82 episodes

We are excited to be here. We are messy. We make mistakes. We come back stronger. We question everything. We are a work in progress. We are Skeptic Generation.

A new live call-in show for an expanding community of diverse and compassionate atheists. Join Eric Murphy and Vi La Bianca every Sunday morning at 11:30am CT by visiting tiny.cc/callSG or calling 585-LAMURPH (585-526-8774).

Skeptic Generation Skeptic Generation

    • Religion & Spirituality
    • 4.8 • 43 Ratings

We are excited to be here. We are messy. We make mistakes. We come back stronger. We question everything. We are a work in progress. We are Skeptic Generation.

A new live call-in show for an expanding community of diverse and compassionate atheists. Join Eric Murphy and Vi La Bianca every Sunday morning at 11:30am CT by visiting tiny.cc/callSG or calling 585-LAMURPH (585-526-8774).

    We STILL Need To Talk | Skeptic Generation | Episode 1 Season 3

    We STILL Need To Talk | Skeptic Generation | Episode 1 Season 3

    It's been a LONG year! It's time for Eric to shake off those cobwebs and get back into the show! Please feel free to call and say hi! This episode probably won't have a bunch of callers, so this is the weekend to call up uncle Joe and get them to call in!
    If you'd like to help us secure the licenses to stream, feel free to buy us a coffee! It's gets delivered immediately and allows us to purchase time in callinstudio & pay for the program fees.
    If you'd like to get some extra features, early access, member discord and more, check us out on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/skepticgeneration
    ___________________
    TIME STAMPS & CALL NOTES
    00:00 - Intro
    09:35 - Javier - Walking Away From the Discussion
    22:27 - Bree - Welcome Back!
    28:49 - Vi - Good Luck, and What’s Next?
    36:51 - Steve - Life Without Meaning?
    47:50 - Dan - When Will It Stop?!
    1:00:17 - Maria - Can Objective Morals REALLY Exist?
    1:17:57 - Roy - Finding your footing. (22 year old trans person)
    1:33:24 - Red - Can a non believer celebrate religious holidays?
    1:48:33 - Christian - How Do You Get The Pronouns Right?


    Skeptic Generation is LIVE every Sunday at 11:30am-1:00pm CT
    Call on your phone: 412- SKEPGEN (412-753-7436)
    Love the show? Join us after the show on Discord: https://tiny.cc/SGdiscord
    To find out more, visit https://www.skepticgeneration.com
    Copyright © 2024 Skeptic Generation. All rights reserved.

    • 2 hr 7 min
    We Are Going On Hiatus | Skeptic Generation | Episode 49 Season 2

    We Are Going On Hiatus | Skeptic Generation | Episode 49 Season 2

    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...

    • 2 hr 41 min
    Have You Got Any New Year's Resolutions? | Skeptic Generation | Episode 48 Season 2

    Have You Got Any New Year's Resolutions? | Skeptic Generation | Episode 48 Season 2

    We are talking about New Year's resolutions this week, since it's officially December! Call toll-free at 585-526-8774 or tiny.cc/callSG.
    ___________________
    Skeptic Generation is LIVE every Sunday at 11:30am-1:00pm CT
    Call on your phone: 585-LA-MURPH (585-526-8774)
    Call online: https://tiny.cc/callSG

    Love the show?
    Become a patron: https://tiny.cc/donatetoSG
    Buy our new Class of ‘22 merch: http://tiny.cc/SG22Merch
    Help with our studio: https://tiny.cc/SGwishlist
    Join us after the show on Discord: https://tiny.cc/SGdiscord

    To find out more, visit https://www.skepticgeneration.com

    • 1 hr 33 min
    Vi's Old Christian Journal Says What? | Skeptic Generation | Episode 47 Season 2

    Vi's Old Christian Journal Says What? | Skeptic Generation | Episode 47 Season 2

    Vi leads this show solo and reads from their old Christian journal from nine years ago. What was their deconversion process like? Is it similar to yours? Call toll-free at 585-526-8774 or tiny.cc/callSG to share your story or just vent about the holiday season.
    ___________________
    TIME STAMPS & CALL NOTES

    00:00 - Intro - Vi Is Solo This Week
    02:23 - Can People Choose Their Beliefs? - Javier (he/him) - SC
    18:13 - Vi Reads from An Old Deconversion Journal
    25:44 - My Family Doesn’t Believe I’m An Atheist - Cameron (he/him) - MN
    38:16 - What Kind of Culture Should Atheists Build? - Mark (he/him) - CA
    55:53 - Why Is It So Easy to Believe In God? - Steven (he/him) - AZ
    1:07:04 - My Friend Thinks God Is Punishing Her… HELP? - Caleb (he/him) - MD
    1:15:30 - Jesus Wants Us To Be Mean to Atheists - Jim (he/him) - OH
    1:22:16 - How Do I Deal with Street Preachers? - Chris (he/him) - SCT

    02:23
    Can people choose their beliefs? Vi says that answering “Yes” or “No” are both wrong: this is a “yes, and” situation. People both have the ability to choose what beliefs they strengthen, and are ultimately not in charge of the moment one belief wins out against others. That’s why it’s always dangerous to hold harmful beliefs, even if you don’t act on them.

    18:13
    Vi has brought an old journal that they wrote almost a decade ago. “The Quest for God” laid out how 20-year-old Vi was struggling with belief, parsing apart what was true and untrue about what they’d been told, and trying to figure out what next steps were. A raw, real moment that hopefully resonated with others.

    25:44
    This caller is having trouble with his family after coming out as an atheist. They are telling him he’s broken, they are unfollowing him on social media, and generally making him feel unwelcome. They also happen to be in an MLM, which makes things even worse! Vi gives this caller permission to kick these folks out on their ear: “Jesus said to avoid you.”

    38:16
    Now that atheists are growing as a demographic in the US, what should we be focusing on to make sure we aren’t repeating the problems we are seeing with a Christian majority? Repeat caller Mark is wondering what next steps are, and Vi says something shocking: We need to stop talking about religion.

    55:53
    This caller points out that God is easy to believe in because the idea of God is so baked into our culture. Vi agrees: this is why apologetics work. You have to believe in God already in order to be convinced by any of the major arguments for God. We need to eradicate the idea of a maximally great God before we can truly be free.

    1:07:04
    What do you say to someone who is convinced that God is punishing them? Vi points out that it’s actually scarier to imagine that things happen for no reason than to imagine a god is punishing you. At least you’re still kind of the main character, and not just an incidental casualty of the universe. Also, landlords suck.

    1:15:30
    We talked about some atheists having trouble with their families this episode, but isn’t that exactly what Jesus said to do? Didn’t he tell Christians to desert their families, even end things violently, in order to follow him? Vi once again says “Yes” and “No.” If we’re looking at the historical context of Jesus’s words, he’s actually talking about a political rebellion!

    1:22:16
    Repeat caller Chris asks how to deal with the street preachers that he’s seeing everywhere. He’s tried reasoning with them and he never makes any progress! Vi says it’s a lost cause to try and debate with them, but what this caller CAN do is make them seem utterly ridiculous.

    ___________________
    Skeptic Generation is LIVE every Sunday at 11:30am-1:00pm CT
    Call on your phone: 585-LA-MURPH (585-526-8774)
    Call online: a href="https://tiny.cc/callSG"...

    • 1 hr 33 min
    Vi is Back!! | Skeptic Generation | Episode 46 Season 2

    Vi is Back!! | Skeptic Generation | Episode 46 Season 2

    That's right! Vi has endured, healed up, and is ready to take your calls! We'd love to talk about what you believe and why, you can call us toll-free at 585-526-8774 or tiny.cc/callSG. We're ready to listen.
    ___________________
    TIME STAMPS & CALL NOTES

    00:00 - Intro - Technical Difficulties!
    09:48 - Is Voting Skeptical? - Mark (he/him) - OH
    16:58 - Can Atheists Experience Wonder & Awe? - Mark (he/him) - CA
    32:03 - Is Humanism Logical? - Jason (he/him) - TX
    49:18 - Did God Defeat My Depression? - Sour Fruit (she/her) - CAN
    56:10 - How Should I Weaponize My Atheism? - Mozzie (he/they) - GA
    1:17:30 - superchats

    09:51
    Can you be a skeptic and think that voting works? What is the role of skepticism when it comes to how our country is run and our ability to change things at the ballot box? This caller asks huge (and important) questions but the hosts might be a bit out of their depth…

    17:02
    Repeat atheopagan caller Mark dials in to ask whether atheists can experience wonder and awe, and why so many atheists seem to be averse to pursuing those feelings intentionally? This conversation touches on the definition of spirituality, the importance of ritual, and whether or not all the tools used by the Church are inherently bad.

    32:09
    Is it logical to be a humanist in a world full of terrible humans? How do you reconcile with all the bad structural things you’re forced to take part in, if your goal is to be a good person? Can someone who hunts, drives a big truck, and owns an iphone be considered moral by harm reduction standards? Vi provides some practical advice: the four circles of activism.

    49:27
    This repeat atheist caller is coming out of depression and realizing that, if she had been a less skeptical person, she’d attribute all her progress to God. Why is she thinking more about God now that she’s feeling more hopeful? And what causes people to gravitate towards narratives of supernatural salvation so consistently?

    56:09
    A great way to end out Vi’s first episode back, this caller is a conversion therapy survivor and ex-Christian who is looking for ways to help the LGBTQ+ folks stuck in abusive religious environments. How should they go to war for their community while prioritizing their own mental health and optimizing impact? The hosts have some ideas!
    ___________________
    Skeptic Generation is LIVE every Sunday at 11:30am-1:00pm CT
    Call on your phone: 585-LA-MURPH (585-526-8774)
    Call online: https://tiny.cc/callSG

    Love the show?
    Become a patron: https://tiny.cc/donatetoSG
    Buy our new Class of ‘22 merch: http://tiny.cc/SG22Merch
    Help with our studio: https://tiny.cc/SGwishlist
    Join us after the show on Discord: https://tiny.cc/SGdiscord

    To find out more, visit https://www.skepticgeneration.com

    Copyright © 2022 Skeptic Generation. All rights reserved.

    • 1 hr 23 min
    Rituals and Violence? | Skeptic Generation | Episode 45 Season 2

    Rituals and Violence? | Skeptic Generation | Episode 45 Season 2

    Reading the comments last week, it sounds like people have had a LOT to say! What is a ritual? Does a ritual need to have a supernatural component? If it doesn't, does the word become meaningless?

    And then there's the topic of violence. When is violence called for when facing oppression? This call last week sparked a hot debate about whether or not it can EVER be the correct answer. What do you think?

    If you disagree with the host or callers, we want to hear about it. You can call us toll-free at 585-526-8774 or tiny.cc/callSG . We're ready to listen.
    ________

    Skeptic Generation is LIVE every Sunday at 11:30am-1:00pm CT
    Call on your phone: 585-LA-MURPH (585-526-8774)
    Call online: https://tiny.cc/callSG

    Love the show?
    Become a patron: https://tiny.cc/donatetoSG
    Buy our new Class of ‘22 merch: http://tiny.cc/SG22Merch
    Help with our studio: https://tiny.cc/SGwishlist
    Join us after the show on Discord: https://tiny.cc/SGdiscord

    To find out more, visit https://www.skepticgeneration.com

    Copyright © 2022 Skeptic Generation. All rights reserved.

    • 1 hr 31 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
43 Ratings

43 Ratings

CB098765555 ,

New season

So glad that you’re back. You’re my favorite atheist podcast & hosts.

HVAC CXer ,

Respectful Dialogue

A call in show that is respectful yet challenging to those listening and calling in. I love Eric and Vi and their dynamic of inquisitive dialogue.

EnterImaginaryNameHere ,

A tad hypocritical

The show has spiraled in to hypocrisy lately

Top Podcasts In Religion & Spirituality

The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Ascension
The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast
AccessMore & Candy Rock
The Bible Recap
Tara-Leigh Cobble
Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
Madison Prewett Troutt
Girls Gone Bible
Girls Gone Bible
BibleProject
BibleProject Podcast

You Might Also Like

Talk Heathen
Atheist Community of Austin
Truth Wanted
Atheist Community of Austin
The Atheist Experience
The Atheist Community of Austin
Dogma Debate
David C. Smalley
Cognitive Dissonance
Atheist and Skeptical News