Are you afraid? | Skeptic Generation | Episode 44 Season 2

With Halloween just around the corner, let's talk about what it means to celebrate a holiday. As Christians Vi and Eric were told that celebrating Halloween was tantamount to pagan idolatry. As atheists, they still hear many nonbelievers spouting the same lines!

Does celebrating a holiday require one to believe in the supernatural? If you think so, or have an argument against holidays like Christmas and Halloween, we want to hear why! You can call us toll-free at 585-526-8774 or tiny.cc/callSG . We're ready to listen.

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TIME STAMPS & CALL NOTES

00:00 - Intro - Are atheists still harboring religious prejudices?
05:24 - Well that was anticlimactic - Kendall (he/him) GA
07:59 - What is EVIL anyway? Sajid (he/him) CAN
19:15 - “I’ve change my mind” - Jim (he/him) OH
25:16 - God ‘s got some ‘splaining to do! Sajid (he/him) CAN - Part 2
48:43 - When is violence justified? - Austin (he/him/they/them) MD
01:01:10 - It’s too many holidays! - Steven (he/him) AZ
01:15:54 - You should be a sexy cat - Sakura (she/they) NY
01:23:44 - The supernatural solution - John (he/him) PA

00:00
With Halloween a day away, Eric wants to hear what objections non believers have to celebrating holidays.

5:24
It isn’t every day we get such an eager troll! Unlike most other trolls, Kendall shot off just a little too prematurely and got dropped before introductions could even be finished… How embarrassing for him! We at Skepgen have often found enlightening discussions with even dishonest interlocutors, but callers like Kendall can’t help but leave their conversation partners … disappointed.

07:59
Frequent caller Sajid shares with us how he as a Muslim enjoys Halloween too! Eric and Sajid quickly find their way down a rabbit hole when Sajid mentions that he believes in evil, but what is evil? If we should believe that evil comes from a place or person, we should first seek to understand if that concept even makes sense! Unfortunately due to a poor connection, they need to cut their conversation short.

19:15
Jim has watched his last call and realized that he doesn’t want to be the kind of person to wish others suffering, no matter how bad they are. Eric shares that he’s also on a similar journey of self discovery, and that it’s admirable for someone like Jim to change their mind after re-watching the show. To see Jim’s first call, here’s a link!
https://youtu.be/6B5aeAyAuf4?t=1805

25:16
Sajid is back with a good connection! This time we’re facing the problem of evil directly! Sajid recognizes that abuse isn’t undone by reward afterward, and that a loving god still needs to answer for the suffering in the world. He also concedes just how scary it is if there’s no divine purpose, and that is seriously admirable. Even though these conversations are uncomfortable, we seriously respect the mental and emotional labor Sajid is putting in.

48:43
Austin hits Eric with an impossible question right out the gate: When is violent resistance justified? Given current events in the US, it feels ever more prudent to ask! Eric does his best to summarize his understanding of violent resistance, but concedes that he can’t nor shouldn’t be the arbiter of when it is called for. We must listen to the needs of the marginalized, and recognize the context that surrounds political violence.

As an aside, if supporting LGBTQ rights and safety is a problem for you as a viewer, we encourage you to find another channel, because it isn’t changing here.

01:01:10
Do federal holidays tacitly endorse one religion over another? Steven calls in to ask if the government should really be in the business of mandating holidays. This might be a little extreme until we take into account the massive amount of cultural holidays celebrated around the world! Can we as a society walk this tightrope?

01:15:54
Holidays don’t just evolve through generations. Over the course of a lifetime, the same holiday can change exactly what and who we celebrate. Eric and Sakura agree that whether it’s food, presents, or the chance to be a sexy cat, any excuse you can make to live your best life is worth it.

01:23:44
Does AA have a problem with cognitive dissonance? If Alcoholics Anonymous views alcoholism as an illness, should a supernatural solution be the first place we go for a cure? Eric points out that for those who believe in the supernatural, it’s understandable. Even though it can seem rational to a believer, rationality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

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