In Defense of Atheism [Radio Free Mormon 351] 

One of the most beautiful episodes you've ever made. Thanks for being around, RFM. Thanks to your dad for his part in creating the awesome person who makes content for us and changes lives for the better. 🤘🏼🧡

And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.-John Steinbeck

Born into a fundamentalist Christian faith, I slowly woke from my indoctrination. Now as an Atheist, my life is far happier, more meaningful, full of far more peace and real love. I have no hope nor desire for everlasting life. If there is a god, it has nothing to do with my daily life. It concerns me not. Everything is better as a non-believer. For myself.

I used to pity my dad, the atheist, because he did not join the church when my mother did and didn’t have all the “happiness” we had. After my deconstruction I understood that he was right. BTW, he was the most moral man I ever knew. Thanks RFM.

FANTASTIC episode! Thank you!!!

Oh Mr RFM, I just woke up to the sound of the early birds bickering over the worms. I looked at my phone and saw that was a note that you had a new story. Laying in my bed, I turned it on. How it hit me. How it made me cry It is so remarkable close to my life My father was born in 1920, during 2warworld he helped norweigen judes to come to Sweden. He allways said that his generation couldnt belive that there is any Gods. He was an ateithet his life. He "belived" in Sartre. When he was about to die he said: There is easy to live without a God. Its a little harder to die without one.. cause I sure would like to keep up with what happens in your life I would love to share moore but I really just wanted to thank you for all what you do You are a wise man. Best regards from Sweden.

RFM best podcast ever. Thank you!

Such a lovely Father’s Day show! Thank you RFM! ❤

This was absolutely lovely in every way. Thank you, RFM. Thank you, RFM’s Dad.

RFM, I am moved and grateful I found you on the likes of RU-vid. We were born the same year, within a few days of each other; my father was not unlike yours. I, too, decided at 20 to tell my parents I love them from then on; it warmed me each time. Haven’t read W. Somerset Maugham in years, but I’ll redo. Thanks for your graceful celebration of your dad.

Such an inspiring story 👍

This was beautiful, RFM. I especially loved your tribute to your dad. My own dad passed away in 2019. I loved him, and we told it to each other often.

Thank you for sharing the key moments, and attributes of your father that you did. I think he would be so proud of your dedication to learning, literature and the integrity of your podcast. Thank you, RFM.

Thanks for your tribute to your father. That was so heart felt. And he raised an awesome RFM. I thoroughly enjoyed your words. So sweet.

Love your concluding “I’m glad you’re my dad and I miss you.” ❤

This episode was absolutely lovely. Your dad sounds like a really cool person! Thank you so much for sharing him with us!

I usually talk a lot. All I can come up with this time is, beautiful!!! And THANK YOU!

Thank you RFM beautifully profound. ❤

the thumbnail alone for this episode is epic🤘

That was a wonderful episode! RFM, thank you for sharing your wisdom!

Love your work RFM ❤ This was a beautiful piece for those of us who have found ourselves in versions of this space, and it’s an especially moving tribute to your dad. Thank you for continued pursuit of learning and sharing. Listening to you is always a pleasure. Thank you ❤

Beautiful- even if you were still a TBM Connecting with your father’s beliefs is truly touching. Connecting with people who don’t have the same beliefs is one of the hardest things we humans can do. I very much enjoyed this episode- thank you for sharing.

This is such a lovely tribute to your father! I, too, felt a great relief upon letting go of my belief in god. It is much easier to face the many injustices of life when I don't have to square it with a loving god. I am a much happier person now. While I don't label myself an atheist, I have become comfortable in my agnosticism.

Your dad sounds like an amazing purpose. Thank you for giving us a chance to know how special he was. Also, thank you for letting us know more about you. I have to imagine he must be proud of you.

Beautiful. Thanks.

Omg this was brilliant! Exactly what happened to me when I deconverted from decades of Christianity-- the weight of living a God driven life was gone! So joyful and freeing to JUST BE. I call myself a " I dont knowist!"

Thanks RFM!Great show👍🏼

I love this episode so much. Thanks RFM! What a lovely tribute to your free thinking and good father.

I'm not surprised to learn that your dad was a good man.

Fantastic episode!! I watched this early on the morning of Father’s Day, up at 4:30 AM taking care of my one-year-old. Starting the day with your episode really set a positive tone. My father and I have always had a great relationship, but it has been strained a bit as I’ve faced the reality of the origins and faith of our family. Your father was a great man, RFM. It’s beautiful how you were able to see, understand, and appreciate him in such different ways, even after he is gone, while your once firm and immovable truths did anything but that. Thank you for all you do and keep up the great work. 🙏🏻❤️🙌🏼💪🏼

Commenting to help.

What a great episode! Love hearing the stories about your dad RFM. Reminds me of mine, who lived his life as a secular humanist.

A must listen podcast for Father's Day. Heartfelt.

Brilliant! You and Maugham describe it perfectly (downloaded the book immediately). I left Mormonism as an adolescent and Christianity not long after. Took a lengthy journey through Buddhism, helping me to reach the realization of this “emptiness” of life purpose. I’ve been binge watching Mormon Stories, you and other Atheist sites, and have been really struck how religious believers are enslaved by an obsession that the purpose of this life is only to prepare for their next life and living in fear of failing the test. Wow, what a waste of time and attention. They are missing everything beautiful in this one precious life.

I’d like this twice if I could. So many parallels in my own experience. Thank you RFM for these insights.

Beautiful, RFM. In my older age I have come to care little about an afterlife for myself. I still wish for one for those who didn't have a good life, whether long or short. But all I can do is to try to make life on earth better for those who will still be here when I am gone.

My dad was born in 1918 and had a view of life very similar to your dad’s. He lived through the depression, WWII, the tragic loss of three brothers, a young daughters death and many other challenges. I joined the church at 18 in 1976 and I couldn’t understand how anyone could go through life not believing in an afterlife. My thoughts changed when I watched my dad die with dignity at 89 after a long life of hard work and devotion to his family. As I have seen how LDS beliefs can create its own kind of suffering my personal beliefs are now more closely aligned with his.

RFM, you are a gem. A pro. A friend most of us haven’t met. Thanks. And thanks to your great dad.

This is RFM at his best. Absolutely beautiful. Your personality and perspectives remind me so much of my own dad, who passed a couple years ago. He was a lawyer, a convert to the church, a deep thinker, and one who deeply loved literature. He would often quote to us from the classic books and poems. I loved your tributes to your dad. I love the perspectives you shared on Atheism because they hit exactly upon the questions I wrestle with the most in my faith journey. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us, RFM. (PS, I'm already a donor to you. Worth every penny.)

Thank you for your wisdom, humor and insight!!! I so appreciate all of your broadcasts, this one was particularly helpful to me🙏

First Fig by Edna St. Vincent Millay My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends- It gives a lovely light!

A beautiful podcast and a wonderful tribute to your father. Thank you and happy father's day!

Thank you for this affirming broadcast.

Thank you for this RFM! What a lovely tribute to your dad.

Wonderful episode! ❤ Thank you so much!

Wow what a wonderful episode in every way. Thank you for this RFM.

Just viewed and listened for the second time. Much food for thought.

Beautiful 🎉 Thanks

I don't know if it's still the case, but I remember that for a long time one of the big missionary sales pitches for the LDS Church was that it provided the answers to those 3 big questions: (1) Where did I come from? (2) Why am I here? (3) Where am I going? Of course for anyone who actually spends some time thinking about it, it soon becomes apparent that the "answers" are so superficial that they may as well be non-answers. Where did I come from? Answer: The place where I was at before I was here (i.e. the "pre-existence"). Why am I here? Answer: To pass some kind of test and get a body. Where am I going? Answer: To the next place (i.e. a hierarchical realm consisting of a "Celestial Kingdom", a "Terrestrial Kingdom" and a "Telestial Kingdom". Don't ask for any more details because there aren't any (except that people will have different levels of freedom of association based on "sealings"). Long story short...the LDS Church doesn't really provide any answers other than to tell you that you need to obey some guys who have offices in a high-rise office building in SLC who claim to speak for God and if you do obey them (and pay them) you'll be somehow happier for it in the next place you go to. I dunno. The more I think about it the more sketchy it all seems.

Great episode!! Thx for sharing your stories.

My dad was not a member and an alcoholic. He had some rough years before he finally got sober. I went to EFY one summer and attended a session where the speaker encouraged us to tell our parents we loved them. His story was how his family never said it and his mom died without him ever telling her. It was a tearjerker for sure, but I decided that even though we had said to each other over the years that I wanted to sort of make a point of telling them anyway in a more thoughtful way. So I did. I was really glad I did too because my dad died unexpectedly shortly after that and I always took comfort that despite the fact that we had some rough years with his addiction and the behavior it caused, he died knowing for sure that his son loved him. It made a big difference in my grieving process for sure.

Wonderful episode!!!

RFM brings dazzle to my days. Wonderful episode. The meaning of religion is "Serve your master." Since an objective meaning for life doesn't seem to exist, it's much better to create your own.

Wonderful episode. Helps me understand better what I have been thinking about as to not living forever.

Thank you ❤

This is a good perspective! Something to think about!!

Exactly what I needed to hear in this part of my deconstruction- Thanks 😊

Great episode.

Lovely! One of my favorite books! My father was also an adult atheist..... But went back to Opus Dei a few years before his death .... it's an Engineer thing🤔

Such a well thoughtout podcast. Thank you for sharing stories about your dad. The account that you shared from the novel, reminds me (of course) of Shakespeare's Macbeth: Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

Great episode. A lot of points to which I can relate.

I told my son (who is now a bishop) and my granddaughter (who just returned from a mission to Peru) the exact same thing same thing! I loved this. I am not an atheist. I would describe myself as an agnostic-despite having been married in the SLC temple to a returned missionary-as in order to be an atheist, I would first have to recognize that there IS a God, that I can deny! I believe there is “something” greater than me-it May well be, my higher self, I don’t know. I DO know that death is NOT the end; but a moving on to what is next. That is MY faith, as it cannot be proven. I think in many ways, your father and I am on the same plane…

17:41 Anger + silence = acceptance. Speaking out about the disdain is more honorable. Freedom of speech doesn’t mean that you can’t express your disapproval of speech. Fear of confrontation generally allows poor behavior to persist.

If the thumb nail is any indication, this should be good. Can't wait

Can’t wait for this

Really good and heartfelt show.

❤

Recommendation: W. Somerset Maugham's A Razor's Edge and the 1984 movie (same name) made from the story.

23:52 I agree with you on the label of atheist. I call myself an agnostic Diest. I disdain organized religion but the idea of no creation by a higher power seems illogical to me.

I think the result of "life is meaningless" is that we don't always have to assign value to everything all the time as if it's some sort of grand, cosmic plan. Praying to an interventionist God can give you an increased perception of control that's merely a stressful illusion. As RFM stated, it ends up forcing such people to constantly be making excuses for an all-powerful God (that, shucks, has one hand tied behind his back). All to often this unnecessary burden results in blame reversal and guilt for "if only I did this thing then this bad thing wouldn't have happened!" Moving *through* meaninglessness means WE get to discover and find meaning in the journey. Or none at all as we enjoy the sunrise!

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🌸

It was great

Reminds me of Updike's Rabbit's realization on his deathbed about the life he had lived.

I knew I didn’t want to live forever the first time I read the book Tuck Everlasting. I disagree with the idea that not wanting to live forever or not believing in God means that life has no meaning. Life has no meaning if there is no end. Honestly, nothing has any meaning if there is no end.

I sort of understand the "don't want to live forever" sentiment. To a large extent, I see it actually as a desire for peace and relief from the exhaustion, fear, turmoil and anxiety that accompanies living. The problem with the sentiment is that, if there is no continuation of consciousness, there will be no peace and relief to enjoy. There will simply be nothing. Whatever one's last state of mind and emotion is will be the last thing ever experienced. If that's the way it is, I guess that's the way it is and there's no use worrying about it. But not wanting to live forever is something a bit different because it may in most cases reflect more of a desire to "rest in peace" (i.e. experience profound rest and peace)...like wonderfully napping in perfect comfort...and to then maybe wake up subsequently to something a lot better than what we've got going on here. Maybe a religion focusing on that could be quite successful. "The Church of the Very Long and Wonderful Nap Followed by Access to a Better Amusement Park."

The Real God is hard to find in the Bible..But He is There! You Need Him to Help you. Most people are so lost. 😊❤

The first half of this was great, really great. The last 1/3 was mediocre to problematic. Sadly we did not hear what the deciding factor in your father's decision to go atheist, it may or may not have been a great opportunity for us. 25 years ago a guy told me something bad about my Church, and I remember it well, because it was true, accurate, and should not be refuted because we as a Church were simply wrong. (that involved partner choices) .

I am an atheist myself, and I have noticed the main reason atheists are thought of as antagonists by many religious people is because they get conflated with antitheists. In my approach to other religions, I usually try to understand them, respect them and those who believe in them, and observe what value they have in people's lives - which rather often is confidence, compassion and community. Antitheists, conversely, in their approach to religions, seem primarily preoccupied with pointing out how they are all wrong, unscientific, fictional, and universally harmful and dangerous. Whatever they do or say in trying to "save" people from false beliefs and superstitions doesn't really help if your starting point is a complete disregard for the value and validity of what are _subjective_ feelings and faith. Atheists are often just good people being good for the sake of being good.

A lot of good stuff here and a thoughtful, wonderful tribute, though not one that Macy's et al will ever use to sell Father's Day gifts. RFM's dad sounds like a good soul and, in a sense, a man ahead of his time. This video pretty much mirrors my own conclusions at age 69. But I'd also offer this. When people ask, "What is the meaning of life?" they're talking about a meaning that transcends time and place -- a meaning that is the same for people across the world at all times in history. And if that's the grand question, the answer is easy: There is none. But we don't live our lives at that grand level, we live them at a quotidian, granular level. The trash, after all, must be taken out and the car washed every now and then. At that level, the answer is different: The meaning of life is what we make it. There is no single answer, true for everyone across time and place. You don't discover the meaning, you create it. This is why depression is so awful. Essentially, a deeply depressed person is a person who can no longer create meaning. If you truly believe you have no reason to live you're right -- you don't.

Okay, first time I've wept at an RFM broadcast-- cats marrying dogs next episode, I suppose.

It took me a while to get this video, unless you have the number you tube can’t find it.

Where is the live chat?

Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer. Joseph Campbell.

I think people make to much out of the definition of Athiest. My definitions are simple: Theist - Someone who believes in one or more God's. Athiest - Someone who lacks belief in any God or God's due to insufficient evidence. Gnostic - Someone who claims their God belief rises to the level of knowledge. Agnostic - Someone who admits they don't have knowledge that a God exists due to insufficient evidence.

The best thing about atheism is that you don't have to go to all them damn meetins'.

I want to put it out there that atheism isn't necessarily about knowledge or belief. As much as anything it's about how you live your life. Do you do good because in your mind you are already a prisoner trying to satisfy the warden? Or do you do good because good is good? I'd challenge that you can believe in God, in the supernatural, be devotedly religious, and still live as an atheist. Though I'd also argue it's much harder to worship goodness when God keeps getting in the way.

With my luck, God probably exists.

RFM. I feel like you are trying to reveal your secret Identity by coded message.. Dads name is in Encyclopedia Americana.. you lived in Texas in 1968... when you were in 2nd grade.. so born 1960. I have no idea why I find myself stringing these facts together

In honor of father's day... I decided to not have any children.

I am an atheist. It does not mean I know there is no god; rather it means I have no belief in a god. Call is agnostic, if you will, but it is still atheism.

Homie don't play this...

Such an American world view. Mormonism, secularism and atheism all have that in common. Materialism and greed. In the case of Mormonism, the metaphysical rewards, and the case of American democracy and secularism; utilitarian hedonism. So boring, so far from the truth.

Atheism: I don’t know if there is a God but I’m simply not convinced of any god story or god dogma I have heard so far Religion/ Mormonism: I know God is real and my religion is true because I’ve had experiences and the Holy Ghost told me and the BOM makes my life better. Atheists: ok can you demonstrate these claims and can you show how the BOM teaches you unique things that you can’t learn from public school? Mormon: I feel a bad spirit of contention and have to go. Mormon:

"investigator" = prospective cult member