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
Conversations on Death, Grief, and Saying Goodbye Without Religion
This segment explores one of the most difficult questions atheists face: what do you say to someone who is dying when you don’t share their faith in heaven or an afterlife? Our panel shares personal experiences with parents and loved ones, the challenge of offering comfort without false promises, and why listening often matters more than words. It’s a candid conversation about compassion, authenticity, and doing no harm at the end of life.
💬 Viewer Question
How would you comfort a loved one who is dying if you don’t believe in heaven or an afterlife?
📑 Relevant Topics / Chapter Headings
- The Question: Comforting Without Afterlife Promises
- Shared Experiences and Memories as Comfort
- Personal Stories: Parents, Deathbeds, and Difficult Goodbyes
- Why “Do No Harm” Matters in Grief Conversations
- Religion’s Pressure vs. Secular Compassion
📚 Suggested Reading List (with inline links)
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande — A profound exploration of aging, medicine, and how we confront death with dignity and compassion. https://amzn.to/4p1gGXN
The Worm at the Core by Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski — An evidence-based look at how the fear of death shapes human behavior and culture. https://amzn.to/3HxKx9o
Mortality by Christopher Hitchens — A candid collection of essays written during Hitchens’s own battle with terminal cancer. https://amzn.to/4m5zXol
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan — A defense of scientific thinking and skepticism, full of tools for navigating belief systems with clarity. https://amzn.to/3IL1QUt
Visit us at www.Atheistville.com for more content from Mike Smithgall and the Atheistville team
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@atheistville
💬 Want to be a guest or submit a question? Drop us a note at CONTACT
Check us out at: https://atheistville.buzzsprout.com
🔥 New episodes weekly from Atheistville — Mike Drop with Mike Smithgall, Ask an Atheist, and The Unholy Roundtable
© 2025 Atheistville Media
