Ep. 115 - Peter Rollins ”Atheism for Lent 2021”

The Deconstructionists

John Williamson

Religion, Religion & Spirituality

4.4 • 823 Ratings

🗓️ 2 February 2021

⏱️ 77 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Guest Info/Bio: This week I welcome back our dear friend Peter Rollins to talk all about his annual Atheism for Lent course. To sign up for Atheism for Lent go to Pete’s website: www.peterrollins.com for tickets.Pete is an author, philosopher, storyteller, producer, and public speaker who has gained an international reputation for overturning traditional notions of religion and forming “churches” that preach the Good News that we can’t be satisfied, that life is difficult, and that we don’t know the secret. Challenging the idea that faith concerns questions relating to belief; attacking the distinction between the sacred and the secular. It critiques theism and it sets aside questions regarding life after death to explore the possibility of life before death. Peter gained his higher education from Queens University, Belfast where he earned degrees (with distinction) in Scholastic Philosophy (BA Hons), Political Theory and Social Criticism (MA) and Post-Structural thought (PhD). Guest (Select) Published Works: Insurrection, The Idolatry of God, The Divine Magician. Guest Website/Social Media:www.peterrollins.com Twitter: @peterrollins Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/orthodoxheretic Instagram: @peter_rollins Special guest music on this episode provided by: The Beach Twitter: @thebeachmusic Facebook: @thebeachmusic Instagram: @thebeachmusic Enjoy the songs? Songs featured on this episode were: “U.R. Beautiful, Toxic Love, Our Favourite Song, & Glass Houses” from the U.R. Beautiful EP. The Beach’s music is available on iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube, Spotify, and anywhere good music is found. Stay on top of all the latest at www.thedeconstructionists.com Go there to read our blog, grab a tee shirt, snag a pint glass or mug, follow us on social media, or join our Patreon family.The Deconstructionists Podcast is edited by John Williamson. This episode was mixed and produced by Nicholas Rowe at National Audio Preservation Society: A full service recording studio and creative habitat. located in Heath, Ohio. Find them on facebook and Twitter or go to their website for more information. www.nationalaudiopreservationsociety.weebly.com www.facebook.com/nationalaudiopreservationsocietyTwitter: @napsrecording Website by Ryan BattlesAll Photos by Jared HevronLogos designed by Joseph Ernst & Stephen PfluigT-Shirt designs by Joseph Ernst, Chad Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason TurnerSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-deconstructionists/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Transcript

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0:00.0	We can often go into the world looking for something that will fulfil us.
0:05.0	And nothing ever does in a lasting way.
0:08.0	But rather than confront that, what we do is we then find something that is always an ever-receding obstacle.
0:18.0	Because what's even more frightening than not finding something that
0:22.4	will satisfy us is giving up that very belief itself but that's what I mean when I talk about
0:30.3	atheism for lent and the idea that actually we have to give up that very notion if we're going to get
0:37.1	over it to something better and that's what we find difficult to give up that very notion if we're going to get over it to something better.
0:39.2	And that's what we find difficult to give up.
0:41.9	That's why in many ways, the gambler is not addicted to winning.
0:46.9	They're addicted to losing.
0:48.4	Because when they lose, it feeds the fantasy that if they won, it would be incredible.
0:55.8	But if they won all the time,
1:00.1	they'd make money, but they'd realize that it doesn't fill the existential gap, it doesn't take away the traumas of life. So there's this weird sense in which we can often become addicted,
1:06.1	not to the good, but to the bad, because the bad allows a fantasy of the good and we have to be freed
1:13.2	from that fantasy. I see this in unhealthy relationships a lot where someone will say to me,
1:18.5	oh, I'm just addicted to the good times. I know there's bad times, but I'm just addicted to
1:21.9	the good times. But often it's like, no, you're not. You're addicted to the bad times.
1:26.8	Because the bad times make you fantasize that that relationship could be amazing
1:31.3	if only you could get over these few obstacles.
1:35.4	And that prevents you from facing up to the fact that maybe no relationship is perfect
1:40.1	and you have to enjoy the mundane dimensions of life.
1:44.2	But that's a very hard thing for us to embrace.
	...

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