstensive list of books including “The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails” and “Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity” can be found on his Amazon page here), but he is also known as one of the few freethinkers that Dr. William Lane Craig refuses to debate. We conclude our discussion as to why this might be so.
Be sure to also check out his blog Debunking Christianity and his newest book co-authored with Randal Rauser entitled “God or Godless?: One Atheist. One Christian. Twenty Controversial Questions.”
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Ep. 46 – Elaine Beats Alcohol without God
Welcome back to another episode of A Matter of Doubt. We sincerely apologize for the extra long delay! In this rather short episode we speak with Elaine about the perils of substance abuse and her road to recovery without God. If you find yourself in need of similar assistance, please visit Smart Recovery.
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Ep. 45 – Matt Oxley of RagingRev.com
In this episode of A Matter of Doubt we speak with Matt Oxley, author of the blog Raging Rev. Matt tells us about his deconversion and how traumatic such an experience can be. He struggled with extreme depression and thoughts of suicide until he realized his atheism. Now, Matt is happier than ever and spends his time reaching out to others who are struggling with a diminishing faith.
We urge those listeners who are currently in this position to seek help through the care of a therapist. Great secular therapists in your area may be found at Recovering From Religion -The Secular Therapist Project.
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Ep. 44 – The Book of Rape, Incest, Polygamy, Prostitution, and Genocide: Genesis
Welcome back to another episode of A Matter of Doubt. We apologize to our listeners who have been patiently waiting for the latest episode, we’re really sorry! In this episode Steve and Brian discuss some of the lesser known stories of the bible and view them through the lenses of a non-believer, liberal believer, and more fundamental believer. Stay tuned to future episodes as they will be more frequent from here on out.
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Ep. 43 – Dale McGowan: Mixed Marriage
In this episode of A Matter of Doubt we interview author, Dale McGowan. Dale is an editor and co-author of Parenting Beyond Belief and Raising Freethinkers. His newest book, Atheism for Dummies, is forthcoming. We speak with Dale about some of the difficulties individuals in a mixed marriage face when trying to reconcile differing worldviews. We conclude our discussion with his thoughts on the current state of the Freethought movement and in which direction he believes it is heading. To hear more on the Foundation Beyond Belief, listen to Cape Reason Episode 12.
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Ep. 42 – Han Hills: Carolina Secular Conference
Welcome back to another episode of A Matter of Doubt. In this episode we speak with Han Hills who is the creator of the Carolina Secular Conference, president of Humanists and Freethinkers of Cape Fear, host of the Cape Reason Podcast, co-host of Secular World Podcast, and contributing author to The Freethinkers Blog . We speak lively on his humanist upbringing and the importance of atheist activism. We conclude our discussion with the purpose of his conference and the beneficial role it serves to those living in the Bible Belt .
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Ep. 41 – Chris Webber’s C-Webb Sunday School Podcast
In this episode of A Matter of Doubt we speak with the host of a fellow atheist podcast, Chris Webber. Chris walks us through his process of transitioning from being an apatheist to Christian/Mormon and then to atheist. We conclude our discussion with his life as a social worker with non-belief and how religion still permeates the profession. Be sure to check out Chris’ podcast for some excellent, to-the-point discussions on religion!
C-Webb’s Sunday School Podcast
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Ep. 40 – Dr. Neal Jones: Atheist/Humanist Minister
In this episode of A Matter of Doubt we hear from an atheist preacher, Dr. Neal Jones. Neal is the minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Columbia, SC. As a young adult, Neal considered himself a somewhat liberal Baptist, but he shed his beliefs as he began embracing a more accepting environment in the UU community. Some of Neal’s sermons can be found in the link below.
“There’s no reason we shouldn’t examine our religious ideas and beliefs as thoroughly as we examine everything else in life.” – Neal Jones
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Ep. 39 – Laestadianism: An Examination of the Pearl with Edwin Suominen
In the latest episode of A Matter of Doubt we interview Ed Suominen, author of An Examination of the Pearl. Ed recently left the Laestadian Lutheran Church after 40 years of belief. He cites learning about evolution as his primary motivation for losing his fundamental beliefs in Christianity. We discuss in detail what it was like growing up in, what some have called of this denomination, “a cult” and tackle the issue of original sin and seeking forgiveness for being human.
Learning to Live Free – A Blog for ex-Laestadians
We Sinners: A Novel by Hanna Pylväinen
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