Shows
Humanize Me907: What are the limits of our commitments to others?"Bart, in your episode with Devin Moss you mentioned envying his role as a humanist chaplain for someone on death row, because he could throw himself into totally being there for that man, knowing it was only for a limited amount of time. That sounded easier to you than committing to love a needy person with lots of life ahead of them. That one strange comment has raised a lot of questions for me: Do we really have to be there for someone throughout every stupid thing they do? Why can't we just be there for an episode or...2024-06-2857 min
Humanize Me901: The power of self-disclosure in relationships, with Rich SlatcherRich Slatcher is a psychologist who is the current Gail M. Williamson Distinguished Professor in the Behavior and Brain Sciences area of the Department of Psychology at the University of Georgia. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, he talks about the power of self-disclosure in relationships, and the other factors which draw people closer to each other.2024-01-311h 22
Humanize Me820: Doing the next right thing - a listThere’s doom and gloom in the ether, and many people aren't feeling too great about the world. What to do?
Bart thinks the best move is to swing to the stoics, with a sense of separating what we can control versus what we can’t. Simply 'doing the next right thing'. Some things we can control: our next moves, our vote, our transactions, the ways we communicate, the protections we give our children, and what we pay attention to.
To the point of what we pay attention to, Bart has a list of recommendations for...2023-12-141h 00
Humanize Me816: A conversation across the faith divide, with Philip YanceyBart talks with prominent evangelical Christian author Philip Yancey, whose books have been instrumental in supporting the faith of many Christians and whose recent memoir, Where the Light Fell, led to this conversation. In it, the two talk about their upbringings, their faith journey and Bart's deconstruction of faith, their values and more.2023-09-061h 02
Humanize Me815: Revisiting anti-natalism... should people have children?Is it right, or not, to have biological children? The last time Bart addressed this issue in the podcast (Episode 514), it generated lots of passionate replies, including one listener in particular whose angry email we read aloud in this episode. Since we didn't feel we did the subject justice last time, or the people for whom it's an important question, we're revisiting it, having received some newer emails seeking clarification on whether Bart thinks humanists should be having biological children. (Content warning: there are a few swears within this episode.)2023-08-2852 min
Humanize Me813: Criminal justice reform, with Robert RooksRobert Rooks is the CEO of REFORM Alliance, a criminal justice organization focused on transforming probation and parole systems. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, he talks about seeing the hardships in his community growing up, and how he became inspired to start to work on systemic change. In the process, Robert lays out some solid, practical things that listeners can do to help.2023-07-031h 13
Humanize Me810: The implications of AI for humanistsIt was only a matter of time before we got drawn into the burgeoning conversation about recent advances in artificial intelligence. A listener called Steve asks: "What do you think are the implications of AI for those of us devoted to the human experience?" Although he doesn't have a clear answer, and admits a catastrophist's bias, Bart shares some initial thoughts in response and argues that, even if the rise of AI is a very bad thing for the world, it can nevertheless reaffirm our existing humanist values and amplify the reasons to create supportive communities.
Featuring...2023-05-1550 min
Humanize Me809: Morality for the rest of us, with Todd MayYou’re probably never going to be a saint. Even so, let’s face it: you could be a better person. We all could. Todd May is a philosopher whose work brings high-minded philosophical concepts - like how to live a decent life - down to earth in attainable, realistic ways. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Todd talks about aspiring to be decent, moral gracefulness, reasons for morality, intentions, honesty and truthfulness, happiness versus flourishing, altruism, the concept of evil, 'normal' selfishness, stoicism and Todd's work on The Good Place.2023-05-011h 22
Humanize Me808: Consciousness and liberal Christian friendsTwo questions are posed to Bart, the first of which he declines to answer! Iain McGilchrist is one of several prominent thinkers who seem to suggest that consciousness is a fundamental of the universe, and that reality may not be entirely physical in nature. What does Bart think of these ideas? The second involves a listener whose liberal Christian friend can't understand her atheism. How can she articulate her disinterest to her friend?2023-04-1733 min
Humanize Me806: How surprised would you be by an afterlife?After Bart's deconversion from Christianity, he has been a 'naturalist', lacking belief in any of the proposed deities and supernatural ideas. But how satisfied is he that he's right about this? How surprised would he be to suddenly emerge into an afterlife of some kind? Bart and producer John discuss.2023-03-2332 min
Humanize Me805: How God becomes real, with TM LuhrmannWe've recently been wondering about the movement in Kentucky that has become known as the 'Asbury revival', and the mass religious experiences that have been reported there in the last couple of months. We could think of nobody better to help us think about it than TM Luhrmann, a highly esteemed psychological anthropologist currently based at Stanford University. Tanya is known partly for her study of religious groups, including evangelical and charismatic Christians. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, she talks about the 'inner sense' of believers that their beliefs are true, how religions allow these experiences to form...2023-03-151h 09
Humanize Me804: How to think about Effective Altruism“Hey Bart, I came across an article on Vox talking about the movement known as Effective Altruism, and the fall of one of its star advocates, cryptocurrency exchange owner Sam Bankman-Fried. The guy had lost at least a billion dollars of his clients’ money after he secretly transferred it to a hedge fund he owned, he’s now been arrested for it. But what’s confusing is that his stated goal in life was to do good: he said wanted to make a lot of money in finance so he could give most of it away to good causes, specific...2023-02-2042 min
Humanize Me803: How the Bible shapes society, with Bart EhrmanWe're joined by leading bible scholar Bart Ehrman, who has written many New York Times best-selling books on the Bible and related topics. This conversation is, in Ehrman's own summation, a blend of the intellect and the heart, touching on many things including belief and disbelief, the way people misinterpret Scripture, the message of Jesus compared to that of Paul or the book of Revelation, how to relate to people who throw bible verses around, and many other things. Stay tuned at the end for a piece of the conversation that almost ended up on the cutting room floor.2023-02-061h 56
Humanize Me802: Bart is sick, but here's a hopeful thoughtIn lieu of a full episode this time, here's a short, hopeful thought from a sick-sounding Bart Campolo.2023-01-1907 min
Humanize Me801: The ingredients of a good media diet, with Vanessa OteroAwash in a sea of information and misinformation, most of us don't know how to navigate today's media landscape, especially when it comes to news. How do we know what sources we can trust? And as we enter a new year, if we approached it like a diet, what are the best and healthiest ingredients and recipes?
Our guest Vanessa Otero has thought about this more than most people. A former lawyer, she invented the Ad Fontes Media Chart, which places just about every news outlet you know (and many you don't) on an axis of political...2023-01-021h 13
Humanize Me720: I wasn't with my grandfather at the endBart and John respond to a question from a listener who, despite knowing her grandfather was going to die, missed his final moments and feels deep regret about it. Bart suggests she look at it as a gift from her grandfather which could serve her well for a lifetime: and a valuable reminder to all of us about the virtue of being present.2022-12-1632 min
Humanize Me716: My bad habits while alone make me feel bad about myself!Bart answers a question from a listener whose habits while living alone make her feel bad about herself. Bart thinks he may have some solid humanist advice as a first step.2022-10-2132 minHumanize Me421: 'Leaving the Witness', with Amber ScorahA classic episode! Amber Scorah was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. She tells the story of her 'deconversion' in her book, 'Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life'. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Amber talks about what it was like to believe fully, what it's like to disbelieve now, how her relationships were affected, the death of her young son Karl on his first day in childcare, her views on life now, and much more.2022-07-301h 35
Humanize Me709: Should I marry my Christian girlfriend?Bart and John respond to a question from a listener who worries that, having started a journey out of his faith, he is now becoming incompatible with his Christian girlfriend. Bart thinks their difference in worldview is a reason for lots of caution and reflection, while John wishes romance could rule the day. Along the way, they land on some ancient advice: ‘Know thyself!’2022-07-1547 min
Humanize Me706: Bart gets his tarot read by a witchBart and chaos witch Vanessa Walilko discuss her playful approach to belief, and to helping others through witchcraft. Bart, a witchcraft sceptic, even gets his tarot read! Find out more about Vanessa and her work at https://linktr.ee/kalibutterfly2022-06-031h 09
Humanize Me704: On open relationshipsBart muses an experience he's heard recently: a former Christian who, in the process of re-evaluating their lives, begins to consider opening their relationship. Is it a good idea? Bart has seen it work, but has lots of words of caution.2022-04-1548 minHumanize Me618: Should we form friendships with people who don't share our values? with Chrissy StroopChrissy Stroop is a writer and scholar who, despite being an 'exvangelical', remains interested in, and critical of, evangelical culture. When she recently mentioned Bart Campolo in an article, we reached out to ask her if she wanted to have a conversation about how evangelicals think and talk about those who leave the faith. But the conversation took a different turn, becoming a friendly disagreement over whether or not we should try to form friendships with people who don't share our core values, or when there's a big ideological divide. Chrissy, a trans woman, thinks not, because she doesn't...2021-11-021h 20
Humanize Me616: Using emotional intelligence like a hostage negotiator, with Derek GauntDerek Gaunt in an educator and author with 20 years of experience as a hostage negotiator for law enforcement agencies in the Washington DC metro area. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Derek talks about 'tactical empathy', emotional intelligence, controlling how someone feels about you, building trust, truly listening to someone's story, understanding motivation, looking for hidden messages and meaning, how to respect the person even if you don't respect their decisions or actions, and how to focus on what's important in the time you have with someone.2021-09-231h 10
Humanize Me613: Mental Immunity, with Andy NormanDoes the mind have an immune system? It turns out it does, according to Andy Norman, who applies the emerging science of cognitive immunology to our divided, post-truth culture. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Andy is pushed to explain how the concepts in his book 'Mental Immunity' can help people navigate our chaos of disinformation, propaganda, hate, and division.2021-07-181h 33
Humanize Me611: Israel and Palestine, with Salwa Duaibis and Gerard HortonBefore recent events in Israel and Palestine, Bart Campolo had this conversation with Salwa and Gerard of an organization called Military Court Watch in Jerusalem. In it, we hear about Salwa's experiences growing up in the region, and what drew Gerard to working there as an attorney. There are no easy answers about the conflict there, and we don't offer any in this episode. But human rights, humanist ideas and a focus on children are highlighted in a very insightful way.2021-06-011h 49Humanize Me609: Lost Connections, with Johann HariJohann Hari is an international best-selling author, journalist and thinker who has written two books we especially love: Chasing the Scream (about drugs and addiction) and Lost Connections (about what produces depression). So he may be one of the most fitting guests we've had. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Johann talks about the purpose of pain, the value of community, understanding despair, how people learn social skills and friendship, why our intuitions on addiction may bewrong and our intuitions on depression may be right, the psychological poisons in our culture, releasing shame as an antidepressant, and much more...2021-04-301h 49Humanize Me608: Transgender listener calls us out......in the nicest possible way. On a recent episode, Bart Campolo casually referred to a bar full of people you might like to strike up a conversation with, saying, 'There's a woman, there's a man, there's a woman who used to be a man.' A trans woman called Rya wrote us an email, in the process giving us the perfect model for how to address someone you disagree with. It was so perfect we thought we'd share it. Also on this episode, the music of New Tycoon (a song called Ancient from the album Wholiness).2021-04-1533 min
Humanize Me607: Political Junkies, with Claire PotterHow do we recapture political nuance, thoughtfulness and open-mindedness at a time when alternative media has hooked us on politics and broke our democracy? Claire Potter is a Professor of History and co-Executive Editor of Public Seminar at The New School for Social Research in Greenwich Village, New York City. In this conversation, she and Bart Campolo talk about the state of our political discourse and the attitudes that can promote the change we all want to see.2021-04-091h 23
Humanize Me604: Constructive disagreements, with David C. SmalleyHow can we learn to have our disagreements across ideological divides more constructively and respectfully? David C. Smalley may be something of an expert at this point, having conducted hundreds of long-form conversations - many of them with Christians - on his podcast for the last 11 years. In this episode with Bart Campolo, David talks about how he approaches these on-air disagreements, and what allows him to stay friends with many of his guests after they hang up the phone.2021-02-171h 10
Humanize Me602: Coping with insecurity, with songwriter Ali TamposiWhat does it take to cope in a high-pressure, competitive environment... without falling into harmful behavior? Ali Tamposi is a grammy-nominated songwriter who has written for some of the biggest names in pop music: Kelly Clarkson, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, John Legend, Ozzy Osbourne and many others. She's also Bart Campolo's daughter-in-law-to-be. Bart and Ali talk about what it's like to be in a songwriting session, how high-pressure, competitive environments can bring out everyone's insecurities, the better of her two coping strategies, how gender plays a role, how a good key relationship can make all the difference, and how...2021-01-1451 minHumanize Me527: Stream of consciousnessBart gives a stream-of-consciousness update from under his rock, including stark thoughts about the recent attempted suicide of a close friend, an unexpected gift from another, and an attempt to recenter around gratefulness. The classic article on chess Bart mentions (circa 1992) can be found at https://vault.si.com/vault/1992/03/02/the-child-is-the-master-playing-a-young-chess-prodigy-rekindled-the-authors-love-for-the-game2020-11-1734 min
Humanize Me521: Christian culture, authenticity and Mega, with Holly Laurent and Greg HessMega is an improvised satire from the staff of a fictional mega church, hosted by Holly Laurent and Greg Hess. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Holly and Greg talk about satirizing American Christianity, what makes it funny, and the mental gymnastics it takes to twist Jesus into a capitalist. But it doesn't take long before they're also talking - very personally - about being haunted by the evangelicalism of childhood, how to live authentically, recovery from trauma, undoing some of the Christian cultural lessons about sexuality after you're married, marriage itself and more.2020-08-261h 20
Humanize Me519: 'Tragic optimism' by Esther Perel, unauthorized edit by Bart CampoloA recent blog post by Esther Perel caught Bart Campolo's eye. In this brief, bonus episode, Bart reads his unauthorized edit of Perel's piece, which is about what we've lost in the pandemic, and how to cultivate collective resilience and 'tragic optimism'. Perel's original essay can be found at: https://estherperel.com/blog/anticipatory-grief?fbclid=IwAR3rD-qfdtNrUdQPgehl2f6156YJOEMTNooRjgZIaOcNtrUw1D5mnXuXxPM2020-08-0611 min
Humanize Me518: Speech, tolerance and open debates, with Mark Oppenheimer (Part 1)Mark Oppenheimer is a friend of this podcast who is a signatory to a recent open letter published by Harper's Magazine, in praise of open debate and tolerance for differing opinions, and against some aspects of 'cancel culture', dogmatism and censoriousness. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Mark chats about why he signed the letter, the limits and boundaries of free speech, the likeliest paths to progress, the effects of added scrutiny on writers at present and some of the reasons he thinks liberals have gotten less 'liberal'.
Read the letter at:
https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/2020-08-041h 01Humanize Me517: Is intimacy possible between people who have different worldviews?'Hi Bart, I know in your podcast you talk a lot about people in 'suddenly interfaith' marriages, where one is a believer and the other has since left, and obviously there are obstacles, but what I want to know is: Does anything work? Is intimacy possible between people of radically different worldviews?' Bart's perspective: Sometimes. And there are some things that make it harder and other things that make it easier.2020-07-201h 05
Humanize Me516: Should we deconvert people on the brink? with Leah HelblingLeah Helbling is a close friend of Humanize Me and a member of the team at the humanist community Cincinnati Caravan with Bart Campolo. In this episode, the two chat about Leah's instinct to attempt to 'deconvert' those who are questioning their faith, and Bart's belief that many people are better off staying where they are. The friendly disagreement started when Bart answered a question in Episode 504 from a listener called Craig who found himself in that position.2020-07-011h 11
Humanize Me513: Heaven and hell, with Bart EhrmanWhere did our popular ideas of heaven and hell come from? Did Jesus teach a doctrine of eternal torture? How did our ideas of the afterlife evolve? Bart Ehrman is the author of over 30 books, including six New York Times bestselling books explaining critical biblical scholarship to a popular audience. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Ehrman talks about the difference between agnosticism and atheism and why he considers himself both, why the words translated 'hell' don't mean what we think they do, how Jesus talked of 'eternal life', the early church theology of heaven and hell, how Jews...2020-05-131h 19
Humanize Me510: "You're out to ******* lunch, dad," with Roman CampoloIt's been a hard week for Bart! Episode 509 of this podcast featured his conversation with Michael Dowd, a fellow 'apocalyoptimist' who shares Bart's belief that a great societal collapse is inevitable, and that the current pandemic represents the beginning of a difficult time for humanity. Bart's son Roman Campolo listened, and hated the episode. Not only did Roman have strong criticisms of Dowd, collapse-thinking, and the tone and content of the conversation itself, but he feels that Bart is wasting his unique skill set and intellect on apocalyptic thinking at a time when he could be applying himself to...2020-04-101h 20Humanize Me509: Post doom, with Michael DowdThree years ago to the week, Michael Dowd talked with Bart on this podcast about our modern way of life, sustainability and the future of civilization. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Bart could think of nobody he wanted to talk to about it more than Michael, so he's back! In this conversation, Bart and Michael talk about their shared sense that the pandemic will be followed by an economic recession or even depression, and that it signals the beginning of the end of our current way of life.2020-04-051h 12Humanize Me508: Connecting from afarBart and John are socially distancing, like most of America. What does that mean for our all-important human connections? In this episode, Bart talks about his humanist community, Caravan in Cincinnati, and how they're handling the crisis. Bart emphasizes the importance of listening to each other, reaching out, asking how people are doing and genuinely hearing the answer, and more.2020-03-261h 02
Humanize Me507: Initial thoughts on an emerging global crisisIt was a bad week to be away. But while Bart Campolo was gone on a family trip, the world changed. After coming back, Bart shares his thoughts about the emerging global crisis being caused by COVID-19. Quick note: We briefly talk about our worst fears for our modern way of life, including Bart's long-held belief that the economy is unsustainable and could collapse into an economic depression. If you don't want to hear negative thoughts right now, and want to go straight to the more hopeful and practical stuff, skip at 9:42 and resume at 14:35.2020-03-1859 min
Humanize Me506: When to tell people you've deconverted, and 2 other questionsOn this Q&A episode of the podcast, we take 3 questions in a row! Question 1 is about why Bart decided to tell his parents he wasn't a Christian anymore at the time he did, and how the calculation would have been different if he wasn't a 'professional Christian'. Questions 2 is about starting humanist communities like Caravan in Cincinnati. Bart talks about Caravan and how one may go about using it as a template for new communities. Question 3 is about the impulse to avoid hanging with old friends one doesn't see much anymore, who you suspect may want to change yo...2020-03-0339 minHumanize Me503: Rituals and our nature, with Sasha SaganIn previous episodes of this podcast, we've established that rituals are important. But why? And how is it connected to our own nature, and the nature around us? Sasha Sagan has written a book all about the subject. It would be hard to imagine a more 'Humanize Me' book, and by such a gifted communicator! In this conversation, Bart Campolo talks with Sasha about the kinds of rituals we have, how they operate for secular people, encouraging deeper thinking about why we mark the occasions we do, and how to create good conversations around them. Sasha Sagan is a...2020-02-021h 25
Humanize Me502: On answering your questionsBart Campolo has been a counselor in one context or another for many decades. As listeners to this podcast, we invite you to submit your questions! Are you looking for advice about a relationship in your life? Got a friend in a predicament? Want to know how to handle a situation? Call us at the number on our site - HumanizeMePodcast.com - or write your message at BartCampolo.org/Contact.2020-01-2247 min
Humanize Me439: Faith and the post-believerIt's an end-of-the-year podcast from Bart Campolo, who answers a question from a listener called John. John wants to know whether faith (of a sort) can still be useful for a post-Christian, whether believing something without evidence can sometimes have its benefits. Bart answers with a riff on the difference between optimism and hope, and thinks about its applicability to the new decade we're going into this week.2019-12-3033 min
Humanize Me438: Christian climate skeptics and why rhetoric matters, with Emma BloomfieldEmma Bloomfield researches the intersection of science and religious rhetoric, particularly around issues of climate change, human origins and the body. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Emma talks about how Christians tend to think differently about science and the environment, the three ‘types’ of religious climate skeptic (separators, bargainers and harmonizers), the similarities and differences between creationists and climate change skeptics, how language matters, how ideological 'purity' and orthodoxy can push people away from contributing to positive change, the importance of storytelling, and why she feels hopeful after her conversations with the groups she wrote about.2019-12-231h 02
Humanize Me437: Three questions about navigating the holidays after faithThanksgiving has been and gone, and now we're into a whole month of Christmas in America. How does one navigate a time that can be very tricky for those who have deconverted from faith? In this Q&A episode of our podcast, Bart Campolo tries to answer three questions related to being post-faith at the holidays.2019-12-0640 minHumanize Me436: A Christian with 'Zero Theology', with John TuckerJohn Tucker used to be a literalist Christian, but says he has now rejected the 'belief paradigm' to move beyond either accepting or rejecting the claims of religion. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, John lays out how he sees truth now, and says that he thinks religious claims should be expressed only as catch-22s. An example of a catch-22: 'The only acceptable evidence for religious belief is evidence that is unacceptable.' Confused by this, Bart explores what John means by it.2019-11-131h 05
Humanize Me434: Unveiled, with Yasmine MohammedYasmine Mohammed wore the hijab from the age of 9, but never felt comfortable as a Muslim. Now, having been out of the faith for many years, she's able to reflect on her remarkable life, on the Islamic world and on religious indoctrination in general. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Yasmine talks about the differences between Islam and Christianity, the powerful, debilitating effect she felt of being covered from head to toe, how easy it is to indoctrinate children, how western governments protect subjugation out of cultural sensitivity, how western liberals protect abusive behavior, how corporations are demonetizing her...2019-10-261h 26Humanize Me433: Should it worry me that the government is demonizing secular people?The question being asked this week: 'Hey Bart, I listened to a speech by Attorney General William Barr at Notre Dame University, in which he denounced ‘militant secularists’ and said they were trying to destroy the ‘traditional moral order’. Does this worry you as much as it does me?' Bart Campolo sits down with John Wright to answer this question, and - spoiler - it's a resounding 'Yes.'2019-10-1835 min
Humanize Me432: The meaning of cartoons, with Josh 'Phantom' StriderJosh 'Phantom' Strider is an Australian YouTuber known for his commentary on cartoons. He's also an avid listener of the Humanize Me podcast and one of our supporters on Patreon! In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Josh talks about the secularism of Disney, the messages of VeggieTales, the importance of cartoons for those like him on the autism spectrum, the business model of YouTube, Hank Green and the online content ecosystem.2019-10-0859 min
Humanize Me431: SALMAGUNDI!A solo podcast by Bart Campolo with poetry, songs and nepotism.2019-09-2434 min
Humanize Me430: What It Means to Be Moral, with Phil ZuckermanHow do we decide whether it's good or bad to intervene in global warming or growing inequality? Or how to treat our dog? Phil Zuckerman has written a new book giving a foundational framework for secular - nonreligious - morality. In this conversation Phil talks with Bart Campolo about the four reasons you can't get morality from God, and the ways to build a secular ethic that, he thinks, is a better one. They discuss the problems with a God-based morality, the Euthyphro Dilemma and the nature of morality itself. They get into a debate about how objective morality...2019-09-091h 09
Humanize Me429: Changing Minds Part II, with David FleischerIn Episode 423 of this podcast, David Fleischer talked with Bart Campolo about changing minds with the methodology of 'deep canvassing.' In this episode, David returns! He and Bart talk about the next election, Trump as the opposite of loving and humanist, how to encourage people to vote without shaming them about not voting last time, how the lessons of deep canvassing relate to the conversations people are having about faith in God, and more.2019-08-281h 21
Humanize Me427: Recovering from Religion, with Gayle JordanGayle Jordan is the Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Recovering from Religion, which connects people with support on their journeys out of religious faith. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Gayle talks about her own deconversion story, the work of her organization, the helpline it operates, the common issues people face after losing or leaving faith, and encouraging people to get involved.2019-08-071h 07
Humanize Me426: Most meaningful episodes of other podcastsIn this episode, Bart Campolo talks about the most meaningful or humanizing episodes of other podcasts. It's 20 minutes of thoughtful recommendations! Here are the individual episodes we recommend most highly. To hear why they're recommended, listen to the episode! Enjoy.
Hidden Brain: Creating God and The Vegetable Lamb
RadioLab: From Tree to Shining Tree
WTF with Marc Maron: Irwin Winkler
The Daily: The Legacy of Rachel Held Evans
On Being: Rebecca Solnit and Alain de Botton
The Moth: Leaping Forward
Making Sense with Sam Harris: C...2019-08-0130 min
Humanize Me425: Fathers and their sons, with Roman CampoloNot every family allows you to listen in on their personal conversations. But in this episode, Bart Campolo sits down with his son Roman where they talk about fathers and sons, Bart's relationship with his dad Tony, competitiveness, choosing diplomacy over conflict, Bart's self-identity as a guy who doesn't put his best effort into succeeding, and the question of whether changing situations is easier than changing your resilience to them. Part 2 of this conversation can be found on Patreon.com/HumanizeMe.2019-07-2648 min
Humanize Me424: Making the most of life, with Hemant MehtaThis classic conversation with The Friendly Atheist, Hemant Mehta, is one of the most shared episodes we've ever done. Hemant talks with Bart Campolo about squeezing more life out of our awareness of death, and making the most of the precious opportunity we have in our moments of consciousness.2019-07-151h 12
Humanize Me423: How to change someone's mind, with David FleischerWant to change someone's mind? David Fleischer, of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, has discovered more reliably than perhaps anybody else how to do it. As he puts it: 'We’re the first to reduce any form of prejudice in a measurable, long-lasting way with a relatively simple intervention: a 10 minute one-on-one conversation that we call deep canvassing.' In this episode of Humanize Me, David joins Bart Campolo for a conversation about his background story, how he started experimenting with different ways to talk to the people who voted against them on California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage in 2008, hi...2019-07-0558 min
Humanize Me422: What if I find other people boring?On Episode 420, we answered a question from a listener about gaining confidence in social situations. Bart Campolo's advice centered around showing curiosity in others, and making the interactions about the other people. But what if you don't find other people interesting? What if you're not curious at all about the people in these social settings? How should one cultivate such curiosity? In this episode, Bart has lots of thoughts in a row.2019-06-2641 min
Humanize Me421: 'Leaving the Witness', with Amber ScorahAmber Scorah was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. She tells the story of her 'deconversion' in her book, 'Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life'. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Amber talks about what it was like to believe fully, what it's like to disbelieve now, how her relationships were affected, the death of her young son Karl on his first day in childcare, her views on life now, and much more.2019-06-181h 36
Humanize Me419: Restoration after tragedy, with Dr. Kate WiebeWhen a tragedy happens, people tend to run from the pain. Dr. Kate Wiebe runs toward it. Kate is the founder and director of the Institute for Trauma and Growth, which started with a focus on faith communities and has since expanded. When a mass shooting, disaster or other tragedy strikes, Kate and her team deploy to teach leaders restorative strategies for personal and group growth. In this episode, Bart Campolo talks with Kate about what she's learned about trauma and crises, why people don’t go to counseling, collective trauma, the bond of survivors, healing, the role of fa...2019-06-0549 min
Humanize Me416: Why do we hurt those we love?Why are we meanest to those we're closest to? 'Facebook Bob' asks whether we're monsters for this tendency, or whether we simply don't think there'll be any significant consequences for lashing out. Bart Campolo and John Wright talk about it, and the need for greater self-awareness.2019-05-0844 minHumanize Me415: The social impact of the internet, with Hank GreenWay back in April 2017, Hank Green joined us on the podcast. But chances are, many of you who listen in 2019 have never heard it! On this week's episode, Bart Campolo introduces that classic conversation, in which he and Hank talk about individuals versus groups, how to get on the same page with people in your life, how to make the most of your talents and opportunities, and how to humanize the internet. Hank Green is a web content producer, vlogger, and now author. His new book, out now, is called An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.2019-05-021h 41
Humanize Me414: Where was Bart last week? Grief and the Platinum RuleWhere was Bart last week, why didn't he answer anyone's emails or calls, and why didn't we release a new episode of the podcast? That's what producer John Wright demands to know at the start of this week's Q&A episode. In response, Bart lets us in on a week of private grief, and some of the thoughts that accompany it. We finish the episode with a 10-minute guided meditation / thought exercise with the aim of helping us love others more effectively.2019-04-2442 min
Humanize Me413: Help! My daughter is interested in a boy!A listener question prompts Bart Campolo to give some advice about how to open up good conversations with your children about sex and relationships. Our listener is the mother of a 12 year-old girl, who, it is discovered, is interested in a boy at school. The girl's father is panicking and concerned while the mother simply wants to ask how to keep her daughter out of trouble.2019-04-1142 min
Humanize Me412: Don't panic about porn! with Dr. Marty KleinSex expert and therapist Dr. Marty Klein has a lot to say about pornography. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Marty talks about porn and relationships, how people are ultimately responsible for the narrative they're telling themselves, the importance of novelty in human sexuality, the 'contracts' people have in relationships, how people respond to the aging process, and how to take the first step in addressing conflict over pornography. Marty has been a certified sex therapist for over 35 years and is a popular media figure and speaker. His book on the subject, His Porn, Her Pain, is so good...2019-04-051h 03
Humanize Me411: Why don't you become a Unitarian Universalist?A listener named Benjamin calls to ask why Bart feels the need to 'reinvent the wheel' with secular community-building, rather than simply join a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Benjamin says that he himself has found what he's looking for at a UU church. Bart responds to Ben's question, saying that he loves the UU movement but it didn’t feel like a fit for him personally. Bart goes on to talk about some of the potential differences between communities.2019-03-2727 min
Humanize Me410: Insights of an openly atheist minister, with Gretta VosperGretta Vosper is an ordained minister of the United Church of Canada who, as a self-professed atheist, has survived an official review from her denomination and continues to serve as the pastor of her congregation. In this conversation, Bart Campolo talks with Gretta about the story of the last few years, why she stays in her church, what her congregation believes about a supernatural God (Gretta doesn't think it matters), whether the foundational narrative underlying the good morality Gretta is teaching is important or not, the differences between the United States and Canada and whether the social safety net...2019-03-191h 01Humanize Me408: Is the paranormal proof of transcendent consciousness? with Mark GoberBart Campolo is a materialist, which means that he thinks that the physical universe and its movements are the basis of all reality, and that human consciousness, morality, meaning and everything else comes from physical nature. So you may consider it odd that Bart would have Mark Gober on his podcast, whose book argues that science has proven the existence of consciousness beyond the human body. Gober says that there is evidence for the existence of phenomena like telepathy, precognition, remote viewing and psychokinesis, and that this evidence has convinced him that consciousness transcends the human brain. Needless to...2019-03-0854 min
Humanize Me406: Is pro-semitism a thing? with the hosts of UnorthodoxIs it even a word? Bart Campolo’s reaction to the anti-semitic shooting in Pittsburg was to reach out to his Jewish friends and ask how they were doing. It made him wonder if there is a way to be actively pro-semitic, and to support Jews more. To answer this, Bart reached out to the hosts of the most popular Jewish podcast in existence, Unorthodox. Mark Oppenheimer, Stephanie Butnick and Liel Leibovitz chatted with Bart in this fun conversation about philo-semitism, stereotypes of Jewish people, the places where people can get to know more Jews, how to be part of...2019-02-1454 min
Humanize Me405: Bart has a new community ideaA letter this week from a listener who says he's hungry for community with like-minded secular people is just the latest one like it. But this one couldn't have come at a better time, or landed on more fertile soil. Two Sundays ago, Bart Campolo and a team of like-minded people held their first content-driven gathering at his new house in Cincinnati. The theme of the event was, 'Paying Attention.' They have decided to hold these meetings once every 2 weeks, with a different theme each week. Bart has a hunch that their material may be of interest to...2019-02-0639 min
Humanize Me404: A deep dive into pyrotheology, with Peter RollinsYou can be forgiven for not being familiar with 'pyrotheology', the lifelong philosophy project of Peter Rollins. In this episode of Humanize Me, Bart Campolo attempts a philosophical deep dive with Pete, a friend of the podcast for years. It’s a very lively, argumentative conversation on the differences between Bart and Pete on human drive and desire, humanism, religion, death, meaning and meaninglessness. Along the way, the pair touch on dialectics, human evolution, dual instincts, psychoanalysis, Sam Harris, Jordan Peterson, ontological antagonism, fundamentalism and the death of God.2019-01-291h 32Humanize Me403: Can insignificance be liberating?One of our listeners read an interview with Conan O'Brien in the New York Times last week, wherein Conan embraces the idea of his own coming irrelevance, and that of his work. Our listener finds it both 'liberating and depressing,' and Bart Campolo has lots to say about this, attempting to give an answer.2019-01-2340 min
Humanize Me402: A humanist congregation, local issues, with James CroftJames Croft is the Outreach Director of the Ethical Society of St. Louis, a longstanding humanist congregation, and one of the largest in the world. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, James talks about what his congregation is doing to engage with the issues of St. Louis, a place which has made many headlines in the past number of years for racial strife. James subscribes to 'deed before creed', an interest less in what people believe and more in what they commit to doing. His congregation is creating safe places to ask questions that people are worried about asking...2019-01-171h 03Humanize Me401: Reflections from a new grandfatherIt's a new year! A time for fresh ideas and new beginnings, and so much has been happening in Bart Campolo's life that this episode serves as an update and a reflection on various themes, including: how helping a parent cross life's finish line can focus the mind and change your plans, how the birth of a first grandchild a few days later can turn the whole thing into a 'circle of life' motif, while turning attention on the kind of world they're being born into, how suddenly becoming aware of your own habits and behaviors can give you...2019-01-0958 min
Humanize Me338: Ho ho ho!A quick Christmas greeting from Bart Campolo, urging secular folks like himself to embrace the holiday for what it is, and be their best humanist selves during the season.2018-12-2210 min
Humanize Me337: An old friend and a worldview challenged, with Matthew RodreickBart Campolo's oldest and closest friend, Matthew Rodreick, is this week's guest on the podcast. Matthew's life has been shaped by his son Gabe's spinal cord injury, sustained around a decade ago when Gabe was 16.2018-12-1252 min
Humanize Me335: Is spiritual language disappearing? with Jonathan MerrittLanguage really shapes how we think about things. After Jonathan Merritt moved from the South to New York City, he discovered that the words he had always used to describe spiritual life didn’t resonate anymore! The more pluralistic and postmodern the society, he observed, the less language people seem to have for spiritual experience. Jonathan is so sure that this is a problem, he wrote a book about it - Learning to Speak God from Scratch - which he and Bart Campolo chat about in this episode. They talk about the resurgence of the religious right and the de...2018-11-2848 min
Humanize Me333: When I Spoke in Tongues, with Jessica WilbanksJessica Wilbanks grew up in a fundamentalist Pentecostal church on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and then, at 16, walked away from the church. Ever since, she's been haunted by the world she left behind and wrote a book about it, just released: When I Spoke in Tongues (available on Amazon). In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Jessica talks about growing up in her family, the "loss of an assumptive world" with her loss of faith, having a nervous breakdown in college, transcendent experiences and the Holy Spirit, the early days of Pentecostalism, her mother defending her from...2018-11-1357 min
Humanize Me329: Becoming an 'Evidist', with Jeff Haley & Dale McGowanDon't worry; if you've never heard of 'evidism', you're not alone. This is a term coined by the guests in this episode, inventor Jeff Haley and author Dale McGowan, to describe people committed to fact-based, evidence-based thinking. In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Haley and McGowan talk about their book, Sharing Reality: How to Bring Secularism and Science to an Evolving Religious World, and their ideas for how to have better, more evidence-based conversations with people who have different worldviews.2018-10-1749 min
Humanize Me328: Cultivating friendship - who to choose?How does one decide who to pick to be friends with? Bart Campolo and John Wright look at this question as a sort of 'Part 2' to the last Q&A about cultivating good friendships: 'I really enjoyed Episode 326 where you guys talked about how being interested in other people is the first step to having good friendships, but my question is, who should I be focusing on? Who should I invest in or try to get closer to when I build a nice friendship? Looking forward to hearing what you have to say.'2018-10-1048 minHumanize Me326: How do I cultivate loving relationships?It's a line Bart Campolo uses a lot in this podcast and elsewhere, that the essence of life is cultivating loving relationships with other people. Today's question asks how to begin the process of doing that, including the line, 'I’m never sure what he means or what I’m supposed to do.' Bart borrows heavily from Dale Carnegie's classic advice, which he uses to break it down to a single, basic point.2018-09-1928 min
Humanize Me325: AA Beyond Belief, with Joe CIt's often noted that Alcoholics Anonymous sounds like a religious movement, with its appeal to a 'Higher Power'. But Joe C. is the founder of a group called AA Beyond Belief, which he says exists to provide a space for AA agnostics, atheists and freethinkers worldwide. Bart Campolo has wanted to have a conversation with a secular person deep in the AA world for a long time, and Joe C. is that person! Many people have been helped and find their community in groups like his, and Bart wanted to explore how it looks for Joe, people in recovery...2018-09-1252 minHumanize Me324: Is it really okay to favor our own groups?Bart Campolo thinks his kids are the best in the world. Well, not objectively speaking, right? Well, sort of! I mean, he really prefers his kids to your kids. But he hopes you do too. Is that right? Is that okay? And is there any problem with that sort of 'us-them' mentality?2018-08-2944 minHumanize Me319: The Art of Community with Charles VoglCharles Vogl helps leaders transform loneliness and separation into connection and belonging. His book, The Art of Community, is the book Bart Campolo says he always wished he had to recommend to people who wanted to build their own groups and nurture them.2018-07-251h 08Humanize Me317: Human-centered design with Kate and RamseyHuman centered design (HCD), and its closely-related sibling, impact design, is about understanding challenges facing people or society, and working with others to design solutions to those challenges. Design thinking is an interdisciplinary thing, a collaborative process and a highly skilled area. Kate Hanisian and Ramsey Ford are the co-founders of Cincinnati-based 'Design Impact', leading a team of people working on a range of things like social inequality, community and social change. This conversation they had with Bart Campolo is recorded a little differently than most episodes of Humanize Me, and is more like listening in on a chat...2018-07-141h 07
Humanize Me315: Sexy, but not an object, with Glenda JordanGlenda Jordan makes money by being sexy, and dancing on stages in a form of adult entertainment. But that doesn't mean that she is merely a sex object, or that she gives up her humanity to do it. So what's the difference between objectification and empowerment? In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Glenda talks about how the female body is seen by males from the early stages of a woman's life, the attention women get whether they want it or not, physical safety as a woman, and social conditioning in men. At the center: sexuality is about context, and...2018-06-2153 min
Humanize Me312: Why do we still cry out in times of crisis?Bart Campolo doesn’t believe in God anymore. But recently, while attempting to ride a new tandem bicycle for the first time, he fell, damaging his wrist, and immediately cried out: 'Why? Why me!' It seems to be instinctive behavior for homo sapiens, but how should we think about it? Is it good to ‘lean in’ to these instincts, or should we try to avoid personifying the universe and crying out for help in this way?2018-05-2544 min
Humanize Me310: How should we respond to the homeless?When you're asked for money by a homeless person, or pass someone who appears to be homeless standing in a doorway or on a street corner, how should you respond? That's the topic addressed in this, the first of Humanize Me's Q&A episodes. Bart Campolo is joined by the podcast's producer John Wright to attempt to answer the question, which came in from a listener called Mark.2018-05-0842 minHumanize Me307: A chat with my dad about the film, with Tony CampoloIt's here! For all of you who have been waiting patiently to see the documentary film Leaving My Father's Faith – capturing Bart's conversation with his dad Tony Campolo on the subject of his leaving Christianity – the film is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video and Vimeo On Demand. This episode is a chat between Bart, Tony via phone and John Wright, the director of the new film. They reflect on the release of the film, what it captures, reactions to it, and how they feel it portrays them and their interactions on this touchy but important subject.2018-03-2135 min
Humanize Me216: Ask Bart Anything!Listener questions abound on this episode, posed in real time by Humanize Me producer John Wright, featuring topics raised on the podcast's Facebook group. On this episode: When to come out as an unbeliever to your pastor, what Bart's been reading lately, whether atheists can enjoy worship music, and who to thank for the pleasure of living, among other things.2017-07-1954 min
Humanize Me213: What makes a good father? with Roman CampoloBart’s son Roman joins him for this chat, recorded on Father’s Day, in which they contemplate the nature of ‘fathering’ and the attributes of an ideal father figure in someone’s life. What are the factors that make someone a good mentor? How can fathers establish a reality model for the person they’re mentoring but stretch to understand their world too? Is religion based on a father complex? To what extent did Bart’s own values stick with Roman, and what does Roman think now?2017-06-211h 10Humanize Me203: An UpdateA brief update from Bart on the latest going on, including how he ended up losing all his emails, the release of his new book co-authored with Tony Campolo, and some new podcasts you can hear Bart on as a guest.2017-02-2309 minHumanize Me129: A brick through the windowHow does a secular humanist respond to the election by many of his fellow Americans of a brash, impulsive man who they know deep down doesn’t really care about them? Slowly. Thoughtfully. Bart Campolo reads aloud his careful thoughts on the election of Donald Trump, and advocates an approach which involves trying to understand those who voted for him and listening with compassion and curiosity.2016-11-1813 minHumanize Me118: One former Christian minister to anotherOnce in a while, we run into people who we have so much in common with, it’s an instant connection and leads to a long conversation. This is one such conversation, between two well-known progressive Christian ministers who both stopped believing in God in recent years and left Christianity in public ways. Although Bart Campolo and Jim Mulholland share many aspects of their stories with each other, some of the ways they have journeyed since leaving faith are different.2016-08-181h 27Humanize Me117: How to live when you know life is finiteYour life is going to end someday. How do you live when you know life is finite? In this clip, Bart Campolo and Hemant Mehta talk about the moments of connection, awareness and sensation that make life worth living to its fullest.2016-08-0933 minHumanize Me114: Roman CampoloRoman Campolo, son of Bart, joins him for a conversation.2016-07-2954 minHumanize Me103: Roman CampoloBart's son Roman Campolo joins him for a conversation.2016-05-0733 minHumanize MeWonder-full Podcast 1Bart's first attempt at starting a podcast: the Wonder-full Podcast (which had a logo based on Wonderbread). First guest: Roman Campolo.2016-01-0927 min