"Mike Aus: A Pastor's Journey to Atheism" Humanists of Houston, May 30 2012
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- Опубліковано 21 чер 2012
- Mike Aus, Clergy Project member, discusses his progression from believing Lutheran pastor to spokesperson for Freethought. As he puts it, he was "not falling from faith" he was "rising to reason." This hour-plus video, including a long Q&A segment, was taped during a meeting of the Humanists of Houston, where Mike had most recently been pastor of a progressive, nondenominational church.
I'm Mexican born US citizen, who was a catholic preacher for 13 years. Now, I'm an atheist.
Welcome to the fold my friend. I hope you find this community not wanting :)
"Whan you lose your faith, it's note like a candle going out, it's like the lights come on… for the first time"
Yep, I was in the middle of singing along with the church choir when I just stopped and thought "I don't believe any of this"
I remember my last messes, last confession, last prayer. The one that I knew that wouldn't be heard and the one that made me so uneasy like I felt that I was betraying myself. And then it came: there is no God. And finally I found peace. Finally there was soothing silence in my head.
I didn't fall! I am rising to reason! I love that! I hope every person going through this journey will cling to that statement!
Mike Aus is a very brave man to step out of the shadows into the limelight. I look forward to seeing more like him, Jerry DeWitt, and Dan Barker. They are paving the way for others to follow.
Mike Aus， Fired After Sexual Harassment Investigation. JUNE 21, 2018
Mike Aus left religion and founded a “church” for atheists was forced to resign his position as executive director of the group after a member accused him of sexual harassment.
Mike Aus first announced he was an atheist in 2012, on live TV, during an interview on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes. Later that year, he said he was starting an atheist “church” in Texas. The group, dubbed Houston Oasis, made a big splash in the media and brought in speakers from all over the country (including me).
While Aus and the group drifted away from using the word “church,” instead calling Houston Oasis a “secular community” that happens to meet on Sunday mornings, it seems they weren’t entirely above the kinds of scandals that often plague places of worship. That became clear this month when Aus was ousted following an investigation into sexual harassment claims.
Here is the official statement the board recently released to all the Houston Oasis community members (but have not released publicly):
Today, Monday June 11th 2018, Mike Aus submitted his resignation as Executive Director of Houston Oasis. The Board of Directors has accepted his resignation. On Saturday June 9th, the Board of Directors became aware of an incident of sexual harassment by Mike Aus from a member of the Houston Oasis community.
Sexual harassment is prohibited by Houston Oasis in its Code of Conduct, which can be found on our public website.
The Board of Directors of Houston Oasis is committed to the core values of our organization and upholding the Code of Conduct. Houston Oasis must always be a safe community free of sexual harassment.
The Board will begin the search for a new Executive Director who embodies our shared values and can effectively lead the organization.
Eric Anderson, the President of the board of Houston Oasis, told me the decision was based on a complaint they received recently, and that he encouraged Aus to “get professional help.”
While the details of the allegation (including the person who made it) have not been made public, it appears that the group took quick, decisive action when faced with the complaint. This wasn’t a violation of the law, as they’ll tell you, but it was a violation of their code of conduct. That was enough for them to spring into action.
It took all of two days between receiving the report and Aus no longer running the group.
Anderson told me in a phone interview that Houston Oasis has every intention of holding its leaders accountable.
That said, there was a previous allegation against Aus prior to Anderson’s time on the board. Details about that complaint have been revealed by Josh Mitchell, a former member who posted an exposé on UA-cam just this week.
friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/06/21/ex-pastor-who-started-atheist-church-fired-after-sexual-harassment-investigation/
I remember 9 years ago studying the history of the Bible. I did it because I was a zealot and had no idea where the Bible actually came from. I was certain it would only strengthen my faith. It was a religion crushing experience. I was so upset to find that the gospels were not written by the apostles. (Of course they weren't. These folks would have been illiterate.) The wheels went into motion and after 40+ years in the Bible jungle, I am no longer a Christian.
Are you forgetting that Luke was a Physician? The Bible Is God’s Infallible Word Don’t let Satan lie to you The Holy Spirit put the Words into the writers brains to put onto paper Look at all the prophesies in The Bible that have come true Jesus Is The Way The Truth and The Life In The Beginning Was The Word and The Word Was With God and The Word Was God Jesus Is The Word Made Flesh In The Beginning God Made The Heaven and The Earth Within his heart a fool says there is no God Please Come back home to The Lord Your Father is waiting for you with open Arms Don’t Be like the prodigal son
I just recently became an atheist...not many devout christians go into atheism by listening to an atheist who was never a christian. I am so thankful for the clergy project...
So how is it going 7 months later? I agree with your sentiments. With me it actually wasn't an atheist that did it. But I think most of the atheists who have never been a Christian can't empathize with it at all, and oftentimes don't even think they really believe. I've even heard Richard Dawkins advocating just asking Christians if they really believe incredulously.
A pure atheist I imagine is a rare creature to come by.
agreed fully. That's what I as a lifelong atheist have come up against. It's deconverted ex-Christians that will pull the most weight, and why it's SO IMPORTANT for these people to speak up.
Teresa ran back to her faith! My question is why did you run from yours!?!
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It took guts as a pastor to come out as an atheist on live TV. I can't imagine the next time he stepped into his church.
+Phloid82 Yes! Massive respect to him and people like him.
@Steve perhaps you should turn the other cheek and forgive him
@Steve For your insinuations about him...goat, wolf...both animals held to be bad in the bible.
I was also a believer and ardent and earnest Bible student. The more I studied, the more I discovered the inconsistencies, pure nonsense, lots of immorality, unscientific aspects and superstition, etcetera.
The sincerity of people of former deep faith is truly heartwarming. It must be terrible to radically change your worldview when you're am adult. But it opens up a whole new world of reality.
+David Keenan some do lose their faith most of them being non religious who didn't know their previous faith
Baji Scipio Dārayav Aurelius Julian Venizelos Nalwa
If you reread my post, I did say people of "former deep faith".
+David Keenan It IS scary to even start to let yourself possibly, just maybe think about even asking why you believe. I always assumed that if I started to doubt that the ground that I was standing on would be swept from underneath me and that I would lose my sanity. I didn't. I'm still be and I see things COMPLETELY differently. It's pretty great.
Joshua Thomas
It takes courage to face fears instilled into one as a child. I'm guessing intellectual curiosity "forced" you to overcome your indoctrination.
But that's just because it did with me, but not before I spent six months being unable to sleep for fear of contemplating eternity.
On the bright side, I became an avid reader of science fiction & fantasy, & horror fiction. It was far less scary than thinking about religious fiction & fantasy.
Yes, I decided to return to school a few years ago. After classes like Logic and Writing Arguments, I just couldn't bring myself to continue belief in a God I couldn't prove. It was a long process, though. I fear liberated now that I don't always have to feel guilty for not being a better Christian.
Mike Aus you rock!! I saw you first on Houston Oasis talking about the Paul of Tarsus letters. I must have been a good student of religion because back then at the age of 14, I couldn't make sense of the how he was able to write with authentic authority 300 yrs after the life of Jesus. You put it all in a walnut shell for me thank you. I did not discuss my lack of faith or belief in the whole christianity thing for decades because I had broken ties with my family and christian tribe who were and still are predominantly mormon. I knew without needing proof that was hocus pocus. Am so much happier now that there are more truth seekers out there.
It's deconverted ex-Christians that will make the greatest effect (compared to lifelong atheists like me), and why it's SO IMPORTANT for these people to speak up. I applaud people like Mike and so many others.
It’s great to hear from a church pastor who saw the garbage in religion and had the courage to speak up and step away. His knowledge and his handling of Q&A was outstanding.
Tesla referenced human energy 🌪👻jesus christ referenced living waters 💎🤍science described water memory 🌊👨🎓existence reflecting psychologically psalms16:24 k,j 💎🤍👨🎓historical fact jesus christ 🗽💞🌪
Mike Aus confirmed me. Thankfully not the associate pastor at the time....... I still treasure his sermons after stripping away what I didn't put my whole belief into. He spoke of life lessons. People can make mistakes and still be great. Hope all the best to him Andy and family. You did make an impact confirmed further now.... To shine like a Dimooooooooooon ;)
I am impressed by Mike's bravery! Kudos to you sir!
I was born an atheist. My mom was from a Jehovah Witness family out west. She was rescued by her Aunt and taken to Miami to have a real life. She was disowned by her family of 3 sisters and 3 brothers and parents. She met my Dad in Florida. He was a Christian Scientist. My siblings and I were indoctrinated into Dads religion. After my parents got divorced my Mom turned Spiritualist in Casadaga Florida. I believed in UFO's and spirits for 25 years then I found UA-cam and the Amazing Atheist Channel and then I was healed and saw the light of reality. My heros are Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and a thousand other Gods that actually exist. Christopher I pray that others find the truth and light as I did.
Everybody is born an atheist.
baxtar1963 who are you praying too,if you don't mind me asking.I'm not getting your path.?
Pretty much everybody was a creationist until Darwin. The soul as an extension of the illusion of consciousness? Well maybe if you squint real hard.
I was more alluding to them not being christians or hindus, or muslims until they've been 'erm persuaded.
I was a natural thinker. Some adult told me something, I investigated. It turned out to be bollocks, I became skeptical...
Personally I think all children are natural thinkers, which is why I consider indoctrination to be one of the worst crimes perpetrated by the dogmatic. Only sexual and physical abuse or total neglect are worse.
***** Ah, wondered where you were going. Thought you were going for un-indoctrinated children have imaginary friends too. :)
Phenomenal. I will be looking for more of Mike Aus' videos. Thanks for posting this.
I am so thankful that I stumbled upon this.
even i was born as an atheist like all of us and i kept it, i like to listen to storys like this.
I already watched so many debates of all religions. i met a lot of oustanding people on UA-cam they proof me i was right the whole time.
Religion is a human made faerie tale that ending up in tragedy when humans take it serious.Now after more than 3000 years religion has this power. We developed in many ways but never in the lie of religion.But there is hope out there and not in form of a god.
Hope because of all that Heroes who woke up and try to open other peoples eyes.
Wonderful presentation. It is so clear and transparent when it is a leader who eventually wakes up. I so enjoyed his analogy regarding the candle - it's not a candle extinguished, but one that is finally lit! Also his energy - his humor and kindness.
I guess it's a good thing for Christianity that not many so called Christians really study the Bible.
The Bible's filled with alligories, fallacies and Greek and I'd even say Hebrew Mythology in the end.
@Steve o look the magical Jew is coming back any minute now
@Steve you truth NOT mine lol
What a fine man, for a pastor ! Welcome to the light !!
Tesla referenced human energy 🌪👻jesus christ referenced living waters 💎🤍science described water memory 🌊👨🎓existence reflecting psychologically psalms16:24 k,j 💎🤍👨🎓historical fact jesus christ 🗽💞🌪
Great to hear from the graduates of The Clergy Project. They are great speakers and are a wonderful asset to our unbelievers tribe. Welcome to them all.
Excellent talk!
This is excellent, this gent has interesting story he tells. So factual, so up front about his life, knowledge of the bible. He is like Bill Mahr, I like this gent.
Thank you Mike! Loved this video!
Thank you guys for this program I'm very glad that the people are becoming to aware with their senses this world is infected with lies and your movement is very special for to see reality and to seek the truth
I think without the negative fate we still are good people and we can advance and help one another and be stronger civilization thank you for your program again
He is good, I bet he was a good preacher
@thomas boffman "good preacher" not "good teacher".
Anyway, I am thinking of starting a new religion. I currently have a tiny venture, but so many people are bad and do shitty stuff and hence I think that they deserve a religious fleecing (sort of trying to justify my slightly immoral intent).
Want to join? We would make it real cool.
I wish someone had asked him: How does an adult reconcile the fear that lurks in the mind of those who were indoctrinated as youngsters? The "what if it's real" syndrome. What if the devil is real and this rebellion is a test, blah, blah, blah? It's a real burden for some of us and terrifying.
+Dave Steadman - Well I am not sure if it is help but we have at least 10.000 goddesses and gods. So if gods exist it is much more likely to get into the hand of someone kinder. Not to mention that the older gods does not let a youngster like Jahweh run amok. May be they put him away for good. It would explain perfectly well why no one ever heard about him since the bible stories were finished.
+Marie B. Which loving mother or father would send the own child (creation) into eternal suffering? No loving human would do this so why should something that is considered to be all loving and all powerful do it?
Marie B. I am glad I could lighten your mood. - When Monopoly tells you then have to go to prison but because of Monopoly's son (Jesus) who can give you a prison free card you do not have to. This whole system works only when you intent to play Monopoly. When you play Chess or Trivial Pursuit this can never happen to you. So you can either play any other game which looks nicer or just don't play any at all.
Marie B. My pleasure, it is a matter of perspective. We should never give in to a bully, not on the school ground as children and not in live as grown ups. Whoever needs to bully is wrong.
Dave Steadman
Work with what we know. The more you learn of reality the less you’ll care about mythology, because the whole bible is absurd from start to finish.
This guy is a huge inspiration in many ways.
If somebody who has been indoctrinated through all of his childhood and most of his adulthood can rise to reason, then it shows that everybody has a chance. I think one thing we could try to spread more is the fact that being an atheist isn't bad, and that atheists aren't bad just because they are atheists. I am well aware that there are many people who are constantly trying to show Christians this, but I think a former pasture will be a better bridge to really show Christians that it is true.
Mike Aus， Fired After Sexual Harassment Investigation. JUNE 21, 2018
Mike Aus left religion and founded a “church” for atheists was forced to resign his position as executive director of the group after a member accused him of sexual harassment.
Mike Aus first announced he was an atheist in 2012, on live TV, during an interview on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes. Later that year, he said he was starting an atheist “church” in Texas. The group, dubbed Houston Oasis, made a big splash in the media and brought in speakers from all over the country (including me).
While Aus and the group drifted away from using the word “church,” instead calling Houston Oasis a “secular community” that happens to meet on Sunday mornings, it seems they weren’t entirely above the kinds of scandals that often plague places of worship. That became clear this month when Aus was ousted following an investigation into sexual harassment claims.
Here is the official statement the board recently released to all the Houston Oasis community members (but have not released publicly):
Today, Monday June 11th 2018, Mike Aus submitted his resignation as Executive Director of Houston Oasis. The Board of Directors has accepted his resignation. On Saturday June 9th, the Board of Directors became aware of an incident of sexual harassment by Mike Aus from a member of the Houston Oasis community.
Sexual harassment is prohibited by Houston Oasis in its Code of Conduct, which can be found on our public website.
The Board of Directors of Houston Oasis is committed to the core values of our organization and upholding the Code of Conduct. Houston Oasis must always be a safe community free of sexual harassment.
The Board will begin the search for a new Executive Director who embodies our shared values and can effectively lead the organization.
Eric Anderson, the President of the board of Houston Oasis, told me the decision was based on a complaint they received recently, and that he encouraged Aus to “get professional help.”
While the details of the allegation (including the person who made it) have not been made public, it appears that the group took quick, decisive action when faced with the complaint. This wasn’t a violation of the law, as they’ll tell you, but it was a violation of their code of conduct. That was enough for them to spring into action.
It took all of two days between receiving the report and Aus no longer running the group.
Anderson told me in a phone interview that Houston Oasis has every intention of holding its leaders accountable.
That said, there was a previous allegation against Aus prior to Anderson’s time on the board. Details about that complaint have been revealed by Josh Mitchell, a former member who posted an exposé on UA-cam just this week.
friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/06/21/ex-pastor-who-started-atheist-church-fired-after-sexual-harassment-investigation/
Many of his observations about the "good book" are right on the mark.
“DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created.”
― Bill Gates, The Road Ahead
If a computer need so many smart people to programm to work, may I ask you sir, Who programmed your gene so you are "higher" than other creatures?
@@familykeepersca First Strike: that is a simile about what DNA *does* not about how it came to be.
Second strike: the way it came to be can be explained through natural selection, no intelligent being required.
Third strike: you definitely do *NOT* understand the theory of evolution by natural selection if you think it leads to some creatures being "higher" than others.
Welp, that's three strikes... I'm afraid you're out! Thanks for playing!
@@hulldragon don't respond it's a bot
Very interesting lecture and discussion.
It's great to see this preacher free his mind... So many don't have the critical thinking skills.. great job!
Thanks Mike! This is great!
I didn't know Clergy Project had its own UA-cam channel. I have never been a member of clergy but I have heard about (and can imagine) how difficult it must be to preachers who lose their faith, so I really appreciate what you guys do.
Excellent, logical, articulate speech. Thanks for posting this.
I like what Andy Rooney said about the Pope. Every year the Pope (supposedly god's right hand man on Earth) prays for peace, but nothing ever happens. How can people not wonder about that? He prays for the poor and the sick, and the starving, and nothing ever happens! How can a Pope not become an atheist?
Pat Doyle When John Paul II was lying at death's door, there were over 100,000 people in St. Peter's Square praying for him and he, of course died. I was at work and I said this :"there were over 100,000 people praying for him. What happened?" Of course, one of my Christian cohorts said to me: "oh, you're going to hell!" So typical.
+Pat Doyle When he ends up in The Flying Spaghetti Monsters Marinara sauce! For not believe in his noodyliness.
The Popes probably didn't believe, but oh the power they had!
What, and give up access to all those altar boys? And the lavish lifestyle that would make some monarchs blush? And don't forget all the free legal protection. Defense lawyers aren't cheap! But the church is a crime syndicate involving child sex abuse, and the pope regurgitates the same lies that have worked in the past. The only things these holy men pray for is that they can keep diddling little boys and their god will forgive their victims.
Job security.
This guy is absolutely delightful!! He could easily go into standup if he wanted to.
god is the santa claus for the grown ups.
Yeah if you like horror stories.
Santa exists, (he lives in Lapland, google it, he's NEVER lived in the North Pole though, that's an American myth :-) Jesus did exist, but the son of a non existent God? nope, and the Bible is a book of mythical stories meant to terrify the living daylights out of you, but sadly isn't as good as Steven King's books!
@Time to Reason Jesus did exist, but his Birthday was sometime in February, it became the 25 of December to placate the pagans who already had a festival on that day, the festival of Yule (yep, Yule has no place in the Christian world, but you can bet many Christians have a Yule log on their Christmas table, a hell of a lot of what we do at Christmas has NOTHING to do with Christianity, but a LOT to do with paganism!
Or rather Santa is children's preparation for believing in god.
@Time to Reason still waiting................
He’s very straightforward.
Thanks for sharing Mike and best wishes on your new chapter in life! GO BLUE!!!!
For me, the first thing I noticed was when Cain murdered Able, he was marked, then banished, to the land of Nod, then...he took a wife?????!!!!!! So, where do she come from?
Absolutely brilliant speaker and a very nice man. Not at all bitter.
To accept life on life's terms and to accept logic and reason as the pathway to truth was an easy transition for me because as a Christian for about 11 years I've always had my reservations on the historical accuracy as well as the morality of the bible.
9:55 I feel so _vindicated!_ A couple years ago I decided to try reading the bible myself. It didn't go well. I think I made it to Genesis 6 before I got fed up and angry at how stupid the story was, then I tried Exodus and that didn't go well either, so I decided to just skip ahead to Revelations to see what the whole "prophecy" fuss was about, and I got most of the way through the seven-headed angels holding seven crowns and seven scrolls and seven keys with seven stars in them or whatever the hell all that insane drivel is before, I shit you not, decided to begin describing Revelations as "The first ever recorded blog post of a guy tripping on magic mushrooms".
And here's an ex-pastor saying the same thing!
Mike Aus， Fired After Sexual Harassment Investigation. JUNE 21, 2018
Mike Aus left religion and founded a “church” for atheists was forced to resign his position as executive director of the group after a member accused him of sexual harassment.
Mike Aus first announced he was an atheist in 2012, on live TV, during an interview on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes. Later that year, he said he was starting an atheist “church” in Texas. The group, dubbed Houston Oasis, made a big splash in the media and brought in speakers from all over the country (including me).
While Aus and the group drifted away from using the word “church,” instead calling Houston Oasis a “secular community” that happens to meet on Sunday mornings, it seems they weren’t entirely above the kinds of scandals that often plague places of worship. That became clear this month when Aus was ousted following an investigation into sexual harassment claims.
Here is the official statement the board recently released to all the Houston Oasis community members (but have not released publicly):
Today, Monday June 11th 2018, Mike Aus submitted his resignation as Executive Director of Houston Oasis. The Board of Directors has accepted his resignation. On Saturday June 9th, the Board of Directors became aware of an incident of sexual harassment by Mike Aus from a member of the Houston Oasis community.
Sexual harassment is prohibited by Houston Oasis in its Code of Conduct, which can be found on our public website.
The Board of Directors of Houston Oasis is committed to the core values of our organization and upholding the Code of Conduct. Houston Oasis must always be a safe community free of sexual harassment.
The Board will begin the search for a new Executive Director who embodies our shared values and can effectively lead the organization.
Eric Anderson, the President of the board of Houston Oasis, told me the decision was based on a complaint they received recently, and that he encouraged Aus to “get professional help.”
While the details of the allegation (including the person who made it) have not been made public, it appears that the group took quick, decisive action when faced with the complaint. This wasn’t a violation of the law, as they’ll tell you, but it was a violation of their code of conduct. That was enough for them to spring into action.
It took all of two days between receiving the report and Aus no longer running the group.
Anderson told me in a phone interview that Houston Oasis has every intention of holding its leaders accountable.
That said, there was a previous allegation against Aus prior to Anderson’s time on the board. Details about that complaint have been revealed by Josh Mitchell, a former member who posted an exposé on UA-cam just this week.
friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/06/21/ex-pastor-who-started-atheist-church-fired-after-sexual-harassment-investigation/
“DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created.”
― Bill Gates, The Road Ahead
If a computer need so many smart people to programm to work, may I ask you sir, Who programmed your gene so you are "higher" than other creatures?
Revelation is a book of Astronomy, that's why it was prohibited to study anything about earth and solar system, and if you will to do that wait till inquisition knock in your door
@@familykeepersca The part I am talking about is at the very bottom when it mentions Hemants note and brings up them finding no evidence of wrongdoing.
Believing that politicians and preachers will one day cease to be liars?! Now that is something to believe in!
The field "Evolutionary Psychology" is encroaching on, and providing increasingly valid explanations for the pervasive desire for religious belief and expression. seeing the human need for explanation to the unexplained for safety and comfort helped me understand the drive within me that kept me shackled to my religious upbringing for so long. I like how Mike Aus speaks of the tribal instinct and need also.
Wow...I found this guy - both his story and his speaking style - very entertaining. And relatable!
So glad I tuned in.....it was great!
Tesla referenced human energy 🌪👻jesus christ referenced living waters 💎🤍science described water memory 🌊👨🎓existence reflecting psychologically,psalms16:24 k,j 💎🤍👨🎓historical fact jesus christ 🗽💞🌪
I grew up as a Christian and I knew all the stories weren't true. My parents never pushed religion and from 16 to 25 I didn't attend church. At 25 I went to a church and was involved for about a year. During this time I read the bible for the first time. I laughed through several books of it. I then married and my in laws are fundamentalists. I couldn't believe it when her family was talking about the truth of prophecies, dinosaurs and the earth only being a few thousand years old but also the hatred they put forth toward any non-Christian. This ultimately led me to do thorough research and read lots of scholarly material. All I can say is I'm in a much better state of mind. Thanks for the video. Nice to hear everyone's story.
Historicty Is Key I grew up in a pastor's home and used to be a fundamentalist Christian. I thought Jesus was coming in my lifetime and was trying to prepare for that. I went to a year long Bible college and graduated. There I took Bible classes on apologetics, worldview, and others in the Bible. Then I started real college and it went all down hill from there. I asked questions about evidence of the Bible and nothing backed it up. Religion is by far used to control the masses by the fear of hell. I am convinced of that. Letting go of religion is the best decision I ever made.
Historicty Is Key i think my first question as a child was "but who made God?" lol I was told not to think about those things. I developed the belief that the stories in the bible had to be symbolic from a very early age but I couldn't conceive that all the people in my life who loved me were wrong. but it never stopped eating at me.
Football guy 1000 must have been tough especially since you had time & effort invested. it's always interesting to see where the children of pastors end up. I know of 3 who rejected the church. to me that is telling. I think the problem with religion is that when you honestly express doubt some bombard you unfairly. we all just want honest answers
I'm Not Real my wife was scolded for asking who created God by her aunt, the same person I deem crazy and made me do all my research. I haven't researched the big bang theory or any other creation ideas but it's hard for us to answer logically how can something come from nothing. maybe that's our purpose in life to figure out lol. no current religion gets us closer to the answer especially when they openly reject proven science
I love this dude and except him into the atheist community with open arms. Thanks to Richard Dawkins for creating and supporting the Clergy Project. I think for most preachers coming out is harder or easier based on the Sunday take. If they are bringing in $50,000 or higher every Sunday it may be harder to leave the Parrish.
People laughed at the Traditional vs. Contemporary worship thing...but back in my Baptist days, it was a huge internal church fight between generations.
Tesla referenced human energy 🌪👻jesus christ referenced living waters 💎🤍science described water memory 🌊👨🎓existence reflecting psychologically,psalms16:24 k,j 💎🤍👨🎓historical fact jesus christ 🗽💞🌪
Atheism does not mean that life has no meaning, at all. You may find that in fact nothing much changes when you give up on faith. You still care about the same values and the same people you used to. In fact you may perceive human life as even more beautiful, miraculous and precious as an atheist.
Very well said!
Ah!, Religion, the ultimate peer pressure, used in the most controlling fashion.
This guy is hilarious! I loved this video. Makes me wanna move to Houston. Thanks.
Mike Aus， Fired After Sexual Harassment Investigation. JUNE 21, 2018
Mike Aus left religion and founded a “church” for atheists was forced to resign his position as executive director of the group after a member accused him of sexual harassment.
Mike Aus first announced he was an atheist in 2012, on live TV, during an interview on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes. Later that year, he said he was starting an atheist “church” in Texas. The group, dubbed Houston Oasis, made a big splash in the media and brought in speakers from all over the country (including me).
While Aus and the group drifted away from using the word “church,” instead calling Houston Oasis a “secular community” that happens to meet on Sunday mornings, it seems they weren’t entirely above the kinds of scandals that often plague places of worship. That became clear this month when Aus was ousted following an investigation into sexual harassment claims.
Here is the official statement the board recently released to all the Houston Oasis community members (but have not released publicly):
Today, Monday June 11th 2018, Mike Aus submitted his resignation as Executive Director of Houston Oasis. The Board of Directors has accepted his resignation. On Saturday June 9th, the Board of Directors became aware of an incident of sexual harassment by Mike Aus from a member of the Houston Oasis community.
Sexual harassment is prohibited by Houston Oasis in its Code of Conduct, which can be found on our public website.
The Board of Directors of Houston Oasis is committed to the core values of our organization and upholding the Code of Conduct. Houston Oasis must always be a safe community free of sexual harassment.
The Board will begin the search for a new Executive Director who embodies our shared values and can effectively lead the organization.
Eric Anderson, the President of the board of Houston Oasis, told me the decision was based on a complaint they received recently, and that he encouraged Aus to “get professional help.”
While the details of the allegation (including the person who made it) have not been made public, it appears that the group took quick, decisive action when faced with the complaint. This wasn’t a violation of the law, as they’ll tell you, but it was a violation of their code of conduct. That was enough for them to spring into action.
It took all of two days between receiving the report and Aus no longer running the group.
Anderson told me in a phone interview that Houston Oasis has every intention of holding its leaders accountable.
That said, there was a previous allegation against Aus prior to Anderson’s time on the board. Details about that complaint have been revealed by Josh Mitchell, a former member who posted an exposé on UA-cam just this week.
friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/06/21/ex-pastor-who-started-atheist-church-fired-after-sexual-harassment-investigation/
I remember when I thought 'I can't do this anymore'. Teaching kids this shit I mean. When I was standing on the side as my friend explained exactly what impaling was when she was reading the entirety of the story of Joseph.To a group of elementary school students.
@Hocus Smokus There are many things one can teach a kid but it don't need to be that mess! Funny you should mention Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny because there is just as much evidence for your god's existence as those two.
"The various images of God that are believed by various groups in the United States are mutually exclusive beings" Very well said Mr. Aus! That statement illustrates the extent to which man has always shaped his deities. This is especially true of western religious belief, as a God which one cannot relate to is not one worth believing in. So they tell us we're the ones shaped in his image, the truth being he was created to be just human enough to justify control over our humanity.
Very well spoken.
Years studying the bible, yet you never heard from God Himself. That I find astounding.
Why astounding? I heard him loud and clear that he hated gentiles, had them raped, murdered and their land stolen. I heard him say he created evil. I heard him boast and his self seeking desires, “for MY glory”, “for MY good pleasure”, and I’d course he created us “To worship HIM”! I think I heard enough myself!
@@denisebutler5938 What you "heard" was your own mind not knowing or accepting that man for one is evil prone, and the cause of most of it. Pagans had babies executed by giving them to their gods like Molech. Those captured by the Israelites were treated better and there were laws to do so. God proved Himself many times openly in the OT, freed them, led them and protected them. There is no way to prove God to you until you are needing to turn ti Him for yourself, and ask Him what Truth is. That is the only way I found out.
When I'm sharing my life's experience with someone who follows a faith, I tell them a story about my sister. She and I were (are) Athiests. Lea past away after just turning 45, years ago. Now she was probably the sweetest, kindest most creatively generious person you would ever want to meet. So the story goes I die and my soul goes before a Diety, and lets say its Friday and I'm the last soul of the day. Because the Diety is tired it says to me: "I know you never believed in me, but I'm tired so I'm going to let you make the decision to be sent to Heaven or Hell." So I would ask "Where did you send my sister Lea?" It thinks for a while then replies "Oh yes Lea a really kind and generious person, but because she didn't believe in me I had to send her to Hell." "Well then please send me to Hell, because I would rather spend eternity in Hell with my sister, than in Heaven without her."
My logic is there must be an awful lot of nice, diverse and interesting souls in Hell.
Hell isn't so bad these days. They've done renovations.
@ Time to Reason
That is a very brave statement! Kudos to you for exposing the evilness of all forms of Christianity. Hate, fear, terror, bondage and pure evil in one place and that is in the Bible, the devil.
I am aware you do not have a devil as you are not a sinner hence you do not need to be saved to be taken up to the sky to paradise. You and I wish to live here as we are born good, and share the goodness with all NOW while some are waiting this dead man to arrive who promised to return in a life time but more than 2,000 years been passed, he is yet to come. Yes the truth is a dead man is a dead man.
Tesla referenced human energy 🌪👻jesus christ referenced living waters 💎🤍science described water memory 🌊👨🎓existence reflecting psychologically,psalms16:24 k,j historical facts jesus christ 🗽💞🌪
But we can time travel so....your choice is kind of slow....thinking....
The only thing I question is the historicity of Jesus. If there's no way to recover any genuine knowledge about him historically, how can we be sure there is any knowledge at all?
+uncleanunicorn Is there a good reason to believe Jesus did not exist though? And if he didn't, who then founded Christianity? Religious sects need a strong leader to start them off. It seems pretty certain that the prophet Muhammad was a real person. Obviously Martin Luther (not that he called himself a prophet, pretty cool guy really), Emanuel Swedenborg, Joseph Smith, David Koresh, Jim Jones, L. Ron. Hubbard etc...
h3rteby Did there have to be a real Osiris for that cult to get started? (And last for 2,000 years)
+uncleanunicorn Yeah, you're right, they don't have to have one single leader. But still, I don't really see a reason to invent a prophet, and it's not hard to believe that someone would claim to be one. Zarathustra was most likely real too. If you could, why wouldn't you claim to be the voice of God yourself, rather than invent someone else (and it wasn't like hundreds of years after his death that Christianity started to spread). What he mostly did was holding sermons really, maybe he went around and did some faith healing, and later on his apostles further embellished his story (like Mike mentioned the changing of "I totally saw a vision of him after his death" to "He literally rose up, moved the boulder and walked out" etc.
h3rteby The earliest Christians did not invent a prophet; they invented a celestial savior who took the place of the sacrificial temple cult. The earliest stories do not even clearly place him on Earth.
Dr. Richard Carrier educated me on this point, via his youtube lectures and his books. It does seem that there was a kind of "religious arms race" going on at the time, and the earliest Christians were just following on from what had already been done, innovating a little. It was mythology, straight up. The quasi-monotheistic move was an innovation.
Welcome to the world of reason. I would argue trust is based on honesty, let us make the world a better place beginng by NOT preying on the hopes and fears of the gullable among us.
Just think, we wouldn't have gotten all these faith jokes if he didn't go through all that. Thanks for all the laughs Mike! It's such a relief to hear so many people coming out, and being a really positive force.
Mike Aus seems a great guy!
Guilty, I'm a guitarist who left the bar and currently play in mainly black Churches throughout the South and the 12 step thing. I think it took a lot of courage to do this. 2 days ago I cremated my Mother and 3 years ago lost my Lady in a terrible car accident. I need a power greater than me to survive. The Bible is a literary hybrid that goes back to Mithra, Zarathustra, etc. Do your thing. Just please respect believers as I will urge them to respect You.
Sorry for all that has happened to you. Just about all of us have very bad things happened to us as well.
THERE IS NO POWER GREATER THAN YOU. You have all you need yourself.
But if you like to live in a dream, it is your business. I can not respect non sense. If you do not like to respect logic, reason, the truth.
It is your business.
Mike Aus has driven me deeper in my Christian FAITH!! I hope he one day (before it's too late) realizes how wrong he is now!!
"FAITH" thats your problem. Blind acceptance will-full ignorance ultimately self deception.
Read a lot of comments from insulting Christians... your God has said, “shake the dust from your feet”. I went through the abuse of the God sent and now I’m free! Free to live, think, respond to stimulus as humans are supposed to. I would have attacked him as a devout Christian as well but today, I’m hearing my own story unfold. I life of abuse by God and his people just because I was being a human being. I’ve struggled for years trying to please God and prove to his people that I wanted to understand him and his word. I grew tired of the abuse. Thrown in the floor, demons cast out of me all to get up feeling worse than I did before I was knocked down. I really want to believe in God because then all I’d done for his love wouldn’t be in vain however the evidence is pointing against him. At this point in my life after suffering for Jesus, I have to say that the “burden of proof is on God”. If he is real, I need ocular proof. No more doctrines, angry screaming Christians telling me that I didn’t do it right, I need the almighty God himself to come and show himself to ME... not to a proclaimed prophet... ME! Until then I’m going with (sadly) “he doesn’t exist”. Believe me when I say I still want him to exist.
So glad I ditched the God addiction. Its evil & destroys humanity.
Steve so. The Christians who don’t really follow are sort of “suppressive people”? Not really “in” the faith? Misguided or lost? Years ago they would be considered heretics, right? And put to death? Thank god we live in the modern age. Whew!
RyPaul5217 well said...I'm working;trying to get there...Cheers to you.
No falling No losing---FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!Religion is bondage.
Good job
The fierciest anti-theist Atheists are usually those who before really believed in their religion only to know so much of their religion to know how evil it really is. To be betrayed by something/someone you trusted with your life is one of the most painful experience one could have 😭
42:50 is the best part.
Joe Smith The man tells it like it is.
Perfectly said/done Mike Aus ᵔᴥᵔ ★★★★★
Katalyzt
Aus makes a good point that most believers would agree with: the truths are tied together.
*David eats the show bread while Abiathar was high priest.*
This seems like a small thing, but it was big for Mike Aus. Maybe he should have researched the subject more thoroughly.
Ahimelech and Abiathar are both mentioned in this 1 Samuel 21-22 passage. Ahimelech is the priest at Nob when David arrives needing food, and he gives David the show bread from the tabernacle. Ahimelech is killed by King Saul shortly afterward and all the men of his family except Abiathar, who then goes to David to report what happened. Abiathar is here described as the son of Ahimelech
Abiathar then follows David and becomes one of the two priests (Zadok is the other) associated with David through his reign as king.
BUT the writer of Samuel is not consistent in describing the relationship of Abiathar and Ahimelech. At times Ahimelech is described as the son of Abiathar. The writer of Chronicles, a different writer than of Samuel, also describes Abiathar as the father of Ahimelech.
That all might seem even more confusing than Aus describes. But it was likely not confusing to the men who wrote Samuel and Chronicles - or to Jesus. Names and titles were often interchangeable. And names were themselves sometimes names of a family as well as the name of an individual. So one man who was priest might be known as Ahimelech and also Abiathar. (That is what is implied in the Old Testament passages.)
That would mean that Jesus was not mistaken at all and that it was not a rookie mistake. It also means that the Pharisees - who knew the Hebrew Scriptures "inside and out" - had no problem at all when Jesus described Abiathar as high priest. It is Aus who is mistaken.
I know it has been a year but I must say it is a sham that your takeaway from listening to this mans life story is how dare he suggest jesus made a mistake!
It takes a lot of courage to come out as an atheist never mind for someone in the clergy to come out as atheist. Let’s get them out of the god delusion one person at a time.
LOL, I love the way Mike Aus points out the "slippery slope" of NOT taking the bible literally-- if one part of the bible is subject to metaphors, interpretation, inconsistencies, etc... which metaphor/interpretation/inconsistencies do you take from it and what makes any other part of the bible safe/free from metaphor, interpretation, inconsistencies?
It reduces scripture to the literature of Plato, Confucius,etc. who spoke in metaphors, made subjective observations, changed their views, etc...
Reducing harm helps protect all individuals in a society. If one person goes around harming others, others will harm him eventually (or he dies). One way or another, it is better to co-operate in our society that attempt to destroy it.
We can build on that basic tenant of self-preservation and utilise our ability to empathise with others as a guide to seeking a compromise between total individualism and a rather scary hive mind. There may never be a perfect solution, but at least its a start.
Being a humanist in America is really tough being one in Texas is actually legitimately dangerous, there are countless stories of people in the US being physically attacked and horrifically discriminated against because they don't believe in Jebus, it seems they're the only minority its perfectly OK to discriminate against.
Thujone, the "active" ingredient in Wormwood, as well as other plants, has never been scientifically documented to have any hallucinogenic properties. No one actually tripped from drinking Absinthe. Thujone DOES, however, lower the seizure threshold causing some drinkers to have fits.
At the end "The world of science has changed so rapidly.. the people of theology haven't attempted to keep up".. But the first question was "where did we come from where did life come from".. and his answer "I'm not a scientist".. "I don't know".. and something like "I just leave it to the big leaders in science". From his frequent affirmation of evolution I would suggest his acceptance of Big Bang - Deep Time - Evolution as truth and the obvious conflict they have with the Bible was a much bigger factor in his journey out of faith than he is admitting. Early on he said something like "give me just one answer answer or example" so here it is:
It is well known that entropy will always increase in the universe as a whole. That means the state of the universe must go from ORDER to DISORDER with time. The Big Bang requires at least a billion universes (so the annihilation between matter and antimatter will leave this universe as an error in the first law of thermodynamics) to pop into existence at the beginning inside a dimension less than the diameter of a proton, that's LOW ENTROPY. Then it expands with such violence the only matter it can produce is 76% H2 and 23% He and irrelevant amounts of Li.. that's HIGH ENTROPY. Then the theory requires this ball of gas to collapse into the first stars under its own gravity (violating the second law of thermodynamics).. that's LOW ENTROPY. Violating the second law of thermodynamics again on the scale of the whole universe.! Nobody can answer this question.. that is who actually knows what they are talking about. On the other hand the biblical account says the universe was created as a complete finished fully structured project and from the time of the fall has been "in bondage to decay" which is the only account which actually agrees with both the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Thank you.
See the movie "Agora". So good.
Skip to @2:30 to get to the beginning of the talk
I think the cover made sense, I think it must have referenced the childhood song "This little light of mine" wich I was encouraged to sing as a child. Maybe they should have had someone blowing the candle out, instead of just going out.
Most people in the Christian faith are just going through the motions and really don't believe
Properly read,the Bible is the most potent force for Atheism ever conceived
Isaac Asimov
You nailed it Back... "which you prefer"....which is tantamount to saying that 'IF' you happened to prefer the opposite..ie.. to cause suffering.. it would be as valid as your current position because ultimately...there is.. *nothing* except a universe of atoms.
So glad you finally woke up to realise that there is no God & religion is so damaging & devisive. I'm so proud you had the guts to stand up to this Christian nonsense.
@Hocus Smokus You sound like a big cry baby on the school yard. "You just wait! I'm going to tell my big brother what you said and he's going to sock you in the mouth! " 😭😭😭😭
@Steve Great! Someday, one day! Let's see!
“DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created.”
― Bill Gates, The Road Ahead
If a computer need so many smart people to programm to work, may I ask you sir, Who programmed your gene so you are "higher" than other creatures?
@Steve this is to David: “DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created.”
― Bill Gates, The Road Ahead
If a computer need so many smart people to programm to work, may I ask you sir, Who programmed your gene so you are "higher" than other creatures?
@Time to Reason “DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created.”
― Bill Gates, The Road Ahead
If a computer need so many smart people to programm to work, may I ask you sir, Who programmed your gene so you are "higher" than other creatures?
The pain in his voice around the 30 min mark....
Ex-Pastor Who Started Atheist Church Fired After Sexual Harassment ...Mike Aus first announced he was an atheist in 2012, on live TV, during an interview on MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes. Later that year, he said he was starting an atheist “church” in Texas. The group, dubbed Houston Oasis, made a big splash in the media and brought in speakers from all over the country (including me).
While Aus and the group drifted away from using the word “church,” instead calling Houston Oasis a “secular community” that happens to meet on Sunday mornings, it seems they weren’t entirely above the kinds of scandals that often plague places of worship. That became clear this month when Aus was ousted following an investigation into sexual harassment claims.
Here is the official statement the board recently released to all the Houston Oasis community members (but have not released publicly):
Today, Monday June 11th 2018, Mike Aus submitted his resignation as Executive Director of Houston Oasis. The Board of Directors has accepted his resignation. On Saturday June 9th, the Board of Directors became aware of an incident of sexual harassment by Mike Aus from a member of the Houston Oasis community.
Sexual harassment is prohibited by Houston Oasis in its Code of Conduct, which can be found on our public website.
Mike Aus resigned as a Lutheran pastor because he was guilty of sexual misconduct by being involved with 3 women who members of his congregation. Did he leave because of convictions or convenience so he could continue both lead some form of 'church' and misuse his position to sexually victimize people.
To me what is most important, is does the product work?
Does prayer work?
Why does the saying “faith without works is dead” even exist?
No one can know better than some one who was completely devoted to their religion and ran out of excuses.
Cross building technology.Genius!High five.
Good for you, Mike! Delightful presentation, save for some really stupid comments from the audience...
It sucks that most people will never rise above religion - and there are faaaarrrr more priests, pastors and imams than there are ex-clergymen!
Too long for tonight. Checking out at 15 minutes. He's a good speaker, and I'm gonna watch this later.
After I left the cave, I lost all connection to the people in the cave; another word I have no interest or patience to approach them, do you have any idea?
Thumbs up just for being a Michigan man. Go blue
Atheism has a horror of its own. Yes, the idea that people will burn in hell forever is disgusting; but the idea that life has no purpose or context is horrifying as well.
There's no way out.
well i still live in painful fear of hell. VERY PAINFUL
Me too