Seth Andrews: From Religion to Reason

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  • čas přidán 29. 10. 2018
  • Seth Andrews chronicles his personal story for a live Minneapolis audience, the event sponsored by Minnesota Atheists.
    Support our sponsor: www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/seth

Komentáře • 2,7K

  • @leratopotgieter7826
    @leratopotgieter7826 Před 4 lety +296

    I'm so grateful for the internet... I get to learn so much and find comfort in people such as yourself... I'm from South Africa, from a little town called Springs... Not far from where Charlize Theron was born (Benoni)... Anyway, it's been a year now that I've left my religion (Christianity)... No one in this town understands. It's like everyone here is blind folded! So this is where I find my comfort, amongst rational thinkers such as yourself. Thank you! Much love!!

    • @steph7614
      @steph7614 Před 2 lety +22

      You should see if you have any secular humanist groups near you, or groups of that nature to meet like-minded people. Or start one! There are probably others who feel the same way. My aunt met her husband that way actually.

    • @TheMrblessed
      @TheMrblessed Před 2 lety +16

      @@steph7614 That is true. There is more of us like that... Just quiet and lowkey. Hard to find like minded people. However, I think if Seth could come out of it from Oklahoma?? Anything is possible even for us here in hyper religious South Africa.

    • @frankcastle13
      @frankcastle13 Před rokem +15

      I hope you're still doing good? Being an atheist in Africa is extremely hard as majority of people are so brainwashed.

    • @o0o-jd-o0o95
      @o0o-jd-o0o95 Před rokem

      @@frankcastle13 here in america they arent just brainwashed..... because in order to become brainwashed, you have to HAVE A BRAIN! that is the missing puzzle piece here. millions of empty heads just waddling around with phone lights shining in there eyes , causing blindness. millions of people claim to be religious , yet i would wager any amount of money to say 98% of them have never read a single word of the bible

    • @doraduplessis2727
      @doraduplessis2727 Před rokem +9

      I'm from Bloemfontein. Still not ready to tell everyone, but my children are with me, and that is very comforting.

  • @gdobie1west988
    @gdobie1west988 Před 5 lety +571

    It is always a pleasure to listen to Seth Andrews, the guy is a real gem.

    • @stephj9378
      @stephj9378 Před 5 lety +15

      just found thim,.I like him.he's on his path and i hope he continues.

    • @bruceshand8052
      @bruceshand8052 Před 5 lety +11

      @Mortachai Epstein Interesting way to put it but I can't disagree.

    • @rick420buzz
      @rick420buzz Před 5 lety +2

      If you smoke some weed then listen, watch out! His voice will become ASMR.

    • @savage1267
      @savage1267 Před 5 lety +1

      Agree

    • @8698gil
      @8698gil Před 4 lety +3

      I love his voice, too.

  • @isaimena40
    @isaimena40 Před 5 lety +57

    As a 18 year old I appreciate this video. Just months ago I have left my faith. Still live under my parents roof and I still have to go to church. They all think I’m a Christian ...

    • @qwertydog9795
      @qwertydog9795 Před 2 lety +16

      felt that one. I would suggest you get financially independent before telling them

    • @pucknhusker9426
      @pucknhusker9426 Před 7 měsíci +11

      such a shame that an invisible friend trumps there own kid.
      Good on you for thinking for yourself

    • @micmic9410
      @micmic9410 Před 4 měsíci +2

      Like I’ve told my parents- I’ll do the show just to accompany them. Free lunch afterwards. While they preach- “you can’t work on Sunday, day of Sabbath.” Try telling the working class trying to live that🤣. The hypocrisy!

  • @alexandrorocca7142
    @alexandrorocca7142 Před 5 lety +153

    Funnier than some Netflix stand-up specials.

    • @troyevitt2437
      @troyevitt2437 Před 5 lety +9

      Yeah, I'm as Liberal as it gets, but one can only take so much "Nigga"-this and "Trump"-that. The prude in me is long gone, but GRATUITOUS profanity for its own sake is played out. Example: Louis C.K. apparently thinks child-molestation is "edgy" humor.

    • @DraconicDuelist
      @DraconicDuelist Před 5 lety

      ... Ever heard of Demi Lardner?
      Filtered through actual humor to ease the pain:
      czcams.com/video/XWh8I_uXUyo/video.html
      czcams.com/video/kq7fkcBK3LA/video.html

    • @prabodhkumar8917
      @prabodhkumar8917 Před 4 lety

      @@DraconicDuelist ⁷

    • @stevebuss69
      @stevebuss69 Před 23 dny

      Low bar

  • @thejunksynchronhero
    @thejunksynchronhero Před 5 lety +162

    "I believe in science, I believe in people, I believe in my family!"
    Wow. How many times have I said that since I became an atheist. It's nice to know that there are others out there that get what I get.

    • @joecoolioness6399
      @joecoolioness6399 Před 5 lety +8

      Agreed. The difference of course is those things don't require belief to be real.

    • @raysalmon6566
      @raysalmon6566 Před 4 lety +2

      Well... so do people who know what Jesus said

    • @raysalmon6566
      @raysalmon6566 Před 4 lety

      thejunksynchronhero. . 10 months ago. . "I believe in science, I believe in people, I believe in my family!"
      Wow. How many times have I said that since I became an atheist. It's nice to know that there are others out there that get what I get.. 3 replies. 67 likes.
      Interesting so how do you use science to verify the first century Rome biographies...

    • @nickacelvn
      @nickacelvn Před 4 lety +5

      Well said sir well said keep up the good work and spread the word. The word is REASON. Not religion.

    • @nickacelvn
      @nickacelvn Před 4 lety

      @hatter00 poor family

  • @sonnyrosedeville9521
    @sonnyrosedeville9521 Před 3 lety +86

    Seth Andrews you are helping so many people break out of the chains of religion! Thank you

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 8 měsíci

      seth andrews is lucky the devil didn't possess him in an exorcism case and flip him on the spot.

    • @lightatthecape2009
      @lightatthecape2009 Před 7 měsíci

      He may be helping people out of their religion. The problem is that there is some glaring intellectual dishonesty on display as well.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 7 měsíci

      @@lightatthecape2009 You know I focus on the exorcism cases every second of my life it's like my air there is no separating from believe in my case.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 7 měsíci

      @@lightatthecape2009 Look into baba vanga predictions from 2022 to 5079 see 3,000 years into the future wow mind blown right mic drop.

    • @garybarnes1840
      @garybarnes1840 Před 6 měsíci

      Seth, What a Great Speaker you are.

  • @todorstoynov2362
    @todorstoynov2362 Před 3 lety +10

    Damn, that is one good public speaker. I'm taking a com class right now, which has made me pay attention to the way people deliver speeches, and this guy is just hitting all the boxes.

  • @CallingCorvidae
    @CallingCorvidae Před 2 lety +59

    I "came out" as an atheist (as well as gay, it qas kind of a double whammy lol) to my parents today, and I just wanted to say that this video helped me start that journey, and I really appreciate what you do.

    • @fran321tec
      @fran321tec Před 7 měsíci

      Double whammy indeed

    • @user-cd8xh1er5l
      @user-cd8xh1er5l Před 6 měsíci +1

      Nobody cares.

    • @heartsthekitteh6239
      @heartsthekitteh6239 Před 6 měsíci +6

      @@user-cd8xh1er5l As of right now, 32 people care.

    • @bozlinsk
      @bozlinsk Před 5 měsíci +1

      @@user-cd8xh1er5l Yes some of us do care. We care that someone is being their true self.

    • @DemstarAus
      @DemstarAus Před 5 měsíci

      I hope your life continues positively.

  • @InterestsMayVary2234
    @InterestsMayVary2234 Před 5 lety +167

    You reciting the pledge to the Christian flag and the Bible gave me cold chills. I remember those, though I didnt until you started saying them. Talk about a trigger. It's like looking back at another lifetime.

    • @russellbrooks23able
      @russellbrooks23able Před 5 lety +12

      It is like another life. My pastor and wife asked me what my old faithful self would say to my now atheist self. I now find it hard to "put my God glasses on" to come up with a faith-filled comment. Like those old filters are gone and I can longer filter my viewpoint through them.

    • @ryanaustin5400
      @ryanaustin5400 Před 5 lety +8

      Same. I had definitely repressed them.

    • @ZarkowsWorld
      @ZarkowsWorld Před 5 lety +9

      For someone that grew up in a country where no pledging is ever done, it truly evokes the feeling of some fascist state seeing kids having to do it.

    • @MegaChickenfish
      @MegaChickenfish Před 5 lety

      It's an interesting thought. I think I'd be proud of myself for my dedication to understanding things for myself. I don't think that ever changed, the only thing that did was me finally turning that onto my religion.

    • @wizardsuth
      @wizardsuth Před 2 lety +1

      The other day someone started a meeting by saying "Good morning, everyone", and for a moment I half expected everyone to reply with "Good morning, Father".

  • @austinjacob2412
    @austinjacob2412 Před 4 lety +109

    Your childhood is exactly how mine was growing up. The girls in my family couldnt even wear pants until they were 11. I was told all throughout my teen years I was destined to be a youth minister. Even at 33 my family still call me the one who's going to burn in hell and that I'm mad at god etc, etc. My own dad yelled at me last month for watching an Aronra video telling me that atheist are the most closed minded people out there. I'm still battling with my family. Your videos keep me going

    • @lynnebowles3224
      @lynnebowles3224 Před rokem +6

      Good luck to you ...stay strong.

    • @ottonormalverbrauch3794
      @ottonormalverbrauch3794 Před 8 měsíci +4

      I possibly do not fully realize what luck I had to grow up in a non religious household.
      Stay strong!

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 8 měsíci

      @@ottonormalverbrauch3794 you are very vulnerable you are very easy pray.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 8 měsíci

      @@ottonormalverbrauch3794 if you join the exorcist priest that would be life changing for you you would get to witness exorcism cases.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 8 měsíci

      @@ottonormalverbrauch3794 Look into the exorcism case of the rain man don decker.

  • @AlizaJayne
    @AlizaJayne Před 5 lety +160

    I was in the audience! Fantastic presentation!!! Thank you so much for coming to Minneapolis!

    • @jamesw6371
      @jamesw6371 Před 5 lety +3

      aliza goehner so jelly. I was in town for work, but couldn't get the day off!

    • @AlizaJayne
      @AlizaJayne Před 5 lety +1

      Wicked Jim oh mannn that sucks! He seems to keep being on tour and going around doing presentations, so maybe you can catch him at a different spot 👍
      It was 2 days after my birthday on the 23rd! Great (and cheap) bday gift to myself. They even served alcohol at the Minsky Theater too! Everyone was drinkin tall boys lol

    • @jamesw6371
      @jamesw6371 Před 5 lety +1

      aliza goehner I hit the cities there often. Maybe see ya at the next one.

    • @AlizaJayne
      @AlizaJayne Před 5 lety

      Wicked Jim nice! Minneapolis+the burbs seem like a *really* popular business travel location. I’m sure most cities have tons of hotels, but I feel like I’m *surrounded* by them at all times lol!

    • @ArthKryst
      @ArthKryst Před 5 lety

      Lucky girl

  • @thoughtlesskills
    @thoughtlesskills Před 5 lety +93

    The fragility of their iron-clad faith never fails to give me a chuckle.

    • @thoughtlesskills
      @thoughtlesskills Před 5 lety +13

      I wish it hurt to be that stupid.

    • @davidm5707
      @davidm5707 Před 5 lety +7

      My gosh, that's a lot of typing for bad satire. You need to put the /s symbol at the end.

    • @thoughtlesskills
      @thoughtlesskills Před 5 lety +18

      Lol, but you do think a magical man sprang from nothing to create complex matter.

    • @edsantosIsMusic
      @edsantosIsMusic Před 5 lety +16

      @@thoughtlesskills it's actually kinda hilarious how they completely ignore the hypocrisy of saying ''there's no way the universe was created from nothing'' (which btw, is a horrible simplification of the actual big bang theory) but believe in a deity that was created from the nothing

    • @drlegendre
      @drlegendre Před 5 lety +5

      These Christian flat-quacks are starting to become annoying.

  • @dionettaeon
    @dionettaeon Před 5 lety +371

    That phone call bit got my blood boiling real quick. People who care about their religion more than their own children are not fit to have children in the first place. The guilt-tripping is especially low. My mom to this day doesn't understand why religion upsets me so much, but of course she disassociates with all these horrible aspects about it which are the very reasons (mind you, she's far from being a fundi nut-job, thank goodness). She still doesn't think she or my dad lied to me. Oh, if only... I just wish I was able to free them from this scam they were raised in.

    • @Antis14CZ
      @Antis14CZ Před 5 lety +58

      @@johnny50424 Atheism is the default position. When you're born, you know nothing about the world, nothing about any kind of belief system. Children have to be TAUGHT religion to BECOME religious. If you don't, they won't.
      Therefore, religion is the thing that's added to the default state, not the other way around. Therefore, religion is the thing that needs to be proven.
      Please prove that your religion is true.

    • @EvolBob1
      @EvolBob1 Před 5 lety +11

      Dionette
      I have no problem being preached to, because I have little faith I'd be able to de-convert anyone, and I'm not sure that would be a good thing. Some people need religion, and some are better for it. What I'd do is show I'm not an evil baby eater : ), and show respect for their position. Most have been indoctrinated from childhood and can't help it, but I would point out the reasons for why bad ideas are BAD.
      Using reason and local argument is unfamiliar territory, and the preaching will soon stop, to changing the subject...its getting colder - the weather... eh?

    • @EvolBob1
      @EvolBob1 Před 5 lety +26

      @vvenomm 492
      These two (​John ama a Jesucristo ) are not interested in any discussion with us atheist vermin, and it is a sure bet they didn't watch the hour long video above. They are an excellent example of how early indoctrination of religion, will stifle the brains development of their ability to reason.

    • @anonymousjohnson976
      @anonymousjohnson976 Před 5 lety +4

      @@johnny50424 Watch the You Tube video: Welcome To This World.

    • @dionettaeon
      @dionettaeon Před 5 lety +29

      Bob Smith; A) Atheism is NOT a religion, just like abstinence is not a sex position and sitting on the couch is not a sport. B) We are not born to "seek god". We evolved with the cognitive habit of assigning agency to just about anything (ex. rustling in the grass) because it increased our chances of survival and avoid being killed by predators. And C) Science DOES deal in proof, making claims based on the evidence and correcting the claims accordingly, not making baseless assertions of magic.

  • @lloydmeadors
    @lloydmeadors Před 5 lety +80

    The phone call is heart wrenching

    • @Realbillball
      @Realbillball Před 5 lety +4

      It certainly is.

    • @annonomowz4903
      @annonomowz4903 Před 5 lety +15

      Yeah that was very well done. My mischievous side was really hoping for an understated "oh yeah and I'm gay" at the end,

    • @DeadInside-ct6dl
      @DeadInside-ct6dl Před 5 lety +5

      That phone call sounds like my mother. It's always about my parents and what I owe to them.

    • @steggyweggy
      @steggyweggy Před 5 lety

      It’s terrible for me because I fear the moment I will need to have that conversation.

    • @agrandcanyonoffucksgiven2776
      @agrandcanyonoffucksgiven2776 Před 5 lety

      @@steggyweggy When you finally do, you may see the true force that indoctrination has on someone if you havent yet. Good luck.

  • @markchip1
    @markchip1 Před 5 lety +218

    It is so terrifying to think about just how much power religion has in and over the lives of Americans! Not too dissimilar to the control Islam exerts in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries...

    • @mistylover2082
      @mistylover2082 Před 5 lety +16

      Religion is a cancer and the emperor of ultimate evil garbage as God IS. It's a disease and poison how did beliefs in magic supernatural GODs get this far and is healthy in humanity??? That's horrible and stupid and sad I feel sick and sorry for grown adults as a species who still and may forever be cursed and inslave by such a poison that is insulting to the very core and embarrassing.

    • @wileycoyotegenius1
      @wileycoyotegenius1 Před 5 lety

      @@mistylover2082 you have my sympathies,

    • @mistylover2082
      @mistylover2082 Před 5 lety +2

      @@wileycoyotegenius1 what's that supposed to mean again.

    • @prudencegrahame1519
      @prudencegrahame1519 Před 5 lety +1

      And the nazis.

    • @ThermaL-ty7bw
      @ThermaL-ty7bw Před 4 lety +4

      much MUCH worse then ANY other country , in other countries they DON'T have another choice ,
      in america you do , and still people rather live under their ''jesus blanket'' then live in the real world

  • @sadskytristeciel1439
    @sadskytristeciel1439 Před 5 lety +303

    Thank you so much for what you do. Still grieving god, new agnostic here.

    • @RB-zh1eq
      @RB-zh1eq Před 5 lety +28

      Welcome aboard. It's not easy to examine what has been a closely held belief all of your life. But it's worth it.

    • @thoughtlesskills
      @thoughtlesskills Před 5 lety +21

      I prefer atheist to agnostic but I consider the definition simpy as 'not a theist'. Of course I would really prefer no label at all.

    • @religiohominilupus5259
      @religiohominilupus5259 Před 5 lety +29

      John Wright, we shouldn’t call them stupid-there are many factors playing into their beliefs, such as having been programmed that way from a very early age, needing something to hold on to, being afraid of not knowing something they can’t explain, etc.
      But yeah, I do think we’re the better ‘side.’ ;)

    • @brynpookc1127
      @brynpookc1127 Před 5 lety +6

      Welcome! Seek truth as much as possible. Trust yourself! Go without God!

    • @justsomeguy2825
      @justsomeguy2825 Před 5 lety +14

      Became an athiest a few months ago, never been happier.

  • @LimitlessThinker
    @LimitlessThinker Před 5 lety +135

    The older I get, the more I realize how damaging some religious families are, like mine. Wasted years & once I became an atheist, at 44, I'm fed up how society does that. Almost 20 years later, I am still relieved I was truly set free of superstition! Dan Barker's book was really the first. I have a large library of books, with The God Delusion & others. I too, started reading. No better book to turn one into an atheist than critically analyzing the Bible. Oh that critical thinking opens up a whole new world to discover, doesn't it?
    I no longer have a family. My adult siblings are no contact. My parents are passed & I think about how their religious thinking caused more trouble & dysfunction, than anything.
    It's quite sad. Thank you Seth. My heart is happy when I listen to you. I can exactly relate to you. Exactly the same experience!

    • @anonymousjohnson976
      @anonymousjohnson976 Před 5 lety +14

      Christianity = dysfunctional families.

    • @ndemjoseph9816
      @ndemjoseph9816 Před 5 lety +5

      It's better to be a thinker than be a coward following blindly without asking questions. I just joined the crew recently(early August) and I've had serious encounters with people. It's really not been easy for people to understand me. I'm from Cameroon
      Could you send some of your books to me please?

    • @peterriverajr6899
      @peterriverajr6899 Před 5 lety +2

      Im sorry that happened to you

    • @Anne--Marie
      @Anne--Marie Před 4 lety

      That is why I don't discuss this with my parents. They know that my beliefs differ from theirs, but I don't want to make it an issue. I am the only sibling close enough to take care of them, so I let it go. It's a relief that they have decided to be nonconfrontational about it. I'm sorry that this happened to you.

    • @ericmoore1493
      @ericmoore1493 Před 4 lety +4

      Atheist at 43 - Realized how damaging religion was; mother beat the shit our of me, pushed me to go to church every Sunday, made me an alter boy, used to go to masses at 0500... screwed me up physically, emotionally...!!!

  • @uncleanunicorn4571
    @uncleanunicorn4571 Před 5 lety +36

    I was worried about a huge coming-out moment with my family, but my mom figured it out. I exude an aura of atheism, and we simply don't talk about it.

    • @steveswangler6373
      @steveswangler6373 Před 4 lety +2

      your situation is very similar to mine. most people close to me realize i'm an atheist but we don't discuss it. every now and then my mom will mention me joining her for church or saying something silly like "prayer works" but for the most part, beliefs aren't discussed.

  • @laurajarrell6187
    @laurajarrell6187 Před 5 lety +84

    Seth, as an anti-theist, I so appreciate all you do, you are a great speaker, and all around great person! Love and Peace

    • @johnny50424
      @johnny50424 Před 5 lety +1

      sethandrews as anti truth and anti reason/. seth andrews is pure evil. he promotes all kinds of evil. he has no moral laws. he promotes a deth cult. atheism is a death cult.

    • @rickitysplitz7035
      @rickitysplitz7035 Před 5 lety +11

      @@johnny50424 Prove it, don't accuse it.

    • @PsionicMonk
      @PsionicMonk Před 5 lety +1

      john dilexit Jesus Christus Sorry buddy, your little skinny stick boy, old man with a beard and weird Danny Phantom rip off can't beat my boi Galactus, so your argument is invalid and therefore no other arguments you may have, are also invalid unless you convert to the church or Galactus, I am the Herald but you my bud can become Pope, with your own silly hat and bullet proof car. Wait why the fuck would the Pope need a bullet proof car my bad obviously the powers of Galactus will protect you.

    • @turnip881
      @turnip881 Před 5 lety +4

      @@PsionicMonk im interested in the Church of Galactus. Where do i sign up?

    • @Candorsmayhem
      @Candorsmayhem Před 4 lety +3

      johnny five amoris Iesu Christi wouldn't a death cult be one that promises things after death?

  • @kaigreen5641
    @kaigreen5641 Před 5 lety +53

    I had to block my mother on my phone, not because I'm an atheist mind you but the pattern of phone calls to tell me what I'm doing wrong with my life were similar in tone. And similar to Seth, when I finally blocked her it was like blocking a troll on twitter.

    • @johnny50424
      @johnny50424 Před 5 lety

      you are doing work by rejecting god. you atheists love proving you all choose to vbe lying fools. thanks for proving you are hate being corrected. you are on the path of destruction. just like the liar seth andrews is.

    • @sundiver137
      @sundiver137 Před 5 lety +13

      @@johnny50424 You are one petty little asshole aren't you. I bet your coworkers love it when you aint there.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 5 lety

      sundiver137 You would love an exorcist priest being there if an exorcism breaks out.

    • @5spec
      @5spec Před 3 lety +2

      @@johnny50424 Shut up, doomsday cultist.

  • @ejenglin
    @ejenglin Před 5 lety +38

    My aha moment came from a podcast, The Infidel Guy. It was like being slapped with a mountain.
    I began to doubt religion around the same time as you, and the crazy thing is I burned through The God Delusion sitting in Barnes and Noble. I bought that and Sam Harris's book, The End of Faith.
    By the end of a week I was a confirmed atheist. And pissed as hell.
    I'm better now, but whoo boy those early days was like being on fire. I was lied to and I was going to fight back. Even now my minister mother and soon to be pastor sister keep pushing the message. I'm tired of it, but you can't turn your back on your family. But there are times I want to turn off my phone and disappear.
    You are a good man. Keep doing what you're doing.

  • @2hazeleyes
    @2hazeleyes Před 5 lety +32

    Damn. This resonates. I was homeschooled. All the way through. Always wanted to be a scientist, and of course "I can be whatever I wanted to be" but be careful for the "ploys of the devil in science." Discouraged from going to college, so incredibly undereducated and sheltered and isolated. Now I'm a proud agnostic and microbiologist, still filling in the gaps in my education I missed. I have a very separate life from my parents and they have no idea of my beliefs because I just don't need that conversation.

  • @rebanx1
    @rebanx1 Před 5 lety +42

    If the same person offering eternal paradise is also threatening eternal suffering....its called extortion (so where do we get our morals from again?...not religion).
    Love the internet...it's where religions come to die.

    • @parisb7069
      @parisb7069 Před 3 lety

      The problem with people is they want to do whatever they want to do but not face the consequences. The same with God. He loves us and gave us a way out because of it but like many of us we want to do what we want to do. And if there is no such thing is morals these days them just how far can people become really at their worst like WW2.

    • @rebanx1
      @rebanx1 Před 3 lety

      @@parisb7069 You've been brainwashed to think that we cant be good or moral without some imaginary god....this is utter nonsense.
      Suggest you read your bible ,but first take off the religious goggles and actually read it...read about the genocide , the condoning of slavery ,sexism-degradation of women ,racism, condemnation of homosexuals...the list goes on.
      There is no doubt that a secular society produces the best standards of peace and happiness and wellbeing...I've lived through this change in my own country ,where god belief has more or less been kicked to the kerb in favour of genuine compassion based on critical thinking and good science.

  • @DavidKennedy
    @DavidKennedy Před 4 lety +16

    A turning point for me was when I talked with the author of Christianity Explained regarding my doctrinal concerns regarding hell. His response was to tell me it was fine to stop believing in hell; plenty of Christians don't. These people who've made a living in ministry don't really care what you believe, so long as you keep paying for it.

  • @sharkfatrccustoms2211
    @sharkfatrccustoms2211 Před 5 lety +19

    It always amazes me when I think about the smartphones and computers we use. How we can ask Alexa for information and all the other technological advancements that we're exposed to. Yet when you look at religion and human kind in general, we're only a stones throw from living in caves and fearing things that really don't exist.

  • @rationaltrekker2509
    @rationaltrekker2509 Před 5 lety +4

    I'm happy to say that when I was Christian, teaching in a small seminary, and my 16-yr-old son came to me and said that he wouldn't go back to church even if I grounded him until he was 18, I put him first. I took the chance of losing my job and respected my son's wishes by not forcing him like I was supposed to. Then, when he had kids, I respected his wishes to not introduce them to religion. When his eldest was 7, he and I took a nature walk and he stunned me by observing the fragments of evidence of human activity around him and piecing together what that activity might have been. From that day I was no longer not introducing him to religion out of respect for his parents' wishes, I was not discussing religion with him because I didn't want to take away what he had. That led me to wonder how much I really believed. There were other more direct catalysts to my deconversion, but today I am atheist and I am happy to be free of religion and I am even more happy to have a good relationship with my son and my grandkids. I'm happy I made that decision years ago to respect my son as an intelligent, thinking individual. I had raised a person with his own thoughts and feelings, not a copy of me. That's what I wanted and the rewards are wonderful.

  • @timelord7340
    @timelord7340 Před 4 lety +11

    This made me cry, I went through all of this at 9 years old. Because of religion I never had any relationship with my mom, ever!

  • @Nekulturny
    @Nekulturny Před 5 lety +7

    The Phone Call is almost the same conversation I had with my mother when I came out as gay at 22. It sends a chill down my spine how eerily familiar it sounds. "I know you like girls, I was there when you were upset about that girl you liked who turned you down". Then its disappointment "I really wanted grandchildren", then to anger "how dare you, I bought tires for your car 3 months ago", then it ended with her telling me she wanted me out of her house and that I would end up moving to San Fransciso, getting AIDS and going to hell. We didn't talk for almost 3 years after that. Haven't quite made it to California yet, Seattle is more my speed, but can't afford it.

    • @cruiselifeeric
      @cruiselifeeric Před 2 lety +3

      The fact that she assumed "San Francisco" just because you're gay and for no other reason... shows just how small minded and ignorant some of these people are.

  • @bigearl3867
    @bigearl3867 Před 5 lety +51

    You are describing my childhood, accept it was the Nation of Islam.
    I am so glad to know I was not alone.
    Imagine yourself being the only one of your faith in your school in the middle to late 1970's.
    Imagine what it was like during the hostage crisis in Iran.
    This was in Fort Worth, Texas.

    • @jrskp3677
      @jrskp3677 Před rokem

      Thank you for not reinforcing people's irrational beliefs and fears.
      Hope you're doing well today.

    • @bigearl3867
      @bigearl3867 Před rokem +4

      @@jrskp3677 I don't want anyone to go through what I went through. Children can be cruel. It's made worse when you have adults, (some of then evangelical), that reinforce those views and behaviors. I was treated like an enemy who might blow something up at some time.
      I was very angry for many years. My anger was rooted in fear. Being black and a Muslim in Texas at that time meant you had to watch yourself. I had to let that anger and fear go. I just tried to be good to others. I guess people realized that I wasn't so different after all. After reading the three Abrahamic books, I started letting religion go. And I mean all religions. Now if I can just effect some positive change on my being black. Not just for me but all black people everywhere. Hell, all people everywhere.
      Thank you for your kind words. Those words meant a lot to me. May the rest of your day be wonderful.

    • @jrskp3677
      @jrskp3677 Před rokem +1

      @@bigearl3867
      You're welcome man, being better than our surroundings isn't ever fair or easy.
      Growing up kids are cruel, as we age they sometimes get worse too. It's good you persevered I may understand how hard it can be from a position that is parallel and opposite than some others. It was regular racism not affiliated with a belief.
      Had lots of tussles but, they had to learn how hard I could kick to believe in it. 🥋
      They had numbers I had combat experience.
      We later grew up and mostly became good friends they referred to me as *which I won't write it never felt odd much, being included was nice. But boy did some of us go through it with one another. Crazy thing was we watched a lot of old Kung Fu films and smoked good in the later years. Played Golden Eye and mainly were regular kids. At least as regular as 14+ were at the times.
      We gotta find ways to do more than survive. Being ourselves seems to be the best.
      That is what ; Son, Goku / Himura, Kenshin & even Hanma, Baki accomplish with those they encounter.

    • @bigearl3867
      @bigearl3867 Před rokem

      @@jrskp3677 I'm sitting here smiling. Mary Jane and Kung Fu theater on Saturdays did help one bond with others. Video games where still a novelty when I was coming up. So my thing was football. After the season would end, we'd play in the streets. We'd skin up our legs and arms. but we didn't care.I was an adult when I first got a peek at Dragon Ball. It was in Spanish, and the signal would degrade after about 9 a.m. on Sundays. I would watch Saber Rider, and Sailor Moon. Inuyasha, Kenshin was the lick! Later in life, I would use DBZ, and DBGT to reach at risk youth. It was a common interest that we could relate to. When a riot would be brewing, I would hold my Dragon ball, and Dragon Ball Z collection back if they didn't behave. All these gang bangers, and literal assassins would chill out, because they wanted to watch DB,DBZ, and DBGT. When I say assassins, that just what I mean.
      Sorry, didn't mean to get off point. You bought up a lot of memories. But yeah, once my peers realized we weren't that different we was cool.

    • @jrskp3677
      @jrskp3677 Před rokem +1

      @@bigearl3867
      Sounds like you were able to do more than I.
      I've considered what you wrote and you deserve some recognition, in my perspective I salute you for your efforts🖖(👈the closest to a salute emoji, fitting considering it's origins).
      I was an at risk youth of sorts myself.
      Only I didn't know it until I was facing some real time. Guys like you made the difference. The programs I was sent to had guys like that. That was over 2 decades ago now and I look back with fondness for those days and respect for those dudes.
      Our society is so caught up in certain aspects of life portrayed in films, music and all that it's really easy to slip init a path that leads to self destruction, as it were. Normalcy is as uncommon as "common sense" is these days.
      Nature, nurturing and environment play heavily on the young mind.
      I'd like to refer you to a great piece of literature.
      The Hero with 1,000 Faces by Joseph Campbell, it's a detailed account of the hero's journey shared worldwide and will give you better ways to interpret the information as far as each story.
      Goku's literal death and meeting with the God's, and such is more accurate than say, Kenshin's with Hiko. It talks about Luke Skywalker and Gilgamesh. It's a good read, happy reading.

  • @Waltham1892
    @Waltham1892 Před 3 lety +70

    Me: Mom, I'm an Atheist.
    Mom: Pass the wine.
    Me: Mom, did you hear me?
    Mom: Does you being an Atheist mean I can't have a glass of wine?
    Me: ... No.
    Mom: OK. Mr. Atheist, pass the wine.

    • @eddybrevet6816
      @eddybrevet6816 Před rokem

      Seth Andrews, maga, ommaagaaa!

    • @malcolmhodnett8874
      @malcolmhodnett8874 Před rokem +2

      That’s wholesome

    • @tradergirljam
      @tradergirljam Před rokem

      Gold😂😂😂

    • @johnsperry9494
      @johnsperry9494 Před 9 měsíci +3

      You are lucky. So many parents freak out at that kind of news. Your Mom's a keeper.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 8 měsíci

      And there is exorcist priest working on exorcism cases what does mean for you be aware.

  • @kayallen7603
    @kayallen7603 Před 5 lety +88

    One question that is never answered is: if God's so great, why does He need me to go out recruiting for Him ?? Can't HE do that on His own and for Himself ?? All-powerful & all-knowing, right?

    • @troyevitt2437
      @troyevitt2437 Před 5 lety +9

      Jehovah's Witnesses on my mom's side.

    • @johnny50424
      @johnny50424 Před 5 lety +1

      god does do that/.you atheists all hate god and reject him. all of nature and history screams god is real. all of history supports what is described in the bible.

    • @quovadis7119
      @quovadis7119 Před 5 lety +12

      Not to mention that he doesn't seem able to destroy Satan and all the 'demons' we hear about. 😁

    • @mistylover2082
      @mistylover2082 Před 5 lety +8

      @@johnny50424 yaaa NO say what you want to just to feel good but that's not how reality works and people are not impressed with your weak minded mindset of delusional wishful thinking. People like you ruining everything with such ignorance and stupidity of ideas of magic imaginary friends you believe created everything. Your poison ☠ and maybe artistic. Because that's what religion feels like as a illness or condition. Research bitchspot blog channel.

    • @SPL0869
      @SPL0869 Před 5 lety +5

      Kay Allen it’s weird isn’t it? What’s even weirder is how he doesn’t even have the ability to speak with one voice within Christianity, let alone the scores of others that aren’t Christian that he supposedly uses to speak for him as well. Theism is a true shitshow.

  • @burningheart2909
    @burningheart2909 Před 5 lety +105

    I miss the Hitchslap

    • @johnny50424
      @johnny50424 Před 5 lety

      hitchens now knows god is real. he is suffering in judgement for his rejection of god.

    • @MikeHodges-pe8tx
      @MikeHodges-pe8tx Před 5 lety

      @@johnny50424 that's right.

    • @peterrivera8964
      @peterrivera8964 Před 5 lety +15

      John ama a Jesucristo prove it

    • @jilliansmith7123
      @jilliansmith7123 Před 5 lety +14

      John ama a Jesucristo: you're insane.

    • @jilliansmith7123
      @jilliansmith7123 Před 5 lety +10

      Mike Hodges: you're insane, too. PROVE IT. Wait, you can't? Big fucking surprise.

  • @DutchJoan
    @DutchJoan Před 5 lety +120

    That was the strangest thing, when you talked about your parents, introducing them to the atheist crowd. And I remembered, remembered the discrepancy between "worldly" love as portrayed in church and what I saw in reality, when I was in highschool.
    "Worldly" people being more genuine and less judgemental, "worldly" music speaking of love and feelings I wasn't allowed to have but did anyway. It took me 30+ years to come out of religion after that, but it had haunted me ever since those days in school.

    • @johnny50424
      @johnny50424 Před 5 lety

      you just proved how dumb you are. being an atheist proves you are an idiot. you did not ;leaver religion dumbass. you went to a religion of death were there is zero moral laws. in the religion of atheism which seth andrews promotes all evil is a okay in atheism. atheism religion teaches that human life is totally worthless. all life is meaning less in atheism religion. atheism is just another religion. there is no valid reason to be an atheist.

    • @legndofphoenix
      @legndofphoenix Před 5 lety +15

      @@johnny50424 Calling people idiots when you can't even spell, lmao.

    • @kenichiotaku3693
      @kenichiotaku3693 Před 5 lety +20

      @@johnny50424 tell me, what do you find so moral and righteous about slavery, genocide, blood sacrifice of any kind, polygamy, or misogyny? Also, any religion universally accepted as such is a faith based belief system with promoted and prohibited beliefs revolving around the idea that some essence of self survives the death of the physical body. How does atheism qualify? Do you even know what the very word "atheist" is actually made of?

    • @Tupelo927
      @Tupelo927 Před 5 lety +3

      @@johnny50424 Are you a Christian?

    • @CGoldthorpe
      @CGoldthorpe Před 5 lety +4

      Many educated intelligent people silently suffer as true believers, then as doubters, and finally as silent rationalists and skeptics! BE REAL! Wake the __ up!

  • @scottm.4717
    @scottm.4717 Před 5 lety +28

    This is good, I'm at this same point in my life and Christopher Hitchens was the one who flipped the switch for me. Yes this is good.

    • @douglasfreeman3229
      @douglasfreeman3229 Před rokem +4

      Same here. I was religious, then "agnostic", but the Hitch was so brilliant and eloquent that he helped to crystallize my atheism, then I went onto Dawkins, Harris and Dennett and now I have quite an interest in zoology and evolution, and enjoy science more than I ever used to.

  • @burkhartonline
    @burkhartonline Před 2 měsíci +1

    Seth's humility combined with his sense of humor make him truly special as a speaker. I never tire of him.

  • @simongiles9749
    @simongiles9749 Před 5 lety +31

    I have to admit that ACE program explains a lot of the twaddle that the comment trolls dribble forth.

  • @antisuffering7918
    @antisuffering7918 Před 5 lety +46

    I laughed so hard! My parents are still trying to deal with me coming out as atheist and they are treating me like trash, yet they pretend they want to go and save souls for Jesus. What a load of lies.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 5 lety +1

      watch the devil and father amorth trailer.
      You're parents treating you like trash that must be rough.

    • @parisb7069
      @parisb7069 Před 3 lety

      It is sad that Chriatian parents say they love God but show different to you and many others. Most Atheist have had bad childhoods and became the most unbelieving because of it. I am a Christian and I would not had believed it until God restored my life and family when I messed it all up. Seek God himself and not in others. Many of us fall short no matter who they are.

    • @TheBox225
      @TheBox225 Před 3 lety +4

      @@parisb7069 Atheist just means that they do not accept the claim. Most atheists became atheists after a lot of research and reading holy books. When I was 16 it blew my mind that "God" is fine with all other religions being around when that is in the 10 ten "do not's". So I read the Bible and realized that it was obviously false, so I looked into Islam, Hinduism, and eventually looked at Buddhism. After none of those made sense with critical thinking and common sense, I became an atheist. Besides it is impossible to honestly deny evolution. Wisdom teeth, everyone has a nub tail (cockyx), some people have actually developed slightly bigger tails, and of course the Appendix. Many people have been born without wisdom teeth because we do not eat raw grains and bones anymore. So, therefore our jaws have been shrinking and not given enough room for those extra teeth.

    • @Ancel316
      @Ancel316 Před 9 měsíci

      Sorry about your parents. They need Jesus.

  • @randyclark5829
    @randyclark5829 Před 5 lety +8

    When he talks about leaving religion, and never going back, and accepting the truth.... Reminds me of a great quote...
    " I would rather wallow in the truth, than to jubilate upon a lie." --- R. Clark. .... .... .... .... Yes I wrote that, 8 years ago. ( about a different subject, but it rings true when applied to becoming an atheist.)

  • @tobiassundquist446
    @tobiassundquist446 Před 5 lety +54

    My parent's 'love' comes in the form of a check, it's the money they had saved for my future wedding but since I'm a transgender gay man, they want no part in it. It doesn't even matter that I'm an atheist, they went to my youngest sister's secular wedding at the courthouse no problem but because I'm a 'confused, mentally unstable' 26 y/o adult marrying a man who loves and supports me, they want nothing to do with us. But I still get the 'you never talk to us' text/phone calls, the 'why can't we agree to disagree' bullshit when they're the ones that bring up my non-belief, my identity, my sexuality. They don't want me as I am, they want me as they see me, a rebellious teenage girl that just needs to be wrangled back to church. I moved far away from them, I'm much happier and more stable then I've been in years and if they want no part in my happiness, then I refuse to take part in their misery.

    • @johnny50424
      @johnny50424 Před 5 lety

      you just prove how dumb you are. you are living a life of destruction., you being an atheist proves you are an idiot.

    • @Tupelo927
      @Tupelo927 Před 5 lety +12

      Tobias- I'm so sorry you've been mistreated & disrespected by your family. It breaks my heart when I hear about fractured families, especially when the cause is religion. Congratulations on your wedding! I wish you both health & happiness!

    • @covenantsoul8027
      @covenantsoul8027 Před 5 lety

      Holy cow, wait a minute let me get this straight - (1) transgender (2) gay (3) man (4) married. Okay, let's see transgender "man" is probably referencing what you became, meaning you were at one time a girl. "Gay" is probably referencing your desires according to the gender you became, meaning you like men. Dude! I figured this out for you - You are actually pretty normal. Your two "issues" cancel each other out. You were born a girl, you like boys, and you even married one!

    • @Fizzlefuse
      @Fizzlefuse Před 5 lety +2

      While I have no reference point to even come close to understanding what you went through, I applaud and admire your strenght. It must not have been easy.
      The idea that any parent would chose something.. anything... above their child's happiness is.. absurd. terrible. heartbreaking.
      To think that something like the love for one's child is warped by their idea of who they think you should be. What they had planned in their minds. Their perfect little mold that you didn't fit into. At least you know who you are and chose happiness, love and to be yourself. If they can't understand that, if they can't accept that, then they are the ones living in a lie and that's their burden to bear.
      Thank you for sharing and I wish you the best.

    • @MegaChickenfish
      @MegaChickenfish Před 5 lety +1

      The "person living a life of destruction" seems to be the sadsack who spends all his time running around atheist videos trying to tell them they're all evil and stupid.
      With nothing to back that up, I might add, just spitting bile and hatred out into the wind, hoping, desperately to make someone else's day shittier.
      *Fuck you.* Get a life.

  • @dienekes4364
    @dienekes4364 Před 5 lety +87

    I was 55 when I met my 60-year-old half-sister for the first time. She is a devout believer, her husband does "biblical studies" (although, he refuses to talk about any of it). I was VERY nervous when we finally decided to meet face-to-face for the first time, concerned that she would want to preach to me. I am what you would call an "anti-theist". I not only don't believe in anything supernatural, but I actively and whole-heartedly believe that religion is the bane of civilized society. It is the single strongest force in destroying our democracy, our society, and our planet.
    Surprisingly enough, we get along absolutely great. She is smart enough to not bring up religion, and I'm perfectly fine with that. My best friend (that I've literally known all of our lives) is a YEC and my self-adopted "brother" is a -moron,- woops, I mean "Mormon" (~snicker~). They both know better than to talk about religion around me. And we are all okay with that.
    They all know that if the subject comes up, I will not hide my feelings or the demonstrable truth from them. And, for my part, I'm happy to not bring up the subject. But that is the only way it works: we all know where the boundary is, and we just don't cross it. If they do cross it and can't deal with my response, then we don't have a relationship built on respect. And ALL of my relationships are built on respect. If there is no respect, then it just doesn't work, no matter what other connection we might share.

    • @uncleanunicorn4571
      @uncleanunicorn4571 Před 5 lety +5

      I would have a hard time being friends with a YEC.

    • @keithherring7677
      @keithherring7677 Před 5 lety +1

      What Christian principle would you say is the most destructive?

    • @raywiggins2480
      @raywiggins2480 Před 5 lety +7

      Belief (or faith), instead of rational thought. We could solve many of the world's problems with rational thought, but belief in imaginary friends stops rational conversations. Belief is not a good thing, but we've been brainwashed to think that it is.

    • @keithherring7677
      @keithherring7677 Před 5 lety

      @@raywiggins2480
      Rational according to who? Every despot who murdered millions of people was using their version of rational. Everyone has belief. The only difference in you and a religious person is in who your belief is placed.

    • @dienekes4364
      @dienekes4364 Před 5 lety +8

      *Tommy Harring* _"What Christian principle would you say is the most destructive?"_ -- Rejection of science, hands down. When people not only personally reject science, but actively fight against it, that effort wastes valuable time and resources. We are entering the age of the 6th Great Extinction, our planet is dying around us, and yet we are still fighting about whether evolution should be taught in school.
      Religion also teaches people to be intolerant. That's why our government is run by religious, ignorance-based bigots instead of people who understand how science works and accept the findings of the scientific community. It's why we can't implement any sort of Socialism in this country without people losing their freakin' minds.

  • @bekacynthia
    @bekacynthia Před 5 lety +53

    While he’s talking about “The God delusion”, I’m lying in my bed with my own copy of it! Great book, highly recommend it!

    • @lionatticus9743
      @lionatticus9743 Před 2 lety +3

      I may give the book a read. I had at one point, but never got around to reading it.

    • @defaultdan9715
      @defaultdan9715 Před 2 lety +1

      that's awesome

  • @WisdomVendor1
    @WisdomVendor1 Před 5 lety +98

    Seth, I've been muted on many chat sights and banned from others all due to me saying what I thought...I'm 53 and currently give a lot less fucks than I used to. I completely agree that the time to just sit back and listen is over.

    • @harmonicamanrandy
      @harmonicamanrandy Před 5 lety +6

      Same here. I was just blocked from one site yesterday for get this, agreeing with the channel.
      I guess some people are just pussies.

    • @WisdomVendor1
      @WisdomVendor1 Před 5 lety +2

      @@harmonicamanrandy care to meet on Skype? I'd like to hear what you have to say

    • @TheRealLucifer_Morningstar
      @TheRealLucifer_Morningstar Před 5 lety +4

      As long as faith gets a pass from public criticism it retains it's shield of armour.
      Deny it any safe harbor going forward.

    • @WisdomVendor1
      @WisdomVendor1 Před 5 lety +3

      @@@TheRealLucifer_Morningstar That sounds like something Benjamin Franklin would have said

    • @TheRealLucifer_Morningstar
      @TheRealLucifer_Morningstar Před 5 lety +2

      It's become a code I live by. And living deep in the American Bible belt, it isn't something easily forgotten. 😉

  • @bencrossley647
    @bencrossley647 Před 5 lety +54

    *There are only 2 paths to God.*
    1. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour
    2. up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start

    • @MellowWater
      @MellowWater Před 5 lety +1

      Hahhahah

    • @philipperinguette3370
      @philipperinguette3370 Před 5 lety +13

      That is why I'm not going to heaven ; I got a PS4.

    • @osi4410
      @osi4410 Před 5 lety +3

      Dead😭😭😭I tried it and it worked

    • @Logofadog
      @Logofadog Před 5 lety

      Or b-a-select-start: if you want to include someone. Ha. Great. Praise jebus!!!!

    • @b.porterv7418
      @b.porterv7418 Před 4 lety

      You forgot “select” before start - don’t you want to do it 2-player? :D

  • @raymondthebrotherofperryma1403

    If it were real then you wouldn't need faith!

    • @evaaloezos6522
      @evaaloezos6522 Před 5 lety +24

      THAT SHOULD SETTLE THE ENTIRE DEBATE.

    • @justsomeguy2825
      @justsomeguy2825 Před 5 lety +5

      Thanks Sagan

    • @RedVenomProductions
      @RedVenomProductions Před 5 lety +3

      The one true god demands it, for it was foreseen that there would be idolaters and worship of false gods and the faith they put in them. “We walk by faith and not by sight”. Faith in lord Jesus is required to enter into the kingdom. Disbelief means access denied; you can’t enter.

    • @raymondthebrotherofperryma1403
      @raymondthebrotherofperryma1403 Před 5 lety +33

      @@RedVenomProductions How do you know you're believing in the *right* god and not a false one?

    • @RedVenomProductions
      @RedVenomProductions Před 5 lety +2

      @@raymondthebrotherofperryma1403 let's just say i've looked at ALL of the world ,and my final conclusion is jesus christ.

  • @nochillwill4667
    @nochillwill4667 Před 5 lety +27

    I have begun watching this for about a year after i left my religious upbringing. This reminds me that I am not alone and that I am not the only one despite what everyone said. Keep up the good work, you give those of use deep in the bible thumping parts of the US a reminder that there are bastions of reason left in the world.

    • @bazingaburg8264
      @bazingaburg8264 Před 2 lety +3

      Real happy for you, Will ^^ Rest assured you are not alone, and as unwavering as their theocratic bullying may be, younger generations are getting fed up with that shit. I hope that change makes itself felt in your environment anytime soon.

  • @debraamandola4921
    @debraamandola4921 Před 5 lety +6

    Thank you so much! I was an ACE student and was brought up in a very sheltered world. I am so glad I found your work. Thanks again!

  • @ianmacfarlane1241
    @ianmacfarlane1241 Před 5 lety +47

    A wonderful speaker , full of warmth, humour (very funny) , intelligence, humility, humanity and truth.
    The anecdote regarding the blocking of his parents is awful, (in that a family split is terribly sad) but certainly understandable, and sadly it seems quite prevalent in the Atheist / Critical Thinking online community.
    It's an alien concept to me - I grew up in an Atheist home, though it wasn't an issue - it just happened to be the case that my parents didn't believe in a God.
    Oddly enough, I went to Sunday School & was a member of the Boys Brigade, but neither of these things were forced upon me - it was simply a case of expanding my horizons, (and maybe getting me out of the house for a few hours on a Sunday morning & Friends evening).
    I didn't even know that Atheist activism was a thing* until a few years ago, when I started venturing online (particularly CZcams) and found this (mainly American) group of people who were actually talking about Atheism in a personal sense.
    One thing that I feel should be pointed out to Seth is that when he talks about "perspective", and mentioned a surfing squirrel - on the face of it the 'numbers' appear meaningless, but a million people downloading a video of a squirrel do it for a momentary laugh.
    When one person, never mind a million people, download one of his podcasts it's because they carry meaning, and can be literally life-changing for the viewer.
    That's the difference, and he shouldn't lose sight of what his words convey for so many people.
    He says that he's not an intellectual - good !
    Personal experience can carry so much weight for the religious person who is wracked with self-doubt.
    *Clearly I was aware of Christopher Hitchens & Richard Dawkins, but I failed to grasp the connection with the huge numbers of people who were embracing Atheism after a lifetime of religious dogma.
    A very gifted man, and I feel extremely lucky to have found his channel.

    • @Godslayer1975
      @Godslayer1975 Před 5 lety

      you wanna suck him off bit more , i saw none of that just lies and trying to attach BS to religious

    • @JamesRichardWiley
      @JamesRichardWiley Před 5 lety +2

      You tube allows one rational person to change the irrational beliefs of millions.
      A powerful tool.

    • @hollenfeuer1
      @hollenfeuer1 Před 4 lety +1

      @@Godslayer1975 yet here you are. A religious dude spouting bullshit. Keep it up man! You're doing our work for us!

  • @nieshascott2429
    @nieshascott2429 Před 5 lety +18

    you were learning about neanderthals by grade THREE! wow. awesome school. it is only until i reached high school that the idea of evolution was briefly touched on *jealous*

  • @Dauv1
    @Dauv1 Před 5 lety +41

    I heard him speak when he came to Raleigh, NC a few years ago. Good stuff. Would be curious to see what he thinks of my book Emancipation of a Black Atheist.

    • @electricspaghetti3507
      @electricspaghetti3507 Před 5 lety +4

      Where can I find your book? It sounds good!

    • @Dauv1
      @Dauv1 Před 5 lety +9

      @@electricspaghetti3507 www.amazon.com/gp/product/1634311469?pf_rd_p=c2945051-950f-485c-b4df-15aac5223b10&pf_rd_r=P5AWNR8SWTTWMHTTS32X
      The amazon link is above. Be sure to leave a review once you've finished.

    • @jarretjordan3837
      @jarretjordan3837 Před 4 lety

      He doesn't even have it in his radar. What did it cost you to have that TRASH published?

    • @metatron478
      @metatron478 Před 4 lety +8

      @@jarretjordan3837 What's your basis for calling his book trash? I read a brief description of it and it seems to be an inspirational biography of how he came to be an atheist in the context of being a person of color. What possible qualms could you have with his book?

    • @jarretjordan3837
      @jarretjordan3837 Před 4 lety

      @hatter00 nothing. Just curious what the fuck being black has to do with being an atheist? Nothing like playing the race card for no apparent reason. If anyone has a reason to not believe in God it's blacks. In fact I'm surprised they aren't all atheists. If there was in fact, a god. Blacks are def who he turned his back on the most

  • @robandrews4815
    @robandrews4815 Před 4 lety +12

    Science, technology, education and democracy. That's the way to a better world.
    Censorship and propaganda. The evil twins of communication. Religions have to use these since they can't use reason and debate, very well.

  • @randalltufts3321
    @randalltufts3321 Před rokem +13

    Seth i return here often when I feel I need encouragement. Thank you for all you do. You and so many others have made a huge impact on my life and for that I'm forever grateful. You are appreciated my friend. Thanks

  • @shelleyhopkins8073
    @shelleyhopkins8073 Před rokem +13

    This video has meant so much to me. I turned from unchurched to fundamentalist for love of my husband and a need to belong. I came back to atheism for peace and truth. I hurt my parents when I joined the church, I hurt my kids by raising them in the church, and now I’m hurting my husband by leaving the church. All this sounds sadder than it actually is though. My kids, as adults, are on their own thinking journey and we encourage each other. I am thankful for your words and for your sharing of your journey. I am still mostly undercover, I have not come out, so to speak, but I want to do so without hurting my husband.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 8 měsíci

      Look into the exorcism case of the rain man don decker.

  • @Nimion2
    @Nimion2 Před 5 lety +18

    Thanks Seth. I connected to your "made me talk like an idiot" vid and being former 3rd gen SDA, will never go back.

    • @InformationIsTheEdge
      @InformationIsTheEdge Před 5 lety +2

      KLW Ein Congratulations on your emancipation! That is a tough one!

    • @sundiver137
      @sundiver137 Před 5 lety +1

      I made the mistake of trying to drink a cup of coffee during that one.

    • @InformationIsTheEdge
      @InformationIsTheEdge Před 5 lety +1

      @@sundiver137 BA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! Laughing and coffee definitely do not mix.

    • @skepticlogician
      @skepticlogician Před 5 lety +1

      Pretty much the same here... also from the SDA Church... 2nd if not 3rd generation.

  • @benderisgreat5059
    @benderisgreat5059 Před 3 lety +6

    Being a Christian did not make me happy. It was not a pleasant thought “knowing” most of my friends were probably gonna burn for eternity. As an 11 year old which was my last year as gods captive, I wished there wasn’t a god. THAT is true belief. Not wanting it to be true, but still obeying because I really believed it. I didn’t even get past genesis before finding a glaring contradiction, and giving it up. I relapsed into it once or twice the following weeks, but I always dragged myself back into reason. I have been god free for 5 years, and have never been happier. To any believer that might be reading this, please please just read your book carefully. It was awful for me being a Christian, and I hope it dies out as soon as possible.

  • @jerico641
    @jerico641 Před 5 lety +10

    "Family should act like family". Truer words were never spoken. I wish my family was accepting of me, and the problem(s) have nothing to do with religion or belief in a god (ostensibly), even though I am an atheist. I'm alone except for my daughters and ex-wife, and don't know if I will be able to count on them or not.

  • @markIOP123
    @markIOP123 Před 5 lety +8

    Seth this is one of your best, I wish you the best.

  • @QuesoGr7
    @QuesoGr7 Před 4 lety +3

    Seth is 20 years older than me yet his upbringing was pretty much the same as mine. Love listening to him.

  • @middleguy840
    @middleguy840 Před 3 lety +3

    Just heard about you yesterday, I've watched about (I'm still watching) 3 or 4 of your youtube videos. I can safely say we finally have a superstar. Go Seth go.

  • @mariamarcel7609
    @mariamarcel7609 Před 6 měsíci +1

    Wow that phone call hit hard. I remember when I told my mom that I was no longer a believer and the waterworks started immediately. Same song and dance, "Oh you don't know what your talking about, you're going to come back, you're ruining your life..." When honestly I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. I was always skeptical and never fit in when I was in church because I always asked questions and when the pastors didn't have an answer, they would go straight to, "You just have to have faith." I'm sorry I'm not going to blindly live my life on faith, give all my money to the church and be miserable, all while having others telling me how to think and "live holy". I walked away as soon as I turned 18 and graduated from my pentecostal school and never looked back. It was a long road to recover from my christian PTSD; which I still struggle with occasionally, but that constant fear of hell and anxiety that i'm going to 'sin' over every situation is no longer a looming issue and having to ask for forgiveness is way behind me and I am such a better person for it. Your videos are inspiring and I'm glad you're out here doing the 'devils' work :)

  • @parkercollins7946
    @parkercollins7946 Před 6 měsíci +1

    I remember my mom crying when I used the word atheist for the first time. I was in my 30's. She was never mad, but like personally hurt, honestly scared for me. I felt terrible.

  • @firefox5926
    @firefox5926 Před 5 lety +77

    11:00 my god child i can see your ankle what are you some kind of a scarlet woman?

  • @WisdomVendor1
    @WisdomVendor1 Před 5 lety +64

    Odd Seth, that now you don't think you are on a life changing mission, I'm sure that you have changed a load of people's lives for the better. And, by the way, knowledge gained with the influence of experience can become wisdom.

    • @JamesRichardWiley
      @JamesRichardWiley Před 5 lety +4

      Your mom and my mom - both brainwashed and controlling.
      I resolved my inner crisis by giving up on her.
      I still mowed the lawn and had short superficial conversations when I visited her but the fun we could have had as adults was blocked by religion.
      I was relieved of the inner tension when she died.
      How sad.

  • @jrskp3677
    @jrskp3677 Před rokem +2

    Seth, your channel deserves more views.

  • @deidrahodge3589
    @deidrahodge3589 Před 4 měsíci +2

    I’ve never felt more free since leaving any form of religion.

  • @dorothystephens5558
    @dorothystephens5558 Před 5 lety +10

    Seth, I have listened to every one of your podcasts, and they were all brilliant. I can't say i particularly remember the very first one, but you do yourself a disservice telling people not to go back that far in the archive. Perhaps the technical stuff wasn't as polished as it is now, but the content was always worth listening.

  • @patricianorwood1075
    @patricianorwood1075 Před 5 lety +17

    Thank you Seth. Your sense of hu!or and reason was just the distraction I need from the events of this past week and the hatred spewed from people in authority. Saturday was just heartbreaking. And this morning woke to find Ginger Kitty had died. You gave me reasons to smile. Keep posting. Your podcasts change lives and you help.

    • @patricianorwood1075
      @patricianorwood1075 Před 5 lety +1

      Humor. Stupid tablet.

    • @ianmacfarlane1241
      @ianmacfarlane1241 Před 5 lety +3

      Sorry to hear about Ginger Kitty. I've been there before and it's never easy.
      Sending you a big hug🤗 from Scotland x

    • @InterestsMayVary2234
      @InterestsMayVary2234 Před 5 lety +2

      Awww, I'm sorry about your kitty. I hope your week gets better.

  • @martijnjongepoerink3459
    @martijnjongepoerink3459 Před 3 lety +2

    Dear Seth,
    I hope that YOU are going to be followed, at least as much as the Hitch.
    Your vids helped me out a lot, although neither me, or my parents were religious.
    These vids helped ME, to become a better person, therefore THANK YOU.

  • @tomb504dog
    @tomb504dog Před 5 lety +11

    Wow, this was an amazing and heartfelt presentation. Subscribed!

  • @DanielLy1200
    @DanielLy1200 Před 4 lety +3

    I am going through exactly what you went through and I am sooo happy and grateful I found your stuff! This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my life. Just awesome!

  • @richarddismore7499
    @richarddismore7499 Před 5 lety +13

    Another excellent and both informative and enjoyable talk Seth. Thank-you!

  • @BooBat1960
    @BooBat1960 Před 4 lety +2

    "As human beings you and I are truly brothers". Very well said.

  • @infinitesentient3545
    @infinitesentient3545 Před 5 lety +3

    Seth, I just found your works and now I'm stuck in a binge, lol. Thanks, I had stuff to do. You share a similar passion to end this madness and listening to you is a great catharsis. Keep up the awesome work in the field of rationale and sanity! Thank You

  • @defjules
    @defjules Před 4 lety +3

    Your story is so moving and so relatable. Thank you for sharing it. You are an inspiration!

  • @Brettod2781
    @Brettod2781 Před 5 lety +7

    Love your work Seth! One of my favourite speakers!

  • @nellgwenn
    @nellgwenn Před 5 lety +2

    I used to live in Rolling Meadows, Ill. I also went to Carl Sandburg. I lived on Kingfisher lane.
    It was the 1960's. My dad was Blues, Muddy Waters was his guy. He played piano and guitar and sang. My mom was Classical, and Country.
    I was The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Hendrix, Joplin et al. But so was my dad too.
    Listening to your story I was privileged. Born with a silver Blues riff in my mouth.

  • @hifibrony
    @hifibrony Před 5 lety

    I was at this presentation and it was wonderful! Thanks, Seth, for everything you do!

  • @WhizzRichardThompson
    @WhizzRichardThompson Před 3 lety +3

    More than ever, the USA needs more people like Seth, many millions more...

  • @00buck80
    @00buck80 Před 4 lety +4

    What a genuine speech thank you I am going to share this with my sons

  • @mtbiker4life918
    @mtbiker4life918 Před 9 měsíci

    I just can't get enough of Seth speaking! He's incredibly talented on keeping you wanting more.

  • @OneTrueScotsman
    @OneTrueScotsman Před 5 lety

    Another great speech, Seth. Thanks for posting it for everyone else to listen to.

  • @markwalsh6714
    @markwalsh6714 Před 4 lety +4

    I can listen to Seth all day. Brilliant.

  • @freddiealcala2986
    @freddiealcala2986 Před 5 lety +18

    First! Always looking forward to your uploads!

  • @joheyjonsson2825
    @joheyjonsson2825 Před 5 lety

    You reciting the pledge to the Bible gave me chills. I haven't recited that one since I was in Church Youth Group when I was 12 and I still remember it. Unsettling.

  • @damianpatterson9363
    @damianpatterson9363 Před 5 lety +1

    That was absolutely beautiful. Thank you Mr. Andrews

  • @MH7_256
    @MH7_256 Před 8 měsíci +3

    A friend told me about your channel today. And I literally have not been able to stop listening and watching. THIS finally makes sense to me! And what’s better is now I have a podcast I can listen to and share♥️ Thank you!

  • @dreww8941
    @dreww8941 Před 4 lety +6

    My faith in the Flying Spaghetti Monster is unwavering. I feel him in my heart when I pray. There’s nothing you can say to change my mind.

  • @alexanderwilliams5779
    @alexanderwilliams5779 Před 3 lety +6

    Wow...I have been a nonbeliever for roughly 5 years and hearing that phone call rocked me to my core. In fact this video just hit home in every possible way. I remember that feeling of loneliness, fear, shame and being unable to sleep once I walked away from it all. Remember the anger I first felt when I thought of how much of my life was wasted but then the joy I felt when I relized the freedom that I actually discovered. This was such a gem of a video.

  • @theodorecobernneels2377
    @theodorecobernneels2377 Před 5 lety +9

    I can remember the first time i went on the thinking atheist website. Felt like im entering the domain of the devil. Now its the most wonderful show on earth. It has helped and encouraged me a lot.

  • @michellehickman5808
    @michellehickman5808 Před 3 lety +12

    I am 25 and also went through Christian school indoctrination. I ALSO went through the ACE program. I can tell you it hasn't changed. I'm shook that your story is damn near exactly like mine growing up. Unfortunately I never had the ability to go to a public school at all, until Junior and Senior year where I was in a Charter school, finally being introduced to evolutionary theory from a non-religious standpoint.

    • @lightbeing8174
      @lightbeing8174 Před 7 měsíci

      Look into the devil's foot prints in devon england in 1855.

  • @franklindcottrell
    @franklindcottrell Před 5 lety +7

    Your story of telling about Neanderthal reminds me of when I was a kid. I loved kratts creatures and loved science shows, but when I told my mom about dinosaurs and how the earth is millions of years old she instantly told me it's not true, and from that day forward I believed scientists were lying to me. I'm sad to think about all I missed out on learning, but I am now learning everything now that I've rejected creationism.

  • @GoddessOfLightMagee
    @GoddessOfLightMagee Před 5 lety +1

    Your voice is so soothing and the messages you bring are even more.....soothing to my soul. Thanks❤️🌞

  • @phinehas55
    @phinehas55 Před 4 lety +1

    This is absolutely fabulous! Thank you🌴

  • @nonamity
    @nonamity Před 5 lety +3

    I've been binging your talks and ngl its been helping me so much. I just started to question Christianity and you've been a great help while figuring it out. Proud to say I'm an atheist now

  • @lynmaher112
    @lynmaher112 Před 5 lety +13

    OMG..... YOU ARE THE MALE VERSION OF ME.....!!!!!! I love listening to you....!!!!!!!!!

  • @donkboys
    @donkboys Před 5 lety +1

    Excellent presentation! Thank you Seth!

  • @icelandman5432
    @icelandman5432 Před 5 lety

    Fantastic! You have given me so much strength and belief in myself. Cannot thank you enough.

  • @Wildcard120
    @Wildcard120 Před 5 lety +4

    Great video! Keep up the good work. I am still processing my exodus from religion 2 years on

  • @type3
    @type3 Před 5 lety +10

    Seth, thank you for all you do. Your podcast was one of the first I listened to when I was questioning everything. Its been almost 3 years now since I took a 'leap of faith' back to reality. Also great job on the Ghost Stories audio book! My wife and I have made your ghost stories a tradition in our home now. We cant wait to listen to it again on Halloween! Keep up the good fight! It's working.

  • @ayoolaayodejidavid638
    @ayoolaayodejidavid638 Před 3 lety

    Crying here in Nigeria as I watched the phone call ; it resonates with what I am going through now.Thanks Seth!

  • @Cynthia-Landers
    @Cynthia-Landers Před 4 lety

    Awesomely important and good speech. The audience didn't stand up fast enough. Thank you, Mr. Andrews.