Truth Wanted

Truth Wanted 9.34 with ObjectivelyDan and Jay

In today's episode of Truth Wanted, ObjectivelyDan and Jay tackle tarot cards, psychic scams, and the emotional toll of pseudoscience on relationships!Ben in Canada proposes that tarot cards work through emotions rather than scientific knowledge, suggesting our thoughts might be illusions created to process emotions. How do tarot cards differ from other self-reflection tools like journaling? If tarot isn't predicting the future, what exactly is it doing? When we use cards to explore our feelings, are we discovering truth or just confirming what we already believe?Justin in NJ shares a devastating discovery: his wife spent over $8,000 on psychic readings after her cancer diagnosis, including claims she could communicate with his deceased father. How do you rebuild trust when your partner hides major financial decisions? What happens when grief makes someone vulnerable to exploitation? Can a relationship survive when one partner's coping mechanisms directly contradict the other's worldview?Thank you for tuning in this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-wanted--3195473/support.

Truth Wanted 9.33 with ObjectivelyDan, Kelley Laughlin, and Secular Rarity

In today's episode of Truth Wanted, ObjectivelyDan, Kelley Laughlin, and Secular Rarity tackle prophetic dreams, cosmic consciousness claims, and the ethics of placenta consumption!Jacob in ID shares his past experiences with seemingly prophetic dreams that appeared to predict future events. After reflection, he realizes these predictions were likely just people being predictable rather than supernatural ability. How often do we mistake pattern recognition for prophecy? When we look back at our "predictions," are we remembering the hits and forgetting the misses?Georgi in Bulgaria claims humanity designed the universe through exuberance and that Earth is actually the afterlife while spirit is our original state. The hosts struggle to understand his reasoning or find any coherent framework. How do you demonstrate something is true when the explanation itself makes no sense? What does it mean to design something before you exist?Greg from the live audience in Austin asks the hard-hitting question everyone wants answered: Are human placentas vegan? The show spirals into delightful anarchy as the hosts debate consent, bodily autonomy, and the definition of veganism. Can you consent to someone eating your organs? Where exactly do we draw the ethical line?Thank you for tuning in this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-wanted--3195473/support.

Truth Wanted 9.32 with Kelley Laughlin and Felicia

In today's episode of Truth Wanted, Kelley Laughlin, Felicia, and Stephen Harder examine crystal healing claims, religious evidence, and the vulnerability that drives belief in unproven remedies.Bob-NY insists that Josephus and Tacitus prove Christ and the Catholic Church are true. What evidence do you have for heaven existing? Why should we accept arbitrary religious rules about salvation? When pressed on quantum physics concepts he invoked, Bob struggles to explain what he actually means. The conversation grows tense as the hosts challenge his claims.Robin-KY shares how she spent thousands on healing crystals after leaving Christianity. She describes the appeal of crystal properties and her journey through witchcraft beliefs. What made her finally start asking the right questions? Her story shows how magical thinking can follow us even after deconversion.Anne-CA faced a life-threatening heart condition without health insurance and desperately wished crystal healing would work. When medical care is inaccessible, why do miracle cures become so tempting? She reflects on the vulnerability people feel when they have nowhere else to turn. What harm comes from false hope when real treatment is needed?Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-wanted--3195473/support.

Truth Wanted 9.31 with ObjectivelyDan and Richard Gilliver

In today's episode of Truth Wanted, ObjectivelyDan, Richard Gilliver, and Kelley Laughlin examine miracles, dreams, and the psychology behind seemingly supernatural experiences.Jacob in ID calls to express his gratitude for the show, explaining how it serves as his secular community after seven years of listening. Living in a rural area without much access to other atheists, he finds connection through the ACA shows. The hosts thank him for his support and encourage him to keep engaging with the community.Katie in VA shares her experiences with precognitive and visitation dreams, keeping a detailed dream journal of coincidental events. She describes dreams about deceased people and specific details that later seemed to come true. The hosts discuss Littlewood's Law, which explains how seemingly miraculous coincidences are statistically inevitable given enough opportunities. They explore the Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy, where people draw targets around bullet holes after the fact, and how memory can be unreliable. What psychological mechanisms might explain these experiences without invoking the supernatural? The conversation touches on how the Catholic Church evaluates miracles, mass hallucinations like Fatima, and the misinformation effect in eyewitness testimony. How do we distinguish between genuine precognition and pattern-seeking brains finding connections that aren't really there?Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-wanted--3195473/support.

Truth Wanted 9.30 with ObjectivelyDan and The Beard of Empathy

In today's episode of Truth Wanted, ObjectivelyDan, The Beard of Empathy, and Sofia Spina explore deconstruction journeys, recycled god arguments, and the psychology behind psychic belief.Kelly in OR, a veteran and retiree, shares how finding the term deconstruction gave her a framework for understanding her exit from fundamentalist religion. The hosts discuss processing anger and resentment that often accompany leaving deeply held beliefs. What tools help navigate the emotional aftermath of religious trauma?Felix in Puerto Rico returns with a dichotomy argument claiming reality's existence proves God. The hosts point out he's reading from the same script as his previous call and challenge his false dichotomy. Why does repeating an argument verbatim not make it more convincing?Frank in CA insists psychics are real because they exist across cultures and supposedly predicted 9/11. The hosts explain cold reading techniques, confirmation bias, and how widespread belief doesn't establish truth. Why do people remember the hits but forget the countless misses?Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-wanted--3195473/support.