The Atheist Experience

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The Atheist Experience is a weekly show in Austin, Texas geared at a non-atheist and atheist audience. The Atheist Experience is produced by the Atheist Community of Austin.

The Atheist Community of Austin is organized as a nonprofit educational corporation to develop and support the atheist community, to provide opportunities for socializing and friendship, to promote secular viewpoints, to encourage positive atheist culture, to defend the first amendment principle of state-church separation, to oppose discrimination against atheists and to work with other organizations in pursuit of common goals.

We define atheism as the lack of belief in gods. This definition also encompasses what most people call agnosticism.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Recent Episodes
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Recent Reviews
  • User46451
    Get your fast forward button ready
    Great calls and discussion but too much filler of super-chats, cold open, host banter. When you cut the fluff the show is under an hour of content. When there is religion involved in the marginalization of people in the LGBTQ+ community the calls are interesting. When you’re doing an episode of The LGBTQ+ Experience then no thanks. If I want to hear all about how poorly humans treat each other there are many other ways to do that.
  • Will Stop
    SR, Man
    Hey man. You say man all the time, man. Man, that’s so annoying man. You talk like an idiot, man.
  • Derpsatchel
    Used to be all calls
    I still love the show, but it has gone from tons of juicy, interesting, thought-provoking calls and discussions, to… less of that…
  • Jimbozz
    Why
    I get more out of 5 minutes of a Christopher Hitchens interview than 90 minutes of this podcast.
  • Ceeshur
    Never thought id say I love this lawyer
    I love sitting and listening to the Cross Examiner, amazing name by the way, just the breakdown and how he talks with each person. The fact that he’s not talking at them but engaging in a conversation and always wants to remind them to break it down to a level that anyone can also follow is just 👌 I feel like all of the hosts overall do a really good job and have amazing knowledge and different experiences to bring to the table that really helped with talking and understanding other people. I do get frustrated with Armin sometimes though, I feel like a lot of it is anger and yelling at the person and cutting them off as they’re trying to talk so I tend to fast-forward those sometimes or just skip over them completely if it really feels like that’s how the entire episode is going to be. But I love getting to hear his knowledge and take on Islam
  • Mr. Boek
    Frustrated
    I am searching and searching for a podcast where I can learn ad grow in my journey away from theism. This show however is not that. They constantly interrupt callers to berate them and steamroll them. It is not a conversation it is a team of bully atheist who just gang up and spout their views. Truly sad I am disappointed.
  • Deppisch
    They’ve lost the thread
    I’ve listened to at least 300 episodes of this show throughout the years and I’ve experienced a decline in the quality of hosts and the quality of topics of conversation. Half of the show has become algorithm-focused engagement bait and poorly-timed advertisements. The hosts often resort to gish galloping and arrogance—not letting callers get a word in edgewise and/or pre-judging what their point is without giving them a chance to make it. What happened to actual conversation that tries to get to the truth? There are some good hosts and the occasional good episode, but it’s way too hit or miss to waste your time on.
  • imnml
    Woke garbage
    Complete garbage honestly. They lost me at "transgender kids". There is no such thing as transgender kids. Defending men in women's sports is nonsense, using backwards logic, and feelings over fact, what a waste of a podcast.
  • cryotoguy
    Not what it used to be
    Used to love this podcast when it was about religion, spirituality, and dogma. Many former hosts are no longer on the podcast and the quality has suffered in my opinion. Lately it seems to be a mix of discussing religion and spirituality with a lot of talk about sex and gender. I thought there was another ACA show dedicated specifically to the topics of sex and gender. However it seems to come up a lot on this podcast and when a caller doesn’t agree with the hosts it seems that the hosts get defensive, cut the caller off, and often times end the call. The hosts seem to push their own ideas on the subjects of sex and gender as though their opinion is the only acceptable opinion. Those that hold a different opinion are met with hostility. The hosts often chastise believers and label them as “closed minded” but on the matter of gender and sexuality the hosts often respond in ways that seem very close minded. I still listen but not nearly as often.
  • Belle Martins
    Just a thinker
    Nothing cannot make everything. Ya’ll need to checkout a guy named Ray Comfort. I’m not pushing but just one video on YouTube wouldn’t hurt🖥
  • Fiction isn’t real
    Listen and learn
    Virtually every host of this brilliant show brings something to the table. I’ve been an atheist for over 55 years now and greatly appreciate how the Atheist Experience uses such amazing logic and reason to expose all religions and their holy books for the nonsense and harm they foist upon the world. I’ve added this podcast to my list of game changers a year ago and can’t get enough.
  • SerialSara
    Used to be better
    The current hosts could learn a few things by going back and listening to Matt and Tracie.
  • ESFNYC
    Wow
    I wish everyone was as smart and curious as these guys. It makes me feel sorry for the callers. They are like fish getting shot in a barrel.
  • Furiousboy
    5 out of 5…for the Dillahunty era
    Not sure what’s going on now but they need a reboot.
  • AnthmWright
    Eh…bored now
    Lost a great host when Matt left. I grew bored after. Other things more interesting to listen to now.
  • Performancespring
    So grateful for y’all
    Cant thank yall enough for the time and effort yall put into these shows! Everyone is amazing to listen to…thank you! Oh and…I miss Matt terribly…its jus not the same without him 😩
  • dschauer12
    A lot of patience from the hosts…
    I’ve not listened for a super long time, but it’s also not surprising to me that the hosts eventually get a bit tired of hearing the same bad arguments repeatedly. If you wish to learn how to make a persuasive argument, you should listen. However, if you may be offended by someone saying you haven’t yet convinced them to your side of some argument, perhaps you should avoid this show. That being said… I claim that honest humans can learn from listening to these discussions.
  • Aelfred of Wessex
    Now with 100% less Jerk!
    Now that a certain permanently angry and prosecutorial host is off the scene, the quality of the show has increased dramatically. It’s so much better to see hosts treat people compassionately rather than as enemies of all that is good in the world.
  • Baddogma
    Better hosts
    The quality of hosts has drastically declined over the past ten years I hope the new ones are better
  • Life Long Non-belever
    Good show
    Good show, but the talent level for all the ACA show hosts has declined in recent years.
  • LAUTIRE
    Used to love this.
    The show just isn’t as fun without Matt.
  • N/A217
    Thank you!!
    One of my favorite podcasts.
  • Katietherd
    Not a fan of Matt
    Matt is seriously unhinged. Now that he’s gone the show is much better. Hopefully he left to get some therapy/anger management.
  • Selaginela
    No genuine curiosity
    Wow. The hosts are unbelievably dismissive, arrogant and disrespectful of any real and true conversation or debate. Hostile and unlistenable - disappointing.
  • blbar10
    🙌🏼
    👏🏼
  • DarkWingDuck2438
    If you’re up for challenging your beliefs..
    I am a former evangelical Christian turned agnostic. This show has been instrumental in breaking down the things I have faith in and whether or not I have good reason for believing those things. It gracefully handles ignorance, false info & unsupported “facts” & “arguments”. I’ve been delighted to hear several callers bring up arguments I once held to be “evidence” for my beliefs. The hosts have carefully & intelligently made mincemeat of them all. I want to shout out Jenna Belk. I recently listened to an older episode that she cohosted. A gentleman called in with some absolutely revolting things to say about LGBTQ+ people being dangerous to society & that they were taking away the rights of Christians. Jenna handled this call with class, grace & love. She didn’t yell, she didn’t insult the caller or become angry. Instead she asked more questions & asked the caller to question his problematic views & whether they comported with reality. I applaud her. I’m LGBTQ+ and I don’t know that I would have been able to hold my cool. If your approach to this show is to stick to your guns no matter what evidence is presented, this show will make you angry. If you approach this show with a willingness to be wrong, to say “I don’t know” & to be challenged this show could change your life for the better as it did mine. Thank you to everyone for your diligence, hard work, patience to keep having these conversations & continued fight to bring logic & critical thinking skills to the world.
  • Obsidian85
    Awesome content
    This is gold - I love how common biases are demolished in an instant ❤️
  • Ayo Tré
    It grew on me.
    I’m an atheist who listens every week. I used to be Catholic, and this podcast is a great replacement to Catholic Answers Live. It’s nice to learn about reality rather than theology. I had to get used to Matt Dillahunty’s fiery nature, but his arguments are good.
  • a.n.a.t.o.l.i.a
    Not nice people
    These guys have some idea of how to argue, but people are looking not only for arguments but what kind of people make these arguments. Some of these guys are jerks to their callers and this stops them from getting into complex, really good arguments. I wonder if they can’t get into them because what argument can you have about having an anti-opinion? What I would like to see answered is the question of where did everything come from? What started the Big Bang? To say something could come from nothing is as big a mystery that God is it not? Also, with one caller, they didn’t understand the argument that there are other ways of knowing besides science. That would be awesome to address. There can be no conversation if people think there are different ways to get to truth and one party is not aware of this.
  • free market maniac
    Pretty Good Show, But Wokeness Pollutes
    Pretty good show challenging believers in the supernatural to prove their positions. Spoiler alert: it’s impossible. The only issue I have is the religious dedication to woke themes and editorial.
  • BoJimJr
    Stupid show
    Aggressive God haters who reject anything Christians say.
  • Piotr1987
    Not what it used to be
    I used to be a huge fan of this show and watched every episode religiously. Over the past couple of years I’ve unsubscribed because it feels like they talk more about LGBTQ rights and veganism than atheism anymore. Such a shame they gone woke :(
  • _BlueWaffleYum_
    Used to love this show!
    Matt needs his own show. He is way to smart for these callers. He gets Way too triggered when they don’t answer his questions immediately…… changed for about 4 episodes, now he’s right back at it…. He’s like the atheist version of Darth Dawkins …. Darth Dillahunty
  • afleeg7
    My favorite podcast
    This is my favorite podcast and listen every week. I always learn so much and I wish I would have come across this podcast when I was still a pastor. It would have sped along my deconversion a bit. It is so honest and straight forward. I absolutely love it! I highly recommend. Matt is amazing and incredibly intelligent.
  • Dullahunty
    Matt asks for proof
    Matt has to keep people on topic over and over again. He can’t spend the entire time talking to the same person. I’m with him, get a pastor to call in and prove god exists. After all, they’re the experts. Matt would do to them what he does to all the ill informed. Listen to his debates if you want proof.
  • lotustat
    Tough but Fair
    Matt is like my father. Willing to teach, but doesn’t tolerate shenanigans. I love listening to him and the whole team every week. Thanks!
  • Zesty Fork
    Meh.
    Listened to one episode. The hosts kept assuming atheism to deny theism. Then they followed up by muting their caller, and refusing to let him talk or form an argument. The whole display was very childish. Just came here to hear good opposition, and two-sides arguments. Instead got an earful of cancerous nonsense and bullying. Audio quality is good, so that’s something, I guess.
  • Jackie77James
    LOVE THIS SHOW!!
    This is my first time listening and I’m completely and totally in love!!! ❤️❤️
  • Hiddcmsdf
    One way conversations
    I myself question the religion complex of the world and I thought that this podcast would be a place where two opposites would have a reasonable debate on the topic.... that is no longer the case. The hosts of the show usually reject all religious claims and don’t really give the religious callers time to articulate and explain themselves without being rudely interrupted repeatedly. While the host are intelligent, I simply believe they do not have the patience nor ability to hold a reasonable debate without interruption of the caller and just ignoring much of what they say and writing it off. The worst part is that they believe they are having fair, reasonable debates. This is a good podcast for those that have a strong distain for the religious. I have unsubscribed because I can no longer listen to out of sync, suppressed, one sided debates.
  • JB0727
    Unlistenable
    I came to listen to intelligent debate and insight. Wrong podcast I guess. After only a few episodes, I’m out. I don’t have time to listen to a host and guests repeatedly over talk the callers. Matt reminds me of the abhorrent Bill O’reilly. Unlistenable.
  • KnivesBoone
    Long time listener
    Highlight of my Sunday! Keep it up
  • cortjezter
    Used to be great; now just barely tolerable
    Ironically, the biggest issue this show has is that it's barely tolerable, amid the incessant virtue signalling and intolerant social justice warring. I get that the atheist community shares some similarities with other marginalized groups, but it doesn't mean all of those other groups' concerns are also directly relevant to theism and theistic edutainment. It's why the rich diversity of thought, personality, and talent abandoned the show in a 2019 mass exodus. It's why other shows like the once enjoyable Talk Heathen became unlistenable sjw tripe. Their varied hosts were the envy of every online show and reason behind the success of Axp. Now, we're left with a dollar and change of hosts; Matt being the full dollar, and the myriad others (to be generous) mere amateur Matt imitators adding their two cents each. Sadly, even the admittedly brilliant Matt is too omnipresent, and often seems to equivocate his many peripheral social views with the same irrefutable, immovable grounding of his theistic stances, to the point that should any caller step on (or even near) one those many sjw landmines and deviate from Matt's own views, the caller is immediately disqualified from participating in a discussion of theism; written off as some mentally unfit or ignorant fool incapable of or at least absent any reason. That, or callers are quickly dismissed because Matt already has a Patreon video on the topic somewhere else on the internet; again a one way conversation. Nearing my limit of tolerating the intolerance. What made this show great was diversity of host and guest. What once helped me was solid, consistent teaching of reason, not trendy identity politics or theatrical histrionics.
  • Csymtyr
    Used to love this show.
    Used to love it, now not so much. I just find that I have a very low tolerance for virtue signaling type behavior, and I feel that the show used to teach people how to think. But now, they tell people what they’re allowed and not allowed to think, under the guise of “we’re teaching you how to think”. I think logic should be applied to all circumstances. And the world is grey. But I find that too much of what the ACA supports/speaks about now is just “accepting” things if they sound social justice-y. And I believe a lot of the things they claim are “scientific” or supported by evidence they’re going to find out later, is false.
  • Labrat01
    So many more enlightening and educational Atheist shows out there.
    If you’re new to the program and a Theist, I would suggest only listening to shows that do not feature Matt. He’s a childish, blowhard. He’s no better than any average Atheist sitting on their own couch spouting their opinion. Why people think he’s hot stuff is beyond me. Other then that, the rest of the hosts can sometimes be worth listening to. However, I would never suggest this show to any Theist who might be looking to delve deeper into Atheism. The show is elementary at best. This is my Atheist opinion.
  • atropos twitch
    The best
    More of a show about how to think and not what to think.
  • GreeneTheGreat1
    One of the most important shows in podcasting.
    I found them on YouTube and can’t get enough. In a world lacking logic and reason, this is a huge breath of fresh air. Thank you for all you do.
  • Conservative Programmer
    Abortion
    Shannon and Matt didn’t even let some guy give his view on abortion at all. They let people give they’re views on religion but any liberal topic there is no alternate opinion allowed to even be expressed. These liberals have a freedom of speech issue. Obviously this is a private show that can do so but it’s a liberal problem and they are liberals. Shannon said that the guy should be willing to let EVERYONE have his blood and organs since he was advocating that a woman is responsible for the life that SHE started by having sex. The caller did not bring EVERYONE to life and is therefore not responsible for every life. How STUPID! I’m sure the caller WOULD give his blood and organs to his children that he is responsible for. Stop being so dishonest and stop silencing people that don’t agree with your POLITICAL views. Liberals use government like religion. They are just as bad as the religious conservatives.
  • FuzzyUsh
    Former fan but the show has become very hard to listen to
    This show used be great, but it seems like Matt has become increasingly unhinged lately. Gone are the days when Matt calmly and systematically dismantled fallacious arguments using philosophy, logic, reason and wit. Now, callers can hardly get a word in without being interrupted and yelled at. Don’t get me wrong, some people need to be hung up on - but Matt no longer has any patience for his callers. Maybe Covid has forced him to isolate himself for so long that he’s losing his mind, but the show is getting really hard to listen to.
  • DutchDuke201
    An Essential Podcast
    The country has a lot to thank you all for, as well as thanks to the ACA.
  • That_guy_24
    Frustrating
    Hard to listen to Matt. He’s so angry and disrespectful. If you like hearing conversation and not angry rants try David Smalley.
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