The hosts discuss the idea of creating a YouTube series where they go around knocking on doors with missionaries and offering their thoughts on religion. They also touch on the importance of quality time spent with loved ones.
People who handle snakes religiously do it through total and complete faith, a practice known as holiness serpent handling. The handling of snakes in this way is rarely seen in person but considered a sacred act for the participants.
The speaker reflects on the pointless work of Jewish concentration camp prisoners and how it relates to questioning the belief in a loving, protective God after experiences of tragic loss such as 9-11 or the pandemic.
Comedian Pete Holmes discusses personal faith journeys and the transitions made by his own family members, including his father's shift to Orthodox Judaism.
The speaker reminisces about his desire to fight and his religious curiosity.
In this episode, Sam Harris discusses the idea that religious moderates shelter fundamentalism and extremism by insisting we respect religious faith. He argues that the disposition to force others to live by the lights of one's own religious worldview needs to be opposed, particularly in the Muslim world where secularism is almost nonexistent.
A group is being accused of making members sign lifetime vows of obedience and giving collateral to join. One young woman was excitedly told by her master that she had to give collateral to join.
The fact that most religious people are good doesn't mean that God exists. It's inaccurate to label all religious people as bad based on the actions of a small minority.
This essay recounts the history of the Unification Church's (aka the Moonies) business ventures, including the founding of the American Tuna fishing company, and reflects on the author's personal experience with the church's influence in his family's life.
The speaker talks about how they used to be an angry atheist as a young adult but learned that the negative aspects of religion are present in many areas and some religions can help people.
The fragmentation of religion has caused some to turn to Berkshire Hathaway with a religious-like fervor and trust in Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger, as they speak about their experiences with the company at an annual meeting.
Sam Harris and David Wolpe discuss the difficulty of having a conversation about religion without arousing strong emotions and how differing beliefs can lead to challenging discussions.
The speaker describes the negative feelings and belittlement experienced when facing control of one's personal relationships due to the influence of religious communities, and highlights the importance of personal responsibility.
Nicole shares her experience working briefly at the temple and how things started to change after the Phoenix New Times article came out. She was not getting the training she had signed up for so decided to leave before she heard about the raid.
The human concept of an all-powerful, omnipotent being is limited by our own physical form and perspective, making it impossible for us to truly comprehend what it means to be God-like.
The speaker expresses a belief that Netflix documentaries have ruined religion for viewers, drawing a comparison to the way true crime documentaries can lead people to see suspects in everything.
The guest speaker shares his thoughts on the importance of maintaining objectivity in spiritual and religious practices and how formalized religion can act as a middleman in connecting with a higher power.
The speaker recounts their experience doing stand-up and their preference for Jewish over Catholic theology due to the emphasis on questioning.
Patience and eagerness are key when seeking to understand God's revelation through scripture and tradition, and trusting that answers will come in due time.
Native peoples took on some religious beliefs of the Christian settlers. A woman who lost her partner to death due to frigid weather was afraid of becoming a windigo if she ate his flesh, and she left him in her shelter due to her beliefs.
A man recalls a conversation with Father Williams, who made fun of his height and commented on his friend's mother in a derogatory manner, while also referencing inappropriate comments made by Father Dub towards his friend.
The speaker reflects on the idea of the rapture and how it influenced their perspective towards other people, and the manifestation of thoughts in different ways.
A woman shares her custody battle experience and how her husband didn't want their sons to attend any religious services, which led to a court allowing supervised visitation for a certain timeframe while she was at church.
Amidst a wave of consumerism in the 1980s, a religious awakening swept across Japan leading to the formation of numerous new religions, catering to people eager to embrace spiritual practices. One of the leaders, Shoko Asahara, initially drew inspiration from Chinese astrology and Taoism before delving into yoga, meditation and other secret traditions.
Despite financial challenges and personal obstacles, Jim, a pastor in a low-income community, puts his heart and soul into his church with the help of his dedicated partner.
