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TheThinkingAtheist

643 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 2.6K ratings

Seth Andrews, a former Christian broadcaster and believer for 30 years, ultimately escaped the bonds of superstitious thinking to embrace the more satisfying explanations that science provides.

A professional video producer and host of one of the most popular atheist communities on the internet, Seth Andrews brings a polished format, a relaxed environment and a rage-free challenge to the religious beliefs that defined his youth.

Science Education politics science atheist news religion atheism reason philosophy comedy humanism
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Episodes

Faces After Suicide: with Author/Producer Lindsey Doolittle

August 08, 2023 10:00 - 35 minutes - 48.9 MB

In this broadcast, we talk about the taboo: suicide. Author/Producer Lindsey Doolittle has directed two short films on the subject based on her own experience with the loss of a partner. This won't always be an easy conversation, but it remains a critical one, with plenty of suggested resources for navigating grief. ABOVE THE RUG: https://abovetherug.com FACES AFTER SUICIDE FILM: https://bit.ly/3CUSIXi VAN GOGH FILM: https://bit.ly/3Nu5XmJ GOFUNDME LINK TO DONATE: https://rb.gy/0bqof RFR: h...

Debunking the Funk: with Molecular Biologist Dr. Dan Wilson

August 01, 2023 10:00 - 33 minutes - 46.3 MB

What happens when a real scientist tackles the conspiracists? Dr. Dan Wilson is debunking the funk out there, and he joins us this week. Dan on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DebunktheFunkwithDrWilson Dan on Twitter: @Debunk_the_Funk VIDEO of this conversation on YouTube: (coming soon)

How "Sound of Freedom" Cheats the Children: with Damion Moore and Lynn Packer of American Crime Journal

July 25, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 84.8 MB

On this podcast, we take a second (and much deeper) dive into the hot-button issue of child sex trafficking as presented by the box office smash, "Sound of Freedom." What's real? What's not? And how can we support legitimate efforts to protect children? ACJ website: http://www.americancrimejournal.com

Kidnapping President Lincoln

July 20, 2023 14:25 - 7 minutes - 10.4 MB

A 6-minute bonus release from Seth Andrews' second podcast, "True Stories with Seth Andrews." Subscribe on all major podcast apps. http://www.truestoriespodcast.com

Can I Hear Cremated People in My Spirit Box? (and more listener calls)

July 18, 2023 10:00 - 46 minutes - 64.4 MB

It's random heathenry and shenanigans this week! Enjoy.

A Suspicious "Sound of Freedom"

July 14, 2023 10:00 - 31 minutes - 42.7 MB

The child-sex-trafficking thriller film "Sound of Freedom" has exploded onto the scene, especially among right-wing conservatives. But there's reason to suspect the producers and star are using a legitimate human rights horror to fuel Q conspiracies.

ALIEN JESUS: Cosmic Challenges to Earthly Religions

July 11, 2023 12:00 - 51 minutes - 70.9 MB

Join us for a conversation with philosopher Jonathan M.S. Pierce and physicist Aaron Adair about extraterrestrials and gods. Get the book: "Aliens and Religion: When Two Worlds Collide" VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/UP_ogEgY92w

Don't Debate? Rogan, Reality, & Science Theater

July 04, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes - 65.3 MB

Joe Rogan recently challenged vaccine scientist Dr. Peter Hotez to debate conspiracy crank RFK Jr. on his podcast. Educator Melanie Trecek-King of ThinkingIsPower.com joins me to discuss debate, science, and the best way(s) to change minds...even our own. VIDEO of this discussion: (coming soon)

I Didn't Choose to Be Born (and More Deep Existential Stuff)

June 27, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 90.9 MB

Plenty of rants and calls on this one, including an interesting conversation about whether being involuntarily born is a tresspass on one's right to never exist. Hmm.

Strange Allies: The Atheist and the Baptist (with Amanda Tyler)

June 20, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes - 64.9 MB

Amanda Tyler is Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Commission for Religious Liberty and lead organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism. She (and many Christians) are on the frontline fight against Christian Nationalism. VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/VP7S5BH73Qs

Gothard's God: Reflections on the Amazon Documentary "Shiny Happy People"

June 13, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 96.8 MB

A new Amazon docuseries is highlighting the destructive Quiverfull cult developed under the leadership of Bill Gothard. We continue the discussion this week. Divorcing Religion: https://www.divorcing-religion.com/ Heresy in the Heartland blog: http://heresyintheheartland.blogspot.com/

Dogs Cats A.I. (oh my!)

June 06, 2023 10:00 - 58 minutes - 79.7 MB

Seth apologizes to his dogs...and asks CHAT GPT to help out! Plus your calls!

Murder on Super 8

June 02, 2023 13:52 - 7 minutes - 10.4 MB

Here's a bonus clip (runs 7 minutes) from True Stories with Seth Andrews. Subscribe on all major podcast apps, and share with your people! :)

Talking Nerdy: with Cara Santa Maria

May 30, 2023 12:00 - 56 minutes - 77 MB

Cara Santa Maria is a science communicator and television host. She's been seen on everything from NetGeo to Brain Games to Netflix's "Bill Nye Saves the World." We talk life, death, science, religion, politics, sexism, skepticism, and more!

What the Hell is Wrong with Texas?

May 23, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 67.3 MB

Three Texas atheists join us to talk about the evangelical attack on our secular democracy in the second-largest state of the "union." It's a conversation with Aron Ra, Wil Jeudy, and Michelle Palmer.

DeSantis vs Disney: The Man Against the Mouse

May 16, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 85.4 MB

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is waging a Christian nationalist, authoritarian, cruel, and unconstitutional war on citizens, democracy, and Disney.

The Trouble with Tucker Carlson

May 09, 2023 12:00 - 53 minutes - 72.9 MB

Tucker Carlson was fired from Fox News, but he isn't going away. This show is a rapid-fire chronicle of some of Carlson's worst moments, and a warning about the millions who still love him.

If I Was the Intelligent Designer (PART TWO: with Dr. Abby Hafer)

May 02, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 66.9 MB

Evolutionary biologist Dr. Abby Hafer is author of the book, "The Not So Intelligent Designer." She thinks a Creator could have done much better.

If I Was the Intelligent Designer (PART ONE)

April 25, 2023 12:00 - 55 minutes - 76.1 MB

The Intelligent Design crowd keeps insisting that all things have been divinely fine-tuned just for us. In this show, we suggest some better ideas.

God-Awful Video Games (with Noah Lugeons)

April 18, 2023 12:00 - 55 minutes - 75.7 MB

Noah joins us to talk (hideous) Christian video games and films. Buckle up.

"Sorry About the Car Crash!" - GOD

April 11, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 82.6 MB

From within a pile of crashed cars, a local police department thanked God. Does this make any sense? Plus...your calls.

The Slots of Sin!

April 06, 2023 17:00 - 7 minutes - 10.3 MB

Here's a bonus for you...a 6 1/2 minute True Story about the war on (satanic?) slots in the mid-twentieth century. Enjoy! Subscribe: http://www.truestoriespodcast.com

Can Someone Hack My Brain? (with Professor Nita Farahany)

April 04, 2023 12:00 - 47 minutes - 65.7 MB

Nita Farahany is a law and philosophy professor at Duke Univerisity. She's also an expert on bioethics, genomics, AI, and she's author of the book, "The Battle for your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology." VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/92HhsKv_dHI

When the Future Feels Unfixable

March 28, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 91.4 MB

Feeling overwhelmed about the state of the world? You are not alone.

When the World Feels Unfixable

March 28, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 91.4 MB

Feeling overwhelmed about the state of the world? You are not alone.

The Grief Vampires

March 21, 2023 12:00 - 57 minutes - 78.8 MB

Skeptic and debunker Susan Gerbic joins the show to talk about celebrity psychics who prey on the grieving and vulnerable. Her team has spent years exposing these "grief vampires," and we discuss. http://www.abouttimeproject.org VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/gEVcnhnoY7g

Episode Number 666

March 14, 2023 12:00 - 39 minutes - 54.8 MB

One show. An episode milestone. Three Satanists. What could go wrong? VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/62IQwWlQBVQ

High on Oreos: Questions, Calls, and Lots of Sugar

March 07, 2023 13:00 - 48 minutes - 66.8 MB

Today's podcast is fueled by...cookies (and your calls). Enjoy!

Primates and Prejudice: with Dr. Frans de Waal

February 28, 2023 13:00 - 45 minutes - 62.1 MB

Frans de Waal is a world-reknowned primatologist, author, and educator with decades studying the animal kingdom. He joins Seth Andrews for insights about primate behavior in chimps, gorillas, bonobos, humans, and beyond. Frans de Waal info: https://bit.ly/3IIArQw VIDEO of this interview: https://youtu.be/KDXNv2CG5EY

Scared Straight? What "Troubled Youth" Programs Get Wrong (with Cyndy Etler)

February 21, 2023 13:00 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MB

Cyndy Etler is a life coach and author, focusing on struggling youth, and exposing many (often religious) "scared straight" programs doing more harm than good. VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/5gzbODFqGLA

My Family Called Me a Baby Killer (and other listener calls)

February 14, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 89 MB

In this week's show, it's rationality and humanity versus zealotry and bigotry...with plenty of listener calls.

Thinking Is Power: Why Knowledge Is Not Enough

February 07, 2023 13:00 - 48 minutes - 66.3 MB

Melanie Trecek-King is a biology professor and founder of Thinking Is Power. She has a lot to say about science education...and why the facts simply aren't enough. VIDEO of this conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bHLQXckjGno

The Man in the Gray Suit

February 04, 2023 13:00 - 6 minutes - 9.52 MB

Subscribe to "True Stories with Seth Andrews" on all major podcast apps, or visit http://www.truestoriespodcast.com

May I Ask for a Favor?

February 02, 2023 22:35 - 3 minutes - 4.5 MB

LINK: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-billboard-experiment

Teens and Designer Jeans: The Blaming and Shaming of Purity Culture

January 31, 2023 13:00 - 44 minutes - 61.4 MB

Fundamental religions are obsessed with sex, desperately trying to desexualize teenagers and control them through adulthood. This show exposes why Purity Culture is so futile, dishonest, and destructive.

Let's Explode the Universe (with Forrest Valkai and Gutsick Gibbon)

January 24, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 97.8 MB

What happens when two dynamic (and wildly entertaining) science educators come together to talk about evolution VS. creationism? This podcast answers the question. With Forrest Valkai and Erika / Gutsick Gibbon. VIDEO of this converstion

Rapture Anxiety: Fearing the End of the World

January 17, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 88 MB

Yes, rapture anxiety is a thing. We explore how End Times dogmas can distort reality and do immense harm, especially to indoctrinated children. CNN Article: https://cnn.it/3Vsg0dR

Christian Nationalists are Preparing for War: a Conversation with Brad Onishi

January 10, 2023 13:00 - 44 minutes - 61.6 MB

Professor Bradley Onishi is co-host of the Straight White American Jesus podcast and author of the new book, "Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism - and What Comes Next." VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/gqrf5FdVDPM

The Atheist and the Mysticist

January 03, 2023 13:00 - 57 minutes - 78.8 MB

Mysticist Andrew Jasko joins Seth Andrews for a candid, good-faith discussion about consciousness, spirituality, psychedelics, and interestingly, their shared values as harsh critics of dogmatic religions. Andrew's website: http://www.lifeafterdogma.org

The Gun Exchange

December 30, 2022 15:30 - 6 minutes - 9.06 MB

Enjoy this bonus episode from Seth Andrews' new podcast, and subscribe to True Stories with Seth Andrews on all major podcast apps.

#WomenLifeFreedom : Revolt and Revolution in Iran (with Maryam Namazie)

December 27, 2022 13:00 - 44 minutes - 61.4 MB

Seth Andrews speaks with Iranian-born activist Maryam Namazie about the historic uprising underway in Iran. www.maryamnamazie.com YOUTUBE VIDEO VERSION OF THIS INTERVIEW: https://youtu.be/vcmURmEFP2U

That's It, You're Dead to Me: When Does Someone Become "Toxic?"

December 20, 2022 13:00 - 52 minutes - 71.6 MB

Here's a messy little conversation about mental health in the meme-verse. When do we necessarily use (and sometimes overuse) the term "toxic?" Article in The Atlantic: https://bit.ly/3HbV6w0 Dr. Tarico's article: https://bit.ly/3P9gxjk

A Christmas Story (no, not that one)

December 13, 2022 13:00 - 40 minutes - 56.2 MB

Seth Andrews has written an original Christmas tale, which he shares after a short monologue (rant) about the holidays. Enjoy!

The QAnon Rabbit Hole

December 06, 2022 13:00 - 37 minutes - 51.9 MB

Courtney Heard, co-host of the Q-Dropped podcast, joins us for this discussion about the Q conspiracy culture. PODCAST LINK: https://www.porthosmedia.net/qdropped

The Phantom God: What Neuroscience Reveals about the Compulsion to Believe (with Dr. John Wathey)

November 22, 2022 13:00 - 31 minutes - 43.3 MB

Neuroscientist Dr. John Wathey joins us for a deep dive into belief and the brain. THE BOOK: https://amzn.to/3UX5vzk

The World's Most Dangerous Toys

November 18, 2022 13:05 - 8 minutes - 11.8 MB

Here's a 7-minute true story sampled from Seth's second podcast. Search and subscribe on your podcast app to True Stories With Seth Andrews.

You Are Evil and You Must Be Destroyed: Regaining our Humanity in an Inhumane World

November 15, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 83.1 MB

Seth Andrews speaks candidly about his own struggles as a human and activist in this polarized and often outrageous world. VIDEO OF THIS SPEECH: https://youtu.be/9fWL8NnuzoA

Damn the Door Knockers: Porch Proselytizers and My Injured Dog

November 08, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 102 MB

Seth recently had a bad experience with a church lady on his front steps. This rant/show is largely unprepped and perhaps unhinged, but it's from the heart.

Never Let a Creationist "Teach" Evolution (with Forrest Valkai)

November 01, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 87 MB

Biologist Forrest Valkai has something to say about science education, evolution, creationists, and Tyrion Lannister. This is a fun one. VIDEO of this conversation: https://youtu.be/7GKYPGgFVh0 www.valkailabs.com https://www.youtube.com/c/renegadescienceteacher

I'm Afraid of Scrubbing Bubbles: A Show About Strange Phobias

October 25, 2022 12:00 - 50 minutes - 69 MB

Some scares. Some science. Enjoy this October journey into our rational - and irrational - fears.

Guests

John W. Loftus
3 Episodes
Lucien Greaves
3 Episodes
Robert M. Price
2 Episodes
Andrew Torrez
1 Episode
Bill Nye
1 Episode
Caitlin Doughty
1 Episode
Cara Santa Maria
1 Episode
Carolyn Porco
1 Episode
Elizabeth Loftus
1 Episode
Hector Garcia
1 Episode
Katherine Stewart
1 Episode
Michael Shermer
1 Episode
Monica Miller
1 Episode
Oprah Winfrey
1 Episode
Penn Jillette
1 Episode
Peter Boghossian
1 Episode
Ravi Zacharias
1 Episode
Richard Dawkins
1 Episode
Steven Hassan
1 Episode
Trevor Noah
1 Episode

Books

Behind the Curtain
1 Episode

Twitter Mentions

@skepticzone 1 Episode
@debunk_the_funk 1 Episode
@c_stroop 1 Episode
@markshostrom 1 Episode
@nuriyahk 1 Episode
@arminnavabi 1 Episode
@dwdcanada 1 Episode