Reason & Religion: Austin DiValentino
From Almost Awakened – Almost Awakened by Brittney Hartley & Bill Reel
February 4, 2026 · 1h 41m
About this episode
The episode explores the tension between reason and religion through a conversation with Austin DiValentino about belief, doubt, and the pursuit of truth.
What happens when reason starts questioning itself? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Britt Hartley and Bill Reel sit down with Austin DiValentino, creator of the rapidly growing platform Reason & Religion (@austindivalentino). Austin has built a large following by exploring philosophy, belief, atheism, morality, and meaning—often asking the questions most people quietly avoid. While he has identified as an atheist, his thinking continues to evolve, and this conversation dives straight into the tension between certainty, doubt, and what it actually costs to pursue truth. Together, we explore: What led Austin to begin creating content around religion, philosophy, and critical thinking When belief or disbelief stops being theoretical and becomes deeply personal Whether reason and religion are truly opposed—or falsely framed as enemies Why modern humans vastly overestimate how rational we actually are Where reason genuinely helps us—and where it completely breaks down We also wrestle with some of the biggest existential questions people face after faith shifts: Can morality exist without God or a transcendent framework? Is losing belief in God harder—or losing belief that the…
People in this episode
Hosts: Britt Hartley, Bill Reel
Guest: Austin DiValentino
Topics covered
- philosophy
- belief
- atheism
- morality
- meaning
- critical thinking
- existential questions
Keywords
- reason
- religion
- certainty
- doubt
- morality without God
- existential questions
- philosophy
- critical thinking
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Reason & Religion
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