Aron Ra Dispels the Myths of Atheism
Today we are taking a turn and discussing atheism on the show.
My guest is Aron Ra, an author, atheist activist and regional director of American Atheists. He had previously served as president of the Atheist Alliance of America and ran as a Democratic candidate for Texas' District 2 Senate seat.
Aron dispels the myths of what atheism is and how people act as atheists. He is very well read and knowledgeable on the subject, so we go over the terms such as theism, atheism, anti-theism or agnosticism to explain what they mean. We also talk about politics and religion, and the loss of 'American Dream.'
Now, we are in the 'Bible Belt' here in Texas, so being an atheist is not a popular opinion amongst everybody. I would even describe myself as an atheist, but sometimes talking about atheism makes me feel uncomfortable for fear of being judged.
Although there are some points on which I don’t agree with Aron, I have thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and I'm excited to share it with you guys. Enjoy!
“If I read Tao Te Ching before I saw the Star Wars, then I would have identified as a Taoist, but I saw Star Wars first, so that made me a Jedi.” - Aron Ra
Time Stamps:
1:33 - The topic of today’s episode and who Aron Ra is.
9:58 - Why Aron believes religion is a lie.
12:10 - What his sense of belief is.
17:10 - How he came to his current position towards religion.
23:40 - Discussing terminology: theism, atheism, anti-theism, agnosticism.
29:50 - How Aron explains that there is no possibility that God exists.
37:00 - How charismatic religious leaders are harming and deceiving people.
45:46 - The problem with worshipping as a practice.
51:50 - How Trump’s election in 2016 divided friends and families to the point of no return.
56:00 - How the American Dream has been destroyed by intertwining religion with politics.
1:02:55 - Atheist politicians and why all presidents have to embrace Christianity.
1:08:12 - The part of Bible that contains great wisdom.
1:15:30 - The humanity’s inherent need for truth.
Resources:
If You Don’t Believe in Any God, You’re Atheist, article by Aron Ra
The Great Partnership: Science, Religion and the Search for Meaning by Jonathan Sacks
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