logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2014
1h 10m

I Used To Believe Strange Things

THE THINKING ATHEIST
About this episode
SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR:  http://www.naturebox.com/thinkingatheist


Many skeptics and rationalists come from religions, cultures and behaviors that stand far apart from their current relationships with reality.  This show takes an entertaining look at the strange beliefs many atheists once held and explores how otherwise rational minds can entertain the irrational, the unusual and the bizarre.

Want to tell your story?  Email podcast@thethinkingatheist.com

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support.
Up next
Nov 18
The Hypocrites & the Hang-Ups (with Matt Dillahunty)
Matt joins Seth for a chat about video games, the Democrats, civil war, penis snakes, and more!<br /><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/9CLzqJGP_l8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><b>VIDEO</b></a> of this conversation<br /><br />Become a supporter of this podcast: <a href ... Show More
1h 25m
Nov 14
Isaac Asimov: The Last Question
Enjoy a 35-minute reading of one of sci-fi author and scientist Isaac Asimov's greatest stories.PDF of "The Last Question"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support. 
43m 4s
Nov 11
It's a Brutal Time to Be Even Remotely Intelligent
The United States is experiencing an epidemic of anti-intellectualism. We discuss that and a whole lot more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support. 
1h 21m
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
Neil Van Leeuwen, "Religion As Make-Believe: A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity" (Harvard UP, 2023)
It is an intuitive truth that religious beliefs are different from ordinary factual beliefs. We understand that a belief in God or the sacredness of scripture is not the same as believing that the sun will rise again tomorrow or that flipping the switch will turn on the light.  I ... Show More
1h 15m
Jul 2025
Stories Revisited: Not What They Seem: Stories of spirits imitating humans and animals
If a spirit walked past you, would you even know? In this week’s episode, I’ll be sharing stories from real people who encountered entities pretending to be something else. [This episode originally aired 6/12/2023] Listen to the Dinky Podcast - https://dinkypod.com/ Learn more ab ... Show More
32m 5s
Feb 2025
#166 Diana Pasulka - Religious History, UFO Phenomena and the Ancient Mysteries of Purgatory
Diana Walsh Pasulka is a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington who specializes in Catholic history and the intersection of religion, technology, and UFO beliefs. Pasulka's research focuses on how belief in UFOs and extraterrestrial life has ... Show More
2h 33m
Mar 2025
Encounters x272 - Aliens Among Us
Stolen Organs, Lost Time & UFO Messages in Cabbage?! That's right, this week, we are covering ALIENS! Strap in, fantoms—this week, we’re trading haunted houses for something out of this world. We’re diving into real-life encounters with extraterrestrials, and let’s just say... t ... Show More
54m 8s