In this episode of Moment of Zen, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins Erik Torenberg to discuss his new book "Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious," making the case that institutional religion is not just socially beneficial but intellectually defensible. They discuss the decline of New Atheism, the tension between traditional Christianity and Silicon Valley's techno-optimism within the "New Right" coalition, and whether AI consciousness points to something beyond materialism.
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LINKS:
Ross Douthat: https://www.nytimes.com/column/ross-douthat
Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious: https://www.zondervan.com/p/believe/
X / TWITTER:
@DouthatNYT
@eriktorenberg
@turpentinemedia
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DISCUSSION:
- Ross explains we're at a cultural inflection point where secularization has plateaued and there's evidence of religious revival.
- New atheism has declined as the world hasn't become more reasonable despite becoming less religious.
- Ross argues religion is intellectually defensible based on fine-tuning of the universe and the hard problem of consciousness.
- He contends that merely appreciating religion's social benefits isn't enough—genuine belief is necessary.
- The AI discussion explores whether consciousness might exist beyond materialist explanations.
- They examine tensions in the "New Right" between tech-optimists and religious traditionalists.
"Moment of Zen" 
