Friendly Atheist Podcast

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Longtime atheist activist and mentor Woody Kaplan has died. (0:15)— The #1 Christian album in the country belongs to drag queen Flamy Grant. (4:00)— Richard Dawkins used his new podcast to promote more transphobic lies. (13:20)— A Catholic school expelled a boy to retaliate against his outspoken mother. (59:31)— A lawsuit could block Oklahoma's taxpayer-funded Catholic charter school. (1:11:06)— SPONSOR: Factor, America's #1 Ready-To-Eat Meal Kit. Head to factormeals.com/friendly50 and use code friendly50 to get 50% off. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— For absurd reasons, MAGA cultists think FOX News supports The Satanic Temple. (2:15)— Survey: Belief in God, Heaven, Hell, angels, and the devil is lower than ever before. (14:45)— Does Vivek Ramaswamy's Hinduism really matter to GOP voters? (25:55)— Texas atheists sue Fort Worth for rejecting ads for event opposing Christian Nationalism. (39:33)— Christian hate-preacher: Even if your husband's an axe murderer, "you cannot divorce him." (44:50)— Judge: WV prison officials can't force an atheist inmate to profess Christianity. (51:15)— Don't believe the lie that growing megachurches tend to avoid politics. (58:41)— Two more House Democrats have (quietly) joined the Congressional Freethought Caucus. (1:08:33)— An Alabama church's $4.5 million "pastoral recovery center" raises so many red flags. (1:12:10)— SPONSOR: Factor, America's #1 Ready-To-Eat Meal Kit. Head to factormeals.com/friendly50 and use code friendly50 to get 50% off. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For a lot of listeners, I suspect conspiratorial thinking is something you connect with religion or right-wing politics. But of course it's also rampant in the world of New Age spirituality. Think Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Kennedy, Jr. They're not explicitly religious, but their fans are not exactly known for their critical thinking skills.My guests today have been dissecting that kind of BS for years. Julian Walker has written extensively on cults and gurus and New Age nonsense. Derek Beres is an author & media expert who's worked with a number of media and tech companies. Julian and Derek are also active yoga enthusiasts, a practice that's become rife with spiritual silliness that they oppose. Both of them, along with Matthew Remski, are co-hosts of the podcast Conspirituality, which tackles how spiritual beliefs that can nurture creativity and meaning have transformed into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia.They just published a book about this topic called "Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Health Threat." (Affiliate link)Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast0:00 Intro1:45 Introductions4:30 Your podcast began shortly after the pandemic shut everything down. What was it about that time that made you think this was the right time to talk about these issues?7:20 What is it about being a contrarian that makes people—right-wing atheists or New Age believers—susceptible to propaganda?12:00 You recently had an excerpt of your book, a part about RFK, run in Time magazine. What's the danger of RFK for people who haven't followed his career?14:30 Why is anti-vax propaganda so powerful given that we just went through a global pandemic?18:10 Who is responsible for spreading spiritual misinformation? It's not like the New Age crowd has a FOX News or Newsmax.21:21 Why do conspiracy theories always seem to align with right-wing politics?24:20 Do the purveyors of this nonsense know it's BS or are they True Believers?28:00 Is it helpful when people like Dr. Oz and RFK run for office and lose? Or are those still opportunities to spread misinformation regardless of the outcome?32:48 What has frustrated you both about media coverage of spiritual grifters?36:45 Who's more dangerous: Gwyneth Paltrow or Alex Jones?41:00 What is the "eugenics to yoga pipeline"?45:20 What one question do you wish people would ask when grifters pitch a product?49:25 Should we be debating vaccine efficacy?55:15 What's effective in combatting these lies? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Caroline Mala Corbin is a professor at the University of Miami School of Law. She teaches classes involving the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment, the Religion Clauses, the Free Speech Clause, Feminism and the First Amendment, and Reproductive Rights. Her scholarship focuses on the First Amendment's speech and religion clauses, particularly their intersection with equality issues.We spoke about the Supreme Court's recent decisions, the fear of the legal challenges that lie ahead, what could happen when non-Christians use "religious freedom" arguments in court, and more.Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast0:00 Intro1:36 How bad are things right now?2:42 What was the "303 Creative" case?7:05 Does it matter that no gay couple asked Lorie Smith to design a wedding website for them?10:30 How worried should we be about the ruling in 303 Creative?15:26 Can Colorado do anything to circumvent this ruling?17:25 Should atheists or Satanists use this ruling to discriminate against Christians?20:30 Why did Neil Gorsuch compare this case to the 1940s' Barnette case involving the Pledge of Allegiance?28:55 How do you teach Constitutional Law when this Supreme Court continues to ignore precedent and distort existing law?30:38: What was the Groff v. DeJoy case all about?33:44: What does it mean that SCOTUS changed the previous minimum standard to one that requires substantial costs to a company?42:30 What religious liberty issues are coming down the pipeline? What should we be paying attention to?45:05 Do teachers have a First Amendment right to refuse to call students by their pronouns? Is the government controlling their speech by forcing them to acknowledge trans identities?49:33 Why do students in Texas and Florida need their parents' permission to get out of saying the Pledge of Allegiance?53:22 Will the expansion of "religious liberty" rights be a useful tool for non-Christians pushing for progressive interpretations of the law?58:06 What's your prediction for the next big change to SCOTUS, barring an unexpected death?58:53 When you meet with constitutional lawyers, what do you all talk about?Professor Corbin's website: https://people.miami.edu/profile/f8a9f100455e712842ae5c0a6ab128ffHer paper on the Pledge of Allegiance: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3941233Her paper on whether teachers should have to use students' pronouns: https://www.journaloffreespeechlaw.org/corbin.pdfHer other papers: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=797431 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Pat Robertson is still dead.— Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders defends Cross drawing at Governor's Mansion. (0:52)— Sen. Josh Hawley shared a fake Patrick Henry quotation to promote theocracy on Independence Day. (16:58)— Mormon parents sued a school district after their son had sex in the parking lot. (38:00)— What should Sweden be doing after a man burned the Qur'an outside a mosque? (47:55)— Are Secular Americans the new abortion voters? (1:07:20)— Insurers are avoiding Australia's Anglican schools due to child sex abuse risks. (1:18:38)— Faith "switching": Religions are leaking members and can't plug the holes fast enough. (1:23:05)— SPONSOR: Factor, America's #1 Ready-To-Eat Meal Kit. Head to factormeals.com/friendly50 and use code friendly50 to get 50% off. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Pat Robertson is still dead. — What happened to that submersible? (0:20)— Josh Duggar's father-in-law delivered a racist sermon praising Christian slaveowners. (5:15)— Is the Supreme Court case involving a bigoted Christian web designer built on a lie? (32:40)— A GOP congressman is targeting a church/state separation group with his defense bill amendment. (46:10)— In Colorado, nearly 1 in 4 state lawmakers are non-religious. (1:01:20)— At 14, she was "betrothed" to her pastor. She's finally sharing her side of the story. (1:11:51)— A Catholic priest forgot how to count. Now the Church is celebrating a "Eucharistic miracle." (1:28:15) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.***CORRECTION***: The "He-Man Woman-Haters Club" is from the Little Rascals, not The Simpsons! Oops!— What we can learn from the disgraceful life of Pat Robertson. (0:22)— Stop overreacting about Jeopardy! players missing a clue about the Lord's Prayer. (10:47)— Most Christian pastors use armed church members to thwart a possible mass shooting. (18:25)— Utah Republicans are furious schools banned the Bible to comply with their book-banning law. (27:05)— The Catholic Church in Kansas City used the wrong wine... and broke the religion. (34:35)— A California restaurant chain had employees confess their work-related sins to a fake priest. (43:26)— U.S. bishops are about to block trans-affirming care at Catholic hospitals. (53:17)— After complaints from Christians, Poland's 666 bus to Hel will cease to exist. (1:05:45)— Survey: In the U.K., belief in God has finally dipped below 50%. (1:09:35) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You may have already encountered Gloria Beth Amodeo's writing in places like Publishers Weekly, The Literary Review, and American Atheist magazine. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and currently works at an advertising agency in New York City. She recently wrote a book called God's Ex-Girlfriend: A Memoir about Loving and Leaving the Evangelical Jesus (affiliate link), so you know I had to talk to her.We spoke about how Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) hurts people, the advice she'd give potential Cru members, and how the group's bigotry made her rethink her faith.1:13 - Background5:45 - Why belonging to a larger group was so important to her in college.8:00 - How Cru entered her life.10:00 - How Christians avoid saying Christian.11:55 - How Cru connected with her.13:59 - The power of "relational evangelism."16:22 - What Cru did that convinced her they were worth joining.18:40 - When Gloria Beth realized this brand of Christianity espoused anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion thinking.24:50 - How Cru is more about belonging than Jesus25:55 - The three steps to successfully convert someone.29:09 - Evangelical Christianity as a kind of diet.30:01 - The sexual history they wanted to know before she went on a summer mission trip.36:57 - The most cringe-worthy stuff Gloria Beth did as a Cru member.40:27 - When she realized she might be wrong.47:30 - What life after Christianity felt like at first.49:16 - How Cru failed her after she graduated.50:48 - The most harmful things that Cru teaches.54:07 - The politics of Cru.54:50 - What she would say to someone thinking about joining Cru or InterVarsity.57:20 - What religious label she uses now.58:10 - What happened with the people she met in Cru.59:20 - What she's heard from current Cru members and leaders. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— What we learned from watching "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets." (1:57)— Christians are furious over a tiny Pride flag on the set of "The Chosen," a show about Jesus. (29:12)— Oklahoma just approved a taxpayer-funded Catholic charter school. (41:03)— The L.A. Dodgers never should've caved after honoring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. (51:38)— Richard Dawkins has a new analogy to describe people who are transgender. (1:03:17) — If Louisiana forces every classroom to display "In God We Trust" signs, atheist Chaz Stevens is preparing to send them Arabic ones. (1:10:00)— What does it mean that "non-churchgoers now rule the GOP"? (1:16:35)— To comply with Utah's book banning law, a school district removed the KJV Bible. (1:28:00)— Two Christian schools sue Minnesota for cutting them out of a taxpayer-funded program. (1:33:00)This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/ATHEIST for 10% off your first month. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.—SPONSOR: Visit BetterHelp.com/atheist today to get 10% off your first month. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.— The 3 lies that convinced two conservative Christians to stop home-schooling their kids. (2:20)— Catholics are flocking to Missouri to catch a glimpse of a dead nun's corpse. (32:42)— A pastor charged with four counts of child cruelty has announced his bid for the Louisiana House. (46:05)— A Church diocese dismissed sex abuse allegations against a priest. Now there are six more victims. (1:00:06)— A GOP bill would force Michigan schools to teach the "Christian foundations" of the U.S. (1:08:25) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

***An audio glitch in an earlier upload of this episode has been corrected. Apologies for the error!***Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— A new damning report examined sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Illinois. (0:55)— Even the most dedicated Catholics are walking away from Church services. (21:23)— A new Florida law allows four minutes of loudspeaker prayers at high school playoff games. (32:13)— The Jehovah's Witnesses are trying to pretend they didn't create two videos promoting disfellowshipping/shunning. (41:32)— A Christian school fired two staffers for including their pronouns in emails. (1:00:08)— A Satanist is suing Chicago for ignoring his "Hail Satan" invocation request. (1:14:50)— Why did a Florida county honor conspiracy theorist and preacher Rodney Howard-Browne? (1:22:00)— Why did the Texas Ten Commandments bill fail? Not because Republicans opposed it... (1:29:45) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— A 60 Minutes segment on the Mormon Church allegedly hoarding cash only made the religion look worse. (0:45) — Southern Baptists had the biggest drop in membership in over 100 years... AGAIN! (26:26)— A Christian "prophet" says climate change is God's way of pointing us to Bible verses. (38:56)— A church in Norwich, Ontario pressured businesses to close on Sundays... or else. (44:19)— An atheist heard his kids' bus driver was proselytizing on the way to school‚Ķ so he had them capture it on video. (50:10) — Christian Nationalists are now adopting and embracing the label. (57:30) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Texas State Rep. Bryan Slaton confirmed the hypocrisy of Christian Nationalists. (0:59) — Three Texas churches gave $800 to a city council candidate. (35:05)— Mississippi's new license plates get rid of "In God We Trust." (43:33)— Why are Utah public schools taking part in a pseudo-patriotic and overtly Christian event? (53:53)— Conservative Christians took over a school board in Colorado. Now they're destroying it. (1:03:50)— A Portland (Oregon) school board candidate vowed to drop out of the race after his Christian Nationalist ties were exposed. (1:18:46) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— A Kansas lawmaker told non-Christian constituents that he'd "try and convert" them rather than taking their concerns seriously. (0:52)— A Texas Democrat dismantled the case for putting the Ten Commandments in every classroom‚Ķ but Republicans don't care. (20:08)— A Baptist missionary was convicted of sexually abusing a four-year-old girl. The proof? He gave her gonorrhea. (41:04)— What horrible ideas does a former atheist leader have now? Let's check in. (52:00)— If you're attempting to test the Equal Access Act and counter a Christian program in a public school, don't do it the way this atheist did. (59:15)— A judge ordered a Pennsylvania school district to allow meetings of the After School Satan Club. (1:19:43)— A Christian congressman said gun violence was the result of a lack of "revival," but more Jesus would only make things worse. (1:25:35)— A Christian minister told Ohio legislators that trans rights supporters were "possessed by demons." (1:31:55)— SPONSOR: Go to ExpressVPN.com/friendlyatheist to get three extra months free. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— A Kenyan cult is allegedly responsible for the starvation deaths of dozens of people. (2:25)— An Arizona lawmaker moved bibles out of a "members-only" lounge in the Capitol. She was right to do it. (17:31)— A Christian student was banned from prom for wearing a suit instead of a dress. (28:19)— A federal judge says Mississippi must allow religious exemptions for vaccines. (38:05)— Minneapolis will let Muslims amplify calls to prayer 24/7‚Ķ which is a mistake. (46:19)— Most Americans agree: You don't need God to be good. (59:00)— Christian missionaries will no longer be able to preach to kids in Oklahoma public schools. (1:07:28) — The beliefs of an exorcism-obsessed church caused a deadly accident in Australia. (1:12:25) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— These Christians used their baby to learn about sex. (1:11)— A Christian mailman wants special rights at work, and the Supreme Court may help him out. (26:37) — Ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was charged with another sexual abuse crime. (54:06)— This is a horrible honeymoon tip, courtesy of Purity Culture. (1:04:05) — A judge ordered a California church to pay over $1.2 million in fines for ignoring COVID rules. (1:11:47)— The Arizona Supreme Court said Mormon leaders don't have to report confessions of abuse. (1:16:00)— SPONSOR: Visit BetterHelp.com/atheist today to get 10% off your first month. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— An anti-trans lawmaker from Missouri says it's okay for 12-year-olds to get married. (0:38)— The Dalai Lama asked a child to suck his tongue. (15:08)— U.S. Latinos are ditching Catholicism and becoming "Nones." (24:20)— A Christian public school teacher is demanding the right to include "John 3:16" in her emails. (37:06) — A NASA official swore her oath on Carl Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot." (45:36)— An anti-LGBTQ Christian mom sued Oregon for rejecting her request to adopt kids. (53:28)— Oklahoma officials rejected a taxpayer-funded Catholic charter school‚Ķ for now. (1:03:29) — SPONSOR: Visit BetterHelp.com/atheist today to get 10% off your first month. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.— SPONSOR: Use my link EXPRESSVPN.COM/FRIENDLYATHEIST today and get an extra three months free on a one-year package.— SPONSOR: If you're looking for a simpler and cost-effective supplement routine, Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. Go to athleticgreens.com/ATHEIST. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Nearly half of Gen Z, born after 1996, has no religious affiliation whatsoever. (1:17)— Maryland’s attorney general released a report on Catholic clergy abuse in Baltimore Archdiocese. (16:09)— A priest was punished for saying clergy members should report sex abuse confessions to local authorities. (27:11)— The Covenant School tragedy shows how more prayer will never stop gun violence. (36:31)— Religious jurors punish defendants who don’t swear to God to tell the truth. (42:07)— Texas lawmakers also want to replace trained school counselors with untrained chaplains. (46:30)— Atheists are suing West Virginia prison officials for forcing some inmates to profess Christianity. (55:15)— A Maine church is very upset it can’t get taxpayer money for promoting bigotry. (59:51)— A megachurch allegedly forced employees to tithe 10% of each paycheck. (1:07:08)— A Nebraska school is revamping its security protocols after an uninvited preacher evangelized in the cafeteria. (1:21:29)— SPONSOR: If you’re looking for a simpler and cost-effective supplement routine, Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. Go to athleticgreens.com/ATHEIST.— SPONSOR: Go to HelloFresh.com/friendly50 and use code friendly50 for 50% off, plus your first box ships free!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Suzanna Krivulskaya is an Assistant Professor of History at California State University San Marcos where she teaches courses in United States history. Her first book, Disgraced: How Sex Scandal Transformed American Protestantism, will be published in early 2024 by Oxford University Press.A specialist in the fields of U.S. religion and sexuality, Suzanna has published in both scholarly and popular outlets, like The Revealer and Religion and Politics. Her scholarly work was recognized by the 2019-2020 Virginia Ramey Mollenkott Award from the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network. In 2022, she was named a Public Research in Religion Institute Fellow in the area of Religion and LGBTQ Rights. Always interested in translating academic expertise to broader publics, she currently serves as a trainer in the Sacred Writes program, which connects students of religion with public-facing scholarship. We spoke about the Falwells, the Bakkers, the Haggards, why the wives often stand by their scandal-plagued pastor-husbands, and what these scandals reveal about evangelical Christianity.— Why do scandal-plagued pastors' wives stay by their husbands' side? (5:00)— Is the supposed shame of divorce too strong? (8:00)— Should we feel bad for these wives? (9:42)— What the heck is going on with the Falwells? (11:59)— Suzanna describes her journey from missionary to doubter (14:24)— Are younger evangelicals changing how we talk about this issue? (16:05)— How long have these scandals been going on? (18:06)— What do these scandals say about evangelical Christianity? (20:12)— How can these pastors still preach "purity"? (26:54)— Did anything in Suzanna's research surprise her? (31:30) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— A Florida principal was fired after students saw an image of Michelangelo’s “David.” (0:33)— A Christian woman claimed her three amputated toes were regrown during a prayer service. (19:09)— A Colorado bill would make Catholic hospitals say what services they don't provide. (34:05)— A Christian ministry trademarked the phrase "Worship Leader," creating mass chaos. (45:23)— Citing his faith, a Texas university leader canceled a drag show fundraiser. (54:36) — The Satanic Temple is not promoting adult content to kids, no matter what this Christian ministry says. (1:04:30)— A Texas bill would cut property taxes for couples with 10 kids. (1:19:36)—SPONSOR: If you’re looking for a simpler and cost-effective supplement routine, Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. Go to athleticgreens.com/ATHEIST.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— A Christian lawmaker used the Bible to justify the physical abuse of kids with disabilities in public schools. (0:37)— Americans still view atheists unfavorably‚Ķ but it's not all bad news. (25:42)— In a lawsuit, a teenager says a teacher assaulted her for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance. (43:37)— An editorial defending college football coach Deion Sanders' proselytizing fumbled the facts. (54:35) — The Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese in California has filed for bankruptcy. (1:13:29)— A Christian school in Vermont is banned from competing in state-sanctioned events after refusing to play a team with a trans athlete. (1:21:03) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— A Christian pastor wrote the most WTF essay about Jesus penetrating the church. (0:57)— A Catholic non-profit spent millions of dollars to track the whereabouts of gay priests. (32:35)— An Arizona school board rightly ended its contract with an anti-LGBTQ Christian college. (48:25)— An employee of Catholic Charities has sued the group for its hyper-realistic active shooter drill. (58:37) — This is going to be the worst conference ever. (1:07:00)— Why is a taxpayer-funded tourism group in Kentucky promoting Creationism? (1:15:05)— The Supreme Court won't weigh in on a police-led Christian prayer vigil... yet. (1:20:35)— A Tennessee bill would let county clerks refuse to sign same-sex and interracial marriage licenses. (1:36:50) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Why was New York City Mayor Eric Adams repeating Christian Nationalist rhetoric? (0:40)— Christians who went to the Asbury "revival" may have been exposed to measles. (15:14)— Defrocked priest Frank Pavone has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct. (23:15) — Banning "After School Satan" clubs after anonymous threats makes things worse. (37:30)— A writer who once called out conservative Christianity has now adopted conservative Christianity. (44:20) — Attendance in religious education classes fell 99% in Victoria, Australia after the classes stopped being mandatory. (54:15)— A Montana Republican has filed a bill to stick Christian prayer in public schools. (1:00:29)— West Virginia lawmakers are still trying to push "Intelligent Design" into classrooms. (1:07:55) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— I've shifted to Substack. (0:48)— Saddleback Church was kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention for having a woman pastor. (1:56)— Arizona House Republicans passed a bill forcing kids to say the Pledge of Allegiance in schools. (14:13)— Nikki Haley, who wants to present herself as a sane Republican, got an extremist pastor to kick off her presidential campaign. (23:50)— A former member of Westboro Baptist Church is now whitewashing a different kind of hate. (30:53)— Nebraska State Sen. Megan Hunt called out her Christian colleagues for ignoring Jesus in how they vote. (40:03)— A Christian school canceled a concert after learning one of the singers is gay. (46:35) — The Feds fined the Mormon Church and its investment division for trying to hide its assets. (59:15)— A victim of the Satanic Panic, Melvin Quinney, has finally been exonerated. (1:10:59)— Don't automatically trust stories about pastors who die for bizarre religion-related reasons in Africa. (1:17:19) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Jessica did a solo interview with Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, an Associate Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Wellesley College where she studies the lived experiences of Black people with a focus on slavery and abolitionism.She also co-hosts the podcasts This Day in Esoteric Political History and Oprahdemics.Jess and Dr. Carter Jackson discussed how Christianity informed opinions on slavery and abolition, why the church was (and still is) entwined with Black American culture, and the first lady of talk, Oprah. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Sam Smith's and Kim Petras' Satan-themed performance of "Unholy" at the Grammys angered conservative Christians. (0:22)— A Christian school decided to affirm LGBTQ people‚Ķ and now it will shut down because the donors left. (10:26)— White evangelical parents want their kids to have the same faith. What does that say about their parenting? (16:30)— Get ready for some Jesus-y Super Bowl ads. (28:28)— An atheist Republican (!) is back (!) in the New Hampshire legislature. (30:55)— Kent Hovind's Dinosaur Adventure Land is a cesspool of chaos and that's putting it lightly. (43:56)— The Democratic National Committee passed a resolution condemning "white religious nationalism." (51:50)— Victoria (Australia) officials want guidance from higher-up officials so they can eliminate Christian invocation prayers at meetings. (56:10) — Oklahoma Republicans want to inject Christian Nationalism into history classes. (59:35) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Nebraska Sen. Megan Hunt responded to an anti-drag bill with an amendment to protect children from religious indoctrination. (0:49)— The Satanic Temple is about to launch "The Samuel Alito's Mom's Satanic Abortion Clinic," named in honor of someone whose lack of options in 1950 forced the rest of us to pay the price. (10:35)— The Pope wants you to remember that the middle finger represents honesty. (17:00)— Let's talk about unhealthy relationships between minor celebrities and their wonderful fans. (19:10)— Montana Sen. Daniel Emrich wants to ban everything but "scientific fact" from public school classrooms. (40:45)— Christian hate-group leader Mat Staver wants Christian schools to expel children of gay parents before they convince other kids same-sex families are perfectly fine. (49:32) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— The Church of England will finally bless same-sex marriages. But don't cheer just yet. (0:50)— The Pope called for the decriminalization of homosexuality. Does it matter? (5:44)— Stop praising Pastor Andy Stanley for pretending to care about gay people. (12:50)— Former NFL coach and current commentator Tony Dungy hid behind his faith during an acknowledgment that he lied to people about kitty litter boxes in classrooms. (37:48)— After a Mormon man murdered his family, why was his obituary so positive? (44:30) — During a right-wing rally, former SNL cast member Jim Breuer mocked flu shots, vaccines, and NFL player Damar Hamlin. (51:27)— Anti-abortion activist Nathaniel Darnell celebrated the death of the former Speaker of the Georgia House. (56:52)— 13 clergy members have filed a lawsuit "challenging Missouri's abortion ban and several related abortion restrictions." (1:00:45)— Who allowed controversial "influencer" Woah Vicky to preach to kids at a Georgia high school? (1:04:55) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Please join our Discord server!— A Mississippi Democrat filed a "trigger" bill to bring Christian prayers back to public schools. (1:00) — Idaho's "faith-healing" exemption has led to more children's deaths, and one Republican told me he wants to fix that. (15:53)— If Iowa passes a controversial voucher bill to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to private religious schools, one atheist plans to open up a Satanic school. (28:58)— Judge Alfred T. Goodwin, a church/state separation hero, died at 99. (39:00) — Atheist activist Chaz Stevens wants Fort Lauderdale, Florida to respect religious freedom by honoring the Shinto "Festival of the Steel Phallus. (42:02)— The ARISE Church in New Zealand hired an investigator to look into allegations against it‚Ķ and now they're punishing the investigator. (57:52)— The Decatur County Sheriff's Department in Greensburg, Indiana has been pushing Christianity on inmates in the county jail. (1:11:28) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Please join our Discord server!— An art history professor at Hamline University in Minnesota was fired after showing students an ancient depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in class. (0:40)— The Catholic Church in Kansas was home to 188 predators, according to a four-year investigation. (19:05) — When it comes to contraception, most Catholics in the U.S. completely ignore the Church's position. (27:40)— The Christians behind a viral "Eye of the Tiger" cover see all your comments calling them "cringy." (37:00)— The legislature of New Brunswick rejected an invocation request from a Hindu activist because lawmakers insisted the prayer could only come from a fellow Christian. (50:50)— Church attendance among young people has suffered a major decline since the pandemic. (57:05) — A pastor was given a short jail sentence after subjecting homeless people to forced labor. (1:04:45) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Please join our Discord server!— Prayers won't help NFL player Damar Hamlin, especially when they come from on-air NFL analysts like Dan Orlovsky. (1:45)— Mark Rozzi, the new Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, is a self-described "freethinker" who has fought against the Catholic Church's abuse. (25:00)— Dennis Prager is very sad that conservatives are no longer welcome in their kids' homes over the holidays. (38:00)— Kirk Cameron is still spreading lies to publicize his new book but got called out by a library. (47:52)— Nearly a year after the launch of "He Gets Us," the $100,000,000 ad campaign for Jesus is still failing to get a positive reception. (1:03:48)— The Jehovah's Witnesses just lost its "religious community" status in Norway, a huge blow to the group. (1:21:35)— Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have expanded treatment options for secular people struggling with substance abuse and addiction. (1:33:14)— Congressman Jamie Raskin released a statement revealing his cancer diagnosis. Perhaps unusually, there was no mention of God. (1:37:59) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. On this (extra-long) 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.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode.Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Please join our Discord server!— Singer Amy Grant was condemned for hosting her niece’s same-sex wedding at her family farm. (0:43)— A prominent Black atheist leader was accused of ethical violations. (12:00)— Bucksport, Maine chose to take down a Nativity scene before allowing an atheist sign to go up. (21:02)— Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley needs a new home because “nobody really wants to lease to us.“ (26:07)— SPONSOR: God Pod! Check it out and subscribe! (32:18)— Catholic MAGA cultist Frank Pavone was (finally) kicked out of the priesthood. (33:33)— Two Christian schools can no longer shield their identities after requesting censored field trips to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. (40:25)— “The Church at Planned Parenthood” will have to pay heavy fines for blocking an abortion clinic. (48:45)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Emily Olson, the newest city council member in Owosso, Michigan, has received backlash for trying to end the tradition of Christian prayers at meetings and refusing to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance. (0:55) — The nephew of GOP bigot Rep. Vicky Hartzler spoke out after she cried on the House floor about a bill protecting same-sex marriages. (18:50) — The first meeting of an After School Satan Club had to be delayed in Virginia after the Chesapeake Public Schools board cited safety concerns. (23:05) — SPONSOR: God Pod! Check it out and subscribe! (32:54) — Rep. Louie Gohmert praised a Christian pastor whose church has ignored serious allegations. (33:56) — New York's governor should sign a bill that bolsters secular addiction treatment programs. (40:30) — A Christian teacher at Franklin Academy, a public charter school in Florida, was fired after interrupting three Muslim students in the middle of a prayer. (46:25) — A Christian mother in British Columbia has lost her case arguing that an Indigenous "smudging" ritual at her kids' school violated her religious freedom. (50:50) — A lawyer tasked with helping the Archdiocese of Montreal be more transparent when it comes to child sexual abuse allegations has discovered that Church leaders were sabotaging her efforts. (56:13) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — "Top evangelicals" are not backing away from Donald Trump, no matter what the headlines suggest. (2:11) — A restaurant in Virginia refused to serve members of a Christian hate group. Is that religious discrimination? (13:15) — An atheist delivered an invocation in Lake County, Florida‚Ķ only to be followed by a Christian giving his own prayer as a sort of correction. (29:29) — SPONSOR: Check out Elle the Humanist, an introduction to Humanism for young readers! Using this link or the code "friendlyatheist" will get you 10% off anything on the website! (37:04) — Actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron is pretending public libraries are censoring him for not hosting events for his new book. (38:30) — Matt Chandler, a megachurch leader with a history of downplaying sexual abuse, returned to the pulpit after his own scandal, but he's not offering any details about what happened. (49:11) — Uber and Lyft allow drivers to preach at riders, setting up a very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation. (1:04:23) — Will Democrats notice that non-religious voters helped tip the scales in their favor during the midterms? (1:12:15) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Christian hate-preacher Aaron Thompson celebrated the Club Q shooting, calling it a "good thing." (3:00) — Former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis says the victims of the shooting are probably in Hell. (9:45) — Focus on the Family's sign was vandalized. Was it justified? (12:30) — Christians are now in the minority in England and Wales. (33:55) — SPONSOR: Check out Elle the Humanist, an introduction to Humanism for young readers! Using this link or the code "friendlyatheist" will get you 10% off anything on the website! https://labelfree.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist (41:53) — Christians in Tuscumbia, Alabama are furious that a Krampus-friendly Festival of Yule is taking place in their community. (43:17) — In Bangladesh, two men sentenced to die for murdering an atheist author and his publisher escaped police custody. (52:48) — At least two instructors at BYU-Idaho, an affiliate of Brigham Young University in Utah, have been fired for not receiving "ecclesiastical clearance." (58:29) — Adnan Oktar, a Creationist preacher in Turkey, was sentenced to 8,658 years in prison for a variety of crimes including running a criminal organization, sexual abuse, torture, and abduction. (1:15:05) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this solo episode, I spoke with Rachel Laser, who became president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State in February of 2018. She is the organization's first non-Christian and female leader in its 75 year history. Rachel is a lawyer, advocate and strategist who has dedicated her career to making our country more inclusive. We spoke about her work with religious organizations, whether the Johnson Amendment will ever be enforced, what people still don't get about church/state separation, and more. 0:00 Intro 2:00 What did you take away from the results of the midterm elections? 5:16 What's the relationship between AU and religious organizations? 10:02 How does your strategy shift given the Supreme Court's right-wing shift? 17:23 How fundamental are lawsuits to AU's mission? 22:18 Are there ways to get Republicans to support church/state separation? 27:04 What misconceptions do Americans have about church/state separation? 32:57 Will new IRS funding lead to enforcement of the Johnson Amendment? 36:03 What are the biggest looming church/state issues we should be concerned about? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Actress Candace Cameron Bure is making pseudo-Hallmark movies that feature "traditional marriage," not gay couples. (0:54) — Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke just lost both of his YouTube channels. (23:28) — "Highly religious Americans" are the biggest climate deniers. (29:40) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt celebrated his re-election with a public prayer in which he claimed the entire state in the name of Jesus. (37:08) — A Buddhist pilot won't have to go through Alcoholics Anonymous after a settlement with United Airlines. (39:20) — A Christian Nationalist who won a school board seat in Florida wants to bring back physical abuse in school, (43:48) — After speaking out against her abusive Christian school, a Canadian woman had her home vandalized. (51:52) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Pat Robertson's prediction failed. (3:00) — How did the godless fare in the 2022 midterm elections? (13:35) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis deemed himself a "fighter" sent by the Christian God to defend the downtrodden. (33:06) — Tennessee rightly got rid of a ban on pastors in public office. An (unenforceable) atheist ban, however, remained in place. (53:15) — Amendment 3, a "religious freedom" amendment, failed in Arkansas. (1:03:50) — Was the Air Force Academy promoting Christianity on the soccer field? (1:12:36) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Greg Locke's Halloween bonfire to destroy "witchcraft" artifacts, Catholic symbols, and other things he deems evil got a heavy dose of rain. (3:50) — The IRS isn't doing a damn thing to enforce the Johnson Amendment and stop churches from endorsing political candidates from the pulpit. (15:00) — If the IRS doesn't care, should more Democratic preachers use the pulpit to promote their candidates? That's what Rev. Jamal H. Bryant did. (He's not a hero, though.) (36:30) — Yolanda Flowers, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Alabama, made a surprise appearance this week at Creationist Kent Hovind's Dinosaur Adventure Land. (47:12) — While New Mexico GOP gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti insists he's not an anti-abortion extremist, a prominent pastor is telling a very different story. (56:40) — Four members of the Jehovah's Witnesses, all in Pennsylvania, were charged with sexually abusing a total of 19 kids. (1:07:36) — Brazil defeated Jair Bolsonaro and his evangelical Christian base. (1:09:29) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — 45% of Americans say we should live in a "Christian nation." Yikes‚Ķ? (0:50) — Even Christianity Today admits public schools aren't godless. (16:50) — Christian "prophet" Robin Bullock says that Jesus was a wealthy man who owned five houses. (26:18) -‚Äì Sumner County, TN has adopted new rules acknowledging the supposed "Judeo-Christian" founding of the country. (34:23) — Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke is so loud that his county may institute a noise ordinance. (40:36) — Leaders in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo (NY) have agreed to government oversight because they're utterly incapable of protecting kids on their own. (48:15) — A Hasidic school in New York City will have to pay back millions for defrauding the state. (55:50) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Atheist candidate Mike Itkis made a sex tape to boost his flailing congressional campaign. (1:44) — Preaching history teacher and Christian bigot David Paszkiewicz is running for public office in Kearny, NJ. (14:35) — Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke plans to hold another book burning on Halloween. This time, Catholic symbols will be up in flames too. (25:22) — Conservative blogger Matt Walsh says anime is Satanic. (34:10) — Christians lashed out against a "satanic" mural in a middle school painted by a teenager. (38:01) — Mormon dad Matthew Watkins explained how he would disown his daughter if she were in a same-sex marriage and it did not go over well. (50:30) — "The Unbelieving," a new play about preachers who no longer believe in God yet remain in the pulpit, is premiering off-Broadway. (1:03:40) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Bart Barber, the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, was featured on 60 Minutes but revealed the bigotry underlying his faith. (1:13) — Christian hate-preacher Steven Anderson delivered a very explicit and homophobic sermon. (26:29) — Why did a youth pastor hand out "I <3 hot youth pastors" stickers to kids? (33:42) — Catholic hospitals have always been dangerous. After the overturning of Roe, that's never been more true. (46:00) — A lawyer was fined $400,000 for warning a Catholic school about a predator priest on the payroll. (57:00) — Two evangelists canceled a Florida stop due to Hurricane Ian after insisting God told them the event would go on without a hitch. (1:16:02) — One Million Moms prematurely declared victory over the cancellation of "Little Demon." It's not canceled. (1:18:15) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Texas mother Jamie Gooch is warning people against Hocus Pocus 2. (0:33) — Minnesota lawmakers are launching a Secular Government Caucus to combat Christian Nationalism. (11:54) — Will the revelation that Herschel Walker paid for an abortion have any effect on conservative Christian voters in Georgia? (21:50) — Christian spyware that's meant to monitor visits to adult websites is also being used to monitor Wikipedia searches for atheism. (46:45) — A Christian father has horrible advice for raising good kids. (57:44) — Andrew Thorburn, the newly appointed CEO of an Australian football team, resigned due to backlash over his conservative Christian bigotry. (1:12:30) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — An 8-year-old girl was expelled for not wanting to send her teacher a picture of herself reading in the bathtub. (0:55) — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is going after Republican Darren Bailey for using a fundamentalist Christian curriculum in a school he opened. (10:36) — Are Tennessee's license plates making it easier for cops to spot atheists? (24:19) — Students in Baton Rouge, Louisiana thought they were attending a "College & Career Fair." Instead, they were taken to church. (30:44) — Fundamentalist Christian mom Lori Alexander wants women to avoid feminism. This chart isn't helping. (38:55) — Bible preacher Mike Winger says you should kill someone if God tells you to. (47:30) — The documentary Jihad Rehab is poorly and irresponsibly made, but some prominent atheists are whining about "identity politics." (52:47) — The Satanic Temple sued Indiana's top officials to block an extreme abortion ban. (1:08:35) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Greg Locke is very unhappy about his depiction in the Peacock series Shadowland. (1:47) — Despite the Supreme Court giving him his old job back, Joseph Kennedy, the football coach who held prayer spectacles at midfield after games, is long gone. (14:04) — Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma claimed that God showed approval for his state's extreme abortion ban by‚Ķ making it rain after a drought. (26:15) — God's Not Dead 5 is coming soon. (32:18) — Dr. Albert Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, says Christians must vote a certain way or else they're being "unfaithful" to God. (45:20) — When Liberty U. comes into town, UMass football will hold "Pride Day" (56:22) — Many of New York's Hasidic schools are taking public funds but not educating kids. (1:00:55) — Rapper Kanye West has opened his own private Christian school where parents have to sign NDAs. Yikes. (1:12:00) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Andrew Seidel is the Vice President of Strategic Communications for Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the author of "The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American." He's written and spoken extensively about these issues in a variety of online and print publications, and on several news shows. His latest book, out this month, is called "American Crusade: How the Supreme Court is Weaponizing Religious Freedom." 0:00 Intro 1:08 How did you write a book about the Supreme Court when the Court kept issuing new, harmful rulings? (An update to the book can be found here: https://andrewlseidel.com/moreac/) 3:24 What church/state barriers are next to fall? 8:09 Is the Federalist Society a Christian organization? 13:37 Why isn't there a liberal equivalent to the Federalist Society? 15:14 SPONSOR: https://www.expressvpn.com/friendlyatheist 16:34 Is the Supreme Court helping or hurting the country? 18:40 Is there one justice whose presence is ultra-crusade-y? 21:04 Should we care about the details of Amy Coney Barrett's faith? 24:16 What impact will Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson have on this Court? 25:45 What would be the best way to fight back against this activist Court? 33:45 What does success mean for you when it comes to readers of "American Crusade"? 42:10 What do you say to future lawyers who care about church/state issues? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this bonus interview, Jessica spoke with Mike Flanagan, the writer/director behind "Haunting of Hill House," "Haunting of Bly Manor," "Doctor Sleep," and (most recently) the critically acclaimed "Midnight Mass." They discussed his sobriety journey as an atheist, why Bev Keane from "Midnight Mass" could probably get elected to Congress, how to engage with criticism, and why we probably shouldn't. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Britney Spears said in a now-deleted Instagram reel, "I'm an atheist, y'all!" (3:45) — Even married advocates of Purity Culture can't handle Bridgerton. (12:57) — A federal judge ruled that an HIV drug mandate violated Christians' religious freedoms. (20:35) — These preachers have no idea how masturbation works. (35:00) — Pope Francis is lying about having a "zero tolerance" policy for handling abuse. (41:21) — The GOP lawmaker who condemned an extreme anti-abortion bill previously sponsored‚Ķ an extreme anti-abortion bill. (48:30) — A Christian school baptized 100 kids without telling their parents. (55:11) — The Archdiocese of St. Louis is putting dogma over decency, urging schools to let kids go hungry rather than feed them for free. (1:00:30) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/friendlyatheistpodcast. Donors now get access to a new BONUS episode. Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our Discord server! — Christian pastor and church planter Matt Chandler is on a leave of absence because of "unwise" DMs he sent to a woman on Instagram. (4:20) — Valley Christian Academy in California will forfeit an upcoming football game rather than play an opposing team that has two girls on the roster. (22:00) — Wisconsin Republican Peter Schmidt wants to pass anti-LGBTQ policies but doesn't want anyone knowing about his own homosexuality. (32:20) — Catholic Charities in Omaha held a fake active shooter drill that traumatized countless employees. (43:03) — Christian hate-preacher Joe Jones listed out the evil people you should avoid and there's a pleasant surprise on the list. (49:15) — Despite a Supreme Court win, nearly all of Maine's Christian schools are rejecting state funding. (51:19) — Texas State Sen. Bryan Hughes is trying to fix up his horribly written "In God We Trust" law. (57:00) — Former Republican congresswoman Michele Bachmann insists the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were based on the Bible. She's lying. (1:06:50) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.