1510774_10202100240040276_281772362_nThis week we are joined by our friend Mark Lazarchic to talk about why he does not admit he is an atheist.  His reasons are not new or unique, which is not to say they lack justification.  We talk with him about the perceived and actual behavior of the atheists he knows as well as his own reluctance to identify with his beliefs.  We talk over each other a lot. Somewhere in there, we talk about other stuff like improvisational comedy, health care, Libertarianism, and the fact Mark is a big fat hypocrite.  Mark also answers our five questions.

Pictured above: Mark demanded sparkling water and Cheetos waiting for him.  And we provided them.  Future guests shouldn’t expect the same treatment.

Show notes below the fold

Here’s a link to Mark’s software company, Otterology.

Mark mentions the Coke random acts of kindness video.

 

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16 Responses

      1. Mark, if you had a friend who “loved you unconditionally,” but who dumped you after you lost your faith, then your friend by definition didn’t love you unconditionally. And honestly if anyone is going to love you Mark they’d better do it unconditionally…

  1. One thing I’ve never understood is the brand of firm Libertarian type who also denies the idea of separation of church and state. Even Ron Paul claimed “The notion of a rigid separation between church and state has no basis in either the text of the Constitution or the writings of our Founding Fathers”

    It would seem to take a lot of cognitive dissonance to believe in tiny government with minimal regulations and yet be okay with the government promoting religion.

  2. Honestly, anyone who stops talking to you because you no longer believe in the same imaginary friend was never a friend to begin with. They don’t care about you, they care about this bizarre image of you that they have in their heads. I never get people who get upset that people they thought cared about them suddenly no longer do. You’re better off without them. Focus on people who actually care about you for who you really are. No one else is worth your time.

  3. I don’t know. It didn’t feel like hostility when we were recording. Strong disagreement but not hostility.

  4. I’m a geek, polytheist/pagan and a Unitarian, so I engage in a lot of dialog with atheists. I have to say, I notice a lot of assumptions about religion in general that mostly apply to conservative Christianity. I was raised liberal Christian, my family did not go to church out of fear of hell. I think arrogance is a general human problem!
    I do think atheists (and pagans for that matter) should be more understanding of what people might lose if they “come out”. Sometimes this can be a safety issue, especially for teens and young adults (similiarly to GLBT folks) and the emotional aspects of religion.
    Interesting discussion- though sometimes a little too much talking at once!
    Couple questions that came to mind-
    Is Mark a libertarian or an anarchist? He sounds more like an anarchist, libertarians are usually more like super-laissez faire capitalists that think believe in small government.
    Do atheists ever consider that their children may grow up and choose to be religious? Is raising your kid atheist (as opposed to totally neutral about religion one way or another) a kind of indoctrination? I’m not necessarily saying it is- just asking 🙂 (I also agree gluten-free bread sucks!)

    1. “I have to say, I notice a lot of assumptions about religion in general that mostly apply to conservative Christianity”

      I take it you mean these assumptions are made by atheists?

      When I talk about my issues with Christianity, I try to delineate between Conservative Christianity and other branches. I still have basic arguments with Christians because I don’t believe their central belief is logical.

      Mark self-identifies as a Libertarian and his opinions are mostly in line with other Libertarians I know.

      As a parent, I’ve commented many times on the podcast that I’m concerned about “indoctrinating” my children into atheism. I want them to find their own path. Obviously I will openly talk with them about why I’m an atheist but I also tell them that they should do their own searching. I regularly tell both of them that I don’t care if they believe in god as long as they understand that they should never believe anyone who tells them that they speak for god.

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