Friendly Atheist Podcast

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. — Hemant's new podcast has hit its Kickstarter goal! But it's not too late to donate! (0:41) — Alabama's near-complete ban on abortion may backfire and even conservatives seem to understand it. (2:03) — Conservative blogger Matt Walsh says it's good to force rape victims to have babies because it's proof of the rape. (8:28) — In Michigan, an anti-abortion lawmaker said abortions should be painful because that's what God wants. (16:13) — A Christian broadcaster says pro-choice people will be repeatedly aborted in Hell. (27:30) — The Catholic Church's lobbying arm in Pennsylvania called a sexual abuse victim a "troll." (31:22) — A cartoon rat from "Arthur" got gay-married and conservatives were furious. (37:09) — Non-religious Americans are more reliably Democratic than nearly every other group. Why don't candidates care? (41:35) — A pastor who raped his 14-year-old adopted daughter got a more lenient prison sentence because he's a Christian. (47:44) — Hate-preacher Steven Anderson has been banned from just about every country. (50:40) — A Christian school turned Hemant into a personal project. (53:12) — This is a horrible reason for why kids should say "God Bless America" after the Pledge of Allegiance. (1:00:32)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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Hemant is working on a new podcast and could use your support! (0:30) — I'm sad to say progressive Christian writer Rachel Held Evans has died. (6:50) — The Catholic Church has new rules to stop sexual abuse. They don't go far enough. (10:58) — A new Gallup poll finds that 60% of Americans could support an atheist for president. (16:30) — A Texas lawmaker says vaccines are "sorcery." (22:43) — A Kentucky student who sued over pro-vaccine policies now has chickenpox. (26:26) — A Texas church baptized a man only after he held up a sign saying he believed "a lie from the devil" that he was gay. (30:55) — Tell us more about these racy pics, Jerry Falwell, Jr. (35:20) — Georgia's anti-abortion "heartbeat" bill is as extreme as anything we've ever seen. (41:07) — A Georgia mayor was revealed to be a racist and she's not even the most racist person on the city council. (45:13) — An Ohio lawmaker doesn't understand how ectopic pregnancies work. (53:48) — Watching porn is bad if you're a conservative Christian. (59:20) — A Minnesota woman helped end her state's "marital rape" exception in the law. (1:03:37)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 Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Donald Trump announced new disastrous "religious freedom" exemptions for medical workers. (0:25) — Pete Buttigieg had a weird week when it came to vaccination policy. (3:50) — The Alabama House just passed a bill making abortion a felony. But something good for abortion rights happened in Kansas! Seriously! (8:51) — Why are these men not going to jail for their crimes? (10:48) — Pat Robertson, in rare form, said something sensible about Creationism. Now Creationists are complaining about it. (13:59) — It wasn't heartwarming to see a BYU valedictorian come out as gay at graduation because we know what comes next. (17:00) — A Christian college covered up classical works of art in textbooks. (21:30) — After a school shooting, a North Carolina church used the opportunity to win converts. (28:18) — A college president said safe sex is a myth. (31:08) — Navy sailors were told to applaud for Mike Pence as if they're "at a strip club." (35:03) — Fundamentalist Christian Lori Alexander says wives should always have sex with their husbands because it won't even take long. (36:45)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. — The Duggar family refuses to call them deviled eggs. (1:15) — Right-wingers attacked Democrats for their Sri Lanka tweets, but Donald Trump's similar message was ignored. (5:15) — This Kentucky restaurant's anti-LGBTQ shirts make no sense. (9:49) — The U.S. House can legally reject atheist invocations. (13:58) — A court said Philadelphia's taxpayer-funded foster care clinics can't discriminate against same-sex couples (20:03) — Evangelist Franklin Graham says Pete Buttigieg "flaunted" his homosexuality by existing, I guess. (22:28) — A Maryland middle school almost canceled a play because there's a same-sex couple in it. (25:20) — Never take sex advice from a person who was a virgin until marriage. (28:45) — A study said abstinence pledges hurt women's reproductive health down the line. (This survey is actually from 2016; it's not recent. Sorry!) (39:07) — Racist Rep. Steve King says he knows what Jesus went through because people hate him, too. (43:27) — Irish bishops admitted that religious education classes make you dumber. (46:15) — A right-wing rabbi said being gay is way worse than being a lesbian. (51:50) — Stephen Moore's writing about women is the worst. (56:43) — A New York sheriff compared himself to Jesus when challenging body cams for cops. (1:02:25) — A United Nations resolution against sexual violence hit an obstacle with the Trump administration. (1:06:09) — We hope Rachel Held Evans gets well soon. (1:09:37)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — The Notre Dame fire is a tragedy no matter what you think about religion. (3:00) — Gallup says church membership is at an all-time low. (14:50) — A preacher claims Pete Buttigieg will turn the country into a "homocracy." (29:47) — Evangelicals released a statement on artificial intelligence. It's anti-gay. (41:25) — A Christian donor said she wouldn't give money to a fundraiser for a baby with cancer because her parents are lesbians. (46:20) — An Ohio pastor told kids to beat him up to teach them a lesson about Jesus. (50:04) — The Texas House passed a radical anti-abortion bill that misleads the public. (54:35) — The Tennessee House voted to amend its Constitution to include a shout-out to "Almighty God." (58:50) — Republicans are dismissing science as a "Democrat thing." (1:01:53) — An Italian court censored an atheist group's perfectly fine ad. (1:03:26)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Hemant is speaking near Chapel Hill, North Carolina on Sunday! Come watch! (0:38) — Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas doesn't think atheists are trustworthy. (1:34) — An Illinois billboard welcomes Missouri women who want abortions without obstacles. (7:59) — Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg isn't a real Christian, say Religious Right figures who have ruined Christianity. (10:12) — Mike Huckabee blamed weak Christians for allowing gender roles to break down. (19:10) — A now-scuttled Texas bill would have punished women with the death penalty for having an abortion. (27:07) — Ohio Republicans have signed into law an abortion ban that goes into effect before some women even know they're pregnant. (31:21) — Lori Loughlin says God is helping her cope with the role in the college admissions scandal. (33:18) — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI broke his silence to offer horrible excuses for the Church's sex abuse scandal. (36:10) — The black hole! (39:47) — The Catholic University of America wants to ban the top 200 adult websites. It won't work. (44:41)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Hemant is speaking near Chapel Hill, North Carolina next Sunday! Come watch! (0:24) — The Mormon Church has changed its rules to be a little less anti-gay. (0:56) — Atheists are calling on Mississippi to offer a free alternative to the default "In God We Trust" license plate. (7:54) — This is the worst Christian take on the election of Lori Lightfoot to mayor of Chicago. (14:09) — Texas will ban all chaplains from execution chambers instead of allowing a Buddhist priest to enter the room with an inmate. (17:01) — House Republicans voted against the Violence Against Women Act. (21:03) — A North Dakota legislator was very upset by a Hindu invocation because the man didn't pray to the "One True God." (23:21) — We finally have an openly Humanist member of Congress. It's official! (26:30) — An Arizona information hotline may lose funding because 0.0003% of calls last year asked about abortion services. (29:39) — An unvaccinated kid may have exposed hundreds of people to measles in California. (35:30) — Liberty University's Title IX violation form shows you how little they care. (40:45) — A guest of FOX News' Laura Ingraham said transgender people are trying to "create a new species." (43:20) — The HPV vaccine has been linked to a serious drop in cervical disease. (46:29) — Donald Trump doesn't understand windmills. (47:35)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Hemant is speaking at the Freethought Festival in Madison, Wisconsin this weekend! Come watch! (1:24) — A Catholic mother really doesn't want students wearing leggings at Notre Dame but students pushed back. (1:45) — Tennessee is considering legalizing and regulating sports betting but not on Sundays, because Jesus. (9:40) — Fundamentalist Pastor Steven Anderson uploaded another old sermon trashing independent women. (14:50) — Cory Booker says he'd "rather hang out with a nice atheist than a mean Christian." Great line or subtle jab against atheists? (17:45) — A Christian lawmaker from Pennsylvania gave the worst invocation at the worst time, probably on purpose. (37:33) — Is it kind or creepy that Christians in Tennessee sent 40,000 handwritten letters to strangers about Jesus? (44:46) — Houston's Drag Queen Story Time will come to an end due to threats from Christians. (48:00) — Rockland County, NY is banning unvaccinated children from public spaces. (56:00) — Self-proclaimed paranormalist Uri Geller says he can "telepathically" stop Brexit. (1:01:22) — A Texas bill would allow licensed professionals to discriminate against LGBTQ clients. (1:05:35) — State-funded adoption agencies in Michigan, including religious ones, can no longer discriminate against LGBTQ clients. (1:07:14)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Hemant is speaking at the Freethought Festival in Madison, Wisconsin next week! Come watch! (0:30) — Hemant's working on two new projects! Here's what they are and how you can support him! (0:59) — The Nones are #1 - what does that mean? (5:21) — A university in Calgary canceled a talk by an ex-Muslim atheist out of sensitivity to victims of the New Zealand terror attack. But when's the right time to criticize religion? (10:55) — LifeWay, the largest Christian retailer, is shutting down all stores. You'll have to buy your Christians elsewhere. (18:31) — FOX News' Todd Starnes thinks we need "heterosexual history classes." (24:28) — Chick-fil-A is back in the news for its anti-LGBTQ ways. (31:26) — If you want to help your kids deal with chickenpox, don't do what Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin did. (40:58) — An Italian politician who fought against mandatory vaccination contracted chickenpox. (47:33) — A kid is suing his local Department of Health in Kentucky after getting banned from his high school's events for being unvaccinated. (49:12) — Christian moms are furious over a new supposedly sexualized Kit Kat commercial. (51:15) — Georgia is on the verge of banning abortions after six weeks. (57:00) — A physicist got $1.4 million for saying science and religion might be compatible. (1:00:18) — The Neil deGrasse Tyson investigation is over. What did we learn? (1:03:50) — The Irish prime minister and his same-sex partner had some words for Mike Pence. (1:13:28)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Hemant's speaking in Florida this weekend! (0:56) — Jessica got into a Twitter fight with a celebrity (?) over the meaning of "atheist." (1:38) — Hemant's invocation in DuPage County will lead to a vote on the practice. (5:59) — A high schooler who broke school rules claims she was punished for her religion. (11:40) — The Diocese of Brooklyn is angrier about Pete Davidson's SNL joke than child abuse. (16:51) — Cardinal George Pell will spend only six years in jail for child rape. (23:30) — A Georgia legislator says she'll introduce a bill to regulate men's balls. (28:50) — Humanist weddings are less likely to end in divorce, according to figures out of Scotland. (34:40) — Analyzing rape kits actually works. Who knew? (41:20) — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos wants taxpayers to fund "secular" services by religious groups for schools. (46:26) — Captain Marvel did not sit well with an anti-feminist Christian writer. (49:42) — Westboro Baptist Church protested against a trans legislator but there were counter-protesters with kazoos. (55:39)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.