Local Podcaster Embraces His Role in the Secular Community of Columbia

Chris Maness is a podcast producer, father, husband and member of the Freethought Society of the Midlands. (Photo by Robert Perrell)

The Freethought Society of the Midlands (FSM) is filled with all types of people with various backgrounds and stories. Chris Maness, who is a combat veteran, found FSM after hearing about the group on social media, indicating that there may be some kind of community here in Columbia. Maness became a member of the FSM and currently tries to attend as many group activities as he can, he says that cultivating a strong community is imperative.

Maness says he spent countless hours reading the Bible to better educate himself on its teachings and fallacies. (Photo by Robert Perrell)

After returning from combat, Maness began diving into scripture and with the Secular Community to lean on, he began to produce a podcast on YouTube called, Palmetto Atheus. Atheus, which means “without god,” became a pivotal part of Maness’ journey into non-believer status, taking on added meaning.

“The reason I chose that word is because one, its Greek, which was the original language that the New Testament was written in, and secondly, it was the first word mentioned when it came to someone that did not believe in a deity,” said Maness.

Maness explained the keys to getting professional quality audio is positioning his audio recorder in the proper location. (Photo by Robert Perrell)

Maness says that he tries to keep the episodes short, with most of them under ten minutes each, which increases his ability to produce more content. His episodes center around education, often breaking down sections of the Bible in order to present a clear message to his subscribers.

“I think it is important to have good reasons why you believe what you believe, but for me that was part of it, I’d definitely say education, I don’t think anyone can have enough knowledge or information about something,” says Maness.

Maness briefly tried to incorporate video into his channel but quickly learned that he was better suited for audio. (Photo by Robert Perrell)

The popularity of his YouTube channel has surprised Maness who has seen his subscribers grow from a small handful to now over 450 members. He understands the importance of podcasts, which represent a passive form of media that has seen a lot of growth over the years. According to a recent pew research study, the percentage of people who listened to a podcast within a month has more than doubled since 2008.

Maness writes a script for every episode not only to help him during the recording but also to archive his message in text. (Photo by Robert Perrell)

While Maness does not see himself as a “voice” for the Freethought Society of the Midlands, he does understand and recognize his role in the ongoing debate between the religious and non-religious.

Maness said, “I want to educate people, I want to educate theists, I want to educate agnostics, and I want to educate atheists alike, so that they can actually have better, more informed conversations.”

To subscribe to Palmetto Atheus, click this link. And for more news and information on the Secular Community, please follow on Twitter @SecularShepherd.

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