PROOF: The God Conversation Has Changed 

I started reading the bible this year after never being involved in Christianity. I always have been spiritually sensitive especially around dreams. Seeing beings in my room, having lucid dreams have just been part of my life. Because of this i got involved in New Age movements and the Occult. Suffered from depression, anxiety and substance abuse (weed), dabbled with psychedelics and manifestation as a result of having no stable foundation for my beliefs. Jesus has always been giving me signs but i was never ready for Him but He is so patient. I was at my lowest ever point when Jesus found me and i started going to a strong Christian church and it changed my life for the better. I was baptised to Christ last weekend and instantly cured from my addictions and free from spiritual torment. I owe it all to Jesus!!! Im making new friends and reconnecting with old friends and have a purpose to live now. For anyone even 1% curious in Christ, follow your feeling and be open and honest with yourself, find a Christian church and find out for yourself instead of following others.

The Church isn't a museum for Saints, but a hospital for sinners. Go there to heal not because you are healed.

My 20 yr old son was baptised last week at uni in yorkshire....many of his friends were very supportive...God is up to something

As a Christian, it's an exciting time to watch this all play out.

"There is a logic of love in the universe that wants to meet us." Such a powerful line.

Alex O'Connor's honesty about seeking God and not finding him is actually quite powerful and raw. I am praying that his consciousness of God's presence and love comes sooner rather than later.

Glen, you’re one of the best advocates for Christianity I have ever heard. God bless you and your work, your are truly a gifted man at creating thought provoking content to challenge the skeptic and Christian to get closer to God!

I'm one of the people who has found an interest in God again. Here are a few things that pushed me in this direction: * What seems like a marked increase in evil in the world in recent times - this made me search for the opposite of evil. * Reading Tom Holland's Dominion * Reading CS Lewis' Mere Christianity * Listening to Jordan Peterson * Realising, after digging a bit more, that Jesus is a real person and there is abundant historical evidence for his existence, his crucifixion, and resurrection. * Realising, via people like John Lennox, that science and Christianity are not at odds with each other - in fact, they're complimentary. * Coming across apologetics and therefore people like John Lennox, William Lane Craig, Frank Turek etc... * Watching some amazing debates on the "Premier Unbelievable?" channel. "Tom Holland vs AC Grayling" stands out. I've learnt a lot and realised I've been very uninformed.

I’m really liking this channel. I’m an atheist but I’m really love it when I find the places where respectful dialogue and commentary are happening. Full respect from me on your work. I've subscribed and look forward to tuning in to many more of your videos.

You are not alone! My son and I are having many conversations about this phenomenon. I believe it is an undeniable movement of God's Spirit. In these difficult times, THIS IS THRILLING!!

This is revival. This is what we have prayed for. The tide is changing! Praise the lord 😊

things have really changed,, alex refering to christianity in reference to jesus rather than judgeing christianity by those who call themselves christians is a huge change,

The real test of a Christian 'revival' is a increasing awareness of sin, not just 'wrongdoing' (which is helpful) but wrongdoing in relation to God.

God bless you immensely! You and Gavin Ortlund have been of tremendous help to me❤️🙏✝️

Transcending peace of Jesus ✝️🌎🕊️

Glenn, please continue 'speaking life' this way - you are one of the few commentators that is not just interrupting a great conversation but highlighting it with very meaningful comments. Thanks for your work here!

I've been talking about this stuff for 40 years. The engine that drives religiosity is extremely predictable. When there's a lot of bad news: economic turmoil, war, social strife, etc, I immediately know that we're about to see a religious revival. When everything is great, prosperous, and happy, religion doesn't stand a chance. We see this universally across time and across geography. People are intelligent animals. When we're scared, hopeless, or grieving, we seek a way to cope with these intense feelings. Enter religion. For some it's a crutch and for others it's a tool of control. No matter what, people will keep seeking to use it for their own personal gain. It's one of the reasons the Abrahamic faiths have taught that the world is corrupt, and doom is always around the corner. That's a recruitment tool. Even when things are good, people are made to believe that they're bad (but that isn't a sustainable ruse). If God were real, it wouldn't look anything like any religion has ever produced. The human imagination is not capable of conceiving what an omniscient being would really be like, nor would any individual human matter to such a being - sort of like a human trying to have a mutually meaningful relationship with an ant. The ant has nothing to offer you, and you cannot be understood by the ant. That would be your actual relationship with the pinnacle of all things. If you don't believe so, then it's because you believe yourself to be close enough to the pinnacle to have a meaningful relationship with it, which is hubris on a scale of absolute absurdity.

Alex O'Connor makes so much sense. How could anyone actually believe in the illusion of god?

What surprises me the most is the way that christians will inject christianity in every aspect, like when he said "Now he goes by his christian name", come on, really? And the funny thing is that when you point that out they will argue that is a turn or phrase or some other excuse, but when a non believer does the same thing they jump at it like furious passive aggressive cats 😂😂😂

Just been reading 2 Cor 2, things like the below verses just feel so relevant to our current cultural moment. As Christians i think we must resolve to preach Christ crucified so that peoples faith rest not on human wisdom but Gods power. Its an exciting time, lets make sure we keep it about Chist crucified: "When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power."

Last Easter, there was a measurable increase in baptisms and confirmations in the Catholic Church across the world!

"We come to the conclusions about things based on the relationships that we are in, the people that we trust and the stories that make sense to us"😮 Exactly why our species is screwed and will be relatively short lived

Over 100 people baptized in the Catholic Church I go to on Easter this year.

I have recently been listening to a lot of your content. Thank you for your passion and for the work you do. It does make a difference. God bless!

22 people and myself were baptized into my parish over Easter

I feel it too and have less fears to mention my faith with friends. I just not found a denominstion… or a church…

Excellent content- both the original discussion and the commentary. Impressed and subscribed.

I've heard others say they wish they could believe in Jesus, it sounds like a good or nice thing. That alone shows how God is written on our hearts. There is a God shaped hole, as they say. One step closer! ♡

Wow this is great!

"We long for unconditional love, we long to be seen, we long to be known, we long for a deep intimacy and we long for our lives to mean something, and we long to be part of the story bigger than ourselves". Well said. I agree. But how not believing in God, Jesus, or anything else prevents anyone from reaching all listed above? You can do and be all of those things without believing. There's no shortage of meaning, love and bigger stories. Not believing in god does not mean being a nihilistic pointless blob.

I’m 42. I started reading the Bible in the new year. I attended church from Palm Sunday. I’m not sure if I believe but I want to. I want that peace that many Christian’s have. I know my local church (a Church of England) isn’t biblical but I’m not sure what to do about that. I love the vicar (a woman, controversial) and the community has literally been heaven sent to me. Lots of edits sorry. I wouldn’t completely trust the last census. I know a lot of people that didn’t fill it in. Yes I know it’s illegal if you’re in a property but you don’t have to fill it in if you’re not in a property. Just camp that night

Hey Glen! Love what you've been doing over the years. As an AOG pentecostal church goer, we recorded a 10% increase in church attendance in 2023 and at the end of 2023 there were 42 new churches planted in just the last 18 months. Certainly in our own church in Scotland this trend is very much playing out in our circumstance, we have recently began a church plant in a nearby town. "They say Aslan is on the move"

In 1981 Bob Dylan wrote, "Every grain of sand" that was the wave I caught. The Ancient of Days has not lost His pull.

I am a skeptic and I would agree that I see more people taking an interest in Christianity, but I have been around for a while and have seen this before during rough times.

Loved all the inputs given. Very thoughtful and thought provoking

50 years ago I and a great many of my age peers looked longingly for musical and cultural influences toward Britain. Not just the Beatles but groups with sounds harkening back to pre-Christian folk roots like Pentangle, Donovan, Steeleye Span, even Jethro Tull to a great extent. Along with the rebellion fostered in my heart I pursued these sounds and lyrics with a fervor as if to bring forth from the ancestral past a sense of the world void of any Christian influence as if that were purest and most innocent. What the culmination of that pursuit has lead to 30,40,50 years on is something that looks like the Streets of Kensington in Philadelphia.

Ecclesiastics is not nihilistic. Ecclesiastics says life is nihilistic if you don't believe in God.

Alex is generally right that most people would want to believe Christianity to be true, I suspect many would want to believe Santa is true as well. The difference between the two is that with Santa, it is much harder to believe something you know isn't true. Put aside not knowing if a God exists or not, religions have problems where with Christianity, believers can be unaware of the problems or ignore the problems in favor of faith. It is often when a Christian is unaware of the problems but then begins to discover them, they can lose their faith and become an ex-Christian. Conversely, you can have a person who needs Christianity to be true and thus ignores the problems in favor of faith. Alex likes what Christianity has to offer, but without the faith it is a bit of an empty shell. That is why Alex wishes he could have that faith but he needs good reasons to have that trust and that is something the bible doesn't offer and instead gives us reason to be suspicious.

I’m interested in these conversations because of my background, and the fact that all my family and most of my longtime friends are Christian. But I must admit, I have nothing in me that could be described as a desire for God. I can’t see any role for a god to play in my life or worldview.

It took me a while to learn that there were people who claimed to be Christian atheists, where they like the principles taught, but don't believe in the supernatural bits of the story. Sort of like Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Jefferson Bible to remove the supernatural bits because he liked the teachings.

How to use ,handle,lead,control,arrange ,consume and enjoy the things without hurting and tresspass others without any crimes and corruptions happen.

Time come remind! What is a thousand years? Time will say but a day from Thee! Ye made a NEW DAY! As promised unto all thy little ones Offsprings preserve and unto all thy shared "i" AM MEEKS! Nor Keepers of HIS precious treasures and HIS FOOTSTOOL! Sitteth upon the NEW Table made from a hand without blood stains upon HIS hand. Resting upon SUSTAINED! While little ones "i" from all my Heirs Hosts playing under a SHADE OF the WELL ROOTED TREE! Noone can uproot nor shaken but here to stay for good!

It seems to me that the the central theme of Christianity is faith. God is only hidden in a way to excite a longing for him. That longing can only be satisfied through faith. Pragmatism only goes so far, it is only through faith that you can see him clearly.

Politics ,Economics and Religion ..In case of religion which brought in many new ideas and custom not only in religion but to education ,agriculture and every domestic life as well.

After listening to the monologue at 08:01, I thought that perhaps not everething was lost. People 150 years later come to similar conclusions. A wise man wrote 150 years ago: “religion is the opium (pain reliever) of peoples, the sigh of an oppressed creature.” When people do not see the future, they see that social life is heading towards war, they do not see ways to influence this - they try to escape the reality of religion, addictions, etc.

One thing that I think needs to be mentioned regarding Christian hypocrisy and slavery. - People often believe what they choose to believe for various reasons. No one today would think it hypocritical to be a Christian cattleman. And 300 years ago, people were touting Africans as “nonhuman”. Thinking otherwise might cost you financially and/or socially. I don’t agree with this thought, I’m merely looking at motives vs hypocrisy.

9:37 "One thing that low tide does, is it exposes foundations". I love that! OK, continuing with the video now :)

In every places or society are different way of Living.In every places or society its different character and attitudes developes when children growing up.

That's why they picked Alex- they knew he would be too nice and polite to openly disagree- and even then had to outnumber him three to one . Why not have, say, Stephen Woodford (Rationality Rules) to balance? "We can;t have somebody on who disagrees with us and uses actual numbers and stuff!" You notice they keep saying "A rebirth of God and spirituality against atheist materialism" - and go on to talk about the Bible and going to church- if you are talking about God and spirituality against those nasty New Atheists, why not mention Allah and the Quran and the mosque? Oops, wrong God- of course, only our God is the right one. Those others experiencing a rebirth of faith are deluded (or demon worshippers)..

Very, very deep conversation. Do you think outside of the box and how you approach this.

It is about emotions. That is why science is for the intellect and religions/philosophies are for the emotions. When the emotions are easily reconciled with our intellect, we are being rational. When we have work at intellectualizing our emotions, we are irrational and we often don't know it. The irrational, must make excuses for why reality doesn't align with what they want to be true. Rationality, like truth is easy to defend. Irrationality, like deceit, not easy to defend.

I think the one fellow's response at the very beginning speaks a lot. The others in the show joke that he might actually believe in god and suggest that if they got him back in 10 years' time he might finally not be an atheist, to which he responds "yeah well, god willing". Great line. If god exists and wants everyone to believe in him, it'd certainly be very strange then if so many people didn't believe in him, and yet that's what we see. Millions of people who don't believe in god, myself included. In a way, the mere existence of non-believers is a form of evidence in god's non-existence. I would think that if the christian god existed, it'd then be expected that everyone would believe in him, or at least in some form of god. Not that this is the only reason atheists have to be atheists, but I thought it was quite an interesting answer from the on-show atheist.

My prayer is this move of the Spirit doesn't yet again turn into fundamentalist dualism. Unity and love in Christ can heal the world, using the cross as a weapon has only ever hurt it.

Where can I found out more about plausibility structures?

I've been listening to Brierley with a combination of great interest/excitement as well as a significant amount of bemusement. I work as a hospital chaplain (mostly in Psychiatric and Emergency room settings) and in that context I encounter many people who describe themselves as atheist or agnostic. What strikes me as interesting, however, is how many of these folks who ostensibly lack a belief in God ask me to pray for them. Maybe it's my American context but in my experience even the atheists here seem to believe in God (or at least they're willing to hope that there might be one) when faced with a significant crisis in their health or the health of their loved ones. Maybe the tide is turning? Or maybe people find it easy to say they don't believe in God when things seem to be going well? All I can say is I've met many atheists and agnostics who seem to hold onto their atheism/agnosticism with relatively open hands. Perhaps there were fewer actual atheists out there than we thought?

We'd except a statistical difference in Christian converts were your theory correct. We see the opposite.

I’d like to know views on the rise in ‘deconstructionism’ in Christianity. ‘A tidal wave’ is how some describe it.

I really don't think there's a rebirth of theism in the UK, not amongst the general population anyway. I also, really hope such a rebirth doesn't happen, as I think it'll be a bad thing.

56:00 I agree that collective moral formation through community is essential, and Christianity offers a robust framework for this. However, other religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and indigenous practices also provide similar benefits through their communal and spiritual practices. While Christianity's practices can profoundly shape individuals, this doesn't necessarily prove its metaphysical claims. It's crucial to explore the truth claims of various traditions. Ultimately, the search for truth involves both lived experience and rational inquiry, acknowledging that moral and spiritual growth can happen across diverse faiths.

I think this kind of new conversation is good for the church, but as per the truth of the conversation, im not sure. That would depend on the reason for the conversation's existence, which from what ive been seeing seems to be a search for meaning. This is bad for the truth of it, as it may imply people are in it for the meaning part, not necessarily whether or not it is true. This means more than likely, that speakers concerned with what you should do or how to act will probably get more traction than ones concerned with say, the kalam or the resurrection.

I follow Christ and like Christianity because of His teachings of unconditional love for everyone and universal brotherhood.love is the magic force which binds all human beings.our love for parents,children,husbands and wives,love for our brothers and sisters and our love for our neighbours and friends sustains us and give for hope for a better tomorrow.this love forces us to believe in peace,justice,kindness,compassion,peaceful coexistence and universal brotherhood.the absence of love results in hatred, violence, bloodshed,subjugation,slavery,rapes and killings.that is why we see discrimination,exploitation,persecution,injustice ,ill treatment etc.in society.that is why we don’t like inhuman ideologies.the greatness of Christianity is because it teaches love .

Alex has brought up some significant questions and issues, which I believe can be addressed . It's important to acknowledge that the history of Christendom is not without its controversies , and must not be whitewashed. For instance, during the peak of apartheid in South Africa, the Dutch Reformed Church, which was then the official state religion, regrettably supported the apartheid ideology as a divine mandate. The church misinterpreted biblical texts to convince the populace that racial segregation and the subjugation of Black South Africans were divinely sanctioned. Sadly, other denominations in South Africa acquiesced to this doctrine, and only a courageous few dared to contest these erroneous teachings, often at great personal cost . It's worth noting that among the groups that actively resisted apartheid, Jehovah's Witnesses were particularly notable. They firmly opposed the regime's oppressive policies and, as a result, many young men from their community chose imprisonment over being conscripted into military service where they would be forced to participate in acts of violence against Black South Africans. Despite facing intense persecution, often with the state church's endorsement of such treatment, Jehovah's Witnesses stood firm in their convictions, demonstrating moral courage in the face of widespread injustice. I know this , as I was one of those young men at the time , and remember the harship and the sacrifices that they were making to honour God and their consciences .😢

@Speak Life- what are your responses to Alex's rejection of the Tom Holland theory and his objections to it?

There are ways of reading the bible, that’s a very telling statement. Scripture has a very human origin and has a history all of its own

Glen, I'd love to see you dig into what it means to believe. It is clearly not a simple either/or thing. Here are a couple of things to consider. Haven't we all said, "I don't know if I believe that or not."? I certainly have, and if you interact with this, I'll provide some examples that happen to me every day. Second, I'd point to either 1) belief in God or 2) non-belief in God. With a moment's consideration, both of these seem unbelievable. God is so much 'other' than us, other than what is experienced with our senses. On the other hand, unbelief in God in the face of the world we live in is beyond the trivial abilities of 'chance'. That is why Lewis, in his chapter on faith in Mere Christianity, acknowledges the sometimes difficulty in maintaining belief in God, but when he was an atheist, he had difficulty maintaining his non-belief in God.

I love your commentary - I wish this channel were known to many more! Just wanted to mention that our St Olav (St Olaf) of Norway was a viking in his days. He took slaves back in the last part 10th century. But where could he sell them? It turns out he had to travel all the way to Spain! Because...? Because Islam had control there of course. Everywhere where the church grew stronger, slavery was forced out. Also in Norway. So no, slavery was not ended by the Enlightenment. I think Alex argue against a certain type of "Sola scripture" Christians who must find everything directly in Scripture - no development in understanding or interpretation is needed or accepted. Luckily we do have a Catholic Church that grows and matures, as Jesus promised (he would send the Holy Spirit to teach the apostles...and their successors). I hope, Glen, you will start engaging with the Catholic Church. A Protestant is simply a Catholic skeptic - in the sense that they probably would wish (like Alex would like to rise from skeptic to Christian) to believe the "Catholic story" if they could, but somehow they can't. I've been a committed Protestant for 45 years. I have some experience in how that world view is a form of skepticism against "high claims" of "One Church" or even the necessity of it. (See for example this professor's lecture: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Pp0V-EkUW_s.html)

"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor master, nor is there man or woman, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" Gal. 3:28 This is 2k years old. Let that sink in.

But has church changed enough to accommodate the new seekers without alienating them?

One of the best synthesis videos of the zeitgeist that I've seen. Interesting, pithy, engaging, and not goofy. Thank you.

Alex asks and seeks for a sign.. And I believe he will not be given.. because that’s the point of having faith in God’s great grand plan.

I've heard the illustration Alex used about the sonnet and discovering rules of literacy before... perhaps John Lennox? If so, an interesting borrow on Alex's part!

Hold up. Are we as a church rolled over on women preachers? I thought we were still on that, is this a British thing?

Christianity/Yahweh wasn't the cause' of slavery, yet it did validate and enabled it. The Enlightenment didn't abolish slavery, yet it validated and enabled the thinking that led to its abolishment.

G’day Glen. Alex, when speaking of gnu atheism says “Which is essentially a publishing phenomenon. What is it that is new about gnu atheism, well its disbelief in god, with all the political stuff.” Correct. The atheism has not changed. What has changed is that it has the platform of the internet to publish on and not just books. And those of us with an interest in political science, the one science that really can analyze theism, are delving into the politics of theism, in particular in the West, the politics of Abrahamic monotheism and the results are troubling for liberal and progressive monotheists. I would like to Alex go further in his study of political science and I think he will as he is still young and the more he engages with his chosen career as a public intellectual, the more he will find that the politics of monotheism is where Christians who live in a modern liberal social democracy don’t want to go as progressive liberal Christians have trouble defending the inherent authoritarianism in their chosen religion. Alex nails this later in this discussion at around 45:00-47:00 in your vid, when pushing back on the claim that Christianity grounds everything that is good in our modern liberal social democracy, he points out that all these good things were opposed by Christianity because Christianity is an authoritarian ideology. You avoided his point and deflected by talking about Christians instead of Christianity whereas he was talking about “religious authoritarianism”. Instead, you talked about Christian dissenters, Christians who bucked the traditional authoritarian mainstream interpretation with a modern liberal democratic world interpretation. One day Alex’s political development will reach maturity and he will no longer wish that he could choose to be a Christian as he will realise that he doesn’t want to choose a totalitarian ideology as he will understand that Christianity has a political aspect which he hasn’t yet totally understood its implications and consequences as he’s still focusing on the nice and worthy stuff but he’s on the right track. When I was a teenager and became an Atheist in 1970, there was only one book in my local library that was on this topic, Russell’s Why I Am Not A Christian. There was no publishing phenomena for atheism back then. I didn’t even know anyone else who was an Atheist. Rigorous searching eventually found some other but not many books on this and some like-minded people. And before the appearance of the internet and 9/11, I was sitting one day by the creek next to my home in the country, thinking about Christianity and politics and I realised that it wasn’t just the supernatural absurdities of monotheism that didn’t impress me, it was that religion is just politics by another name and it was the authoritarian and totalitarian politics of Christianity that really appalled me because that totalitarianism really does exist and has been and still is politically applied with appalling consequences. I loathe totalitarianism in any form be it secular or religious and that is why I do not wish to choose to be a Christian. I am no more likely to choose to be a Christian than I am to choose to be a Communist or a Fascist. The political science analysis of Abrahamic monotheism in the Gnu Atheism is not an over reach. It’s an observed fact that Abrahamic theism is authoritarian and intolerant totalitarianism as shown by history and current affairs including the brutal and intolerant battle between authoritarian Judaism and authoritarian Islam in Gaza and the West Bank. It’s not, as Justin said, that we are all intrinsically religious, it is that we are all intrinsically political. Religion is politics by another name. The personal is political as feminists pointed out 60 years ago. Things have changed Glen, the appalling politics of your religion is starting to be discussed more openly and the narrow obsession with virgin birth of those like Dawkins who show no understanding of or interest in political science will be replaced with political discussion which centres on the political reality that cannot be denied or dismissed out of hand. Religious authoritarianism is not, as you called Alex’s comments, absolute tosh. You did not deal with Alex’s political analysis and merely diverted with the Christians who dissented against mainstream Christianity with their modern reading cherry picking scripture that not too long before then would have had them strung up as heretics. Instead, they were protected from religious authoritarianism by the emerging liberal democracy in Europe. The same democracy that protects you from Christians who think you are a dangerous Anglican heretic. And as you know, democracy was invented 500 years before Christianity came on the scene and the prime identity of the UK and our home country, Australia, is democracy, though we have improved on the original Pagan version. What all these so-called lapsed Atheists are applauding is not Christianity, its liberal social democracy but that’s a kind of cultural Paganism, which doesn’t fit the Christian narrative so let’s ignore the prime identity of our countries. Alex may well be on his way to being the heir to Christopher Hitchens as Hitch did understand the appalling political nature inherent in Abrahamic theism. You will need more than arm waving when you discuss the politics of religious authoritarianism with Alex when you eventually talk with him on Justin’s program, as I expect you will. And that’s the issue, Under liberal social democracy, bad and immoral laws can be changed. Under Christianity, the law and word of God cannot be changed as God is unchanging and He thinks the same thoughts today as He did 2,000 and 3,000 years ago and the bad and immoral laws of God cannot be changed. Glen cannot change the word of his alleged god but he can help change the government of the UK. Well, only in the lower house. The personal is political.

Elizabeth Oldfield is amazing. God bless her.

The ' move' of Gods Spirit has never changed since the Day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit convicts humanity of Sin and the Power of the Gospel opens the way to repentance to Trust and receive Mercy and Grace and escape the Penalty for Sin.....Eternal death...Separation from Gods life.

Enjoyed this episode. Have to admit I share A O'C's nausea at Christian claims to every good thing to have happened in the last 2000 years, despite unbelievable slow burn since Christ came to fix everything, but nice to see coherent arguments being presented anyway

Is this a temporary blip during long decline, that will be followed by an even steeper decline, like the 1950s (like a death rattle before the end) or a real turning point overall?

Didn’t realise Alex was an emotivist!

" I never read the Bible so I'm going to read the bible" doesn't mean you become religious it just like it's January 2nd and you go to the gym doesn't mean that you will have a fitness life style. It just means that will be your life for the next week and half.

Good Character and Attitudes Values

Alex says atheism doesn't give you anything to live on. Christianity does give us something, but what Christianity gives is totally unlivable for many people. There are heaps of questions we have. Christians can't give good answers to them. Until there are good answers to them, it's impossible to live on Christianity.

43:15 However, we must also acknowledge that sin separates us from God. Perhaps this is why God seems absent. It's not necessarily that God is hiding from Alex as he assumes, but rather that darkness cannot dwell with light. This isn't meant to be an insult; rather, if we are to adhere to theological logic, this conclusion is inevitable. One must repent and bear their own cross. So, if Alex is unrepentent it could be that this is what is causing God to be far away since sin seperates us from God because it is illogical for sin/darkness to be in light. I understand that Alex is deeply engaged in his struggle with Christianity, and I know he has made extensive efforts to embrace it, making it a complex situation. This leads me to believe that he may eventually turn to Christ, as it appears that God is using Alex in some manner-perhaps to introduce Christianity to a broader audience. It's possible that God is guiding Alex in a manner that, should he convert to Christianity, his videos will reflect a genuine transformation rather than a hasty decision. This could provide a powerful testimony for others, demonstrating that his journey was thorough and sincere. Just a thought. This is all incredibly intriguing. Alex reminds me of my past self when I was an atheist. I was quite a stubborn atheist, unlike Alex, who seems very open. I wasn't a forgiving atheist like him; I was harsh and would often scoff, laugh, and belittle opposing views. It's perplexing because Alex is open to Christianity, whereas I was not, and yet God led me to a path that cured my chronic depression and sleep paralysis when I invoked Jesus' name. However, I must confess, it wasn't an immediate conversion to Christianity; I remained an atheist but struggled with cognitive dissonance for years. Reflecting on it, I believe Alex is experiencing something similar. He understands the logic in theology, which might mean he's grappling with two conflicting worldviews, as I once did. In my case, a significant event led me to Christ. Perhaps Alex's significant event is yet to occur. If not, I am as bewildered as Alex. I will continue to pray for him, as I have before. I remain hopeful, knowing that God reaches out to atheists.

❤❤❤❤

I wonder if decline of social care has at least correlation with this, I want to see the data of the amount of new Christian’s go to church now have social or/and mental problems.

47:39 I wasn't aware that the French National Convention, in voting for the law of the 4th of February 1794, were motivated by Christianity and not by the Enlightenment. Nor was I aware that, when in 1802, Napoleon abolished said law, he did it as a representative of enlightenment values, rather than as an attempt to placate the British, not very favorable to the Enlightenment, who feared revolts in their own colonies. I heard all my life that the French Revolution was a product of the Enlightenment, but I guess that was wrong because it wasn't them in any shape or form.

I prefer logic, facts and reality to religion, stories and fantasy.

Law of the Land and Sea ..Abused in power ..Pride

Generally its only religious believers who wish more religion. Religious belief is essentially faith ie belief in the supernatural with no evidence to back the claim.

Belief, like love, can be a choice, because one aspect of belief is trust. That is what faith is. And trust might be purely innocent, but it might be based on evidence. What is that evidence? Part of it might be scientific, historical or archaeological. Some of it might be textual. Some may be experiential. Some may be revelation. It is sometimes a choice to love when we don't feel like it, but sometimes it just seems to happen. Maybe these are different types of love. Does that mean manufacturing fake feelings? I don't think so. I found the interview Jon McCray, on the channel "Whaddo You Meme?" did with David Wood on this very interesting, as Wood is a psychopath who doesn't feel love, but became a Christian and an apologist and tries to act out the commandment to love God and love his neighbour. How do you interpret that when you don't have the emotion? I think that is a useful key for loving because Christ wants us to, even if we have been badly hurt, even if we have no ordinary reason to go and love them. Glen- could be an interesting talk.

This is pascals wager an atheist who was Christian and basically what have you got to lose Christianity has done so much for society and if you die and there is nothing you have lost nothing but if there is a heaven or hell then being Christian saves you from hell

Paul could actually be considered wildly progressive for the time in which he was writing.

I can see the possibility of a growth in monasticism

Alex is far too honest and humble to ever belive in God lol

Was Glen implying that this movement was only occurring in England? If so, why?

:-> The human body is burly, gnarly and surly like a fractal.

God may best be explained as the force(s) is involved in creating it. Humans are animals that have evolved over the milenia. Our brains beg the questions about the origins of things. Thus we have many conjectures. What is true? Buddhism? Catholicism? Scientology? Etc. Etc. Such a cacaphony.such conflict.

I wonder why it seems that a “return to God” has to always insinuate Christianity. There are many “religions” other than Christianity. I have come to a medium where God, Spirituality, and and Science can co-exist. It’s a tumultuous journey to get there however; I had to abandon all dogma and learn to use my own perceptions and heart to see my path not the absolute dogma most religions preach. What I have found is, (in my view, I think it’s ver personal) God is the consciousness of the Universe which takes all forms, including us. God is not only the painter, but the painting. How we look at God makes no difference. The only thing I disagree with is a religion which uses dogma to chastise, harm, or otherwise doom a philosophy, lifestyle, or way of practice which harms none. Every religious philosophy has something to offer…

Really interesting video on a really interesting video! Thank you. 🙏🏻 One *correction* if I may. You say marital rape was only outlawed in the 1970s. (I assume you mean in the UK). In fact, it wasn’t until 1992 following R v R appealed in the House of Lords (no Supreme Court then) that it became illegal for a husband to rape his wife. 1992. 😢

I think if you want to believe something to be true, you can make allowances for things you think no one can know, like the virgin birth and give it a pass and accept it as true because you cannot know otherwise if you are talking the magic of God. I think where Christianity struggles is there are certain concepts that just don't quite make sense and the Christianity often sold doesn't align with the reality most people experience. That's often how you end up with ex-Christians. Secularism is simply not working and people are taking another look at Christianity, where there are concepts that can make society right again but there will remain the nagging question of whether these things came from man or God. The hardest part is making a connection to God and maintaining that connection. Christianity sees people come and go since its inception because it is believable the men thought of this religion. One of the problems of the bible is maintaining the authority of God is it appears to be written by ignorant men. It is how a Christian Bart Erhman can lose his faith after becoming a biblical scholar to understand the bible and its history in detail.