

Friendly Atheist Podcast
Friendly Atheist Podcast
Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke Greiff cover the latest news, politics, and pop culture with a focus on atheism and religion. This is the official podcast for FriendlyAtheist.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 9, 2021 • 1h 21min
Ep. 369 - Atheists No Longer Have To Swear To God To Vote In Alabama
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. — Atheists no longer have to swear an oath to God in order to vote in Alabama. (1:30) — An anti-LGBTQ official in Alabama dropped his future Senate bid after his mistress revealed their taped conversations. (8:19) — Tennessee Republicans are removing a ban on priests holding office‚ but not the part banning atheists from the same thing. (16:54) — Tennessee's Lt. Gov. found a clever way to block a bill making the Bible the Official State Book. (25:52) — Texas wants lawyers for fetuses. (29:05) — The Arkansas House passed a bill permitting the teaching of Creationism in science class. (32:56) — Jerry Falwell, Jr. told people to get vaccinated to own the libs. (37:05) — A New York GOP official resigned after claiming gay people on an island would die in a few decades. (40:36) — A Kentucky tax preparer is openly refusing to work with gay couples. (46:46) — Creationists are mad that "higher standards" in science education mean not teaching Creationism. (50:33) — This is a weird reason to not like Morgan Freeman. (1:05:20) — The president of the Mormon Church said people with religious doubts are "lazy learners." (1:13:09)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apr 2, 2021 • 1h 12min
Ep. 368 - The Outrage Over Lil Nas X And "Satan Shoes"
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. — Conservative Christians can't handle Lil Nas X and his Satan Shoes. (0:38) — A church told a woman she was ineligible to win a fishing trip in a raffle because of her ladyparts. (14:20) — Church attendance in America is at an all-time low. (23:45) — Will not playing on the Sabbath hurt this baseball player's career prospects? (30:37) — A Christian school apologized for inviting a guest speaker who wasn't anti-LGBTQ enough. (40:23) — Evangelist Rick Joyner has five kids, all of whom reject his radical beliefs. (48:29) — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opposed a suicide hotline because it would help LGBTQ people. (56:52) — A survey found that many Republicans don't think Joe Biden is a real Catholic. (59:45) — A Colorado town sold part of a public cemetery to a boy scout so he could promote Christianity. (1:02:56) — An Oklahoma teacher called trans people "sinful" in class; a student exposed her words. (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.

Mar 29, 2021 • 57min
BONUS - Interview With John Bluemke, former Republican
Jess sat down with her father to discuss why he left the Republican Party in 2016 and the impact that Donald Trump had on his understanding of America.
(Please excuse some sound issues in the first 3 min of the recording!)
Recorded on 3/20/21 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 26, 2021 • 1h 9min
Ep. 367 - GOP Senator Opposes Sabbath-Day Voting
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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code "friendlyatheist"! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — Republican senator Cindy Hyde-Smith opposes Sunday voting because that's the Sabbath Day. (0:42) — Franklin Graham infuriated Christians after urging them to get vaccinated. (8:40) — Half of Republican men say they won't get vaccinated, but their family members are trying to change their minds. (13:11) — A Christian doesn't want Robert E. Lee High School to change its name because Jesus didn't oppose slavery. (16:34— Ted Cruz says liberals get angry over "thoughts and prayers" because they hate God. (19:35) — Will suing the Mormon Church for fraud work? (22:31) — Australian politicians are having sex in the Parliament prayer room. (31:15) — Should the government remove roadside memorial crosses? (36:01) — A survivor of the Colorado shooting returned to the scene to declare that Jesus won. (46:40) — Panera Bread is being sued for religious discrimination by a Pagan employee. (52:54) — An Arkansas law would allow Christian doctors to refuse service to trans people. (1:01:34)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 19, 2021 • 1h 14min
Ep. 366 - The Charlie Kirk "Think Tank" Has Tanked
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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code "friendlyatheist"! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — A Belgian court fined the Jehovah's Witnesses for shunning former members. (0:25) — The Catholic Church still says it won't bless same-sex marriages. Some priests want to rebel. (7:50) — The Liberty University "think tank" co-founded by right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has fired Charlie Kirk. (18:28) — CNN's Don Lemon said God loves everyone. Now a Christian hate group is furious. (24:18) — The Georgia spa shooter had a long faith-filled history. (27:09) — Bob Jones University, which once banned interracial dating, wants you to know they oppose the Equality Act. (40:40) — A Montana Republican says he wants silent prayer in schools as a way to get God back in the classroom. (44:58) — A Florida bill would let student athletes preach over the loudspeaker before playoff games. (49:55) — A student recorded her middle school health teacher preaching in the classroom. (57:38) — Sen. Lindsey Graham says if the filibuster is changed, he'll talk until he falls over. Let him. (1:00:20) — Being "Super Straight" is a (silly bigoted) thing now. (1:06:59)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 12, 2021 • 1h 15min
Ep. 365 - The Church Expulsion Letter
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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code "friendlyatheist"! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — Atheists are more likely to get vaccinated, according to a new survey. (0:26) — A realtor arrested in a murder-for-hire plot assumed God would just forgive her. (6:40) — Christian apologist Sye Ten Bruggencate apparently took advantage of a "vulnerable woman." (12:15) — A new study links evangelicals with a desire for bigger penises. (16:50) — A Republican lawmaker says we don't need gun control because Cain killed Abel in the Bible. (23:31) — A Tennessee church sent a nasty letter to a member for her sinful lifestyle. (30:07) — An Arizona bill could give churches immunity even in abuse cases. (37:10) — Beth Moore quit the Southern Baptist Convention. Good for her. Bad for them. (42:33) — An Arkansas lawmaker wants Creationism back in the classroom. (49:10) — Pastor Robert Jeffress says we'll be working in Heaven but with no government regulations. Yay! (56:05) — Ravi Zacharias' former ministry will rebrand to get away from the predator's name. (59:58) — Switzerland approved a burka ban. (1:04:31)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 5, 2021 • 1h 12min
Ep. 364 - This Sermon Was Misogynistic Even By Evangelical Standards
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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code "friendlyatheist"! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — A Baptist pastor whose misogynistic nonsense went viral has temporary left the ministry. (1:11) — A New York woman saying allowing her husband to get a divorce violated her religious freedom. (17:00) — Sye Ten Bruggencate, a notorious Christian apologist, has resigned from his ministry citing unnamed "moral failure." (20:35) — Another Idaho lawmaker opposed a child education bill because it might push more moms to work outside the home. (27:45) — An Idaho lawmaker says face masks injure "our souls." (30:51) — Catholic leaders are stupidly urging people not to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (35:10) — An Academy Award voter told one director he wouldn't watch her film because it espoused a pro-choice message. (42:37) — Christians are furious that a Christian adoption agency will now work with gay couples in order to not lose taxpayer funding. (49:29) — Going to CPAC and celebrating how they embrace secular conspiracies instead of religious ones is really really dumb. (54:05)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 3, 2021 • 37min
BONUS - Interview with Authors of "Secular Surge"
With so many Americans turning away from religion, it's natural to wonder whether a Secular Left can ever challenge the Religious Right. A new book attempts to answer that question. It's called "Secular Surge: A New Fault Line in American Politics," and it's written by three people who know this topic better than most people ever could.
David E. Campbell is the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame who has written extensively about religion's role in American politics.
Geoffrey C. Layman is Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. He, too, has written a lot about religion and politics and is currently the co-editor of the journal Political Behavior.
David and Geoffrey are joining me today.
The third author is John C. Green, the Emeritus Director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.
We talked about whether the "secular surge" has peaked, if the GOP can appeal to non-religious voters, and the single issue that could unite atheists and evangelicals.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 27, 2021 • 1h 12min
Ep. 363 - The Catholic Church vs. a Mom's OnlyFans Page
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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code "friendlyatheist"! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — This church staffer is super-racist. (1:29) — A Catholic School expelled three kids after learning about their mom's OnlyFans account. (15:40) — Should a judge have booted a juror who said God told him about the suspect's guilt before jury deliberations began? (22:29) — Tennessee Republicans want rapists to have veto power over their victims' abortions. (35:48) — Ken Ham says the Perseverance rover's budget should've been spent on Creationism. (40:50) — Rep. Al Green gave a stirring speech condemning Christians using God to justify their opposition to the Equality Act. (43:38) — A Texas bishop blamed atheism for all of society's problems. (46:18) — A heavy metal musician from Poland is fighting back against blasphemy charges. (50:40) — Progressive evangelicals are speaking out against Christian Nationalism, but it's not enough. (54:50)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 19, 2021 • 1h 16min
Ep. 362 - Is The White House's Faith-Based Office a Problem?
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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code "friendlyatheist"! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — Don't worry about the White House's faith-based office yet. (1:08) — A Newsweek article claimed atheists hate homeschooling because kids have to spend time with their parents. (16:48) — Why is a Kentucky city using FEMA relief money to build a church? (26:03) — This is what happens when a progressive church invites an anti-gay speaker. (35:34) — Georgia GOP lawmakers want three doctors to verify the genitalia of trans kids playing sports. (48:55) — There are very few Black atheists in America, according to a new survey. (56:28) — South Carolina's abortion ban is bad news but it could be worse. (1:00:00) — Two women are getting promoted after their boss strategically decided not to elevate them when Donald Trump was in office. (1:08:28)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


