We discuss the biggest questions: "what's real?", "who matters?" and "how to make a better world?" with scientists, celebrities, activists, writers and philosophers. The Sentientism worldview is "evidence, reason and compassion for all sentient beings." It's a simple, yet radical, philosophy that's grounded in reality (naturalistic epistemology) and has compassion for all sentient beings (mostly human and non-human animals). Naturalism & sentiocentrism combined.
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Coral is an aspiring writer, an animal rescue volunteer/donor & runs a bunny boarding & grooming business. She is an ex-Mormon atheist & a “meat & potatoes girl” turned vegan. Find Coral & her content at: @atheist_vegan, & wattpad.com/user/VCoralSandsV & inkitt.com/veganatheist & on YouTube.
In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “what matters?”
Sentientism is “evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” The video of our conversation is here on YouTube.
We discuss:
00:00 Welcome & why Sentientism is important
02:39 “Vegan Atheist Coral”‘s Intro
– A Mormon, military family
– Joining the Coastguard
– From “A meat & potatoes girl” to vegan & animal rescue
– From religious to “spiritual” to agnostic/atheist
– #JoinTheConversation & Street Epistemology
– Stories with morals. Star Trek
11:55 What’s Real?
– Growing up Mormon (yet another “one true church”)
– “It encompasses every bit of your life”
– 4 hours in church then 2 more in “school” every Sunday
– “Most of my childhood I felt like I was in church”
– Strong emphasis on family, but “very good at shunning” if you don’t believe
– Internal self-pressure: “You’re constantly measuring yourself against what you think Jesus would want you to do”
– Joseph Smith & the golden plates
– The old & new Bible testaments superceded by The Book of Mormon
– The trinity, creationism, proselytising
– Fundamentalist & progressive Mormons
– Managing the public perception of Mormonism (e.g. modesty dress codes)
– Sending children on missions. Isolating from families & friends to reinforce church teachings
– “The other people you’re on the mission with are almost snitches”
– Church sees friends & even own parents as potential threats
– Pressured to speak to elders about doubts “testimony” as long as they’re resolved in favour of the church
– Moving from the west coast to Alabama. Culture shock
– Growing up with a naievety about race & racism
– The shock of a new school “We pray here”
– “I go to the one true church & they’re all wrong”
– Parents drifting away from the church due to accusations about a minister
– Studying other religions… “there has to be an ultimate truth”
– Some family are still Mormon
– Asking “what do we know & how do we know?”, exploring philosophy (brain in a vat, The Matrix), re-evaluating “the god question”
…and much more. Full show notes at Sentientism.info and on YouTube.
Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at Sentientism.info. Join our “I’m a Sentientist” wall via this simple form.
Everyone, Sentientist or not, is welcome in our groups. The biggest so far is here on FaceBook. Come join us there!
Thanks Graham.
Helen (@hkopnina) is Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Business at the University of Northumbria & also lectures at The Hague University. Her research focuses on environmental education, biodiversity & corporate sustainability. In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important …continue
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