In this episode of Sacred Tension, I speak with professional conspiracy theory debunker Mick West about cognitive biases, aliens, real conspiracies, and much more.
Continue reading “Sacred Tension: Debunking Conspiracy Theories with Logic and Respect feat. Mick West”
I recently received this question from a listener and reader in response to my post On Satanism and Atheism:
For your average follower, Satanism is the epitome of being a troll religion, almost as bad, if not perhaps worse than Pastafarianism. What practices define you as a Satanist? Not beliefs. Practices.”
As always, I’m grateful for these questions from bemused readers.
Continue reading “On Satanic Practice”
In this episode of Sacred Tension, I’m joined by evangelical John W. Morehead for an ecumenical conversation about Satanism, Evangelicalism, multiculturalism, and more.
Continue reading “Sacred Tension: An Evangelical and a Satanist Have a Conversation”
I recently wrote an article titled On Forfeiting the Word Atheist in which I explored how using the word “atheist” predisposes people to having the least charitable view of me. I’ve gotten so exasperated explaining again and again what the word “atheist” means that I’ve opted for the word “nontheist,” just because it has a different connotation and isn’t as poisoned by anti-atheist propaganda.
To be clear, I like the word atheist, and I see it as identical to the word nontheist. I don’t care if other people use the word atheist, I just find the word a stumbling block when I try to have productive conversations with theists. I have limited patience, and I personally find it more expedient to not use the word.
Along these lines, a reader sent me this question:
“Why then would you self-identify as a satanist when it seems (from your writings at least) that THAT label is also widely misunderstood?”
Continue reading “On Satanism and Atheism”
Stephen Bradford Long 