In today’s episode of the Truth Wanted, Objectively Dan and Trust But Verify, use street epistemology to dig deep into a caller’s concept of a finely tuned universe and yield some fascinating responses!

John Paul in WA believes that design of the fine tuned universe is more likely than everything being here by accident and asserts that god used evolution as the process. The hosts respond with some finely tuned questions by compelling the caller to think through why he believes this. Why did god use evolution as this process? Who is in charge, god or nature? How would nature look if it were not designed, or how do you distinguish between something that is designed by god and something that isn’t? If this universe is fine tuned, what is it fine tuned for? We can draw a correlation between radiation from the sun and cancer. If this universe is fine tuned, why are there so many things trying to kill us? What other universe do we have to compare this to? How do we know the universe was not finely tuned and designed so that diamonds could be made? Why did not just not create electrons with minds and how do we know god’s intention? If the constants are necessary for the universe, how is it that a designer was free to choose them? Why did god design us to die of thirst after not having water for more than three days, and yet we can’t even drink 99% of the water on the earth? Dan closes the call by stating that John Paul has given the most intelligent defense to the fine tuning argument heard in years, and encourages future calls from John Paul. 

Thank you for observing the interesting call today; we would love to have more calls like this!  Kelley Laughlin joins us to remind us of the question of the week: What is the best reason to break the god damned second commandment? See you all next week!

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In today’s episode of Truth Wanted, Objectively Dan and Justin Frechette work through questions of rationality before digging deep into the ethics of Jesus and his tantrums. 

Michelle in NY asks the hosts about Carl Marx’s perception of religion being the opium of the masses. Dan comments that it may have been that religion was a way to quail the working class. Justin makes the parallel between opiates being addicting and the difficulties of leaving religion. The caller then asks a second question: Can we believe things rationally even though they may be unfalsifiable? Dan explains that exploring whether we can know things by reason alone will shed light on the answer to the question. Justin mentions that the awareness of something being unfalsifiable is a start for many people. 

Maykel in the Netherlands, answers affirmatively to the poll question of Jesus being good, and uses scripture to back up his belief. We can’t find a single reason why doing things like creating food for the masses was not good, however, why did Jesus not do that all the time? There are weaknesses in the idea that Jesus was the universal good. For example, why did he not correct all the horrible practices commanded in the Old Testament? How is Jesus superior to other people who have proposed ethical ways of living? He did some things that were questionable like throwing a tantrum and whipping a bunch of people. And cursing that fig tree was beyond uncool because the tree was just being a tree and figs were not even in season. When Jesus has a bad day, it is not fun to be on the other end of him losing his temper. Jesus was not the first to have the Son of God claim, and he certainly won’t be the last. Dig deeper into your Bible and read all the stories to fully understand and form an opinion on the atrocities. What conditions would have to be met for something in the Bible to not be true? How many things in the Bible can not be true before we discount the entire Bible?

Jon in Canada, asks if Jesus would be a socialist. Jesus had a lot of progressive ideas, but we can’t really say that he was a socialist because he did what he wanted and he, unfortunately, would have been a Christian Nationalist. 

Thank you for tuning in this week! Kelley Laughlin, our back up host joins us to close out the show and remind us of the question of the week: If you would re-write the Bible, what would it say? See you all next week and remember to always keep wanting the truth. 

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In today’s episode of Truth Wanted, Kelley Laughlin and Flabbergasted look for a baby in the bathwater where the air around them is still not proving that god exists. Jon in Canada, asks what Kelley’s religious background was and Kelley described how he stopped going to church around age 13 because the belief just did not make sense. Jon mentions a famous quote of not throwing the baby out with the bathwater. If there was a baby in the bathwater, what would it look like? The bathwater often drowns people into submitting to the belief of the baby being there, when there is no baby at all. Georgi in Bulgaria, has a belief that we are eternal beings because we want meaningful experiences. How is something true once we imagine it or just because we want it? Why don’t we remember our past lives? We can imagine all kinds of things, but how do we know when they are true? Show us the work and prove how wanting something makes it true. How do we find the value in our experiences if we have an infinite number of experiences? It is important to care about whether your beliefs are true or not. Sarah in Indonesia describes god as air is to the sound of music and that god is within everything that exists. Music is air’s reaction to a physical thing; music is not made out of air. We are experiencing everything around us right now and don’t experience god. What is missing from the experience? How would a quantum physicist approach this concept? Why should we even call this thing god and what purpose does this god serve? Thank you for joining us this week! Damien H, our back up and third host of the show states the question of the week: If you were invisible in a church service, what would you do? See you all next week on Halloween!

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In today’s episode of Truth Wanted, Objectively Dan and Christina Carroll tackle calls that challenge the basis of reality, from the cosmological origins of the universe to social phenomena and personal relationships. Christina, who is actively deconstructing, discusses how Christian influence is pervasive, like the fat marbled throughout Wagyu beef, requiring critical self-evaluation beyond theological concepts alone. The hosts are dedicated to addressing supernatural, pseudoscientific, and spiritual claims with critical thinking and compassion.

Levi in GA presents the fine-tuning argument, citing the universe’s precise laws and the astronomical improbability of abiogenesis as proof of an intelligent designer. Dan counters that this is a self-referential argument, as physical constants cannot be evaluated without existing within them, and questions why God is exempt from needing a creator. Christina critiques Levi’s belief system, which grants God glory whether prayers are answered or not, rendering the claim unfalsifiable. The hosts reference the Great Prayer Study and suggest Levi investigate current abiogenesis research for natural explanations.

Lane in LA theorizes that mysterious drone sightings around coastal cities last year were local governments searching for a lost nuclear weapon, noting increased no-fly zones during that period. Dan posits the phenomenon was more likely mass hysteria fueled by social media, coupled with increased public awareness of drone technology and surveillance. Lane suggests it is, at minimum, evidence of mass surveillance, which leads Dan to discuss the concept of "dead internet theory" and the difficulty of discerning real versus automated content online.

John in Canada, who is deconstructing, struggles to conceptually grasp same-sex attraction, insisting that attraction requires a male and female coming together for natural function. Christina explains that attraction is not something he is required to understand, and Dan notes that homosexual behavior is widely observed across the animal kingdom. The conversation shifts drastically when John asserts that the man should be the head of the house and the leader because he is "the strong one". Christina and Dan strongly reject this view, identifying it as misogynistic patriarchy implicitly enforced by Christianity, which must be deconstructed along with theology.

Thank you for tuning in this week! We will see you next time! and don't forget to add your answer to this week's We Want The Truth question: What is the best sci fi religion and why.


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Show notes will be posted upon receipt.

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In today’s episode Truth Wanted, Objectively Dan and Chris Mallard go back in time to 1976 and wrestle with the truths of NASA before unraveling whether aliens look like us or not. 

Castle of Aughhhh, a repeat caller in CA calls to make a claim that NASA lied about the faces on Mars found on some old photos. How do you know that if photos were filed improperly that it was done intentionally? Why would they put this out to the public in the first place if they wanted to cover it up so bad? How would the indigenous race on Mars have evolved to have faces that look like humans? You don’t have to believe everything you read, such as a book written in 1991 that says someone other than NASA was running around getting photos of Mars in 1976. Still better timing than the writing of the Gospels! 

Jon in Canada asks about us finding extraterrestrial life that did not look like us and how it would disprove the Bible saying that we were created in god’s image. How can we tell which planet would come from god? Even among humans, which one of us looks like god? The Biblical stories are very specific and don’t vibe with aliens.

Kelley Laughlin, our back up host joins us to close out the show and remind us of the question of the week: Which crypto would win in a fight and why? Remember to always keep wanting the truth!


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In this week's episode of Truth Wanted, Jon the Skeptick and special guest Calvin Smith (@UnquestionableCal) navigate a failed rapture prediction, challenge the notion of modern martyrdom, and explore whether the concept of god can exist without language.

Michelle in NY, a theist, calls to argue that all religion should be abolished due to the harm and division it causes. The hosts explore this contradiction, questioning how her personal beliefs might still influence her actions despite her wanting to keep them private. If one recognizes the danger in religious systems, what keeps them tethered to the core belief?

Jon in Canada believes the late Charlie Kirk was a hero who died for his beliefs and should be viewed as a martyr. Jon and Calvin strongly push back, clarifying that while his murder was tragic, it does not erase the racist and bigoted statements he made. When does honoring the deceased cross the line into sanitizing a harmful legacy?

Derek in TX proposes that god concepts are entirely dependent on human language and asks for advice on engaging with theists productively. The hosts recommend Street Epistemology, focusing on asking questions rather than making assertions to avoid defensiveness. Could this method be the key to more fruitful discussions across belief divides?

Thank you for tuning in this week, and we will see you next time, and don't forget to add your answer to this week's We Want The Truth question: Wrong answers only: Why didn't the rapture happen this time?.

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In today’s episode of Truth Wanted, Objectively Dan and Jimmy Jr. work through some family dynamics before diving into Biblical history showing the inconsistencies of gospels. 

Joseph in TX is looking for ways to help his siblings break free from the dogmatic lifestyle. It helps to start by exploring why you believe it is your responsibility to convince them of the harm this lifestyle can cause. The people that we are closest with often take the most offense with these things. Try and be the most consistent person you can be with these things. Remember that your brother’s decision is ultimately his. You can only lead a horse to water and it is not your responsibility at the end of the day.

Mikhail in MN makes the argument that if the Bible is true and reliable, then there is a high probability that god is real. How do you explain the 40 year gap between the time that Jesus lived and the gospels were written? Scholars agree that there is no way that these were not eyewitness accounts. When looking at Hebrew culture throughout the Bible, how does one discern propaganda against their oppressors from historical fact? If we found another contemporary source other than the Bible, does that mean we must believe it is true? The teachings of Christianity being different from other stories has nothing to do with whether Christianity is true or not. Christianity borrows from many of its predecessors and contemporaries and developed as a religion just like all the others developed, spreading to benefit itself. It is compelling to a poor person to convince them that all they need to do to get an afterlife is to believe in some guy that rose from the dead. 

Thank you for joining us this week! Flabbergasted, our back up host joins us to close out the show and remind us of the prompt of the week: Why are the aliens aiming comet 3I/Atlas at us? Remember to check yourself and always keep wanting the truth.

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In today’s episode of Truth Wanted, Kelley Laughlin and The Cross Examiner unravel some helpful points about a recent event before taking a caller who was not wearing his big boy pants. 

Jon in Canada, says that now is not the time to talk about the political stance of Charlie Kirk, people should not be saying he deserved to be shot, and we should be mourning him. As good humans, we can all condemn what happened, however, not everyone needs to grieve about it. One can care about the action and the outcome of the action, and at the same time be apathetic about the individual. If this is not the time to discuss the political stance of Charlie Kirk, when would be a better time to reflect on this? Is it cool to talk about his politics for people who agree with him, or does this rule only apply to those who oppose his views? What is the proposed solution for controversial figures being targets? How do we talk about politics without living in fear? Even when someone advocates for violence, nobody deserves what happened to Charlie Kirk. If you are a horrible person who is considering political violence, don’t do it because you will be creating a martyr. 

Catholic Traditionalist in Paris asks the hosts to define god, tries to shift the burden of proof with a bit of snark, and states that if the hosts answer his questions, it will prove god exists. To make sure that we don’t make false conclusions, we don’t start with an assumption and work backwards. Instead of complaining and claiming repression, why don’t you provide refutable proof that god exists? When you don’t call to have a conversation, and prefer to whine and complain instead, you are wasting time and you get dropped. Sorry we are not on your script, man. 

Thank you for hanging out with us tonight! Godless Engineer, our back up host closes out the show with us and shares the question of the week: What is a job you can get in heaven?

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