Podcasts about Dave Warnock

Explore the unique experiences of Jewish U.S. military veterans with Dave Warnock, U.S. Army Veteran, and Andrea Goldstein, U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist. If you missed this conversation when it first aired for Veterans Day, here's your chance to honor Jewish American Heritage Month and pay tribute to those who serve our country.  Our guests share what inspired them to join the military, how their Jewish heritage played a significant role in shaping their service, and what advice they have for IDF soldiers fighting now against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Warnock and Goldstein are members of AJC's ACCESS Jewish Military Veterans Affinity Group, a space to convene young Jewish professionals who have served in the American military.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Dave Warnock, Andrea Goldstein Show Notes: Learn more: What You Need to Know About the ICC and the Israel-Hamas War Listen to AJC's People of the Pod: Seven Months In: What Israelis Think About the War Against Hamas, Campus Antisemitism in America, and More What Does it Mean to be a Jewish American Hero? A Jewish American Heritage Month Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Episode Transcript: Manya Brachear Pashman: Earlier this month, during my conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch about Jewish American heroes and Jewish American Heritage Month, we paid tribute to those who serve our country in a multitude of ways – teachers, doctors, nurses. As we approach Memorial Day and the end of Jewish American Heritage Month, we thought it would be appropriate to re-broadcast an episode that aired last fall. Guest hosting is my colleague Dr. Dana Levinson Steiner, Director of ACCESS Global at AJC, where she oversees an international program to engage young professionals, including a number of Jewish military veterans. Dana, the mic is yours. Dana Levinson Steiner: Thanks, Manya. I'm so happy that we're here today. It was just over two years ago that we formed the ACCESS Jewish Military Veterans Affinity Group, which is a space for us to convene young Jewish professionals who had served in the American military. And here we are now recording our first People of the Pod podcast episode in honor of and commemorating Veterans Day.  With us today are: Dave Warnock, U.S. Army Veteran, joining us from his home in Seattle, Washington, and Andrea Goldstein, U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist, who is based in Washington, D.C. Dave, Andrea, thanks for joining us today. Dave Warnock:   Happy to be here, Dana. Andrea Goldstein:   Yeah, I'm glad to be here.  Dana Levinson Steiner: To kick off the conversation, please tell us a little bit about your journey as an American Jewish military veteran. What inspired you to join the United States Armed Forces? Dave, let's start with you. Dave Warnock:   For me, there are two kind of main things when I look back on what propelled me to join the US Army. The first one was my great grandfather, Saul Fink. The family legend is like he emigrated over from the shtetl. His family settled in Harlem. And when he heard about what was going on in Texas at the time, and 1916 and 1914 with the Pancho Villa incursions, he felt so propelled by patriotism and love of America that he had to run away from home and enlist at 16 years old. Which he did. Joined the Horse Calvary, a proper Jewish cowboy chasing after Pancho Villa in New Mexico, in a forgotten war. And he made sort of a career out of the army. So that's the legend that he was propelled by patriotism, maybe hated the tenement, maybe just wanted to get out of Harlem, get some fresh air, see the American West, I don't know.  But his service propelled him forward in American society, through the US Army in a way that I think would have been unavailable to a lot of Jews at the time. It's not to say that it was an easy journey. He was certainly discriminated against; he shortened his name from Finkelstein to Fink for reasons that are not kind of lost to history. One joke is that it couldn't fit on the nametag. But through this service, he was elevated in society, he became an officer in World War I. He served through World War II and in the army of occupation in Germany. And his stature, sort of the patriarch of my family, loomed large. My middle name is Solomon, I'm named after him. So that kind of tradition was part of it. Another part was, I enlisted in 2004. So three years after 91/1 when I was a freshman in high school, and that terrorist attack really did propelled, cemented my decision to serve you know, if that didn't happen, I don't know what I would have done differently. But those are the two main reasons that propelled me to join. And I joined the Army and I volunteered for the infantry because I wanted to be a soldier.  Dana Levinson Steiner: In a lot of ways, it is our family that inspires us to make these kinds of decisions and we learn so much from our family history and our family lineage. Andrea, I'd love to hear a little bit more about your journey too and I'm curious if family played a role in your decision to join the Navy. Andrea Goldstein:   My family decision to do the military was much more related to growing up in the United States, growing up in New York at a time actually, probably when we didn't have the NYPD outside of synagogues. I didn't really think about being Jewish, at least in New York in the 90s. But my family came here in mostly two waves, most in the early 20th century, and then another wave right before the Holocaust, and found everything they were looking for. And depending on which wave, either second generation or third generation where a sense of precarity and being American was gone. We just were American Jews. And I am currently sitting in a home that has embroidery on the wall that was sent to my great-grandmother, by family members who ended up–who perished in the shoah. This country really gave us everything and I wanted to give back to that.  The value of tikkun olam is very central to everything that I do. And so serving my country and wearing the cloth of the nation to me felt like really the only way to do that.  9/11 was not a motivating factor for me, despite growing up in New York City and being in New York City on 9/11. My desire to serve in uniform predated that, in fact, 9/11 led me to really not so much reconsider, but really give even more thought to my military service, because I knew I would be serving in conflict zones, which, with the peacetime military of the 90s, that wasn't clear. But I ended up joining through an officer program. I didn't initially have any family support, because it was such a shocking choice. I had great-grandparents who'd served during World War Two great-uncles, but not from a military family at all. And what became very understood by my family, because it was, what was motivating me was, this desire to serve my country and wear the cloth of the nation, no matter what. Dana Levinson Steiner: I want to pivot a little bit, I want to get back to questions of Jewish identity in a moment. But when we're thinking about American Jews serving in the US armed forces, while there isn't a ton of data, the most recent-ish data suggests that just about 1% of the US armed forces, or the US military, is made up of American Jews. It's tiny, only 1%. And that 1% is of an already really small number of American Jews who already live in this country.  So, you know, thinking about this statistic and also acknowledging American history in serving in the military. What do we make of this small number? And what would you like to tell young American Jews who may be considering joining the military but may have doubts or concerns? Andrea Goldstein:   So there are a couple of things I would say to that. I would comment on that data–first of all, that's only commenting that that only includes self reported numbers because we don't collect demographic data on, it's seen as completely religious affiliation. The military does not collect demographics on Jews as being an ethnic group. So it's actually quite difficult to self-report your religion. So there's going to be an undercount, there are people who are Jewish, who may even practice privately, who are not reporting. And it also doesn't capture Jewish families.  So it doesn't capture the number of people who may be not Jewish themselves, but their partner and spouse is Jewish, and they're raising Jewish children, and they're observing Jewish holidays with their families. So there's a lot that we really don't know. What I would also say is, if you were to overlay where the military struggles to recruit from, with the parts of the country where most Jews live in the United States, you would see probably some very interesting geographic trends.  The military has become a family business. There has also been, there have been some comforts that the military has had in where they recruit from. And that typically is not New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Washington, DC. So in addition to being one of the very few Jews that I know, in the military, I think I know probably even fewer people from New York City, especially officers. Dana Levinson Steiner: Dave, I'm curious, your thoughts on some of these numbers? And also maybe what you would tell–you and I have talked about this before about wanting to really engage in conversation with young American Jews about this experience and what it can mean for them, you know, acknowledging this number a while not perfect, I would imagine it's not so massive. So tell us a little bit about what you think and also maybe what you would tell a young American Jew who might be considering enlisting. Dave Warnock:   Sure. First off, my mom was also very surprised when I joined, perplexed, flummoxed, aggrieved, perhaps she would have much rather me not join the army. But I just have to get that out there because she's certainly going to listen to this. Yeah, so, you know, I don't know where that number comes from, you know, the infantry's a different representation, I would say Jews were less than 1% of the infantry. But when I was at basic training, like for one station unit training, as they called it back then, after your red phase, like your hell phase, or whatever you want to call it, you are allowed to go to religious services on Sunday.  So I went to Jewish services on Sunday, because, you know, it is the army. And I want to do it, like in my basic training company, there were no other Jews. So the company's like 200 guys, and then when you go to religious services, they're all of a sudden, like, 200 guys, they're like, Oh, my God, why so many Jews all of a sudden in every company in Fort Benning, except for mine? And then I realized is because they serve Kiddush lunch and you could get snacky cakes after services. And it turns out there were like three actual Jews at the services. Andrea Goldstein:   I had a completely different experience in officer candidate school where we were allowed to leave on Friday nights. Dana Levinson Steiner: Oh, interesting. Dave, what was your experience?  Dave Warnock:   So again,, this is like 2005, things might have changed. But when you joined a Combat Arms significant you just went to one station unit training and it was a fairly intense experience. Think about Full Metal Jacket, whatever, people screaming at you, doing lots of push ups. And all your time is blocked out and accounted for. So you've trained on Saturdays and religious service time was Sunday morning. That's the time you got, so if you want to go to services, you  had to do that. Something to consider if you join certain aspects of the military is, religious accommodations will be difficult. You know, I served with guys who were vegetarian. And there's one vegetarian MRE. You ate that a lot, like our rations for the field. So you eat that vegetarian ration a lot. Get real used to it.  Certainly that is a consideration and it would be difficult to be religiously observant. In the infantry. I actually there was one guy in my company on the latter half of my service who was a religious Jew. And he basically got a lot of exceptions by his rabbi to serve. Because it was hard. The army would accommodate him to an extent, like, for example, we had to shave every day. And so he was allowed to use an electric razor. But it's something to consider if you are religious, that serving in the US military will be challenging.  But you know, I encourage people to consider it. I don't regret my service, it's difficult to imagine my adult life without it. I'd say, I'm proud of it, too. But it carries costs. You know, when I was 19, on my first tour in Iraq, I was wounded, it took me six months to recover and get back to the line. The, almost five years I was in, I rarely saw my family because I was stationed in Germany and deployed to Iraq twice. So I was overseas, essentially, for the entire time of my service. And that's something to consider, but this is all my perspective.  But the experiences you get, that will propel you forward in life in a way that I don't think you get through other things, certainly, when you're 18, or when I was. That being said, you know, a lot of soldiers in my unit did die in combat. A lot of guys, when they got out, they did struggle with PTSD and suicide. So it's not all sunshine and roses. But for me, it was the right decision. Andrea Goldstein: Military service is really incredible. My field does have more Jewish folks, especially in the reserves where I'm still serving. What's been very interesting is as an intelligence officer, the active duty component doesn't have a lot of Jewish people, but the reserve component, my last unit, we had enough people to have a minyan in a unit of 50 people. And I have found, similarly to just living in society. I mean, your exercises are not–you're going to have exercises that take place during Rosh Hashanah, you're going to be deployed around Christian holidays so that people can be home for Christmas. Maybe you'll be lucky if that's around Hanukkah.  But I've also found people to who I've worked with to be incredibly accommodating up until, up  to the extent that they can. So maybe I was going to be away for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. But people would change their shifts with me on watch so that I could run the service because I was the lay leader, or so that I could break my fast at the end of Yom Kippur war.  And I experienced people being really curious and asking a lot of really good, in good faith questions. And I've had incredible experiences that range from serving with a lot of incredible, not just our military, but partner militaries. The most rewarding was my time with NATO where I got to teach in Norway and Greece and in  Sweden and get to have these incredible experiences with people as the people who– actually the Germans all notice my last name, which was really interesting. And that's a whole other story. But you also see things you can't experience anywhere else. And it's not just the–I saw a meteor shower in the middle of the ocean, on my 26th birthday from the middle of a ship. Like there are certain experiences that you don't think about when you're going into the profession of arms. But you will get to experience these incredibly vibrant experiences just because you've, you've made this choice to go where no one else does. And so it's incredibly rewarding.  I've also found that as a millennial, I mean, there are some very realistic things about the economic environment that we graduated into. And because of my military service, I have no debt, and I own a home. I have a master's degree that the GI bill paid for. So there's some other things. Dana Levinson Steiner: You talked about sort of the things that you learned and the experience that you got as a young person. Dave tell us maybe a little about some of the more rewarding experiences or things were really profoundly important to you in your service. Dave Warnock:   I got out when I was 23. So 13 years ago now and memories once so vivid that I thought I would never forget him kind of faded away a little bit. One thing that I'll never forget, that was quite challenging, because after I was wounded, I was kind of serving in the rear just like in a limited duty capacity, like back in my garrison. And it was a tough tour, you know, lots of us got wounded, we had lots of members of our battalion killed. And I was asked by chain of command, as much as one can be asked in the military to escort a soldier's body back to his parents and to his burial in Arlington Cemetery. And I did that, and that was, I can't even describe just what that moment felt like to do that to be present there. It's kind of like a unit liaison. I didn't know the soldier, we were in different companies. But that was something I'll never forget. Actually escorting a soldier back to his parents.  Another memory I'll never forget is like, because I have a photo of it. And it's on the wall in our living room is, the photo of me and my fire team. I was a sergeant on my second tour. And so I led like a small unit of four guys. And I have a picture when we were leaving Iraq for the last time. And just that sense of accomplishment of, everyone came home safe from my team on that tour. And that's why it's hung up on my wall. It's you know, we're smiling. We're happy. We're leaving. Yeah, so those are two things that tend to stand out in my service.  Dana Levinson Steiner: So Andrea, you started off by saying that the value of tikkun olam, repairing the world is one of the things that really guides you. And what I want to ask both you and Dave is how has your identity as a Jew, also shaped your experience as a veteran, we talked a little bit about, you know, in the beginning about your experiences as Jews or maybe your family, being involved in the military not being involved, being surprised. But tell us a little bit about how your identity as a Jew has shaped your experience as a military veteran and as someone who served in our armed forces. Andrea Goldstein:   So I left active duty in 2016 and stayed in the reserves but left full time service because I felt like I had reached a ceiling on what I could really do for others and that be my full time job. I wanted to keep serving, I wanted to keep serving my country. But a lot of that actually had to do with the way that I saw a lot of my teammates being mistreated by systemic issues, whether they be cultural or policy. And I wanted to spend a lot more of my time actively putting putting more good into the world versus preventing bad things from happening. Because that's what you do in the military, especially if you're in intel, you try to stop the bad you don't do anything that actively promotes the good. And so I've spent the last seven years in my civilian career, either in nonprofit or public service, doing just that.  And about half of that time has been active either actively helping veterans, particularly women veterans, and people who have experienced sexual violence or other kinds of institutionalized harm, and currently serving members of the military. And I also firmly believe that our institutions need to live up to the ideals that we profess. And  I want our nation to represent the ideals that my family came here believing it had.  And so that's what I've been doing with my time. I spent two and a half years on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and helped write over 100 laws that particularly supported women veterans, members of the LGBTQ community, sexual trauma survivors, people living with PTSD, to help them get improved access to healthcare and benefits. And I'm also very proud that I've also had the opportunity to work with the IDF and provided some insight into the way that we've made some policy changes here in the US. Dana Levinson Steiner: Dave, tell us a little bit about your Jewish identity and how it plays into this experience. Dave Warnock:   Well, my unit was very diverse in many ways, not gender, because the unit was closed to, or  at the time that the MLS was close to females, so the unit was,  the job was all male. And, you know, part of the pipeline and being new and being a private is your identity is kind of like stripped away and melted down, you're built up as part of this team, your individualism is kind of knocked away. So when that process happens, you know, whatever is the more like forefront of your identity kind of consumes it. In a sense that, like, if you have a very pronounced southern accent, everyone's going to call you a country guy, or whatever. And if you're from New York, there's a guy from Queens, so like, everything about him became like, you're the New York guy.  And for me, it was like I was the Jew. Because that was the most forefront and center thing of my identity. Also, when you shave my head, I have a really big head. So it was all like, all my nicknames were either about having a big head or being a Jew. And then eventually, when I started to grow my hair back and settled more on the latter.  So it was always very central to my service, because that was me, I was like the company's guy who was Jewish. And that was not  meant in a derogatory term was more of like a statement of fact. And I think the only thing I really had to overcome was like, in 2005, when you're serving with people, like when I said it was diverse, you could be serving with people from all over the country, the US territories and guys from parts of the South I've never heard of, guys from the center of the country place have never been soldiers from Puerto Rico and Guam, like all over the world are serving in the US Army and then we have immigrant soldiers from, you know, Colombia, Nicaragua, Vietnam, like it was a very wide swath of representation and not very many of them had even met a Jew before.  So in a way I was like the first Jew a lot of them had ever met. And I think, you know, rewind back 2005. If you know anything about Jews you probably know like Woody Allen and  Jerry Seinfeld, which are exactly like pictures of guys you want in a foxhole with you. So I had to sort of maybe work a little harder to prove myself in the basic soldiering tasks, but like that didn't take very long. A lot of guys asked me questions about Judaism, because they genuinely didn't know. And I think one of the benefits of my service is, these guys take back their experiences with me, which I hope are positive, and then like, go back to wherever they're from. And they're like, if Judaism or Jews comes up, they're like, Hey, I served with a Jewish guy, he was pretty cool.  But I think that was very important to me, and why it's so important for Jews to continue military service, because you just meet people from all over the country that you never would have met before. And it broadened my experiences too, serving with those guys.  Dana Levinson Steiner: I think, hearing the story about how in many cases you might have been the first few that these folks have met is really important. I think in a lot of ways it helps to demystify, or in most important cases, maybe even act against antisemitic ideas or stereotypes. So I think that that's really important. And Dave, you and I have talked over the years, about how sort of the term of calling you a Jew was like a term of endearment. It wasn't in terms of a term of antisemitism. And in spending a lot of my time with this ACCESS Military Veterans Group, I've gotten to learn some of the interesting elements of how you communicate and what that can look like.  So I have just one more question for us. And I think it's really important to acknowledge this moment that we're in. On October 7, Israel experienced one of the most horrific tragedies in its 75 year history. It was and continues to be a horrific day for Israelis and the Jewish community around the world. As of today's recording, over 300 soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands have been called up for active and reserve duty.  So a question I have for both of you is, what is a message that you have, or that you can share, Jewish veteran to Jewish veteran. And I should even say just veteran to veteran because one of the amazing things about Israel is that there are many who serve in the IDF and who've been called up for reserve duty or who are in active duty who are not Jewish. They're a part of the Druze community. They're Arab Israelis. I think that's really what makes Israel such a remarkable country.  So tell us a little bit about perhaps your reactions to that day. And also a message that you have for your fellow soldiers in Israel. Andrea Goldstein:   I'm struggling to react because – the horror, rage, I'm just going to start crying on this podcast and not be able to actually give words. I was actually in touch on WhatsApp with several women who I've had the opportunity to work with who are veterans and reservists in the IDF. And there's definitely this kind of secret community of women around the world who have served in combat roles. Even if they weren't in combat, occupational specialties in their countries, where we know what we did, and our service has often gone unacknowledged and erased. And that service is also particularly called upon during the most desperate times, which we are in now. And the message that I have is we see you, we're with you and we want to run towards chaos with you.  Dana Levinson Steiner: Thank you so much, Andrea. Dave? Dave Warnock:   I mean, I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. You know, shock, anger. My wife and I are expecting our first child soon. And I didn't think we'd be having a daughter, be worried about like, I just thought, ignorantly, that these sorts of things were perhaps in the past. All I can say to those who are going to go serve is, keep your head on a swivel. Watch out for your battle buddy. All the things we used to say to each other then are still true now. Dana Levinson Steiner: Thank you. I think just knowing that you are in community with them, and that they have love and support is so powerful. And as I think both of you know, our ACCESS chapters are all over the world, including in Israel, where a huge number of our ACCESS leaders have been called up for active and reserve duty. So we're thinking of them in this moment.  And we're thinking of all soldiers as we approach Veterans Day, and we're so grateful for the two of you sharing your story with us and sharing your time with us and giving a voice to the more than 1%, we will hope, of American Jewish veterans and perhaps even encourage some folks who may have been thinking that this is something that's been on their mind. Maybe perhaps it might be the moment for them to lean into that into that journey as a Jewish member of our armed forces. So thank you both for joining us. Wishing you a restful and restorative weekend. And Shabbat Shalom. Dave Warnock:   Shabbat shalom, thank you.  Andrea Goldstein:   Thank you so much, shabbat shalom.

Dive into this year's best, most viewed calls of The Atheist Experience with 'The Atheist Experience Top 5 Calls of 2023.' Forrest Valkai, Seth Andrews ( @TheThinkingAtheist ), Johnny P. Angel, Jmike, Kenneth, and Dave Warnock in thought-provoking conversations that challenge beliefs and promote critical thinking, and in rare cases, change minds. We're giving our valued hosts, guests and crew this holiday season off, but we still want to be able to bring you some of the moments that have made Season 27 one of the best ones so far! So from all of us at The Atheist Experience and The Atheist Community of Austin, we wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. Join us in January when we resume our live productions.

In honor of Veterans Day, explore the unique experiences of Jewish U.S. military veterans with Dave Warnock, U.S. Army Veteran, and Andrea Goldstein, U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist. Our guests share what inspired them to join the military, how their Jewish heritage played a significant role in shaping their service, and what advice they have for the Israel Defense Forces soldiers fighting now against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Warnock and Goldstein are members of AJC's ACCESS Jewish Military Veterans Affinity Group, a space to convene young Jewish professionals who have served in the American military. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Dave Warnock, Andrea Goldstein Show Notes: Listen – People of the Pod on the Israel-Hamas War: What Would You Do If Your Son Was Kidnapped by Hamas? Renana Gomeh's Sons Were Taken Hostage by Hamas: What She Needs You to Do to Bring Them Home Now What Biden's Wartime Visit to Israel Signals to Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah Mai Gutman Was Supposed to Be at the Music Festival: IDF Lone Soldier Recounts Harrowing Week Responding to Hamas Terror: IsraAID CEO on How You Can Help Israelis Right Now Learn: What is Known About Israeli Hostages Taken by Hamas 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza How much do you know about Hamas? Try to ace our quiz and expose the truth about the terror group today. Donate: AJC.org/SupportIsrael Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Transcript of Interview with Dave Warnock and Andrea Goldstein: Manya Brachear Pashman: This episode pays tribute to our nation's veterans. Guest hosting is my colleague Dr. Dana Levinson Steiner, Director of ACCESS Global at AJC, where she oversees an international program to engage young professionals. In that group are a number of Jewish military veterans who have served in the American Armed Forces. Dana, the mic is yours.  Dana Levinson Steiner: Thanks, Manya. I'm so happy that we're here today. It was just over two years ago that we formed the ACCESS Jewish Military Veterans Affinity Group, which is a space for us to convene young Jewish professionals who had served in the American military. And here we are now recording our first People of the Pod podcast episode in honor of and commemorating Veterans Day.  With us today are: Dave Warnock, U.S. Army Veteran, joining us from his home in Seattle, Washington, and Andrea Goldstein, U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist, who is based in Washington, D.C. Dave, Andrea, thanks for joining us today. Dave Warnock:   Happy to be here, Dana. Andrea Goldstein:   Yeah, I'm glad to be here.  Dana Levinson Steiner: To kick off the conversation, please tell us a little bit about your journey as an American Jewish military veteran. What inspired you to join the United States Armed Forces? Dave, let's start with you. Dave Warnock:   For me, there are two kind of main things when I look back on what propelled me to join the US Army. The first one was my great grandfather, Saul Fink. The family legend is like he emigrated over from the shtetl. His family settled in Harlem. And when he heard about what was going on in Texas at the time, and 1916 and 1914 with the Pancho Villa incursions, he felt so propelled by patriotism and love of America that he had to run away from home and enlist at 16 years old. Which he did. Joined the Horse Calvary, a proper Jewish cowboy chasing after Pancho Villa in New Mexico, in a forgotten war. And he made sort of a career out of the army. So that's the legend that he was propelled by patriotism, maybe hated the tenement, maybe just wanted to get out of Harlem, get some fresh air, see the American West, I don't know.  But his service propelled him forward in American society, through the US Army in a way that I think would have been unavailable to a lot of Jews at the time. It's not to say that it was an easy journey. He was certainly discriminated against; he shortened his name from Finkelstein to Fink for reasons that are not kind of lost to history. One joke is that it couldn't fit on the nametag. But through this service, he was elevated in society, he became an officer in World War I. He served through World War II and in the army of occupation in Germany. And his stature, sort of the patriarch of my family, loomed large. My middle name is Solomon, I'm named after him. So that kind of tradition was part of it. Another part was, I enlisted in 2004. So three years after 91/1 when I was a freshman in high school, and that terrorist attack really did propelled, cemented my decision to serve you know, if that didn't happen, I don't know what I would have done differently. But those are the two main reasons that propelled me to join. And I joined the Army and I volunteered for the infantry because I wanted to be a soldier.  Dana Levinson Steiner: In a lot of ways, it is our family that inspires us to make these kinds of decisions and we learn so much from our family history and our family lineage. Andrea, I'd love to hear a little bit more about your journey too and I'm curious if family played a role in your decision to join the Navy. Andrea Goldstein:   My family decision to do the military was much more related to growing up in the United States, growing up in New York at a time actually, probably when we didn't have the NYPD outside of synagogues. I didn't really think about being Jewish, at least in New York in the 90s. But my family came here in mostly two waves, most in the early 20th century, and then another wave right before the Holocaust, and found everything they were looking for. And depending on which wave, either second generation or third generation where a sense of precarity and being American was gone. We just were American Jews. And I am currently sitting in a home that has embroidery on the wall that was sent to my great-grandmother, by family members who ended up–who perished in the shoah. This country really gave us everything and I wanted to give back to that.  The value of tikkun olam is very central to everything that I do. And so serving my country and wearing the cloth of the nation to me felt like really the only way to do that.  9/11 was not a motivating factor for me, despite growing up in New York City and being in New York City on 9/11. My desire to serve in uniform predated that, in fact, 9/11 led me to really not so much reconsider, but really give even more thought to my military service, because I knew I would be serving in conflict zones, which, with the peacetime military of the 90s, that wasn't clear. But I ended up joining through an officer program. I didn't initially have any family support, because it was such a shocking choice. I had great-grandparents who'd served during World War Two great-uncles, but not from a military family at all. And what became very understood by my family, because it was, what was motivating me was, this desire to serve my country and wear the cloth of the nation, no matter what. Dana Levinson Steiner: I want to pivot a little bit, I want to get back to questions of Jewish identity in a moment. But when we're thinking about American Jews serving in the US armed forces, while there isn't a ton of data, the most recent-ish data suggests that just about 1% of the US armed forces, or the US military, is made up of American Jews. It's tiny, only 1%. And that 1% is of an already really small number of American Jews who already live in this country.  So, you know, thinking about this statistic and also acknowledging American history in serving in the military. What do we make of this small number? And what would you like to tell young American Jews who may be considering joining the military but may have doubts or concerns? Andrea Goldstein:   So there are a couple of things I would say to that. I would comment on that data–first of all, that's only commenting that that only includes self reported numbers because we don't collect demographic data on, it's seen as completely religious affiliation. The military does not collect demographics on Jews as being an ethnic group. So it's actually quite difficult to self-report your religion. So there's going to be an undercount, there are people who are Jewish, who may even practice privately, who are not reporting. And it also doesn't capture Jewish families.  So it doesn't capture the number of people who may be not Jewish themselves, but their partner and spouse is Jewish, and they're raising Jewish children, and they're observing Jewish holidays with their families. So there's a lot that we really don't know. What I would also say is, if you were to overlay where the military struggles to recruit from, with the parts of the country where most Jews live in the United States, you would see probably some very interesting geographic trends.  The military has become a family business. There has also been, there have been some comforts that the military has had in where they recruit from. And that typically is not New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Washington, DC. So in addition to being one of the very few Jews that I know, in the military, I think I know probably even fewer people from New York City, especially officers. Dana Levinson Steiner: Dave, I'm curious, your thoughts on some of these numbers? And also maybe what you would tell–you and I have talked about this before about wanting to really engage in conversation with young American Jews about this experience and what it can mean for them, you know, acknowledging this number a while not perfect, I would imagine it's not so massive. So tell us a little bit about what you think and also maybe what you would tell a young American Jew who might be considering enlisting. Dave Warnock:   Sure. First off, my mom was also very surprised when I joined, perplexed, flummoxed, aggrieved, perhaps she would have much rather me not join the army. But I just have to get that out there because she's certainly going to listen to this. Yeah, so, you know, I don't know where that number comes from, you know, the infantry's a different representation, I would say Jews were less than 1% of the infantry. But when I was at basic training, like for one station unit training, as they called it back then, after your red phase, like your hell phase, or whatever you want to call it, you are allowed to go to religious services on Sunday.  So I went to Jewish services on Sunday, because, you know, it is the army. And I want to do it, like in my basic training company, there were no other Jews. So the company's like 200 guys, and then when you go to religious services, they're all of a sudden, like, 200 guys, they're like, Oh, my God, why so many Jews all of a sudden in every company in Fort Benning, except for mine? And then I realized is because they serve Kiddush lunch and you could get snacky cakes after services. And it turns out there were like three actual Jews at the services. Andrea Goldstein:   I had a completely different experience in officer candidate school where we were allowed to leave on Friday nights. Dana Levinson Steiner: Oh, interesting. Dave, what was your experience?  Dave Warnock:   So again,, this is like 2005, things might have changed. But when you joined a Combat Arms significant you just went to one station unit training and it was a fairly intense experience. Think about Full Metal Jacket, whatever, people screaming at you, doing lots of push ups. And all your time is blocked out and accounted for. So you've trained on Saturdays and religious service time was Sunday morning. That's the time you got, so if you want to go to services, you  had to do that. Something to consider if you join certain aspects of the military is, religious accommodations will be difficult. You know, I served with guys who were vegetarian. And there's one vegetarian MRE. You ate that a lot, like our rations for the field. So you eat that vegetarian ration a lot. Get real used to it.  Certainly that is a consideration and it would be difficult to be religiously observant. In the infantry. I actually there was one guy in my company on the latter half of my service who was a religious Jew. And he basically got a lot of exceptions by his rabbi to serve. Because it was hard. The army would accommodate him to an extent, like, for example, we had to shave every day. And so he was allowed to use an electric razor. But it's something to consider if you are religious, that serving in the US military will be challenging.  But you know, I encourage people to consider it. I don't regret my service, it's difficult to imagine my adult life without it. I'd say, I'm proud of it, too. But it carries costs. You know, when I was 19, on my first tour in Iraq, I was wounded, it took me six months to recover and get back to the line. The, almost five years I was in, I rarely saw my family because I was stationed in Germany and deployed to Iraq twice. So I was overseas, essentially, for the entire time of my service. And that's something to consider, but this is all my perspective.  But the experiences you get, that will propel you forward in life in a way that I don't think you get through other things, certainly, when you're 18, or when I was. That being said, you know, a lot of soldiers in my unit did die in combat. A lot of guys, when they got out, they did struggle with PTSD and suicide. So it's not all sunshine and roses. But for me, it was the right decision. Andrea Goldstein: Military service is really incredible. My field does have more Jewish folks, especially in the reserves where I'm still serving. What's been very interesting is as an intelligence officer, the active duty component doesn't have a lot of Jewish people, but the reserve component, my last unit, we had enough people to have a minyan in a unit of 50 people. And I have found, similarly to just living in society. I mean, your exercises are not–you're going to have exercises that take place during Rosh Hashanah, you're going to be deployed around Christian holidays so that people can be home for Christmas. Maybe you'll be lucky if that's around Hanukkah.  But I've also found people to who I've worked with to be incredibly accommodating up until, up  to the extent that they can. So maybe I was going to be away for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. But people would change their shifts with me on watch so that I could run the service because I was the lay leader, or so that I could break my fast at the end of Yom Kippur war.  And I experienced people being really curious and asking a lot of really good, in good faith questions. And I've had incredible experiences that range from serving with a lot of incredible, not just our military, but partner militaries. The most rewarding was my time with NATO where I got to teach in Norway and Greece and in  Sweden and get to have these incredible experiences with people as the people who– actually the Germans all notice my last name, which was really interesting. And that's a whole other story. But you also see things you can't experience anywhere else. And it's not just the–I saw a meteor shower in the middle of the ocean, on my 26th birthday from the middle of a ship. Like there are certain experiences that you don't think about when you're going into the profession of arms. But you will get to experience these incredibly vibrant experiences just because you've, you've made this choice to go where no one else does. And so it's incredibly rewarding.  I've also found that as a millennial, I mean, there are some very realistic things about the economic environment that we graduated into. And because of my military service, I have no debt, and I own a home. I have a master's degree that the GI bill paid for. So there's some other things. Dana Levinson Steiner: You talked about sort of the things that you learned and the experience that you got as a young person. Dave tell us maybe a little about some of the more rewarding experiences or things were really profoundly important to you in your service. Dave Warnock:   I got out when I was 23. So 13 years ago now and memories once so vivid that I thought I would never forget him kind of faded away a little bit. One thing that I'll never forget, that was quite challenging, because after I was wounded, I was kind of serving in the rear just like in a limited duty capacity, like back in my garrison. And it was a tough tour, you know, lots of us got wounded, we had lots of members of our battalion killed. And I was asked by chain of command, as much as one can be asked in the military to escort a soldier's body back to his parents and to his burial in Arlington Cemetery. And I did that, and that was, I can't even describe just what that moment felt like to do that to be present there. It's kind of like a unit liaison. I didn't know the soldier, we were in different companies. But that was something I'll never forget. Actually escorting a soldier back to his parents.  Another memory I'll never forget is like, because I have a photo of it. And it's on the wall in our living room is, the photo of me and my fire team. I was a sergeant on my second tour. And so I led like a small unit of four guys. And I have a picture when we were leaving Iraq for the last time. And just that sense of accomplishment of, everyone came home safe from my team on that tour. And that's why it's hung up on my wall. It's you know, we're smiling. We're happy. We're leaving. Yeah, so those are two things that tend to stand out in my service.  Dana Levinson Steiner: So Andrea, you started off by saying that the value of tikkun olam, repairing the world is one of the things that really guides you. And what I want to ask both you and Dave is how has your identity as a Jew, also shaped your experience as a veteran, we talked a little bit about, you know, in the beginning about your experiences as Jews or maybe your family, being involved in the military not being involved, being surprised. But tell us a little bit about how your identity as a Jew has shaped your experience as a military veteran and as someone who served in our armed forces. Andrea Goldstein:   So I left active duty in 2016 and stayed in the reserves but left full time service because I felt like I had reached a ceiling on what I could really do for others and that be my full time job. I wanted to keep serving, I wanted to keep serving my country. But a lot of that actually had to do with the way that I saw a lot of my teammates being mistreated by systemic issues, whether they be cultural or policy. And I wanted to spend a lot more of my time actively putting putting more good into the world versus preventing bad things from happening. Because that's what you do in the military, especially if you're in intel, you try to stop the bad you don't do anything that actively promotes the good. And so I've spent the last seven years in my civilian career, either in nonprofit or public service, doing just that.  And about half of that time has been active either actively helping veterans, particularly women veterans, and people who have experienced sexual violence or other kinds of institutionalized harm, and currently serving members of the military. And I also firmly believe that our institutions need to live up to the ideals that we profess. And  I want our nation to represent the ideals that my family came here believing it had.  And so that's what I've been doing with my time. I spent two and a half years on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and helped write over 100 laws that particularly supported women veterans, members of the LGBTQ community, sexual trauma survivors, people living with PTSD, to help them get improved access to healthcare and benefits. And I'm also very proud that I've also had the opportunity to work with the IDF and provided some insight into the way that we've made some policy changes here in the US. Dana Levinson Steiner: Dave, tell us a little bit about your Jewish identity and how it plays into this experience. Dave Warnock:   Well, my unit was very diverse in many ways, not gender, because the unit was closed to, or  at the time that the MLS was close to females, so the unit was,  the job was all male. And, you know, part of the pipeline and being new and being a private is your identity is kind of like stripped away and melted down, you're built up as part of this team, your individualism is kind of knocked away. So when that process happens, you know, whatever is the more like forefront of your identity kind of consumes it. In a sense that, like, if you have a very pronounced southern accent, everyone's going to call you a country guy, or whatever. And if you're from New York, there's a guy from Queens, so like, everything about him became like, you're the New York guy.  And for me, it was like I was the Jew. Because that was the most forefront and center thing of my identity. Also, when you shave my head, I have a really big head. So it was all like, all my nicknames were either about having a big head or being a Jew. And then eventually, when I started to grow my hair back and settled more on the latter.  So it was always very central to my service, because that was me, I was like the company's guy who was Jewish. And that was not  meant in a derogatory term was more of like a statement of fact. And I think the only thing I really had to overcome was like, in 2005, when you're serving with people, like when I said it was diverse, you could be serving with people from all over the country, the US territories and guys from parts of the South I've never heard of, guys from the center of the country place have never been soldiers from Puerto Rico and Guam, like all over the world are serving in the US Army and then we have immigrant soldiers from, you know, Colombia, Nicaragua, Vietnam, like it was a very wide swath of representation and not very many of them had even met a Jew before.  So in a way I was like the first Jew a lot of them had ever met. And I think, you know, rewind back 2005. If you know anything about Jews you probably know like Woody Allen and  Jerry Seinfeld, which are exactly like pictures of guys you want in a foxhole with you. So I had to sort of maybe work a little harder to prove myself in the basic soldiering tasks, but like that didn't take very long. A lot of guys asked me questions about Judaism, because they genuinely didn't know. And I think one of the benefits of my service is, these guys take back their experiences with me, which I hope are positive, and then like, go back to wherever they're from. And they're like, if Judaism or Jews comes up, they're like, Hey, I served with a Jewish guy, he was pretty cool.  But I think that was very important to me, and why it's so important for Jews to continue military service, because you just meet people from all over the country that you never would have met before. And it broadened my experiences too, serving with those guys.  Dana Levinson Steiner: I think, hearing the story about how in many cases you might have been the first few that these folks have met is really important. I think in a lot of ways it helps to demystify, or in most important cases, maybe even act against antisemitic ideas or stereotypes. So I think that that's really important. And Dave, you and I have talked over the years, about how sort of the term of calling you a Jew was like a term of endearment. It wasn't in terms of a term of antisemitism. And in spending a lot of my time with this ACCESS Military Veterans Group, I've gotten to learn some of the interesting elements of how you communicate and what that can look like.  So I have just one more question for us. And I think it's really important to acknowledge this moment that we're in. On October 7, Israel experienced one of the most horrific tragedies in its 75 year history. It was and continues to be a horrific day for Israelis and the Jewish community around the world. As of today's recording, over 300 soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands have been called up for active and reserve duty.  So a question I have for both of you is, what is a message that you have, or that you can share, Jewish veteran to Jewish veteran. And I should even say just veteran to veteran because one of the amazing things about Israel is that there are many who serve in the IDF and who've been called up for reserve duty or who are in active duty who are not Jewish. They're a part of the Druze community. They're Arab Israelis. I think that's really what makes Israel such a remarkable country.  So tell us a little bit about perhaps your reactions to that day. And also a message that you have for your fellow soldiers in Israel. Andrea Goldstein:   I'm struggling to react because – the horror, rage, I'm just going to start crying on this podcast and not be able to actually give words. I was actually in touch on WhatsApp with several women who I've had the opportunity to work with who are veterans and reservists in the IDF. And there's definitely this kind of secret community of women around the world who have served in combat roles. Even if they weren't in combat, occupational specialties in their countries, where we know what we did, and our service has often gone unacknowledged and erased. And that service is also particularly called upon during the most desperate times, which we are in now. And the message that I have is we see you, we're with you and we want to run towards chaos with you.  Dana Levinson Steiner: Thank you so much, Andrea. Dave? Dave Warnock:   I mean, I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. You know, shock, anger. My wife and I are expecting our first child soon. And I didn't think we'd be having a daughter, be worried about like, I just thought, ignorantly, that these sorts of things were perhaps in the past. All I can say to those who are going to go serve is, keep your head on a swivel. Watch out for your battle buddy. All the things we used to say to each other then are still true now. Dana Levinson Steiner: Thank you. I think just knowing that you are in community with them, and that they have love and support is so powerful. And as I think both of you know, our ACCESS chapters are all over the world, including in Israel, where a huge number of our ACCESS leaders have been called up for active and reserve duty. So we're thinking of them in this moment.  And we're thinking of all soldiers as we approach Veterans Day, and we're so grateful for the two of you sharing your story with us and sharing your time with us and giving a voice to the more than 1% we will hope of American Jewish veterans and perhaps even encourage some folks who may have been thinking that this is something that's been on their mind, maybe perhaps it might be the moment for them to lean into that into that journey as a Jewish member of our armed forces. So thank you both for joining us. Wishing you a restful and restorative weekend. And Shabbat Shalom. Dave Warnock:   Shabbat shalom, thank you.  Andrea Goldstein:   Thank you so much, shabbat shalom. Manya Brachear Pashman: What would you do if your son was kidnapped by Hamas? In this heartfelt conversation with Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg Polin, they shared what they know about their son's abduction from the Supernova music festival on October 7th and the challenges they face in trying to secure his rescue.  Hamas terrorists are holding hostage more than 240 people from over 30 countries, which the couple describes as a global humanitarian crisis that world leaders are not treating as such. They shared ways that we all can keep the hostages' stories alive and bring them home. Go to AJC.org/BringThemHome to do your part.

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Welcome to The Atheist Experience! Our hosts Secular Rarity and David Warnock are looking for proof of God. Or Allah. Or Jesus. Or even Thor. Will they get it? Probably not, but you will be entertained!Peter from MA wants to talk about blasphemy, having humility, and where does that come from. Our hosts discuss how human beings need to be “checked”. That science shows us where we are wrong and to learn from being wrong. We all have limits in our knowledge, and that's a good thing. We are all human after all.Mason from Florida is asking why we care for animals, children, each other, etc? Unless some God or other outside entity gives us that love? Does this sound like circular reasoning? Yes reader, you are correct, it is.Lisa from CO is on the journey! YAY! And like many, has had these thoughts, moments, feelings that feels “outside” their own thinking/experience/perspective. So, how do we differentiate between what is our own minds and something “outside” of our minds? The hosts walk through the philosophy and the psychology of how we process information, how we learn, and how it manifests into our consciousness. Our brains are amazing! (though very flawed)Yoel from NY tells our hosts what he believes. Now, can God be the creator of everything and be everything? Confusing isn't it? Listen in folks, this is gonna be good!Ultimated Judeo Christian from Australia calls. He is saying words about his belief in his God and wants our hosts to convert. How does he do this? This show notes' writer is not sure, as he sounds like a random word generator. The hosts tried to get UJC to make sense. They tried.

Timmy has the honor of having a conversation with Author Dave Warnock (https://daveoutloud.org/) about his journey to unbelief and his ALS diagnosis. To order a signed copy of his new book, Childish Things, scroll down. DAVE WARNOCK Dave was caught up in the Jesus movement of the 70s and lived the bulk of his life as a Charismatic Evangelical, serving as a pastor on three different church staffs. Following several years of internal struggle, Dave came to the conclusion in 2011 that he no longer believed in a personal God. In 2019 he was diagnosed with  ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), a progressive neurodegenerative disease with an average 3-5 year life expectancy. Listen as he shares his story with Timmy on this episode of the Timmy Gibson Show! Childish Things, Dave's memoir about his 35+ years in the fundamental evangelical faith serving as a pastor and church leader and the  events that led to his deconversion and disbelief is currently available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, Kindle and Audible format (yes, read by Dave!)  Want a signed copy by Dave? Please send an email request to daveoutloud@gmail.com for details. (Please note that there is a limited time he can offer personally signed books given his ALS symptom progression.) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timmygibson/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timmygibson/support

What would you do if you knew your days were numbered? In 2019 Dave Warnock, one-time charismatic evangelical preacher now-atheist, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. ALS is a fatal condition, and with his diagnosis Dave had a choice to make: live out the rest of his life quietly waiting to die, or “live out loud.” That meant speaking publicly about his spiritual deconstruction, his disease, and dying without a belief in a god or an afterlife.Trigger warning: this conversation speaks frankly about death. We are grateful for the opportunity to share Dave's story with you, and for the time he gave us for this interview that we promise will move and challenge you. Thanks for listening! Now follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Threads. And become a Patreon supporter at www.podcastunreasonable.com. It's a small price to pay to keep America from becoming a theocracy, dontchya think?

On this episode of ONE NATION, ALL BELIEFS (subscribe links below): Dave Warnock was caught up in the Jesus movement of the 70s and lived the bulk of his life as a Charismatic Evangelical, serving as a pastor on three different church staffs.  Following several years of internal struggle, Dave came to the conclusion in 2011 that he no longer believed in a personal God. In 2019 he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), a progressive neurodegenerative disease with an average 3-5 year life expectancy. In early 2023, Dave, along with Bevin Jett and Sheila Hoover, founded I Am Dying Out Loud, a nonprofit organization with the mission to enhance the quality of life by advocating against the unwanted intrusion of religion in the areas of healthcare, dying, and death, and by providing “bucket list” moments for those diagnosed with ALS.  https://iamdyingoutloud.org/ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-nation-all-beliefs/id1686172926 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0HIjnVZjUwY8H1PD0M7F04?si=0964303c509d490f Megaphone: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/SWAJ1268297626?selected=SWAJ5941991368 https://www.au.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://swaj.supportingcast.fm

Dave Warnock is a Former Charismatic Evangelical and was the associate pastor of three different churches before coming to the conclusion in 2011 that he no longer believed in God. Dave is now an author, and the founder of “I Am Dying Out Loud” ( https://iamdyingoutloud.org/ ) who advocates for “a medical process that is free from unwanted religious overreach, and to ensure that every medical facility offers a religion-neutral environment. Additionally, they provide grants for “bucket list“ moments to enhance the quality of the remaining days for those diagnosed with ALS.”Check out his personal website at https://daveoutloud.org/Find his memoir on Amazon: “Childish Things, a Memoir” https://www.amazon.com/Childish-Things-Memoir-Dave-Warnock-ebook/dp/B09RV65F68?ref_=ast_author_dpHis series on The Line: https://www.youtube.com/@qnaline/featured_______________________________________________________________Find this episode, and others here:Website:www.growingupfundiepodcast.comSpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2EHJGf8kGbSV9SRbqsfYKSApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growing-up-fundie/id1602008078Amazon Music:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ad6ac91e-c2fb-47d6-8658-df8aed941eac/growing-up-fundiePatreon:https://www.patreon.com/sydneydavisjrjrBuzzsprout Subscriptions:https://www.buzzsprout.com/1908164/supporters/newYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5QuI5etVfbJoTVAhbRGMkADiscord:https://discord.gg/XQNG4nD5Our Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/GrowingUpFundie/More about the host, Sydney Davis Jr. Jr.sydneydavisjrjr.comThink you might make a great guest, or know someone who would be?Apply for yourself, or nominate someone here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHiy8KYW38tyKUD6MbFmOwCKdeWVHAbIA9qst1RBQf4rRPXg/viewform?usp=share_linkSupport the show

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4 Years after an ALS diagnosis, Dave chooses to make moments happen, such as hosting the 3rd Last Annual Beach Week.  Recorded from the Gulf Coast, he invited 72 friends from all over the place, many who have left their original faith.  We discuss his book "Childish Things" and how his new non-profit "I am Dying out Loud" will live beyond him.  SHOW LINKSSeason 2 ReChoice Episode when Dave and Joe first interactDave's Memoir: "Childish Things"I am Dying Out LoudDave's "Dying Out Loud" Message with All Souls Community Church of West Michigan (Unitarian Universalist Congregation) NOTE: Dave begins his talk at the 28 min mark  Support the show

Welcome back to the show! In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Forrest Valkai is joined by Dave Warnock!Our first caller of 2023 is Greg from TX who is wondering why it would be useful to prove the existence of God? What is the purpose of the “why” question that is always asked by host's on this show? Carlos from Argentine is calling to discuss the rise of Christianity in the Argentinian government and how the caller was persecuted for their activision the separation of religion and government. Rick from Canada believes that the theory of evolution is full of many holes including that Forrest can't disprove talking donkeys, horses, and snakes. Interesting hole you've found. The evidence indicates that it is of the rabbit variety. Bill from IL recently deconverted from their religion and is looking for advice about how they are going to tell their wife? Sir Delicioso from Canada has an argument for why the God of the Bible is good. Get ready for this tapdancing defense at justifying genocide.

Welcome back to the show! In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, JMike is joined by Dave Warnock!Davis from CO is calling to ask about what God or what kind of God atheists are rejecting. The caller states that they do not have enough faith to ascribe to “the atheist worldview” whatever that is.Julian from FL has a question about Job 38:16 and how it predicted the recently discovered geysers in the sea. How did we get to that out of this vague verse?Bear from WA claims that God's glory is indirectly derived from permitting a world, he created, where there is both good and evil. If he is either capable of creating a world where there is no evil or stepping in when evil is being committed for the sake of his own necessary glory, why should anyone think of this God as a self-centered, pacifistic thug? And unfortunately for you, without evidence to support the existence of this God that would otherwise act as your ideology's meat shield, your beliefs Bear, are abhorrent and disgusting on their own merit.Johan from FL presents a two-pronged argument that people should just support the broad concept of well-being, regardless of religious or non-religious belief. There needs to be a specific definition in order to actually assess the concept because well-being as a term is far too vague to make any judgment call. Well being for whom and based on what?James from AZ asks if science or atheism requires faith. Science is based upon evidence and testing and therefore doesn't fall into the same category as faith as its used when theists talk about God. Previous determinations of science do not become pseudoscience because they are proven to be false. They just are no longer the current determinations for a particular scientific field. Pseudoscience differs in that is not falsifiable (i.e. psychics).

Welcome back to the show! In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Forrest Valkai is joined by Dave Warnock!Charles from TX is calling to claim that Revelations 17:5 is the reason for all of the evil done in the name of Catholicism.Next is David from Australia who after decades of indoctrination is hit head on with the prospect of the religion not be true, or worse manipulative. The caller is struggling with pushing past their fear of hell from their lifetime of it being used as a tool to keep them in line.Luke from CA has a five premise argument to make God exist in our world. You could use this argument to make any literally any fantasy character exist in our world...doesn't mean they do.Believer in God (BIG) from WA isn't convinced that Atheists are actually real and those who claim to be Atheist are actually pretending Theists. They believe this because polygraphs.Diana from KS doesn't believe that Atheists cannot judge morality because they lack an objective moral standard. Appealing to an authoritarian moral framework can be nice because its easy to judge right from wrong, but it doesn't necessarily align with what might actually be right and what might be wrong in specific situations, especially if no justification is given or justification in the form of faith based threats of punishment.Ruben from TX doesn't think it is okay for Atheists to use the Old Testament, specifically verses regarding slavery to argue against modern Christians because apparently slavery was okay back then.Finally, Kyle from OH views the world as a complex puzzle, and if the pieces weren't placed in the perfect order and location, then life wouldn't exist. Therefore there must have been a creator because there needs to be an intelligence capable of solving said puzzle, but only here, not Venus.

I'm super happy to be reconnecting with my good friend Dave Warnock of "Dying Out Loud"--it's been at least 3+ years since we last talked last, maybe more. In the meantime, Dave has come out with a brand-new book called Childish Things: A Memoir. I listened to it on Audible, which I'd highly recommend as Dave himself reads the text. This makes his memoirs even more poignant, especially if you grew up in evangelicalism in the 1970s-1990s--the "Jesus Movement" and all that went with it. Dave and I discuss his time as a Christian, including his stint as a pastor of several churches; how he ended up deconstructing, becoming an atheist, and dealing with a terminal illness. I hope you not only enjoy this conversation, but also get a lot out of it too. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Contact Details Follow Dave on Twitter @dwwarnock Dave Out Loud Website Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018

I'm super happy to be reconnecting with my good friend Dave Warnock of “Dying Out Loud”–it's been at least 3+ years since we last talked last, maybe more. In the meantime, Dave has come out with a brand-new book called ... Read More »

Welcome back to the show! In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Shannon Q is joined by Dave Warnock!First up is Philip from Canada who is calling to answer this weeks poll question “Is the Holy Spirit something that is experienced outside the brain?” Why did God reveal himself to you and save you from overdose and abandoned others in your same situation.Next is Michael from KY who claims to have evidence for the existence of God which is apparently hidden in the “Book of Eli” with Denzel Washington, no doubt hidden in the secret number code Michael was transmitting throughout the call. Also Michael is God–the caller, not the Archangel.Next is Steven from AZ who brings up their experience of wanting to return to religion after suffering a near-death experience, and is wondering if the hosts have any experiences of their own or advice for dealing with this pull?Robin from DC is going to overturn our trailer for the show with a transcendental argument for the existence of God. God's revelation to everyone supports premise one for the argument that God exists. This sounds like an elliptical argument at best.Kelly from CA is calling to present an argument for the existence of God through an appeal to the physical, aka an argument from contingency.Zeleni from Europe continues the conversation of the previous call to pose the question if it is even possible for God to have the trait of pure benevolence. Thank you for calling!

Bart welcomes back Dave Warnock, who had a memorable first appearance in 2019 (Episode 419). They talk about his recently released memoir, his deconversion from Christianity and later diagnosis of ALS, relationships with family after deconverting, navigating the end of life, and avoiding the word 'just'.

Special Guest Author Dave Warnock Dying Out Loud On Death and Dying

Dave Warnock, author of the memoir "Childish Things," argues that moving away from childish thinking means embracing the complexity and nuance in the world. Fundamentalist thinking keeps individuals and societies in an infantile state of mind. We must move away from that if we are to progress.

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Dave Warnock is joined by Forrest Valkai!First up is Devon from CA who asks our hosts why tragedies, big or small, influence people's position on the God belief either one way or the other? Why do bad things happen to good people, and vice versa?Next up is Daniel from NJ who recently had a conversation about evolution with their creationist father, and felt scientifically unequipped to rebut the creationist claims. Creationism itself is a claim that requires evidence, and the truth of evolution is entirely irrelevant to proving creationism.Gabe from KY acknowledges that since their deconversion from Mormonism, they have struggled to put the magical thinking they utilized while religious behind them and engage in critical, skeptical thinking. The caller wants advice on how to rectify this, and apply skeptical thinking practically.Patrick from FL claims Atheism is a faith. Is it faith to say “I don't believe you,” to a claim? Patrick sure thinks so.Next is Timothy from FL is calling to ask our hosts when they think a fetus gains the rights of personhood, and what the evidence for that timeframe is?Rob from CA is calling to claim that science no longer supports evolution, and provides examples of naturally “unexplainable” phenomena to support this. Turns out, they are explainable. Oh yeah also, God flooding the world was 110% justified!Next is Joseph from TN believes that since we cannot know anything with 100% absolute certainty that we must need faith.George from NY who wants advice on how to converse with people who make unjustified claims, and are obviously unwilling to move their position even a little?Finally, Paul from MN asks our hosts if they have ever considered using Numbers 5:20 against Christians “pro-lifers.” As we have learned today, and almost exert episode, most Christians don't know their own bible, and those that do and hold that position will find ways to ignore specific verses that are inconvenient.

My guest today is Dave Warnock. Dave lived the bulk of his life as a Charismatic Evangelical, serving as a pastor on three different church staffs. But, following several years of internal struggle, Dave came to the conclusion in 2011 that he no longer believed in a personal God. In 2019 he was diagnosed with  ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), a progressive neurodegenerative disease with an average 3-5 year life expectancy. Dave is spending the days he has left speaking out about the dangers and harm of fundamental religions.  He also seeks to provide a safe haven to those questioning their faith, recovering from religious trauma or navigating life's tribulations as he shares his own perspective as a former evangelical, but now an atheist, facing a terminal diagnosis.  Dave has recently published a memoir called “Childish Things.”  I highly recommend his book.  I listened to the audio version which Dave himself reads and it's not only fantastically written, it'll make you feel like you are privileged to hear firsthand the events shaping this man's life.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll feel grateful for the opportunity to connect to Dave through this book.  And I feel honored to connect to Dave through this conversation.  We talk a fair amount about death and dying, subjects that are considered “dark and heavy” to many.  Having experienced the death of my first husband when I was 28, I find that talking about death and dying keeps me living my life well.  It helps me prioritize the most important things and keep coming back to them when I forget, as I'm all-too-easily prone to do.I hope you find joy and inspiration in this conversation.  If, however, for any reason you aren't in a space to step into this topic, please take care of yourself, first and foremost, even if that means you choose not to listen in on this conversation.  Dave, thank you for sharing your stories, your reflections, your wisdom… not just here on this podcast but through your book and your YouTube channel, the many podcasts you've been on, and through your other speaking engagements.  You are, indeed, an inspiration to many!Connect with Dave:WebsiteYouTube Channel Dave's published memoir: Childish Things  (I highly recommend this and the audio version is read by Dave, so that's extremely special!)Make Life Less Difficult

Terminally ill with ALS, Dave Warnock is committed to fully living the moments which remain. He discusses his life, his prognosis, and his new book.Dave's website: http://www.daveoutloud.comBook "Childish Things:" https://amzn.to/3aMw5tpVIDEO of this interview: https://youtu.be/H9MIrZabJvk

Dave Warnock, ex evangelical, diagnosed with ALS talks to us about his facing death and his drive to reduce our fear of death. His story is one of courage and he is an example to followsupport him at https://daveoutloud.org

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Secular Rarity is joined by Dave Warnock.First up is Sebastian from IL who is calling to voice their disagreement with Matt's bodily autonomy abortion argument.Next up is George from MD who is looking for advice for talking to their girlfriend who is a Young-Earth Creationist & biblical literalist. The caller wants to know how to go about approaching them about this subject to potentially start them changing their mind.Next is Karol from Europe who apparently has a certain set of conditions that apparently, somehow, help indicate that heaven and hell “might” be real. Loving these odds so far.Up next is Nikki from OR who is once again calling to tell everyone that they believe in God now after years of being Atheist, but still refuses to answer the host's question regarding why they believe.Vincent from UT is calling to discuss the relationship between humans and our flavor of consciousness, to use Secular Rarity's term, compared to other animals, and whether that flavor is a byproduct of our surroundings or god.Next, Anto from Italy has video evidence of flying people. Honestly wasn't expecting that–– one moment...Up next is Timothy from CA who wants to talk about the widespread misconception that science leads to the truth when all it is is a tested methodology that assists with limiting our biases while investigating reality.

In this week's episode, it's a day in a week, so we have to talk about another church sex abuse cover up report. Also, Dave Warnock joins us to talk about his new memoir, Childish Things. --- To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheist To buy our book, click there: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/ To check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticrat To check out our sister show's hot friend, God Awful Movies, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/god-awful-movies To check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/ To check out our sister show's sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/ To hear more from our intrepid audio engineer Morgan Clarke, click here: https://www.morganclarkemusic.com/ --- Guest Links: You can pick up a copy of Dave Warnock's memoir here: https://www.amazon.com/Childish-Things-Memoir-Dave-Warnock/dp/B09RMBWZX1 (For signed copies, you can email Dave at daveoutloud@gmail.com) Check out Dave's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/DaveWarnockDyingOutLoud Learn more about the Gulf Coast Secular Assembly here: https://www.humaniststlh.com/assembly --- Headlines: The article the diatribe was about: https://onlysky.media/wgervais/a-treasured-atheist-idea-that-reason-undercuts-faith-just-doesnt-hold-up/ SBC report details rampant sex abuse coverups: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/05/22/southern-baptist-sex-abuse-report/ Archbishop bars Pelosi from communion over abortion stance: https://onlysky.media/hemant-mehta/archbishop-bars-pelosi-from-communion-over-abortion-stance-this-will-backfire/ At ReAwaken America Tour, Trump-promoted 'Alien DNA' doctor says Joe Biden is dead and his body was replaced by demonic clone: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/05/the-reawaken-america-tour-is-the-start-of-qanon-2-0.html Taliban enforces order for Afghan women TV anchors to cover faces: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/22/afghan-women-tv-anchors-forced-to-cover-faces-under-taliban-order MI GOP candidate vows to ban contraception because “the Bible.” https://onlysky.media/hemant-mehta/michigan-gop-candidate-id-vote-to-ban-birth-control-it-should-not-be-legal/ and https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/02/michigan-republicans-give-terrifying-answers-on-a-landmark-contraception-case/ Preacher claims he “dissolved” his church's tax-exemption for political gain: https://onlysky.media/hemant-mehta/preacher-claims-he-dissolved-his-churchs-tax-exemption-for-political-gain/ --- This Week in Misogyny: More on SBC report: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/23/southern-baptist-sexual-abuse-culture-of-misogyny/ Pastor admits to “adultery” with a girl who was not an adult: https://onlysky.media/hemant-mehta/church-embraces-pastor-who-admits-to-affair-despite-victim-saying-she-was-16/

Welcome to another episode of The Atheist Experience. This week, Matt Dillahunty is joined by Dave Warnock!First up is Aiden from IL who is calling to update our hosts on their life since their previous call about dying with dignity.Next up is Cody from TX who wants to talk about the importance of the Secular Student Alliance and its role in normalizing atheism and providing opportunities for atheists to find community.John from Canada is calling to express their opinion on the overturning of “Roe vs Wade.” Your opinion has been noted; we thank you for your business. Next customer, please.Art from PA is calling to present an argument that Jesus isn't actually God. Flawed premises equal a flawed conclusion.Oh, Mykil from Canada is mad. Really mad.Next up is Tory from IL, an ex-Jehovah's Witness who lost everything when they departed the organization.Up next is Victor from TX who claims that God cannot be demonstrated by using reason, but can be using intuition.Next is David from AZ who is apparently super pro-choice, but still has questions regarding the rights of the fetus.Next is Ciel from OR who believes that deep, internal spiritual experiences are what drive people to God.

Thank you to our guest Dave Warnock for joining us! Find out more about Dave here:       Show Notes    

Thank you to our guest Dave Warnock for joining us! Find out more about Dave here:       Show Notes    

The Non-Prophets, Episode 21.14 airing Sunday, April 3rd 2022 featuring Secular Rarity, Genevieve, Kelley Laughlin, and Mateo el AteoWhat is this? Another first time conductor for The Non-Prophets? Secular Rarity's check has cleared and so we gave him a new seat on the show. Everyone give him a round of applause in the comments section! He is joined by Genvieve who works closely with friend of the show Dave Warnock. There is also a return of Kelley Laughlin who is starting to be a mainstay of The Non-Prophets. Rounding out the panel is Teo el Ateo who we can ALWAYS count on to fill in.Our first segment goes for the GOOOAAAAAALLLL of Evangelicals in Football in Brazil. For the few points in the world that might be confused, that is Soccer. Sports rituals can be an individual thing, but what happens when an institution is taken over by a god. Should religion be infused in football, or is football a religion?Up next we follow a Saudi blogger Raif Badawi who was imprisoned for 10 years due to ‘insulting Islam'. Could you imagine it? What would happen if the rest of the world adopted that ide… (MORAL POLICE OPEN UP!!) We then study a new poll where Americans say that they are cool with Jesus. His followers… well not so much. Could this be a turning point in ideas and politics? (flips the page) Oh… oh no… Well maybe next generation or two. Lastly, What is the happiest place on Earth? Is it Disney? Well a survey came out about what are the happiest nations on this planet. Where does America fall in? Who comes out on top? Spoiler, the happier you are, the least likely you believe in religious teaching.Well that about wraps it for this week. Go down to those comments and let Secular Rarity just what you think of his first time. Segment 1: Evangelical Football Evangelicalism & Brazil: The religious movement that spread through a national team BBC.com By Marcus Alves, March 22, 2022http://tiny.cc/goooooaaaallll Segment 2: Saudi blogger Raif BadawiSaudi blogger Raif Badawi, imprisoned for ‘insulting Islam', freed after 10 yearsThe Guardian, March 22, 2022http://tiny.cc/freefrominsultSegment 3:Hypocritical, Judgmental and Self-righteous oh my! New study offers Christian leaders both good and bad newsAmericans think highly of Jesus, but they reject his followers The Knoxville News Sentinel, By Terry Mattingly, March 24, 2022http://tiny.cc/jesusokfollowersbadSegment 4: The Happiness ReportThe happiest nations on Earth are strongly secularOnly Sky, By Phil Zuckerman, March 20, 2022http://tiny.cc/wehappysecular

Today I'm speaking with two people who've recently published memoirs about their lives in and out of fundamentalist/evangelical Christianity. Alice Greczyn, author of “Wayward: A Memoir of Spiritual Warfare and Sexual Purity,” is a former devout evangelical who went from homeschool to Hollywood. She's an actress and model with extensive credits in television, film, and print media. As a thinker and writer, she's the founder of “Dare to Doubt,” a website offering resources for those seeking to escape or recover from harmful belief systems. Dave Warnock, author of “Childish Things,” joined the Jesus movement in the '70s, became a pastor for many years, and then left the church altogether. Diagnosed with ALS in 2019, he's a frequent public speaker and podcast guest on the theme of “Dying Out Loud.” He's also the co-host of his own popular live call-in show on YouTube, “That GD Show.” I read their books last week, then found out Alice happened to be visiting Dave at his rented beach-house this week, so I jumped on the opportunity to interview them both together. “Childish Things”: www.amazon.com/dp/B09RMBWZX1 “Wayward”: amazon.com/dp/1632993546 Dave's website: daveoutloud.org YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/DaveWarnockDyingOutLoud Facebook: facebook.com/DaveWarnock.DyingOutLoud Instagram: instagram.com/warnockpa/ Alice's website: alicegreczyn.com Dare to Doubt: daretodoubt.org Instagram: instagram.com/alicegreczyn/ Twitter: twitter.com/alicefood This ad-free podcast is supported by Sam's Torode's books, including “Living from the Soul: The 7 Spiritual Principles of Ralph Waldo Emerson,” available at samtorode.com.

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by Dave Warnock!First up is Charles from GA who wants to argue that scientists and their dating methods are incorrect. Does the caller present evidence? No. Does the caller understand the science they are proposing is incorrect? No.Next up is Brian from NY who worships demons and claims that they are supernatural gods, and that there are demonstrable mechanisms to make them manifest. The caller submits that the spirit box is one such method, but fails to demonstrate that it is at all reliable in doing what it claims it does.Next is Andrew from ME who calls to propose that everyone worships something, even Atheists. While the caller admits that they don't claim to know what any specific individual worships, they do claim that everyone does to what they value most.Next up is Alex from Canada who objects to religious teachings that advocate for its followers to abandon all pleasures and enjoyments in life. The caller is starting to question their own beliefs and is trying to push past fears derived from their indoctrination.Jack from AZ calls to claim that no one can ever prove God because finding God is a personal experience. How do you know that these significant personal experiences are actually an answer from God, or just your interpretation of an irrelevant event?Next is Anthony from CA who wants to know where morals come from? There is no reason to assume that there is a book of absolute morals or that such hard-defined morals exist or are even possible.Stephen from CO is a questioning theist, but is still confused on whether morality applied to God due to their holiness.Our final call is Greg from Canada who calls in to provide examples of prophecy fulfillment in the Bible. It's not prophecy fulfillment if the prophecy is knowingly being fulfilled.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist Presents The Perspective! A weekly call-in show focused on positive skepticism and friendly discourse. We welcome claims of many varieties including conspiracy theories, the supernatural, and aliens! Tuesdays @ 7:00 PM CST Want to call the show? - Use your ☎ and call - 951-364-2430 (951-ENGAGE-0) - Use your

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Jim Barrows is joined by Dave Warnock! Happy 2022!Our first caller is none other than Matt with a post-surgery and recovery update! Good luck with the rest of your recovery!Next up is Aidan from IL who was diagnosed with MS last year, and has concerns with their religious family member's position regarding death with dignity.Up next is Paul from PA! Paul, first off...if you want to advertise your book, go and pay for ad space on (insert popular social media platform) or something. Next up, narrative sequels act as a continuation of an existing work. Sequels, by themselves, do not IN ANY WAY serve as evidence for the truth value of the original story. You can't use the original work to prove the truth of the sequel, or vice versa.Next is Nick from CO who asserts that “fine-tuning” is justified by physics. This call quickly becomes 2022's first case of the argument from incredulity. Just because we aren't able to investigate before Planck time, doesn't mean that a creator pulled the trigger.Up next is Michael is MD who, after three minutes of gish galloping while they attempt to pick a topic, finally settles on “catholophobia?” Apparently criticizing the Catholic church's criminal actions regarding moving pedophiles around is somehow catholophobic. Wow, that word is fun to write. Thanks for inventing that one caller.Next is Sliew from Australia who has an issue accepting evolution because they don't understand the definitions of mutation and how it differs from alleles. Open a biology textbook or at a bare minimum watch a well-researched documentary to educate yourself on the subject you clearly do not understand.Finally, Patrick from FL presents the watch-maker argument. How did you conclude that everything around you was created by a God? What evidence do you have to support the existence of said God?

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by Jenna Dave Warnock.First up is Mike from IN who asks how is blindly trusting experts any better a pathway to the truth than trusting in religion and God. No one should blindly trust anyone merely because they claim to be an expert, but should look at the data presented by said expert and compare it to other colleagues of their field. Religions rarely, if ever, present any data to justify their claims, so trusting them is by definition, necessarily blind.Next is Gohan from TX who wants to challenge secular moral positions. If you are calling in to have a useful conversation with the hosts, address the views they actually hold without referencing superheroes or other people that you are not talking to. You are either straw-manning the hosts or making what-if assertions that don't even have addressable data.Next is Tyler from NC who has a series of yes/no statements they want to present to the hosts. The statements are inconsistent with the definition of God the caller prescribes to or is at least presenting.Next is Jan from the Netherlands who wants to talk about how many civilizations have had their own version of religion at some point in their history. Because of the sheer number of gods presented, and the massive ends of the spectrum in terms of characteristics between them, it seems more likely that these gods were products of people who lacked answers to describe natural phenomena than they were real.Next up is K. K's alternate “mechanism” of addressing faith, if we can call it that, involves a lot of confusing circles, probabilities, and homosexuality...? K.Next is Kal from TN who asks where the line should be drawn with people whose beliefs don't align with a shared truth about reality, especially a truth that has evidence backing it.Finally, Guy from GA claims that the anti-science stance taken by evangelicals is the primary opponent to climate action that we are facing right now. Whether this is true or not, tying religion to anti-science positions gives evangelicals an excuse to wield their persecution as a weapon. It also may not have so much to do with religion as it does the general slide towards anti-intellectualism that has been occurring over the past 50 to 60 years.

Dave Warnock is a former conservative Evangelical pastor and church leader of 40 years, who began to question, examine and investigate his Evangelical Christianity faith claims 10 years ago. He came to the conclusion that those beliefs came up short and it took him several years to work through how to live without belief. He realized that this was his one life and there was nothing after. His motto became “Carpe the Fucking Diem” and he began living his best life. In 2019 Dave Warnock was diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative and terminal disease, for which there is currently no cure. He now spends the time he has left traveling and speaking about seizing the moments in our lives and approaching death as an atheist. Join us as we dig deep into this story and hear how he's navigating death with no fear of hell or promise of heaven. This discussion is hosted by Eric Wells, the RfR Support Group Director, and Todd Yoder, the RfR Helpline Director. Recorded in April of 2020. For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org. Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org. To talk over the phone, dial: (844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada If you are in need of professional help, we can offer the Secular Therapy Project to provide options to connect with a professional therapist. All therapists have been thoroughly vetted by our organization and offer only evidence-based and non-religious treatment. Connect with them at http://www.seculartherapy.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok. Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/recovering-from-religion/message

Your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist Presents The Perspective! A weekly call-in show focused on positive skepticism and friendly discourse. We welcome claims of many varieties including conspiracy theories, the supernatural, and aliens! Tuesdays @ 7:00 PM CST Want to call the show? - Use your ☎ and call - 951-364-2430 (951-ENGAGE-0) - Use your

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Matt Dillahunty is joined by Dave Warnock!First up today is Mark from OR who has a question about the difference between the scientific consensus and a fallacious appeal to authority.Next is GB from CA who wants to argue that the bible argues for divine hiddenness. How can we differentiate between God's desire to remain hidden, or whether they exist at all.Up next is Andre from MI believes that there is something greater than us and claims they can prove it. The caller's interpretation of how the universe around them functions, (i.e. the need to breath & and squirrels killing one another), indicates to them that there is a greater will/Next up is DJ from Canada who claims to have made contact with a soul. How do we know that the electrical feeling experienced by the caller is actually dead people, let alone a specific soul. As of right now we have no evidence to support the idea that consciousness carries forward after death.Drew in CA wants to correct Matt's assertion that the Bible says that “life is like dirty rags” when it does not. The caller gets one win token and immediately starts preaching.Charlie from TX believes that beliefs are supernatural because they don't exist tangibly. Just because they cannot currently be tested individually by science does not mean that they won't ever be, or that they are in any way unnatural.Next up is Ronald from MO who claims to have found the fabled third possibility for the divine hiddenness argument. The caller did not find it.Next is Josh from NJ who is struggling to come out as an atheist, for the wellbeing of both themselves and their family. The caller has noticed that anytime their lack of belief is referenced that their mother doubles down on their theism, and fears that this is indicative of what the future reaction will be if the caller fully comes out.Last up is Peter from Australia who is wondering if there are any legal ramifications for people who spew false prophecies or similar predictions.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist Presents The Perspective! A weekly call-in show focused on positive skepticism and friendly discourse. We welcome claims of many varieties including conspiracy theories, the supernatural, and aliens! Tuesdays @ 7:00 PM CST Want to call the show? - Use your ☎ and call - 951-364-2430 (951-ENGAGE-0) - Use your

Get ready to meet the new sensation in the atheist community: Genevieve! We have the privilege of chatting with Genevieve about her life experiences as a life-long atheist, how she grew up without an imaginary friend, and how it shaped the person she is now. She talks about her passion for science, being an emo kid in middle school, going from butcher to vegan, becoming a "born again atheist", and co-hosting a YouTube show with Dave Warnock. We certainly are jealous!..... But little does she know that being on our show will likely ruin all of her chances of becoming a public figure.... sucker!! You can find Genevieve's content on: - TikTok: @Genevievestiktok; - YouTube: Co-hosting "That GD Show" with Dave Warnock - https://www.youtube.com/c/DaveWarnockDyingOutLoud --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/support

Get ready to meet the new sensation in the atheist community: Genevieve! We have the privilege of chatting with Genevieve about her life experiences as a life-long atheist, how she grew up without an imaginary friend, and how it shaped the person she is now. She talks about her passion for science, being an emo kid in middle school, going from butcher to vegan, becoming a "born again atheist", and co-hosting a YouTube show with Dave Warnock. We certainly are jealous!..... But little does she know that being on our show will likely ruin all of her chances of becoming a public figure.... sucker!! You can find Genevieve's content on: - TikTok: @Genevievestiktok; - YouTube: Co-hosting "That GD Show" with Dave Warnock - https://www.youtube.com/c/DaveWarnockDyingOutLoud --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/support

Looking at the religious idea of “sin”, and what it has done to society as a whole and individuals, and the trauma associated with it. Dave Warnock is a former conservative Evangelical pastor and church leader of 40 years. 10 years ago he began to question, examine and investigate his evangelical Christianity faith claims. He came to the conclusion that those beliefs came up short and it took him several years to work through how to live without belief. He realized that this was his one life and there was nothing after. His motto became “Carpe Diem” and he began living his best life. Following a fatal diagnosis of ALS in February 2019, his motto has been turbo charged. Hosted by Eric Wells, RfR Support Group Director, and Sacha D'Souza, RfR Oceania Regional Support Group Director Recorded on April the 26th, 2021 The primary focus of Recovering from Religion (RfR) is to offer hope, healing, and support to those struggling with issues of doubt and non-belief. This transitional period is an ongoing process that can result in a range of emotions, as well as a ripple effect of consequences throughout an individual's life. We are here to help each other through this journey. For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org. Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org. To talk over the phone, dial: (844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada If you are in need of professional help, we can offer the Secular Therapy Project to provide options to connect with a professional therapist. All therapists have been thoroughly vetted by our organization and offer only evidence-based and non-religious treatment. Connect with them at http://www.seculartherapy.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok. Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/recovering-from-religion/message

In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Dave Warnock, a former Christian minister, and now atheist, who decided to live life to the fullest after being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. Dave shares with us his life perspective, one which is seen through the lens of an atheist, dying man. Dave talks about what makes life meaningful and how one should be able to have control over their own end-of-life decisions. Dave's official website: https://daveoutloud.com/ Final Exit Network: https://finalexitnetwork.org/ ALS Association: https://www.als.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/support

In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Dave Warnock, a former Christian minister, and now atheist, who decided to live life to the fullest after being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. Dave shares with us his life perspective, one which is seen through the lens of an atheist, dying man. Dave talks about what makes life meaningful and how one should be able to have control over their own end-of-life decisions. Dave's official website: https://daveoutloud.com/ Final Exit Network: https://finalexitnetwork.org/ ALS Association: https://www.als.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/burningeden666/support

In today's episode of the Truth Wanted, ExXtian Erin is back as host and joined by a very special guest, Dave Warnock, who is currently working on a memoir. We're happy to have you on the show and excited to read your story!Brian from Michigan is a lifelong atheist that can't fathom laughing at anyone else's belief. While we do believe that bad beliefs should be scrutinized, we would never laugh at the people who hold those beliefs.James in Washington is trying to heal a relationship with his religious grandma after a Holiday dinner went awry. Now he's left wondering how to navigate the resentment. Maintain boundaries and set aside conversations that ignite bitter feelings in the future.Kennita in California thinks atheists shouldn't use god as an expression because it might give off the impression that they are believers. Flippant expression is a normal part of human language. Let's pick our battles and leave this one alone.Marcus in Texas met a Christian this past week who believes in miracles and wants to plant seeds of doubt. Although you should never expect to change anyone else's beliefs, you can utilize tools like street evangelism to encourage them to examine their ideas with skepticism.Autumn in California called to talk about a social media storm over the definition of atheism. According to some, atheism is the assertion that no god exists. Let's keep working to de-stigmatize the term atheist so we can have more honest conversations.Sterling In SC wonders what it would convince us that aliens exist. We've got one word for you: Evidence. Show us the proof and we'll start to believe.Jamie called all the way from Australia to play around with some street evangelism. How would Christians respond if god commanded them to murder? We're not sure, but we hope it never happens.Great show tonight! Remember to always keep wanting the truth.

In this episode we discuss talking to the dead. We talk about the history of mediums, the tricks of the trade, and some famous mediums. We talk cold reading, warm reading, hot reading and all the readings. We talk clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and all the clairs. We discuss Sylvia Browne, John Edward, and the woman who inspired that Medium TV show. We also have a discussion with Dave Warnock about Dying Out Loud, and how we can enjoy this life without worrying about if there is a next one. Check him out here: https://daveoutloud.com/ https://www.facebook.com/DaveWarnock.DyingOutLoud Tweets by dwwarnock https://www.instagram.com/warnockpa/ And also click here if you want to hear Damien annoyed by a medium The Halloween Artie Party As always we are not experts, we just google this stuff. Hosted by Trevor Poelman and Damien Doepping This week’s episode is presented by Eternal Confidence, an interview series by Homesick Productions now available on Youtube. For more info and our references check out https://beliefitornot.wordpress.com/ Also follow us on twitter @beliefitornot, instagram @beliefitornotpodcast, or facebook https://www.facebook.com/beliefitornot/ Or email beliefitornotpodcast@gmail.com Support Belief It Or Not Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

This week's guest is former evangelical pastor and now atheist, Dave Warnock. What's Dave's story? If you know anything about him at all, you'll know that he travels all over the country speaking on the topic of being an atheist...and facing death apart from religious dogma.   A few years ago, Dave was diagnosed with ALS--a terminal illness. At best, he may have 3-5 years to live. But rather than turning his face to the wall, or cursing God for his disease, Dave is living life to the fullest...seizing the day...and helping thousands of other people face death with dignity, free from the constraints religion so often places upon us.   Support Independent Media like MindShift Podcast on Patreon!  MindShift Podcast Patreon Link   Contact Details Follow Dave on Twitter @dwwarnock DaveOutLoud.com   Follow Me On Twitter @MindShift2018 MindShift Podcast Blog

Dave Warnock was an Evangelical pastor and church leader for more than 40 years. He gradually moved away from Christianity, which came at a huge personal cost, including the breakup of his marriage, being shunned by two of his children, missing out on his grandchildren, and the loss of his entire community of friends. Earlier this year, Dave was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), and told he had three to five years to live. Suddenly, with the awareness that life is incredibly brief, his life became infinitely more precious. Instead of succumbing to the depression, anger, and hopelessness, he decided to begin living life to the fullest. In this poignant and often funny episode, Dave talks about what it means to be “Dying Out Loud.” Dave's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DaveWarnock.DyingOutLoud/ More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery? RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019 We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/recovering-from-religion/message