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Podcast: The DemystifySci Podcast
Episode: Is the State a Compulsory Religion? - Shamus Mac
Description: Self-proclaimed conspiratorial thinker Shamus Mac claims that the modern state is a direct descendent of rule by divine mandate. To that end, he argues that the modern nation-state is a form of compulsory religion, where inhabitants are controlled by the monopoly of force held by the state. For Shamus, the word "religion" means a set of binding beliefs and vows - which he sees as the foundation for human relationships with their governments the world over. Â Â Our conversation strays from the idea of the state as a compulsory religion to cover the assessment of information, the meaning of science, an...