"Im afraid not to believe, because what would he take from me if i dont" That broke my heart and has me almost in tears. That she is afraid of god. She lost a child and worries that if she did not believe in him, he may take another from her. I really hope Carla can come to terms and move past that roadblock. Sounds like her sister is trying to help her.
Yeah. Gayle, even if she is not maybe totally removed from religion, recognizes the reasons people believe and that is very important. I took a little solace at the end of the video tho because it appeared that Carla was really thinking and pondering these things. I hope this opened up for some more deeper conversations with her sister and that you can run into these people again.
Yeah it starts with you then... Keep feeding the hate dude. Sooner or later you will realize its the plan the govt has to keep americans divided. Ever heard the saying divide and conquer? Its exactly what theyre doing and you are playing right into their hands.
"Sonder: The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own-populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness-an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk." This awesome hobby of yours embraces the feelings that sonder gives, and builds on one's understanding. Just a random thought.
Sincerely Anthony, one of the best interviews you've done! I was fascinated & could completely relate on both of their journey's. Her statement (paraphrasing) how can a slave & slave master serve the same God, was incredibly insightful & profound. Excellent interview, really, great job. It's exciting when your questions are on point & the person/people are open, honest & reflective. 👍👍👍👍👍
Cookie Nibz I thought so too, though Anthony seemed to push harder with Carla than he maybe should have. She responded well, but it seemed a little rude at times.
Tom Riddle I think the exact opposite. Ok he called it a crutch and that was low key brutal but he did not ask some of the questions he normally would and I think that was out of respect. I think Anthony was extremely respectful of their loss and proceeded w that sensitivity. These women simply command a high level of respect and Anthony gave it to them. He made an adjustment and it's touching. Imho
"Im afraid not to believe, because what would he take from me if i dont". That statement from Carla had me sobbing uncontrollably. I have kids and I live in constant fear of something bad happening to one of them. I couldn't imagine actually believing that I had to worship someone because I feared what they would take from me if I didn't. From where Carla is coming, she's concerned about one of her other kids since God had a reason for taking one before. How is Carla's life any different from someone who has to pay tribute to a mob boss so that he doesn't kill her family? Is this the type of relationship we should have with a loving god? Is the mob boss loving when he doesn't kill my family because I paid the tribute? I am crushed to know that so many people live their lives like Carla and think it's a good thing - a life worth living in this sadomasochistic relationship.
I thought Carla was particularly brave to openly talk about her doubts like that, and confronting herself with it the way she did. If you come from a religious background that must not be easy. Really liked this talk, thanks ladies !
Crutch = "It sounds like this belief is like an anchor for you?" (I like that wording because it can be viewed as both good and bad) Worth the wait Anthony. I'll have to watch this a few times, there is so much "New Anthony" here. PS I nearly died when you said low self esteem - you are really pushing the boundaries. Thanks mate
Wow man! What an incredible conversation. I'm from Brazil. I am an atheist thanks to the atheist experience tv show and after a while I discovered your videos. It's amazing how you can show people they are wrong in a way that brings you and the person closer. I "made people lose their god belief" - I don't mean it in a bad way - but this kind of affected our relationship. I guess I assimilated Matt Dillahunty 's approach. Anyway man, I wish I could do it like you do it. Great job. Keep it up!
That was so great, and the "I'm afraid not to believe" so soul crushing. Difficult dual conversation for you but you really managed well (yeah the "low-esteem" question was risky but worthy imho). And the Santa analogy at the end, that is so perfect ! (andk I think there is a web comics about it)
This finna get good! She said does the slave and slave master serve the same god! You done ran up on some thinking sisters. I'm going to make a cup of coffee and pay attention ☕️
When Anthony asked if she had low self esteem that was an incision but when he asks are you a slave 👀 that was an amputation lol he cut something off w that and it will not grow back. (Maybe a better analogy would be that you broke some chains) I see people saying you went hard on this one but at the same time I think you tiptoed mostly and it's very respectful.
That's a fact these 2 females did good on the subject & questioned god & I find it 2 b a good thing 2 question religion & I know that religion & god is corrupt & evil
Man I really feel bad for Carla. Living your life in fear that your benevolent God will take more of your young due to your lack of faith. Wow, hard to watch that and not sympathize with and for her. As a black non believer, I would have to say that it feels so much better to loosen those shackles of fear, and truly live
This is such a beautifully thoughtful, open and honest conversation, which demonstrates strength and courage we could all learn from. As much as ever, they've most of the work for you Anthony!
Love these girls...They both come across really well as lovely people...and sounds like they have been 'through the mill' (UK meaning 'tough times')...Love from UK atheist goes out to these sisters
These videos are so helpful in learning how to engage a religious person to discuss their beliefs;to understand their mindset. So often they get very defensive and the conversation goes nowhere. This approach actually gets results!
You're best video yet! You hit the lotto on this one! Sisters who are theist and atheist. I don't think you should worry too much about e one on one so much. I love the aspect of multiple views at once
When I was a believer, I was "afraid not to believe". When I finally stopped praying, reading the Bible and going to church, it took about three weeks and the faith melted away like a dream. If Carla took a challenge not to pray about anything for a month , I bet she'd find out what I did: That life goes on, and we make our own decisions and stand on our own feet.
Anthony I know you like one on one conversations but I think this was probably really great for both sisters. You did good. I wouldn't discourage you from trying it again
Too many people believe in this man made religion because they were raised to believe it (which isn't a choice) or because one needs it to cope with something. But we are strong. I like that Gayle is closer to not believing in the supernatural. Karma is a fascinating belief. What is keeping track of who does good and bad in order to send those things your way? Who defines what is good and bad? The spider that Gayle killed could have been the spider that ate the mosquito that carried a disease that transmitted that disease to someone. An atheist is simply a person that has a lack of belief in deities. By talking about it when we can, the stigma will fade. I thoroughly enjoyed these ladies. Set yourself free, Carla!
yes i laughed at the "big foot of death from the sky" - people are really weird about what it's okay to kill and not kill. i try to put creatures outside rather than kill them, but i have no problem whatsoever crushing the ants that occasionally appear in my bathroom IT'S MY HOME!! and yes, that might've been her dad coming with a message for us all - "send more flies".
I love these talks in the park. This was so amazing. I wish you did these more!! The student ones are great but these feel so familiar and "homey," like these talks could happen anywhere. The campus talks feel specific to student life, especially considering the common demographic there.
Why does Anthony's statement "It's the neatest thing.." describing his SE conversations make me laugh so hard? I know you usually steer away from conversations with two people. I think this one was really interesting in part because they were sisters who were raised together to believe the same, but who don't believe the same.
In my mind, all of these talks need one essential ingredient, and that is; the question of whether it's more important to someone that their beliefs are actually true, or that the beliefs comfort them. I may be wrong, but I don't think that question was asked here. At any rate, good job and thanks for posting Anthony! looking forward to more SE. :-)
Dante S - I'm not so sure that the benefits of holding non-true beliefs outweigh the downside, which in the case of religion is an emotional investment that often brings feelings of guilt, fear, worry, etc. There's also (often) a financial investment of tithing. And lastly, the time wasted worshipping a non-existing (or non-caring) being.
good talk and very much worth the wait. What a special juxtaposition these two sisters are. Guaranteed, they will continue the conversation between themselves, later.
What an amazing talk! I’ve been binging these SE videos lately and this was by far one of my favorites! I always love when I see people within my own community question what they were taught. This was super refreshing to watch and so encouraging in my deconstruction journey. I wonder where Gayle and Carla are now? I died when she killed that spider so aggressively tho lolll.
I asked you once before about fear being a factor in God belief because I think it's bigger than most people admit, and you referred me to an interview with a Muslim woman. This video is so much better! Carla was refreshingly honest about her fear of God. I was pleased too to see how happy Gayle appeared to be (and Carla crestfallen) when you shared your views. I hope Gayle explores the atheist communities so she can feel better, she seemed frustrated. I hope you use this video whenever possible to demonstrate the power of the fear of God.
Li Vi Hello there. Thanks for your message. While I din’t recall our previous exchange, I am wondering if this talk occurred after we chatted, or perhaps I simply forgot about this tslk, beczuse I think you are correct in your assesment about these two wonderful ladies. Thanks for watching and your comment.
well i'm atheist and the thought of hell scares the pants off me - once you've been told that stuff it's hard to unhear. this is why i want religion gone, and as carla hints, you go through life feeling you are being punished and you have no idea what it is you did wrong or how you can make amends, religion is sick.
Anthony, did you say "junks-taposition"? eh? These women were wonderful. They were very open with sharing their personal beliefs and reall thinking about your comments. Their dad sounded like such a great guy.
Wow, great talk, we're going to have to start calling you "Dr. SE", you're getting so good at keeping people doxastically open while at the same time challenging them. One thing I wonder about is how much thought you've given to the post-interview chat. My understanding is that during a lie-detector test, more information may be revealed in the post-test chat than in the actual interview because their guards are down and they've come to see the interviewer as a friend. Obviously the situations are not completely analogous, but I can certainly see a change of demeanour in all your subjects after the official chat has ended.
sachamm I think there is something to that. My talk with Kari may be a good example of that: we talked, then we talked about the talk, and it became even more introspective. It's not something I have been consciously considering, but maybe now that you have asked about it, I will pursue that a little more . Thank you.
Nice to see an African American woman with a more secular mindset. Like what was said toward the end, the African American community is largely fixated on Christianity and contribute everything to it. And so many assumptions come out of just saying you no longer believe... mostly all negative. Some think the worse of you before you even do it say anything else other than "I don't believe". There's much freedom in living your life and knowing that your actions are of your own. Knowing that you take all the credit when certain actions you take bring about good (and bad) outcomes through cause and effect.
Greg Martin It kind of depends now where we end up standing and the quality of the discussion if it's worth all the extra editing effort to show the "God cam" view.
I would like someone to unpack this "Greater than you" concept I keep hearing. There are objectively so many real world things that are greater than you. Even if you are skilled at something, there are a lot of people that are better at your skill, or if your field has more than one technique, you most likely will never master them all and be better than everyone else that focuses on one technique. I can hold my own in a fight, but I can't take on two or more skilled fighters or a single lion in hand to hand combat. Isn't the family unit greater than an individual lonely person? Families, tribes, societies, groups of people can accomplish so much more than one person can. You can't stand against the tide and turn the sea into a still body of water. You can't stop an earthquake. You can't even stop a breeze. You have to be extremely delusional to believe that you are the greatest, period. So I really don't get it when people say "You have to believe in something greater than you" and then they pick something imaginary.
I suspect that what they are getting it is they want to believe that in spite of how horrible things get, everything's going to be all right.. The belief in a "higher power" is a desire for comfort and assurance that some power or authority will make sure that no matter what they are going through that it will never be more than they can handle if they believe... In my small way I try to recognize the genuine human need for emotional assurance and comfort, and work to meet that need motivated by compassion. I think that humanitarian ideals are wonderful things to aspire to and could satisfy the need for "something greater than us " so we can do our best to make as many things as right as possible.
Engaging with people like Carla is refreshing. She is honest and genuine. There is hope that she will eventually realise that fear is not a good enough reason to hold her belief...
Greg Martin That's very kind. How about The Clergy Project or Recovering from Religion? Both are great organizations and mesh nicely with the theme of this talk.
Greg Martin I'd suggest Camp Quest too, but I see you have that covered. I'd also suggest Holy Koolaid, but think I've seen your name as a donor at the end of his videos. How about the Texas Ramp Project? An atheist group of mine here in town builds wood ramps every month for elderly and disabled people who can't get out of their homes. We've built almost 20 ramps so far, and it's a great organization (just google them). I have photos of many of our projects on my personal Facebook Page. Thanks, Greg.
Anthony, Carla mentioned her mother quite a bit, saying her mother's answer to everything was to pray about it. I was wondering why you didn't explore that a bit more with her, maybe questioning in such a way to get her to realistically assess the rate of "success" she has experienced with prayer and if it truly is a reliable action to take in times of need.
That was great. I would enjoy talking to Gayle.. she is sceptical, but not in a very useful or logical way to be very meaningful.. there's better ways to view these things and better criticisms and the such of religion.. it's like when people say "god in the bible is mean, would you worship that god?" like.. who cares.. that has no bearing on the existance at all lol. So It would be fun to delve into it and then bring up the heavier hitting issues for her to think about and really drive it home for her.
This was a great talk, Anthony. Very well done! @ 18:47 Sounds just like the stereotypical battered spouse. It's as - if in her mind - "god" is telling her it's her fault. She'd better believe or else he's going to take more away from her. But not because he's mean. No, because she's bad. She made him beat her. If only she didn't make him so angry!
I believe...that something like 20% of people in public spaces make conscious or unconscious efforts to obstruct other's progress or prevent them passing
Just an idea: You weren't sure what Gayle said at some point and you wrote [inaudible]. Maybe you could put a notification to the beginning of a video and/or description box. Something like "Brackets mean that I wasn't sure what they were saying, but that's how I heard it." F.e. if you wasn't sure whether she said "black/white people" or "my people", but you heard or understood it to mean "my people" in the conversation, you could write "[my] people". It could help the viewers to understand how you understood it.
I see in so many people that they are not able to let go of the belief because of how much is invested in the belief. Either their own or simply because loved ones who indoctrinated them have so much invested in the belief. People do not want to recognize that they (or their loved ones) have been mistaken about something that has been so meaningful in their life.
That crossed my mind also. I just wanna say how much I wish I could just hug these 2 fantastic women, hang out with them, and just share! I could feel their authenticity, inner-strength, love, openness, bravery, honesty and pain so strongly. I recognized the cognitive dissonance they each were experiencing to different degrees and the discomfort (pain) that it is causing. I see them slowly peaking under and around those god-glasses they were trained to wear from birth. I have a feeling, one day, they will know they can take them off and "see" just fine.
Loved these sisters. I have mentioned the incompatibility of the oppressive God vs the liberator God, slave owner vs. enslaved gods, and was called racists for my efforts. Is there any wonder both were disappointed by a nonexistent God, unless their expectations are very low and/or are always willing to put the blame on themselves. Again, they seem like wonderful ladies, in all respects.... physically, mentally, honesty... wow, so cool.
"I was raised this way" is like explaining that a domino was knocked over because another one fell into it. It says nothing about why that domino was placed there.
The one on the right said, "One I don't know how not to have even thought that" (needing a god to get through hard time). The shackles of religion right there. God job playing them off each other.
As some have said, slaves & masters serving the same god is insightful but if it is the only reason, is that a good enough reason to stop believing? Somebody that uses that reason and has no other reason is effectively just angry at God but still a believer. It is a good place to start a journey to discover the truth (are there any good reason to believe?). I wished Anthony had challenged her on that. At the end of the day, what matters is believing true things. God or no God, doesn't matter. Truth should not be afraid of truth
![ILLSLICK - THE KING'S LANDING [Freestyle]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/feIJJnNkTfk/mqdefault.jpg)
These two DEFINITELY had a good conversation on their walk.
"Im afraid not to believe, because what would he take from me if i dont"
That broke my heart and has me almost in tears. That she is afraid of god. She lost a child and worries that if she did not believe in him, he may take another from her. I really hope Carla can come to terms and move past that roadblock. Sounds like her sister is trying to help her.
me too, so sad
Andrew That was a crushingly sad part. It almost got drowned out with all the other talking, too. Carla and Gayle are amazing people.
Yeah. Gayle, even if she is not maybe totally removed from religion, recognizes the reasons people believe and that is very important. I took a little solace at the end of the video tho because it appeared that Carla was really thinking and pondering these things. I hope this opened up for some more deeper conversations with her sister and that you can run into these people again.
We need more black woman like the lightskin sister. As a black Athiest myself, she is refreshing and needed more in the black community.
Hey how aboiut this. Skin color divisiveness either starts with you or stops with you.
byrysh The fuck you talking about, idiot?
Yeah it starts with you then... Keep feeding the hate dude. Sooner or later you will realize its the plan the govt has to keep americans divided. Ever heard the saying divide and conquer? Its exactly what theyre doing and you are playing right into their hands.
byrysh Yeah. You are a fucking moron. Was that what you got from my post? Lol. Troll better, troll!
" As a black Athiest myself" Virtue signaling... sad dude just sad.
"Sonder:
The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own-populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness-an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk."
This awesome hobby of yours embraces the feelings that sonder gives, and builds on one's understanding. Just a random thought.
Zach White Nice!!!
the honesty in Carla was amazing. I wish more religious people were like that.
"How do we know that? We don't really know that."
Beautiful. She's clearly a questioner.
Sincerely Anthony, one of the best interviews you've done! I was fascinated & could completely relate on both of their journey's. Her statement (paraphrasing) how can a slave & slave master serve the same God, was incredibly insightful & profound.
Excellent interview, really, great job. It's exciting when your questions are on point & the person/people are open, honest & reflective. 👍👍👍👍👍
Cookie Nibz
I thought so too, though Anthony seemed to push harder with Carla than he maybe should have. She responded well, but it seemed a little rude at times.
Tom Riddle love your profile pic BTW, Lololol.
Tom Riddle I think the exact opposite. Ok he called it a crutch and that was low key brutal but he did not ask some of the questions he normally would and I think that was out of respect. I think Anthony was extremely respectful of their loss and proceeded w that sensitivity. These women simply command a high level of respect and Anthony gave it to them. He made an adjustment and it's touching. Imho
"Im afraid not to believe, because what would he take from me if i dont".
That statement from Carla had me sobbing uncontrollably. I have kids and I live in constant fear of something bad happening to one of them. I couldn't imagine actually believing that I had to worship someone because I feared what they would take from me if I didn't. From where Carla is coming, she's concerned about one of her other kids since God had a reason for taking one before.
How is Carla's life any different from someone who has to pay tribute to a mob boss so that he doesn't kill her family? Is this the type of relationship we should have with a loving god? Is the mob boss loving when he doesn't kill my family because I paid the tribute? I am crushed to know that so many people live their lives like Carla and think it's a good thing - a life worth living in this sadomasochistic relationship.
I thought Carla was particularly brave to openly talk about her doubts like that, and confronting herself with it the way she did. If you come from a religious background that must not be easy. Really liked this talk, thanks ladies !
I came from a religious background myself & I can relate but recently I stopped believing in God & accept reality
Crutch = "It sounds like this belief is like an anchor for you?" (I like that wording because it can be viewed as both good and bad) Worth the wait Anthony. I'll have to watch this a few times, there is so much "New Anthony" here. PS I nearly died when you said low self esteem - you are really pushing the boundaries. Thanks mate
Intoxicatedoutspokenantitheist Gotta push to grow :)
I watched the whole thing. I love those sisters.
Wow man! What an incredible conversation. I'm from Brazil. I am an atheist thanks to the atheist experience tv show and after a while I discovered your videos. It's amazing how you can show people they are wrong in a way that brings you and the person closer. I "made people lose their god belief" - I don't mean it in a bad way - but this kind of affected our relationship. I guess I assimilated Matt Dillahunty 's approach. Anyway man, I wish I could do it like you do it. Great job. Keep it up!
That was so great, and the "I'm afraid not to believe" so soul crushing. Difficult dual conversation for you but you really managed well (yeah the "low-esteem" question was risky but worthy imho).
And the Santa analogy at the end, that is so perfect ! (andk I think there is a web comics about it)
This finna get good! She said does the slave and slave master serve the same god! You done ran up on some thinking sisters. I'm going to make a cup of coffee and pay attention ☕️
When Anthony asked if she had low self esteem that was an incision but when he asks are you a slave 👀 that was an amputation lol he cut something off w that and it will not grow back. (Maybe a better analogy would be that you broke some chains) I see people saying you went hard on this one but at the same time I think you tiptoed mostly and it's very respectful.
~"sounds like a humanist"
great one!
we need people connecting this term with actual people in their life
the strength in candor of these two are admirable ..wish everyone could be so.
i hope they don't start arguing over the existence of god though - like you say they are such a great couple of people.
Great video, Anthony. I really applaud their honesty and openness in discussing their epistemology with you.
These ladies are both lovely and well spoken. Great interview.
That's a fact these 2 females did good on the subject & questioned god & I find it 2 b a good thing 2 question religion & I know that religion & god is corrupt & evil
Man I really feel bad for Carla. Living your life in fear that your benevolent God will take more of your young due to your lack of faith. Wow, hard to watch that and not sympathize with and for her. As a black non believer, I would have to say that it feels so much better to loosen those shackles of fear, and truly live
This is such a beautifully thoughtful, open and honest conversation, which demonstrates strength and courage we could all learn from. As much as ever, they've most of the work for you Anthony!
That was a great conversation.
Love these girls...They both come across really well as lovely people...and sounds like they have been 'through the mill' (UK meaning 'tough times')...Love from UK atheist goes out to these sisters
12 minutes in and this might be my favorite talk you've had. So much honesty and self reflection...
What an amazing conversation! They've obviously done a lot of thinking on the subject of faith already.
AMAZING! This is one of the best ones so far. Great couple of gals. You're doing the Lord's work, Anthony. Lord Byron that is.
Gayle, you are a smart and beautiful woman. There is a person out there for you.
What a fantastic encounter-how did I miss this one? Two thinking sisters, two sides of the coin.
The level of honesty and openness in this discussion is so touching. Such a beautiful, beautiful conversation.
These videos are so helpful in learning how to engage a religious person to discuss their beliefs;to understand their mindset.
So often they get very defensive and the conversation goes nowhere.
This approach actually gets results!
You're best video yet! You hit the lotto on this one! Sisters who are theist and atheist. I don't think you should worry too much about e one on one so much. I love the aspect of multiple views at once
Cal1003
I'd say Gayl was more of a deist or a weak Christian theist. I dont feel atheist is applicable in her case.
When I was a believer, I was "afraid not to believe". When I finally stopped praying, reading the Bible and going to church, it took about three weeks and the faith melted away like a dream. If Carla took a challenge not to pray about anything for a month , I bet she'd find out what I did: That life goes on, and we make our own decisions and stand on our own feet.
These two women are so intelligent and open! I'm thoroughly impressed with their character.
This was so awesome with the second camera angle.
the look on Gayles face while Carla talked about their dad made me choke up. I lost my dad 11 years ago.
One of the best interviews yet. Their honestly was refreshing.
they seem to be really great people, and a good family.
Always get a little smile at the beginning he’s getting them sucked into the talk.. such an important talk that needs to be more common.
Very honest women … I appreciate these sisters. Amazing hearts… just amazing.
Holy shit, when she said there are at least people who dress up as Santa I lol'd
Anthony I know you like one on one conversations but I think this was probably really great for both sisters. You did good. I wouldn't discourage you from trying it again
poor spider
Too many people believe in this man made religion because they were raised to believe it (which isn't a choice) or because one needs it to cope with something. But we are strong. I like that Gayle is closer to not believing in the supernatural. Karma is a fascinating belief. What is keeping track of who does good and bad in order to send those things your way? Who defines what is good and bad? The spider that Gayle killed could have been the spider that ate the mosquito that carried a disease that transmitted that disease to someone. An atheist is simply a person that has a lack of belief in deities. By talking about it when we can, the stigma will fade. I thoroughly enjoyed these ladies. Set yourself free, Carla!
yes i laughed at the "big foot of death from the sky" - people are really weird about what it's okay to kill and not kill. i try to put creatures outside rather than kill them, but i have no problem whatsoever crushing the ants that occasionally appear in my bathroom IT'S MY HOME!! and yes, that might've been her dad coming with a message for us all - "send more flies".
Excellent discussion. It's amazing how honest people can be in a open minded conversation.
I love these talks in the park. This was so amazing. I wish you did these more!! The student ones are great but these feel so familiar and "homey," like these talks could happen anywhere. The campus talks feel specific to student life, especially considering the common demographic there.
Why does Anthony's statement "It's the neatest thing.." describing his SE conversations make me laugh so hard?
I know you usually steer away from conversations with two people. I think this one was really interesting in part because they were sisters who were raised together to believe the same, but who don't believe the same.
In my mind, all of these talks need one essential ingredient, and that is; the question of whether it's more important to someone that their beliefs are actually true, or that the beliefs comfort them. I may be wrong, but I don't think that question was asked here. At any rate, good job and thanks for posting Anthony! looking forward to more SE. :-)
Dante S - I'm not so sure that the benefits of holding non-true beliefs outweigh the downside, which in the case of religion is an emotional investment that often brings feelings of guilt, fear, worry, etc. There's also (often) a financial investment of tithing. And lastly, the time wasted worshipping a non-existing (or non-caring) being.
This is one of my favorite interviews. Love these two ladies.
what a great conversation!
good talk and very much worth the wait. What a special juxtaposition these two sisters are. Guaranteed, they will continue the conversation between themselves, later.
Thanks for doing this Anthony. It's very interesting.
What an amazing talk! I’ve been binging these SE videos lately and this was by far one of my favorites! I always love when I see people within my own community question what they were taught. This was super refreshing to watch and so encouraging in my deconstruction journey. I wonder where Gayle and Carla are now? I died when she killed that spider so aggressively tho lolll.
Awesome. I just love how honest they both were.
Lovely content! Keep it up!
I asked you once before about fear being a factor in God belief because I think it's bigger than most people admit, and you referred me to an interview with a Muslim woman. This video is so much better! Carla was refreshingly honest about her fear of God. I was pleased too to see how happy Gayle appeared to be (and Carla crestfallen) when you shared your views. I hope Gayle explores the atheist communities so she can feel better, she seemed frustrated. I hope you use this video whenever possible to demonstrate the power of the fear of God.
Li Vi Hello there. Thanks for your message. While I din’t recall our previous exchange, I am wondering if this talk occurred after we chatted, or perhaps I simply forgot about this tslk, beczuse I think you are correct in your assesment about these two wonderful ladies. Thanks for watching and your comment.
well i'm atheist and the thought of hell scares the pants off me - once you've been told that stuff it's hard to unhear. this is why i want religion gone, and as carla hints, you go through life feeling you are being punished and you have no idea what it is you did wrong or how you can make amends, religion is sick.
Amazing talk. Great honest people exploring there beliefs.
Anthony, did you say "junks-taposition"? eh? These women were wonderful. They were very open with sharing their personal beliefs and reall thinking about your comments. Their dad sounded like such a great guy.
Richard Ness Yes, I did. No "n" in that word, it seems. 'Doh!
Anthony Magnabosco I learned about the "L" in "vulnerable" last year haha. Took like 3 months to adjust.
I realised recently that I was saying "qualitive" instead of "qualitative".
Hahaha. Any other "confessions", folks?
I just learned that dachshund is the correct word for wiener - dog and it's not pronounced dash-hound. LOL
anthony maganbosco! you are the man with the camera on you! thank you this is great!
Wow, great talk, we're going to have to start calling you "Dr. SE", you're getting so good at keeping people doxastically open while at the same time challenging them. One thing I wonder about is how much thought you've given to the post-interview chat. My understanding is that during a lie-detector test, more information may be revealed in the post-test chat than in the actual interview because their guards are down and they've come to see the interviewer as a friend. Obviously the situations are not completely analogous, but I can certainly see a change of demeanour in all your subjects after the official chat has ended.
sachamm I think there is something to that. My talk with Kari may be a good example of that: we talked, then we talked about the talk, and it became even more introspective. It's not something I have been consciously considering, but maybe now that you have asked about it, I will pursue that a little more . Thank you.
Definitely challenging with two but great talk. I hope they talked about it as they walked.
That is one damn honest woman! I love her
Nice to see an African American woman with a more secular mindset. Like what was said toward the end, the African American community is largely fixated on Christianity and contribute everything to it. And so many assumptions come out of just saying you no longer believe... mostly all negative. Some think the worse of you before you even do it say anything else other than "I don't believe".
There's much freedom in living your life and knowing that your actions are of your own. Knowing that you take all the credit when certain actions you take bring about good (and bad) outcomes through cause and effect.
I agree & it's a good thing 2 not live life based off of religion & god
I missed the God Cam on the last one. I like seeing more body language. 👍
Lol God cam.
Greg Martin It kind of depends now where we end up standing and the quality of the discussion if it's worth all the extra editing effort to show the "God cam" view.
Why are you all capitalizing the word “god” here? A leftover from former days, perhaps? :)
B. Porter Because it’s funny
Very nice , likable ladies. Great conversation & I imagine it continued after between them.
It was fascinating to compare the different paths the sisters chose.
I would like someone to unpack this "Greater than you" concept I keep hearing. There are objectively so many real world things that are greater than you. Even if you are skilled at something, there are a lot of people that are better at your skill, or if your field has more than one technique, you most likely will never master them all and be better than everyone else that focuses on one technique. I can hold my own in a fight, but I can't take on two or more skilled fighters or a single lion in hand to hand combat. Isn't the family unit greater than an individual lonely person? Families, tribes, societies, groups of people can accomplish so much more than one person can. You can't stand against the tide and turn the sea into a still body of water. You can't stop an earthquake. You can't even stop a breeze. You have to be extremely delusional to believe that you are the greatest, period. So I really don't get it when people say "You have to believe in something greater than you" and then they pick something imaginary.
I suspect that what they are getting it is they want to believe that in spite of how horrible things get, everything's going to be all right.. The belief in a "higher power" is a desire for comfort and assurance that some power or authority will make sure that no matter what they are going through that it will never be more than they can handle if they believe...
In my small way I try to recognize the genuine human need for emotional assurance and comfort, and work to meet that need motivated by compassion. I think that humanitarian ideals are wonderful things to aspire to and could satisfy the need for "something greater than us " so we can do our best to make as many things as right as possible.
So impressed with their honesty!
This is excellent Anthony, wish you well on your future endeavors
A great conversation!
Engaging with people like Carla is refreshing. She is honest and genuine. There is hope that she will eventually realise that fear is not a good enough reason to hold her belief...
I think it's been almost a year since I made a donation in lieu of patreon. Where shall I direct the next one?
Greg Martin That's very kind. How about The Clergy Project or Recovering from Religion? Both are great organizations and mesh nicely with the theme of this talk.
Anthony Magnabosco They're on my annual list. Added RFR after your request last year. Any obscure favorite I may not be aware of?
Camp Quest?
Reid Nicewonder Donated to them during the Muskogee Atheists/ Murrow Home debacle.
Greg Martin I'd suggest Camp Quest too, but I see you have that covered. I'd also suggest Holy Koolaid, but think I've seen your name as a donor at the end of his videos. How about the Texas Ramp Project? An atheist group of mine here in town builds wood ramps every month for elderly and disabled people who can't get out of their homes. We've built almost 20 ramps so far, and it's a great organization (just google them). I have photos of many of our projects on my personal Facebook Page. Thanks, Greg.
"Does the slave and the slave master serve the same God? "
What a great question.
I love these two
The book was written by the slave master for the slaves.
That is so true
It's a fact
Quite good video, awesome!
Man, this woman is deep into it. This is the harm that parents do by indoctrinating their kids into religion.
The woman on the right seems depressed or stressed out as the woman on the left with the sunglasses talks about her disbelief in god...hope she's ok
You´re doing good work Anthony! -Keep it up :-)
Anthony, Carla mentioned her mother quite a bit, saying her mother's answer to everything was to pray about it. I was wondering why you didn't explore that a bit more with her, maybe questioning in such a way to get her to realistically assess the rate of "success" she has experienced with prayer and if it truly is a reliable action to take in times of need.
10:20 I hear that same quote from my own family members.
18:23
It is not disrespectful for a son or daughter to reject the irrational, superstitious, and destructive habits of their parents.
True that & I decided 2 not believe in God no more & my whole family still believe in god but I decided 2 break the cycle
True that & I decided 2 not believe in God no more & my whole family still believe in god but I decided 2 break the cycle
@@bluwater1422
Kudos on both your comments! How did your family treat you after you rejected God?
I really felt for Carla...
That was great. I would enjoy talking to Gayle.. she is sceptical, but not in a very useful or logical way to be very meaningful.. there's better ways to view these things and better criticisms and the such of religion.. it's like when people say "god in the bible is mean, would you worship that god?" like.. who cares.. that has no bearing on the existance at all lol. So It would be fun to delve into it and then bring up the heavier hitting issues for her to think about and really drive it home for her.
Great talk!
I think this talk was great. The oressing was just right, and relevant.
This was a great talk, Anthony. Very well done!
@ 18:47 Sounds just like the stereotypical battered spouse. It's as - if in her mind - "god" is telling her it's her fault. She'd better believe or else he's going to take more away from her. But not because he's mean. No, because she's bad. She made him beat her. If only she didn't make him so angry!
Wood 'n' Stuff w/ Steve French Would that be Stockholm syndrome?
How about this: How much does it matter to you that the things you believe are actually true? On scale from 0 to 100?
RCW Yeah, good one! Can't believe I seem to be the only person valueing (that English?) your idea.
My guess is that everyone would say 100%. Maybe ask the question with a specific example, instead of going for the generic %.
These ladies have the right questions. I think they're just afraid to accept the true answers.
I believe...that something like 20% of people in public spaces make conscious or unconscious efforts to obstruct other's progress or prevent them passing
Just an idea: You weren't sure what Gayle said at some point and you wrote [inaudible]. Maybe you could put a notification to the beginning of a video and/or description box. Something like "Brackets mean that I wasn't sure what they were saying, but that's how I heard it." F.e. if you wasn't sure whether she said "black/white people" or "my people", but you heard or understood it to mean "my people" in the conversation, you could write "[my] people". It could help the viewers to understand how you understood it.
I loved this one.
I see in so many people that they are not able to let go of the belief because of how much is invested in the belief. Either their own or simply because loved ones who indoctrinated them have so much invested in the belief. People do not want to recognize that they (or their loved ones) have been mistaken about something that has been so meaningful in their life.
heckle9 Loyalty to a belief (or to the loved ones who hold the belief) can be detrimental to the person being loyal.
Yes it took me a while to let go of the beliefs but now I know I'm an atheist and I feel good about that.
They would be happy god free they just don't know it.
That crossed my mind also.
I just wanna say how much I wish I could just hug these 2 fantastic women, hang out with them, and just share!
I could feel their authenticity, inner-strength, love, openness, bravery, honesty and pain so strongly.
I recognized the cognitive dissonance they each were experiencing to different degrees and the discomfort (pain) that it is causing.
I see them slowly peaking under and around those god-glasses they were trained to wear from birth.
I have a feeling, one day, they will know they can take them off and "see" just fine.
Nice video!
the multiple angles are good and nice orange tic tacs lol
4:47 funny how, as talking about god, she kills a bug while outdoors.
vigneshrk i don't like it when people do that. I wonder what they're thinking
Bruh that profile pic is lit
Loved these sisters. I have mentioned the incompatibility of the oppressive God vs the liberator God, slave owner vs. enslaved gods, and was called racists for my efforts. Is there any wonder both were disappointed by a nonexistent God, unless their expectations are very low and/or are always willing to put the blame on themselves. Again, they seem like wonderful ladies, in all respects.... physically, mentally, honesty... wow, so cool.
"I was raised this way" is like explaining that a domino was knocked over because another one fell into it. It says nothing about why that domino was placed there.
Is it just me or is Anthony getting tougher with his questions? Lol
The one on the right said, "One I don't know how not to have even thought that" (needing a god to get through hard time). The shackles of religion right there. God job playing them off each other.
As some have said, slaves & masters serving the same god is insightful but if it is the only reason, is that a good enough reason to stop believing? Somebody that uses that reason and has no other reason is effectively just angry at God but still a believer. It is a good place to start a journey to discover the truth (are there any good reason to believe?). I wished Anthony had challenged her on that. At the end of the day, what matters is believing true things. God or no God, doesn't matter. Truth should not be afraid of truth