Stab Everyone You Love with Rocky Mountain Atheists

Last week I had the pleasure to host a webinar for Rocky Mountain Atheists last week. It's an updated version of the Stab Everyone You Love talk I gave at Nerd Nite back in February 2020 (which YouTube has censored for containing "medical disinformation"). It was a fun presentation to revisit, and the attendees were engaged and seemed to enjoy. If you haven't already heard this talk, this version is a good one to see. 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E23: Heresy: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God, with Catherine Nixey

Why do scholars now refer to early Christianities instead of early Christianity? How has the meaning of the word “Heresy” changed from its original definition to taking on its current connotations? Why did Christianity grow from a fringe cult with few followers and disdained by the intelligentsia and people in power to becoming the largest religion in the world today? What did humanity lose with Christianity’s rise? 

Catherine Nixey answers all these questions and more as she discusses her new book, Heresy, on Podcast for Inquiry. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

I was a guest on the Apostate Sisters YouTube channel

I met Nancy and Patti, the Apostate Sisters, at BAHACON in August. I gave a brief impromptu talk about CFIC and they liked it so much they invited me to be a guest on their YouTube channel. It was a fun conversation, and I'm pleased with how it came out. This is a great introduction to my views on activism, secularism, Humanism, parenting, changing society, and much more. Enjoy!

Podcast for Inquiry S03E22: Saving civilization is about more than climate change, says Professor Katherine Richardson

All life on earth ultimately depends on energy and how it flows between biological and geochemical systems on the planet. Katherine Richardson and her team identified nine boundaries which need to be respected if our planet is to remain conducive to human thriving. Climate change is just one of them.

We are exceeding six boundaries, and in recent years they are all getting worse.

Katherine discusses how she and her team identified the nine planetary boundaries and why it is essential to consider how they interact, instead of viewing them as independent issues. The effects of exceeding planetary boundaries are affecting life today, disrupting air travel, causing severe flooding, and contributing to more frequent and powerful storms. (For the most up to date overview, read Planetary Boundaries guide humanity’s future on Earth, published in Nature magazine on November 8, 2024.)

We have the knowledge and technology to live within the planetary boundaries; the question remains whether we have the will, and the time, to implement them.

The nine planetary boundaries are:

• Climate change
• Biosphere integrity
• Stratospheric ozone depletion
• Ocean acidification
• Phosphorus and nitrogen biogeochemical flows
• Land system change
• Freshwater change
• Atmospheric aerosol loading
• Novel entities

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E21: Melanie Trecek-King defines and discusses critical thinking

Many people - especially those in skeptical organizations like CFIC - talk about the importance of critical thinking. But what is it? How can we use it effectively? How do people navigate complex subject areas without developing deep expertise? Melanie Trecek-King, creator of Thinking is Power, discusses how people internalize beliefs, how they can be a part of one’s identity, why some issues become politicized, what constitutes good evidence, and much, much more. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E20: Does the Bible endorse slavery and genocide? Dr. Joshua Bowen provides receipts.

In his first appearance on Podcast for Inquiry, Dr. Josh Bowen compared what we know about history from archaeology and contemporaneous literature with the stories from the Old Testament. 

In today’s episode, Dr. Bowen reveals what the Bible has to say about slavery and genocide, and goes a bit outside his comfort zone to talk about whether the Old Testament should be considered a guide to a moral and ethical life. 

Referenced during the conversation:

• Read Dr. Bowen’s latest book: Did the Old Testament Endorse Slavery? (Extensively Revised and Expanded Second Edition) 
• Watch Josh rap about Gilgamesh
• Subscribe to Megan Lewis' podcast Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman  

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E19: Kate Cohen believes atheists should be out and proud

Kate Cohen talks about her journey from privately knowing she was a non-believer to writing We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too). She discusses how being an atheist and a commitment to honesty informed how she raised her children, and how being forthright about her lack of belief in social interactions has simplified her life. We also talk about some of the challenges associated with being an open atheist.

Kate is a Washington Post columnist and some of the articles she references in the conversation are below. 

• A Car Ride with Lena
• In America you have to opt out of religion in public life. That's backwards. 
• America doesn't need more God. It needs more atheists. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E18: Greg Oliver asks: Why is religious discrimination official provincial educational funding policy?

Greg Oliver, founder and president of the Canadian Secular Alliance, believes that governments should not favour one faith over another, nor believers over non-believers. That three Canadian provinces continue to this day to fully fund a Separate school system for a single faith - Catholicism - is an egregious violation of secular principles that should guide our public policy. Greg explains why Catholic schools are funded, how two provinces stopped funding sectarian schools, addresses many myths about the separate school system, and what we can do about it. (Check out the new organization Alumni to Amend Section 93.)

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E17: Science Denial: Why It Happens and What To Do About It, with Gale Sinatra

Everyone is vulnerable to fallacies that can lead to misunderstanding scientific topics. In her book (written with Barbara Hofer), Science Denial: Why It Happens and What To Do About It, Gale investigates many of these, including:

• Cognitive biases
• Emotions
• Motivated reasoning 
• Identities 

Gale also explains what all of us can do to increase our scientific literacy. Science is better understood as a process, with different disciplines advancing knowledge via different means, employing various techniques. It is much more than just a collection of facts to be understood. We can also move from an absolutist view of the world to a more evaluative perspective, and with that additional complexity and nuance comes a deeper and more accurate understanding.

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E17: Anti-natalism with Mark Maharaj

Anti-natalism is the philosophical idea that choosing to have children is an unethical act. Mark explains what anti-natalism is, as well as what it isn’t, and describes how he came to subscribe to anti-natalist thought. 

Learn more about anti-natalism from the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy and Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E15: Kelly Weinersmith asks: Are we ready to live off-planet?

Dr. Kelly Weinersmith (@FuSchmu) is the co-author (with her husband Zach) of Soonish and A City on Mars. Kelly maintains that while having humans living off Earth would be awesome, we’re simply not ready for it yet. She answers many of my questions: Why can’t we go to Mars if we have the will? Why can’t we all just get along? Why should we expand? Why is building a habitable space station harder than settling on Mars or the moon? What laws would apply in any off-Earth settlement? Where should we focus our space research efforts? 

Kelly also goes on a rant about Helium 3. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E14: The search for truth, with Carolyn Biltoft

Carolyn Biltoft received her PhD in World History from Princeton University in 2010. Her work fuses the tools of world history, intellectual history, cultural studies and critical theory. Carolyn has thought deeply about the nature of truth, and realized that each person necessarily has an incomplete understanding, because we only experience a small aspect of reality first hand. Therefore, we need to trust the reports of others to gain a complete worldview. Misplacing our trust will compromise the accuracy of our model of reality. Carolyn delves into the implications of this insight, describes the similarities and differences between scientific and religious mindsets, and how this should impact our educational system.  

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A YouTube version is also available (at Carolyn's request, we did not record video): 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E13: The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself, with Robin Reames

Robin Reames is the incoming Culbertson Chair of English at Indiana University. She researches and writes about the history of ideas, particularly lost ideas from the ancient Greek rhetorical tradition that can enrich our lives today. I ask Robin about her book, The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself: The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized Times, starting with the question: What is rhetoric? Robin goes on to explain why emotions and values are more compelling persuaders than facts. We discuss whether media outlets report on events as they happened, or condition you to respond in a particular way. Robin describes the power of the word “alternative”, as well as the power of fear. There is much we can learn from ancient Athens.  

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E12: What’s the point if there’s no god? Ralph Lewis has an answer.

Dr. Ralph Lewis is an Associate Professor, practicing psychiatrist, and blogs for Psychology Today. Dr. Lewis explores the themes in his book, “Finding Purpose in a Godless World: Why We Care Even if the Universe Doesn’t”, including addressing some key questions:

• Does the universe have a purpose?
• Why are we humans so prone to believe that the universe is inherently purposeful?
• If the universe has no purpose, does that mean human lives are meaningless and don’t matter?
• How do we make moral judgments if we have no external or  objective foundation for them?

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E11: The Founding Myth with Andrew Seidel

Andrew Seidel (@AndrewLSeidel) is the author of The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is un-American, and works for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. He and Leslie discuss the birth of the United States and its founding documents. Andrew reveals that America was not intended to be in any way a Christian nation, yet a significant minority has come to believe that is not the case. Andrew also talks about the very real threat that today’s Christian Nationalists pose to American democracy. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S3E10: The Ten Commitments, with Kristin Wintermute and Emily Newman

The Ten Commitments come from the American Humanist Association’s Center for Education. They “represent our shared humanistic values and principles that promote a democratic world in which every individual’s worth and dignity is respected, nurtured, and supported, and where human freedom and ethical responsibility are natural aspirations for everyone.”

I speak with Kristin Wintermute, Director of Education, and Emily Newman, Senior Education Coordinator, about each of the Ten Commitments and how they can be put to practical use in day-to-day life. 

The Ten Commitments:

• Altruism  
• Critical Thinking
• Empathy
• Environmentalism 
• Ethical Development
• Global Awareness
• Humility
• Peace and Social Justice
• Responsibility
• Service and Participation

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E09: Alternative medicine nearly killed me, says Kat Mac

Kat McLeod is passionate about dispelling misinformation, especially regarding herbal remedies. Taking herbal supplements nearly killed her, so she volunteers at the University of Alberta as a mentor for pharmacy and medical students, arming them with the knowledge that can hopefully prevent the kind of suffering she has endured.

Kat and Leslie talk about some of the problems in Canada and elsewhere with standard medical practice, then delve into how herbal supplements are often mislabeled, concealing (in her case) an unlisted potent steroid. They also discuss other aspects of the alt-med industry, and steps Canada can take to improve the safety and well-being of all Canadians. 

Health Canada report on Natural Health Products: “Overall, Health Canada’s oversight of natural health products available for sale in Canada fell short of ensuring that products were safe and effective.”

Vanessa's Law (which aims to strengthen safety oversight, improve reporting, and increase transparency for therapeutic products in Canada).

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E08: Behind the Scenes at Podcast for Inquiry

I gave the keynote address at the Centre for Inquiry Canada’s Annual General Meeting in March. That address is today’s special episode of Podcast for Inquiry. I talk about the principles underlying the podcast, the rules and guidelines they led to, and some of the difficult decisions those working on the podcast had to make. I also delve into freedom of expression, applying how different levels of censorship have affected Podcast for Inquiry.

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Cost of Religion in Canada at Toronto Oasis

I was the guest speaker at the March 17, 2024 meeting of Toronto Oasis. I opened my remarks with two startling claims: that I have psychic powers, and that Canada subsidizes religious institutions by over $5.6 billion every year. 

I proceeded to explain how the latter number was derived, based on rigourous research by the Centre for Inquiry Canada, but remained mum about my purported clairvoyant abilities. 

My presentation runs from 1:05 to about 25:20, followed by an extensive Q&A session with members of Toronto Oasis. 

Toronto Oasis is a secular community that meets online every Sunday morning for community discussions on engaging and sometimes controversial topics.

Enjoy!

The God Gig is Easy!

Keith Semple has started a podcast, where he talks about being a Northern Irish Humanist living in the United States. I was his guest and talk give a Canadian perspective on politics and secularism, as well as my own journey to secular Humanism. It was a fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy it too.

My favourite quotation from Keith: "Leslie, I think you have a career in simply making bumper stickers for secular people."

It's available via The Semple Truth wherever you listen to podcasts, on Keith's Semple Truth website, or you can watch it below:

Let me know what you think.

Putting a Number on the Cost of Religion in Canada

Last month I had the pleasure of being part of a roundtable discussion with the BC Humanist Association, hosted by Humanist Canada, about the cost of religion in Canada. It was a fun and engaging conversation, covering most of what was discussed in CFIC's Cost of Religion reports, plus some additional insights based on original research done by the BCHA.

Watch and learn how just a few policy choices from all three levels of government costs Canadians over $5.6 billion - yes, with a "b" - every year, in direct and indirect subsidies to religious organizations. 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E07: Misguided: My Jesus Freak Life In A Doomsday Cult with Perry Bulwer

Perry Bulwer (Facebook) speaks about his part-memoir, part-exposé book, Misguided: My Jesus Freak Life in a Doomsday Cult. Perry describes what first attracted him to the cult, and why he stayed in it for nearly 20 years. Perry recounts the lasting damage from his time in the Children of God, to himself and especially to those born into it. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E06: Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will, with Kevin Mitchell

Kevin Mitchell (@WiringtheBrain) is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and writes the blog Wiring the Brain. His book, Free Agents, argues that evolution gave us Free Will. Kevin begins by describing free will, how life has it but rocks do not, and the gradient of choice from paramecia to humans. He talks about the thought experiment of “Rewinding the Tape” and whether someone could have done otherwise under identical circumstances. Kevin discusses the fundamental indeterminacy woven into the fabric of the universe at the quantum scale, and how that combines with chaotic systems to make many aspects of the universe both unpredictable and undetermined. Finally, Kevin speculates about the ramifications of his research and findings on social intuitions and institutions.

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E05: Julien Musolino asks, Who cares if Libertarian Free Will is scientifically incoherent?

Dr. Julien Musolino is a cognitive scientist and author of The Soul Fallacy. He explains why the intuitively, commonly-held notion of free will - known as “libertarian” or “contra-causal” - is scientifically incoherent. This has some implications for how we view ourselves and how we treat others, but on many levels it also doesn’t matter. Julien restores the concept of free will by providing a different definition of free will at a higher level of abstraction. Along the way, Julien and I delve into ideas from philosophy, morality, politics, and sociology.

Publications referenced in the conversation:

• For the law, neuroscience changes nothing and everything, by Joshua Greene
• Moral Responsibility Reconsidered, by Gregg D. Caruso
• Free is as real as baseball, by Sean Carroll  

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E04: Maryam Namazie and The Paris Appeal

Maryam Namazie (@MaryamNamazie) is the spokesperson for One Law for All and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. In December 2023, the CEMB released The Paris Appeal, calling for Laics of all countries to unite. Maryam explains the purpose and content of The Paris Appeal, and along the way gets into the difference between laïcité and secularism, and reveals the religious court system in England that denies many women the rights they ought to enjoy. Maryam also talks about World Hijab Day, what the hijab means, and concludes with a passionate analysis of Québec’s religious symbols law.

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E03: Sandra Dunham asks: Why does Canada give $5.6 billion annually to religious charities?

Canada allows organizations that do nothing but “advance religion” to be classified as charities. This policy decision costs Canadians at least $5.6 billion every year, according to the Centre for Inquiry Canada's Cost of Religion reports. Sandra Dunham explains what this amount includes, how it was calculated, and the many benefits that religious institutions enjoy in addition to this figure.  

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry Diatribe #3: Insurance and Pharmacy Companies Collude to Coerce

Canadians with group benefits covered by Manulife will soon be able to fill certain prescriptions only at Loblaw-owned pharmacies, such as Shoppers Drug Mart.

In my third Podcast for Inquiry Diatribe, I fulminate against this blatantly anti-competitive, coercive arrangement that harms everyone it affects except for the profits of two of Canada’s largest companies. I explain why this deal ought to be a violation of Canadian law, and predict that, if allowed to stand, much more - and worse - is to come. 

As with all Diatribes, the opinions expressed are mine alone and do not represent CFIC or any other ogranization. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E02: The life of a refugee in exile: “Omer” shares his story

“Omer” (a pseudonym) was born and raised in Pakistan, but his life was threatened when he expressed doubts about the inerrancy of Islam. He survived a manhunt by the Pakistani government, and now lives as a refugee in Nepal. Omer is the first Pakistani atheist to reach 100,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. He has been accepted by Canada as a permanent resident, but exit permit issues mean Omer cannot leave Nepal for an indeterminate period. You may contribute to supporting Omer (who is not allowed to work in Nepal) by making a donation to CFIC. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available: 

Podcast for Inquiry S03E01: Liberalism a post-liberal world, with Russell Blackford

 A new year, a new season of Podcast for Inquiry!

Podcast for Inquiry starts 2024 with a deep discussion into the philosophical concept of liberalism, and of how Western culture has strayed from it as an ideal. Russell Blackford (@Metamagician) is a philosopher, literary critic, and widely published author. Russell talks about how the philosophical principle of Liberalism runs through his two most recent books, The Tyranny of Opinion and How We Became Post-Liberal. Our conversation starts with a definition of how Liberalism emerged over the past few centuries, and delves into two of its core concepts: free speech and toleration. We also discuss how group dynamics can lead to polarization and how society can return to liberal values. 

Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Spotify Apple Google Deezer Player.fm), or listen here:  

A video recording is also available:

Two Incredible Years of Podcast for Inquiry

The following article was initially published in the January 2024 edition of the Centre for Inquiry Canada's monthly newsletter, Critical Links.

It's been two amazing years of Podcast for Inquiry, and it continues to be a source of tremendous pride to host fascinating conversations, every two weeks. We brought you 25 discussions in 2023, plus three bonus episodes featuring Leslie defending secular principles in various contexts. 

Here are some highlights: 

We kicked off the year with a passionate defense of morality on secular grounds from Phil Zuckerman. This remains one of my favourite conversations to date. At one point, professor Zuckerman launches into a defense of secular values and governance with a passion and eloquence that rivals anything I've heard from Dawkins or Hitchens. If you haven't already listened to this episode, you're missing out.

The topic of religion and cults was a recurring theme in 2023, including conversations with:

• Dr. Joshua Bowen on Biblical [in]accuracy
• Chris Shelton on Scientology and destructive cults
  
• Philippa Carter on What is a Religion?
  
• Noah Rasheta on Secular Buddhism
  
• Seth Andrews on Christians acting in un-Christian ways (this was the year's most popular episode on YouTube, with 40,000+ views and over 200 comments!)
• David Fitzgerald claiming Solomon, Jesus and Mohammed are all fictional

Science featured prominently:

• Ashely Esakin on Gardening in any Environment
• Allan Offenberger on the Current State of Fusion Research
  
• Dana Korneisel on tetrapods (and axolotls!)
  
• Tara Moriarty on Communicating Scientific Knowledge during Covid
  

Podcast for Inquiry delved into Politics:

• Srishti Hukku on Misogyny in Humanism
• Tonya Callaghan on Homophobia in Catholic Schools
• Eunju Kim on Escaping North Korea
  

Economics was scrutinized:

• Paris Marx on “Don’t be Evil” no longer applies
  
• Dr. Evelyn Forget on Basic Income
  
• Gretchen Morgenson on How Private Equity Runs and Wrecks America
  

A couple episodes demonstrated the benefits of Research and Critical Thinking: 

• David McRaney on How Minds Change
  
• Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff on Do Cities listen to the Supreme Court?
  

Finally, three bonus episodes where I expound upon Secular Values in various contexts:

• A debate on God's Role in Politics (against a Catholic scholar and lawyer)
• A presentation to an International Humanist Conference on Humanism in Children and Women's Rights
• A diatribe about what Canadian Catholic Hospitals consider Ethics

We have a couple incredible episodes to kick off 2024: a conversation with an Australian philosopher about our post-liberal world, and an intimate view into the life of Omer, a Pakistani refugee (sponsored by CFIC) waiting to come to Canada.

I'd love to hear your feedback. Let me know what you loved, how we can improve, and what you want to hear on Podcast for Inquiry. I can always be reached at podcast@centreforinquiry.ca. 

Leslie Rosenblood, your host on CFIC's Podcast for Inquiry