
The Atheist Experience
The Atheist Experience is a weekly show in Austin, Texas geared at a non-atheist and atheist audience. The Atheist Experience is produced by the Atheist Community of Austin.The Atheist Community of Austin is organized as a nonprofit educational corporation to develop and support the atheist community, to provide opportunities for socializing and friendship, to promote secular viewpoints, to encourage positive atheist culture, to defend the first amendment principle of state-church separation, to oppose discrimination against atheists and to work with other organizations in pursuit of common goals.We define atheism as the lack of belief in gods. This definition also encompasses what most people call agnosticism.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.
Latest episodes

Jul 31, 2022 • 1h 23min
The Atheist Experience 26.31 07-31-2022 with Jim Barrows and Christy Powell
Welcome back to the Atheist Experience everyone! Today, here to kick off our first episode back in the studio are your hosts, Jim Barrows and Christy Powell!Our first audience question is from Aaron from TX who is wondering how our host’s ended up volunteering here at the ACA?Rodney from MI is calling to prove the existence of the Christian God. Their evidence is that they believe in Jesus and his life story, and the likeness of the near-death experience accounts.Next is Gohan from TX who wants to know when it is ok to force someone else’s to use their body without their permission? This person is like the magic eight ball of anti-abortion arguments, always wrong.Next is Andrew from TX who asks why theist apologists continue trying to use the non-interactive deistic “nothing” god as a stepping stone to get to their own interactive god.Up next is Vàclav from the Czech Republic who is calling to tell us about the biblical stories and mythological claims that convinced them in the past.Next up is Larry from TX gets annoyed when people tell him that Atheism is just another religion and is wondering if the host’s have any advice for how to respond.Nancy from TX points out that Austin is known as a beacon of blue in a sea of red, and is concerned about how the insane governmental decisions are going to affect that “balance.”Steve from FL is grieving a loved one, and despite recognizing the irrationality of believing in a God without evidence, they still feel a pull towards it due to the hope it gives of seeing them again. The caller is wondering if our hosts have any advice for how to sequester this feeling of hope.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Jul 24, 2022 • 1h 29min
The Atheist Experience 26.30 07-24-2022 with Jim Barrows and Kenneth
In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Jim Barrows is joined by Kenneth!First up is Kevin from FL who compares our relationship to God, as a child’s to their parents. From this, the caller claims that God’s past actions and “rules” about morality are disagreeable to us because we are incapable of understanding his reasoning in a similar manner to how a child doesn’t understand why playing video games all day can be detrimental.Marcus from KY apparently has a miraculous survival story after getting attacked by a black bear. What about the story indicates a miracle occurred?Jay from MO asks our hosts about evil atheists and if they would want to live in a sin filled, evil atheist world filled. I’m not necessarily saying the framing of the question is underdeveloped, but, I’m definitely saying that.Jody from DC is coming in with a plan to prove God’s existence with metaphysics and ontology. I am looking for an oasis of a single relevant point in this expansive desert of ideas.Next is Mohammed in the United Arab Emirates who is an Atheist parent with a child entering the school system soon, and doesn’t want to outright tell their kid that God is made up, but also doesn’t want their child to be pressured into Islam by those around them.Next is Rich from GA who asks our hosts if they would think getting cast into hell by God is unfair because they maintained their skepticism and didn’t accept God prior to their death? Well yeah, obviously.Up next is Michael from FL came out of religion and became a skeptic relatively recently, and explains that when he hears personal religious anecdotes, they feel like they have to actively hold back their years of indoctrination that draws them to those claims, but recognizes that just “tuning it out” is no longer skepticism.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Jul 17, 2022 • 1h 39min
The Atheist Experience 26.29 07-17-2022 with Dave Warnock and Forrest Valkai
In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Dave Warnock is joined by Forrest Valkai!First up is Devon from CA who asks our hosts why tragedies, big or small, influence people’s position on the God belief either one way or the other? Why do bad things happen to good people, and vice versa?Next up is Daniel from NJ who recently had a conversation about evolution with their creationist father, and felt scientifically unequipped to rebut the creationist claims. Creationism itself is a claim that requires evidence, and the truth of evolution is entirely irrelevant to proving creationism.Gabe from KY acknowledges that since their deconversion from Mormonism, they have struggled to put the magical thinking they utilized while religious behind them and engage in critical, skeptical thinking. The caller wants advice on how to rectify this, and apply skeptical thinking practically.Patrick from FL claims Atheism is a faith. Is it faith to say “I don’t believe you,” to a claim? Patrick sure thinks so.Next is Timothy from FL is calling to ask our hosts when they think a fetus gains the rights of personhood, and what the evidence for that timeframe is?Rob from CA is calling to claim that science no longer supports evolution, and provides examples of naturally “unexplainable” phenomena to support this. Turns out, they are explainable. Oh yeah also, God flooding the world was 110% justified!Next is Joseph from TN believes that since we cannot know anything with 100% absolute certainty that we must need faith.George from NY who wants advice on how to converse with people who make unjustified claims, and are obviously unwilling to move their position even a little?Finally, Paul from MN asks our hosts if they have ever considered using Numbers 5:20 against Christians “pro-lifers.” As we have learned today, and almost exert episode, most Christians don’t know their own bible, and those that do and hold that position will find ways to ignore specific verses that are inconvenient.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Jul 10, 2022 • 1h 32min
The Atheist Experience 26.28 07-10-2022 with Matt Dillahunty and JMike
In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by JMike!First up is John from CA who says that there are multiple pathways to reaching the truth about God’s existence, and that a pathway available to one person might not be accessible to another.Next up is Dean from CA who believes that science doesn’t require methodological naturalism, but does require philosophical naturalism. So scientists get to use unmeasurable supernatural phenomenon to create new theories? Seems legit.Questioning Theist from WA finds the host’s arguements for God relatively convincing, but doesn’t think their credible due to the caller’s disagreements with the host’s other positions. So if we both agree that the sun causes skin cancer, but you don’t like my position on a women’s rights to bodily autonomy, therefore you won’t be a pro-sunscreener like me? Wut?Next up is Brandon from WA who claims that the time doesn’t exist in the subconscious, and uses the perceived time before death as evidence of this.Serge from Australia is calling to ask why Atheists are asking for evidence and why Theists would want to present any. Why do beliefs require evidence?Next is Jonah from TN who is wondering if our host’s think that this show and other like it have opened the floodgates for the online platforming of evangelicals or presups like Darth Dawkins?Next up is Mike from WA asks if naturalists have proven the natural origin of life. As the caller doesn’t believe in naturalism, they conclude that Theists must have proven it by default.Next is David from TX is calling to argue that differences in epistemology allow for different standards of acceptable evidence and arguement. I mean sure, but that doesn’t mean they should be accepted or be convincing.Tom from the UK is calling to present an arguement that can somehow disprove every God, Theist or Deist, regardless of their respective properties.Seth from CA from is calling to say that porn has perpetuated a bad perception of women, and therefore God exists? How did we get here?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Jul 3, 2022 • 1h 21min
The Atheist Experience 26.27 07-03-2022 with Matt Dillahunty and Forrest Valkai
In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by Forrest Valkai!First up is Christian from the UK who has a hypothetical argument for the existence of a God or a divine being.Next up is John from India, who has found a connection between Anti-Natalism and Anthropodicy and has concluded that the only justification for having children in this imperfect universe is universal salvation.Next is John from TX claims to have scientific, historical, and testimonial evidence for God. When the hosts push for the scientific evidence, the caller continually wants to return to their personal testimony instead.Declan from Australia is calling to ask why atheists don’t believe in the Christian God when he’s made the caller’s life, and apparently everybody’s life, better?Alex from CA is a deist who believes that a non-interactive intelligent creator-God can be demonstrated through perceived coincidences? Wouldn’t coincidental creation imply that things weren’t intelligently designed?Mr. Warlight from AK says Matt is a Gothic Preacher. What & Why?Our final call is Andrew from ME believes the supernatural is a requirement for the first two laws of thermodynamics to be true.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Jun 27, 2022 • 1h 23min
The Atheist Experience 26.26 06-26-2022 with Matt Dillahunty and Jim Barrows

Jun 19, 2022 • 1h 30min
The Atheist Experience 26.25 06-19-2022 with Apostate Prophet and Secular Rarity
In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Secularity Rarity is joined by Apostate Prophet!First up is David from Canada who is calling to argue for a necessary uncaused first cause for the universe, ie a creator god.Next up is Kevin from UT who is calling to ask for advice on how to help comfort religious family members who are grieving the death of a family member. The caller is out as an atheist, so they are unsure of how to approach them without potentially triggering a confrontation.Ben from AK makes an argument for something, in theory about a necessary first cause being. If anyone watching can piece this puzzle together, please let us know on the Facebook group.Next is Kevin from GA who is against the support for trans individuals because they don’t understand how someone knowing their trans is any different than someone claiming to have spoken with God in the bedroom.Up next is Ahmad from WA is calling to talk about the anchor point for objective theistic morality, and the lack of one when it comes to Atheism.Next up is Timothy from CA who wants to talk about what the Hadith says about abortion, specifically that Allah gives a fetus a soul after four months. AP breaks down this statement and points out the inconsistencies between Islamic culture and the schools of thought therewithin, and what is stated about abortion.Next is William from FL who is calling to ask our hosts how we know 100% that other humans exist. Apparently, our hosts know humans exist with 100% certainty because we have some sort of soul knowledge and that is somehow proof for God?Daniel from MD is calling to ask if religious indoctrination, e.g. inducing fear of hell, child abuse and if so where should that line be drawn between the two?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Jun 12, 2022 • 1h 21min
The Atheist Experience 26.24 06-12-2022 with Secular Rarity and Dave Warnock
In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Secular Rarity is joined by Dave Warnock.First up is Sebastian from IL who is calling to voice their disagreement with Matt’s bodily autonomy abortion argument.Next up is George from MD who is looking for advice for talking to their girlfriend who is a Young-Earth Creationist & biblical literalist. The caller wants to know how to go about approaching them about this subject to potentially start them changing their mind.Next is Karol from Europe who apparently has a certain set of conditions that apparently, somehow, help indicate that heaven and hell “might” be real. Loving these odds so far.Up next is Nikki from OR who is once again calling to tell everyone that they believe in God now after years of being Atheist, but still refuses to answer the host’s question regarding why they believe.Vincent from UT is calling to discuss the relationship between humans and our flavor of consciousness, to use Secular Rarity’s term, compared to other animals, and whether that flavor is a byproduct of our surroundings or god.Next, Anto from Italy has video evidence of flying people. Honestly wasn’t expecting that–– one moment...Up next is Timothy from CA who wants to talk about the widespread misconception that science leads to the truth when all it is is a tested methodology that assists with limiting our biases while investigating reality.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Jun 5, 2022 • 1h 21min
The Atheist Experience 26.23 06-05-2022 with Shannon Q and Forrest Valiai
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of The Atheist Experience. This week, Shannon Q is joined by the one and only Forrest Valkai!First up is Anthony from VA who is calling to argue that the body of God is the universe. The argument is founded on the idea that complex arrangements of atoms can lead to consciousness, and solar systems look similar to atoms and they might be the atoms of God?Next up is Noah from CA, a deist who claims that we are born and are currently living in hell. They abhorrently suggest that all of the sufferings that occurs in the world is just the waiting room to get to the perfect place, and is something that we can all laugh about later once we get to the other place after spending years being hazed by this bully of God. Piss off!Next up is Jeffrey from PA who believes that God created two genders. The idea of two genders is a very antiquated western viewpoint that is not reflected by other cultures. Thank you for being a great caller Jeffrey.John from Canada is the less pleasant version of the last caller. Good use of assertions buddy.Next is Gohan from TX who has questions regarding the pro-choice argument that relates to abortion (the fetus’s use of the mother’s uterus), and organ donation.Our final call is Tony from MA who presents the idea religion encourages narcissism and platforms for extreme narcissists.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

May 29, 2022 • 1h 29min
The Atheist Experience 26.22 05-29-2022 with Matt Dillahunty and Paulogia
In today’s episode of the Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by @Paulogia!First up is Issac from Israel who presents an argument for the truth of Judaism and its version of God by using the continued existence of the Jewish people.Next up is Clarence from OH who is confused about the laws of identity, non-contradiction, and excluded middle.Kevin from NY has a claim that will help our hosts find God. What’s the claim? The book of Enoch apparently describes supermassive black holes, but only if you interpret the text correctly. Whatever you say dude...Next up is Jonathan from CO who questions why Atheists would choose to help others and make the world a better place if there is no God to motivate them. Please keep believing in a God.Up next is Shiela from KY who had a recent confrontation with a family member who used their husband’s declining health as leverage to bring the caller back into religion.Next is Mercy from China is wondering what Matt’s position on assisted suicide and death with dignity, is and what the qualifications would be for granting permission to do so.Our final call is John from TX who wants to share some of God’s laws of reality. A lot of these sound like they were pulled out of a very specific orifice.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.