A Conversation With Matt Dillahunty - Part 1: The Minister
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ส.ค. 2024
- Interviewed at the Oklahoma Freethought Convention on July 30, 2011, Matt Dillahunty talked about his origins in the Christian faith, his ultimate apostasy, and his role as host of The Atheist Experience television show, seen around the world online at www.atheist-exp...
I admire Matt. As an ex-mormon and atheist, I had a similar journey . I wish I were as intelligent and articulate as he is!
Matt's reflections are more interesting to me than his arguments because they give him context-we all get to where we currently are because our experiences and challenges in life shape us.
Arguments matter if one is trying to persuade someone of something.
But an argument doesn't help me understand a person better as much as narratives do. In that sense, I believe narratives do matter.
So I guess it depends on what you're looking for.
Ben Hawkins
True, you see emotion in this vid that is often not portrayed on his show. Good interview.
For me, it's impossible to separate the arguments from the reflections because this video is undoubtedly about the very arguments that he now employs having a change on his life. In that sense, I wouldn't call them his arguments, because he did not make them up. His story is much like my own, which is kind of cool.
shaunpaulcroft I'm pretty sure the only emotion that you are sensing from this vid is in the mood music. That and, I guess, the entire production. Sorry for sounding so douchy. I'm really trying to put some thought into this but I'm pretty drunk right now.
Joshua Schindler
Haha, I was drunk when I wrote it too. Perhaps you are right, maybe the word I was looking for was 'honesty' or 'personality' :p
Matt is a personal hero of mine. His logic was what finally made me break free from the shackles of religion.
Thank you Matt!
I idolise this man. Much respect.
As a Christian,i disagree with Dilahunty, but even so i must say i respect the guy and how he carries himself.
I have read this several times and I still don't know what you are trying to say.
What does respect look like to you? What do you mean when you say it?
Is this all a contextual frame to present your disagreement with his views and claim there is evidence which underpins a rational support of Christianity (or "towards Christianity")?
Are you trying to be magnanimous? The a Christian giving their approval to a non-Christians life story! Hold the front page!
~Oh I love his story, even thought he is wrong of course, but lovely he can talk so openly about that.~
Are you trying to paint yourself morally better than your beliefs demand? Are you trying to say you "understand" ~pats Matt on the head sympathetically~
You could have simply said, I appreciate him saying this, I enjoyed hearing his story. No bias, no agenda, no mixed messages but hey, if you said that someone might think you approve of his position!!! Ohh Noesss. Heaven forbid you act like a human responding to another human for four minutes without your belief having a say in the matter.
Why would you being Christian stop you appreciating this story? By you stating it it appears you think that they should be incompatible somehow.
The overwhelming sensation I get when I read it is, condescension. Is that your intent?
sigmata0
You are looking too deeply. All i'm saying is, i disagree with his views but i respect him. Not too hard to figure out. On youtube, what you find most often are people who not only disagree but have disrespect. I am just saying, despite my different worldview, i appreciate the way he presents himself. It's kind of hard to not present my worldview when it is being talked about in this video. It's hard when he himself has a show called the Atheist Experience in which he somewhat makes it a goal to steer people away from belief. I see no reason why it was wrong of me to say i disagree but i respect him.
gingy23ben5 "Not too hard to figure out" - if you're happy to make assumptions about the meanings of words and phrases. Of course, I can guess, why would I want to be accurate and correct....
So basically, he is in the respected but disagreed with category and others are in the disrespected and disagreed with category.
The thing is, you aren't just having an opinion about respecting him. You are promoting a position. You seem to want to do that without actually engaging in any discussion about it. It's rather like you don't really feel confident about it, actually. It's a peculiar way to go about making a complement.
sigmata0
Dude, seriously...All i'm doing is saying i respect him despite my disagreement with him. If you have a problem with that then so be it, but as often as i get into youtube debates with people who disagree with me, i hardly get any respect, so you can imagine why i don't just jump into debates right away. Of course i'm promoting a position. You are as well. Your position seems to be to make a big deal out of something that wasn't intended to be. ..Have a good day sir
gingy23ben5 Well, your intentions and your statements are at odds then aren't they.
Another Fantastic Production Seth.
TH-cam answered a lot of questions I had about my religion, and made me go back and study what's in the bible, and today I'm a grateful atheist.
Thank you to all the Matt's, and all the Seth's and many more who has given their time to teach us reason and logical thinking.
Beautifully presented, Seth. I knew the story already as Matt has told it many times over the last few years, but this is the definitive version. Well done, I can't wait for parts 2 and 3.
Thanks Matt, and thank you Seth. The video looks really good.
We appreciate all the time, cost and effort that goes in these.
Matt you are a legend, don't stop doing what you do.
I've been an atheist for a while now, the first video recomended to me when I joined youtube was the atheist experience. After years of arguing with my friends and family I finally got to say "I am not alone!" THANK YOU!
Matt Dillahunty is one of my favorite atheist speakers. He is an amazing speaker and a brilliant debater.
Totally awesome! It was Matt and the atheist experience that originally got me to question my own faith. Only a few years ago I was a committed Jehovah's Witness (disassociated back in 2008). Becoming an atheist used to be one of my biggest fears. I always worried that I would become an atheist some day. It was a fear that stemmed from an inherent misunderstanding of atheism in general. Matt, and people like Matt, helped me to see things differently, and for that I am eternally grateful.
I have the deepest respect for Matt Dillahunty. He is such an incredible source of inspiration, and it makes me really happy to see that people truly can, with rational thinking and the actual determination to find out more about their beliefs, learn to follow their brain and let go of their preconcieved notion. I know that Matt is an exceptionally intelligent and humble individual, but he's still one of the most eloquent and convincing secular debaters out there.
He is so well spoken and I would love for him to come to Pittsburgh, PA or Morgantown, WV to hear him speak. I admire him for him honesty, his ability to communicate his reasons for his beliefs and that he now an atheist.
You what I really like about this video? The lighting is great, and the editing is almost perfect. The music fits perfectly and volume levels are fine too. Great video! Matt D has NEVER looked so spiffy in a video ever! Seth, you should do the camera work for Atheist Experience! You would make them all look more awesome.
Really enjoy listening to Matt Dillahunty. He is one great intellectuals of the atheist movement. I really believe he should write books for future generations to have as a source for their intellectual growth.
This series is really well edited. I hope someday to be important enough in the national atheist community to get one of these :)
I totally want to see the uncut version of this interview. I'm a big fan of Matt.
This is absolutely true.. and exactly what needs to be looked at.
Making fun of creationists, etc.. makes it so much harder for them to admit they are wrong.
It's great to see such a metamorphosis from Christian to Atheist. It really shows how rational thinking can be achieved, even by those who have fought it their entire lives. Love that guy.
This guy is awesome. If everyone actually took the time to examine their own arguments with intellectual honesty we'd live in a happier and better informed world.
I loved the Aronra interview, in parts and in full - I can't wait to see parts 2 and 3, as well as the full Matt Dillahunty interview. Good work!
I love the background music soooo much!!
What a beautiful use of delay and reverb!
Matt Dillahunty is one of the most inspiring ex christians to date!
Matt is awesome. He inspires other atheists to share their thoughts without fear of being criticized. Great atheist speaker.
I'll never forget when I disagreed with him on a video of theatheistexperience and that somebody called bullshit on me. I was actually sad and frustrated that I was losing the argument. Not much after reality hitchslapped me in the face. I am so grateful for having that moment, I was a deist at the time so it was unlikely to go fast but eventually people like him caused me to realize that with the info I then had I could either be an atheist or a intellectual coward. It was tough but I'm glad =)
The video where Matt calls into the Atheist Experience for the first time is absolute gold.
I love this saying “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" - awesome!
I love matt. He is honest, more caring than most ppl because he is interested in the truth and not the LIE that keeps being told as truth!
When your girl friend cheat, which part of your body gets hurt ? When you face loneliness, your parents separated which part of your body you feel insecure ? When bad boys bullies you, which part of your body experience rejection and pain. When some one abuse you, which part of your body get angry. When you feel depression and suicidal thoughts come in your mind, which part of body want to escape from darkness and fear ? Dear friend we get hurt in our soul and spirit more than a physical body.
i hope Matt will be at the convention in D.C. in march. i would love to meet him.
You're right, calling it a circle-jerk was a more complete and unbiased answer.
He was extreme both, he was raised by a bapitist minster and now has his own atheist talk show, not many people can say that
Seth and Matt, you guys are awesome for what you do.
Excellent video. Will always be a huge fan of Matt and TAE/ Atheist community of Austin
Matt Dillahunty! A name I respect greatly! I'm an avid viewer of the Atheist experience, so my face lit up when I saw the title :D
I miss the days TH-cam didn't have commercials
I love these video formats!
I like Matt Dillahunty so much that I actually FEEL for him. I care about what happens to him. He is a big celebrity for me. Thanks for this. :)
very well made video! longtime fan of the atheist experience, have watched over 500 shows or so :P and the show that made me take the final step from religion.
So in other words, regarding that particular strand of religion, no matter how many flaws have presented themselves over the years (and will continue to present themselves) and no matter how 'well past-its-sell-by-date' it becomes, just follow it regardless and don't question it.
That's brilliant.
Matt Dillahunty is the best Atheist I know. Him and Dawkins I should say but this guy is a true icon and such an inspirational figure!
Hey thanks for making this video TTA. It was really well done :)
Matt needs exposing to a far wider audience.
He is definitely going to be one of the stars of the movement in the years to come.
I think a book is needed next, maybe detailing the story of his deconversion.
This is *beautifully* put together video. Oh my...excellent job.
And Matt's awesome. Everything I've seen about him indicates he's just a genuinely good human being, contrary to what theists may think. :)
Matt you give me hope that we "atheist" can do something to change the world. Don't stop doing what you do.
Ah Matt is my favorite on the show.
Great video TTA.. Best vid of Matt, Ive seen.
Matt rocks andI really enjoy listening to him. I only hope that more theists follow his example.
im happy for you that you find the truth, and teach everybody too open their eyes.
Thanks for doing these Seth!
I think you've made your point well. When some other can not understand your arguement it does not mean there is something wrong with your arguement.
I love matt he is so well spoken
Matt is the fucking man. He tells things in a way that even if you don't agree with immediately you can kind of see what he's getting at and slowly comes to agree.
And it's not a bad thing mind you. He's convincing because what he's saying makes sense.
That video has a campaign ad, vibe to it, I kept waiting to hear.... I'm Matt Dillahunty and I approved this message.
Oh yeah... Just one more thing.
If you don't already follow The Thinking Atheist podcast, start today.
I live in South Africa, and I download the podcasts, and listen to it on my commute to work. If you love the video's, believe me, you WILL love the podcasts even more.
Matt's fatal flaw as a Christian was that he was an honest Christian, trying to find truthful arguments for the faith for the purest of motives ... basically sprinting past the point of no return.
At least he won't feel distraught over the plight of other people's souls anymore :)
These "A Conversation with" clips are pretty neat. (Great sound and lighting, nice editing et c). Are you planning to do edit them into a full length movie?
Awesome! thanks for posting ^^
This is the 2nd atheist video bio where the speaker was in the navy
Who has their own tv show? Matt doesn't. He joined the Atheist Experienced after it first aired. He was originally a caller to the show.
Philosophical scrutiny is not simply claiming absolute knowledge. The possibility of being wrong always exists, but it is most likely, (based on senses and reason) that the origin of life and the universe is not a sentient being. Can I account for absolute knowledge? Sure. Grass is green because we recognize the light reflecting from it as green. The term "green" is absolute, as it is a description of a quality which is accepted by everyone.
Evidence and philosophy are not separate debates.
@starkwether I think it appears that way because people in the US are predominantly Christian. On "The Atheist Experience" most people that call in on the show are callers from the US where most people are Christian. They have gotten some Muslim callers but most are Christian.
@MoonwalkerWorshiper Again, he has several debates and speeches outside of the show where the debates are more formal. Also, the phones have problems to where no one can seem to really hear each other in real time. He always explains it. He has to put people on hold every now and then to have a productive conversation and keep the show moving. Which brings me back to my previous point; it is a public access show that they don't make a DIME from.
They actually did a test where they compared a chimp to a child. They were supposed to find a piece of candy in a box, but the box was initially opaque so you couldn't see inside it, and the "instuctor" taught the subject how to get the piece of candy, but they did a bunch of useless things that were not conducive to getting the piece of candy, but both the chimps and the kids did as they were told. After a transparent box was shown with the candy in plain sight, the kids still did all the...
I'm so surprised to hear that at one time Matt was terrified of public speaking! He's so good at argumentation now. I hope I can be that good one day.
The music (which is distracting) is getting in the way of his speech (which is the whole point of this video).
I agree, the music was cheesy and totally unnecessary.
The LXX was a translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, undertaken by the diaspora Jews in ancient Egypt. The process of translating the Scriptures into Greek was well underway by the early third century BCE, but it is less certain when the books of the present-day Jewish canon were fully translated.
In the first and second centuries CE there were more literal renderings, revising the LXX, sometimes almost to the point of constituting new translations.
@barataaustralia Anytime. Always glad to help :).
Existence begs the question "why do we exist?". I have a reasonable expectation that examining evidence using the scientific method, which corrects its errors, is the best way to work towards an answer. It may be that scientific method reaches a point where it determines that the question is unanswerable. Still, I would accept that conclusion over any assertion made by a faith that can't correct its errors, let alone acknowledge them.
Matt is the way.
Matt Dillahunty. What a brave man! Bravo sir!
This was an incredibly short segment.
I love this man's eloquence. Bring more Matt!
"The word cult in current popular usage is a pejorative term for a new religious movement or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre by the larger society." --Wiki. You would mostly be right about what a cult is if you lived a couple hundred years ago, but today words change and going about your use of words, this is what you must mean. Whoever defines the issues controls the debate.
One of my biggest hobbies is the study of dreams. When we dream, our brain creates a hallucinogenic drug, and it causes us to see many things.
I'm sure that you have heard or read something like that before, and much of the rest of your dream was created after you actually had it; your brain was probably working in the way that professional psychics do.
Based on what I have read, and studies that I have conducted myself, there is no reason to believe that dreams are more than hallucinations
It's obvious to me now why Matt's an atheist: he actually did thorough research and didn't back away when he realized his beliefs were wrong. If everyone were as honest as he is, we would have many more atheists.
Precisely, so it begs the question; how can you say you or anyone else can even be claiming to seek for the Truth when you don't even have a definitive idea of what the truth would be? If you don't know what it is you're seeking, then how can you be seeking it?
It's pretty amazing how an aboviously once hardcore Christian, turned to reason and logic. I am sure Matt put a lot of passion in his Christianity as he thankfully does today in The Atheist Experience. I hope more religious people perform this "real miracle" in their lives, instead of worshipping an invisible man.
I'll be interested to see the remaining parts of this interview when it comes. Interview Hitch (if he's feeling up to it, I mean) and Dawkins if you can.
I love you guys, Happy Thanksgiving
great video. keep it up man.
IT'S A SYNONYM FOR TRUST
@TheThinkingAtheist This conversation was very enjoyable to read.
What exactly?
Why someone can never lose salvation? Because God always remains faithful even though we night not.
Love this! Excellent.
I'm sure this is a cliff note version. Would love to know more details about Matt's deconversion.
This is pretty much how it went for me.
@TaylorThaHick Glad you're enjoying the discourse. But if you want to see some REALLY contentious arguments, you should check out those on my God is Evil video series, or my Kalam or Science vs. Religion videos.
One fundie roped me and a biblical professor (biologist from Trinity College) into debating. It was just sad to see a biologist resort to special pleading as he tried to reconcile what he knew was bad science.
Some pastors come over to our side. Love it when that happens. :-)
The great thing about being an atheist is there is nobody controlling me.
I can do what I want. Total freedom.
If I want, I can drive on the wrong side of the road !
No consequences !
Speaking as an atheist, we do not violate Judicial or State laws. We might not follow your false interpretations of Christian law or god/s law but we know what side of the road we drive on and most certainly know there are severe consequences not only to ourselves but to others when violating Judicial or State laws. It is RELIGIONS who VIOLATE **ALL** laws god/s and mans!
@@namelessrose3859
Agreed.
I was, of course, joking.
According to Christians, and others, we cannot think of any rules for the government of behaviour without the assistance of an imaginary dictator in the sky. Without God, there would be chaos.
This is clearly not true. We make up rules all the time. That's what governments do !
@farvision so, when I have the time and when I figure out how I want to present it, I will make a video.
I don't mean to diminish the quality of this, already great dialogue from Matt, but could anyone point me in the direction of the introduction music? It's lovely, and I would love to "purchase" this song if it's on an album somewhere. Not a necessity, but it would be nice. Thanks, and great video.
Now, do we need to beg you again for the full thing, when you are done making these nice productions, or will it happen by itself?
Nice, a little personal touch to Matt.........cool, thanks
Great video! Love TAE!
For those interested in more info. try the book Why God Won't Go Away by Andrew Newberg MD. It is neither pro nor con, but presents ideas & allows you to think about them. Peace.
@CakesnakeFilms
nope, that isnt it. its not just tilted. compare the distance between the center of one eye to the center of his upper teeth, to the distance between other eye and the teeth. and do that at a moment when he is looking straight into the camera so that you can see both ears.
The scholarly consensus is that the Book of Daniel (or at least the last three chapters) was written after Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated the altar of the Temple of Jerusalem around 167 BCE. Daniel was written in reaction to that incident and the final redaction of the work dates to the second century BCE. For secular scholars, the issue was settled over a century ago, many Christians do not accept this reasoning, looking to Jesus' implicit approval of the book by quoting from it.
@LeoRikimaru Science relies on objectivity, and needs to utilize a method called the "scientific method". The scientific method relies on observation, experimentation, data-gathering, etc. It varies all the time.
A less polarized and angry response to the question is that A+ is the idea that atheism is more than just a single position on a single question and can be an actual world view with tenets and positions.
Theon417 you put forth some very interesting ideas.When we really examine what we know from the relics of history,we find a different story then that of Legends and Lore. We find what is contrived like the miracle of the 72,which really isn't LXX (70) lol, could really be a just a legend.Most people of that time were illiterate,including ancient Hebrews,they didnt have Public Schools then.Plus Agriculture,Gathering Food,Producing clothes,and etc was far more difficult due to lack of technology.