TheThinkingAtheist

2,588
Science #114

Seth Andrews, a former Christian broadcaster and believer for 30 years, ultimately escaped the bonds of superstitious thinking to embrace the more satisfying explanations that science provides.

A professional video producer and host of one of the most popular atheist communities on the internet, Seth Andrews brings a polished format, a relaxed environment and a rage-free challenge to the religious beliefs that defined his youth.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.

Recent Episodes
  • The Brick Wall Brain: Why Aren't Facts Changing Minds?
    Nov 19, 2024 – 56:01
  • America: the Idiocracy
    Nov 12, 2024 – 01:11:33
  • Contraduction: Fine-Tuning Arguments are Upside-Down (with Dan Barker)
    Nov 9, 2024 – 40:42
  • History Will Not Forget
    Nov 7, 2024 – 14:41
  • A Kat's Paw Podcast
    Oct 31, 2024 – 55:05
  • High Weirdness: The United States of Strange (with Aaron Rabinowitz)
    Oct 29, 2024 – 31:19
  • Judgment Houses: Scaring HELL out of You
    Oct 22, 2024 – 51:38
  • The Horror! (with Phil Nobile of FANGORIA Magazine)
    Oct 18, 2024 – 39:28
  • PHONY STARK: Elon, Trump, & the American Sh!tshow (with Cognitive Dissonance)
    Oct 15, 2024 – 53:27
  • Ghost Stories 2024
    Oct 9, 2024 – 01:15:08
  • "I'm an Ex-MAGA!"
    Oct 1, 2024 – 56:14
  • Seth Andrews VS. God: Who is the Better Intelligent Designer?
    Sep 24, 2024 – 52:08
  • Eve was Framed
    Sep 17, 2024 – 55:22
  • Confessions of an Ex-Pastor (with Timmy Gibson)
    Sep 10, 2024 – 01:09:44
  • They're Coming for Our Children!
    Sep 3, 2024 – 53:56
  • Mind the Science: How the Wellness Industry is Scamming Us (with Dr. Jonathan Stea)
    Aug 27, 2024 – 40:07
  • Atheist Bible Quiz Time: ROUND 2
    Aug 20, 2024 – 01:07:15
  • "I Escaped a Red Pill Cult" (with Coleman Watts)
    Aug 13, 2024 – 43:44
  • The Hoarders
    Aug 6, 2024 – 01:02:56
  • The Black Practice of Disbelief (with Dr. Anthony Pinn)
    Jul 30, 2024 – 45:26
  • What is Project 2025?
    Jul 23, 2024 – 31:20
  • "Don't Be Like the Hypocrites!" (and more listener calls)
    Jul 16, 2024 – 01:00:13
  • Bullsh!t Incorporated: Conspiracists and Cons in a Ridiculous World (with Dave Farina)
    Jul 9, 2024 – 46:55
  • FreeDumb: A 7-Minute Reflection on American Exceptionalism
    Jul 4, 2024 – 07:46
  • Atheist Bible Quiz Time!
    Jul 2, 2024 – 52:55
  • Rethinking Islam: with Adam Elmasri
    Jun 28, 2024 – 42:06
  • Songs So Wrong: Favorite Tunes We Didn't Realize Were Creepy (and your random calls)
    Jun 25, 2024 – 01:07:42
  • The Scam of School Vouchers (with Nick Fish of American Atheists)
    Jun 21, 2024 – 26:35
  • Hard Knocks: Who Are the Jehovah's Witnesses? (with Owen Morgan)
    Jun 18, 2024 – 58:13
  • Beliefs, the Bible, & Brain Freeze: with Matt Dillahunty (and Kat)
    Jun 11, 2024 – 01:26:26
  • "Crimes Against Humanity"? A Defense of Dr. Anthony Fauci
    Jun 7, 2024 – 59:33
  • "Aliens Built the Pyramids" is Rooted in Racism (with archaeologist Dr. Andrew White)
    Jun 4, 2024 – 38:47
  • A Wing and a Prayer: Religion in Rough Air (plus your calls)
    May 28, 2024 – 01:08:57
  • PRIMITIVE: Care, Cruelty, Religion, & Reason in the Human Animal (with Dr. Robert Sapolsky)
    May 21, 2024 – 58:11
  • We Come in Peace? The Religion of Alien Conspiracy Theories (with Brian Dunning)
    May 14, 2024 – 42:53
  • The United States Proves God! (and other listener calls)
    May 7, 2024 – 55:14
  • Tucker Carlson VS. Reality (with Aron Ra)
    May 3, 2024 – 52:14
  • Remembering Daniel Dennett
    Apr 30, 2024 – 58:37
  • When Religion Hurts You: with Dr. Laura E. Anderson
    Apr 23, 2024 – 56:26
  • 14 Things the Misguided Religious Establishment Doesn't Want You to Know
    Apr 19, 2024 – 13:56
  • Why Can't Christians Agree on "True Christianity?"
    Apr 16, 2024 – 52:58
  • Chaos Agents: with Shannon Q. and Paulogia
    Apr 9, 2024 – 01:24:35
  • The Burrito Method: Christ Isn't Curing My Cat
    Apr 2, 2024 – 01:00:51
  • The Exvangelicals: with Sarah McCammon
    Mar 26, 2024 – 34:18
  • God & Horrendous Suffering
    Mar 19, 2024 – 45:13
  • Free the Nipple! Breasts, Blue Laws, & the Bible Belt
    Mar 12, 2024 – 48:07
  • Where Would You Hide the Body? Exploring our Dark Side
    Mar 5, 2024 – 01:02:41
  • Letter to a Christian Spouse
    Feb 27, 2024 – 28:18
  • Creature Features: an interview with FX artist Mark Shostrom
    Feb 24, 2024 – 50:50
  • Why Isn't the West Talking about Islam? (with Nuriyah Khan)
    Feb 20, 2024 – 50:58
Recent Reviews
  • Pazzocazzo
    Babel
    Sometimes Seth is concerned about making babbling comments. I find treasures in his babbling. Atheist Bible quiz had me laughing sooo hard. Especially the story out the TALL LARGE PEOPLE. DONT WANT TO GIVE AWAY THE term So I appreciate Seth and where he’s come from leaving religion behind. However, on the politics front sadly I disagree with him. It’s not just Christians who voted for Donald Trump. It’s people who love our country. I would like to know where Seth gets his news from MSNBC? It’s not news it’s propaganda. Also, you talk about immigrants. we’re not opposed to immigrants coming to the country if they come legally, what’s your comment on all the women that have been raped by these illegal immigrants criminals released from Venezuela jails? The Biden administration has allowed millions and millions to come across the border. I don’t think you have all the news correctly?
  • beigeavenger
    Xblvrboomer
    As an active Christian for over 4 decades, I googled “atheist” and found podcasts such as this. I found a community not claiming to have “The Truth”, but people actually searching for truth. That’s a good thing.
  • BlueCelt08
    Seth is a “godsend” 🤣
    I highly recommend this podcast! Great information, logic, and critical thinking. Seth, thanks for being there for me when I needed you.
  • Truth_Seeker10
    Atheist “Thinking”?
    I am a Christian who would like to learn about the actual science supporting each side (atheism and faith) and find the truth. I will probably get ridiculed for “ignoring the obvious” and being a “superstitious bigot preaching a hefty claim with no evidence” but I would like to make some comments. This podcast is justified in trying to rip false statements and nonscientific thinking off the face of the earth. I mean, even as a Christian, I see renowned apologists making either irrelevant or flat-out stupid statements. For example, I hear Christians bring up morality and moral rules needing a law-giver. What logical evidence is there for that? We can create our own rules, we do it all the time, they are called laws. “Oh but what are those laws founded on - ethics given by God!” they say. Monkeys have ethics! Dolphins and seals will try to save drowning people. “But that is God’s works” they say, but if you are being honest it can be explained as evolution. Then, we just might have constructed the idea of God giving us those ethics. So really, it is all what came first, the chicken or the egg; it is irrelevant. Anyways, enough with my rambling. My issue with this podcast is that it while Seth preaches seeking truth and thinking deeply, all he does is sit there attacking Christians and ridicule their statements. But while he talks about debunking, he and his guests don’t actually do it, or even explain how issues were debunked. Also, I have a request for Seth if he happens to see this. I would like to hear some stuff about Hugh Ross, a Christian astrophysicist. He is often criticized by Christians for not holding true to the Bible and being a God-of-the-gaps guy, but what he says lines up with science from what I see. However, I have never seen atheist counterpoints and I would like to hear some. Finally, speaking to the Christians who became atheists and now saying they feel free and emotionally great, maybe you were missing the point of Christ. Christ frees us from the chains of the crazy, hateful, evil world. I was in some pretty bad depression and just felt trapped in never being able to figure out my relationships with my family, I had suicidal thoughts, and it sucked. But as I drew towards faith, things gradually got better. I felt like I could endure the hardships and trauma I have been through, and that I was okay, God had me. Some people would call it physiological, maybe so, but maybe not. I would like to close by saying that I am seeking the truth, not to rock the boat (any more than necessary anyways). I hope we all come to the factual conclusions.
  • duped consumer.
    Awesome!!!
    Loved the Bible trivia!!!
  • Zoebelle12
    Can’t argue with sense!
    Happy to have found this! Will try to listen to all of the episodes before it gets pulled in 2025 😅
  • nickanderhoey
    Good stuff!
    I loved the interview with Dave Farina!
  • Rowanba1
    Happy July 4th
    Great discourse on the 4th of July podcast, Seth. Short but very true. Loved it as all your podcast episodes. Thanks!
  • yniol
    The Thinking Atheist
    Hilarious 😂 brilliant work.
  • maman abeille
    Great podcast
    Thank you, Seth! You clearly put in the time, energy, and effort to produce a thoughtful and well-researched podcast.
  • Classytchr
    Improve your Life-Listen!
    Seth will always cause you to think, but often he’ll have you laughing out loud as his take on our human condition resonates. He’s so relatable. Seth you are my favorite podcaster -thank you for sharing your life and insights with us!
  • Liberaljoe
    Thank you!
    An amazing podcast for the critical mind
  • Sarah_CA
    My favorite podcast!
    This podcast is a wonderful way for me to feel connected to the secular humanist community. It’s my favorite podcast, and I try to go back and listen to the older episodes as well as keeping up with current ones. I appreciate the variety of subjects, guests, humor and information. I met Seth at a speaking event and I am so thankful for his listening ear and his kind words of encouragement. Thank you, Seth for everything you do. Keep up the good work!
  • Kat4president
    I owe this guy a coffee
    “Don’t take medical advice from a podcast” is great, but what happens when Seth’s show opens you up to a line of physiological inquiry that sheds light on some long understudied issue? Well, ep. 730 did this for me, and it’s only one of countless relatable stories that shed some light not only on the experience of being godless, but of being a good person in general, in ways that inspire and continue to help.
  • Yo, Denn Heim!
    Really good podcast
    Listen to this podcast and be set free, bruh.
  • Belle Martins
    So sad
    So sad, he knew the truth but didn’t truly believe it #Livingwaters
  • Marc Aaron
    Superb
    This podcast screams “professionalism” and “quality” from the opening words of every episode. An amazing host with a fascinating range of guests… on my favorites list forever.
  • Atheismjoker
    Amazing Show
    Just an excellent show and Stacie is amazing.
  • V. Herrera
    Excellent podcast and you tube channel!
    Thank you Seth!
  • flys_eyes
    Love it
    “She’s getting felt up for America 😂😂” Love this show Thank you for the good faith conversations about bad agency. I appreciate what you do and will get anyone I can think of with some semblance of intelligence and actual perspective on board!
  • lee23060
    Mostly politics, very little atheism
    I sampled a few episodes and quickly found this isn't an atheist podcast, this is a political podcast. If I wanted to hear an hour of hate of Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, etc, I'd watch CNN. The final straw was when Seth claimed that child sex trafficking, was a "fantasy" invented by the "right wing"
  • Aelfred of Wessex
    Atheism not Politics
    I come to these podcasts to hear what atheists have to say about atheism. Sadly, Seth spends about half his time talking about his personal politics instead of the subject matter. The global pandemic of TDS is still ongoing. Sad!
  • TashieLee1983
    This show is incredible!
    I have recently deconstructed and found this show! Suddenly everything makes sense and I don’t feel alone in my beliefs! It is ok to be an ATHEIST!
  • free market maniac
    Fantastic Podcast
    Most vocal atheists are former religionists of some sort. I am not. I was born an atheist and have remained so my entire 59 years of life. I say this because it is very interesting what motivates people to discuss their atheism or explore the general topic. Debating believers is a silly exercise and I have zero desire to discuss, defend, or debate my atheism. I rarely listen to what converted atheists have to say because the story is usually similar: most eventually awake to the absurdities, conflicts, and abuses of organized religion and belief in supernatural silliness. I suppose that’s a fun reveal. That said, I have stuck with this podcast because Seth Andrews is an excellent podcaster. Seth generally presents well thought out high quality and interesting shows. Sadly Seth suffers from delusional substitution syndrome. He has replaced traditional religion with woke religion. The politics get exhausting.
  • Porbem5
    _uck You, Seth
    I'm a long time listener on iTunes and just finished your Faces of Suicide episode. It took me multiple attempts to get through the whole thing. My father was a pastor of a church. I had gone to bible college which is where I met my beautiful wife of 34 years. I became an atheist many years ago. My parents didn't know how to take my initial stepping back from the ministry. After being on several different mind-altering drugs prescribed to him by a psychiatrist (an apparent fad in the '90's), my father ended his life on 18 March, 1996. It broke my heart because of our many unresolved issues. It took some effort to get through this episode, but it was good to hear. You shine a light on our paths with well thought arguments, all while not being unnecessarily cruel or condescending to those that may oppose our views. Thanks for being there.
  • King whirly
    Pretty good
    Seth is great on religion and fun on BSing. There are occasions where he bows to “experts” too much. We have given too much power and authority to experts. Sometimes experts lie and mislead because they know they can get away with it. Expert doesn’t mean truth teller Seth. Please remember. Cog Dis says “doubt even this”. But they fall into the same trap I notice. They should say doubt even this unless someone waves a degree in your face and claims to be an expert.
  • Sharon Slaten
    Hi, Seth
    Seth, I’m answering your question about other podcasts. I listen to the following: Sam Harris’s “Making Sense,” “The Dispatch.”
  • Kjindigo
    Way too woke
    He’s become a spokesperson for mainstream media propaganda and pharma. Bring back the thinking in the title.
  • Lord Anthony Navarre
    If only politics could be kept out
    You can’t talk about the abuse the religious have tried to force on the rest of us without talking about politics. Because the right wing fascists seem to all be sucking the Christer nipple. And it is getting worse. The right wing says “government is the problem, elect me and I will fix it” When in office they break everything they can. So they can say the same thing. Only now they have every grifter preacher pushing the same lie as well.
  • Eve~Angelical
    a deep true breath
    Seth continues to speak truth to power and ask important reasonable questions. As a survivor of evangelical indoctrination and abuse, I find this podcast so healing!
  • xsoc
    Wokeism is also a religion
    I agree with the reviewer from may 2023 that adopting the woke party line in his critiques of theists places himself in the category of religious zealots who try and inject their beliefs into public policy that he on the other hand so justly criticizes. Please check out the great John McWhorter’s masterful book “Wokeism: The Birth of a New Religion” or search his recent appearances on Bill Maher. He does a better job of explaining than I could that magical thinking and denial of science is a hallmark of both modern progressive ideology, including CRT and gender ideology, as it is in traditional religions. Seth, you need some introspection here, and if you don’t know what that means, you need to take a good look at yourself.
  • strezztechnoid
    Relevancy in an Irrational Society
    Thank you Seth for you clear thinking and unwavering support for a more humane approach to issues of the day. We need more of you, “bring in the clone” as opposed to what we have now “bring in the clown”.
  • Adam Leg
    Used to be great
    This was such a great podcast. Seth had the ability to make you feel like he was walking right next to you as you came out of your religious journey. The guests he had were the best in breaking down Christianity and the Bible and exposing it. But, Seth has decided to go political. In a way that doesn't even make sense. He blindly believes that only one side of the spectrum has issues and only attacks that side, believing that the few religious zealots who get their time in the spotlight are going to bring the whole country down. While ignoring the harm the other side is doing. It would be different if he brought a balanced approach to it and steelmans instead of strawmans the issues. If he goes back to the religious issues he was so good at addressing, it will be worth listening to again.
  • ViviLuRoux
    A godsend,pun intended
    Discovering this show has changed my life. While I've been an atheist for 20 years,I've learned so much from these podcasts. More than anything-that my struggles are shared by many,& I'm not alone out there.
  • efrtl
    Love the show, hate the Politics
    If I wanted to hear about politics I would listen to a political show. When Seth sticks to Atheism, the show is great, but as soon as he starts talking about conservatives and politics he is just as dogmatic and unhinged as the most devout Evangelical. I agree with him in that religion and it’s political views is harmful to society. I love fighting to keep church and state separate, but I have no desire to listen to an hour of how horrible Tucker Carlson or Don Lemon or Donald Trump or Joe Biden are. Frankly, the “thinking” part of this show ends as soon as he starts talking politics.
  • James FitzGerald
    UnSub
    dipped too far into woke as an over reaction to story telling - lost sight of the intentions of reality, sad
  • Shandahw01
    Thanks for all you do!
    Seth Andrews and “The Thinking Atheist” have been an integral part of my journey. Thanks for all you do!
  • TrishaKS
    I am thinking now!
    Thank you so much for all you do! I am deconstructing and you have been a real help and comfort in this wild journey!
  • Examine the narratives
    I can’t wait for his video “Democrats made me talk like an idiot”.
    Awesome podcast for new Atheists with puny critical thinking skills. Unfortunately, his skepticism fails when speaking on his political beliefs. He totally drank the progressive Cool-aide thinking Government will take care of you and Government will protect you. Cognitive dissonance is the only reason he can’t accept reality. His video on “Christianity made me talk like an idiot” will only be upstaged when he realizes the progressive Democrats made him talk like a complete idiot… Let’s watch him wake from his new cult. Give him a break, his critical thinking muscles are new.
  • N/A217
    Seth is a great American storyteller
    Update: love, love, LOVE this podcast! Thank you for having Brad from SWAJ on (also another favorite of mine). A Christmas story (no, not that one) should be among the great American classics. update: love the episode with Brad O. Thank you!
  • tlgee
    Fantastic content and delivery
    The November 15 episode is a must listen. I shared it but sadly some people see the word atheist and will pass on this and it’s a shame. It’s a non religious, non denominational sermon with alot of introspection and so needed in the age of the virtual village where sometimes humanity is lost. He also has a smooth and listenable speaking voice that is a bonus to the content. The fictional story on Halloween was spellbinding and a fantastic ending
  • BetoBetitoBetote
    Dam the door knokers
    I’m in Mexico Michoacán, narco land, I start speaking English to them after their second attempt, or say I’m Muslim, they ask what that is, I stupidly say Los que tumbaron las Torres! The ones that knocked down the towers! Ohh!! They say and move on, and talk about me to the Roman Catholic neighbors next door, their all Roman Catholic neighbors :( I’ve 9 dogs, un planed, the all hate the dog knockers, love both podcasts Seth.
  • banana🍌liu
    A Human Approach
    I’ve listened to Seth’s conversation with Dave McRaney on How Minds Change twice so far. An extremely informative and practical episode. This podcast provides a secular and balanced perspective to atheists and all humans who want to listen. I also noticed Seth is very respectful to the callers on the show, even the quacks. That’s hard to do.
  • LAUTIRE
    Good show
    As a libertarian atheist I wish this podcast was a little less leftist, but other than that excellent show!
  • The MD in NJ
    Simply the best
    I follow a lot of exvangelical and atheist podcasts and I’m so thrilled I found this one. Seth’s eloquence and humor are perfection. I just finished an episode that brought me to tears at the end as he so perfectly summed up what my own journey has been like on my path to a life of freedom. Thank you, Seth.
  • photomez
    Great show. Always look forward to the next episode
    Seth is a great host and keeps the subject light with his Humor and delivery
  • NebulaeTardigrade
    Always enjoyable
    Seth helps keep me sane in our soon to be theocratic authoritarian country.
  • grace32
    Disappointed with the recent interview of Alice
    Atheist spaces are newer to me as an exvangelical and someone who grew up deeply entrenched in the church and religion. I like to think there are fewer opportunities to run up against the platforming of very problematic and self serving guests however since there is usually more research and less smoke and mirrors in terms of messaging and topics covered. Alice Greczyn is exactly the kind of former Christian voice we do NOT need to be platforming. There is a decent amount of coverage on her recent tirade regarding accountability and her interpretation of “woke” culture as well as some pretty disgusting reflections on intersectionality and politics. It’s…a lot. Watching newish atheists make the rounds of the various pods and conventions, pivoting from their former evangelical life to “ jk I’m an atheist now, buy my book on deconstruction/purity culture” with little to no actual accountability, research beyond their experience or actual work being done aside from that which raises their voice and keeps them in the limelight —is getting old. I’m going to try and stick with the pod a little more because there are more valid voices I can see in previous episodes and I think the host does a good job but I was genuinely surprised to see this interview pop up as the most recent episode.
  • Myra Tyler
    First Podcast Review
    I listen to a lot of podcasts. This is one I never miss! I absolutely love it. It has helped put words to many things I have been thinking and feeling
  • m0vielover1980
    No more politics
    I used to enjoy this podcast, but since Trump was elected (and still after he was gone) this podcast seems more like anti-republican than atheist. What about all the republican or conservative atheists out there? Or the libertarian atheists, which I suspect there are a lot of. This just seems like another Democrat extreme left wing ally.
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