Graceful Atheist Podcast

My returning guest this week is Jimmy. Jimmy and I review Julia Galef's book Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't. We explore the book from two lenses: Deconversion and Secular Grace. Jimmy brings an intense focus on humility, self-honesty and truth seeking to the conversation. The perfect complement to Julia's book. Julia GalefThe best description of motivated reasoning I've ever seen comes from psychologist Tom Gilovich. When we want something to be true, he said, we ask ourselves, "Can I believe this?," searching for an excuse to accept it. When we don't want something to be true, we instead ask ourselves, "Must I believe this?," searching for an excuse to reject it.
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In contrast to directionally motivated reasoning, which evaluates ideas through the lenses of "Can I believe it?" and "Must I believe it?," accuracy motivated reasoning evaluates ideas through the lens of "Is it true?" Links Jimmy's first appearance on the podcast
https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/09/20/jimmy-deconversion-anonymous/ Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't
https://amzn.to/3nFCKd9 Soldiers and Scouts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfRC8ZgBXZw Why Buddhism is True
https://amzn.to/3nGnXyM Humanist Ten Commitments
https://americanhumanistcenterforeducation.org/ten-commitments

Daryl Davis, who attends KKK rallies and has helped many leave:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daryl_Davis Interact Full show notes
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/09/19/book-review-scout-mindset-with-jimmy/ Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. My guest this week is Sara. Sara is "a musician from a home of musicians." She grew up in an Assemblies of God church in a "vibrantly faithful home." She spent her teen years in a "cool" Southern Baptist Church. She then spent some time in Acts 29 churches and Reformed theology. To round things out she attended a Presbyterian (PCA) church. Sara started having doubts in college, but she was able to ignore them for some time. They eventually wore her down. Parenthood was the last straw. She realized she loved her son more than God loved anyone. God's "hiddenness" was neglect that any parent could recognize. Sara had been a worship leader. This usefulness kept her in the church longer than she would have otherwise. It also contributed to her deconversion as she saw what church was like "back stage." Now Sara writes on her blog, Former Protagonist, about her deconversion experience. She is also exploring Humanism and loving her family. Links Former Protagonist Blog
https://formerprotagonist.blogspot.com/ Interact Full show notes
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/09/12/sara-deconversion-anonymous/?gaid=gap88 Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap88Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap88 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. My guest this week is Joel. Joel grew up in the WELS Lutheran church. He met his wife at a Christian group during college. They attended a few churches, one of which was Mars Hill, Mark Driscoll's church. Joel began to question what he had been taught. He began noticing discrepancies in scripture. He began to see the way the Church handled LGBTQ rights and the role of women was wrong. He was able to reconnect with his sister as they grieved the loss of his grandfather. He discovered that she had deconstructed as well. He began to see atheism as not just reductionist and evil but as a viable option. Today he is making his unequally yoked relationship work with mutual respect and love. And he is experiencing "absolute joy that the shackles are off." Interact Full show notes
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/08/29/joel-deconversion-anonymous/ Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap87Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap87 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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My guest this week is Stephanie, the host of the StephUp Podcast where she "delve[s] into different topics to learn more about the world and more about ourselves." Stephanie had me on her podcast to delve into atheism. In this episode, Stephanie describes her journey of deconstruction of Christianity, politics and conservative culture. She is focused on caring for people and shedding racism, sexism and abusive behavior within and without the Church. Stephanie lives up to the honesty contest while describing: the burden of a "relationship with God," purity culture and being single in the Church, and her disappointments with Church leadership. Ultimately, I believe Stephanie is an important voice of change within the Church. Links StephUp Podcast
https://stephuppodcast.com/ What should Dragon Do
https://www.stephanieannwebb.com/ Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/stephup_podcast/ Twitter
https://twitter.com/steph_ann_webb My interview on the StephUp podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-about-atheism-with-the-graceful-atheist/id1527866039?i=1000530710497 Interact Jon Steingard interview
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/01/03/jon-steingard-the-wonder-and-the-mystery-of-being/Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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My guest this week is Eli Fuhrmler-Wheeler. Eli grew up going to Awanas at an Evangelical Free church. Eventually, he attended an Assemblies of God church and spoke in tongues. His parents forbade him from going to that church and "of course I felt they were keeping me from the gates of heaven and pulling me into hell." Eli's childhood was traumatic in many ways. He experienced sexual abuse, neglect, his mom was very sick her whole life, her boyfriends were abusive, his father had an antisocial personality disorder, and he lived on and off in foster homes. Eli sought the comfort of drugs and alcohol. He discovered he was a lesbian. He was told he was going to hell by his family. As an adult, he began a relationship with his now-wife. At 30 he realized he was a man and began transition. Eli has faced rejection by family and some friends. However, his gracefulness through it all has won some of them over. Eli deconstructed from Christianity through the years. He has explored various world religions including Norse Heathenry and various mystic traditions. Transition and therapy have given Eli the wholeness he deserves. Eli and his wife show unconditional love for one another. This is the relationship that Eli has experienced grace for himself. Links Secular Therapy
https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Religious Trauma Institute
https://www.religioustraumainstitute.com/ Interact Thank you for nominating the podcast for the People's Choice award in the Religion and Spirituality category
https://www.podcastawards.com/Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap85Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap85 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. My guest this week is Jason, the son of a pastor. He grew up in the independent Christian Churches, an offshoot of the Church of Christ that allows music. He grew up doing "sword drills" and was a devout teenage believer. He participated in Bible memorization contests. He became a musician and participated in worship bands for years. In Jason's young adulthood he began to question his own interpretation of the Bible. Why was bad language bad? Why the limited role of women in the church? How could a loving god send people to Hell? Eventually, the disparity between the idea of a loving god and the reality of the world and the suffering of innocent children led to his deconversion. Jason's wife is still a believer though they both deconstructed from Evangelicalism and started participating in an Episcopal church. They are making an "unequally yoked" relationship work based on love, equality and mutual respect. Links Captain Cassidy interview
https://gracefulatheist.com/2019/10/17/captain-cassidy-roll-to-disbelieve/?gaid=gap84 Roll To Disbelieve
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/rolltodisbelieve/ Interact Full show notes
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/08/08/jason-deconversion-anonymous/?gaid=gap84 Deconversion Anonymous
https://gracefulatheist.com/category/podcast/deconversion-anonymous/?gaid=gap84Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap84Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap84 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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My guest this week is Geoffrey Wallis, author of A Voice From Inside: Notes on Religious Trauma in a Captive Organization. Geoffrey is Physically In but Mentally Out (PIMO) of the Jehovah's Witnesses. After recognizing the religious trauma and the cognitive dissonance he was experiencing he found help through therapy. He remains within the Watchtower organization because it is a "captive organization" which enforces shunning by family members and friends. Geoffrey's book, A Voice From Inside: Notes on Religious Trauma in a Captive Organization, is an evenhanded look at life inside a High Demand Religious Group. Geoffrey shows Secular Grace in his documenting his personal experience. It is incredibly well written and interesting to read. Links A Voice From Inside: Notes on Religious Trauma in a Captive Organization
https://amzn.to/3BRvmjv Website
https://www.wallisbooks.com/ Interact Nominate and Vote for the Graceful Atheist Podcast on the Podcast Awards
https://www.podcastawards.com/app/nominationsDeconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap83Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap83 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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My guest this week is David. David is the son and grandson of pastors. He does has have good memories of growing up in the church and he credits his parents with restraint. As an adult, he became more fundamentalist. He was a Southern Baptist and went through a very strong Calvinist phase. David taught apologetics classes. He delved into apologetics to qualm his own questions. But teaching apologetics on topics like the Trinity led to more doubt not less. It was a re-read through the Bible where he began to recognize the god of the Bible is not a loving one. The full implications of Reformed theology began to have horrifying implications. Ultimately, David deconverted and now calls himself agnostic. Today David is the co-host of the That's Questionable podcast Links Website
http://thatsquestionable.net/ Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thatsquestionablepodcast/ Twitter
https://twitter.com/thatsquestiona1 Interact Nominate and Vote for the Graceful Atheist Podcast on the Podcast Awards
https://www.podcastawards.com/app/nominations Full show notes
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/07/25/david-thats-questionable/?gaid=gap82 Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap82Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap82 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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My guest this week is Daniel Kelly, the new co-host of When Belief Dies. Daniel began as a Charismatic Christian, moved to an Orthodox Christian church, and eventually was at a Bible church that preached through every verse in the bible. Daniel was a dedicated Christian working in a Christian non-profit helping those with disabilities. His mother had MS when he grew up so he was focused on helping his family through difficult times and did not always get to be a kid. Daniel's feminism and belief in the humanity of the LGBTQ community led to moral objections to some of the harder Biblical passages that do not uphold the humanity and full autonomy of everyone. His serious investigations into theology and the Bible were some of the early seeds that led to deconversion. The grief Daniel experienced leaving the faith and the loss were profound. He lost his faith, his community, the health of his relationship and on top of that the pandemic hit. He was isolated and alone. He experienced "Hell Anxiety" and worried he was a "vessel of wrath." The first year after deconversion was one of the most difficult of his life. He made it through and today he is the co-host of the When Belief Dies podcast. He is building healthy relationships and restoring family relations. He is experiencing the freedom to love people unconditionally. Links When Belief Dies Podcast
https://whenbeliefdies.com/ Recovering From Religion
https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/ Secular Therapy
https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interact Sam and Daniel interview me
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/05/23/sam-and-daniel-interview-david-ames-the-graceful-atheist/?gaid=gap81 Daniel and I interview Sam
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/when-belief-dies-bonus-inquisition-daniel-kelly-david/id1516058806?i=1000522850337 Tris Mamone's Finding Faith in Secular Grace
https://www.splicetoday.com/writing/finding-faith-in-secular-graceDeconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap81Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap81 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. My guest this week is Thomas. Thomas is a Missionary Kid. He was very close to his mother who passed away in her 40s when he was in middle school. Thomas went through real depression for years after losing his mother and losing his faith. We discuss the hardships of grieving a loved one without comforting beliefs. He went through bouts of self-medication including being immersed in the massively multiplayer online game, World of Warcraft. Thomas went on to become a professional scientist. The meditative nature of running was helpful. He also discovered actual meditation gave him peace. A rich and varied diet of podcasts also helped him along the way. He says he now experiences real joy that was only promised to him as a Christian. Interact Nominate and Vote for the Graceful Atheist Podcast on the Podcast Awards
https://www.podcastawards.com/app/nominations Full show notes
https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/07/11/thomas-deconversion-anonymous/?gaid=gap80 Deconversion Anonymous
https://gracefulatheist.com/category/podcast/deconversion-anonymous/?gaid=gap80 Deconversion
https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/?gaid=gap80Secular Grace
https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/?gaid=gap80 Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats
https://makaihbeats.net/

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