When he said "It was a lonely journey," I felt that. Even cradle Catholics who begin to have a deep crisis of faith find themselves alone during the journey. Like, friends and family might not be interested in talking about the faith even. So I think that's how some Catholics lose their faith entirely. And it's admirable that few continue to go through the arduous journey towards the faith, really. We need a community, a deeply inspired, devoted, loving, and intelligent one, animated by the Holy Spirit. Much love from the Philippines!
Yes! So many Catholics here in the Philippines but our religious education and catechism is very lacking and most Catholics don’t care to study it or truly live it.
I agree with what you said I am having the same problems right now with my friends and my family who are Catholic but I'm not interested in discussing a Catholic faith or getting deeper into it.
@@aerobicsalmon415 So true. And it's kinda really getting difficult to talk about the faith on social media in our country since everybody seems to be so fixated on secular worldviews and politics that sharing stuff about Catholicism is seen as bigotry and oppression. And yes our Pinoy pastors do seem disinclined to intelligently catechize (no offense to you Fathers and Sisters but we do really have to step up our game a bit), like I don't know if there are any podcasts like this run by Filipino clergy/laity. Besides that, apologetic materials aren't readily available to every island in the country. I mean we don't have Catholic bookstores as much as any other countries (or any bookstores for that matter, mainly because some of us don't like to read that much). So like, this is a cry from the heart to our Filipino pastors, especially that this year is the 500th anniversary of Christianity in our country.
@@ilsantopapi I think we have the resources but not much guidance to where to go and what to read or study. Only one priest from my Parish actually recommended reading materials for me to study. He was a Marian priest so he recommended the blue book and more Marian books and devotions. We need communities that don't just pray but places for discussion and learning. We can't limit this to retreats or recollections either. I'm a lector at my parish but a lot of times the meetings we have are more focused on administrative tasks, event plans, service improvement so the spiritual learning and theology is lacking. My brother says that the theology in Singles for Christ was more geared towards starting a Christ-centered Family. He said there were apologetics classes available Covid hit. I can make recommendations that have helped me too. Bible study programs -Lakbay Bibliya (12 week program) - paused for now but I learned a lot about the new testament -Fr. Mike Schmitz : Bible in a year - available on Spotify Catholic bookstores here in the Philippines: -St. Pauls bookstore: www.stpauls.ph -bayard.ph -Catholic Trade: www.catholictrade.com.ph -catholichome.ph TH-cam Channels: -Domie Guzman (FILIPINO PRIEST) - uploads the Gospel homily everyday with historical and literary context -Bishop Robert Barron -The Catholic Talk Show -Ascension Presents -Catholic Answers -Sensus Fidelium - Breaking in the Habit - Jordan Peterson- not catholic (YET hopefully) - but explains the Bible from a psychological view and has helped revert my brother from atheism back to the faith Hope this helps! If you're not in a ministry or community yet, joining one that fits you will really help and maybe we can be the ones to strengthen our catechesis in our community. The media ministry of every Parish is always looking out for new members to help evangelize too. :)
So glad to hear his story of conversation. I am also a convert to Catholicism except I arrived from Protestantism. All glory to our Lord Jesus Christ who called us home to His Church.
I loved this discussion. I'm a 63 yo convert of 37 years who didn't even go through RCIA properly [long story] and never thought I'd ever begin to understand philosophical underpinnings of my Catholic faith..but, I started with Bishop Barron's Catholicism series, was hooked by the beauty, and the more I listen to him, Matt Fradd, Fr. Mike Schmitz and so many others, I'm being transformed. Thankyou to all of you for sharing your knowledge and personal stories.
It is comforting and reassuring to see intelligent and inquiring minds get satisfied by the philosophical foundations and truths found in the Catholic church. We have nothing to be ashamed of our worldview. God bless you both!
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry I hear your opinion, but history and scriptures supports our church. We are the church established by Jesus himself on Peter, no other. Thank you.
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry Catholics base their religion in Faith and Reason. Every belief they hold is reasonable. If you are referring to moral ethics, Catholics do not impose their beliefs on people. They only ever invite people to rise to the offer of happiness grounded in virtue. If you are referring to abortion....that is ethically wrong based on human rights. Just like slavery. You wouldn't say that the banning of slavery was a religious intervention, so you shouldn't believe that abortion is either.
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry Please study the scientific evidence of the Shroud of Turin. While you do that, give me your evidence of life beginning from a lightning striking the primordial soup.
@ President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry What evidence do you have that what we call reality is not really an illusion cast by a Cartesian demon? What evidence do you have that other people have minds? What evidence do you have that the universe is intelligible and uniform such that we can study it? What evidence do you have that 1+1=2? What evidence do you have that it is unreasonable to believe in anything without evidence? What evidence do you have that we can make truth claims at all?
His story really rimed with mine and I felt that. For me it was Mencken, Rand, and Hitchens that turned me away from God. Psychological egoism was disturbing but easy enough to ignore while things were good. But it was the unexpected emptiness of my fufilled ambitions that definitively humbled me. I got interested in this channel due to a good impression Acquinas once left on me in a philosophy of religion class. Nearly a year later I'm celebrating my birthday, on a pilgrimage for World Youth Day at Panama, starting to assent to the Catholic faith, when I learn Aquinas' feast day falls on that very same day! I still tear up when I think about it. Deo gratias 🙏
"What did you have to give up?" "Do you want me to bring out the scroll of my past sins?" That hit me. It's a difficult path when you accept that you are not as good as you could be, and that you have the obligation to try to be. I'm a cradle Catholic, but I was never a particularly good Catholic. There was a point when I began to take my faith seriously, and with that comes the realization that there were a lot of things in my life that needed to change.
Passing through a period of agnosticism approaching atheism I was propelled back to the Christian ethic and from protestantism discovered the theology of the body through this podcast and reverted to catholicism. Good bless your ministry.
The way Pat unfolded divine simplicity, the reason for it, and the undeniability of it given those reasons.....I've never heard it put better. He explains things so well. You gotta check out how he handled natural law on the Catholic man podcast.
It's almost unsettling how parallel Pat's trajectory was to mine. A voracious appetite for truth and philosophical rigor, a unabashed admiration for tradition and wisdom, and a sometimes crippling foundation of framework skepticism. It's also comforting to know others that identified as atheists or agnostics can be so honest and committed to their Catholicism. Great discussion, Matt.
I was out of the Church for 14 years. Took on Nihilism as an ethos. Thank God it isn't true. The intellectual rigor of the Catholic tradition saved me.
@@meusisto i did a B.A. in philosophy but ended up hating academia as a profession, but my coursework introduced me to architecture so I'm pursuing a Master's in that now. Limited professional opportunities notwithstanding, the good thing about a philosophical education is that it introduces you to a number of subdisciplines that you never thought you'd be into.
Great and inspiring testimony! For being someone who called himself not an apologist, this has got to be one of the best defences of faith I've heard. Literally. The costs of an atheistic worldview, the journey to faith in a transcendent being, the step into Christianity, the Catholic Church being the true Church, divine simplicity etc in not even 90 min. Just goes to show that Catholic faith is nothing of superficial, but makes more and more sense, and becomes more and more beautiful, the deeper you look into it. Thank you, both of you! This was a joy listening to!
"Great and inspiring" It is literally the same nonsense every other "former atheist" regurgitates. I'm genuinely sorry you think believing in a disproven, magical sky daddy makes the most sense, you must have a low IQ.
@@presidentbidenlandslidesag3322 Interesting analysis of my intelligence! But I hope you excuse me if I trust the results of my clinical IQ test more than a random youtuber with a serious spite against theists: it regarded my IQ to be 137, enabling me a membership in Mensa. Pretty cool, huh? :D
I so appreciate this conversation story. I hope people are familiar with Mortimer Adler and his brilliant mind. He became Catholic at the age of 85. That being said he knew more about Thomas Aquinas than many a Catholic.
I kept thinking, man that guy looks familiar. Man. That name looks familiar too. Then I pegged it. Pat Flynn wrote a very poorly named book titled “Paleo Workouts for Dummies”. The book is phenomenal, even though the publisher pegged him into a horrible title. I read this book a lot when I was in the Marines to help with decreasing chances of injury. Glad to see he’s come home to the Catholic Church.
You need to start having more in-person conversations. They might get off topic at some points, but they evolve and feel much more natural than the skype interviews you've had.
Yes. We need a community for Catholics who want more answers, perhaps have not been Catechised. People who have been Catechised will often return. Those who have not - literally Ignorant of their faith - will not return. . Someone needs to start a Group or Blog. Someone young but mature and be an even moderator.
I am on a similar path. I am a Traditional Stoic but when I fully incorporated the Stoic God into my practice Catholicism was the next step. I found a lack of community and communal ritual in the current Stoic movement. From a political perspective I am drawn to Catholicism because of its staunch stance against Marxism and I have a vested interest maintaining the cultural hegemony that Antonio Gramsci said needed to be eroded to pave the way for a Marxist Revolution.
Once you understand Gramsci, your eyes are opened! And the number of great Christian thinkers who were once stoics or who were influenced by stoics, means you’d be in good company
Loved this conversation Matt & Pat. Thanks Matt for introducing me to yet another extremely interesting guest I could listen to for hours. Just subbed to Pat's podcast. 👍
Wow. Matt admires little old me? I did read my way in, and there was no community. I lost friends too. God was my best friend. Book after book he guided me. It was a beautiful time. ❤
I have been watching you for years and I have never felt so compelled to comment on one of your videos. I love Megadeth and Marty Friedman is in fact the best lead guitarist. This guy rules.
I was kind of lost with all the intellectual philosophy and stuff, then finally Pat says something I can relate to! 9 pm Christmas Eve mass at St. Agnes in West Chester. It is a beautiful church inspired by the architecture of historic rural English chapels.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🚗 Pat Flynn drove down from Wisconsin with his family to join the discussion. 01:12 🧐 Pat Flynn's journey from atheism to Catholicism began in the sixth grade when he experienced doubt, partly due to 9/11 events and a science teacher's explanation of the origins of the universe. 05:36 🚶 Pat's transition to Catholicism led to tension and loss of secular friendships, causing significant changes in his life. 09:23 📚 Pat's intellectual curiosity, influenced by authors like Nietzsche and Mark Twain, led him to explore philosophy and the atheist existentialist perspective. 15:14 🙏 Pat sees his journey from atheism to Catholicism as part of God's providence, even though it involved giving up certain personal sins and questioning deeply held beliefs. 17:49 🤔 Pat grappled with philosophical questions during his atheist phase, including consciousness, self, truth, meaning, morality, and free will, which raised doubts about the naturalistic worldview. 19:14 🆚 Pat discusses his incompatibilist view of free will, highlighting the logical incompatibility between determinism and genuine human agency. 19:42 🤖 If you're a libertarian with deep intuitions about free will, denying free will as a materialist or atheist can lead to determinism. 20:10 🛡️ Denying free will and reducing everything to the physical order can lead to determinism, a position embraced by many atheists. 21:47 💼 Apologist William Lane Craig's tactic is to give atheists a "price tag" for their atheism that costs more than they're willing to pay, prompting them to explore alternatives. 25:59 🤔 Exploring different worldviews and philosophies, including deism, pantheism, and religious pluralism, can be a part of a journey from atheism to faith. 26:28 🧐 Discovering the Thomistic tradition, especially existential Thomists like Father Norris Clarke, played a significant role in the transition to Catholicism. 27:54 🧬 An argument for the existence of God based on the need for an uncaused, unconditioned reality that is a pure act of existing emerged during the exploration of Catholicism. 29:04 🚫 Initially, there was no aversion to Catholicism or its practices like prayers to saints or the Pope. 32:48 🌟 The cumulative weight of philosophical reasoning, historical credibility of Christianity, and early Christian writings led to a strong intellectual inclination toward Catholicism. 37:14 📚 Bishop Barron's "Catholicism" series and books on the historical credibility of the resurrection played a role in the transition to Catholicism. 38:40 🕊️ Authority, especially the question of whether Christ gave us the Catholic Church, is a significant consideration in the apologetic project for Catholicism. 39:23 🤔 Answering the question of authority is crucial when considering Catholicism or Christianity; if you can trust that God guides the Church, you can navigate other complexities. 40:36 🤝 Focus on the essential theological questions, like the resurrection for Christianity or the foundation of the Catholic Church, rather than getting lost in less central theological debates. 41:45 💡 Different people start with different perspectives when exploring faith: some focus on the ultimate explanation, while others seek an ultimate person. Understanding these starting points helps navigate complex theological topics. 45:30 🧐 Divine simplicity might seem strange, but it's crucial for understanding the ultimate explanation in metaphysics. Exploring the process leading to divine simplicity is essential to grasp its significance. 52:19 🤯 Divine simplicity has various models, and the "extrinsic model" proposed by Dr. W. Matthews Grant is one worth exploring, but the minimum requirement according to the Church isn't precisely defined. 56:07 🙏 Personal experiences and the beauty of liturgy can play a significant role in one's conversion journey to Catholicism. 59:22 📚 Pat Flynn shares his favorite atheist philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, and names J.L. Mackie, John Howard Sobel, and Graham Oppy as formidable atheist thinkers. 01:00:03 📖 Pat Flynn recommends reading J.L. Mackie's "Miracle Theism," John Howard Sobel's "Logic and Theism," and "Arguing Gods" as starting points for those interested in philosophical atheism. 01:02:09 🧐 Pat Flynn discusses how objections and difficulties can lead to a deeper understanding of faith and can prompt individuals to reevaluate their beliefs. 01:03:07 🤔 Pat Flynn explains how objections like "Who caused God?" can lead to deeper reflections on the structure of reality and the concept of causality. 01:10:57 🌍 Pat Flynn and Matt Fradd discuss the youth's changing perspective on religion and morals, acknowledging the influence of figures like Jordan Peterson. 01:15:48 🙏 Jordan Peterson's recent interest in religious and Christian themes is mentioned, sparking hope and intrigue among many observers.
I went from JW, to Pagan, to Buddhism, to hardcore attack apologists as an atheist for almost 20 years. Now...I'm all in with Catholicism. I used to think atheists converting to religion was nothing but propaganda. But here I am. I thought about scrubbing my Facebook page but I think it's important to see the weird journey.
@@NM-tl6pe I know someone who was raised JW, was deeply hurt by her family and the church, is now practicing witchcraft and different spiritual practices but she seems so lost in darkness. I’m praying that she comes back to God 🙏🏽
I think this Conversation would have gone even better if you focused not just on Pat's transition from Atheism to Catholicism, but on the reasons that Atheism doesn't make sense. Pat is an amazing expositor. He could help lay out alot of the case against that view. And, given those absurdities, how Thomism makes sense of these faculties as we experience them, as well as reality as a whole, giving us a real integrated sense of reality (the claims we make with science for instance have a basis in causality, which assumes essences--something many Atheists deny).
@@blarglemantheskeptic Atheism doesn't make sense of what we experience. I experience a world that has real objective moral values. I experience a world through my own real consciousness. And I interpret this world by my own real free choice. Atheism, or the Atheism that stands by a purely material naturalism, tells us that these things cannot be real.
@@Againstfascist question: if something is "objectively moral" can there be a situation where it is not moral? Can there be a time where it is not moral?
@@blarglemantheskeptic If something is objectively moral then it is always moral. And if something is objectively immoral, it is always immoral. For instance: wanting to kill a child because you hate children is always immoral.
A small suggestion - it might not be feasible due to shape of the table but it’s much nicer when you speak more in the direction of the camera !!! Either way loved this !!!
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry must've hit pretty close to the mark for such a reaction. A veritable rash of New Atheist butthurt. Take it easy, man!
The most curious brand of atheists is the one where they actually promote religion because they see it as evolutionarily beneficial or necessary for societal cohesion.
I'd be interested in digging into why you believe Libertarianism is counter to Christianity. As a staunch Catholic Libertarian I'm not sure how you came to this conclusion when I came to the opposite. Libertarianism only works when in conjunction with religion. It's the only Christian process that is currently known. There is one other, made by priests. The name is escaping me but it's less a system and more there process.
In trying to take up the question you posed, I went to the Church for answers, finding three encyclicals that helped my understanding of the topic. My conclusion, totally unimportant, I only wish to pass this information on. Libertas, Immortale Dei, and Rerum Novarum. by Pope Leo XIII
@@chance9460 can you elaborate temporarily? I'm on a 3 hr drive to take my baby to get tummy surgery. Can't read much. Also maybe we should define Libertarianism.
@@KethenGoesHam Pope Leo XIII: Rerum novarum. Read it. Cannot be both Libertarian and Catholic. Contradiction of terms. See how liberty is defined within official Church teaching in this document then contrast with what is said by Ayn Rand et al. Not compatible. Libertarian definition of freedom is strictly negative while the Church's is very positive in application. Again it is all right there in the text of that document. Rights and dignity of the poor, etc.
@@andrewmarusic1975 ok so ya after reading this, there is a common misconceptions on what Libertarianism is, no solid definition has been put out there that everyone has agreed with. Ayn Rand is not the final authority on Libertarianism and isn't even really agreed with by the majority. She would be the example of taking it to far (what Pope Leo is talking about). Pope Leo and I agree whole heatedly and this answers the question as to why you can't have Libertarianism without Religion. God doesn't force, good doesn't force. Good protects the weak though. Therefore anarchism Libertarianism is not only anti-Catholic but it quite frankly is a childish belief that ignores human nature. Humans also need authority but again, force is evil, God doesn't force. He gave us free will for a reason. When s subject is questioned on its effect, we need a source to refer to those questions that aren't human. Minarchy Libertarianism is not only perfectly congruent with religion... It needs religion to be effective. Thomas Aquinas would agree, he even wrote on why prostitution and other evils should be legal even though they are morally wrong. I know I'm not giving a great definition right now but again, I have been living in a NICU. In total though I totally agree with Pope Leo I just wouldn't call what he is defining as Libertarianism, Libertarianism. It's anarchism. Libertarianism no longer really considered a single thought but a spectrum opposing what the church has outright called evil and that's Communist Progressivism, with conservative in the center (conserve meaning to stay how it currently is or was originally intended)
Same can be said of atheists. "I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn't just that I don't believe in God and, naturally, hope that I'm right in my belief. It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that." - Thomas Nagel, The Last Word
@@Nick-qf7vt I have no feelings towards this god character. I just don't believe it's real. I don't judge people on their silly beliefs, I wouldn't be uneasy because newton believed in alchemy. Are you uneasy because Socrates believed in hades?
@@fr3d42So in your opinion, how was the universe created? It can’t be the result of chance since even the irreligious scientists would laugh at the concept. There had to be a Force; a beginning if you will, to life as we know it.
@@DarkScorpionPete98 maybe there was "a force". That doesn't mean the universe was "created". Consciousness appears very late in the story of the universe, why would anyone believe it was always there if not for religion?
If you get into a spaceship you can travel in any direction for ALL ETERNITY and never come to the end of space. It is not a void, it is a place just like the town you live in. If you can believe something like that came from nowhere (and if space did not exist what else could be there before space, it literally had no beginning) why is it impossible to believe there is a God that came from nowhere and always existed. How and why do you differentiate and believe in one and not the other? If it is because you can't see God, you also can't see radio signals but when you turn a radio on u hear someone from thousands of miles away speaking. Not everything is visible. Also there are light waves and some we may not be able to see and the spirit Denison may be in those light waves so it is invisible to us. There is science to prove the existence of light. God can be understood in the simplest of things not even in intellectual pursuits. God is in Faith, not proof. There is no proof of black holes but scientist believe they are there.
I forget what comedian had a joke on Christopher Hitchens as being evidence God exists. That here was a guy who kept talking about there being no God, turning thousands from the faith … who then gets throat cancer and dies young
15:3018:4423:58 Simply put, he was uncomfortable with the conclusions that rationality took him to...therefore he wanted a different worldview to be true.
It seems that he was uncomfortable with the conclusions rationally followed from his earlier presuppositions, which led him to question those presuppositions and arrive rationally at something that is more coherent with reality
@@julioalonzo1383 Yeah like Matt said apologetics has to show someone the price tag of their worldview but I also think the points he made with Rosenburgs atheism, “if you think you’re the same person as we began this talk you should reject Rosensburgs atheism” perfect example of how if something seems incoherent you should reject it and adopt something else
Why do we need Libertarian Free Will? I think Isaiah 45 pretty heavily throws that in the garbage. God does not do evil, but he created it. Man is still held accountable for it’s sin! The scriptures still say that God is holy, just and good. Just because we can’t understand something doesn’t mean it’s not true. God is still completely sovereign and man completely accountable to God. @PintsWithAquinas
For my money, Hitchens had the best response to the free will question I've ever heard, delivered in his witty and glib style. "Of course we have free will. We have no choice!"
When he said "It was a lonely journey," I felt that. Even cradle Catholics who begin to have a deep crisis of faith find themselves alone during the journey. Like, friends and family might not be interested in talking about the faith even. So I think that's how some Catholics lose their faith entirely. And it's admirable that few continue to go through the arduous journey towards the faith, really. We need a community, a deeply inspired, devoted, loving, and intelligent one, animated by the Holy Spirit.
Much love from the Philippines!
Yes! So many Catholics here in the Philippines but our religious education and catechism is very lacking and most Catholics don’t care to study it or truly live it.
I agree with what you said I am having the same problems right now with my friends and my family who are Catholic but I'm not interested in discussing a Catholic faith or getting deeper into it.
@@aerobicsalmon415 So true. And it's kinda really getting difficult to talk about the faith on social media in our country since everybody seems to be so fixated on secular worldviews and politics that sharing stuff about Catholicism is seen as bigotry and oppression. And yes our Pinoy pastors do seem disinclined to intelligently catechize (no offense to you Fathers and Sisters but we do really have to step up our game a bit), like I don't know if there are any podcasts like this run by Filipino clergy/laity. Besides that, apologetic materials aren't readily available to every island in the country. I mean we don't have Catholic bookstores as much as any other countries (or any bookstores for that matter, mainly because some of us don't like to read that much). So like, this is a cry from the heart to our Filipino pastors, especially that this year is the 500th anniversary of Christianity in our country.
@@ilsantopapi
I think we have the resources but not much guidance to where to go and what to read or study. Only one priest from my Parish actually recommended reading materials for me to study. He was a Marian priest so he recommended the blue book and more Marian books and devotions. We need communities that don't just pray but places for discussion and learning. We can't limit this to retreats or recollections either. I'm a lector at my parish but a lot of times the meetings we have are more focused on administrative tasks, event plans, service improvement so the spiritual learning and theology is lacking. My brother says that the theology in Singles for Christ was more geared towards starting a Christ-centered Family. He said there were apologetics classes available Covid hit.
I can make recommendations that have helped me too.
Bible study programs
-Lakbay Bibliya (12 week program) - paused for now but I learned a lot about the new testament
-Fr. Mike Schmitz : Bible in a year - available on Spotify
Catholic bookstores here in the Philippines:
-St. Pauls bookstore: www.stpauls.ph
-bayard.ph
-Catholic Trade: www.catholictrade.com.ph
-catholichome.ph
TH-cam Channels:
-Domie Guzman (FILIPINO PRIEST) - uploads the Gospel homily everyday with historical and literary context
-Bishop Robert Barron
-The Catholic Talk Show
-Ascension Presents
-Catholic Answers
-Sensus Fidelium
- Breaking in the Habit
- Jordan Peterson- not catholic (YET hopefully) - but explains the Bible from a psychological view and has helped revert my brother from atheism back to the faith
Hope this helps! If you're not in a ministry or community yet, joining one that fits you will really help and maybe we can be the ones to strengthen our catechesis in our community. The media ministry of every Parish is always looking out for new members to help evangelize too. :)
@@aerobicsalmon415 True that. And omg these are the sources that I'm currently looking at right now, and thanks for pointing out Pinoy resources!
So glad to hear his story of conversation. I am also a convert to Catholicism except I arrived from Protestantism. All glory to our Lord Jesus Christ who called us home to His Church.
Welcome home.😊
Deo gratis! Welcome home brother!
Welcome home. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
I loved this discussion. I'm a 63 yo convert of 37 years who didn't even go through RCIA properly [long story] and never thought I'd ever begin to understand philosophical underpinnings of my Catholic faith..but, I started with Bishop Barron's Catholicism series, was hooked by the beauty, and the more I listen to him, Matt Fradd, Fr. Mike Schmitz and so many others, I'm being transformed. Thankyou to all of you for sharing your knowledge and personal stories.
It is comforting and reassuring to see intelligent and inquiring minds get satisfied by the philosophical foundations and truths found in the Catholic church. We have nothing to be ashamed of our worldview. God bless you both!
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry I hear your opinion, but history and scriptures supports our church. We are the church established by Jesus himself on Peter, no other. Thank you.
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry we have more evidence that Jesus rose from death, than lightning causing life to exist.
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry Catholics base their religion in Faith and Reason. Every belief they hold is reasonable. If you are referring to moral ethics, Catholics do not impose their beliefs on people. They only ever invite people to rise to the offer of happiness grounded in virtue.
If you are referring to abortion....that is ethically wrong based on human rights. Just like slavery. You wouldn't say that the banning of slavery was a religious intervention, so you shouldn't believe that abortion is either.
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry Please study the scientific evidence of the Shroud of Turin. While you do that, give me your evidence of life beginning from a lightning striking the primordial soup.
@ President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry What evidence do you have that what we call reality is not really an illusion cast by a Cartesian demon? What evidence do you have that other people have minds? What evidence do you have that the universe is intelligible and uniform such that we can study it? What evidence do you have that 1+1=2? What evidence do you have that it is unreasonable to believe in anything without evidence? What evidence do you have that we can make truth claims at all?
His story really rimed with mine and I felt that. For me it was Mencken, Rand, and Hitchens that turned me away from God. Psychological egoism was disturbing but easy enough to ignore while things were good. But it was the unexpected emptiness of my fufilled ambitions that definitively humbled me.
I got interested in this channel due to a good impression Acquinas once left on me in a philosophy of religion class. Nearly a year later I'm celebrating my birthday, on a pilgrimage for World Youth Day at Panama, starting to assent to the Catholic faith, when I learn Aquinas' feast day falls on that very same day! I still tear up when I think about it. Deo gratias 🙏
"What did you have to give up?"
"Do you want me to bring out the scroll of my past sins?"
That hit me. It's a difficult path when you accept that you are not as good as you could be, and that you have the obligation to try to be. I'm a cradle Catholic, but I was never a particularly good Catholic. There was a point when I began to take my faith seriously, and with that comes the realization that there were a lot of things in my life that needed to change.
Passing through a period of agnosticism approaching atheism I was propelled back to the Christian ethic and from protestantism discovered the theology of the body through this podcast and reverted to catholicism.
Good bless your ministry.
The way Pat unfolded divine simplicity, the reason for it, and the undeniability of it given those reasons.....I've never heard it put better. He explains things so well. You gotta check out how he handled natural law on the Catholic man podcast.
It's almost unsettling how parallel Pat's trajectory was to mine. A voracious appetite for truth and philosophical rigor, a unabashed admiration for tradition and wisdom, and a sometimes crippling foundation of framework skepticism. It's also comforting to know others that identified as atheists or agnostics can be so honest and committed to their Catholicism. Great discussion, Matt.
A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion. Francis Bacon
I was out of the Church for 14 years. Took on Nihilism as an ethos. Thank God it isn't true. The intellectual rigor of the Catholic tradition saved me.
Have you studied philosophy?
@@meusisto Informally.
@@meusisto i did a B.A. in philosophy but ended up hating academia as a profession, but my coursework introduced me to architecture so I'm pursuing a Master's in that now. Limited professional opportunities notwithstanding, the good thing about a philosophical education is that it introduces you to a number of subdisciplines that you never thought you'd be into.
Great and inspiring testimony! For being someone who called himself not an apologist, this has got to be one of the best defences of faith I've heard. Literally. The costs of an atheistic worldview, the journey to faith in a transcendent being, the step into Christianity, the Catholic Church being the true Church, divine simplicity etc in not even 90 min. Just goes to show that Catholic faith is nothing of superficial, but makes more and more sense, and becomes more and more beautiful, the deeper you look into it.
Thank you, both of you! This was a joy listening to!
"Great and inspiring"
It is literally the same nonsense every other "former atheist" regurgitates.
I'm genuinely sorry you think believing in a disproven, magical sky daddy makes the most sense, you must have a low IQ.
@@presidentbidenlandslidesag3322 "Magical sky daddy"
It is literally the same nonsense every other "new atheist" regurgitates.
@@don7502 wtf is a new atheist? IS that yet another term christian come up with to try and strawman what atheism is?
@@presidentbidenlandslidesag3322 Try the internet
@@presidentbidenlandslidesag3322
Interesting analysis of my intelligence! But I hope you excuse me if I trust the results of my clinical IQ test more than a random youtuber with a serious spite against theists: it regarded my IQ to be 137, enabling me a membership in Mensa. Pretty cool, huh? :D
I’ve really grown to like the countdown music. I actually didn’t skip the countdown so I could jam out.
Oh, you're not the only one :D Same for outro...
It is bloody good, indeed
me too haha
Agreed! Anyone know the musician?
Love the intro and outro music.
Who is this guy and why have I never heard him before!!! Adding a new channel to my list!
This show is much more better with guests in the studio
God bless you all
I work at a retreat center and see many young people who are very interested in the faith and finding God 🙏🌹🙏🕊️❤️🙏🕊️
Being a former Catholic I have been to some of these retreats. I look back at the indoctrination into the cult as child abuse now that I am older.
Blessing to all that find the beauty of the Catholic faith. Welcome home brother. 🕊️🙏🌹🌹🌹
I so appreciate this conversation story.
I hope people are familiar with Mortimer Adler and his brilliant mind. He became Catholic at the age of 85.
That being said he knew more about Thomas Aquinas than many a Catholic.
I never knew he actually became Catholic! Wow
This was a really great show. Will have to read some of Pat's thoughts. He makes great points in a really understated way.
I kept thinking, man that guy looks familiar. Man. That name looks familiar too.
Then I pegged it. Pat Flynn wrote a very poorly named book titled “Paleo Workouts for Dummies”.
The book is phenomenal, even though the publisher pegged him into a horrible title. I read this book a lot when I was in the Marines to help with decreasing chances of injury.
Glad to see he’s come home to the Catholic Church.
You need to start having more in-person conversations. They might get off topic at some points, but they evolve and feel much more natural than the skype interviews you've had.
Yes!
Yes. We need a community for Catholics who want more answers, perhaps have not been Catechised. People who have been Catechised will often return. Those who have not - literally Ignorant of their faith - will not return. . Someone needs to start a Group or Blog. Someone young but mature and be an even moderator.
I am on a similar path. I am a Traditional Stoic but when I fully incorporated the Stoic God into my practice Catholicism was the next step. I found a lack of community and communal ritual in the current Stoic movement. From a political perspective I am drawn to Catholicism because of its staunch stance against Marxism and I have a vested interest maintaining the cultural hegemony that Antonio Gramsci said needed to be eroded to pave the way for a Marxist Revolution.
Once you understand Gramsci, your eyes are opened!
And the number of great Christian thinkers who were once stoics or who were influenced by stoics, means you’d be in good company
@@claymcdermott718 What other Stoic thinkers are there, please?
Loved this conversation Matt & Pat. Thanks Matt for introducing me to yet another extremely interesting guest I could listen to for hours. Just subbed to Pat's podcast. 👍
Great!
Pat's KB vids have helped me.
Im glad he came home.
Waiting for him to make a Rosary swing-squat routine. Ha!
🇻🇦🔥🇻🇦
BRILLIANT Testimony! BIG WELCOME home to you and family though journey sounds ^wonderfully^ complex . GOD BLESS THANKS Matt.
Wow. Matt admires little old me? I did read my way in, and there was no community. I lost friends too. God was my best friend. Book after book he guided me. It was a beautiful time. ❤
I have been watching you for years and I have never felt so compelled to comment on one of your videos. I love Megadeth and Marty Friedman is in fact the best lead guitarist. This guy rules.
I was kind of lost with all the intellectual philosophy and stuff, then finally Pat says something I can relate to! 9 pm Christmas Eve mass at St. Agnes in West Chester. It is a beautiful church inspired by the architecture of historic rural English chapels.
This should be apologetics: evangelizing to athiests 101
Patt is a super intelligent guy love his podcasts! God bless you both
God bless you and your wife! Keep the faith strong 😊 praying for you
Another great watch. Thanks guys 👍🏻
Agree, people converting to Catholicism is a spiritual journey within themselves, and not a recruiting one. Good talk
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🚗 Pat Flynn drove down from Wisconsin with his family to join the discussion.
01:12 🧐 Pat Flynn's journey from atheism to Catholicism began in the sixth grade when he experienced doubt, partly due to 9/11 events and a science teacher's explanation of the origins of the universe.
05:36 🚶 Pat's transition to Catholicism led to tension and loss of secular friendships, causing significant changes in his life.
09:23 📚 Pat's intellectual curiosity, influenced by authors like Nietzsche and Mark Twain, led him to explore philosophy and the atheist existentialist perspective.
15:14 🙏 Pat sees his journey from atheism to Catholicism as part of God's providence, even though it involved giving up certain personal sins and questioning deeply held beliefs.
17:49 🤔 Pat grappled with philosophical questions during his atheist phase, including consciousness, self, truth, meaning, morality, and free will, which raised doubts about the naturalistic worldview.
19:14 🆚 Pat discusses his incompatibilist view of free will, highlighting the logical incompatibility between determinism and genuine human agency.
19:42 🤖 If you're a libertarian with deep intuitions about free will, denying free will as a materialist or atheist can lead to determinism.
20:10 🛡️ Denying free will and reducing everything to the physical order can lead to determinism, a position embraced by many atheists.
21:47 💼 Apologist William Lane Craig's tactic is to give atheists a "price tag" for their atheism that costs more than they're willing to pay, prompting them to explore alternatives.
25:59 🤔 Exploring different worldviews and philosophies, including deism, pantheism, and religious pluralism, can be a part of a journey from atheism to faith.
26:28 🧐 Discovering the Thomistic tradition, especially existential Thomists like Father Norris Clarke, played a significant role in the transition to Catholicism.
27:54 🧬 An argument for the existence of God based on the need for an uncaused, unconditioned reality that is a pure act of existing emerged during the exploration of Catholicism.
29:04 🚫 Initially, there was no aversion to Catholicism or its practices like prayers to saints or the Pope.
32:48 🌟 The cumulative weight of philosophical reasoning, historical credibility of Christianity, and early Christian writings led to a strong intellectual inclination toward Catholicism.
37:14 📚 Bishop Barron's "Catholicism" series and books on the historical credibility of the resurrection played a role in the transition to Catholicism.
38:40 🕊️ Authority, especially the question of whether Christ gave us the Catholic Church, is a significant consideration in the apologetic project for Catholicism.
39:23 🤔 Answering the question of authority is crucial when considering Catholicism or Christianity; if you can trust that God guides the Church, you can navigate other complexities.
40:36 🤝 Focus on the essential theological questions, like the resurrection for Christianity or the foundation of the Catholic Church, rather than getting lost in less central theological debates.
41:45 💡 Different people start with different perspectives when exploring faith: some focus on the ultimate explanation, while others seek an ultimate person. Understanding these starting points helps navigate complex theological topics.
45:30 🧐 Divine simplicity might seem strange, but it's crucial for understanding the ultimate explanation in metaphysics. Exploring the process leading to divine simplicity is essential to grasp its significance.
52:19 🤯 Divine simplicity has various models, and the "extrinsic model" proposed by Dr. W. Matthews Grant is one worth exploring, but the minimum requirement according to the Church isn't precisely defined.
56:07 🙏 Personal experiences and the beauty of liturgy can play a significant role in one's conversion journey to Catholicism.
59:22 📚 Pat Flynn shares his favorite atheist philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, and names J.L. Mackie, John Howard Sobel, and Graham Oppy as formidable atheist thinkers.
01:00:03 📖 Pat Flynn recommends reading J.L. Mackie's "Miracle Theism," John Howard Sobel's "Logic and Theism," and "Arguing Gods" as starting points for those interested in philosophical atheism.
01:02:09 🧐 Pat Flynn discusses how objections and difficulties can lead to a deeper understanding of faith and can prompt individuals to reevaluate their beliefs.
01:03:07 🤔 Pat Flynn explains how objections like "Who caused God?" can lead to deeper reflections on the structure of reality and the concept of causality.
01:10:57 🌍 Pat Flynn and Matt Fradd discuss the youth's changing perspective on religion and morals, acknowledging the influence of figures like Jordan Peterson.
01:15:48 🙏 Jordan Peterson's recent interest in religious and Christian themes is mentioned, sparking hope and intrigue among many observers.
Although I am not well versed on some of the terminology, I really enjoyed this interview.
Life is a Sacred mystery to be lived in, not a problem to be solved.
Benefits=happiness=peace.
Great video!! Thanks for all your work!! 👏
Wow, I didn’t know other Catholics also read and liked Nietzsche. Really have to desensitise myself his blasphemy but what a thinker.
I love you Matt. Just wanted to say that
I want them to go in depth about Metallica! Matt’s hinted at this for too long I want to hear the Theology of the blackened
6:31 I really, really like this guy!
Cameron's a good guy
He's okay.
I laughed out loud when I heard Matt say it
@22:00 That sounds like a good thesis for a book.
I went from JW, to Pagan, to Buddhism, to hardcore attack apologists as an atheist for almost 20 years. Now...I'm all in with Catholicism. I used to think atheists converting to religion was nothing but propaganda. But here I am. I thought about scrubbing my Facebook page but I think it's important to see the weird journey.
@@NM-tl6pe I know someone who was raised JW, was deeply hurt by her family and the church, is now practicing witchcraft and different spiritual practices but she seems so lost in darkness. I’m praying that she comes back to God 🙏🏽
@@madelyn2478 I think most gravitate towards paganism and witchcraft because they feel like it gives them some control.
Well done. Thank you,
I think this Conversation would have gone even better if you focused not just on Pat's transition from Atheism to Catholicism, but on the reasons that Atheism doesn't make sense. Pat is an amazing expositor. He could help lay out alot of the case against that view. And, given those absurdities, how Thomism makes sense of these faculties as we experience them, as well as reality as a whole, giving us a real integrated sense of reality (the claims we make with science for instance have a basis in causality, which assumes essences--something many Atheists deny).
Please explain why atheism doesn't make sense...
@@blarglemantheskeptic Atheism doesn't make sense of what we experience.
I experience a world that has real objective moral values. I experience a world through my own real consciousness. And I interpret this world by my own real free choice.
Atheism, or the Atheism that stands by a purely material naturalism, tells us that these things cannot be real.
@@Againstfascist question: if something is "objectively moral" can there be a situation where it is not moral? Can there be a time where it is not moral?
@@blarglemantheskeptic If something is objectively moral then it is always moral. And if something is objectively immoral, it is always immoral.
For instance: wanting to kill a child because you hate children is always immoral.
@@Againstfascist is slavery moral or immoral?
A small suggestion - it might not be feasible due to shape of the table but it’s much nicer when you speak more in the direction of the camera !!! Either way loved this !!!
I like this setup more
Look at Alice von Hildebrand
Catholic philosophy.
When do we hear his wife's perspective?
Does anyone else try to bust a freestyle off the back of the outro instrumental?
Just a suggestion: perhaps replace the TH-cam plaque with a crucifix.
Or, perhaps, you’re planning on placing the St Thomas Aquinas relic there.
What's up with the audio? It's all over the place.
@President Joe Biden Makes Trumpanzees Cry must've hit pretty close to the mark for such a reaction. A veritable rash of New Atheist butthurt. Take it easy, man!
I apologize. You’re right, the audio is awful. Working on it.
Many brands of atheism. Ain’t that the truth, mine was a respect of religion but yet a deep materialism a la Jordan Peterson.
Ha! And of course y’all go on to talk about him!
The most curious brand of atheists is the one where they actually promote religion because they see it as evolutionarily beneficial or necessary for societal cohesion.
@@shunoinori Aye! That's what I was!
Matt you look so 19th century hahaha. Good interview. The conversion stories are the best.
I'd be interested in digging into why you believe Libertarianism is counter to Christianity. As a staunch Catholic Libertarian I'm not sure how you came to this conclusion when I came to the opposite.
Libertarianism only works when in conjunction with religion. It's the only Christian process that is currently known. There is one other, made by priests. The name is escaping me but it's less a system and more there process.
In trying to take up the question you posed, I went to the Church for answers, finding three encyclicals that helped my understanding of the topic. My conclusion, totally unimportant, I only wish to pass this information on.
Libertas,
Immortale Dei,
and Rerum Novarum.
by Pope Leo XIII
@@chance9460 can you elaborate temporarily? I'm on a 3 hr drive to take my baby to get tummy surgery. Can't read much.
Also maybe we should define Libertarianism.
@@KethenGoesHam Pope Leo XIII: Rerum novarum. Read it. Cannot be both Libertarian and Catholic. Contradiction of terms. See how liberty is defined within official Church teaching in this document then contrast with what is said by Ayn Rand et al. Not compatible. Libertarian definition of freedom is strictly negative while the Church's is very positive in application. Again it is all right there in the text of that document. Rights and dignity of the poor, etc.
Why do you claim that libertarianism only works when in conjunction with religion?
@@andrewmarusic1975 ok so ya after reading this, there is a common misconceptions on what Libertarianism is, no solid definition has been put out there that everyone has agreed with.
Ayn Rand is not the final authority on Libertarianism and isn't even really agreed with by the majority. She would be the example of taking it to far (what Pope Leo is talking about).
Pope Leo and I agree whole heatedly and this answers the question as to why you can't have Libertarianism without Religion. God doesn't force, good doesn't force. Good protects the weak though.
Therefore anarchism Libertarianism is not only anti-Catholic but it quite frankly is a childish belief that ignores human nature.
Humans also need authority but again, force is evil, God doesn't force. He gave us free will for a reason. When s subject is questioned on its effect, we need a source to refer to those questions that aren't human.
Minarchy Libertarianism is not only perfectly congruent with religion... It needs religion to be effective.
Thomas Aquinas would agree, he even wrote on why prostitution and other evils should be legal even though they are morally wrong. I know I'm not giving a great definition right now but again, I have been living in a NICU.
In total though I totally agree with Pope Leo I just wouldn't call what he is defining as Libertarianism, Libertarianism. It's anarchism. Libertarianism no longer really considered a single thought but a spectrum opposing what the church has outright called evil and that's Communist Progressivism, with conservative in the center (conserve meaning to stay how it currently is or was originally intended)
Clever guy.
He joined a cult. I was raised Catholic. Leaving that crime organization is the best thing I ever did.
You’re both wrong. SRV is the best guitarist of all time.
I believe they're talking about who's the best guitarist between Megadeth and Metallica
I feel that theists claim thzt they were on a quest to find truth but really they just wanted to find reasons to believe.
Love your comment!
Same can be said of atheists.
"I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn't just that I don't believe in God and, naturally, hope that I'm right in my belief. It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that." - Thomas Nagel, The Last Word
@@Nick-qf7vt I have no feelings towards this god character. I just don't believe it's real.
I don't judge people on their silly beliefs, I wouldn't be uneasy because newton believed in alchemy. Are you uneasy because Socrates believed in hades?
@@fr3d42So in your opinion, how was the universe created? It can’t be the result of chance since even the irreligious scientists would laugh at the concept. There had to be a Force; a beginning if you will, to life as we know it.
@@DarkScorpionPete98 maybe there was "a force". That doesn't mean the universe was "created".
Consciousness appears very late in the story of the universe, why would anyone believe it was always there if not for religion?
If you get into a spaceship you can travel in any direction for ALL ETERNITY and never come to the end of space. It is not a void, it is a place just like the town you live in. If you can believe something like that came from nowhere (and if space did not exist what else could be there before space, it literally had no beginning) why is it impossible to believe there is a God that came from nowhere and always existed. How and why do you differentiate and believe in one and not the other? If it is because you can't see God, you also can't see radio signals but when you turn a radio on u hear someone from thousands of miles away speaking. Not everything is visible. Also there are light waves and some we may not be able to see and the spirit Denison may be in those light waves so it is invisible to us. There is science to prove the existence of light. God can be understood in the simplest of things not even in intellectual pursuits. God is in Faith, not proof. There is no proof of black holes but scientist believe they are there.
How then did you come to conclude that this god you've mentioned exists?
@@theoskeptomai2535 He told us.
@@christiandpaul631 I was asking YOU.
@@theoskeptomai2535 it's so much more scientific to say the universe came from nothing than to say God came from nothing.
@@christiandpaul631 Who claims the universe came from nothing?
Please do Jordan Peterson
I forget what comedian had a joke on Christopher Hitchens as being evidence God exists. That here was a guy who kept talking about there being no God, turning thousands from the faith … who then gets throat cancer and dies young
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
15:30 18:44 23:58 Simply put, he was uncomfortable with the conclusions that rationality took him to...therefore he wanted a different worldview to be true.
You can epistemically justify atheism, but not rationally
It seems that he was uncomfortable with the conclusions rationally followed from his earlier presuppositions, which led him to question those presuppositions and arrive rationally at something that is more coherent with reality
@@julioalonzo1383 Yeah like Matt said apologetics has to show someone the price tag of their worldview but I also think the points he made with Rosenburgs atheism, “if you think you’re the same person as we began this talk you should reject Rosensburgs atheism” perfect example of how if something seems incoherent you should reject it and adopt something else
@@Qwerty-jy9mj Are you saying one cannot rationally justify atheism? Please tell me more. Can one rationally justify not believing in Thor?
@@julioalonzo1383 What were his presuppositions? and can you provide timestamps.
From atheist to Catholic: OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE...
Man i missed the impperson
Why do we need Libertarian Free Will? I think Isaiah 45 pretty heavily throws that in the garbage. God does not do evil, but he created it. Man is still held accountable for it’s sin! The scriptures still say that God is holy, just and good. Just because we can’t understand something doesn’t mean it’s not true. God is still completely sovereign and man completely accountable to God. @PintsWithAquinas
How did you come to conclude that this god you've mentioned exists?
can't hear you Matt
Are you sure Matt? Cigars?
The Borg collective are a dreadful model. You haven't been around enough of them, or close enough.
Please
For my money, Hitchens had the best response to the free will question I've ever heard, delivered in his witty and glib style. "Of course we have free will. We have no choice!"
That’s awesome. “Of course we have free will...the Master demands it!” 😂
"Its always good to help Google evangelize" Lol!
Lol can’t take criticism 😂😂
It seems these guys are looking for something better but just settled on Catholic Church
What do you mean?
Yeah, i’m at the 33rd minute and that’s the impression i’m also getting