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. — Please join our Discord server! — A conservative Christian influencer wants women to stop touching themselves. (1:00) — A Texas law requiring donated "In God We Trust" signs in schools has a loophole, and one atheist is taking advantage of it. (13:27) — The Door McAllen, which staged a Christianized "Hamilton," has apologized. (23:45) — South Carolina stuck a $1.5 million gift for a Christian school in its budget. (34:29) — The Big Bang Theory is not a hoax, no matter how much Creationists try to lie about it. (38:23) — An article in Science recently connected a non-binary gender identity with a thirst for curiosity. And yet one professional science communicator is FURIOUS about it. (45:38) — A leaked investigation into New Zealand's ARISE Church reveals widespread abuse. (53:21) — Scott Esk once said sexually active gay people should be executed by the government. He was nearly the GOP's candidate for a State House seat in Oklahoma. (1:03:35) 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! — The attack on Salman Rushdie is an attack on free expression. (1:38) (Note: Read this for more background on Rushdie and why The Satanic Verses is controversial.) — An evangelical pastor demonized "wokeism" after making up his own definition of the word. (14:52) — The Fargo School Board in North Dakota nixed the Pledge of Allegiance at meetings‚Ķ then reversed course after threats. (22:28) — A Missouri pastor apologized after a sermon clip of him demanding a luxury watch from his congregation went viral. (32:09) — A Texas school district banned the Bible. Oops. (39:25) — The Department of Justice is investigating the Southern Baptist Convention. (48:52) — Evangelist Beth Moore's crush on Jesus infuriated Southern Baptist men. (54:30) — Atheists won a settlement against Arkansas State Sen. Jason Rapert. (1:02:20) 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 Texas church put on an illegal production of "Hamilton" in order to convert the audience. (0:55) — A Baptist school kicked out a five-year-old orphan after she was adopted by lesbians. (36:19) — Let's talk about Christian sword drills. (44:13) — Catholicism is not cool. Please stop saying that. (47:29) — An anti-"Satanism" dress code policy remains in effect in a Kansas school district. (59:57) — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene falsely said "most Americans" are Christian nationalists like her. (1:09:07) — A man was charged with arson for setting fire to a Michigan Planned Parenthood. (1:12:17) 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! — SPONSOR: Check out God Pod! — The abortion referendum in Kansas was a rebuke to the Catholic Church. (2:10) — Christian furries are worried about being outed... as Christians. (16:15) — Do we really need a "new kind of atheism"? Not quite. (25:15) — Democrats want the IRS to investigate non-profit groups that call themselves "churches" to avoid transparency. (43:15) — The Mormon Church's "help line" is a weapon to bury allegations of sexual abuse. (50:45) — Australia's new Senate leader Sue Lines wants to end the tradition of Christian invocations. (1:07:05) — The number of atheists in federal prison is almost non-existent. (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! — SPONSOR: Check out God Pod! — Republican Rep. Glenn Thompson voted *against* a bill to protect same-sex weddings... then attended his gay son's wedding. (1:52) — Why is Ted Haggard back in the news? (13:07) — The Church of Scientology wants to enforce religious arbitration clauses in its contracts... against people who left the faith. (26:45) — Among Gen Z, women are less likely to be religious than men! (40:05) — With the Supreme Court getting rid of the Lemon Test, a previous church/state separation victory was wiped off the books. (46:15) — A Kentucky judge temporarily protected abortion access, saying that the state's anti-abortion laws were "theocratic" and therefore illegal. (1:00:48) 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 Christian hate-preacher condemned me‚Ķ for quoting him accurately. (1:05) — Creationist Michael Peroutka won the GOP primary for Maryland attorney general. (20:21) — A staffer found illicit pics on a priest's printer. Then the cover-up began. (28:35) — "The Transformed Wife" has some bizarre ideas for why teachers may soon quit their jobs. (39:58) — The ‚ÄòWatchman Decree' is a scary vision of Christian nationalism in action. (43:43) — A Canadian church was fined $80,000 for obstructing COVID health inspections. (55:45) 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! — Happy James Webb Telescope Images week for all who celebrate! (0:30) — How seriously should we take the allegations against right-wing radio host Jesse Lee Peterson? (10:28) — A Christian writer thinks she's being persecuted for her faith. Nope. It's just her bigotry. (27:02) — A former Texas football star says he was definitely coerced into praying with his coaches despite what the Supreme Court now says. (45:35) — The Christian hate-group Family Research Council is now technically a "church," a move that allows it to avoid being transparent about its finances. (55:16) — A female pastor's progressive views on LGBTQ people were censored from a book celebrating female pastors. (1:03:52) — A new bill in Congress would crack down on scammy Christian "health share" ministries. (1:14:38) 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! — Why are insane Christians cheering the destruction of the Georgia Guidestones? (1:16) — A record-low 20% of Americans say the Bible is literally true. (10:50) — A right-wing activist said on a hot mic that she prays with Supreme Court justices. (19:55) — The Biden administration is not trying to "promote atheism worldwide." (38:35) — Florida's civics teachers are being indoctrinated with Christian Nationalism. (52:55) — For many evangelicals, God and guns are linked together. (1:02:26) — 12 Christians were arrested in Australia after the "faith-healing" death of a child. (1:12:18) — Should elders in the Jehovah's Witnesses have control of your files? (1:15:42) 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! — Roe v. Wade was overturned and the conservative Christian dream is a nightmare for everyone else. (0:01) — The Supreme Court also rewarded a preaching Christian football coach with a decision based entirely on lies. (42:40) — Maine lawmakers found a way to subvert the Supreme Court's recent decision to fund religious schools with tax dollars. (58:20) — An atheist sued his company for forcing him to come to daily Christian prayer meetings. (1:07:49) — A Christian hate group lost its battle to stop being called a "hate group." (1:15:05) — "No religion" is one of the largest religions in Australia, according to new Census results. (1:29:09) 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! — Evangelist Franklin Graham told a woman to stay with her abusive husband after downplaying her suffering. (1:00) — The Supreme Court's decision in Carson v. Makin was a devastating blow to church/state separation. (16:49) — Georgia's Herschel Walker, running for U.S. Senate, once said that Multiple Personality Disorder isn't a problem because Jesus had it too. Christians don't seem to care. (36:13) — Sex abuse allegations against a popular Christian singer, Chris Rice, were found "credible." (40:41) — A New IFB church member was arrested for threatening violence at a Pride parade. (51:25) — Three men in Maine have sued the Catholic Church after state officials eliminated the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases. (1:00:11) 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! — 81% of Americans believe in God, an all-time low. (2:05) — Students at Seattle Pacific University protested their school's anti-LGBTQ hiring policy by handing rainbow flags to the university president as he gave them their diplomas. (7:22) — The Canadian Armed Forces just got its first Humanist chaplain. (12:45) — A man wearing a "GOD" shirt tried to burn down The Satanic Temple's headquarters in Salem, Massachusetts. (17:55) — A man who left flowers on his dead fianc√©e's gravesite, only to be turned in to law enforcement by her preacher father, was found guilty of littering. (22:20) — Christian cops are now saying COVID swab tests violate their faith. (27:37) — Is the atheist movement too narrow-minded when it comes to pushing back against misinformation? (40:20) — A Catholic school near Boston lost its "Catholic" designation for keeping up Pride and Black Lives Matter flags. (57:57) — A Jewish synagogue is suing Florida over its impending 15-week abortion ban because they say it would violate their religious beliefs. (1:09:27) 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 Christian hate-preacher delivered an anti-gay sermon that's even worse than you imagine. (2:20) — A conservative school board candidate checked out all the LGBTQ books in a local library's Pride display so kids couldn't get to them first. (16:28) — A popular Ontario preacher was arrested on charges of sex abuse. (24:03) — What should we make of Amy Coney Barrett's bizarre religious cult? (36:35) — An army chaplain earned his Ph.D. saying the military is an ideal place to win over Christian converts. (52:15) — Poland (!) just made God optional in their boy scout oath. (1:05:26) 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 Oklahoma candidate for U.S. Senate claims his church was "shut down." (1:13) — Atheists don't have to defend Richard Dawkins if he says ignorant things. (12:50) — The Johnny Depp/Amber Heard non-story involving atheism. (55:13) — Students are protesting a Christian school's homophobic hiring policies. (58:30) — A superintendent in Georgia used a graduation ceremony to win converts for Christianity. (1:10:43) — Another graduation speaker in Ohio told kids to avoid gay marriage. (1:14:25) 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. — Please join our Discord server! — The shooting in Uvalde, Texas. (1:03) — Christian predator Josh Duggar is going to jail. (3:24) — After a pastor confessed to "adultery," the victim got on stage and said it was sexual assault that began when she was 16. (12:25) — The Southern Baptist Convention's sexual abuse report ignored the most obvious solution. (24:50) — A woman is urging Florida voters not to send her anti-trans, anti-abortion mother to Congress. (44:12) — Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke says he's asked the IRS to rescind his tax exemption... but don't take his word for it. (51:54) — Michigan GOP candidate Jacky Eubanks said she'd vote to ban birth control because the Catholic Church says so. (59:20) — A Catholic archbishop says Nancy Pelosi can't receive communion. It's a hypocritical, partisan move. (1:03:28) — An Idaho atheist just won a GOP primary for State Senate. He may soon become the only elected atheist in the Republican Party. (1:10:31) 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 Christian school told students to write a letter urging a (fictional) friend to stop being gay. (1:45) — A Kansas town reversed course and will allow "In God We Trust" stickers on police vehicles... but there's a twist. (4:30) — A West Virginia school district finally settled a lawsuit involving Christian indoctrination in the classroom. (16:15) — A school board member in Colorado justified her bigotry with Jesus. One mother wasn't having it. (25:38) — Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke was reported to the IRS for telling his congregation they can't vote for Democrats. (33:33) — The Louisiana Supreme Court dropped charges against a preacher who held massive, maskless, in-person church services at the beginning of the pandemic. (47:35) — A shared delusion led to the exorcism and death of a three-year-old girl. (53:40) 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! — A Kansas town voted to remove "In God We Trust" from police vehicles. (2:03) — Canada's Parliament rejected a motion to end invocation prayers in the House of Commons. (6:41) — Evangelical pastors shouldn't be surprised that their churches are turning into MAGA cults. (15:51) — Predator megachurch leader Jack Schaap was released from prison earlier than expected. (37:05) — Idaho's Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin says "Christ will reign" if she becomes governor. (53:17) 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! — The Supreme Court's supposed Roe decision could backfire on conservative Christians. (1:15) — A Christian college punished a sexual assault victim for having premarital sex. (39:05) — The Supreme Court also said Boston couldn't say no to putting up a Christian flag outside City Hall. (55:35) — In a cruel ritual, an 8-year-old Jain girl had her hair plucked out by hand. (1:12:18) 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 Christian show's viral "persecution" marketing campaign backfired. (2:15) — The Supreme Court is about to fumble a simple church/state separation case. (15:05) — An atheist in Florida says if controversial books are banned, then the Bible needs to go too. (35:15) — An Alabama couple can't adopt a kid because they're non-religious. (40:46) — Christians sang worship music on an airplane. (49:06) — A Christian "health insurance" ministry left families high and dry because it was all a grift. (58:09) — Canadians say evangelicals hurt society more than any other religious group. (1:09:18) 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 (Jessica will be back next week), I spoke with Dr. Katie Gaddini, a sociologist at the Social Research Institute, University College London and a research associate at the University of Johannesburg, Department of Sociology. She recently released her debut book, The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church, which is based on over four years of in-depth ethnographic research with single evangelical women in the US and the UK. We talked about purity culture, the mixed messages sent to Christian women, and whether their churches do more harm than good. 1:00 How did you get interested in this topic? 2:10 Are Christian women leaving church or the religion? 3:35 When they leave their churches, what are they missing out on? 4:55 What role does modern-day feminism play in women leaving church? 7:40 Do Christian women have opportunities to date, or is it always about courtship and marriage? 10:00 How do Christian women deal with sex loopholes? 15:30 What happens to women in the church as they get older but are still single? 17:40 Does the pressure to find a perfect Christian guy make things worse? 19:45 What's been the effect of #MeToo on these Christian women? 21:20 What do you make of the messages sent to Christian girls by modern Christian "influencers"? 24:18 Do churches ever offer sex ed for adults? 26:40 What's the message being delivered to older, single Christian men? 27:50: What happens when Christian women realize they've been lied to about the sexual binary between abstinence and anything-goes? 29:50: Are church leaders adapting to any of this? 32:10 Are evangelical churches a force for good in these women's lives? 33:50 Who are positive role models for Christian women wanting responsible advice about sex? 35:10 What surprised you in your research? 36:40 What has been your family's reaction to your book? 37:20: What is your current research focused on? 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! — Hemant will be giving a talk in Orlando on Sunday, April 24. Details here! — Kandiss Taylor, a wannabe governor of Georgia, has no respect for church/state separation. (3:19) — An Arkansas official brazenly bragged about pushing Christianity at government meetings. (14:30) — A "quieter approach" to atheism isn't necessarily a bad thing. (24:10) — A Tennessee senator used Hitler as an example of someone overcoming homelessness. (38:40) — A Tennessee cop baptized a woman against her will. A judge says the lawsuit can continue. (44:19) (UPDATE: The woman in question was found dead Wednesday night. The cause of death is unknown. We did not know about that when we were discussing this story on Thursday.) — David Barton is spreading a new lie about churches and the Constitution. (53:41) — There's a new member of the Congressional Freethought Caucus and it's a non-story. (1:00:17) 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! — Nebraska Sen. Megan Hunt helped defeat an anti-abortion bill with an incredible speech. (4:45) — A school prayer case from 1999 was cited to derail an honor for a historic Black judge. (14:15) — Mubarak Bala was sentenced to 24 years in jail for blasphemy. (27:48) — The Pledge of Allegiance may have been plagiarized from a child. (35:15) — No deciding your sexual orientation until you're 21, says conspiracist Rep. Lauren Boebert. (49:59) — Most Americans know religious objections to the COVID vaccines are bogus. (53:44) — Christians can't hijack a football stadium's PA system to promote Jesus, said a judge. (57:07) 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 (Jessica will be back next week), Hemant interviewed Thomas Smith, host of multiple podcasts that discuss science, atheism, philosophy, and the law. They include "Serious Inquiries Only," a show that goes in-depth on topics concerned science and skepticism, "Opening Arguments," with co-host Andrew Torrez, which takes complex legal issues in the news and breaks them down in an accessible and entertaining way, and "Philosophers in Space," which uncovers and explains the philosophy behind your favorite works of sci-fi. We spoke about the right-ward shift of big-name atheists, why so many skeptics seem to be pushing conservatives arguments, and what the best strategies are to counter that misinformation. Because we spoke about so many different issues, timestamps were a bit tough to mark, but I hope you find this conversation as worthwhile as I did. 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! — Ketanji Brown Jackson was grilled about her religious beliefs by Lindsey Graham. (6:30) — A pastor claimed he could endorse candidates in church because they weren't beholden to the IRS. He's wrong. (18:05) — Brian Houston, the founder of Hillsong Church, finally resigned after additional revelations about his inappropriate behavior. But the whole church is in chaos. (28:55) — NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is vehemently anti-abortion, apparently paid for an abortion. (43:55) — The Babylon Bee was booted from Twitter for making the only "joke" it knows. (56:05) — The largest gathering of atheists in America occurred ten years ago. Have things improved? (1:05:10) 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! — Senate candidate Herschel Walker proudly denied evolution. (1:38) — There's a $100 million ad campaign for Jesus. It will fail. (16:48) — Christianity Today reporters documented allegations of sexual harassment at... Christianity Today. (41:55) — Raif Badawi was finally released. (53:33) — A Kansas teacher sued school officials for requiring her to address students by their preferred names, saying the policy violates her religious freedom. (1:02:28) 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! — Why is a newspaper printing anti-atheist slander? (1:15) — Creationist Ken Ham has a new list of societal ills. (4:08) — A woman who killed three siblings at a school bus stop got out of jail early after taking a Bible study class. (9:12) — A Christian hate group found a way to blame "wokeism" and Black Lives Matter for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (19:15) — Dave Silverman, the former American Atheists leader who's now advising a right-wing atheist group, is going after a new audience... on InfoWars. (24:01) — SPONSOR: Check out Paint Your Life and get 20% off by texting FRIENDLY to 64-000. (59:23) — It was the 100th anniversary of the first anti-evolution bill getting defeated by lawmakers in Kentucky. (1:00:42) — Missouri lawmaker Mary Elizabeth Coleman wants to make it a crime to help women travel to neighboring Illinois to have an abortion. (1:04:21) — Convicted felon and MAGA cultist Michael Flynn says the word "Creator" appears four times in the U.S. Constitution. He's off by four. (1:08:29) — Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and a Putin ally, says Russia invaded Ukraine because some nations like to hold gay pride parades. (1:11:49) 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! — After saying God already "appointed" her to a State Senate seat, Bianca Gracia lost her GOP primary. (1:29) — Pat Robertson came back to The 700 Club to claim Putin was "compelled by God" to invade Ukraine because‚Ķ Israel. (16:39) — Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson doesn't need to thank God for her success. (20:15) — Dr. Ben Carson says supporting church/state separation is a form of "schizophrenia." (30:59) — Atheists are virtually non-existent in the federal prison population. (38:24) — What does "The Trojan Horse Affair" tell us about Humanists in the UK? (54:32) 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. — Please join our Discord server! — Hold your sympathy for the Alabama high school basketball team whose faith led to them forfeiting their playoff chances. (1:25) — Christian sex predator Ravi Zacharias was effectively aided by the corrupt leaders at his ministry. (30:25) — The share of Americans who are absolutely certain God exists has dropped below 50% for the first time ever. (49:03) — The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving an anti-gay Christian website designer who doesn't want to make sites promoting same-sex weddings. (1:01:35) — Conservative Christian Nebraska State Senator Mike Groene resigned after allegations that he took "objectifying" photos of a female aide without her consent and shared them with other people. (1:09:33) 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 says he's going to expose six "witches" in his church. (1:09) — Why won't anyone give Kevin Sorbo the money he needs to make his movies? (22:26) — Why is the Catholic League's Bill Donohue getting paid a million dollars a year? (27:24) — A Baptist preacher whose daughter died in a car accident last year had his future son-in-law arrested for putting flowers on her grave. (41:44) — Five leaders at a Christian school were arrested for allegedly not reporting a sexual assault to authorities. (55:09) 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 Catholic priest resigned for the dumbest (but strangely consequential) reason. (2:17) — LDS leader Brad Wilcox's racist comments have caused chaos among Mormons. (8:13) — A public school Bible teacher in TN told students "how to torture a Jew." (18:52) — WV teachers told kids to attend a religious revival during the school day. (31:41) — The evangelical ‚Äòdissenters' trying to ‚Äòsave' the faith have their own problems. (42:26) — Missouri's governor said he only nominates people with "Christian values" to positions of power. (57:36) — A Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate urged rape victims to be "heroic" and give birth. (1:01:19) — A nun was sentenced to prison after stealing $835,000 from Catholic school to go gambling. (1:05:21) 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 (Jessica will be back next week), Hemant interviewed Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of the New York Times bestseller "Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation." The book attempts to explain why white evangelicals overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump, despite all the non-Trumpy values they claimed to hold dear before he came along, by looking at the history of evangelical culture. 2:40 Why did you write this book? 5:00 The subtitle of your book is who white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation. And I sometimes wonder did they corrupt the faith or did guys like Donald Trump expose the faith for what it's always been? 7:02 Are you cherry picking bad actors, like Mark Driscoll, who exist in every tradition, or do guys like Driscoll fairly represent this strain of conservative Christianity? 10:20 How much blame should we place on moderate Christians who platform these toxic people? 14:38 Is there a good definition of evangelicalism that outsiders would agree with? 18:28 Are your students more receptive to your ideas than your colleagues? 20:35 Are white evangelicals uniquely bad with toxic masculinity or is this just a problem with Americans at large? Or all of humanity? 23:32 Is Jerry Falwell, Jr. making a comeback? 25:25 Is there going to be a backlash to Trumpism that affects evangelicals? 30:06 SPONSOR: HelloFresh! https://www.hellofresh.com/friendlyatheist16 31:19 Is the impending end of Roe v. Wade good or bad for evangelicals on a strategic level? 34:12 Are white evangelicals really hypocrites about Trump considering he kept his anti-abortion promises? 37:55 Is evangelical Christianity a force for good? 40:55 What is your reaction to Girl Defined and other young Christian women who promote Christian patriarchy on YouTube? 42:00 What would you say to a megachurch pastor who comes to you for advice? 46:35 How come Christian stereotypes include both manly patriarchs as well as hipster skinny jean pastors? 49:45 Are you unfairly painting lower and middle class white men in the worst possible light? 52:30 Are white evangelicals really as powerful as you suggest they are? 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! — What will the Supreme Court look like after Stephen Breyer's retirement? (2:36) — Jerry Falwell, Jr. opened up about his past in a lengthy Vanity Fair profile. (13:45) — A Mississippi mayor wants to withhold funds from the local library unless they purge all LGBTQ+ books. (30:47) — A Georgia mayor's first act was to ask everyone to join him in communion. (37:06) — An AME Zion bishop was arrested for defrauding churches of millions of dollars. (41:14) — A pro-choice activist took an abortion pill on live TV to show how simple it is. (47:54) (Screenshot via YouTube) 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! — OnlySky, a new network for atheist bloggers, podcasters, and commentators, is now up and running! (0:49) — Pastor Mike Todd smeared spit on his brother's face to make a point about Jesus. (8:52) — A proposed law in Iowa would require teachers to stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance... or else! (18:37) — A taxpayer-funded Christian adoption agency in TN just got sued for refusing to work with Jews. (28:35) — The Supreme Court accepted the case of a high school football coach who wanted to perform prayers on the field after games. (37:03) — Justice Neil Gorsuch referred to "so-called" church/state separation in an oral argument. Yikes. (50:55) — California is suing a Christian "health care" ministry for defrauding customers. (59:35) — Answers in Genesis wants to use the horrific Tuskegee Syphilis Study as a way to prove evolution is false. (1:05:37) 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! — It's never good when a state's attorney general says we need a God-based justice system. (3:12) — A pastor who's been repeatedly accused of spiritual harassment insists that he is eradicating spiritually abusive priests from his church-planting group. (11:50) — Why is Dave Silverman selling someone else's creation? (27:22) — A Creationist group screwed up the science in its new logo. (43:26) — Dave Ramsey said raising rent doesn't make a landlord a "bad Christian." (45:10) — An elderly woman may have left her entire $2 million estate to a predator priest. (55:16) — Preacher Sean Feucht claims his book contract was canceled due to his "political views." (1:01:15) — A woman says the Bible-believing former GOP House Speaker in Michigan sexually assaulted her when she was 15. (1:05:09) — SPONSOR: Check out Paint Your Life and get 20% off by texting FRIENDLY to 64-000. 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! -- Pope Francis says having pets instead of kids is selfish. (2:00) -- A proposed law in Oklahoma would put the KJV and fundamentalist preachers in certain classrooms. (7:00) -- Marriage is not about being happy, says one very misogynistic pastor. (22:15) -- A 14-year-old girl was impregnated by her youth pastor. She's finally telling her side of the story. (30:42) -- The phrase "unreligious cruelty" makes no sense, so why is a Washington Post columnist using it? (41:22) -- What would you do in this moral dilemma? (46:27) -- Should we feel bad about old churches dying out? (55:48) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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! — A GOP lawmaker says she's tired of "godless" people running the government. (1:30) — Jeff Green, the richest man in Utah, just quit the Mormon Church. (7:55) — A bunch of Christians think a statue outside the U.N. represents the End Times "beast." (23:50) — A "Baby Baphomet" display in the IL State Capitol has a bunch of Catholic detractors. (30:35) — A Christian jewelry store is suing the military over faith-based dog tags. (40:00) — A man just sued the leaders of Rhema Bible Training College in Oklahoma for saying he had "contagious demons." (48:50) 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! — Hemant is moving his blog to OnlySky. (1:04) — Jim Bob Duggar lost his Arkansas State Senate primary. (7:00) — A record number of Americans have no religious affiliation. (28:30) — Christian "financial guru" Dave Ramsey got sued for religious discrimination by a fellow Christian. (42:09) — A Tennessee pastor is giving away AR-15s at an upcoming sermon. (51:30) — Pastor Joel Osteen supposedly got a restaurant server fired after a video with him went viral. (57:16) — The FDA just approved abortion pills via mail. (1:01:44) — This may be the worst argument for anti-abortion advocates to make. (1:10:40) 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! — The future of the Friendly Atheist blog. (1:12) — Christian predator Josh Duggar is going to jail after being found guilty in his child sex abuse image trial. (3:22) — Can you be friends with someone from the other political party? (21:08) — The Supreme Court seems like it will force taxpayers to subsidize religious schools. (24:40) — Evangelist Joshua Feuerstein, who spread vaccine lies, now has COVID. (31:05) — Evangelist Franklin Graham can't decide whether or not he wants vaccines to work. (34:10) — Should we tell Pastor Joel Osteen, to his face, that he's horrible? (41:15) — People are mad over Rep. Madison Cawthorn‚Äòs anti-abortion "earthen vessels" speech for the wrong reasons. (57:01) — A Methodist church fired its pastor after he had a drag makeover on TV to show his allyship. (1:00:17) — MAGA world's "gun girl" says she's ditching atheism for Catholicism. (1:04:58) — Christian pseudo-historian David Barton says the Second Amendment gives people the right to own nuclear weapons. (1:09:23) — A Catholic diocese is officially banning unrepentant trans people from receiving the sacraments. (1:13:42) — SPONSOR: Check out Paint Your Life and get 20% off by texting FRIENDLY to 64-000. 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! — The Supreme Court's abortion case. (1:30) — Marcus Lamb, the head of a major Christian TV network that spread COVID lies, died of COVID. (13:45) — Eric Metaxas, another anti-vax Christian, has COVID too. (20:25) — Baptisms are getting cooler. As if that was the thing that churches needed to fix. (33:55) — You don't have to defend Josh Duggar even if you're a conservative Christian. (38:11) — The American Humanist Association's new leader represents a shift in how atheism appears to the public. (45:26) — Richard Dawkins is once again promoting anti-trans bigotry. (50:58) — A Christian hate group is whining to the Supreme Court about being called a "hate group." (1:02:15) 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! (And vote for your preferred movie in an upcoming double feature!) — A Bronx pastor has resigned after telling men the "best person to rape is your wife." (3:59) — Christians can apparently "cast out" their vaccines by asking God. (15:16) — Reptile alien. Sex. Jesus. Xerxes. Gargoyles. (20:11) — An anti-gay Christian florist will pay $5,000 to settle a case after discriminating against a gay customer. (27:15) — Church vandalism would end more quickly if religious leaders took criticism seriously. (35:40) — A wannabe GOP governor says straight relationships are "superior" to gay ones. (44:11) — A judge effectively tossed out a lawsuit against a Catholic school accused of being "too woke." (48:25) — There's yet another lawsuit against Liberty University. (54:19) — A Florida man was charged with 1,200 counts of sexual abuse and incest after raising the topic with his pastor. (59:16) — A GOP lawmaker said gay people living in fear are just facing the "normal consequences" of their "choices." (1:04:30) — Most Americans don't blame God for all the suffering in the world. (1:09:46) 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. — Please join our new Discord server! — This Christian "maternity ranch" in Texas meant to help new mothers is horrifying for so many reasons. (0:41) — "We have to have one religion," says MAGA cultist Michael Flynn. (27:39) — Pastor Mark Burns, who's running for Congress, is calling for all laws that contradict his interpretation of the Bible to be declared illegal. (29:49) — A Christian news editor is resigning over the rightward shift of his parent company. (34:44) — A conservative writer who thinks FFRF is a "hate group" seems to agree with everything they're saying. (45:08) — A pastor who created a COVID outbreak says he was just doing "what God wanted." (52:40) — Catholic bishop. Satanic erotica. Pig semen. (54:57) — The New Orleans Archdiocese is paying over $1 million to settle a case involving lies they told FEMA after Hurricane Katrina. (57:55) — One of the Republicans trying to win the party's nomination for Ohio's U.S. Senate seat is a guy who literally said of his opponent, "But he's Jewish!" (1:02:53) — Two Christian groups are suing over the Biden administration's vaccine mandate because it's a "sin against God's holy word." (1:08:40) — The Supreme Court doesn't seem to care about "religious freedom" when it involves a death row inmate. (1:10:45) — SPONSOR: Check out Paint Your Life and get 20% off by texting FRIENDLY to 64-000. 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 new Discord server! — Conservatives are furious over a Twix ad that isn't by Twix and isn't an ad. (7:20) — A hate-preacher insisted that boys who grow up in a church like his will "100%" grow up to be straight. (18:47) — There was a $1.8 million essay contest for anyone with evidence of the afterlife. The money will be handed out, but the evidence? Still doesn't exist. (25:07) — Should Republicans pander to gay voters? (36:24) — A Virginia school board wants to get rid of all "sexually explicit" books‚Ķ and burn them. (46:49) — A Christian "segregation academy" held an anti-LGBTQ seminar for parents. (53:39) — A North Carolina restaurant turned a one-star "Satanic" review into a keepsake T-shirt. (59:41) — Pastor Greg Locke really wants to get subpoenaed. (1:01:40) — An anti-LGBTQ pastor was nominated to the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission‚Ķ until public pressure caused him to step away. (1:07:32) — The Biden administration is undoing a rule allowing taxpayer-funded groups to discriminate on the basis of religion. (1:11:12) 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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — In New Jersey, an openly atheist state representative won his bid for state senate. (2:11) — Aaron Rodgers thought he could get away with a homeopathic COVID vax substitute. (10:30) — If being the father to a known molester is your biggest claim to fame right now, maybe don't run for office on a platform of promoting family values, Jim Bob Duggar. (24:14) — A pastor arrested for soliciting sex from a minor was preaching just days later. (30:01) — SPONSOR: Check out Paint Your Life and get 20% off by texting FRIENDLY to 64-000. (34:22) — Richard Dawkins says the scientific definition of women excludes trans women, so does that make him anti-trans? (36:10) — A hate-preacher is using Dave Chappelle‚Äòs latest special to trash trans people. (49:00) — A coalition of atheist groups are urging the Supreme Court to uphold a ban on Maine taxpayers funding religious schools. (54:59) — Most white evangelicals wish America was a Christian-only bubble. (1:03:34) — We lost Bobbie Kirkhart, a longtime atheist activist and tireless defender of church/state separation. (1:12:58) — The HPV vaccine is working wonders. (1:08:04) 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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — A school district will no longer ban "Satanic" clothing after a Satanist complained. (1:32) — Liberty University's "think tank" was just a cover to elect Republicans. (6:05) — A GOP official said society's problems are all a result of not following God's laws. (12:44) — Liberty U. still isn't taking sexual assault seriously. (15:15) — Being an evangelical basically means worshiping Trump now. (23:12) — A U.S. Senate candidate (guess which party) says church/state separation doesn't exist. (35:30) — Christian pseudo-historian Tim Barton says dads only need a "couple days" off after mom gives birth. (38:53) — Most Americans want church/state separation‚Ķ but don't know what it means. (49:44) — What is going on with the Chicago Blackhawks? (53:11) — These Sikh men took off their turbans to save two hikers, putting decency over dogma. (1:08:36) 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 (Jessica will be back next week), Hemant interviewed Dr. Randall Balmer, the author of Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the Religious Right. Dr. Balmer holds the John Phillips Chair in Religion at Dartmouth College, Dartmouth's oldest endowed professorship. He previously taught as professor of American religious history at Columbia University for twenty-seven years. In his scholarship, Dr. Balmer focuses on Christianity's interrelationships with American politics. We spoke about the real origins of the Religious Right, whether white evangelicals accept their own history, and if Democrats should use churches to their political advantage. 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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — A mom got ordained online, then signed off on 150+ "religious exemption" forms for students. (1:57) — Pope John Paul I‚Äòs beatification makes no sense to reasonable people. (10:13) — Christian liar David Barton says slaveowners just didn't read their Bible much. (22:40) — Despite the French Catholic Church's sexual abuse problem, its leader doesn't want priests to break the "seal of confession" even if it helps victims. (26:15) — Joel Osteen‚Äòs church is finally paying back some of the PPP money it got last year. (33:30) — The one mom at One Million Moms is very angry with Credit Karma for acknowledging the existence of gay people. (44:21) — Turns out being "vaccinated in Christ" doesn't protect you against COVID. (51:30) — A Florida police chief gave a speech encouraging other cops to convert their colleagues. (55:05) — A Spanish archbishop is very sorry he allowed a risqu√© music video to tape suggestive dancing in a famous cathedral. (58:52) — "Teen Challenge," a Christian rehab center for kids, is far more troubling than we knew. (1:01:23) 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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — An Oregon official wants you to trust God, not doctors, with your vaccine decision. (1:55) — Pat Robertson has retired and there's at least one reason to be sad about it. And here's Jessica's excellent cross-stitch with one of Robertson's infamous quotations. (9:58) — Facebook did not go down because of Mercury Gatorade or whatever astrologers believe. (20:48) — A new Christian makeup store doesn't make any sense. (29:25) — Christian creepster Logan Dorn still hasn't apologized‚Ķ but he rapped about cancel culture. (35:11) — France's Catholic Church is a hotbed of abuse, according to a massive new report. (38:09) — Christmas has been canceled already. Or so Republicans say. (46:59) — A survey finds that about 40% of Black atheists hide their religious views from their families, more than any other group. (51:00) — Brazil's top court has upheld a ban on missionaries trying to invade Indigenous tribes. (55:13) — Several former members of Young Life ministries say they were victims of sexual abuse. (1:00:38) 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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — This sexist sermon from 2014 didn't age well, and the pastor is trying to make sure no one can see it. (3:15) — No role-playing in the bedroom, says preacher John Piper. (16:40) — Two pastors traded advice on how to spank their kids. (23:09) — Should New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have delivered a very Christian pro-vaccine message? (32:32) — Steven Pinker wrote the worst sentence ever. (39:07) — A Christian school board candidate defended cheating by citing the Bible. (43:07) — The Supreme Court will soon hear a case involving a Christian flag flying in Boston. (52:07) — North Carolina's Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is trashing atheists, church/state separation, and trans people. (1:03:39) — A Texas lawmaker wants to make the Bible the official state book. (1:08:45) 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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — Creationist Kent Hovind will spend a month in jail for domestic violence. (1:50) — Christian apologist Josh McDowell made racist comments at a conference, and he's now stepping back from his ministry. (9:40) — Is it really sticking it to Chick-fil-A if you get a sandwich from them on a Sunday? (34:55) — The Transformed Wife, Lori Alexander, wants you to know that love isn't a prerequisite for marriage. (40:32) — Benet Academy in Illinois hired, fired, then rehired a lesbian lacrosse coach. And here's a link to Jessica's interview with comedian and Benet grad Cameron Esposito. (46:24) — Can a middle school principal be fired for what he says in the pulpit as a pastor? (59:30) — MAGA cultist Pastor Robert Jeffress admitted there's no "credible religious argument" against COVID vaccines. (1:08:12) — An Italian priest was arrested for stealing Church cash for a drug-fueled gay orgy. (1:10:19) 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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Please join our new Discord server! — This anti-gay Wisconsin lawmaker has no idea who Harvey Milk was. (1:06) — Pastor Greg Locke was banned from Twitter. (7:57) — 90% of atheists have been vaccinated, but only 57% of white evangelicals. (17:25) — Pastafarians can now get a religious exemption to avoid unvaccinated co-workers. (22:10) — This is a brilliant way to make sure people asking for "religious exemptions" to the COVID vaccine aren't hypocrites. (24:00) — This New York Times anti-abortion guest essay is disturbing and irresponsible. (30:15) — The Catholic teacher who allegedly attacked a student, then got beaten up by a mother, won't face charges. (52:10) — The Christian lawmaker who kicked a student in the balls will avoid jail time. (55:09) — The school board member who opposed a sensible quarantine was charged with leaving her grandkids in the car during a meeting. (1:00:57) — Bob Enyart, a Christian radio host who mocked gay people and spread COVID misinformation, died of you-know-what. (1:06:03) — A Missouri parent claimed a pride flag in a classroom would teach their child to be gay. (1:09:10) — An unregistered sex offender was arrested after preaching at a church event. (1:14:16) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.