There Is No God And We're All Gonna Die

What if there’s no divine plan? No cosmic justice system? No guarantee that your dreams will come true, your suffering will make sense, or the people who hurt you will ever get what’s coming to them?

Well, shit. At least we have Nicki Minaj.

This week, I’m joined by David Teachout, therapist, writer, and thoughtful human being, for a conversation about religious trauma, humanism, destiny, forgiveness, and the peculiar business of being alive without an instruction manual—or a benevolent cosmic manager keeping everything on schedule.

David grew up in Christian fundamentalism and knows what it means to question the beliefs that once gave your world structure. We talk about what happens when the future you were promised falls apart, why we feel so much shame about perfectly normal human emotions, and how to stop treating every uncomfortable feeling like evidence that there’s something fundamentally wrong with us.

I get into my own history, too: the musical destiny I was told was inevitable, the disappointment of watching that future take a different turn, and the long, complicated process of living with the aftermath of a violent gay-bashing attack. We talk about forgiveness—not as an obligation to excuse cruelty, but as a way of loosening the grip that resentment can have on your life.

We also discuss religious certainty, the strange logic of eternal hell, why heaven sounds considerably less appealing when you actually think about it, and what Nicki Minaj has to do with the way people use beliefs as social signals. Because apparently, even the end of the world comes with celebrity commentary.

This conversation gets serious. It gets personal. It gets philosophical. And, as conversations on this show tend to do, it wanders into some gloriously ridiculous territory along the way.

Because maybe being human means accepting that pain is inevitable, certainty is overrated, and life rarely turns out the way we imagined. Maybe we don't need a grand cosmic purpose to treat one another with kindness. Maybe we can stop trying to eliminate every difficult feeling, forgive ourselves for being imperfect, and figure out how to live with the time we've got.

No promises about the afterlife. No guarantees of a happy ending. But there are good conversations, the occasional laugh, and the possibility that we don't have to figure any of this shit out alone.

Find David Teachout:

• Life Weavings: https://lifeweavings.com
• Humanities Values: https://www.humanitysvalues.com/podcast
• The Clearing Community: https://www.theclearingcommunity.org/u/fda4c090

Want to leave me a voicemail? Visit https://DanielCartier.com and click the podcast voicemail button.

There Is No God And We're All Gonna Die — a surprisingly spiritual podcast from a gay, liberal atheist living in the Bible Belt.

• (00:00) - Welcome to the Show: David Teachout Joins Me
• (04:20) - From Christian Fundamentalism to Therapy
• (08:12) - What Happens When You Stop Believing?
• (10:13) - Can We Love People We Disagree With?
• (13:55) - Religious Trauma and the Struggle to Feel Safe
• (14:21) - Listener Voicemails: Your Questions, Our Answers
• (14:30) - Big Questions, No Easy Answers
• (14:54) - What Religious Trauma Actually Does to Us
• (17:33) - When You're Told You're Destined for Greatness
• (19:28) - The Problem With Expecting Life to Go Your Way
• (22:09) - Living Authentically Around People Who Disagree
• (25:00) - Why Human Connection Matters
• (28:00) - Atheism, Humanism, and Finding Meaning Without God
• (30:34) - Do We Really Need Labels?
• (38:56) - What Happens When Facebook Becomes a Community?
• (41:28) - Nicki Minaj, Politics, and Beliefs as Social Signals
• (43:45) - What All in the Family Understood About Humanity
• (46:23) - Why Are We So Ashamed of Being Human?
• (48:26) - Feeling Your Feelings Without Letting Them Run Your Life
• (50:41) - Forgiveness Doesn't Mean Excusing the Unforgivable
• (01:04:02) - Life, Death, and What We Believe
• (01:04:15) - What If Heaven Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be?
• (01:12:01) - Heaven, Hell, and the People We Choose to Be
• (01:17:06) - Cher, Nicki Minaj, and the End of the World

What happens when you finally stop needing everybody to like you?

This week, I'm talking about ego, online trolls, transgender rights, religious freedom, and the strange freedom that comes from realizing you don't have to spend your life trying to prove you're worthy of love.

Want to leave a message for a future episode? Visit my website: DanielCartier.com

A listener asks about Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now, and I share a moment that forced me to confront how self-involved I'd become when I was drowning in my own pain. My partner Corey calls in to talk about online sanctimony, our anniversary, and the people who seem determined to find something wrong with everybody else.

Then we get into the ugliness that keeps showing up on my Facebook page: homophobia, misinformation about trans people, and the people who mistake religious freedom for the right to impose their beliefs on everyone else.

There are tattoos, Halloween decorations, animal shelters, a few horror-TV opinions, and some thoughts about the book I'm writing and the music I'm releasing. And, as always, your voicemails take us places I never quite expect.

I'm a gay atheist living in the Bible Belt. I've spent a lot of my life worrying about what other people think of me. I'm finally getting better at not doing that. I still care about people. I still believe in kindness. I still believe we have work to do.

I just don't need everybody's approval to do it.

Leave me a voicemail: DanielCartier.com

There Is No God And We're All Gonna Die — a surprisingly spiritual podcast from a gay, liberal atheist living in the Bible Belt.

• (00:00) - Welcome to the Beautiful Mess
• (01:22) - Come Talk to Me
• (01:36) - Let's Hear Those Voicemails
• (01:53) - What's on My Mind?
• (02:01) - How Do You Deal with MAGA People in Your Life?
• (03:44) - Why I Don't Cut Everyone Off
• (05:46) - Can Kindness Actually Change Minds?
• (06:57) - Eckhart Tolle, Ego & The Stories We Tell Ourselves
• (15:59) - The Hard Work of Becoming a Better Person
• (18:32) - “Whatever You Think of Me, That's None of My Business”
• (25:56) - Tattoos, Regrets & My Next Platypus
• (30:42) - Can Getting Tattooed Give You Thicker Skin?
• (31:41) - The Homophobes Have Entered the Chat
• (32:42) - What's Happening on Daniel's Facebook?
• (33:17) - My New Rules for the Haters
• (36:36) - Trans Rights, Lies & Political Scapegoats
• (39:52) - Religious Freedom Doesn't Mean Your Religion Rules
• (41:12) - Ten Totally Random Things
• (49:59) - Why We Need to Speak Up
• (51:12) - Is MAGA a Dying Monster?
• (51:27) - More Voicemails, Please
• (51:41) - Why Your Kind Words Matter
• (58:44) - Who Am I to Say There Is No God?
• (01:03:59) - Please, for the Love of Everything, Vote

Who Gets to Feel Safe in a Post-Trump World? | A Gay Atheist in the Bible Belt

What does safety mean when you've spent much of your life being targeted for who you are?

I'm Daniel Cartier — a gay, liberal atheist living in rural Tennessee. In this episode of There Is No God And We're All Gonna Die, I talk about why I stay in a conservative state, the community I've found here, and what happened when I posted about Matthew Shepard and the way people downplay hate crimes.

As a survivor of a violent anti-gay attack, I have a personal stake in this conversation. I've had strangers question my experience, direct homophobic insults at me, and even threaten to decapitate me. And somehow, people still show up to mock the idea of safe spaces.

We talk about:

• Why I stay in Tennessee despite the political climate
• Matthew Shepard, hate crimes, and the people who try to minimize them
• What it's like to have strangers question your own experience of violence
• Why I think Jesus would be the “wokest motherf**ker on the planet”
• Whether religious people genuinely believe the stories they were taught
• Finding common ground with people whose worldview seems completely different from yours
• What I'd ask an alien about art, music, humor, and pets
• Why life's good moments matter, even when life doesn't always feel good

There's anger, humor, listener voicemails, a few colorful expressions, and a surprisingly tender ending.

Because maybe we can't make the whole world feel safe. But we can build communities where people feel less alone — and keep showing up for one another.

Listen, leave a voicemail, or learn more: DanielCartier.com

There Is No God And We're All Gonna Die
A surprisingly spiritual podcast from a gay, liberal atheist living in the Bible Belt.

• (00:00) - Welcome to the Beautiful Mess
• (00:24) - Technical Difficulties & Real Life
• (01:31) - Let's Hear From You
• (01:49) - What's on My Mind This Week
• (01:58) - There Is No God And We're All Gonna Die
• (02:18) - Atheism, Politics & Living in the Bible Belt
• (02:33) - Why Not Just Move Somewhere Else?
• (05:05) - The Cost of Starting Over
• (05:46) - Where Would I Go?
• (05:56) - The Community That Keeps Me Here
• (06:06) - Why I Still Choose Tennessee
• (08:40) - Faith, Doubt & the Stories We Grow Up With
• (11:44) - Do Evangelicals Really Believe All That?
• (16:23) - Jesus Would Be the Wokest Motherfucker on the Planet
• (21:24) - Matthew Shepard: Why We Still Need to Talk About Hate
• (28:02) - Who Gets to Feel Safe in a Post-Trump World?
• (32:32) - The People Who Remind Me I'm Not Alone
• (32:40) - A Little Love From the Listener Community
• (34:08) - Safety, Community & Showing Up
• (37:21) - What Would You Ask an Alien?
• (43:12) - Disappointing Pretzels & the Meaning of Life

I’m an atheist. But I’m not a non-believer.

Those two things might sound like the same thing, but lately I’ve realized they’re not.

RECORD YOUR VOICE MESSAGE FOR ME BY VISITING: https://www.speakpipe.com/ThereIsNoGodAndWereAllGonnaDie

I grew up Irish Catholic. When I realized I was gay, I was terrified that I was going to hell. I pulled away from the church, discovered punk rock and new wave, and eventually spent years exploring everything from Buddhism and meditation to the Baha’i faith, Hare Krishna, tarot and New Age spirituality.

For a long time, I called myself “spiritual but not religious.”

Today, I think my atheism is my spirituality.

I don’t believe there’s a God waiting to reward me after I die. I don’t believe in hell. I’m not even convinced there’s an afterlife.

And weirdly, that makes this life feel even more precious.

In this episode, I talk about religious trauma, mortality, the fear of nothingness, and why I’ve had to become friends with the idea that someday there will be no more Daniel.

I also talk about the strange, inexplicable energy I feel on a dance floor, at a concert, on a deserted beach, listening to music, or pressing my face into my dog’s face. I don't necessarily need to call those experiences God.

Maybe they're just part of being human.

Maybe that's enough.

There are also voicemails, a little “What’s Going On With Daniel’s Facebook?”, someone telling me to go fuck myself, a political rant or two, and a final conversation that brings the whole episode back around to the question I started with:

If I don’t believe in heaven, what do I believe in?

Maybe the answer is simpler than I thought.

Maybe heaven is the good stuff we get to experience while we're here.

And if that’s true, then I better try to make some heaven now.

• (00:00) - So… What the Hell Do I Actually Believe?
• (02:30) - Let's Talk About Religion
• (02:59) - I Was Raised Catholic. Then I Realized I Was Gay.
• (08:22) - I Went Looking for God. I Found Punk Rock.
• (11:09) - I’m an Atheist. But I’m Not a Non-Believer.
• (14:37) - What Happens When the Radio Just… Stops?
• (17:28) - Religious Trauma, Addiction & Trying to Stay Alive
• (23:57) - What’s Going On With Daniel’s Facebook?
• (29:00) - You Can Teach Compassion. You Can Teach Hate, Too.
• (33:25) - My Atheism Is Actually My Spirituality
• (40:56) - Yes, I’m Still Worried About This Fucking Country
• (47:04) - I Don’t Need God to Tell Me What’s Right
• (53:00) - If There’s No Heaven, I Better Make Some Now

How the Hell Does an Atheist Deal With Depression?

I've been depressed lately.

Not necessarily “I can't get out of bed and everything is terrible” depressed. More like the kind that sneaks up on you when you're 57 and start looking at the dreams you had when you were younger and wondering what the hell happened to them.

I thought I was going to be a rock star.

And for a brief moment, it looked like I was going to be one. I got signed to Elton John's record label. I had the record deal. I had the songs. I had the dreams.

And then it all fell apart.

For years, I thought that meant I had failed.

But looking back at my life now, I'm starting to wonder if I was measuring success completely wrong.

So this week, I'm talking about depression, disappointment, failure, aging, and what happens when you're an atheist who doesn't believe there's a God waiting to swoop in and fix everything.

I've come up with five things that help me when life feels overwhelming:

Life isn't supposed to feel good all the time.
There is no destiny.
Meditate on your smallness.
Get outside yourself.
Show up anyway.

There are stories about music, addiction, suicide attempts, sobriety, Elton John, rejection, friendship, and the strange realization that sometimes simply being here is an enormous accomplishment.

And, of course, there are voicemails.

We talk about greatest hits, Tompkins Square Park, cannibals, wrestling, the afterlife, robots telling me my podcast sucks, and whether I should finally stop saying “at the end of the day.”

Because apparently I can't make an episode about depression without getting completely sidetracked.

And then, at the end, I read a poem that stopped me in my tracks.

This one is funny, sad, philosophical, personal, and unexpectedly hopeful.

There Is No God And We're All Gonna Die
A surprisingly spiritual podcast from a gay, liberal atheist living in the Bible Belt.

• (00:00) - I Thought I Was Going to Be a Rock Star
• (03:00) - What Happened to the Dream?
• (05:50) - Maybe I’ve Been Measuring Success Wrong
• (09:50) - How the Hell Does an Atheist Deal With Depression?
• (12:00) - Five Things I’ve Learned About Getting Through It
• (20:00) - Let’s Hear From the Callers
• (22:00) - My Greatest Hits… Apparently
• (26:00) - You Don’t Have to Know Someone to Matter to Them
• (28:00) - Tompkins Square Park, Cannibals & Old New York
• (30:30) - Sometimes Your Neighbors Are Your Community
• (33:00) - My Podcast Sucks. A Robot Told Me So.
• (35:00) - Why Do We Love Wrestling?
• (38:30) - If There’s No Afterlife, Why Do I Want to Live Forever?
• (42:00) - At the End of the Day…
• (46:00) - What I Can Control
• (48:00) - The Poem That Made Me Cry
• (49:30) - Just Show Up

This week, I’m retiring some expressions.

After spending way too much time arguing with people on Facebook, I’ve come up with a list of phrases and talking points I would be perfectly happy to never hear again.

“Stop shoving your lifestyle in my face.”

“It’s just a difference of opinion.”

“Go woke, go broke.”

“Triggered much?”

“Go back to your safe space.”

And yes, I have some thoughts.

But this episode isn’t just me yelling at the internet. (Although there is some of that.)

We also hear from a caller who worries I’m spending too much energy on the people who hate me, a very famous musician friend who is concerned about the death threats I’ve been getting, a caller who literally phones in to complain that I’m “shoving my lifestyle” in everyone’s face — proving my point almost immediately — and DJ, who is dealing with a whole lot of bullshit while trying to organize an LGBTQ bonfire here in Tennessee.

Then things take a turn.

A Buddhist caller gets me thinking about sand mandalas, impermanence, the labels we put on ourselves, and what’s left when you strip all those labels away.

And finally, Corey calls with a surprisingly profound question about death, atheism, and why I want my ashes to be with my dogs.

So yeah.

We go from Facebook talking points to Buddhist philosophy to dog ashes.

Pretty much exactly where you'd expect this podcast to go.

There Is No God And We’re All Gonna Die

A surprisingly spiritual podcast from a gay, liberal atheist living in the Bible Belt.

• (00:01) - The World Is On Fire, So Let's Take Calls
• (03:53) - Please Retire These Fucking Talking Points
• (10:48) - My Gayness Is Not a Lifestyle
• (26:38) - Am I Feeding the Trolls?
• (34:41) - Someone Wants to Decapitate Me
• (35:22) - Holy Shit, Marcella Detroit Called
• (38:39) - My Lifestyle Is Dog Hair and Dollar General
• (41:14) - They’re Mad About a Gay Bonfire
• (45:12) - Take Away the Labels. What’s Left?
• (52:07) - Stop Thinking About My Dick
• (54:02) - What Happens to My Corpse?
• (56:16) - I Want to Be With My Dogs

Well, good news: I did NOT get decapitated.

After a guy on Facebook told me he'd like to cut off my head, I somehow turned the whole thing into a comedy routine. Because when people say truly unhinged shit to you, sometimes laughing is the only reasonable response.

This week, we get into bigotry, threats, religion, LGBTQ+ community, toxic masculinity, and the strange things people apparently feel compelled to say on the internet.

A listener asks: What if you're wrong about God—and what if you're going to hell?

Another listener tells me about an LGBTQ+ bonfire party in Tennessee that attracted a whole lot of hateful Facebook comments, including an accusation that it's an "AIDS party" and the suggestion that someone should release rattlesnakes at the event.

Then things get unexpectedly personal.

A listener asks me to do an entire episode about Joe, my former fiancé and one of the most important people who ever came into my life. That sends me down a very personal road through addiction, sex work, recovery, music, love, loss, and the person who saw something in me when I couldn't see it in myself.

We also get a reading from Leviticus, a fascinating question about whether "homophobia" and "transphobia" are really the right words, and a final conversation about politics, authoritarianism, hope, and why waiting for the perfect political candidate can sometimes mean getting the worst possible outcome.

And somehow, after all of that, I still end up saying the same thing:

I love everybody.

Even assholes who want to cut my head off.
xoxo Daniel

LEAVE ME YOUR VOICE MESSAGES AT:https://www.speakpipe.com/ThereIsNoGodAndWereAllGonnaDie

• (00:00) - Daniel
• (04:30) - Daniel — Take 02
• (06:49) - Facing Homophobia with Humor and Resilience
• (08:22) - The Power of Living Authentically
• (08:22) - Daniel — Take 04
• (18:11) - Introduction to the Conversation
• (18:11) - Introduction and Community Engagement
• (22:15) - LGBTQ+ Bonfire Party Discussion
• (23:56) - Community Reactions and Support
• (24:02) - Exploring Homophobic Comments and Reactions
• (28:57) - The Impact of Mitch McConnell on American Politics
• (32:31) - Personal Reflections on Love and Loss
• (39:51) - Memories and Humor in Mourning
• (41:32) - Reflections on Life and Influence
• (42:28) - Questioning Religious Beliefs
• (44:44) - Living Authentically as a Gay Man
• (46:26) - Addressing Common Misconceptions about LGBTQ+ Issues
• (48:43) - Understanding Homophobia and Transphobia
• (53:05) - The Role of Ignorance in Hate
• (55:24) - Political Commentary and Societal Evolution
• (56:25) - The Death of a Distorted Conservatism
• (58:17) - Hope for a More Enlightened Society

Apparently I'm a bigot for hating bigots.

In this episode, I introduce Daniel's Magical Bigot Barometer: a very simple way to tell the difference between having an unpopular opinion and just being an asshole. We get into the things people say online that they would never have the guts to say at an actual dinner party—and why hiding behind a Facebook profile doesn't make bigotry any less ugly.

Then the voicemails take us everywhere: accusations that I'm mentally ill, a conversation about America's fucked-up healthcare system, a caller who thinks calling me a faggot is an insult, an old friend who makes me homesick for New Hampshire, and yet another argument about transgender people and women's sports.

Somewhere along the way, this episode becomes less about bigots and more about learning to love yourself after spending years believing the awful things other people told you about who you are.

Also: my opinion that bigots are like people who are proud to fart loudly (and often) in public, my life as a teenage punk rocker, universal healthcare, and a reminder that maybe we should all just stop being fucking dicks.

Want to record a voice message for my next episode?
Visit: https://www.speakpipe.com/ThereIsNoGodAndWereAllGonnaDie

• (00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast and Host's Perspective
• (02:11) - Engagement with Audience and Feedback
• (02:32) - Confronting Online Bigotry
• (07:30) - Defining Bigotry and Its Misconceptions
• (09:50) - Understanding Bigotry in Modern Discourse
• (11:13) - Defining the Line: Bigotry vs. Opinion
• (11:22) - Daniel — Take 04
• (17:59) - Introduction to Bigotry and Its Implications
• (17:59) - Navigating Disagreement and Insults
• (18:40) - Understanding Racism and Bigotry in Discourse
• (19:01) - Daniel — Take 07
• (21:46) - Voicemail Interactions and Open-Mindedness
• (25:38) - The Impact of Upbringing on Beliefs
• (27:19) - Spreading Love and Acceptance
• (29:07) - Healthcare Concerns and Personal Health Journey
• (31:47) - Universal Healthcare: A Path to a Healthier America
• (33:02) - Embracing Identity and Self-Love
• (41:18) - Reflections on the Past and Personal Growth
• (47:20) - Addressing Controversial Topics and Advocacy
• (48:57) - Riley Gaines and Transgender people in sports

IT'S TRUE FOLKS ... I once dated a Trump voter.
In my defense I didn't realize it until we were living together.
And while our politics eventually became a pretty significant problem, the relationship taught me something much bigger about myself.

After getting sober, I realized I had spent years using alcohol—and later relationships—to escape from myself. I moved in with people ridiculously quickly, got engaged five times, and kept looking for someone else to make me feel okay.

Let me know what you think of this episode - or tell me what's on your mind at:
https://www.speakpipe.com/ThereIsNoGodAndWereAllGonnaDie

In this episode, I talk about that MAGA relationship, why I needed my home to be a safe place where I could speak freely about the things I believe in, and what happens when two people have fundamentally different values.

I also talk about the MAGA takeover of “YMCA,” growing up a liberal kid in conservative New Hampshire, and why I consider myself a spiritual atheist. Because if I don't believe in God, an afterlife, or some supernatural force that's going to swoop in and fix everything...

What exactly do I mean when I talk about spirituality?

For me, it's about getting sober, learning who I really am, learning to love that person, being kind, taking risks, and trying to leave the world a little better than I found it.

And if this really is the only life I get?

I'd better start paying attention to how I'm living it.

• (00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast and Host
• (00:54) - Engagement with the Audience
• (02:07) - Invitation for Listener Interaction
• (02:40) - Confronting Bigotry on Social Media
• (04:58) - The Impact of Public Outrage
• (06:09) - Understanding Bravery in Identity
• (06:09) - Daniel — Take 04
• (10:58) - The Nature of Bigotry and Insults
• (15:24) - Social Media and Open-Mindedness
• (20:26) - The Theme Song and Its Significance
• (25:57) - Relationships and Self-Discovery
• (35:23) - Navigating Political Differences in Relationships
• (40:02) - Cultural Icons and Their Impact
• (42:20) - Childhood Political Experiences
• (49:43) - Understanding Spirituality as an Atheist
• (01:01:15) - Embracing Spiritual Awakenings
• (01:01:49) - Living Your Truth
• (01:02:01) - Finding Your Community

Is My Podcast Title Mean?
Leave me a voicemail and let me know!
(You can also let me know what else is on your mind)

I'm having an identity crisis.

Okay, maybe not an identity crisis. But I've been wondering whether There Is No God and We're All Gonna Die is actually a good name for a podcast that I'm hoping will bring people together.

Dolly Parton's death got me thinking about it.

Dolly had this extraordinary ability to make people feel like they mattered. She brought people together. She made people feel welcome.

And I started wondering whether my podcast title does the opposite.

Is it provocative? Is it funny? Is it intriguing?

Or is it just vinegar?

I'm genuinely asking.

Because here's the thing: I don't think the title is actually pessimistic. To me, both halves of the title are spiritual ideas.

If there is no God, then the responsibility for creating the goodness I want to see in the world belongs to me.

And if we're all gonna die, then this moment matters.

From there, we get into your voicemails.

I talk about my Facebook post that unexpectedly went viral after people decided that calling me gay was an insult. We talk about being proud of the identities other people might try to use against us.

We talk about feeding our pets, overcrowded animal shelters, and the impossible choices people sometimes face when they can no longer afford to care for their animals.

We talk about planning for death and why making those decisions ahead of time can be an act of love.

And then we get philosophical.

I'm an atheist, but I find plenty of wisdom in religion. I talk about the Serenity Prayer and the Prayer of St. Francis — two pieces of religious tradition that I find meaningful even though I don't believe anyone supernatural is listening.

We also talk about forgiveness, including my own struggle to forgive the men who brutally attacked me because I was gay.

I didn't forgive them because what they did was okay.

I forgave them because I didn't want their hatred to continue taking up space inside me.

And maybe that's what this whole podcast is really about.

If there is no God, then it's up to us.

If we're all gonna die, then we'd better make the time count.

So what do you think?

Is my podcast title mean?

I'd genuinely love to hear from you.

• (00:00) - Introduction and Personal Reflections
• (03:43) - The Impact of Dolly Parton
• (06:51) - Spiritual Beliefs and Personal Responsibility
• (09:46) - Podcast Title and Community Engagement
• (14:20) - Viral Post and LGBTQ+ Identity
• (18:33) - Pet Care and Dietary Choices
• (22:41) - Political Commentary and Societal Issues
• (27:23) - Confronting ICE and Community Resistance
• (34:03) - The Importance of End-of-Life Planning
• (38:40) - Reflections on Spiritual Practices and Happiness
• (47:36) - Exploring Religion and Its Values
• (57:44) - Closing Thoughts and Listener Engagement

Apparently, if you become upset when a president mocks disabled people, demeans women, attacks democratic institutions, lies about elections, pardons political allies, scapegoats immigrants, and celebrates political violence, you might have "Trump Derangement Syndrome."

Well... apparently I have it.

And I'm proud of it.

In this episode, I talk about why I don't want to become so accustomed to cruelty that cruelty stops shocking me. I go through a long list of things surrounding Donald Trump and his administration that make me angry, frightened, or just plain fucking bewildered — and why I think being disturbed by those things is a sign that my moral compass is still working.

Then I get to the listener voicemails.

We talk about MAGA and Christian nationalism as a political religion, surveillance and Flock cameras, creativity and catastrophizing, and why creative people feel compelled to make things even when there's no guarantee anyone will ever see or hear them.

I also talk about my own relationship with music — including the realization that I don't have to become famous for making music to be worthwhile. Sometimes I just need to hear the song that's been living in my head.

Maybe that's the whole point.

If you want to leave me a voicemail for a future episode, head over to DanielCartier.com and click the Podcast Voicemail button at the top of the page.

I'm Daniel Cartier, and this is There Is No God and We're All Gonna Die.

Thanks for listening.

• (00:00) - Introduction to Trump Derangement Syndrome
• (03:06) - Daniel's Perspective on Politics and Identity
• (06:04) - The Impact of Trump's Actions
• (08:55) - Gaslighting and Political Manipulation
• (12:13) - The January 6th Insurrection
• (14:51) - Critique of Trump's Leadership Style
• (17:52) - The Consequences of Trump's Policies
• (20:45) - Reflections on Political Violence and Media
• (28:45) - The Burden of Ignorance and Cruelty
• (30:11) - The Psychological Impact of Political Discontent
• (33:17) - Politics as a Religion: The Rise of MAGA
• (36:32) - The Distortion of Compassion in Modern Politics
• (39:31) - Surveillance and Privacy: The New Normal
• (42:16) - The Creative Mind: A Blessing and a Curse
• (51:01) - The Purpose of Art and Music in Life

In this episode, Daniel talks about community, atheism, the enormous universe, and the strange miracle of being alive.

After attending NanaCon (a yearly convention of Atheists, Humanists and like minded people) Daniel finds himself thinking about why humans need community—even people who don't belong to traditional religious communities—and how that same need for belonging can bring people together for beautiful reasons or very destructive ones.

Then comes 10 Things I Find Amazing About Being Alive, including the mind-boggling size of the universe, the fact that we're made of stardust, the mystery of consciousness, how brief a human life really is, the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe, our obsession with certainty, and Daniel's newfound obsession with feeding birds.

He also talks about anger, civility, control, mortality, and the challenge of remaining loving toward people whose beliefs we strongly disagree with.

And this episode features several listener voicemails—including thoughts about near-death experiences, nihilism, community, and finding meaning when we're not sure the universe has any inherent meaning at all.

We're all stuck here together. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.

• (00:00) - — Welcome Back
• (00:31) - — Who the Hell Is Daniel Cartier?
• (02:00) - — Please Call Me!
• (04:00) - — Why Atheists Need Community Too
• (07:00) - — 10 Things That Amaze Me About Being Alive
• (07:30) - — #1: The Universe Is Freaking Huge
• (09:00) - — #2: We're Made of Stardust
• (10:30) - — #3: Human Life Is Incredibly Short
• (12:30) - — #4: The Mystery of Consciousness
• (14:00) - — #5: How Lucky Are We to Exist?
• (15:00) - — #6: Is Somebody Out There?
• (17:00) - — #7: Why Are Humans Obsessed With Certainty?
• (19:00) - — #8: My Birds Have Replaced Social Media
• (21:00) - — #9: We're All the Result of Sex
• (22:00) - — #10: We're All Stuck With Each Other
• (25:00) - — Listener Voicemails Begin
• (25:00) - — Near-Death Experiences & Hoping I'm Wrong
• (28:00) - — Nihilism, Meaning & Why Love Still Matters
• (34:18) - — Corey Calls In 😂
• (35:00) - — What NanaCon Taught Me About Getting Along
• (39:00) - — Anger, Compassion & Knowing When to Walk Away
• (43:00) - — What Do We Actually Believe?
• (47:00) - — Addiction, Hope & Why Community Matters
• (50:00) - — We're All Just Trying to Figure This Out

After a seven-month hiatus, Daniel returns to There Is No God and We're All Gonna Die with an honest conversation about why he stepped away—and why he's coming back.

From growing demands in his music career and caring for his beloved dog Phantom during his final months, to burnout, grief, and questioning the purpose of the podcast itself, Daniel shares the very personal reasons behind his absence.

More importantly, he introduces a renewed vision for the show. Rather than chasing every political headline, this podcast will focus on something deeper: exploring spirituality, finding joy in difficult times, challenging hypocrisy, and building meaningful conversations between people who don't always share the same beliefs.

Whether you're religious, atheist, agnostic, progressive, conservative, or simply trying to make sense of the world, you're invited to join the conversation.

Leave Daniel a voicemail for future episodes at:
www.danielcartier.com/podcast

• (00:14) - Reintroduction and Purpose of the Podcast
• (04:49) - Personal Challenges and Life Events
• (09:45) - Reflections on Belief and Death
• (17:15) - Podcast Direction and Future Goals
• (24:34) - Invitation for Engagement and Community

It’s almost Christmas, and instead of a long episode, Daniel takes a moment to reflect.

In this short, candid episode, Daniel — a gay, liberal atheist living in the Bible Belt — talks about community, anger, compassion, and the challenge of choosing love in an increasingly divided world.

Topics include:

• Why hatred is easy — and love takes actual work
• The limits of arguing with strangers online
• Finding common ground without abandoning your values
• How small, local acts of kindness still matter
• What it means to coexist with people you deeply disagree with

This episode is raw, unfiltered, and intentionally imperfect — a holiday pause to ask a hard question:
Can we still be the love we want to see in the world, even now?

🎧 Listeners are invited to leave voicemails at thereisnogodandwereallgonnadie.com to be played and responded to on future episodes.

• (00:00) - Introduction to the Holiday Spirit
• (01:00) - Community Engagement and Personal Values
• (01:51) - Invitation for Listener Interaction
• (03:00) - Freedom of Expression and Political Climate
• (05:26) - Community Engagement and Personal Values
• (08:19) - Navigating Hate and Embracing Compassion
• (08:25) - Navigating Online Conflict and Time Management
• (10:50) - The Power of Love and Coexistence
• (13:37) - Challenging Hate with Understanding
• (16:52) - Reflections on Coexistence and Acceptance
• (19:34) - Holiday Reflections and Future Conversations

This episode wasn’t the one I planned on — but after Donald Trump's grotesque response to Rob Reiner and his wife Michele's getting murdered, I needed to talk about it. I needed to respond to a horrifying act of violence, and an even more disturbing reaction from the President. I unpack the difference between anger and hatred, and wrestle with what it means to stay human in a political climate that seems designed to strip us of empathy.

We talk about:
• Political cruelty and narcissism
• Gaslighting, misinformation, and manufactured outrage
• Living as a gay, liberal atheist in the Bible Belt
• Why anger isn’t the enemy — but resentment might be
• Setting boundaries, loving yourself, and learning when “no” is a complete sentence
• Animals, community, and why kindness is still a radical act

Plus, I take listener calls from all over — about cult recovery, self-worth, Christmas as an atheist, healthy boundaries, and how to keep going when everything feels broken.

If you love this podcast, hate it, or are somewhere in between — I want to hear from you.
Leave a voicemail at thereisnogodandwereallgonnadie.com.

• (00:00) - Addressing Current Events in America
• (00:38) - Introduction to the Podcast and Host's Perspective
• (00:46) - Introduction to Beliefs and Perspectives
• (03:14) - Reflections on Political Discourse and Leadership
• (05:19) - The Impact of Tragedy on Society
• (07:22) - Healthcare and Economic Struggles
• (09:51) - The Call for Compassion and Understanding
• (12:26) - Introduction and Podcast Format
• (14:52) - Celebrating Christmas as an Atheist
• (21:09) - The Importance of Community and Kindness
• (29:33) - Setting Boundaries and Self-Love
• (41:13) - Finding Harmony in Diversity
• (42:07) - Introduction and Voicemail Overview
• (44:11) - The Love for People and Animals
• (47:09) - Navigating Current Events and Positivity
• (48:47) - Introduction to Chris Mitchell
• (53:07) - The Role of Art in Self-Expression
• (55:32) - Reflections on Political Climate and Personal Growth

This week I flip last week’s gratitude list upside down and share 30 things I'm NOT grateful for — from bigots and transphobes to corrupt politicians, gerrymandering, Christian hypocrisy, toxic masculinity, billionaires, ICE, TRUMP, cult-MAGA, and the entire mess of our current political and cultural landscape. Don't worry - it's not all bleak. As always, I have to find the laughter and love in the midst of it all.

I dive into:
• Transgender Day of Remembrance & the trolls who ruin it
• Trump’s pardons, January 6th worship, and “ending birthright citizenship”
• Defiant ignorance, science denial & algorithm-driven rage
• Animal cruelty, corporate greed & billionaire worship
• The ugliness that I believe resides in Kristi Noem's puppy killing heart
• Boundaries, burnout, hope, and why helping others has no guaranteed payoff
• Why I STILL choose love, empathy, and compassion — even as an atheist in the Bible Belt

Plus listener calls about grief, pop music, beauty, and emotional survival.

💬 Leave me a voicemail!
https://www.danieljcartier.com/podcast

🎧 Listen on all platforms:
https://thereisnogodandwereallgonnadie.transistor.fm/

• (00:00) - Introduction to Gratitude and Negativity
• (00:01) - Exploring Personal Experiences with Negativity
• (00:10) - Introduction to Ungratefulness
• (01:21) - Subversive Ungratefulness
• (02:06) - Engagement and Self-Promotion
• (03:37) - Current Events and Political Landscape
• (05:13) - Controversial Policies and Their Implications
• (06:13) - Investigating Extremism: A Government Directive
• (08:40) - Defining Extremism: A Critical Perspective
• (09:56) - Introduction to the Anti-Thanksgiving List
• (10:21) - Engagement with Audience and Voicemails
• (10:32) - Gratitude and Its Absence: A Personal Reflection
• (11:06) - Hypocrisy in Religion and Politics
• (13:26) - Corruption and Presidential Pardons
• (15:43) - Voting Against Self-Interest
• (18:08) - The Role of ICE and Immigration Issues
• (20:55) - Animal Abuse and Societal Values
• (23:27) - Healthcare vs. Wealth Disparity
• (25:36) - Political Retribution and SNAP Benefits
• (28:23) - The Problem with Billionaires
• (31:16) - Defiant Ignorance and Science Denial
• (36:20) - Empaths vs. Sociopaths: A Societal Divide
• (38:37) - The Burden of Coexistence and Compassion
• (40:58) - The Impact of Social Media and Algorithms
• (44:49) - Corporate Greed and Its Consequences
• (48:41) - The Myth of Bootstrapping and Societal Inequality
• (50:51) - The Power of Enlightenment and Empathy
• (52:43) - Addressing Societal Issues and Compassion
• (54:09) - The Ugliness of Division
• (56:24) - Navigating Personal Hatred and Empathy
• (58:43) - Confronting Fake Persecution and Cultural Narratives
• (59:32) - Introduction to Voicemails
• (59:33) - Introduction to Voicemails
• (01:00:33) - Dream Collaborations in Music
• (01:04:26) - Addressing Political Anger and Corruption
• (01:10:31) - Hope Amidst Despair
• (01:14:49) - The Beauty of Subjectivity
• (01:16:52) - The Power of Music
• (01:19:22) - The Joy of Christmas and Relaxation
• (01:20:13) - Introduction and Personal Connection
• (01:22:04) - The Importance of Boundaries
• (01:22:47) - Empathy and Helping Others
• (01:25:27) - Giving Without Expectations
• (01:28:56) - Letting Go of Results

This episode is a post-Thanksgiving gratitude list, with a reality check on the world we’re living in. I talk about Transgender Day of Remembrance, online trolls, toxic masculinity, and the difference between anger and resentment. I get into the idea of “being the love you want to see,” how living in the Bible Belt forces me into unlikely conversations, and why connecting across differences matters more than ever—even when it's hard.

I also share how sobriety, community, and my own messy history with depression taught me to focus on what I can control and let go of the rest. It’s raw, honest, and a little bit like therapy… for both of us.

Call the show: https://www.speakpipe.com/ThereIsNoGodAndWereAllGonnaDie
Click here to watch a video of this episode.

• (00:00) - The Power of Gratitude
• (00:01) - Practicing Gratitude Daily
• (00:05) - Introduction and Gratitude
• (04:04) - The List of 60 Things Grateful For
• (04:08) - Honoring LGBTQ Trailblazers
• (05:59) - The Role of Villains in History
• (07:50) - Everyday Heroes and Local Activism
• (10:12) - Gratitude for Online Trolls
• (12:32) - The Importance of Chosen Family
• (21:15) - Acknowledging the Absence of Support
• (23:45) - Resilience in the Face of Adversity
• (26:37) - Gratitude for Family and Friends
• (28:59) - The Importance of Love and Connection
• (31:01) - Living in a Divided Society
• (35:29) - Embracing Imperfections
• (35:45) - Embracing Imperfection in Home Ownership
• (36:56) - Gratitude for Home and Community
• (40:06) - Critique of 'Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps'
• (43:07) - Appreciation for Diverse Faiths
• (45:51) - Acceptance and Respect for Beliefs
• (46:39) - The Impact of Progressive Christianity
• (49:06) - Values Over Beliefs: A New Perspective
• (51:45) - Identifying Good vs. Bad Values
• (52:03) - Identifying the Common Enemy
• (52:52) - The Impact of a Closed-Minded Mindset
• (53:12) - Embracing Diverse Perspectives
• (54:23) - Finding Value in Different Beliefs
• (56:27) - The Power of Prayer and Intention
• (01:00:34) - Acceptance and Control in Life
• (01:02:48) - Self-Love and Personal Growth
• (01:03:15) - Gratitude for Sobriety
• (01:05:47) - Reflections on Resentment and Change
• (01:08:18) - Embracing Control and Community
• (01:08:26) - Finding Common Ground in Sobriety
• (01:13:03) - Identifying Our Common Enemies
• (01:17:00) - The Challenge of Open-Mindedness
• (01:19:05) - Being the Change We Want to See
• (01:20:38) - Embracing Nature's Beauty
• (01:22:01) - The Cosmic Perspective
• (01:23:38) - Biodiversity and Our Planet
• (01:23:51) - The Evolution of Life on Earth
• (01:28:40) - The Significance of Biodiversity and Our Place in Time
• (01:29:18) - The Vastness of Space and Our Place in It
• (01:29:40) - Understanding Light Years and Cosmic Distances
• (01:30:10) - The Vastness of the Universe
• (01:32:03) - Embracing Our Smallness
• (01:34:25) - The Spirituality of Mortality
• (01:37:17) - The Importance of Our Actions
• (01:39:11) - Reflections on Humanity and Society
• (01:39:15) - The Legacy of Harvey Milk and Dan White
• (01:40:56) - Fighting Against Hostility and Marginalization
• (01:41:49) - Gratitude and Open Dialogue

This episode jumps between anger, grief, forgiveness, politics, and unexpected hope — so, basically business as usual.

I talk about the Transgender Day of Remembrance, why transphobia makes me furious, and the weird emotional gymnastics required to stay human in a world that keeps dehumanizing people. I get into forgiveness (including forgiving the men who gay-bashed me decades ago), what “being the love I want to see” actually looks like, and why anger and resentment are not the same thing.

We also touch on:
• Depression and the need for connection
• Trump’s latest threat about “executing” people for telling troops to obey the law
• How MAGA and far-right news ecosystems shape reality
• The rise of Trump-like politics in places like the UK
• Toxic masculinity, compassion fatigue, and why this podcast might be my therapy

Plus: listener calls from all over — some challenging, some funny, some deeply moving.

Voicemail hotline: https://www.speakpipe.com/ThereIsNoGodAndWereAllGonnaDie

Full episodes & links: https://thereisnogodandwereallgonnadie.transistor.fm/

• (00:00) - Introduction and Show Overview
• (02:24) - Struggles with Depression
• (02:57) - National Day of Remembrance for Transgender People
• (08:10) - Introduction and Call to Action
• (11:23) - Global Politics and Its Impact
• (13:26) - The Power of Trust and Media Influence
• (16:13) - Personal Experiences with Hate Crimes
• (21:30) - Forgiveness and Letting Go of Resentment
• (26:05) - The Importance of Joy and Love in Society
• (31:12) - Engaging with Hate and Finding Peace
• (36:33) - Honesty and the Role of Media
• (36:58) - Navigating News Sources
• (41:22) - The Overwhelm of Information
• (45:46) - Confronting Online Hate
• (52:43) - The State of American Politics
• (59:06) - Introduction and Friendships
• (01:05:24) - The Importance of Gratitude
• (01:11:50) - Navigating Anger and Joy
• (01:13:29) - Letting Go of Destiny and Importance
• (01:24:06) - Coping with Depression and Finding Joy

This week: I talk with BIG GAY ED, an unapologetic 61-year-old gay force of nature from rural Michigan, who lives surrounded by MAGA neighbors, but still manages to shine his rainbow nails at Kroger like a superstar. We go full tilt for over an hour— just two queer atheist weirdos talking about politics, dogs, compassion, MAGA neighbors, OCD, Jesus’ abs, sobriety, and how to survive in a country that feels like the trailer for a dystopian reboot nobody asked for.

Ed shares what it’s like being openly gay in a rural area surrounded by conservatives, how he stays visible so younger LGBTQ+ kids see hope, and how we both still believe in kindness, even while we're saying “fuck them” at least every six minutes.

This episode covers:

• Coexisting with people whose politics terrify you
• Why pets are the last remaining thing everyone still agrees on
• Class, poverty, suffering, and the people falling between the cracks
• Gay joy, queer visibility, and the power of showing up
• Trump, hypocrisy, corruption, January 6, and all the things that give Daniel an aneurysm
• Recovery, sobriety, community, and chosen family

It’s honest, messy, heartfelt, profane, and—somehow—hopeful.

CALL THE SHOW:
Go to danielcartier.com → Podcast → Call the Show
Leave Daniel a 90-second voicemail. Any topic. Any opinion. All are welcome—even the people who want him to burn in hell. (He’ll probably be there with his friends anyway.)

• (00:00) - Introducing Big Gay Ed and His Name Pronunciation
• (02:44) - Personal Stories and Humor
• (06:09) - Identity and Self-Expression
• (07:30) - Life Experiences and Recovery
• (10:24) - Humor in Everyday Life
• (13:38) - Mental Health and Catastrophizing
• (16:14) - Religion and Spirituality
• (18:57) - Connection and Understanding
• (25:06) - Navigating Everyday Anxieties
• (28:04) - The Impact of Pets on Life Choices
• (30:28) - Redefining Love and Independence
• (32:17) - The Role of Money in Creative Freedom
• (34:29) - The Challenges of Touring and Financial Concerns
• (36:47) - Reflections on Fame and Recognition
• (38:20) - Coexisting with Political Differences
• (42:01) - The Struggle of Acceptance in Relationships
• (46:52) - The Corruption of Politics and Its Consequences
• (51:47) - The Madness of Political Discourse
• (56:52) - Identity and Coexistence in a Divided World
• (01:02:44) - The Challenge of Coexisting with Different Beliefs
• (01:07:54) - Finding Common Ground Amidst Division
• (01:15:13) - Reflections on Relationships and Political Polarization
• (01:21:37) - open close there is no god.mp4

This week I’m talking about hope, fear, and oatmeal.
After a rough week, I’m feeling a little lighter — and a little more hopeful — thanks to some surprising election results, good friends, and a fridge full of almond milk. I answer listener calls about faith, fear, and finding peace in a chaotic world.

Topics include:

• Why seeing people vote gives me hope
• What it would actually take for me to believe in God
• How I deal with fear and depression without religion
• Finding comfort in the small stuff (like cooking, yard work, and dogs)
• The joy of rediscovering old songs and small moments of gratitude

Trigger warning: brief mention of suicide and addiction recovery.
As always, if you want to leave a voice message for the show:
🎧 https://www.speakpipe.com/ThereIsNoGodAndWereAllGonnaDie

• (00:00) - Introduction and Call for Engagement
• (02:58) - Reflections on Recent Elections and Hope for Change
• (06:23) - The Importance of Civic Engagement
• (09:09) - Personal Reflections and Future Aspirations
• (17:20) - Exploring Belief and the Concept of God
• (26:05) - Concerns About Safety and Suffering
• (28:11) - Financial Struggles and Daily Decisions
• (35:51) - Coping with Fear and Anxiety
• (39:30) - Finding Perspective in Smallness
• (43:02) - The Importance of Hobbies and Community
• (46:19) - Gratitude for Home and Creativity
• (51:30) - Simple Pleasures and Daily Routines