Beyond Atheism Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Alex Zamușinski, a PhD Candidate at the University of California, Riverside. Alex stops by to tell us about his research on the Clergy Project, an organization which provides peer support for clergy members who have begun questioning their faith. In addition to the scope and scale of the project, Alex teaches us about what causes religious leaders to lose faith, the risks they face, and why they sometimes stay in their roles. We also ask whether a True Clergy Project Member can still enjoy their job despite their nonbelief. More on the Clergy Project: https://clergyproject.org/ Listen to the first episode of the Lifestances Podcast, “Being Nonreligious: Matters of Life and Death”: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YBUeYlwr9ePAg4NYgxNzE Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

In this episode, we talk with Chrissy Stroop, an ex-evangelical writer, speaker, and advocate. We talk about Chrissy’s journey out of evangelicalism, her creation of the hashtag #EmptyThePews, and her thoughts on Christian nationalism today. We also talk about Christian privilege and how it can be unwittingly maintained even by atheists. In the lightning round, we learn whether a “true atheist” can be a Christian nationalist.In the bonus section, available exclusively to supporters on Patreon, we talk with Chrissy about her time studying and teaching in Russia, and how her experience foreshadowed the state of Russia today.Chrissy’s website: https://cstroop.com/ Chrissy’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cstroop Chrissy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/C_Stroop Find Chrissy’s article on Religion Dispatches: https://religiondispatches.org/author/chrissy_stroop/And on openDemocracy: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/author/chrissy-stroop/ Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Juhem Navarro-Rivera, the Managing Partner and Research Director at Socioanalítica Research LLC, and the author of Secular Politics, a weekly newsletter exploring the role of secular people in American political life. We talk about Juhem’s recent work exploring secular legislators in the United States, at the national and state levels: who they are, where they come from, and why secular people are so underrepresented. We discuss what atheists and the nonreligious need to do to ensure they get more representation in the halls of power. We also find out whether a “true atheist” can lie about being religious to please a family member.In the bonus section, available exclusively to supporters on Patreon we delve into the underlying systems of power, institution-building, and how the existing secular network can be expanded. We talk with Juhem about the religious politics of the Supreme Court and when he predicts the first atheist president will be elected in the US.Check out Juhem’s newsletter, Secular Politics: https://secularpolitics.substack.com/And Juhem’s latest article in Interfaith America: https://www.interfaithamerica.org/tamales-secular-candlemas/Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

In this episode, we’re joined by David Ames, the host of the Graceful Atheist podcast. David takes us through his own deconversion story and reveals the surprising fact that what led him out of the church was the same thing that led him to join in the first place. He also describes the intense personal feelings that accompany the steps deconverts often face when leaving a faith. We also learn what it means to be a “graceful atheist” and how to meaningfully support people when they begin leaving religion. In the “Can a True [Graceful] Atheist” round, we ask David whether a true graceful atheist can share memes making fun of religion.In the bonus section, available exclusively to supporters on Patreon, we talk with David about his thoughts on deconverting alone and the rapid increase in people leaving religion in the past two decades.Graceful Atheist podcast: https://gracefulatheist.com/podcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GracefulAtheist Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Sharday Mosurinjohn, an Associate Professor in the School of Religion at Queen’s University in Canada. We learn about the current use of psychedelics as well as their links to religion in both the past and present. Sharday talks about the universal connections and spirituality found through mind-altering chemicals. Along the way we meet a few mechanical elves. We also ask whether a “true psychonaut” can believe in an afterlife or attend a church.In the bonus section, available exclusively to Patreon supporters, we talk with Sharday about the aesthetics of psychedelics, issues around drug prohibition, and her current book.For more on Sharday: https://shardaymosurinjohn.com/ Check out her latest book, The Spiritual Significance of Overload Boredom: https://www.mqup.ca/spiritual-significance-of-overload-boredom--the-products-9780228011538.phpFollow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Or on Mastodon: https://zirk.us/@NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

In this episode, we talk about death with Tom Clark, a philosopher and the creator of Naturalism.org. Without a heaven (or hell), is there just an empty void awaiting us after our deaths? This is a mistake, says Tom. Rather, using thought experiments about the nature of consciousness, Tom suggests there is just more experience after our own deaths, though not *our* experience. We explore this idea, called Generic Subjective Continuity, and ask what its implications are for thinking about death, and ethics more generally. We also learn whether a True Naturalist can believe we’re just a brain in a vat being experimented on by a mad scientist.In the bonus section, available exclusively to supporters on Patreon, we ask Tom for his thoughts on whether we live in a computer simulation (and if it would make a difference if we were). We also talk about free will and the idea of time as an illusion in a “block universe.”Check out some of Tom’s articles:Death, Nothingness, and Subjectivity: https://www.naturalism.org/philosophy/death/death-nothingness-and-subjectivity Naturalism and Well-Being: https://www.naturalism.org/worldview-naturalism/naturalism-and-well-being Nathan and Todd recently appeared on the Graceful Atheist podcast: https://anchor.fm/gracefulatheist/episodes/Nathan-and-Todd-Beyond-Atheism-e1qmpe9 Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Or on Mastodon: https://zirk.us/@NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/podcasts

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Timothy Stacey, a researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Past episodes of Beyond Atheism have examined the “secular paradox” and the isolation felt when people begin to challenge and lose their faith. In this episode we talk about creating and maintaining community using myth and magic (but they don’t mean what you think they mean!). We learn about Tim’s research with the Metro Vancouver Alliance and how it can teach us to forge meaningful atheist spaces. In the lightning round, we get a surprising answer about belief in God!In the bonus section, available exclusively to supporters on Patreon, we ask Tim about how we can create communities between people with widely divergent viewpoints. We also learn his thoughts on recent environmentalist protests like throwing soup at a Van Gogh painting.Check out Tim’s book, Saving Liberalism from Itself: The Spirit of Participation: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/saving-liberalism-from-itself For more on Tim: https://www.uu.nl/staff/TJStacey Follow Tim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/godsandsods Nathan and Todd recently appeared on the Graceful Atheist podcast: https://anchor.fm/gracefulatheist/episodes/Nathan-and-Todd-Beyond-Atheism-e1qmpe9 Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/podcasts

In this episode, we’re joined by Gayle Jordan, the Executive Director of Recovering from Religion. We talk about how Gayle’s organization helps people through the pain and difficulty associated with leaving a faith. Additionally, we learn about many of the specific problems and traumas caused by religion through Gayle’s fascinating personal story of leaving the Southern Baptist church later in life and how it led her to Recovering from Religion. Finally, we learn whether a “True Atheist” can think religious people are stupid and what’s so great about a covered dish supper.In the bonus section, available exclusively to our Patreon supporters, we talk more about life as a Southern Baptist, the few outlets from religious repression offered in the community, and concerns over reading Harry Potter.[Note: This episode was edited to replace some of the questions due to technical difficulties. Gayle is a fantastic conversationalist and her answers remain unchanged.]For more on Recovering Religion: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/ If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism We are grateful for every contribution.Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/podcasts