Ask An Atheist

A couple of weeks ago, Sam reminded me that we were closing in on one hundred episodes of “Ask an Atheist.” It still hasn’t quite set in and become real for me yet.

I still haven’t quite grasped that in two years’ time, we’ve interviewed everyone from Sean Faircloth to Greta Christina to James Randi; we’ve done a live presentation of our show for the Northwest Freethought Conference in April, and we put on a event to make fun of an apocalyptic lunatic that got us international media attention.

But there’s something about triple digits that feels different. Not even the original Star Trek series made it to 100 episodes. Neither did Arrested Development. Or Cop Rock.

While my brain knows that we get regular listenership on six continents, I still find it a bit shocking when I meet someone who listens to us. I’m humbled and flattered that you like our weird little radio show enough to help keep us on the air for nearly two years.

When SCAN public access television went bust, and Sam and I — in the words of the great Peter Venkman — decided to go into business for ourselves, we weren’t sure the show would survive. The obstacles of fundraising looked insurmountable, but all of you proved us wrong multiple times.

Over the last couple of weeks, Sam and I have been asking you what our show has meant to you. We’d like to know if we’ve ever changed your mind, helped set you in your ways, made you laugh, pissed you off, made you see something in a new light, or maybe just made you hurl your radio across the room.

It’s only fair that since we’re asking you, that I should share with you what this show has meant to me.

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Text version after break.

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About a month ago, we asked for listeners to provide us with secular,  non-religious reasons to oppose legalized abortion.

We did this for two reasons. First, because we made a similar request last year on the topic of same-sex marriage.  And secondly, our worst kept secret is that we ask because we’re doubtful that you’ll find one.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that it is probably easier to make a secular case against abortion than it is to produce a non-sectarian argument against gay rights, but I have to admit that I’m curious. As a skeptic, I have to concede that there are facts I don’t know, and if there is a compelling reason to oppose abortion rights that I’ve somehow missed, then I’d like to hear it. If it’s good enough and it covers all of the concerns I have about the topic, it might even change my mind.

I am not speaking now as a producer or host of “Ask an Atheist,” but just as Mike Gillis. I’m a 32 year-old white guy and a fan of Aquaman, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and the band Queen. Without reservation, I want to state that I am 100% pro-choice and have yet to hear an argument against the legality of abortion rights that satisfies me.

Ninety-nine percent of the arguments that I have heard are totally irrelevant because they are completely entwined in a religiously-based presupposition about when a soul enters a zygote, or what the Bible says on the subject. These are not arguments I’m interested in.

I’ve been thrilled at the sheer depth of the responses we’ve gotten from our show’s listeners, and I really want to thank you all for your continued interest in this question. But — and there’s always a but — I’d feel less than honest if I didn’t put all of my cards on the table and let you know how I really felt about this.

So this is just me telling you what it would take to change my mind.

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I have to admit, when I write about Pat Robertson or Pat Buchanan, I first have to check to make sure I have the right one.   Which professional television blowhard is selling ignorant fundamentalism as intelligence this week?

As it turns out, it is the sleepy-eyed host of the 700 Club, Robertson, who’s telling a midwesterner that God is not responsible for the tornadoes hitting the midwest.  But worry not, beloved, for the victims could have prevented their plight it if they had prayed hard enough for God’s intercession.

No, really:

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Is there anyone out there who still doubts that atheists, secularists and non-believers are targets of hate and discrimination?

(Take a breath, that’s rhetorical.)

One of the interesting side effects of Christopher Hitchens’ death has been the complete validation of his activism by the response to said death.  On one hand, you have the preachers and fundamentalist bloggers and media figures lining up with their condescending “I-told-you-so” statements. They simultaneously pretend to care about his fate, while barely being able to conceal their glee about the belief that he’s being tortured forever for disagreeing with them. Then, in the same breath, they turn their self-satisfaction on their audience and threaten them with the same hellfire ultimatum, proclaiming it to be an act of love.

While Sam, Libbie and I eulogized Hitch on our last episode, and joined the crew in raising a glass of Johnnie Walker Black to his memory at the post-show dinner, many others have been honoring his legacy on Twitter.

Until a couple of days ago, #GodIsNotGreat was trending on Twitter, as a tribute to Christopher Hitchens’ 2007 bestselling book. Not everyone was happy about this.

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