{"id":36266,"date":"2015-09-21T13:02:56","date_gmt":"2015-09-21T17:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/?p=36266"},"modified":"2016-03-22T19:59:20","modified_gmt":"2016-03-22T23:59:20","slug":"podcast-105-dr-james-spiegel-on-the-making-of-an-atheist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/podcast-105-dr-james-spiegel-on-the-making-of-an-atheist\/","title":{"rendered":"podcast 105 &#8211; Dr. James Spiegel on The Making of an Atheist"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7471\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-36266-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities105.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities105.mp3\">http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities105.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities105.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/?powerpress_pinw=36266-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities105.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"trinities105.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_subscribe_links\">Subscribe: <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/7FuUF9DZM3zhtN41n6RJ6l\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_spotify\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe on Spotify\" rel=\"nofollow\">Spotify<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribebyemail.com\/trinities.org\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_email\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe by Email\" rel=\"nofollow\">Email<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_rss\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe via RSS\" rel=\"nofollow\">RSS<\/a><\/p><p><a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0802476112\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36267 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-Making-of-An-Atheism-by-James-Spiegel.jpg\" alt=\"The Making of An Atheism - by James Spiegel\" width=\"262\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-Making-of-An-Atheism-by-James-Spiegel.jpg 262w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-Making-of-An-Atheism-by-James-Spiegel-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-Making-of-An-Atheism-by-James-Spiegel-90x137.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 262px) 100vw, 262px\" \/><\/a>In his 2010 book <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0802476112\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief<\/em><\/a><\/strong>, Dr. James Spiegel, professor of Philosophy and Religion at Taylor University, argues that unbelief results more from the will than from the mind. Drawing on the Bible, Plantingian epistemology, and contemporary psychology, in this book he builds<strong> a theory of the source of atheistic belief<\/strong>. We discuss<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>how he draws on Plantingian epistemology<\/li>\n<li>what the reaction to this book has been by Christians and by atheists<\/li>\n<li>the relevance of the fact that most people say they believe in God<\/li>\n<li>the differences between an average unbeliever and a fire-breathing public spokesman for atheism such as Richard Dawkins<\/li>\n<li>psychological theories relating atheism to a &#8220;fatherless&#8221; childhood or to a sexually immoral lifestyle<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/podcast-103-dr-randal-rauser-is-the-atheist-my-neighbor-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\">whether or not he accepts <strong>Dr. Rauser&#8217;s rebellion thesis<\/strong><\/a> about atheism<\/li>\n<li>whether or not these sort of critiques poison the possibility of rational discourse and dialogue between Christians and atheists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In modern times, many atheists, such as Freud have given similar critiques of the origin of belief in God. In this book, Dr. Spiegel tries to <strong>turn the table<\/strong>s on them.<strong> Does he succeed? Let us know what you think<\/strong> in the comments, or by audio feedback (see below).<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-36268\" src=\"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Richard_dawkins_at_the_protest_the_pope_rally_2010.png\" alt=\"Richard_dawkins_at_the_protest_the_pope_rally_2010\" width=\"300\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Richard_dawkins_at_the_protest_the_pope_rally_2010.png 300w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Richard_dawkins_at_the_protest_the_pope_rally_2010-273x300.png 273w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Richard_dawkins_at_the_protest_the_pope_rally_2010-90x99.png 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/strong>A terminological note on this episode: at around 15 minutes we discuss what he means by <strong>&#8220;atheism.&#8221;<\/strong> He means this as <strong>&#8220;rejection of theism.&#8221;<\/strong> Many philosophers use <strong>&#8220;theism&#8221;<\/strong> as belief that there is a God, and <strong>&#8220;atheism&#8221;<\/strong> as belief that there is no God. But he&#8217;s using &#8220;atheism&#8221; more broadly, to include also what are often called <strong>&#8220;agnostics&#8221;<\/strong> &#8211; people who neither believe that there is a God, nor that that there is no God (or in popular discourse, people who believe that there is or isn&#8217;t a God, but are hesitant to say they <em>know<\/em> it). In Dr. Spiegel&#8217;s terminology, they are <strong>&#8220;rejecting&#8221;<\/strong> theism not in that they hold it to be false, but in resisting their natural tendency to believe it. But he doesn&#8217;t used &#8220;atheism&#8221; to mean <em>mere<\/em> non-theism, mere lack of belief in God, which would include babies.<\/p>\n<p>You can also <strong>listen t<\/strong><strong>o this episode on<\/strong>\u00a0<strong><a title=\"trinities podcast @ stitcher\" href=\"http:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/s?fid=54067&amp;refid=stpr\" target=\"_blank\">Stitcher<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong><a title=\"trinities @ itunes\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/id690304581?mt=2&amp;uo=4&amp;at=11l5XS\" target=\"_blank\">iTunes<\/a>\u00a0(please subscribe, rate, and review<\/strong>\u00a0us in either or both \u2013 <strong><a title=\"how to rate us at iTunes and Stitcher\" href=\"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/review\/\" target=\"_blank\">directions here<\/a><\/strong>). It is also available on\u00a0<a title=\"trinities podcast youtube playlist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLMCt15e8gG-g7t7wo9MCq9KSDSsvGNcsm\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube<\/a> (scroll down \u2013 you can\u00a0<a title=\"youtube subscription link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/khanpadawan?sub_confirmation=1\" target=\"_blank\">subscribe here<\/a>). If you would like to\u00a0<strong>upload audio feedback<\/strong> for possible inclusion in a future episode of this podcast,\u00a0<a title=\"upload audio feedback for the trinities podcast here\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mediafire.com\/filedrop\/filedrop_hosted.php?drop=96df5ea43b9b7c6582cb95b8c5a7259d7cd8109e0cd009d4a5ecd099cc7e64fb\" target=\"_blank\">put the audio file here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You can <strong>support the trinities podcast by ordering anything through Amazon.com<\/strong> after clicking through one of our links. We get a small % of your purchase, even though your price is not increased. (If you see \u201ctrinities\u201d in you\u00a0url while at Amazon, then we\u2019ll get it.)<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/1586176870http:\/\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-36269\" src=\"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paul-Vitz-Faith-of-the-Fatherless.jpg\" alt=\"Paul Vitz - Faith of the Fatherless\" width=\"300\" height=\"458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paul-Vitz-Faith-of-the-Fatherless.jpg 300w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paul-Vitz-Faith-of-the-Fatherless-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Paul-Vitz-Faith-of-the-Fatherless-90x137.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Links for this episode:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/jimspiegel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Spiegel&#8217;s home page<\/a><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.taylor.edu\/employee\/faculty\/james-spiegel\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Spiegel&#8217;s page at Taylor University<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wisdomandfollyblog.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Wisdom &amp; Folly blog<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0802476112\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief<\/em><\/a> <\/strong>(<a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/B0038U0U40\" target=\"_blank\">kindle<\/a>)\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/themakingofanatheist.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">themakingofanatheist.com<\/a> &#8211; where you can download the table of contents and introduction to the book<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0805447709\" target=\"_blank\">The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy<\/a><\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/B004OA62NG\" target=\"_blank\">kindle<\/a>)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/other-minds\/\" target=\"_blank\">the problem of other minds<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Alvin Plantinga, <em><a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0801497353\" target=\"_blank\">God and Other Minds<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<li>Alvin Plantinga, <em><a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0195131932\" target=\"_blank\">Warranted Christian Belief<\/a> <\/em>(<a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/B0059EQ4DY\" target=\"_blank\">kindle<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Alvin Plantinga, <a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0802872042\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Knowledge and Christian Belief<\/em><\/a><\/strong> (<a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/B00WIVFQTO\" target=\"_blank\">kindle<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Dale&#8217;s introductory lecture on<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X6oqfg2g3fs\" target=\"_blank\"> Freud&#8217;s psychological critique of belief in God<\/a> &#8211; Freud&#8217;s The Future of an Illusion as discussed by atheist philosopher William Rowe<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paul C. Vitz,<em> <a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/1586176870\" target=\"_blank\">Faith of the Fatherless<\/a> <\/em><\/strong>(<a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/B00GB97UE8\" target=\"_blank\">kindle<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Paul Johnson, <a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0061253170\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Intellectuals: From Marx and Tolstoy to Sartre and Chomsky<\/em><\/a>, Revised Edition (<a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/B000SEKCX8\" target=\"_blank\">kindle<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>E. Michael Jones, <a href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0898704472\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Degenerate Moderns:\u00a0Modernity as Rationalized Sexual Misbehavior<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Helen_Keller\" target=\"_blank\">Hellen Keller<\/a><\/li>\n<li>This week&#8217;s <strong>thinking music<\/strong> is \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/freemusicarchive.org\/music\/Chris_Zabriskie\/Direct_to_Video_1014\/07_-_Its_Always_Too_Late_to_Start_Over\" target=\"_blank\">It&#8217;s Always Too Late to Start Over<\/a>\u201d by Chris Zabriskie. <object width=\"300\" height=\"50\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http:\/\/freemusicarchive.org\/swf\/trackplayer.swf\" \/><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"track=http:\/\/freemusicarchive.org\/services\/playlists\/embed\/track\/112900.xml\" \/><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"sameDomain\" \/><embed type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http:\/\/freemusicarchive.org\/swf\/trackplayer.swf\" width=\"300\" height=\"50\" flashvars=\"track=http:\/\/freemusicarchive.org\/services\/playlists\/embed\/track\/112900.xml\" allowscriptaccess=\"sameDomain\" \/><\/object><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In his 2010 book The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief, Dr. James Spiegel, professor of Philosophy and Religion at Taylor University, argues that unbelief results more from the will than from the mind. Drawing on the Bible, Plantingian epistemology, and contemporary psychology, in this book he builds a theory of the source of atheistic belief. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36267,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37,71,16,56,8,9,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-apologetics","category-atheism","category-books","category-interview","category-linkage","category-philosophy","category-podcast"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36266"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36266\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37344,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36266\/revisions\/37344"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}