"Faith" is required to "Believe In Lies" and "Faithfulness" is required to maintain "Power and Control", but Evidence is required to Discover Truth...

Back when I was still going to church I had a wonderful man as my minister. I told him once that I often had doubts about God and the validity of the bible. He just smiled at me, put his hand on my shoulder and said,”what sane man hasn’t?” He told me that he himself had often had doubts but it was faith and the good will of his parishioners that kept him in the faith. He had a heart attack a few months later and left this world. I held onto my faith for awhile after that but left it behind once I started studying the bible, (by myself), seriously.

I really miss this guy.  He's like your beloved grandfather.  Wise, educated, and blunt.

I am now agnostic and 83 years of age. I am now happy. When I  called myself Christian, I was not happy. There is no scientific evidence of god. I am now happy, because I no longer  accept falsehood, as true . The video is great!

When I was a Christian I was afraid of everything, when I stopped being a Christian I became afraid of only one thing; the human race and the evil We are capable of all in the name of God.

I love this man! Is my intellectual father. “Mio babbo” in italian language❤

Thanks Skepticscripture. Love the approach. Love the message from Daniel. Give people all sides. All the info. Then let people decide for themselves.
Same should be done for the news. Give all views. No one gives an opinion price unless the other views are given as well.

Are you sure that is necessary to summarize & clarify Daniel Denents speech? I feel that he is an incredibly clear & impactful speaker/philosopher. The added commentary occurs to me as a rude distraction from a wonderful lesson.

I went blind on two separate occasions. Both instances lasted less than 15 minutes. I was concerned of course, but amazed at how calm I was. I actually expected my vision to return, especially the second time.

Thanks indeed for imparting knowledge and delivering good lecture sir.

Another amazing lecture by Dr Dennett, thank you very much 48:46

I am so much happier since I studied myself out of Christianity.  Most people don’t believe the fairytale they are more afraid of going to hell if you can understand that

The "best friend," of the pastor who got him fired probably would have taken more time to mull over what he was told before telling people that might get him fired if the pastor had been in most any profession.

It seems to be one of those cases where religion has corrupted them into acting as an enemy hurting a friend who they ostensibly care about enough to have acted with discretion and kindness in a secular situation.

Religion tends to corrupt good people...

It's good that people or clergy are willing to be retrained. Sounds like it's a sign that they're more in it for the community and to the people and they were utilizing religion as a way to make connections and positivity in the community... You just got to go where the people are and religion is where people who want connections and leadership go, hopefully good people.

Skip the AI Narration parts.

Something Dennett said resonated with me  (a lot did, I mean this one specific thing -->) — and that was how as small children we're fed religious stories that we are expected to just believe, and worse, profess whenever questioned, even if we're doubting some or all of it.
One of the things that scared the bejesus ( pun intended,  NGL) was this whole concept of being "washed in Jesus' blood". I've never forgotten the words of this hymn from my childhood, which traumatized me for years:
"There is a Fountain filled with Blood.
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their Guilty Stains."

14:40 what is a radio? like a discord server?
43:27 what is a transistor radio? has it been through affirmation therapy?

I always went to church with my mother (out of respect), but I was glad to move off to college. Still, I went to church when I visited her. I took my kids (her granddaughters), too. But I never, ever believed. Never baptized. No faith to leave behind now that she’s gone. I hope you made it to heaven, mama. I’m looking forward to a long, dark, undisturbed sleep. I’ve learned life is a lot more difficult and painful now that I’m aging. Fuck growing old.

I definitely miss this guy. For anyone who's not seen this, here's a wonderful conversation between Dennett, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgkAHehlzzo

I am proud to say that I am an atheist.