In this mini-episode, I wanted to discuss Daniel Dennett's theory of what we could call an "evolutionary tournament of the gods" & Jonathan Haidt's work in The Righteous Mind on the positive social value of religion.

In the waning years of our Secular Age, "the Universe" has become a popular euphemism for a sort of mindless "god" that is metaphysically necessary but is indifferent and capricious. Does this Secular God defeat Christian conceptions of God and lead humanity to a utopia of pure rationalism like Dennett & the New Atheists believe, or is it already proving to be a failure that leaves social groups without moral direction or any reason to selflessly give of themselves for the sake of others?

Does Jesus beat "The Universe" in an evolutionary tournament of the gods?

Today's episode is available on video at:

https://youtu.be/y7wGQsiTThg

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