Atheistville with Mike Smithgall
Hosted by Mike Smithgall, Atheistville explores atheism, deconversion, and secular life through open, respectful conversation. The channel features two signature shows:
Mike Drop – weekly commentary on religion, politics, and culture from a reasoned, secular perspective.
Breakfast with a Heathen – a relaxed Sunday Q&A that tackles listener and Reddit questions about belief, honesty, and living without faith.
Together, they create a space for candid dialogue about leaving belief behind, thinking for yourself, and building a meaningful life grounded in evidence, empathy, and ethics rather than dogma.
Podcast Creator Bio: Mike Smithgall
Mike Smithgall is the creator and host of Atheistville, a podcast and YouTube series exploring atheism, deconversion, and secular life through real conversation instead of confrontation. Drawing on his background as a financial professional and lifelong skeptic, Mike focuses on how people think, what leads them to question faith, and how they rebuild meaning without religion.
He interviews former believers, secular thinkers, and progressive voices to highlight shared values of empathy, critical thinking, and human connection. His mission is simple: belief should be personal, not political, and every story deserves to be heard.
Follow his work on YouTube (@Atheistville) or at Atheistville.com.
Atheistville with Mike Smithgall
From Episcopalian Choir Boy to Confident Atheist: Larry Warren tells his story
Meet Larry Warren, a man whose journey from Episcopalian choir boy to confident atheist mirrors the experience of countless Americans who quietly questioned their faith for decades before the internet gave them the tools to understand their doubts. Larry's story is refreshingly relatable—no dramatic deconversion moment, no religious trauma, just a gradual realization that began in his teenage years and crystallized in his late 40s.
What makes Larry's perspective valuable is how he represents the "casual Christian" experience that so many Americans share. Raised in the mild Midwestern Episcopalian tradition, Larry sang in the choir, got confirmed, and went through all the religious motions—until adolescent questions met with divine silence made him slowly drift away. Unlike many atheist stories, Larry's journey wasn't triggered by tragedy or scandal, but by the simple accumulation of unanswered questions and logical inconsistencies.
Larry's candid discussion reveals how the rise of the internet fundamentally changed the atheist experience. For the first time, people like Larry could access debates, essays, and communities that validated their long-held doubts. His realization that he'd "probably been an atheist since age 13-14" but just never had the tools to explore it speaks to thousands of viewers who may be in similar situations.
As a husband and father who raised two children without religion—successfully, as both are now confident non-believers—Larry offers practical wisdom about secular parenting in a religious society. His approach emphasized facts, science, and critical thinking rather than anti-religious indoctrination, showing that children can develop strong moral foundations without supernatural beliefs.
What You'll Discover:
-How "casual Christianity" often masks deeper doubts and questions
-Why the internet revolutionized the atheist coming-out experience
-Practical strategies for raising confident, moral children without religion
-How to handle family friction when religious parents become more fundamentalist
-The difference between "I don't believe in God" vs "I believe there is no God"
-Why atheist social groups matter more than skeptics might think
-Common misconceptions about atheist morality and meaning-making
-How losing faith can actually reduce stress and increase confidence
Visit us at www.Atheistville.com for more content from Mike Smithgall and the Atheistville team
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