THIS WEEK - Evolutionary Psychology (Maybe), You Wanna Bet?, and Killing Peter Rabbit ... plus Another Goddamned Puzzle
Man: the questioning animal. Is there a psychologist in the house? No? Good. It's safe for the Herd to weigh in on evolutionary psychology. While none of us know much about the field, it doesn't stop us from discussing it and its relationship to gods and woo. Who’s flawed, wooists or those who use reason? Or are neither flawed? Is there a specific "god gene"? (0:00)
More on evolutionary psychology. OG is presented with a nightmare "desert island scenario," and turns down the opportunity of a lifetime. Is there an evolutionary advantage to reason? How about woo? (15:43)
Pascal's wager, and woo, and god. If you accept the bet without really believing — is that good enough for god? We try to figure out: How in the hell do we get in to heaven? Seriously, though, do some Christians make believe that they've made themselves believe? (32:07)
The new atheist video game - murder Abraham, Jesus, and Mohammed. Is that any fun? Remember: We have several hardcore gamers in our ranks. Results of Another Goddamned Puzzle from Podcast 16, and a new challenge. Can Venjanz do it again? (49:21)
Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [14:40]: excerpt from "Jesus Loves Me feat. Satan"
Bridge Music [30:26]: excerpt from "The Atheist's Hymn"
Bridge Music [48:17]: excerpt from "Swing to the Left"
Closing Music [1:08:24]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)
Original audio source
This Week's Goddamned Links
The Moral Animal by Robert Wright
Pascal's Wager
The New Atheist Video Game
More on (Moron?) the Game
Wired on the New Game
Tommy's "Pledge Project"
Puzzling Listener
Venjanz
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19 comments:
Re: choosing to believe - I don't think a person can choose whether or not to believe. A large part of the grieving process I endured in the final stage of my deconversion was based on the recognition that I no longer believed and might not be able to do so again. My searching of Christian literature, the Bible, etc., was geared toward finding some foundation for restoring my belief. I couldn't do it. I think, based on my sample of one, that once belief has been lost, it can't be recovered simply because one wants to recover it. I really wanted to believe again and was terrified of not believing any more. I've adjusted to my nonbelief since then and I now find it much more liberating than religious belief was. But I know that nonbelief is a scary thing for a serious life-long believer to contemplate. It may be hard for lifelong nonbelievers to understand, but true believers honestly cannot conceive of life without God. Crossing from religious belief to nonbelief is huge paradigm shift.
OG's comment about "talking and/or living as if one believes wholeheartedly will lead to heartfelt belief and experience" is much like the way the deacon described his experience. For a long time, he felt his faith fading away and resisted the process by holding onto that ideal: if I live it, I will eventually get it.
Chappy said: true believers honestly cannot conceive of life without God. Crossing from religious belief to nonbelief is huge paradigm shift.
True, I think, that they can't "conceive" of it. Yet once they get to the point of personal acceptance, it seems like most (if not all) find the paradigm less frightening. It (like many fears) is the thought of it, more than the reality.
Overall, I found the entire podcast entertaining. Do any of you listen to the older ones to compare? The production, discussion topics, music… everything get better every week.
I thought the discussion on “Pascal’s wager” was very informative, as this is something I think about often, but I have never heard that term before.
The video game… I was offended for about .4 seconds, but then I realized that some of my favorite games were GTA, Hitman, and Postal 2… Jesus would frown on me clubbing a woman over the head, taking a piss on her while she begged for help, and then pouring gasoline on her and tossing a match while making smart ass comments, then while she was running away trailing flames behind her, shooting her in the back of the head with a Desert Eagle .50. Naw, He wouldn’t approve of the smile on my face while I played Postal 2.
Yeah it sucks to be tied in with the nuts that have similar, but very different leanings on the internet.
BTW, why do you guys hate America? Sorry if answering my question will take away from your Communist Party meetings or self-criticism session with Commissar Obama.
P.S. Ex, where in my decoder ring? What, do you work for Comcast or something?
Venjanz:
We hate America because so many Americans ask us why we hate America.
We love the America that recognizes the right to shoot others and create mayhem in our video games, but hate the America that would be offended by a nipple. We love the America that respects the Constitution but hate the America that sees it as an obstacle. We love the America that has a separation of church and state but hate the America that thinks it's just a one way street. We love the America that values its people, and hate the America that doesn't beyond their exploitive value. We love the America that embraces equality, and hate the America that thinks some are inherently more equal than others.
Don't turn around, uh-oh
Der Kommissar's in town, uh-oh
That was commie thing a joke BTW. Huh. Seemed funny last night.
Venjanz:
That was commie thing a joke BTW.
That was translated from Russian sentence sounds like. You are commie youself maybe, nyet?
Der Kommissar is no joke. This is what some of us had to suffer listening to as kids.
New game - spot the red. I believe Ex gets a point.
Я не знаю ничего чего вы говорите, камрадов
That was commie thing a joke BTW.
I thought Venjanz was breaking into Yoda-speak.
Mmmrrrmm, Yoda he may be
Haha that's awesome man.
I won't call it a change in quality (because I think you have always been quite good)but the last 2-3 have been very entertaining from an international standpoint.
Venjanz said: Overall, I found the entire podcast entertaining. Do any of you listen to the older ones to compare?
"God" forbid! First I talk. Then I listen to myself talk (preparing the show). Listen to it AGAIN, later? Oh, HELL no! But I'm not discouraging others. I think everyone should listen to each show at least twice.
Like like no uh uh uh uh uh uh I can't stand, you know, listening to myself, you know.
I posted this on my blog awhile back...
Ex, you should consider this for your theme music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5nXpTuQ2jA
Huh?
Another wonderful episode. I am wondering though if OG should change her name to Atheist Eve after the Desert Island comments
Thanks Philly, I'm now using your creation as my profile pic.
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