No, you read that correctly. This is the last live show of 2022, and we will be going on hiatus after that to figure out what's next for us and for SkepGen.
This episode is a 2.5-hour long extravaganza, with many familiar voices calling in to say hi. We also lifted all previous bans on topics and callers, which makes for some interesting (and heated) conversations before we say goodbye.
If you would like to provide $1/month to support the show as we are on hiatus, please make sure to become a Lifelong Skeptic on our Patreon:
https://tiny.cc/donatetoSG Check out our official “SG Hosts DESTROY Callers!” playlist by visiting our YouTube home page or following this link:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgAFtcRCck1woYD2zC8z4DePc7m6Q4aH6 ___________________
TIME STAMPS & CALL NOTES
00:00 - Intro - So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish!
11:07 - Should You Sacrifice Yourself for the Greater Good? - Javier (he/him) - SC
20:45 - Thanks For All You’ve Done! - Steven (he/him) - AZ
26:22 - Should We Be Skeptical of Whiteness? - Steve (N/A) - NY
41:25 - This Vegan Caller Says He’d Eat People! - Chase (he/him) - ID
1:04:54 - Merriam-Webster Is LYING About Christmas?? - Sunny (she/they) - IN
1:12:41 - Would You Ever Eat Engineered Meat? - Chris (he/him) - CA
1:22:19 - Repeat Theist Caller Tries ONE MORE TIME… - Connor (he/him) - TX
1:31:26 - “God Is The Answer!” - Xeno (he/him) - SK
1:54:30 - Secular De-Colonization and Spirituality - Rosy (she/they/it) - CAN
2:05:06 - Another Thank You for the Show - Jim (he/him) - OH
2:09:12 - Should We Start a Santa Claus Religion? - Chris (he/him) - SCT
2:13:11 - What Would Convince You of Miracles? - Dean (he/him) - VA
00:00
Eric and Vi discuss the hiatus, address concerns, and talk through what happens next.
11:07
Repeat caller Javier returns to discuss altruism and self-sacrifice. Are they overrated? Are they actually selfish? Why would someone ever sacrifice themselves for the greater good if we only have one life to live?
20:45
Steven calls in to wish us well and tell the hosts how much the show meant to him. We appreciate it, Steven!
26:22
Repeat atheopagan caller Steve asks about how to approach the social construct of whiteness, especially if you enjoy discovering your own cultural heritage as a white person. Vi points out the validity of the concerns around neo-Pagan use of ancient cultures to promote white supremacy, but insists there is a healthy way to learn about yourself while using that knowledge to help others.
41:25
We lifted the subject ban, and we have our first vegan caller! This conversation gets heated and contains a lot of loaded language and appeals to emotion. The hosts call this out, attempting to steer clear of strawmen while getting to the heart of the issue: are honeybees people too?
1:04:54
A dictionary has a really shocking entry and this caller wants to talk about it! Vi says this call both made and ruined their day at the same time.
1:12:41
Another vegan caller appears, and this time the hosts are asked what their thoughts are on lab-grown meat. Eric and Vi are both down with some test tube chicken, and offer their understanding of why some vegans might still be against it.
1:22:19
Repeat theist caller Connor tries one more time to talk about how he came to his Baha’i faith. Eric points out the difference between “faith” and “trust,” and Vi says that a testimony might be riveting but doesn’t hold the evidence they’re looking for.
1:31:26
Yes, we let him back on. Xeno wants to make sure the hosts have the correct takeaway from their multiple calls with him: “God is the Answer!” To what? Everything, of course! The question remains: will we miss Xeno? Well, if we’re being totally honest… God?
1:54:30
Why do so many people use religion and spirituality as a way to “connect to their culture”? Are there other ways of reaching into the past that are more secular? This caller discusses their own experiences trying to reconnect with their Indigenous culture as a secular person.
2:05:06
Jim calls in to thank the hosts for their time on the show and to offer some suggestions about where they might go next. Thanks, Jim!
2:09:12
Repeat caller Chris from Scotland is wondering if we should ditch Christianity and make a Santa Claus religion instead. He seems nicer than God, anyway. Eric advocates for a non-omniscient deity instead. Vi suggests Hermey the Dentist Elf. Hail Hermey?
2:13:11
Finally, we end on a classic: the argument for God from the existence of miracles. Repeat apologist caller Dean is wondering what would make us believe in miracles, and if those hypothetical miracles would then be good evidence for God? Vi points out that if miracles were proven, they’d no longer be called miracles. Eric gets Dean to admit he hates babies.
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