The Distress of Doubt

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A lot of people have kind of existential crises, they used to believe in God, and now they don't. And then it's, well, why am I here? What am I doing? Why should I get up in the morning? But there are people who really this becomes deeply distressing this idea that-and that's what I have trouble just getting a handle on. Do you feel that way? Because I don't want it at all and I can't relate to that whole thing. Yeah, I mean, I was raised so religious, like so in-with like such deeply entrenched beliefthat having to go through a period of doubt was-was distressing for me.

Does life have meaning if there is no God? Why should I be a good person if there's no reward or punishment waiting for me in the afterlife? Why does religion seem to make people happier and healthier? Dave and Tamler heroically try to answer these questions without being stoned. Other topics include Dave's paralyzing fear of death, bad times on mopeds, and the pros and cons of naming your daughter Chlamydia. They almost get through the episode without having to censor something--but not quite.

Links

Woody Allen's "Love and Death"

Paul Bloom- Does Religion Make You Nice? [Slate.com]

Follow-up reading on religion and health (for the slightly academically inclined)- Powell, L. H., Shahabi, L., & Thoresen, C. E. (2003). Religion and spirituality: Linkages to physical health. American Psychologist, 58, 36.

Pascal's Wager [wikipedia.org]

Albert Camus [Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]

The Problem of Evil. [Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]

"Yes but subjectivity is objective."

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