Friendly Atheist Podcast

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- The Johnson Amendment is (temporarily) safe again! (0:41) -- The Navy has rejected the application of a Humanist chaplain after pushback from Republicans. (6:08) -- The new director of the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services overcame discrimination in his youth. Now Roger Severino wants to discriminate against others. (14:06) -- Don't listen to Gwyneth Paltrow: Bee stings won't improve your health. Haven't you seen My Girl? (23:45) -- Young Europeans are abandoning religion in droves. (26:55) -- A Memphis pastor has finally resigned after sexually assaulting a teen girl decades ago. (30:10) -- One of the most influential megachurches in the country, Willow Creek, is dealing with misconduct allegations against its founding pastor Bill Hybels. (37:35) -- Hipster pastors are the worst because they're too afraid to have opinions. (47:35) -- Is it okay for a Democrat to be personally anti-abortion if he won't legislate that way? (54:38) -- Focus on the Family wants you to stop saying they support gay conversion therapy... even though they totally support gay conversion therapy. (1:00:55) -- Is Jim Carrey mocking Christians with his portrait of someone who looks a lot like Sarah Huckabee Sanders? (1:06:20) -- Why do Donald Trump's political endorsements matter more to evangelicals than Mike Pence's? (1:11:24) -- Richard Dawkins will offer free translated versions of his books in several languages. (1:17:10) -- This is the worst book about atheists I've read in a long time. (1:21:20) -- We answer a listener's question! (1:28:14)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- The people who think Stephen Hawking is burning in Hell. (0:18) -- PA Republican House candidate Rick Saccone claimed his critics "have a hatred for God." Nope. He's confusing God with Donald Trump. (13:55) -- Trump supporters who continue to support him. (17:05) -- Christian author claims transgender activists are urging lesbians to keep going and "become trans." (21:14) -- Tony Perkins says liberals are using Trump's affair with Stormy Daniels to "shame" politically active evangelicals. (25:29) -- Congressional Republicans are trying to stop the Navy from appointing a Humanist Chaplain. (30:48) -- The Kansas commissioner who told atheists to go to Hell. (41:43) -- An Alabama Republican legislator doesn't want to arm teachers (yay) because most of them are women (wut). (45:23) -- The pastor who once said women don't control their bodies because they belong to God. (48:36) -- Evangelical Christian Matt Barber says the Academy Awards didn't honor Rev. Billy Graham because "they hate him." (53:19) -- Pastor with "debilitating" disease sued by insurers after they discover her incriminating Facebook posts. (57:39) -- We answer a listener's question! (1:01:45)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis wrote a memoir. I read it. I hate myself. (1:02) -- A gay escort was right to expose dozens of Catholic priests who were clients. (17:53) -- Mississippi now bans abortion after 15 weeks. (26:30) -- The dominoes are still falling for Lawrence Krauss. (32:05) -- This Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate thinks banning abortion will stop abortions. (50:53) -- The Shape of Water's "sexual depravity" will destroy America, says a pastor who thinks fish-men are real. (54:49) -- A GOP congressman thinks Jews could've survived the Holocaust if they had guns. (59:43) -- A lot of African-Americans are leaving their predominantly white megachurches. (1:02:20) -- Sinclair broadcasting is pushing right-wing propaganda through local news channels. (1:06:20) -- Steve Bannon is scared of Oprah. (1:11:20) -- We answer a listener's question! (1:12:54)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to the first episode of the Friendly Atheist Bonus Listeners Entertainment Show (or FABLES). We're releasing this one on the public feed; all future episodes will only go to Patreon subscribers. For this debut episode, Jess sits down with her bestie from college and they discuss Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. Along the way they also discuss their friendship origin story, their Cool Girl (TM) roots, and what it means to be a feminist. New episodes will be released monthly. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Tennessee's Lt. Gov. is telling voters to reject an atheist candidate because she's "dangerous." (1:07) -- Even country music stars want nothing to do with Mike Huckabee. (10:40) -- Rep. Blake Farenthold hasn't paid an $84,000 harassment settlement, leaving the bill for taxpayers. (18:25) -- Billy Graham's body didn't deserve to lay in the Capitol rotunda, nor should his statue go up in National Statuary Hall. (23:25) -- The Department of Health and Human Services is a disaster for LGBTQ people. (28:45) -- A bill in Michigan to extend the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse is getting resistance from -- wait for it -- the Catholic Church. (37:59) -- There are times when we don't need to condemn people sending their thoughts and prayers, like when actor Chris Pratt said it after director Kevin Smith's heart attack. (43:26) -- Want to coach football at Louisiana College? Make sure your mother isn't Jewish. (49:13) -- Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis just published a book. Should be a very interesting paragraph. (52:10) -- Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been accused of sexual harassment. Because of course he has. (57:05) -- Here's an interesting art project by a student at Brigham Young University. (59:22) -- We answer a listener's question! (1:02:54)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Lawrence Krauss faces sexual misconduct allegations from multiple women. (1:00) -- The death of Billy Graham and his sad legacy. (20:54) -- GMOs are good for you, says a new study. (28:47) -- The phrase "In God We Trust" will not stop bullets. (31:30) -- South Carolina's education chief said school shootings could end if we just taught kids more about Jesus. (35:20) -- Even Pat Robertson (!) called for a ban on assault weapons. (37:45) -- A GOP congressman gave Donald Trump a literal bag of prayers after the school shooting. (44:22) -- A PA church (near an elementary school) will bless your assault rifles next week. (46:03) -- An ex-Jehovah's Witness killed her family, then herself. Was it because of her shunning? (50:15) -- Why are these Christian non-profits telling the IRS they're churches? (53:57) -- Iceland may ban circumcision for non-medical reasons. (59:17) -- The Teenagers Roast Marco Rubio Show. (1:02:39)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Republicans should just admit their prayers to stop school shootings aren't helping. (1:09) -- A pastor was found with a naked, tied-up man in his car. He swears "on a stack of bibles" that nothing happened. (11:45) -- This racist cartoonist published a cartoon attacking DREAMers. (14:55) -- A Colorado teacher has been charged with abusing and assaulting a student who wouldn't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. (19:50) -- Even Omarosa Manigault, a minister, thinks Mike Pence is a crazy Christian. (23:57) -- The Trump administration's response to the Rob Porter scandal has been disappointing and exactly what you'd expect. (26:55) -- The Tennessee GOP Unleashed an attack on a "radical atheist" running for State Senate. (32:46) -- Dennis Prager says evangelicals aren't hypocrites for backing Donald Trump. Even though they totally are. (39:35) -- A New Mexico city owes the ACLU $700,000 after not taking their advice about a Ten Commandments monument, then losing the court case. (50:54)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sarah Levin is the Director of Grassroots and Community Programs at the Secular Coalition for America. She has served in various roles at the Secular Coalition since 2013, including as the organization's chief lobbyist on Capitol Hill and as the State Chapter Coordinator, managing and growing the organization's state chapter program and implementing various grassroots campaigns on the national and state level. I spoke with her about the biggest church/state separation concerns facing Americans, what counts as a success in the age of Trump, and how the Secular Coalition for America wants to empower atheists nationwide to get active in state politics. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Eric Trump is mad Democrats didn't stand up for God during the State of the Union. An atheist lawyer schooled him on why that happened. (0:32) -- Wait for it. Donald Trump says he's not a feminist. (8:15) -- Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered powerful remarks against religious bigotry. (10:28) -- A Texas legislator wants to ban abortions so women learn to be "more personally responsible." (15:15) -- A televangelist says we don't need to get flu shots because Jesus got one for all of us. (21:05) -- What does the chair for the academic study of atheism do? (26:55) -- Are men threatened by intelligent women? (30:35) -- This is how Christian groups trick public schools into handing them fresh meat. (33:05) -- Mel Gibson is making a sequel to Passion of the Christ. Because why the hell not. (40:48) -- A gay Mormon who married a woman is getting divorced because (wait for it) he's still gay. (47:15) -- Why won't this New Zealand church tell me if they approved an advertisement calling their pastor hot? (57:00) -- David Brooks is wrong. Democrats shouldn't adopt anti-abortion policies to win elections. (59:47)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- A GOP House member got called out on CNN for not knowing what the "Immaculate Conception" was. (4:14) -- The Christian Right is giving Donald Trump a "mulligan" on everything immoral he did before his presidency. (9:44) -- Generation Z, born after 1999, is less religious than any other age group. (22:33) -- Self-hating atheist S.E. Cupp explained why evangelical Christians continue to stand behind Trump. (28:55) -- Courtland Sykes wins this week's award for most misogynistic Republican in the state of Missouri. (36:26) -- Want to alter South Dakota's state seal? You could have been jailed for it. (42:40) -- The nation was less supportive of LGBTQ people in 2017, compared to the previous year. I wonder what changed... (48:34) -- We have no confirmation yet on whether this church advertisement featuring a "hot" pastor is real. (52:15) -- The judge overseeing the Larry Nassar sentencing was on fire. (56:20) -- The Satanic Temple is using the Religious Right's legal arguments against them in Missouri. (1:01:33)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I celebrated our 200th episode... and discussed the past week in politics and atheism. -- Your letters, questions, and emails! (2:38) -- Hawaii's false alarm and the lack of atheist conversions. (45:05) -- Rick Saccone, a GOP House candidate in PA for an upcoming special election, doesn't care about church/state separation. (48:40) -- Televangelist Kenneth Copeland just got a private plane. Thanks, Jesus! (53:13) -- Pope Francis is doing an awful job of letting sexual abuse victims know he's on their side. (56:45)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- All the action in local governments: A secular affirmation, the end of one city's invocations, how one politician compared atheist invocations to baby murder, a delightful atheist invocation in Florida, and two officials in California who aren't standing for the Pledge. (4:46) -- Feminine hygiene products are free for public school students in Illinois and California. (18:32) -- An elected official told his committee they needed another man to fill a vacant seat because the Bible said so. (20:02) -- Dan Harmon's worthwhile apology. (26:39) -- Megachurch pastor Andy Savage received a standing ovation for assaulted a girl decades ago then giving a half-hearted apology for it. (31:21) -- Joshua Feuerstein said the actresses at the Golden Globes couldn't credibly speak out against assault because they were "dressed like hookers." (44:35) -- Gwyneth Paltrow wants you to spend $135 to spray coffee up your butt. (59:54) -- A Turkish scientist claims Noah called his son on a cell phone before boarding the Ark. (1:00:30) -- Bill Donohue claims the Catholic Church is a "model" for handling sexual misconduct. (1:02:03) -- Singer Charlie Daniels doesn't like that Taco Bell mocked the Illuminati. (1:03:20) -- Donald Trump's "spiritual advisor" is capitalizing on her fame by asking everyone to give her a month's salary. (1:04:37)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- A Mississippi legislator wants to make the Bible the official state book. For the third time. (1:38) -- The head of the Mormon Church, Thomas S. Monson, is dead. What should he be remembered for? (7:21) -- South Carolina Republicans wanted to honor black people who fought for the Confederacy, but they missed a key detail... (18:48) -- Roy Moore's Jewish lawyer is actually a Christian. (21:58) -- FEMA says churches can get taxpayer funding to rebuild after "Acts of God." (30:18) -- "Raw water" is a thing now... at least if you're rich and dumb. (35:42) -- This church has "documented proof" that God answers prayers. (43:04) -- Bill Nye needs to read more books, says rapper who believes the Earth is flat. (47:23) -- A Texas mall just installed a giant Ten Commandments monument. Oh, the irony... (50:02) -- A Noah's Ark replica broke free in the Netherlands and then caused massive damage. (53:33)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this podcast, Jessica and I discussed the past year in news! We covered a whole variety of topics, going month by month, so feel free to jump around and listen in at any point! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Did the CDC really ban words like "science-based" and "transgender"? (1:21) -- An Oregon atheist threatened to sue over a religious street banner, but he has no case. (5:42) -- An Australian politician plans to defend Christianity against mockery. (9:49) -- Ivanka Trump wishes everyone "Happy Holidays!" (16:45) -- It doesn't matter that the BBC's Head of Religious Programming is an atheist. (17:45) -- OKCupid says liking Donald Trump is a dealbreaker for users. (21:26) -- Democratic men are more likely to be feminist than Republican women. (23:50) -- A Milwaukee priest came out as gay, everyone celebrated it, but it's still heartbreaking. (30:57) -- Cardinal Law is dead. (38:11) -- "Feminism" is Mirriam-Webster's Word of the Year. (41:37)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Doug Jones won the Senate race in Alabama! That means Roy Moore can ride Sassy horribly into the sunset. (1:47) -- Roy Moore's spokesman doesn't understand we're not a theocracy. (11:30) -- Kentucky pastor and State Rep. Dan Johnson killed himself after his lies were exposed by investigative journalists. (21:45) -- Why the Catholic Church covered up the death of Irene Garza. (30:35) -- Liberty Counsel's "Naughty and Nice" list is more sinister than you think. (34:05) -- What the heck just happened in Israel? (38:21) -- Donald Trump just ruined Christmas in Jesus' hometown. (41:49) -- The Johnson Amendment repeal won't be in the GOP's tax scam bill. (43:30) -- The Mormon Church was teaching a lot of lies about homosexuality in 1981. (49:33) -- Christianity was the big loser in Alabama's election. (58:10) -- How to tell your kids about Santa without lying to them. (1:04:24) -- Satanists want $35,000 from a Minnesota town for a monument they built but couldn't use. (1:07:44) -- The CDC is banning words like "science" and "evidence" from budget documents. (1:14:14)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- The Supreme Court heard the case of an anti-gay Christian baker. (1:13) -- Roy Moore only has one issue on his platform: Abortion. Should Democrats have run an anti-abortion candidate? (10:40) -- Pat Robertson told a woman collecting unemployment checks that she needs to keep tithing if she wants to find a job. (27:50) -- Kim Davis will be challenged for her county clerk seat by a gay man whose marriage license she once denied. (29:43) -- The Pope may change the Lord's Prayer. (32:10) -- A GOP-appointed Florida commission may put church/state separation on the 2018 ballot. (35:04) -- Why would Mike Pence stick with Donald Trump? Because it's part of God's Plan for him. (40:48) -- Ravi Zacharias, whose falsified his credentials for years, blames you for his lies. (48:29) -- A former priest was finally convicted of a murder that happened 50 years ago. (56:44) -- Jessica unleashes an epic rant brought about by the question: Is hugging still okay? (58:09)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Donald Trump screwed up Christianity 101 at the White House Christmas Tree Lighting. (1:17) -- Will anything prevent evangelical Christians from voting for Roy Moore in next week's special election to the Senate? (7:36) -- In a tragic story, an atheist activist killed his wife, then himself, in a "suspected murder-suicide." (27:26) -- American Atheists' new billboard campaign says "Just Skip Church‚ It's All Fake News!" (32:24) -- Does the Creation Museum's new exhibit make Creationists look dumb? Or did I speak too soon? (34:10) -- And what can we learn from Ark Encounter's attendance numbers? (39:15) -- Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias can't explain his biographical lies. (45:25) -- These Christian standardized exams are bad indicators of college performance. (58:13)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. (We had an echo during the recording. Sorry! We'll fix it next time.) -- A Scottish shop owner got pushback for keeping her store open on Sundays. (1:16) -- A New Zealand megachurch will lose its tax exempt status after failing to file tax returns. (7:26) -- Why are these UK water companies okay with workers who use divining rods? (12:33) -- This guy wants to launch himself in space to prove the world is flat. (16:30) -- The problems with atheist conventions. (23:35) -- Bob Marshall, the VA Republican who lost to transgender challenger Danica Roem, is furious that his letter to the editor was edited. (52:37) -- An Australian official won't support marriage equality because of crocodile attacks. (56:55)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- How should we be reacting to the news that Sen. Al Franken once groped and kissed a model without her consent? (0:42) -- Roy Moore's defenders are not making him look good. (18:17) -- An Australian lawyer will help a Christian couple get divorced after marriage equality passes. (24:43) -- An assisted suicide bill was defeated in New South Wales, in part due to misinformation. (27:30) -- Will Donald Trump hurt the "pro-life" movement in the long term? (31:49) -- A conservative Ohio lawmaker resigned after getting caught having an affair in his office with another man. (37:44) -- Should Muslim Barbie wear a hijab? (42:00) -- Televangelist Jim Bakker says "They outlawed 'Merry Christmas' a few years ago." (44:45) -- Did this truck driver break any laws when she put a derogatory message about Trump on her back window? (48:55)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- The Texas shooter was allegedly an atheist. Is it true? What would that even mean in this situation? (0:49) -- Roy Moore, the family values Christian and Senate candidate, allegedly molested a 14-year-old girl several decades ago. (14:41) -- Congressman Jared Huffman said he doesn't believe in God... and no one seemed to care. (31:50) -- Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses are making their presence known in Kingdom Hall meetings. Is that a good tactic? (40:31) -- Donald Trump supposedly wants to revoke the Church of Scientology's tax exemption. (52:24) -- Does your church have secrets? FaithLeaks wants to know. (1:01:25)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Some critics are angry that Canada's Governor General Julie Payette mocked pseudoscience. (1:05) -- Pat Robertson tried comforting a grieving mother by trashing atheists. (13:00) -- The GOP's tax plan would let pastors endorse candidates from the pulpit without punishment. (18:58) -- A Christian pastor (wrongly) claimed there are no atheist relief groups. (27:06) -- A Christian activist offered a disturbing rewrite of a Disney show with a gay main character. (35:11) -- A Christian college is forcing freshmen to take a class in patriotism. (45:20) -- There's no single "atheist movement" and we have to acknowledge that. (51:59) -- Harvey Weinstein has a Bible verse on his hat. (1:13:54)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert and the Ten Commandments monument going up (again) in Arkansas. (0:30) -- Alberta Catholic schools want to teach an alternative sex ed curriculum. (13:25) -- The dad from Duck Dynasty is spreading the lie that crime soars in areas without God. (24:40) -- A new Satanic billboard says "Our religion doesn't believe in hitting children." (32:10) -- No one in this TX school district understands the Establishment Clause. (36:40) -- The Catholic Church won't allow a gravestone marker calling out abusive priests. (43:36) -- Pastor Robert Jeffress says we've let atheists "seize control of this country." (49:13) -- An Indiana county ended a life-saving needle exchange program because Jesus said so. (55:49)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- The new Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, is an ex-Mormon who describes herself as Agnostic. (1:41) -- There's a push for Christian churches to clarify where they stand on issues involving LGBTQ rights. (8:18) -- An ad campaign for the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter makes no sense at all. (19:40) -- Most Americans no longer believe you need God to be good. (28:00) -- Here's how a Religious Right group is misleading Congress about support for the Johnson Amendment repeal. (35:06) -- The Boy Scouts of America will let girls join! But open atheists are still banned. Don't worry. A Christian alternative still proudly bans everyone who isn't a straight, cisgender boy. (44:04) -- Young people are shedding their faith long before they go to college, contrary to the plot of movies like God's Not Dead. (56:35) -- Go watch this incredible (and short) documentary of an atheist who escaped the train to Auschwitz during World War II. (1:11:00)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

81% of evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump last year, despite his bragging about sexual assault, despite his multiple marriages, despite his wealth and complete lack of concern for the poor, despite his flip-flopping on matters of abortion and saying women who had them needed to be punished, despite the lies and racism and bigotry. It seems like they were going to vote for whoever the Republican candidate was no matter what. And that no matter what continues to play out today. Trump is a deeply unpopular president whose decisions and morals are constantly questioned. He may be nominating the Religious Right's Dream Team to judicial seats, including the Supreme Court, but beyond that, it's hard to see how he fits the mold of a "family values" conservative who inspires loves for Jesus. So how did he do it? How did he convince evangelicals to support him, not just in the election, but to this day? And will there be any consequences for evangelicals moving forward? Stephen Mansfield explores all those questions in his new book Choosing Donald Trump: God, Anger, Hope, and Why Christian Conservatives Supported Him. I spoke with him about whether Trump's presidency will hurt evangelical Christianity, if there's anything Trump can do to lose the Religious Right's support, and why Trump's pandering rhetoric is so powerful. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Your thoughts and prayers after the shooting in Las Vegas aren't helping. (1:06) -- The folks at Fox and Friends think the shooter just "didn't believe in God." (14:31) -- The worst response to the shooting came from a Mormon who blamed the victims. (22:02) -- What should we make of the survivor who said he found God after surviving the massacre? (24:25) -- A woman says God protected her... after surviving an awful car accident. (32:53) -- The 14 Attorneys General who say a Giant Christian Cross in a Florida park is totally secular. (36:27) -- It's okay to question a judicial nominee's religious history. (43:31) -- Anti-abortion politician Rep. Tim Murphy is resigning after allegedly texting his mistress to tell her to abort their possible lovechild. (53:27) -- Flipping the bird in church is constitutionally protected speech! (56:47) -- Happy stories... about why Olive Garden is ruining Hemant. (1:02:22)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Conservative Matt Walsh criticized a male actor subbing in for a sick actress as promoting a transgender agenda. (1:39) -- Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona Democrat who is religiously unaffiliated, will run for Senate in 2018. (10:20) -- Christian theocrat Roy Moore is a step closer to becoming a senator. (21:34) -- Mark Wahlberg is telling kids to go to church. (35:46) -- Christians who are silent about Donald Trump don't get to criticize Hugh Hefner. (38:40) -- A Colorado student is suing her high school district for promoting religion, over and over and over. (42:19) -- Women will soon be able to drive in Saudi Arabia... but not before religious leaders say dumb things about it. (53:08) -- A Florida pastor bragged about destroying a Satanic monument due to go up this winter. (1:04:49)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a bonus episode of the podcast, I spoke with Camille Beredjick about her new book Queer Disbelief (which I helped edit). We spoke about why atheists should be on the front lines of LGBTQ activism, what aspect of the book was most difficult to write, and how she celebrated the completion of her first book. Please support the project at Kickstarter! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- Hemant and fellow writer Camille Beredjick have been working on a new book about the intersection of LGBTQ rights and atheism. (0:09) -- BYU is finally selling caffeinated soda on campus. This is the most exciting thing EVER, said Mormons... and nobody else. (7:12) -- Journalist Sally Quinn trashed atheists (again) while talking about her new book on spirituality. (13:52) -- Five football players at evangelical Wheaton College face felony charges after allegedly raping another students. (25:44) -- A peewee football team learning how and why to kneel during the National Anthem. (45:17) -- The world is ending on September 23, according to one "Christian numerologist." (49:01) -- Got money to waste? You can buy Bigfoot Juice or Psychic Vampire Repellent. (52:55) -- Doctors and a judge intervened to save the life of a young Jehovah's Witness. (58:59) -- Two Christian Right activists think homosexuality is unnatural since kids find it icky. (1:06:28)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. -- An Australian minister refused to perform a straight wedding because the couple supported marriage equality. (0:58) -- Evangelical Christians suddenly don't care about a president's private morality. I wonder what changed their minds... (8:13) -- It's harder for some men to get vasectomies because of Catholic hospitals. (24:37) -- Josh Duggar's sisters say they'd be traumatized if they had to sit next to him in court even though they're on the same side of a privacy lawsuit. (30:15) -- This is how conservatives think school prayer works. (37:04) -- Sen. Ted Cruz loves the ladies on Twitter. Spoiler: This segment involves bad dad jokes. (39:43)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. -- Here's how atheists are helping people in Houston after Hurricane Harvey. (0:38) -- An Illinois library board member was voted out of his seat after his anti-gay comments. (7:55) -- Should atheist groups speak out against Donald Trump's DACA decision? (13:06) -- Alt-Right leader Steve Bannon says Catholic bishops support DACA only because they need people to fill the pews. The bishops disagree. (23:12) -- Ark Encounter just got its first rebate check, courtesy of Kentucky taxpayers. (26:52) -- Creationist Ken Ham doesn't know what a light-year is. (31:30) -- A survey found that atheists are less open-minded than religious people. (33:33) -- The new Lord Mayor of Belfast skipped a formal prayer and everyone lost their mind. (37:03) -- The pastor who had to resign from his church after speaking out against racism and white supremacy. (41:30) -- The head of Focus on the Family thinks only Christians can teach kids character. (44:50) -- The Australian postal plebiscite and the woman raised by lesbian parents who claims to be forever scarred because of it. (48:45) -- An Illinois megachurch pastor's awful sex sermon. (1:00:09) -- Texas churches are suing FEMA to get taxpayer-funded rebuilding grants. (1:09:50) -- Take care of your mental health, everyone. (1:16:45)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. -- Why Pastor Joel Osteen didn't open his Houston megachurch for people needing shelter during Hurricane Harvey until after he was publicly shamed over it. (0:37) -- The Nashville Statement, an anti-LGBTQ manifesto written by conservative Christians. (The statement is at 17:28; analysis is at 31:32) -- A new survey that shows many Protestants and Catholics don't understand the basic principles of their faith. (43:21) -- A Matt Walsh tweet that was delightfully mocked by everybody. (56:18) -- People calling it a "miracle" when they see a cross or Virgin Mary statue left standing in the midst of hurricane destruction. (1:01:28) -- Ark Encounter finally (and inadvertently) shared some attendance figures. (1:05:35)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amber Cantorna was a home-schooled child raised in a conservative Christian family. But her father wasn't merely a believer. He's spent 30 years as an executive at Focus on the Family, the ministry founded by James Dobson and known as one of the most anti-LGBTQ groups out there. All of that became a problem when Amber came out as gay, a pivotal moment in her life which she writes about in her forthcoming memoir Refocusing My Family. We spoke about how her relationship with her family changed after coming out, why she still believes in God, and why taking off her purity ring marked a new beginning. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and her brother Kevin sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. (Hemant was out once again dealing with a newborn.) - Kentuckians for Coal are boycotting the eclipse. - A Melbourne archbishop says he'd rather go to jail than report child abuse told to him during confessional. - Donald Trump's lawyer comparing George Washington to Robert E. Lee. - A New Zealand pastor advocates killing gay couples. - Comedian Tim Allen doesn't understand evolution. - There's a Chick-fil-A, which is closed on Sundays, in the Atlanta Falcons' new football stadium. - The Juggalos are coming to D.C.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and Anne Bouleanu sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. (Hemant was away this weekend.) -- Are serial killers more likely to be atheists? -- An evangelical advisor says Donald Trump has God's authority to take out Kim Jong-un. -- A waitress was stiffed on her tip because of her rainbow equality tattoo. -- Christians are more than twice as likely to blame a person's poverty on lack of effort. -- A lawsuit alleges that a private Christian school told a rape victim to "turn the other cheek." -- Confessions of a former "it" church pastor. -- A school board president speaks out against California Healthy Youth act, which teaches kids about sexual orientation and identity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. -- BYU-Idaho asked a student why she dropped out... so she told them the truth. (0:42) -- The Mayor of Knoxville (TN) finally admitted a Bible sign hanging in the police department was illegal. (5:30) -- The White House Bible Study is bad enough, but the instructor is worse. (13:42) -- Donald Trump's Religious Right lawyer can't stop lying for him. (17:56) -- An NFL player thinks dinosaurs aren't real and fossils are fake. (23:23) -- The Activist Mommy has a lot of advice on how to beat your children properly. (26:33) -- Bastyr University, a naturopathic school, says a former student is defaming them online. She says she's just sharing what she learned there. (37:24) -- Atheists are asking the Supreme Court to rule on prayers at school board meetings. (52:11) -- Rod Dreher is frustrated by Christians who support Trump, but he's part of the problem. (59:50) -- Ark Encounter has a new silly excuse for why attendance is low. (1:06:17)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. -- Donald Trump said "We Worship God." All of us. (02:21) -- Trump's ban on transgender troops. (06:21) -- The Colorado atheist who gave his invocation slot to a Satanist. (12:04) -- Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback will become a "Religious Freedom" ambassador... for some reason. (17:45) -- The Boy Scouts' pathetic apology for Trump's speech. (26:51) -- Ark Encounter will finally pay the Williamstown safety fee. (36:34) -- The anti-abortion crowd's interest in reverse abortions. (40:04) -- Don't get suckered in by a Catholic church's seemingly pro-LGBT comments. (47:00) -- England's NHS will ban prescriptions for homeopathic remedies. (54:34) -- A Pakistani village's "reverse" rape. (103:30)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. -- Ark Encounter lost a tax rebate worth up to $18 million to avoid a 50-cent-per-ticket safety fee. -- Creationists are mocking Flat Earthers for taking the Bible too literally. Really. -- The "inspirational" Mormon story that is anything but uplifting. -- The MN town that shut down a "free speech zone" to prevent Satanists from using it. -- How Wisconsin is considering a bill that would make it harder to train OB/GYNs. -- The BYU-Idaho professor who lost her job for supporting LGBT equality. -- The Boy Scouts may allow girls before they allow atheist boys. -- The African-American pastor who renounced his ordination with the Southern Baptist Convention.-- The Muslim Democrat running for Senate who received a surprising message from her Republican opponent. -- Richard Dawkins getting de-platformed by a radio station in Berkeley, CA. -- Doctor Who isn't a man. And other things Hemant doesn't understand. (1:26:48)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: -- The "Activist Mommy" who can't handle an article in Teen Vogue. -- An Appeals Court decision saying Christian prayers led by elected officials is unconstitutional. -- Eugene Peterson, the Bible scholar who inched toward support of marriage equality, then ran back to the other side. -- Pat Robertson's useless interview with Donald Trump. -- The "gay Muslim" marriage that's more heartbreaking than inspiring. -- Why Republicans dislike higher education. -- The worst possible explanation for why God allows suffering. -- The growth of the Flat Earth movement. -- How Jesus apparently needs gluten to transubstantiate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: -- Hobby Lobby's owners smuggling black market Iraqi artifacts that may have helped ISIS. -- The Pakistani pizza shop owner who made sure his robot waitress wasn't offending customers. -- The Muslim woman who thinks ex-Muslims are just trying to cash in on apostasy. -- The sad rise of female genital mutilation cases in England. -- How some Hindus believe the Ganges River can't be polluted because it's divine. -- Ken Ham is still blaming others for the economic failures of Ark Encounter. -- The demise of Utah's irrational "Zion Curtains" law. -- An excellent episode of the Sawbones podcast dealing with vaccines. -- Amelia Earhart's apparent resurrection.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: -- Cardinal George Pell just became the highest-ranking Vatican official charged with sex abuse. -- Sarah Huckabee Sanders' irrational godly defense of Donald Trump's misogyny. -- The Christian who vandalized the new Ten Commandments monument outside the Arkansas Capitol building. -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor's eloquent dissent in the Trinity Lutheran case. -- How the Christian harassing an atheist lawyer defended himself by saying he's "man enough" to stand behind his hateful words. -- Whether hooking up really happens less often on Catholic campuses and what that really means. -- How the people buying products from Infowars and Goop are all irrational. -- The House Republicans' plan to use a budget bill to repeal the Johnson Amendment. -- How Canadians would rather see an atheist Prime Minister than an Evangelical one. -- There are no longer any openly atheist elected officials in the Republican Party. -- Upcoming talks, including one outside Ark Encounter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: -- The Christian terrorist threatening atheists over a statue in Tennessee. -- The Christians harassing the atheist attorney who won a lawsuit in Florida. -- GuideStar's decision to highlight "hate" groups using the Southern Poverty Law Center's database. -- The woman who won a lawsuit against an Israeli airline because she didn't want to switch seats for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men. -- How the Catholic Church is forcing more people to suffer in Canadian hospitals. -- Why "Breatharians" aren't real.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: -- The rise of the Religious Left. -- Ken Ham is now blaming atheists for the failures of Ark Encounter and the local economy. -- Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader in the UK who resigned saying he couldn't reconcile his Party's platform with his evangelical faith. -- The Virginia church that wants you to pray for the resurrection of a man who died earlier this week. -- The pantyliner invented by a man who clearly doesn't understand female anatomy. -- Walgreen's absurd policy regarding pharmacists who don't want to do their jobs. -- Joshua Feuerstein's crusade against McDonald's rainbow-colored fry boxes. -- Can God love you if you're a woman with short hair?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. But because the audio crashed after we recorded (oh, computers...), I recorded this brief episode to bring up two important events from the week. They included: -- Sen. Bernie Sanders' misguided questioning of an evangelical nominee to a major government position. -- A New York high school that accommodated Muslim students who wanted to pray during Ramadan. Did administrators go too far or were they making the right decision?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: -- Donald Trump's irresponsible decision to back out of the Paris climate agreement, and the conservatives who don't care because of Jesus. -- Trump's decision to allow religious employers, then all employers, to block birth control coverage for their employees. -- The evangelical women who use Planned Parenthood. -- The Keepers on Netflix. Watch it. -- Australian tennis star Margaret Court's anti-gay Christian bigotry, and whether the Margaret Court Arena should change its name. -- How Brio, a magazine for Christian girls, wants them to cover up so they don't tempt boys. -- The all-women screening of Wonder Woman and the people who get all worked up about it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've followed the articles, movies, and TV shows about the Church of Scientology recently, you're probably familiar with the name David Miscavige, the man who runs the Church. His father is Ron Miscavige, and he joined the church in 1970. David was 10 at the time. It wasn't until 2012 that Ron escaped. Since then, he's worked hard to undo some of the damage caused by the Church, including their policy of basically shunning those outside of it. His book, now out in paperback, is called Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me. I spoke with Ron about whether his son knows that the Church's beliefs aren't real, why Scientology is so appealing to some people, and how he managed to break out of the bubble. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: -- The high school student punished by her Christian school for not having an abortion. -- How Ark Encounter has been bad for the local economy in Kentucky.-- The Manchester mayor calling the suicide bomber a terrorist who isn't a Muslim. -- Greg Gianforte, the violent Creationist who will represent Montana in the U.S. House. -- How Joel Osteen unintentionally summoned the Devil in the minds of his fans. -- Betsy DeVos' inability to say no to discrimination when it comes to taxpayer dollars funding schools. -- How Jesus isn't going to fix the offshore tax haven loopholes in the law. -- The Arizona Democratic Party's brand new Secular Caucus.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maggie Rowe grew up as an evangelical Christian in the suburbs of Chicago. And for reasons we'll get into, when she was 19, she landed in a Christian mental health center where she spent three months. While parts of that experience were disturbing, some of it actually helped her eventually walk away from Christianity. She's now a comedy writer who has worked on the show Arrested Development and currently works on Netflix's Flaked. Her book is called Sin Bravely: A Memoir of Spiritual Disobedience. I spoke with her about the "spiritual terrorism" of teaching kids about Hell, what someone with a Christian upbringing notices in a comedy writers' room, and how long it took to finally overcome her faith-based guilt. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: - The resignation of the atheist State Rep. from New Hampshire who created Reddit's "Red Pill" forum. - The Virginia atheist who painted an "offensive" Bible verse on his truck. - Why you should be skeptical anytime you hear about an African pastor who drowns while trying to walk on water. - The Christian mother who treated her gay son as if he were dead. - How a video of a baby crying out for Jesus isn't "adorable." - The juror who was dismissed from a corruption trial after saying God told her the suspect wasn't guilty. - Why a photo doesn't show that God was taking accident victims to Heaven.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religious and politics. They included: - Comedian Stephen Fry's blasphemy ordeal and what it says about blasphemy laws. - The Missouri Republican who thinks there's a difference between being gay and just being human. - Whether circumcision should be banned? - If banning a method for animal slaughter is religious discrimination. - The absurd lawsuit claiming discrimination against a Creationist "researcher." - What religious people would like to learn from atheists.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.