seeing things | why atheism is not like colourblindness [cc]

An invitation to critically assess religious argument and experience.
--
subtitles
Arabic: TranquilOblivion
Brazilian Portuguese: Aymar Pescador Jr
Bulgarian: Djeitko
Slovak: Peter Ščigulinský
--
Gold from bismuth study:

K. Aleklett, D. J. Morrissey, W. Loveland, P. L. McGaughey, and G. T. Seaborg. Energy dependence of 209Bi fragmentation in relativistic nuclear collisions. Phys. Rev. C 23 (1981): 1044-1046
--
music: excerpt from Chopin's Nocturne No.20, performed by TheraminTrees

[mrflip-flop]

Religion was basically forced to me since I was a child and I would feel perplexed when I meet athiests and ask them why they would let themselves suffer in eternal fire. They all told me one thing; "Read the Bible." I already read the Bible at the time but in spite to them, I reread it, to maybe understand them. I was mindblowned. I've already read the Bible but what I didn't do was understand it. I questioned my priest whom I am very close to. He was very kind and humble. He was happy to answer my question. Once I had, his expression changed. He struck me a cold glare and shoved me unto the cobblestone pathway. My parents came running in shock. They exchanged a few words before my parents took his side. They took me home and punished me. They made me kneel in salt while praying. But I wasn't. I closed my eyes like I was, but my mind was clear. Finally, I seperate my palms from eachother and opened my eyes, literally and figuratively. Never have I ever been so happy to escape that bamboozlement of a belief.

[FiniteAtticus]

I remember when I was young, I was told that if I ever doubted god's existence I should just keep praying until I believed again. That being said, the little voice in my head that spoke, " this might all be bullshit, " never went away.

[ladyjatheist]

I once told a friend that I'm an atheist. She said, "no you're not, you're one of the nicest people I know." She came really close to seeing a side of me that's NOT so nice.

[britishsubject]

"Colour blindness is....a red herring". Or a green one? Sorry. I'll get me coat.

[nearlnathanearlnearl]

Don’t be afraid to ask yourself deep, uncomfortable questions.

[diemos]

Whenever I have to deal with theists I just change the name of the God and reflect their argument back on them.

"Well you really believe in Allah, you're just angry with him."
"If you just open your heart you'll hear the voice of Quetzalcoatl".
"Documented, eye-witnessed miracles prove my book is true. So Mohammed splitting the moon in two and putting it back together proves the Koran is true."
"I can hear thunder so that proves thor and his mighty hammer are real."
"Don't you want to go to heaven? All you have to do is believe in Ameterasu and it will happen."

[XXCoder]

I was born and grew up deaf. I don't mean "didn't have most hearing" but literally 100% deaf. I figured out that audio thing actually existed easily enough. I have no doubt same thing happens to colorblind people. Very good video.

[madsahren]

when i am around theistic friends, they know i am atheist, and yet they are comfortable talking on and on about their religion to me as if it's something I agree with/care about/am interested in. And it's never a conversation where they want to hear my thoughts, they just want to preach at me. It's like they live in a world where everyone obviously agrees with them even if they say they dont, so they can speak freely about whatever they want as if they were talking about their favorite TV show. If I ever bring up atheism, or talk about my "beliefs, " they get offended and defensive as if I'm attacking them personally. I think it's an interesting double standard, that religious people can talk about their religion to anyone and everyone, but if an atheist were to do it, they would be mocking theists and being rude and disrespectful. While theistic beliefs are beyond disrespectful and dehumanizing to every life form on earth. Religion is like a protected class that no one can speak badly of

[gabrielfallon]

can confirm. was christian, read bible, am not christian.

[NickKzig]

I love that at 4:00 two of the books are identical except for a disagreement upon which half of the square is missing. You never cease to impress me TheraminTrees :)

[HolyMith]

I had almost forgotten the mental gymnastics that go on when you believe in a divine supervisor. I laugh (somewhat sadly) when I think about how I tortured myself over coincidences, and looked for meaning in meaningless places. I was afraid to think for myself. I nearly even abandoned what would later be my life's passion (physics and maths) over a fear that it would destroy my "faith". Of course, I soon realised that if I was so worried about the fragility of my beliefs, then I had already lost them. I have since found true meaning in science and mathematics. It is still hard to accept that I will one day vanish into oblivion, but I have come to realise that this is simply my ego rejecting it's own termination, as I am biologically programmed to do. In reality, when I'm dead, I won't know a damn thing about it.

[GewelReal]

"David slays 200 Philistines to use their foreskins as a wedding dowry"
Umm

[snnyburnett]

Not enough screaming and shouting and name calling. How am I supposed to believe you?

[Vulcanfaux]

I believe that Loki the trickster God fooled them all. You have no proof your religion isnt a product of Loki. He is the trickster God afterall. You would be fooled to the maximum extent.

[MegaChickenfish]

I remember I was told to think the doctor using a less painful needle during one visit was a "divine intervention" because I prayed before it. Or, on reflection, it probably makes more sense that the doctor saw a grown man weeping like a baby in pain, clearly traumatized, and decided to swap out needles.

[S_tierr]

When i started questioning my theism, one thing that kept me believing was that when i prayed, i felt like god was listening, i felt comforted by a sense of contentment. I wanted to test that by praying and talking to god as well as others about what was troubling me. i prayed to god and felt satisfaction and content, i prayed to Zeus, then even tried Ariana Grande and felt the same i did praying to god. As a final test, i talked to a stuffed animal about how i was feeling, pretending it was someone who could understand and empathize with me. Consequently, i felt great if not a little better than speaking to god. i later came to realize i can write down my thoughts and take credit for me helping myself by acknowledging my feelings instead of talking to myself and putting the credit in the hands of some higher power.

edit: i was taught that prayer is about “building a relationship with god” and we could do that through rehearsed prayers and or actually talking and reflecting -for comfort advice etc

[mikeblack]

This is some of the highest quality content on YouTube. I will be recommending this to others!

[ericspencer]

For me it was history. The past makes no sense with the existence of an omnipotent being. Likewise, it's been my personal observation that theists tend to be ignorant of history.

[gido]

I’ve decided that henceforth, when questioned or challenged about my religious beliefs, I’m going to tell people I’m a hardcore Christian, but am actively choosing to defy God, and go to Hell.

[Echander]

It's almost impossible to imagine a calmer, clearer way of explaining than you manage to accomplish. Thank you for making this.