1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:08,839 Speaker 1: Understand the thinking atheist. It's not a person, it's a symbol, 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:10,000 an idea. 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,439 Speaker 2: The population of atheists this country is going through. 4 00:00:13,359 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 1: The rule, rejecting faith, pursuing knowledge, challenging the sacred. If 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,120 I tell the truth, it's because I tell the truth, 6 00:00:22,519 --> 00:00:23,160 not because. 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,839 Speaker 2: I put my hand on a book and made a. 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,839 Speaker 1: Wish and working together for a more rational world. 9 00:00:29,079 --> 00:00:32,039 Speaker 2: Take the risk of thinking. Feel so much more happiness. 10 00:00:32,079 --> 00:00:34,719 Speaker 3: Truth, Fusian wisdom will come to you that way. 11 00:00:35,679 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: Assume nothing, question everything, and start thinking. This is the 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:55,960 Thinking Atheist podcast hosted by Seth Andrews. 13 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,759 Speaker 3: You can almost always tell about my headspace, my frame 14 00:00:59,799 --> 00:01:02,719 of MI based on the tone of the speeches that 15 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,319 I give from the stage. I mean, just scroll back 16 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,760 through a fifteen year archive of I don't know how 17 00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:13,079 many presentations. And sometimes I'm hopeful and sometimes I'm cynical. 18 00:01:13,159 --> 00:01:19,280 Sometimes I'm optimistic, and sometimes I'm pessimistic and sometimes both. 19 00:01:19,359 --> 00:01:22,319 And I think that probably best describes what you're about 20 00:01:22,359 --> 00:01:25,480 to hear. But it's appropriate to the Christmas holiday. There's 21 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,719 kind of a Christmas theme embedded. There is a video 22 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,640 version of this that has about one hundred and ten 23 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,760 slides or more. You can go back and watch it 24 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,959 the YouTube link in the description box, but it plays 25 00:01:38,159 --> 00:01:41,400 just fine as audio, so you can listen and watch 26 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,959 and do whatever. And I hope you walk away from 27 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:52,000 this somewhat encouraged and maybe even inspired. Recorded October twenty 28 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,599 fifth in Albuquerque for the Humanist Society of New Mexico, 29 00:01:55,799 --> 00:02:10,360 my presentation A War Story about Love. I'm so glad 30 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,280 you're here today, and I thank you. It's an honor 31 00:02:13,319 --> 00:02:16,479 to be in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Pretty country in the 32 00:02:16,479 --> 00:02:22,199 month of October, gorgeous. We went up the tram yesterday, 33 00:02:23,159 --> 00:02:28,879 you know, totally tourist thing to do, and I asked 34 00:02:28,879 --> 00:02:31,159 the worker there, I said, does anyone ever freak out, 35 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:33,919 hit the deck or lose their minds? 36 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 2: And they said all the time. 37 00:02:37,039 --> 00:02:39,439 Speaker 3: Apparently someone went all the way to the top and 38 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,520 was so traumatized that they walked the trail all the 39 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,479 way down the mountain. But I was talking to Paul, 40 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,120 and he said, you know, like a couple of decades ago, 41 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,360 some people got stranded on the tram. This is a 42 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,520 common story for you guys. I'm not telling you anything, 43 00:02:55,599 --> 00:02:56,479 but he had. 44 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 2: Just told me that story. 45 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:03,639 Speaker 3: We were getting ready to board the tram. 46 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: And as a joke. 47 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 3: I looked at the strangers around me and I said, 48 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,159 I just want you all to know that if we 49 00:03:08,199 --> 00:03:11,080 get stranded up there, you're welcome to use me as 50 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:18,000 an alternate food source. And they looked at me so 51 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:26,840 awkwardly until they laughed. I'm going to tell you a 52 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,840 story today. Many of you have heard it. I don't 53 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,759 know if you've heard it in this way. At the 54 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,759 beginning of the twentieth century, World War One was raging 55 00:03:38,159 --> 00:03:42,680 across Europe's Western and Eastern fronts, Allied forces facing off 56 00:03:42,719 --> 00:03:47,199 against enemy forces and a meat grinder of conflict that 57 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:54,319 would ultimately end the lives of tens of millions of people. Now, 58 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:58,400 in the context of the battlefield, we understand why fighting 59 00:03:58,479 --> 00:04:04,360 forces need a authorady figures. They need commanders, admirals, generals, sergeants. 60 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,000 If there weren't firm directives given by directors, you know, 61 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:13,039 there weren't chains of command, it would be chaos. But 62 00:04:13,199 --> 00:04:19,000 on one cold December night in nineteen fourteen, miserable soldiers 63 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:26,240 in opposing trenches stopped listening to authority. Instead, they listened 64 00:04:26,319 --> 00:04:30,800 to each other and to themselves, and this became an 65 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:35,519 encounter that historians talk about more than one hundred years later. 66 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,879 Is there such a thing as a war story about love? 67 00:04:42,759 --> 00:04:45,879 I think maybe the better word here is empathy. But 68 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:48,079 I like the way love sounds. I like the way 69 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,800 it rolls off the tongue. So roll with me here, 70 00:04:50,959 --> 00:04:55,519 love empathy. I'm going to interchange those. I was surprised 71 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,600 when I heard this story. Before today is over, you. 72 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 2: Might be surprised as as well. 73 00:05:00,519 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 3: It might make you think and wonder and perhaps even hope. 74 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,800 And don't we need hope in this day and age. 75 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:15,199 I recently released a speech about the human tendency to 76 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:21,959 gravitate to and defer to authority figures, specifically authoritarians, And 77 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:26,439 I'm interested in how a majority, often representing tens of 78 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,399 millions of human beings, don't realize that they have power, 79 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:35,759 specifically the power to say no. And man, when we 80 00:05:35,879 --> 00:05:39,160 surrender that power, don't horrible things go down? 81 00:05:39,439 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 2: Right? 82 00:05:41,879 --> 00:05:45,319 Speaker 3: The late British philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote these words back 83 00:05:45,319 --> 00:05:48,199 in nineteen oh three. He said, if power is bad 84 00:05:48,319 --> 00:05:50,839 as it seems to be, let us reject it from 85 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:55,680 our hearts. In this lies man's true freedom and determination 86 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,399 to worship only the God created. 87 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 2: By our own love of the good. 88 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,399 Speaker 3: Now, before I get to my war story about love, 89 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,920 let me cover some familiar territory. In my last presentation, 90 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,720 I was talking about the authoritarian Benito Mussolini. He engaged 91 00:06:14,759 --> 00:06:17,639 in his own power grab back in nineteen twenty two. 92 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:22,079 He was imposing, he was charismatic, and he established a 93 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:29,480 new political entity, the fasci italianid Combetimento, the Italian fighting bands. 94 00:06:30,439 --> 00:06:33,959 Of course, Fasci is drawn from the word fascio. That's 95 00:06:33,959 --> 00:06:38,480 where we get the term fascism, the ancient symbol of 96 00:06:38,519 --> 00:06:42,720 authority with an axe that is supported by Styx and 97 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:48,360 guests who got to be the axe? Mussolini he rose 98 00:06:48,439 --> 00:06:51,519 to power on the platform that he would remove the 99 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,800 undesirables and restore national greatness. 100 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:57,639 Speaker 2: Does that sound familiar? 101 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,879 Speaker 3: All he needed was a police state, right, give me 102 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:08,319 the power to do it, Give me unchecked power, and 103 00:07:08,439 --> 00:07:10,879 I will accomplish this for you. And it would take many, 104 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,399 many years and millions of deaths before the people finally 105 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:19,279 rose up and shut him down. His authoritarian rule ended 106 00:07:19,319 --> 00:07:22,879 in disgrace, defeat, and eventually his own execution. 107 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,199 Speaker 2: But I want to come back to the symbol. 108 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 3: This fascio symbol from ancient times the fortified acts, representing 109 00:07:33,879 --> 00:07:39,040 the authority to rule, reward, and even punish. And this 110 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,399 symbol has been used in various ways throughout the centuries, 111 00:07:42,519 --> 00:07:49,240 with various meanings and interpretations domination, liberation. You might be 112 00:07:49,279 --> 00:07:53,120 surprised to see this symbol on display in our own 113 00:07:53,279 --> 00:07:57,759 House of Representatives. It's funny. I saw the congressional halls 114 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,959 my whole life. I never noticed those, but they're there. 115 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:05,600 The interpretation is said to represent the power of the 116 00:08:05,639 --> 00:08:08,839 authority of the United States House of Representatives. But there 117 00:08:08,879 --> 00:08:12,639 are important discussions about whether or not this should be 118 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:16,399 a symbol hanging in our halls of power. How many 119 00:08:16,959 --> 00:08:20,399 deadly actions in our history have been propped up by 120 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,879 the everyday common people for lack of the better way 121 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:28,000 of saying. For decades, Joseph Stalin reigned terror on his 122 00:08:28,079 --> 00:08:33,440 own people, the Russian people, and he preached about dangerous 123 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:38,600 and traitorous dissenters, those who hated their country, and he 124 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:44,960 had them tried and often executed. He was an absolute authority, 125 00:08:45,039 --> 00:08:48,879 and yet over one hundred and eighty million citizens lived 126 00:08:48,919 --> 00:08:50,399 in Russia at that time. 127 00:08:50,799 --> 00:08:52,039 Speaker 2: He was just one man. 128 00:08:53,039 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 3: It's so strange. Kim Il sung, founder of North Korea. 129 00:08:58,919 --> 00:09:02,440 He remains an authority, terry in power even in death. 130 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:08,360 His dynasty was and is treated as divine. He's a divinity, 131 00:09:08,399 --> 00:09:13,399 He's a god. Watch the citizen's bow. Under these giant 132 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,840 effigies you can see Kim Il sung and Kim Jong Ill. 133 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:22,080 Notice how towering they are imposing, looming over the tiny 134 00:09:22,159 --> 00:09:28,159 commoners beneath them. This is not an accident. This is messaging. 135 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,840 There is no escaping. They're all seeing eyes. Even on 136 00:09:33,879 --> 00:09:39,320 the walls of private homes. Throughout North Korea, every building 137 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:44,720 required to display portraits of the Deer Leaders. You must 138 00:09:44,759 --> 00:09:47,480 pay homage to the gods. In fact, there are inspections. 139 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,360 Sometimes people will come into your house and they'll white 140 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,480 glove to make sure that they aren't dusty or askew, 141 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,200 to make sure they're properly displayed to honor the dear leaders. 142 00:09:57,519 --> 00:10:01,679 I think about twenty six million North Koreans who are 143 00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:06,600 right now living in fear for their lives, and I 144 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,919 imagine in my brain what could happen, What might happen 145 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:14,480 if they all woke from their slumber, or they all 146 00:10:14,519 --> 00:10:18,120 felt that liberation and they could rise up and join 147 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:22,799 humanity beyond the guard towers and the barbed wire and 148 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,919 the concentration camps. Now, I understand that many of these 149 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,879 people are not given the luxury of being able to 150 00:10:28,919 --> 00:10:33,159 do that because the country has been militarized and it's 151 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,080 a life and death thing. They don't have the billion 152 00:10:37,159 --> 00:10:39,960 dollar weaponry. They don't have the tanks and the soldiers 153 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,120 and the guns and the bullets, and so for them 154 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,399 it's simply not practical. Maybe they're waiting for their moment. 155 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,240 They're an underground of people yearning to be free. I 156 00:10:49,279 --> 00:10:52,440 do understand that. But still I think about people and 157 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,399 their true power in terms of numbers, and what might 158 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,840 happen if all of those millions rose up together at 159 00:11:01,279 --> 00:11:04,559 so I think about these rank and file Russian soldiers 160 00:11:04,799 --> 00:11:08,519 in Ukraine. They don't give a rats ass if Putin 161 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:09,840 gets more real estate. 162 00:11:10,039 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, they don't care. They don't have a dog in 163 00:11:12,519 --> 00:11:12,879 that fight. 164 00:11:12,919 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 3: I mean, there may be some people who are true believers, 165 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:20,039 but how many of these people are literally under Putin's gun? 166 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,320 And what if even half of those seven hundred thousand 167 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:29,159 soldiers in Ukraine bucked the system that threatened to kill 168 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,159 them and the supposed enemy. 169 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 2: What might happen. What if. 170 00:11:36,039 --> 00:11:38,799 Speaker 3: Even the over sixty percent of Russian citizens who say 171 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:42,639 they support Putin's assault on Ukraine admit they don't really 172 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,559 understand what his goals are. Ah, we don't know what 173 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:52,360 he's trying to accomplish. They're following authority. And imagine if 174 00:11:52,399 --> 00:11:55,240 they put down their national flags and they stopped following 175 00:11:55,279 --> 00:11:58,879 the king and met the men and women and children 176 00:11:59,159 --> 00:12:03,200 being targeted by Russian bullets and bombs by the millions. 177 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,639 I wonder if they could not demand an end. 178 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,039 Speaker 2: To the madness. It's a dream. 179 00:12:11,639 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 3: We know that at least ten thousand Russians in uniform 180 00:12:15,159 --> 00:12:19,720 have tried to desert. The courts in Russia are packed 181 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:24,279 with a wall cases. Morale on the ground is terrible. 182 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:30,360 These people feel trapped under one man's rule, one man 183 00:12:31,399 --> 00:12:37,519 supported by the many. Do they understand their true power? 184 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:42,679 Especially when our favorite stories are stories are rebellion? I mean, 185 00:12:42,759 --> 00:12:47,279 what's the easy one star Wars? Who are the heroes 186 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:48,279 in Star Wars? 187 00:12:48,799 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 2: The rebellion? 188 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 3: Who does the emperor want to crush the rebellion? 189 00:12:54,639 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 2: The rebellion must be crushed. 190 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:58,919 Speaker 3: I don't know why I just gave him that accent, 191 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,480 but I did, because that's what bad guys sound like. 192 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,279 The American perception of evil apparently is slavic or something. 193 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:11,799 Speaker 2: I don't know what that is. Sorry, my fault. 194 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:19,279 Speaker 3: The plucky hero underdogs are rising up against the evil 195 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:25,200 power of the Emperor. You got to wonder what the 196 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,440 Death Star staffers were saying at the water cooler when 197 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,240 the boss was ranting he's out there torturing and murdering. 198 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,200 You know, the stormtroopers and the people running the Death Star, 199 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,279 They're like, oh God, what are we going to do? 200 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,360 This guy's out of control. I just want to take 201 00:13:41,399 --> 00:13:42,559 my paycheck. 202 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 2: And go, oh my god. I don't know. 203 00:13:43,519 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 3: I mean, this is not going to come out. Well, 204 00:13:45,639 --> 00:13:48,039 what happens if the rebels fly a ship and blow 205 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,519 up our I don't know what's going to happen. Literally, 206 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,919 I think many may have bowed in fear. They were 207 00:13:53,919 --> 00:13:58,840 just trying to survive. Some shrugged and looked the other way. 208 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:05,480 Some would rather be a pet than cattle, so they 209 00:14:05,519 --> 00:14:06,840 accepted the leash. 210 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 2: Maybe some were impressed. 211 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 3: You know what, if he's that awesome, if he's that powerful, 212 00:14:12,879 --> 00:14:16,320 good for him. Be strong enough to conquer. That's my 213 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:19,279 team right there. I'm a winner. At all costs, and 214 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:20,840 I want to be on the team of the winner. 215 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:25,679 Maybe they loved it. Social Darwinism, if you will, you know, 216 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,320 if you can be the victor, you deserve the spoils. 217 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:30,559 We've heard a lot of that kind of messaging today. 218 00:14:30,679 --> 00:14:34,200 The strong must crush the weak. Social Darwinism is a 219 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:38,360 bad riff on natural selection and survival of the fittest. 220 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,639 The thinking is the week are being filtered out of 221 00:14:41,679 --> 00:14:43,399 the societal gene pool. 222 00:14:44,879 --> 00:14:45,639 Speaker 2: The week are a. 223 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,039 Speaker 3: Drain, they're a distraction, they're pathetic, and they're pretty much 224 00:14:49,279 --> 00:14:56,960 just in the way. This country has long romanticized figures 225 00:14:57,399 --> 00:14:58,799 like General George Patten. 226 00:14:58,919 --> 00:15:02,559 Speaker 2: He kicked ass and he took names. He walked the. 227 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 3: Lines with those ivory handled pistols at each side, you know, 228 00:15:06,519 --> 00:15:08,960 in March of nineteen forty five at the Rhine River 229 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,320 in Germany, he terminated in the water. He was marking territory. Right, 230 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:17,960 the winners will piss on the losers. Now, given the 231 00:15:18,039 --> 00:15:21,120 Nazi threat and what we had all been through, I'm 232 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:24,320 not saying this was right or wrong, but Patten proved 233 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:29,840 problematic as he sort of bravadoed that alpha male persona 234 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:36,320 compassion consideration empathy. He saw those things as not strength 235 00:15:36,399 --> 00:15:41,759 but weakness. As portrayed in the famous George C. Scott movie, 236 00:15:41,799 --> 00:15:47,600 Patten slapped two shell shocked officers. He did not recognize 237 00:15:47,919 --> 00:15:50,360 or accept that there was such a thing as PTSD 238 00:15:50,799 --> 00:15:56,279 trauma breakdown. What he saw was weakness, losers. Those slaps 239 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,960 cost him a rebuke from President Eisenhower and damaged his career. 240 00:16:00,159 --> 00:16:02,240 But I can think of a whole bunch of people 241 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:06,080 who admire this kind of thing, right. Suck it up, snowflake. 242 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:10,200 Be strong, Crush the weak. That's what strength is. That's 243 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:15,440 what victors do. Many of us had real concerns about 244 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:21,240 social Darwinism when Trump himself declared only the weak will fail. 245 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:25,840 Even though I'm not myself a Christian, I have to 246 00:16:25,879 --> 00:16:29,639 wonder how that claim jibs with the best teachings of 247 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,559 Jesus Christ. And I think this is a fair question. 248 00:16:35,039 --> 00:16:37,759 Be devoted to one another in love, Honor one another 249 00:16:37,799 --> 00:16:41,559 above yourselves and everything give thanks God is love. Let 250 00:16:41,639 --> 00:16:44,519 all that you do be done in love. Blessed are 251 00:16:44,519 --> 00:16:50,759 the meek. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted forgiving one another, 252 00:16:50,919 --> 00:16:54,720 Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 253 00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:00,600 and other Bible examples a soft answer turns of way wrath. 254 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:06,480 Don't take revenge, don't love money, be humble and gentle, don't. 255 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 2: Lie, and on and on and on. 256 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 3: Don't bully, don't lust, don't cheat on your spouse, don't steal. 257 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,000 If we don't lead with love, what might we become? 258 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,599 I think we might become what we have seen much 259 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:31,119 of our country become a culture of celebrated cruelty, demonstrating 260 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:36,599 a callous indifference to or pleasure in causing pain and suffering. 261 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,119 Psychologist and journalist Brian Resnik sums it up like this. 262 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:46,480 He said, dehumanization is a mental loophole that lets us 263 00:17:46,599 --> 00:17:53,480 harm other people. How often have we seen humans dehumanized 264 00:17:53,799 --> 00:17:59,480 to justify their mistreatment? How many authoritarians have sent false 265 00:17:59,559 --> 00:18:06,559 narratives about them and demanded their mistreatment in the eyes 266 00:18:06,599 --> 00:18:11,680 of the dismissive, cold, bigoted, and cruel. Immigrants documented or 267 00:18:11,759 --> 00:18:17,640 otherwise are not human beings, often escaping tremendous suffering, in danger, 268 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:24,559 just trying to survive. Now they're vilified as parasites, pushers, predators. 269 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:30,279 Many churches are thankfully an open tent for people of 270 00:18:30,319 --> 00:18:35,519 all orientations, but in fundamentalist circles. Gay people are sodomites, 271 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,519 deemed wicked by both God and men. Trans people have 272 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:44,119 been a convenient villain of our times. Not good people 273 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:49,359 who are trying to navigate a complex gender journey with authenticity, 274 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:53,599 just trying to live their lives in safety. They're called 275 00:18:53,680 --> 00:19:01,720 bathroom stalkers who are hunting our children culture of indifference, fear, 276 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:07,319 and cruelty. Murdered school children are ignored, while ar fifteens 277 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:13,599 enjoy protection. The poor are too weak and pathetic to 278 00:19:13,799 --> 00:19:22,039 not be poor. Christian's own Bibles, which say to show 279 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,559 hospitality to the stranger, to give justice to the foreigner, 280 00:19:26,839 --> 00:19:29,720 to act with love, because you never know when you 281 00:19:30,039 --> 00:19:35,039 just might be entertaining angels. Many people hold to those convictions, 282 00:19:35,039 --> 00:19:41,359 but an alarming many do not. Now, you and I 283 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:47,599 will often usually instinctively favor our in group, our tribe first, 284 00:19:47,759 --> 00:19:52,079 and it's understandable and reasonable. It's a reflection of our 285 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,359 own evolution as the human primate. You favor your in 286 00:19:55,559 --> 00:19:59,680 group while being often distrustful of, or in some ways 287 00:19:59,759 --> 00:20:04,559 law out the out group. Sometimes we destroy the outgroup 288 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:09,279 right because this evolutionarily meant that we were more likely 289 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:14,119 to survive and pass on our genes. Primitive at the time, 290 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:19,920 but effective in groups made us more efficient. We could 291 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,000 procure more, we could grow more, we could accomplish more 292 00:20:23,559 --> 00:20:27,160 potential enemies who might attack us. Not necessarily we didn't 293 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,519 know for sure, but they might be dangerous. They might 294 00:20:29,599 --> 00:20:34,039 attack us well, they might think again before attacking all 295 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:38,319 of us as a consolidated group. And of course, the 296 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:40,599 bigger and stronger we were, the more we. 297 00:20:40,559 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 2: Could use that power for our own benefit. 298 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:49,519 Speaker 3: Tribalism can be a good thing. We're surrounded by it. 299 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:55,839 One of the more fun examples of sports teams now. 300 00:20:55,839 --> 00:20:58,559 In my home state, a big rivalry used to be 301 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:03,680 the Oklahoma Universe versus Oklahoma State University. Right, the Red 302 00:21:03,759 --> 00:21:09,319 versus the Orange. These two aren't in the same conference anymore. 303 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,119 So the game, which was called Bedlam. It was so 304 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:16,119 anticipated we called it the Bedlam Game every year, and 305 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,599 that that showdown was so hotly anticipated, everybody would just 306 00:21:20,799 --> 00:21:23,279 ramp up. The news reports would be all about it. 307 00:21:23,319 --> 00:21:27,480 We'd make jokes about the opponents, we'd gripe about hometown referees, 308 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:28,839 defend the colors. 309 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 2: We cheer and jeer every play. 310 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:35,839 Speaker 3: Fans were divided into tribe one or tribe two unless 311 00:21:37,319 --> 00:21:44,400 an Oklahoma team played Texas. Oh oh, wait a minute, 312 00:21:44,599 --> 00:21:49,079 Wait a minute. Now it's the Oklahoma tribe versus the 313 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:55,359 Texas tribe. Oh yeah, two rivals banned together against a 314 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:56,279 common enemy. 315 00:21:58,480 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 2: Now I don't. 316 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 3: Follow football watch the Super Bowl for fun, but I mean, 317 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,599 I get it right. We all have our favorite pastimes. 318 00:22:04,599 --> 00:22:07,680 We often cheer our favorite players. Sports I think can 319 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,079 be a nice distraction as much as anything else, you know, 320 00:22:10,559 --> 00:22:14,559 collecting stams, video games, whatever you know. But still it's tribalism. 321 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,319 Sometimes things get so intense. I stumbled upon this two 322 00:22:19,319 --> 00:22:23,440 thousand and seven documentary about this longtime rival between Michigan 323 00:22:23,799 --> 00:22:25,079 and Ohio State. 324 00:22:26,079 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 2: Those people hate each other. There's a Michigan guy over here. 325 00:22:35,039 --> 00:22:37,799 Speaker 3: We're going to need some sort of intervention before it 326 00:22:37,799 --> 00:22:44,519 gets serious. And because of our tribal tendencies, a fan 327 00:22:44,599 --> 00:22:47,279 from either team could watch the same game but walk 328 00:22:47,319 --> 00:22:51,119 away with a totally different perspective, a different experience. They 329 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:58,680 saw a different game. Interesting psychology. I think how many 330 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:00,680 times have we heard a music fan say this, you're 331 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:06,039 being such man. My brand of music's better. Metal is 332 00:23:06,079 --> 00:23:09,880 the best. Nah, No, eighties music's the best. In the 333 00:23:10,079 --> 00:23:15,240 classical country music. We even see subtribes. You know, are 334 00:23:16,079 --> 00:23:18,440 you this decade? Are you soft rock? 335 00:23:18,519 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 2: Hard rock? You know? Punk rock? Whatever? 336 00:23:24,039 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 3: Clubs, tribes, cultures, I get it. What do Taylor Swift 337 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,319 fans call themselves Swifties? 338 00:23:32,839 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 2: Right, they're part of a group. 339 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,279 Speaker 3: I actually really admire Taylor Swift and what she's accomplished. 340 00:23:38,279 --> 00:23:39,960 I don't really follow her music, but I get it 341 00:23:40,319 --> 00:23:43,880 in group solidarity that's based on a single rallying point, 342 00:23:44,279 --> 00:23:51,079 a person, genre, whatever. Here's a fun debate. Are you 343 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,680 a DC person or are you a Marvel person? 344 00:23:54,839 --> 00:23:56,279 Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah? 345 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:57,839 Speaker 3: And of course some of us are like, well why 346 00:23:57,880 --> 00:23:58,319 not both? 347 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:01,079 Speaker 2: Why is this a contest? I just go where you want, 348 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:02,400 love what you love. Who cares? 349 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 3: But there are some people, I mean, go on the internet. Really, 350 00:24:05,799 --> 00:24:11,319 it's thunderdome out there. Political parties are all about tribalism, 351 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,359 and I think this is necessary because our political families 352 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:21,480 should reflect our value, shouldn't they. But we're still grouping 353 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:27,640 ourselves based on those values. What are nations if not tribes? 354 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,240 Where the home country then there are the other or 355 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:35,920 away the foreign countries. Sometimes national interest and even national 356 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:40,599 pride can be great for organization. Safety, community, a feeling 357 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:42,359 a family to get things done. 358 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:44,279 Speaker 2: But also it can spill. 359 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 3: Into something that is isolating and dehumanizing. Are we thinking 360 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:51,119 our fellow human beings who happen to live in other places? 361 00:24:51,279 --> 00:24:56,839 Or are we thinking about the inferior other? How often 362 00:24:56,839 --> 00:25:00,559 are national flags more than just benign identify and they 363 00:25:00,559 --> 00:25:05,160 become these sort of sacred totems for tribal loyalty and 364 00:25:05,319 --> 00:25:09,799 claimed territory. They're dividers that keep us far away from 365 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:15,599 each other. Religions of the world. What are they if 366 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:21,640 not tribes. Each has their own communities, leaders' ideologies, beliefs, 367 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:25,680 codes of conduct, whatever. And you can see tribal fragmentation 368 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,920 with each individual religion, and then you can see splinter 369 00:25:30,079 --> 00:25:34,920 tribes within each denominational tribe. The Southern Baptists reject the 370 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,640 American Baptists who separate from the cooperative Baptists to teach 371 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:43,240 a better doctrine than the independent, free will and Reformed Baptists, etc. 372 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 2: Etc. 373 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 3: Until this one denomination, the Baptist Church becomes a comedy 374 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:57,680 of splinter cells fighting about doctrinal purity. And don't kid 375 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,880 yourself that atheists are immune from all this stuff. We 376 00:26:02,079 --> 00:26:08,000 as human beings are not above superiority complexes, tribal tendencies, 377 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,440 reductive thinking, and just being awful to people. 378 00:26:12,559 --> 00:26:14,559 Speaker 2: We're not immune, We're not above it. 379 00:26:14,599 --> 00:26:19,160 Speaker 3: The atheist meme verse is loaded with all kinds of 380 00:26:19,319 --> 00:26:24,119 tragic othering when it comes to Christians, Muslims, people of 381 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,480 the other political party, etc. I'm not making an equivalence argument. 382 00:26:27,519 --> 00:26:29,599 Don't jump out of your chairs at me, but let 383 00:26:29,599 --> 00:26:32,759 me give you a couple of examples. All right, I 384 00:26:32,799 --> 00:26:35,720 saw this one floating around. Sundays are peaceful because the 385 00:26:35,759 --> 00:26:36,920 most evil. 386 00:26:36,599 --> 00:26:42,559 Speaker 2: People are at church? Are you kidding me? Really? 387 00:26:44,039 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 3: Are you kidding me? It's so tragically wrong. It's destructive, 388 00:26:48,759 --> 00:26:50,400 it's unhelpful, it's cruel. 389 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,640 Speaker 2: Here's another one. This has been around forever. 390 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:59,079 Speaker 3: Atheist a thoughtful, honest, ethical, intelligent, skeptical thinker. 391 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 2: Oh I wish this was true. 392 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 3: Oh I wish it was true. Atheism the non belief 393 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:12,000 in gods. I don't buy it. I'm not saying there 394 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:14,400 is no god, there could never be a god. I'm 395 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,599 not making a declarative statement. It has almost nothing to 396 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,480 do with my value system as a secular humanist. It's 397 00:27:21,519 --> 00:27:24,960 just atheist. I'm atheist. I don't believe in a God. 398 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:33,519 I have met in my travels flat Earth atheists Chicago, Illinois. 399 00:27:33,559 --> 00:27:37,920 I met a flat I swear my head almost exploded 400 00:27:38,039 --> 00:27:38,839 off of my neck. 401 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:39,599 Speaker 2: I was what. 402 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:51,599 Speaker 3: Anti vaccine atheists, homeopathy using atheists, alien conspiracy atheists. I've 403 00:27:51,599 --> 00:27:56,400 met inhumane, nasty, toxic, tribal atheists who have been saying 404 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:05,400 horribly incorrect things about anyone and everyone religious. I've heard 405 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:11,200 some people make this connection. Even casual Christians enable Christian nationalists, 406 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:14,720 which is often a culture infected with racist crashing the 407 00:28:14,759 --> 00:28:19,359 capital chambers to fortify white power. As such, then Christians, 408 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:25,839 even the most casual, are Nazis. And this ignores so 409 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:32,599 many devout Christians who are humanists. We disagree on some theology, 410 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,480 we can have those discussions, but at the end of 411 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:36,359 the day, it's all about our value system. 412 00:28:36,559 --> 00:28:37,880 Speaker 2: What do we care about. 413 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 3: Christians who have joined the fight, standing with us for 414 00:28:43,079 --> 00:28:46,640 democracy and decency. This is my friend Amanda Tyler. She 415 00:28:46,759 --> 00:28:50,359 is the executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee. She 416 00:28:50,559 --> 00:28:58,039 founded Christians Against Christian Nationalism. She fights daily to restore 417 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:05,519 and protect equality and safety for LGBT people, immigrants, Americans 418 00:29:05,519 --> 00:29:09,079 across the color and culture spectrum. I think she's working 419 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,480 a bit outside the Bible to practice a kind of 420 00:29:12,559 --> 00:29:16,599 evolved personalized faith. Yes, has she had to cherry pick 421 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:18,920 a few things, Okay, as she jumped over some of 422 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,279 the more inconvenient verses. We can have that conversation and 423 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:26,200 we have. But more important to me, despite the fact 424 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:30,319 that she's religious, is that she wants peace, equality, safety, humanity. 425 00:29:30,519 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 2: I'm in she's my people. 426 00:29:35,519 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 3: The organization itself, Christians against Christian Nationalism, is remarkable. It's 427 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:46,400 a remarkably diverse assembly of reverenced pastors, bishops, religious leaders. 428 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:52,200 These are good people working alongside us to be on 429 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,079 the right side of history when it comes to secular 430 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:59,720 government and freedom, battling the cancer of cruelty in this 431 00:29:59,759 --> 00:30:07,400 world world Fine, God believers, Okay, your clergy, fine. 432 00:30:07,599 --> 00:30:09,359 Speaker 2: But in the overall, in. 433 00:30:09,279 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 3: This instance, these people and I have much more in 434 00:30:12,279 --> 00:30:16,359 common than we have in disagreement, and I think that's important. 435 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,559 Speaker 2: Are they stupid? Are they evil? Are they Nazis? 436 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 3: Are we instead connected by something more important, which is 437 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:33,519 a shared humanity. This guy's name is Pastor John Pavlovitz. 438 00:30:33,559 --> 00:30:36,960 He's a Christian. Yes, he and I have had disagreements 439 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:39,079 about his interpretation of the Bible. 440 00:30:40,519 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 2: We've had our disagreements. 441 00:30:42,559 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 3: You know, in his world, Jesus would never have condemned homosexuals. 442 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,359 And I'm like, have you read the book of whatever 443 00:30:49,559 --> 00:30:52,200 Old and New Testament? We start actually in Leviticus and 444 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:56,279 we crawl through the But fine, fine, his Jesus would 445 00:30:56,359 --> 00:30:57,839 not be anything but a god of love. 446 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:03,079 Speaker 2: Okay, I'll take that. I'll take that. He's a humanist. First. 447 00:31:05,519 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 3: This is doctor Christen Dumain. She's a theology professor, a 448 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:14,960 devout Christian. She dismantles Christian nationalism. She published a book 449 00:31:15,279 --> 00:31:19,720 called Jesus and John Wayne, How White Evangelicals corrupted a 450 00:31:19,839 --> 00:31:25,880 faith and fractured a nation. She condemns the white evangelical 451 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,039 steamroller that is crushing the United States. 452 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,359 Speaker 2: I've interviewed her on the show. She's amazing. 453 00:31:35,599 --> 00:31:39,279 Speaker 3: I know some atheists who would immediately see her theology 454 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:44,559 degree and they would outgroup her without a blink. What 455 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:49,799 a tragic waste that would be. How often have we 456 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,200 marked the hard lines between us and them when we 457 00:31:53,359 --> 00:31:56,039 might have more in common, more of a shared humanity 458 00:31:56,039 --> 00:31:57,759 than we ever had in a disagreement. 459 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,799 Speaker 2: Bibilism it can activate. 460 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,359 Speaker 3: The best and sometimes the worst angels of our nature. 461 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:10,319 You know, that evolutionary leftover which so easily splinters us 462 00:32:10,759 --> 00:32:18,240 and causes us to declare others inhuman, draws us into 463 00:32:18,279 --> 00:32:23,680 a rallying point around maybe a savior figure, a tribal elder. 464 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:31,559 We draw and redraw our lines of territory. We claim ownership, 465 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:39,160 sometimes even divine right. Crush the subhumans. They don't deserve 466 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:41,240 what we're going to get or what we already have. 467 00:32:43,319 --> 00:32:49,279 The humanization, the mental loophole that lets us harm other people. 468 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:55,039 We see militaries do this with the enemy. It's understandable 469 00:32:55,039 --> 00:32:58,960 why they do. It's shooting, knifing, or bombing an inhuman 470 00:32:59,119 --> 00:33:02,400 thing is a hell of a lot easier than doing 471 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,640 it to a flesh and blood person. I interviewed this guy. 472 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:08,400 He is a Vietnam veteran, John Musgrave. He was featured 473 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,559 in the Ken Burns documentary, a ten part series about 474 00:33:11,599 --> 00:33:15,519 the Vietnam War, which is fascinating. It is probably the 475 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:19,200 best layout of that conflict that I have ever seen. 476 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:22,119 John Musgrave was featured. 477 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 2: He told his. 478 00:33:23,039 --> 00:33:27,359 Speaker 3: Story and I reached out to him afterward and I said, 479 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:29,200 you don't know me from Adam, but would you come 480 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,400 on my show and talk about what happened. 481 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 2: He was horribly wounded. They thought he was going to die. 482 00:33:34,279 --> 00:33:38,279 Speaker 3: He did survive, and he became a protester against the 483 00:33:38,359 --> 00:33:41,000 Vietnam War. He was one of those guys at the 484 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:43,559 beginning he was like, my country right or wrong. And 485 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,599 he became someone who was out there marching saying. 486 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:47,319 Speaker 2: This is unjust. 487 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,119 Speaker 3: And he spoke about an instance, an example of something 488 00:33:52,119 --> 00:33:53,960 that happened when he was out in the field before 489 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:58,599 he was injured. He killed an NVA soldier. He killed 490 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:02,599 an enemy soldier, and he was right there, so close 491 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:07,880 to it, and it shook him to his core. It 492 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:12,480 was so traumatizing. He really couldn't process it. He was 493 00:34:12,519 --> 00:34:16,679 having a hard time dealing with it. It just there's 494 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:22,599 not language to describe how horribly it affected him. But 495 00:34:22,679 --> 00:34:24,840 after seeing one of his own men step on a 496 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:29,719 land mine, he made a deal with the devil. His words, 497 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:33,039 I said, I will never kill another human being as 498 00:34:33,119 --> 00:34:36,280 long as I'm in Vietnam. However, I will waste as 499 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:39,800 many gooks as I can find. I'll wax as many 500 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:43,679 dinks as i can find. I'll smoke as many zips 501 00:34:43,679 --> 00:34:46,960 as I can find, but I ain't going to kill anybody. 502 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:55,800 Turn a subject into an object. It's racism one oh one. 503 00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:00,800 Turn a subject into an object, and it makes them 504 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:05,440 easier to destroy. Human beings have done. 505 00:35:05,199 --> 00:35:07,559 Speaker 2: This to each other since forever. 506 00:35:08,599 --> 00:35:12,079 Speaker 3: And why have so many humans on both sides, on 507 00:35:12,199 --> 00:35:16,159 all sides allowed themselves to be pawns in a power 508 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:20,559 game that's run by a privileged and often corrupt few. 509 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:26,800 I recently revisited this film two thousand and five movie 510 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:29,639 called V four. Vendetta was based on a graphic novel 511 00:35:29,679 --> 00:35:33,400 by Alan Moore and David Loy, and the protagonist V 512 00:35:33,679 --> 00:35:36,840 is wearing the guy Fawke's mask. He was horribly abused 513 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:40,119 and tortured by a fascist regime, and then he rose 514 00:35:40,199 --> 00:35:43,679 up to wage his own personal revolution. And we can 515 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,960 debate the politics of the film, but I'm more interested 516 00:35:47,039 --> 00:35:49,880 in the fascist state that is portrayed in both the 517 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,519 graphic novel and the movie. I remember I watched it 518 00:35:52,559 --> 00:35:54,519 first when I'm still a Christian. I hadn't come out 519 00:35:54,519 --> 00:35:58,159 of the faith yet, and I was somewhat appalled by 520 00:35:58,199 --> 00:36:00,440 the line that was in it. It said people's shouldn't 521 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,559 be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of 522 00:36:03,599 --> 00:36:07,360 their people. And I remember being very uncomfortable with that. 523 00:36:09,159 --> 00:36:15,159 Sounded somehow like a betrayal, very unpatriotic, But on my 524 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:18,719 revisit of the film, it sounded much more true when 525 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:23,440 I couldn't stop thinking about this guy. This looks suspiciously 526 00:36:23,559 --> 00:36:27,320 like the official presidential portrait that came down last year. 527 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:28,079 Speaker 2: Did you guys see that? 528 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:33,480 Speaker 3: The imposing stare High Chancellor Adam Suttler an amalgam of 529 00:36:33,519 --> 00:36:38,320 dictators throughout history, preaching his Holy War narrative. He demanded 530 00:36:38,639 --> 00:36:43,840 absolute allegiance and obedience, and he meeted out Gestapo violence 531 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:45,360 on all dissenders. 532 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:47,679 Speaker 2: He was the oligarch. 533 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:51,519 Speaker 3: He controlled all the media, he surveilled his population, and 534 00:36:51,599 --> 00:36:57,920 he promised national greatness and the crushing of the evil enemy. 535 00:36:58,679 --> 00:37:06,039 Using terms and faith linked to a cross symbol. Jingoistic 536 00:37:06,079 --> 00:37:12,639 messages reinforced the righteous slogan England prevails and the shadow 537 00:37:12,679 --> 00:37:16,480 of authoritarianism. V was the wrench in the works, the 538 00:37:16,519 --> 00:37:22,280 fly in the ointment. He was the ultimate spoiler. The 539 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:25,880 plan was radical, blow up the symbol of the fascist regime, 540 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:30,960 bomb the Parliament building. Now I'm not endorsing anything like that. 541 00:37:31,639 --> 00:37:34,400 I'm not endorsing any violence or anything like that. Right, 542 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:39,360 But I'm interested in that plot line and the actual line. 543 00:37:39,559 --> 00:37:44,039 Governments should be afraid of their people, the power of 544 00:37:44,079 --> 00:37:49,000 the people. In the film, there is this conveniently happy 545 00:37:49,119 --> 00:37:53,280 ending where the entire population of London joins v in 546 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:57,320 this fearless and defiant stand against the man, the literal 547 00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:01,159 man puppeteering the whole system. You know, he would have 548 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:03,719 or could have easily been sort of flicked out of 549 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:08,119 the Chancellor's chair by even a small focused resistance. Why 550 00:38:08,159 --> 00:38:13,679 did he remain in power for so long? The people 551 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,960 had been lulled into a sleep, a deep slumber, or 552 00:38:17,039 --> 00:38:22,199 maybe resignation. Maybe they were followers. They just wanted to 553 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:26,639 be told who to love, who to hate, what to think, 554 00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:30,880 what to do, especially if someone claims divine right, God 555 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:34,719 gave me the power right. How often have authoritarians weaponized 556 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:39,760 God speak, terrifying people into submission and then promising that 557 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:42,880 I will make you safe and I will make you great. 558 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,800 King Henry the Eighth ushered in the divine right of kings, 559 00:38:49,119 --> 00:38:53,280 invoking religion to establish himself as the head of the 560 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:54,239 Church of England. 561 00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:56,320 Speaker 2: My will is God's will. 562 00:38:56,519 --> 00:38:59,599 Speaker 3: Disobey me, you might as well be disobeying the almighty? 563 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:05,840 Is that que the power consolidation, the persecution of declared enemies, 564 00:39:06,039 --> 00:39:11,000 rewritten laws, torture, execution, including the beheading of one of 565 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:11,880 his own wives. 566 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:14,599 Speaker 2: But he was just one man. 567 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:21,880 Speaker 3: King Leopold, the second second King of the Belgians in 568 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:27,920 the late nineteenth century, responsible for all kinds of heinous stuff, slavery, torture, kidnapping, 569 00:39:28,559 --> 00:39:33,679 the murder of millions. And I imagine a scenario where 570 00:39:33,679 --> 00:39:37,039 those who were suffering under his reign would unify at 571 00:39:37,079 --> 00:39:41,719 once and rise up. They raised their own humanity against 572 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:43,639 his inhumanity. 573 00:39:43,719 --> 00:39:44,800 Speaker 2: I know it's a fantasy. 574 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 3: It maybe even be simple minded to think in this way, 575 00:39:48,039 --> 00:39:51,480 but that's how my brain operates, right. The machines of 576 00:39:51,519 --> 00:39:53,840 oppression have so many gears. 577 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:58,119 Speaker 2: What if all those gears decided to stop moving the machine. 578 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:04,320 Speaker 3: There were several plots from within Germany to take out Hitler, 579 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:09,360 another tyrant who stoked terror, propagandized the country, and promised 580 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:10,559 national greatness. 581 00:40:10,639 --> 00:40:14,800 Speaker 2: Eighty million Germans, eighty million, one man. 582 00:40:17,159 --> 00:40:20,599 Speaker 3: My brain wrestles with the psychology of tyrants and those 583 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:21,239 under them. 584 00:40:21,599 --> 00:40:22,679 Speaker 2: It's hard to process it. 585 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:28,800 Speaker 3: Anybody see the nineteen eighty eight John Carpenter film called 586 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:31,000 They Live. It's a kind of an on the nose 587 00:40:31,039 --> 00:40:38,000 commentary on free market capitalism. Lase a fair, unchecked, unfettered capitalism, oligarchy, 588 00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:42,000 manipulation of people who've become thus sheeple. They're just living 589 00:40:42,039 --> 00:40:46,840 their lives, distracted, lulled, and cold. The system is threatened 590 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:49,719 if the people start to think for themselves and resist 591 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:53,000 the system. So behind all of the billboards and in 592 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:56,480 every page of every book, hidden underneath what we think 593 00:40:56,599 --> 00:41:02,760 is actual content, are these words sleep obey, those types 594 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:09,159 of things lulling people into a subservience. Yet how much 595 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:17,159 progress has come through resistance? Brave resistance, often messy, unpopular, dangerous, 596 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:21,360 pain in the ass resistance where the rising many defy 597 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:25,840 the few. During the civil rights movement of the fifties 598 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:29,360 and sixties, those in power were preaching God wants us 599 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:36,760 segregated America first, or white America first. But good people 600 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:41,880 resisted against the shouts and threats and danger. Defiant in 601 00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:44,920 the best sense of the word, not allowing anyone else 602 00:41:45,159 --> 00:41:48,719 to strip anyone else of their humanity, their quality, their 603 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:55,119 own individual authority. With a landmark Supreme Court decision, of 604 00:41:55,199 --> 00:41:59,760 nineteen fifty four, Brown Versus Board of Education, segregation was 605 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:02,000 to declared unconstitutional. 606 00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:04,079 Speaker 2: Now it was the High. 607 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:08,159 Speaker 3: Court that ruled, but it was everyday people who stood 608 00:42:08,239 --> 00:42:12,559 defiantly and created that pressure to help smash the barrier 609 00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:16,639 between minority children and their promising future. 610 00:42:19,000 --> 00:42:20,079 Speaker 2: Wasn't all that long. 611 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:23,599 Speaker 3: Ago in American history that men happily assumed the authority 612 00:42:23,639 --> 00:42:27,280 over a woman. You know what, little lady, I'll do 613 00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:31,960 the thinking around here, I'll do the working and the achieving, 614 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:35,639 and I'll vote. I'll vote. I represent this family with 615 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:41,480 my vote. Even the founding fathers didn't allow women into 616 00:42:41,519 --> 00:42:46,679 the halls of power. Their thinking was patriarchy is patriotism. 617 00:42:47,079 --> 00:42:50,519 It's also God's will. According to the Bible. We all 618 00:42:50,519 --> 00:42:52,719 know that scripture out of First Timothy. I do not 619 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:55,639 allow a woman to teach or to have authority over 620 00:42:55,679 --> 00:42:59,920 a man. Instead, she is to remain quiet. But American 621 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:03,480 women rose up in the early twentieth century. 622 00:43:03,559 --> 00:43:04,599 Speaker 2: They resisted. 623 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:09,000 Speaker 3: The brave activists of the suffrage movement organized and activated 624 00:43:09,079 --> 00:43:14,440 to fight injustice, to demand fairness and equalize the man's world, 625 00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:20,159 resulting in the nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution 626 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:24,039 in August of nineteen twenty the right of citizens of 627 00:43:24,079 --> 00:43:27,239 the United States to vote shall not be denied or 628 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:31,320 abridged by the United States or by any state on 629 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,599 account of sex. Misogyny has not gone away, has it? 630 00:43:38,239 --> 00:43:42,800 But twentieth century women knocked down sexist barriers to the 631 00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:51,599 ballot box, barriers that were installed by authority that's returning 632 00:43:51,599 --> 00:43:52,320 from Vietnam. 633 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:53,920 Speaker 2: To protests, they were threatened. 634 00:43:53,920 --> 00:43:58,039 Speaker 3: They were called on American, you hate America, your traders, 635 00:43:58,079 --> 00:44:02,639 your heretics, your judas. Many were even physically assaulted as 636 00:44:02,679 --> 00:44:06,639 they rose up to stand against the folly of that war. 637 00:44:07,119 --> 00:44:10,719 The highest offices of government and their minions called these 638 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:16,639 people the betrayers of their country, and yet they marched forward. 639 00:44:17,639 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 2: Invoking God. 640 00:44:18,599 --> 00:44:22,960 Speaker 3: Famous religious bigot Jerry Folwell, along with others like him, 641 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:28,199 Anita Bryant, etc. Said gay people were dangerous reprobates seeking 642 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:30,599 a modern sodom and gomorrah. 643 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:33,559 Speaker 2: We heard a lot of this in the eighties and nineties. 644 00:44:33,559 --> 00:44:37,960 Speaker 3: Sadly, we hear a lot of it today. Homosexuals blamed 645 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:42,159 for everything from pedophilia to the AIDS virus to. 646 00:44:42,199 --> 00:44:44,320 Speaker 2: The attacks of nine to eleven. 647 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:50,800 Speaker 3: Those in power said that society had no obligation to 648 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:55,079 serve non heterosexuals. You want healthcare, you want a job, 649 00:44:55,239 --> 00:44:56,159 you want to get married. 650 00:44:56,199 --> 00:44:59,719 Speaker 2: Would you like us to bake you a cake? Sorry, 651 00:45:00,599 --> 00:45:06,320 you don't have those rights. Yet, millions formed a resistance. 652 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:09,800 Speaker 3: They stood up, and they continue to stand up for 653 00:45:10,119 --> 00:45:17,000 LGBT equality, gender equality, racial equality, human equality, and that 654 00:45:17,199 --> 00:45:24,320 resistance continues bravely against the bigots. Today, women across the 655 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:26,920 Middle East are putting their lives on the line against 656 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:34,559 Islamic oppressors. The Iran Revolution is a great example. They're saying, fine, 657 00:45:34,599 --> 00:45:36,519 you can arrest us, you can torture us, you can 658 00:45:36,559 --> 00:45:41,360 even kill us, but you do not own us. Remarkable 659 00:45:41,440 --> 00:45:45,519 courage for a cause that deserves a lot more attention 660 00:45:45,639 --> 00:45:51,840 in the Western world. The recent No Kings protesters sent 661 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:57,599 a strong message by the millions, messages plural. Really, we 662 00:45:57,679 --> 00:46:02,280 are not a dictatorship. Cruelty is a cancer. Love over hate. 663 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:06,559 For the crime of descent, they we have been labeled 664 00:46:06,679 --> 00:46:12,400 a hate America movement. We're also somehow paid actors being 665 00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:16,719 compensated by George Soros. I haven't received my check. I'm 666 00:46:16,840 --> 00:46:20,519 very disappointed. Does anyone here received that cash? 667 00:46:20,559 --> 00:46:22,239 Speaker 2: App Venmo Soros? 668 00:46:22,239 --> 00:46:26,800 Speaker 3: Hello, have you guys seen the protesters in the frog 669 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:32,719 costumes out in Portland. I love that sort of refutation 670 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:35,760 of the hate with good humor and goodwill. I called 671 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:37,039 them Amphibitifa. 672 00:46:37,199 --> 00:46:45,159 Speaker 2: It just makes me laugh. I released the speech. 673 00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:49,840 Speaker 3: Last year called dissent is Our Duty, and I don't 674 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:52,960 just mean descent against oligarchy and oppression. I mean descent 675 00:46:53,119 --> 00:46:57,039 from authority with a capital A on almost every level, 676 00:46:58,239 --> 00:47:01,239 starting from within our own walls. 677 00:47:02,719 --> 00:47:04,760 Speaker 2: How many controlling. 678 00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:08,679 Speaker 3: Families and families are tribes with tribal leaders. How many 679 00:47:08,719 --> 00:47:14,159 controlling families claimed authority over you and said we raised you, 680 00:47:16,159 --> 00:47:21,239 we'll define you. I was talking earlier today about how 681 00:47:21,480 --> 00:47:23,480 parents will often say, you know what, you can grow 682 00:47:23,559 --> 00:47:25,719 up to be anything you want to be in this world, 683 00:47:26,079 --> 00:47:28,119 and then they commit a ton of their resources to 684 00:47:28,239 --> 00:47:32,000 limiting your options, don't They often for the most noble 685 00:47:32,039 --> 00:47:33,960 of reasons. They want to protect you and they want 686 00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:36,440 to see you survive and thrive. But it's like, Oh, 687 00:47:36,559 --> 00:47:42,440 don't date that person, don't marry that person, don't go 688 00:47:42,559 --> 00:47:45,719 to that church, don't change denominations, don't leave the church, 689 00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:48,559 don't go to this college, don't have this career, don't 690 00:47:48,639 --> 00:47:54,440 vote for that candidate. Don't don't right, and you chose 691 00:47:54,480 --> 00:47:57,039 to listen to yourself. You said, no, I've got my 692 00:47:57,119 --> 00:47:59,480 own position, I've got a value system, I'm going to 693 00:47:59,480 --> 00:48:02,840 be true to I'm going to be me. Pastors and 694 00:48:02,880 --> 00:48:05,440 priests so often give commands from the pulpits and their 695 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:09,320 high platforms, and they invoke God's authority and then their 696 00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:15,639 own authority over everybody else. And yet you say, no, no, no, 697 00:48:15,719 --> 00:48:18,039 I'm smart enough, and I have enough value, and I'm 698 00:48:18,039 --> 00:48:21,000 centered enough to be able to realize that you're not 699 00:48:21,039 --> 00:48:23,679 going to tell me how to think or who to be. 700 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:30,760 Nationalists say, line up or get out, the authority of 701 00:48:30,840 --> 00:48:37,039 the state, love of the motherland or the fatherland, line up, salute, 702 00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:45,480 pledge your allegiance. Protest is treason, so affirm us, support us, 703 00:48:45,519 --> 00:48:47,639 agree with this, or get out. 704 00:48:49,800 --> 00:48:54,599 Speaker 2: But you stay and you fight for what's right. It's remarkable. 705 00:48:56,039 --> 00:48:59,719 Speaker 3: There is such power in recognizing our own valid voices. 706 00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:01,480 Speaker 2: You know, to say you. 707 00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:03,920 Speaker 3: Cannot, you will not govern me. You're not going to 708 00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:07,639 manipulate me. You're not going to make me hate or 709 00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:10,239 hurt somebody else. You can shout all you want, you 710 00:49:10,280 --> 00:49:12,639 can throw Bible verses at me all the want, you 711 00:49:12,679 --> 00:49:16,880 can cry trador. All you want, you can claim your kingship, 712 00:49:16,960 --> 00:49:22,880 divine right, demand my obedience. My tribe is the human tribe. 713 00:49:23,119 --> 00:49:26,440 My convictions are my own and they are precious. My 714 00:49:26,559 --> 00:49:33,559 allegiance is to my values. I will bet everybody in 715 00:49:33,599 --> 00:49:37,440 this room has a story about breaking out of some 716 00:49:37,599 --> 00:49:43,239 kind of high control situation. Some authority figure, someone who 717 00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:46,760 claimed authority tried to put you in a cookie cutter, 718 00:49:47,639 --> 00:49:51,599 and often with great trauma, you bust it out. You said, 719 00:49:51,800 --> 00:50:00,840 screw it, Damn the consequences. It's my life. Despite the challenge, 720 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:05,119 you were true to your authentic self and you are free. 721 00:50:05,239 --> 00:50:10,960 And we imagine what if everybody could be that free, 722 00:50:11,480 --> 00:50:15,000 Which brings me back to where I begin. That story 723 00:50:15,039 --> 00:50:19,719 in our history books, that human moment in an inhumane situation, 724 00:50:20,840 --> 00:50:28,760 the war story about empathy, the war story about love. Now, 725 00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:31,320 I'm not making a commentary about whether or not the 726 00:50:31,320 --> 00:50:35,480 First World War was necessary, right, the stand against tyranny 727 00:50:35,599 --> 00:50:40,519 often requires bloody conflict. That's just a necessary truth. But 728 00:50:40,559 --> 00:50:42,480 I want to show you what happened on that one 729 00:50:42,559 --> 00:50:46,920 night in nineteen fourteen when everyday soldiers briefly stepped out 730 00:50:47,039 --> 00:50:49,679 of the shadow of authority and they found a few 731 00:50:49,719 --> 00:50:52,199 precious seconds of humanity. 732 00:50:52,280 --> 00:50:53,159 Speaker 2: World War One. 733 00:50:53,199 --> 00:50:57,280 Speaker 3: It began in July of nineteen fourteen France, Russia, Britain 734 00:50:57,599 --> 00:51:04,079 and the US, and then eventually it joining forces against Germany, Austria, Hungary, 735 00:51:04,119 --> 00:51:08,639 Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. That conflict would last four 736 00:51:08,719 --> 00:51:13,880 years and kill millions of people. The Western Front was 737 00:51:13,920 --> 00:51:17,360 a line of trench warfare that stretched from the English 738 00:51:17,440 --> 00:51:20,360 Channel in the north to the Swiss Alps in the south. 739 00:51:20,599 --> 00:51:24,400 It was four hundred and seventy five miles long, running 740 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:30,519 through much of Belgium and northern France. Trench warfare brought 741 00:51:30,599 --> 00:51:35,719 its own special brand of suffering trench warfare. Opposing armies 742 00:51:35,800 --> 00:51:40,119 digging in like ticks. They're shielded by sandbags and barbed wire. 743 00:51:40,440 --> 00:51:44,320 They attacked, they counterattacked, They try to find ways to advance. 744 00:51:44,480 --> 00:51:49,840 The space between them known as no man's land. Those 745 00:51:49,920 --> 00:51:54,880 trenches were a cold hell of deep mud, wet cigarettes, 746 00:51:55,000 --> 00:51:58,360 sleeping standing up off and against the sidewall. Because you 747 00:51:58,400 --> 00:52:00,760 couldn't lie down in two or three feet of water. 748 00:52:01,119 --> 00:52:03,480 There was the risk of trench foot and that could 749 00:52:03,559 --> 00:52:08,400 cost you a limb. Combat beyond the trenches was a 750 00:52:08,440 --> 00:52:09,199 meat grinder. 751 00:52:09,280 --> 00:52:10,760 Speaker 2: Oh it is so easy to see. 752 00:52:10,679 --> 00:52:15,719 Speaker 3: Why many of these standoffs resulted in stalemates. They were exhausting, physically, 753 00:52:16,159 --> 00:52:21,719 exhausting emotionally. Christmas Eve, nineteen fourteen, the war was only 754 00:52:21,800 --> 00:52:26,360 five months old. There was another cold night behind those 755 00:52:26,440 --> 00:52:31,159 mud walls along a thirty mile stretch of trench controlled 756 00:52:31,159 --> 00:52:34,679 by the British Expeditionary Force. Many thought the war was 757 00:52:34,719 --> 00:52:36,559 going to be over already. They thought, oh, the war 758 00:52:36,599 --> 00:52:37,679 will be over by Christmas. 759 00:52:37,679 --> 00:52:38,440 Speaker 2: Piece of Kate. 760 00:52:40,000 --> 00:52:44,400 Speaker 3: Well, with hundreds of thousands dead, stalemates everywhere, no victory 761 00:52:44,480 --> 00:52:47,920 in sight on both the Allied and the Central power sides. 762 00:52:48,559 --> 00:52:55,519 Morale was literally below ground. Bruce Bearn's father was an 763 00:52:55,559 --> 00:52:58,280 Allied captain and a machine gunner, and he would go 764 00:52:58,320 --> 00:53:02,079 on to become author and a cartoonist, and he was 765 00:53:02,199 --> 00:53:04,840 like his fellow soldiers. He was down in there, shivering 766 00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:07,480 in the muck that Christmas Eve, and he would go 767 00:53:07,559 --> 00:53:11,719 on to chronicle what happened next. Around ten o'clock at night, 768 00:53:12,920 --> 00:53:17,679 the Allied soldiers heard a noise coming from the enemy trenches, 769 00:53:19,400 --> 00:53:22,000 and at first they couldn't quite make it out, but 770 00:53:22,119 --> 00:53:26,960 then they recognized the sound. It was the sound of 771 00:53:27,039 --> 00:53:31,800 the singing of Christmas carols. Who knows what song they 772 00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:35,280 were singing deck the hall, Silent knights hark, the herald 773 00:53:35,360 --> 00:53:41,199 angels sing. But in a magical moment, the British troops 774 00:53:41,199 --> 00:53:47,079 in their own trenches joined in, opposing armies with hundreds 775 00:53:47,159 --> 00:53:55,079 of feet between them, suddenly united in song. Captain Baron's 776 00:53:55,119 --> 00:53:57,440 father would go on to report that a German soldier 777 00:53:57,519 --> 00:54:03,320 suddenly shouted out in English, come over, join us. A 778 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:06,920 British soldier responded, I'm not going over there. You come 779 00:54:07,000 --> 00:54:13,840 halfway and we'll meet halfway. And what happened next became 780 00:54:13,920 --> 00:54:19,840 a Christmas miracle. The armies of both sides got out 781 00:54:19,840 --> 00:54:22,719 of their trenches, walked into no man's land and shook 782 00:54:22,760 --> 00:54:28,239 hands in peace, not his enemies, but as men, human 783 00:54:28,280 --> 00:54:34,920 beings who had suddenly been united in song. No shouts 784 00:54:34,920 --> 00:54:38,679 in anger, no bullets, no bombs, only warm smiles and goodwill. 785 00:54:39,159 --> 00:54:41,920 Baron's father would write these words about that day, and 786 00:54:41,960 --> 00:54:45,159 I quote there was not an atom of hate on 787 00:54:45,360 --> 00:54:52,360 either side. Another British soldier, a guy named John Ferguson, 788 00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:55,440 would chronicle that moment by saying, here we were laughing 789 00:54:55,519 --> 00:54:58,480 and chatting to men whom only a few hours before 790 00:54:59,119 --> 00:55:04,039 we were trying to kill. The men did their best 791 00:55:04,039 --> 00:55:07,880 to talk to each other through the language barrier. They 792 00:55:07,920 --> 00:55:12,440 exchanged cigarettes and bottles of liquor. They showed photos of 793 00:55:12,480 --> 00:55:19,400 their families back home. They ask about sports teams, speaking 794 00:55:19,400 --> 00:55:24,000 of sports. In some places, the two camps improvised soccer matches, 795 00:55:24,079 --> 00:55:30,119 with maybe one hundred troops or more joining in. Each 796 00:55:30,199 --> 00:55:33,880 side allowed the other side to collect their dead in 797 00:55:33,920 --> 00:55:38,119 an atmosphere of reverence and respect, honoring those who had 798 00:55:38,159 --> 00:55:40,840 fallen by giving them a chance of some kind of 799 00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:48,480 proper burial or remembrance. These men, for those precious moments, 800 00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:52,360 were not acting under authority, unless you account the authority 801 00:55:52,440 --> 00:55:55,719 that they gave to themselves the permission to be a 802 00:55:55,760 --> 00:55:58,840 human being. First, I think of that John Lennon. 803 00:55:58,679 --> 00:55:59,159 Speaker 2: Song, right. 804 00:55:59,239 --> 00:56:04,000 Speaker 3: Imagine, if there's no countries, it isn't hard to do. 805 00:56:05,280 --> 00:56:08,440 This phenomenon was happening in other places, all the way 806 00:56:08,559 --> 00:56:10,960 up and down the Western and in parts of the 807 00:56:11,039 --> 00:56:15,400 Eastern Front that divided suddenly united on a Christmas. 808 00:56:14,880 --> 00:56:16,480 Speaker 2: Eve in nineteen fourteen. 809 00:56:17,880 --> 00:56:25,559 Speaker 3: Until commanders on both sides heard about this truce, they 810 00:56:25,559 --> 00:56:30,639 were furious. They demanded that the men immediately separate and 811 00:56:30,719 --> 00:56:33,880 return to fighting. They said, if this happens again, there 812 00:56:33,920 --> 00:56:39,400 will be consequences. Germans would be executed, British soldiers court martialed. 813 00:56:42,400 --> 00:56:45,079 But even then, after that moment, many soldiers couldn't bring 814 00:56:45,119 --> 00:56:49,000 themselves to pull the trigger. They couldn't fire on the 815 00:56:49,000 --> 00:56:52,960 people that they had just met. They would eventually get 816 00:56:53,000 --> 00:56:58,519 replaced and far more obeyed authority, and they returned to 817 00:56:58,639 --> 00:57:02,800 their lines. They again began waging war against those they 818 00:57:02,840 --> 00:57:08,039 had befriended only moments before. I can't even imagine what 819 00:57:08,079 --> 00:57:15,039 that must have been like. There are memorials to that day, 820 00:57:15,079 --> 00:57:18,320 including this one in Staffordshire, England. It's an effigy of 821 00:57:18,360 --> 00:57:23,559 the handshakes from the battlefield. Here's one in Belgium, two 822 00:57:23,639 --> 00:57:27,280 soldiers shaking hands over a soccer ball on Christmas Eve. 823 00:57:27,519 --> 00:57:28,960 Speaker 2: Peace on Earth. 824 00:57:29,159 --> 00:57:37,760 Speaker 3: Goodwill toward men, goodwill toward everybody. I'll finish today by 825 00:57:37,840 --> 00:57:40,440 quoting one of the great writers and thinkers of the 826 00:57:40,519 --> 00:57:44,199 late nineteenth century, Robert green Ingersoll, who wrote these words 827 00:57:44,199 --> 00:57:45,519 back in eighteen eighty four. 828 00:57:45,639 --> 00:57:50,280 Speaker 2: He said, love is the only beau on life. Stark clout. 829 00:57:51,599 --> 00:57:53,320 It is the morning in the evening star. 830 00:57:54,400 --> 00:57:57,679 Speaker 3: It shines upon the babe and sheds its radiance on 831 00:57:57,760 --> 00:58:02,679 the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer 832 00:58:02,800 --> 00:58:06,920 of poet, patriot and philosopher. It is the air and 833 00:58:07,039 --> 00:58:10,599 light of every heart, builder of every home, kindler of 834 00:58:10,639 --> 00:58:14,360 every fire on every hearth. It was the first to 835 00:58:14,440 --> 00:58:18,559 dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody, for 836 00:58:18,719 --> 00:58:23,440 music is the voice of love. Love is the magician, 837 00:58:24,119 --> 00:58:27,599 the enchanter that changes worthless things to joy and makes 838 00:58:27,719 --> 00:58:32,519 royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the 839 00:58:32,559 --> 00:58:37,840 perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart. And without that 840 00:58:38,000 --> 00:58:42,440 sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts. 841 00:58:42,599 --> 00:58:48,760 But with it Earth is heaven, and we are gods. 842 00:58:49,960 --> 00:58:56,159 You and I care because it matters. We grieve over 843 00:58:56,199 --> 00:59:01,559 injustice because it matters, trying to spread love over hate 844 00:59:01,599 --> 00:59:05,039 because it matters. We resist because it matters, and because 845 00:59:05,079 --> 00:59:10,119 we must our Yesterday and today have shown us that 846 00:59:10,159 --> 00:59:13,000 we have the power. At the very least, we have 847 00:59:13,119 --> 00:59:18,320 the potential to have the power. When you and I 848 00:59:18,360 --> 00:59:23,079 see each other as fragile, beautiful, precious travelers in this world, 849 00:59:23,440 --> 00:59:27,039 and we refuse to let anybody anywhere tear us away 850 00:59:27,039 --> 00:59:30,760 from our hearts, our values, our convictions, and each other. 851 00:59:32,639 --> 00:59:36,280 Then we recognize the best parts of what it means 852 00:59:36,320 --> 00:59:43,159 to be a human being. Thank you for having me today. 853 00:59:43,199 --> 00:59:44,679 It's been a tremendous honor to. 854 00:59:44,639 --> 00:59:45,159 Speaker 2: Speak with you. 855 00:59:58,239 --> 01:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Follow on Facebook and Twitter for a complete archive of 856 01:00:02,920 --> 01:00:06,360 podcasts and videos, products like mugs and t shirts featuring 857 01:00:06,400 --> 01:00:10,599 the Thinking Atheist logo, links to atheist pages and resources, 858 01:00:10,599 --> 01:00:14,320 and details on upcoming free thought events and conventions. Log 859 01:00:14,400 --> 01:00:20,079 onto our website, The Thinkingatheist dot com.