Episode 45 Christian Zionism

For this episode we take a look at the tension between Israel and Palestine paying special attention to how Christian Zionists are perpetuating the conflict through their unconditional support for Israel. We also answer some listener email, explain why Buddhism is on both the props and shit-list for this week, and we introduce a new segment—the Gospel of Doubt.

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Episode 44 Sex, Drugs and Rock n' Roll with guest Ethan Nadelmann

Religion gets in the way of having fun. But for this special vice episode the doubtcasters celebrate those sins that can bring so much joy to our lives: sex, drugs and rock & roll. We begin by exploring XXXChurch.com (the leading Christian porn site - Check out their former mascot "Wally" here) which offers old time sexual repression in a hip new trendy package. We also discuss the religious roots of drug prohibition with Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. We conclude the episode with a selection, chosen by our listeners, of some of the best freethinking music out there. We hope you enjoy our goofy, irreverent (and hopefully informative) celebration of vice.

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Episode 43 Stewards of this Earth

As citizens of earth we all have a responsibility to protect the planet. But even today many maintain the belief that God granted human beings dominion over the whole of creation—that the earth exists for our benefit. For philosophical naturalists, evolution compels us to confront the fact that we are not fundamentally different from non-human animals. As fully natural beings must consider how our attitudes and actions impact other species and the environment as a whole. An increasing number of Christian evangelicals are also reevaluating their attitudes towards the environment and are rejecting dominion for a new concept—stewardship. For this episode we examine the new “green” evangelicalism, and challenge our fellow skeptics to consider the moral implications of our kinship with all life.


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Episode 42 Onward Christian Soldiers

Over the past month a series of disturbing revelations put the subject of Christian militarism back in the headlines. So for this episode the Doubtcasters revisit “the Lords Army.” When historically did Christian fundamentalism take root in the American Armed Forces? Can we expect any changes with this new administration? And for a new “God thinks like you” segment, we examine the dangerous connection between pre-millennial eschatology and nuclear war. Also, for this week’s “Skeptics Sunday School” we take a look at the biblical passage known as the “great commission” and why it’s highly unlikely Jesus would have taught such a thing.

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Bonus Episode: Guest Appearance on "Faith and Reason" with host Bill Freeman

The Reasonable Doubts crew were recently guests on the "Faith and Reason" radio show hosted by Bill Freeman. Since we often focus on the claims of fundamentalists and conservative Christians this was our chance to engage with the ideas of with religious liberals. As we quickly discovered this is not as easy as it sounds. But we've offered it up for your listening "pleasure." After listening please share any tips you might have for nailing Jello to a wall.

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Episode 41 A Friendly Interview With David Myers

For this episode we interview Dr. David Myers, Professor of Psychology at Hope College, contributor to Skeptic Magazine and author of A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Why God is Good and Faith Isn’t Evil. Myers explains how his experience as a psychologist and promoter of critical thinking has influenced his religious faith. Also, the Doubtcasters engage Myer in a friendly debate over what role religion itself plays in making people “happy, healthy and helpful.”

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Episode 40 Unintelligible God

What do people mean when they say they believe in God? Supernatural, incorporeal, immutable, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent—it’s easy to rattle off a list of divine attributes. We can say these words but do we really understand what they mean? For this episode the Doubtcasters examine the god concept itself—his metaphysical nature, abilities and attributes—to see if they can meet even the most minimal standards for coherence and intelligibility.

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Episode 39 Holier Than Thou

Does Atheism result in immorality? Christian apologists are using two surveys to argue that Christians value moral behavior more than the non-religious. For another "God Thinks Like You" the doubtcasters remind the holier-than-thou crowd that "Ye shall judge them by their fruit." Also, apologist William Lane Craig's case that a loving God is consistent with the idea of hell is also challenged for this weeks Counter-apologetics segment.

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Episode 38 Women

Women have suffered more from organized religion than any other group. So for this episode the Doubtcasters examine the scriptural roots of male dominance in both the Bible and the Quran. We also take a look at the “quiverfull” movement, which condemns birth control and encourages women to view their “wombs as weapons” against secular society.

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Episode 37 Resistance with guest PZ Myers

From India to Iowa courageous men and women are speaking out and fighting back against religious intimidation and repression. For this episode, the Doubtcasters share some of these inspiring stories. Also the notorious PZ Myers, author of Pharyngula, joins us in the studio to discuss what needs to happen next in the struggle against dogma.

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Episode 36 Get to Know a Fallacy

On this episode we introduce a new segment called "get to know a fallacy." For the first installment we examine false analogies in the design arguments of William Paley and Dinesh D'Souza. But first join us for a new installment of God Thinks Like You where we explain why, to the brain, God is just another guy.

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Episode 35 Speechless

According to the American Family Association's new documentary Speechless: Silencing The Christians, homosexual activists are using sophisticated propaganda techniques to manipulate the public into accepting the homosexual lifestyle as normal and harmless. As a result Christians are now being stereotyped by the media as being intolerant bigots clearing the way for persecution at the hands of homosexual activists who use hate speech laws to silence Christian's free speech rights and suppress their freedom of religion. For this episode the doubtcasters set the record straight by exposing the exaggerated claims, cherry-picked evidence and anti-gay pseudoscience in the film speechless.

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Episode 34 Determinism...One Last Time

Never before in the history of the show, have we received such a strong and mixed response from our listeners as we did with our two part series on the subject of free will and determinism. So for this episode the doubtcasters, as promised, respond to our listeners emails. Also, we take a look at "Ten Books that Screwed Up the World" and explain why President Obama is once again on Reasonable Doubts shitlist.

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Episode 33 Darwin Day featuring Ed Brayton and Ken Miller

To celebrate the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin Ed Brayton, author of ScienceBlogs popular blog Dispatches from the Culture Wars, joins us to talk about his new radio show and podcast Declaring Independence. He shares with us a fascinating interview with Ken Miller, critic of Intelligent Design and author of the new book Only a Theory. Miller explains the findings of a paper that was devastating to the notion of irreducible complexity, a paper written by none other than Intelligent Design advocate Michael Behe.

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Episode 32 Profiles of the Godless

This week we're going to take a break from our usual format to bring to you a lecture recently delivered to CFI Michigan by Reasonable Doubts co-host Luke Galen. Luke has just completed the most comprehensive survey to date on the Non-Religious. The results provide some answers to questions such as How are non religious individuals viewed by the broader community? What differentiates religious and non religious individuals within the same community? Are there sub groups within the non religious community, and are there any differences between atheists, agnostics and humanists?

A pdf file containing slides from Luke's presentation including graphs, charts and other data can be downloaded here.

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Episode 31 Obamination

Barack Obama has been president for barely a week, yet the religious right has already ramped up their rhetoric to hysterical levels. For this episode we examine their claim that Obama’s reversal of the "Global Gag Rule" on family planning funding represents an "assault on human life". Also we look to the New Testament and ask whether Christianity is more compatible with capitalism or socialism for another installment of the Skeptic’s Sunday School.

Check out Focus On the Family's Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America

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Episode 30 FWvD2: Judgement Day with guest Tom Clark

Having argued for determinism, the doubtcasters now turn to its implications. Is moral responsibility possible in a deterministic universe? Could justice and self-knowledge still be achieved if free will is just an illusion? Tom Clark, Director of the Center For Naturalism joins us on the show to explain how adopting a consistently naturalistic worldview would transform our view of society and ourselves.

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Episode 29 Free Willy vs The Determinator

Does every person possess an immaterial soul capable of making free choices or are we all just electrified meat--slaves to brute causality? For this episode, the doubtcasters draw upon arguments from philosophy and psychology to make the case for determinism. But if a naturalistic outlook rules out freedom of the will is morality still possible?

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Episode 28 Nothing For Christmas with guest Nica Lalli

Nica Lalli Author of "Nothing: Something to Believe In" joins us in the studio to talk about art, the holidays and raising freethinking children. Also in this episode are holiday editions of the "props/s***list" and "stranger than fiction" segments.

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Episode 27 Cross-Examining the Four Witnesses Part 2

Does the New Testament provide a clear and accurate portrayal of Jesus of Nazareth? If the gospels provide the testimony of four independent witnesses who overwhelmingly agree on the details, as apologists claim, then we would have reason to trust these accounts. But modern biblical scholarship paints a radically different picture of the gospels, their origins and historical accuracy. In this, the second of a two part series, the Doubtcasters consider and respond to recent counter-arguments offered by prominent Christian apologists.

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