Episode 51: Is Religion Make-Believe? With Neil Van Leeuwen
Data Over Dogma25 Maalis 2024

Episode 51: Is Religion Make-Believe? With Neil Van Leeuwen

It doesn't sound very nice, but this week we're asking the question: is religious belief the same as factual knowledge, or is closer to imagination? Cognitive scientist and philosopher Neil Van Leeuwen is here to walk us through the theory he puts forward in his book Religion as Make-Believe A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity. And it is fascinating! Dr. Van Leeuwen dives deep into how our minds relate to the world around us. What distinguishes our understanding of what's in the room next to us from our ideas about who or what controls the universe? Is there a difference between what he calls a "religious credence" that God is present in your life and the factual belief that you're currently sitting on a soft brown sofa? What's going on in our brains when we believe something versus when we know it? Find the book here (or ask your local bookshop to order it for you): https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Neil-Van-Leeuwen/dp/067429033X For early access to an ad-free version of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and an opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma Follow us on the various social media places: https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod https://www.twitter.com/data_over_dogma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaksot(148)

Unforgivable!

Unforgivable!

Did you know that there is a sin so awful, so egregious, so outrageous that even God would not be able to forgive it? If you answered yes, then we're sorry. That probably means you've been needlessly ...

2 Helmi 1h 7min

Hiding God

Hiding God

This week we're talking about showing off your love for God, and whether that might not be a such great idea. And our example of not mentioning God comes straight from the Bible?? First, we're look...

26 Tammi 1h 15min

Jesus is so Fulfilling!

Jesus is so Fulfilling!

Jesus fulfilled the law! It says so right there in Matthew. But what on earth does that actually mean? Different people have had vastly different interpretations of that idea, and the consequences of ...

19 Tammi 1h

The Holy Dunk

The Holy Dunk

What do you know about baptism? Why do Christians do it? Where does it come from? This week, we're exploring the most important baptism of all: that of Jesus. It's clearly a pivotal moment in the ...

12 Tammi 1h

Bring Me the Head of John the Baptist!

Bring Me the Head of John the Baptist!

John the Baptizer was a fascinating character. More attested to historically than Jesus, John was a genuinely big deal! One of the historically attested facts about John was his execution by Herod. Wh...

5 Tammi 58min

Shiny Happy People!

Shiny Happy People!

Get some sunglasses, because this week we're shining bright like a diamond! That's right, we're diving into all the glowy sparkle that is the transfiguration of Jesus. What is that story really about?...

29 Joulu 20251h 6min

Not Original, Not Sin

Not Original, Not Sin

It was a setup, I tell ya! This week, we're focusing on "the fall," and the two poor suckers who were set up to take that fall. First, we're going through the story of Adam, Eve, the tree and the sn...

22 Joulu 20251h 9min

Did Jesus Fulfill Prophesy?

Did Jesus Fulfill Prophesy?

The birth of Jesus is obviously one of the most important Christian narratives. Or is it two of the most important Christian Narratives? Either way, one of the great apologetic claims about nativity i...

15 Joulu 20251h 12min

Suosittua kategoriassa Yhteiskunta

olipa-kerran-otsikko
i-dont-like-mondays
siita-on-vaikea-puhua
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
kolme-kaannekohtaa
poks
antin-palautepalvelu
sita
aikalisa
kaksi-aitia
yopuolen-tarinoita-2
mamma-mia
rss-murhan-anatomia
rss-palmujen-varjoissa
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
meidan-pitais-puhua
rss-nikotellen
terapeuttiville-qa
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
loukussa