S2E20: The One With All The Questions (Season 2 Finale)

Flawed Theology

In this episode, Phil and Susie wrap up the season with another Ask Us Anything session. We are excited to have a guest cohost, Arline from the Graceful Atheist Podcast!! We really had a blast with Arline and are so honored that she spent some time with us. Her insights and answers to your questions are just fantastic!!

We received a lot of great questions, which are listed below with timestamps:

• 8:40: Can you help me understand what the apologists think about verses such as “Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks?” And other garbage things? How do you not get bitter and angry as you deconstruct?
• 18:45: What seemingly-trivial ways have you reclaimed your identity that was suppressed as a Christian? Examples: watching R-rated movies, swearing, celebrating Halloween, wearing bikinis, doing things just because you like doing them, etc?
• 24:13: I would love to hear about books you recommend on the subject of dealing with leftover fear of hell. Also, which of the sects would you consider most insidious, and which, in your opinion, is more insidious than the majority of people realize?
• 30:11: My question is how to cope with stress after leaving religion? A lot of people pray when things are going bad because they feel that faith will relieve stress. I think it would be good if you shared strategies for dealing with emotions like fear and anxiety without religion.
• 37:04: Why or what caused you to change your beliefs? How was the transition? (how long it took, how it felt during & how it impacted those close to you). If you experienced trauma due to religion, how that experience impacted your life at the time of impact up to present life. Coping mechanisms for dealing with ptsd.Why or what caused you to change your beliefs? How was the transition? (how long it took, how it felt during & how it impacted those close to you). If you experienced trauma due to religion, how that experience impacted your life at the time of impact up to present life. Coping mechanisms for dealing with PTSD.
• 48:20: How do you find solace in death without belief in an afterlife? (If you do find any sort of comfort regarding that! It’s one of the biggest reasons I turned to religion for a long time.)
• 53:36: How or should you even come out to family and friends and if you do, how do you navigate the experience and keep your sanity? I live in a small Texas town which should say it all. I am also a small business owner which compounds my angst about this topic.
• 59.16: Why are women "second class" and why do they accept that? The whole serve your master, obey your husband is swallowed by so many SMART women. Religion is just so highly macho and being told from birth that you are there to serve must be so hard to recover from. For those who managed to escape, when was the seed planted that women are people too and what was the last straw that allowed them to get out?
• 1:09: Given that evidence suggests humans have no soul and therefore no free will, how should we change the way we treat others or hold them responsible for the harm they do?

Show Notes and Links

• Graceful Atheist Podcast: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/graceful-atheist-podcast-1136736
• GAP Facebook Group/ Deconversion Anonymous: https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion
• The Thinking Atheist: https://www.thethinkingatheist.com/
• Dangerous Questions Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dangerousquestions

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