Friendly Atheist Podcast

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Donald Trump is signing bibles for victims of the tornado in Alabama. (0:25) — I'm giving talks next week in Tampa and Orlando! Come on by, people of Florida! (4:14) — The Supreme Court won't hear a case involving taxpayers funding church renovations. (5:38) — A boy has tetanus. A kid has measles. A major study of 650,000 patients found no link between vaccines and autism. Will vaccine deniers ever accept reality? (13:15) — A college dean resigned from her position (but not the school) after the campus said no to bringing a Chick-fil-A on campus. (26:55) — Utah is about to make premarital sex legal. Which means it wasn't legal. (31:08) — A Christian firefighter is suing his department because they wouldn't let him grow a beard. (36:20) — The GOP is confirming anti-church/state separation judges at a rapid rate. (39:36) — For the second time, a patient was cured of HIV! (43:03) — Planned Parenthood and the American Medical Association are suing the Trump administration for punishing family planning clinics that refer women for abortions. (44:42) — Changing your religion before marriage is the lowest form of religious conversion. (47:20) — Was it sensible or cowardly for a high school Christian wrestler to forfeit matches to avoid matches with girls? (50:30) — Did you know drive-thru ashes were a thing on Ash Wednesday? (58:00)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. — Here's what happened in the Supreme Court as they discussed the Bladensburg Cross. (1:27) — The "My Pillow" guy, Mike Lindell, told CPAC Donald Trump was the best president ever because he was "chosen by God." (12:45) — Cardinal George Pell's lawyer tried to get him a more lenient sentence by referring to his actions as "plain vanilla" child rape. (15:36) — A Missouri bill would ban anonymity for anyone who files a church/state separation lawsuit. (20:00) — The United Methodist Church just voted for its own extinction by adopting an anti-LGBTQ stance. (26:56) — Skeptics came up with a clever way to expose psychic mediums. (33:22) — Richard Dawkins is giving away professionally translated versions of his books for free for readers in Muslim-majority nations. (41:22) — Pope Francis had no concrete suggestions for handling child sex abuse at a summit about handling child sex abuse. (44:18) — Portland (Oregon) now explicitly includes atheists in its non-discrimination ordinance. (46:33) — With a conservative government, Brazilian lawmakers are resurrecting old bills that promote Christian supremacy. (48:20) — In Argentina, an 11-year-old girl was forced to give birth to her rapist's baby. Because that's what the "pro-lifers" wanted. (51:37) — A Florida Democrat is skipping the first day of the legislative session so she can hang out with Pat Robertson. (54:06) — A Kansas lawmaker won't endorse anti-gay "parody marriage" bill after daughter's open letter, but he doesn't go far enough. (56:50)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — A California law would force Catholic priests to report child sex abuse. (0:41) — Washington legislators want to remove faith-healing homicide exemptions from the law. (6:47) — A Colorado billboard welcomes women seeking abortions. (11:30) — A Tennessee legislator wants to change the Constitution to include a useless line about God. (21:10) — A Wyoming lawmaker supports the death penalty since that's how Jesus was killed. (25:52) — Who's to blame for the Flat Earth movement? YouTube. (27:50) — Should a former teen ISIS member be allowed to re-enter society when she becomes an adult, if she doesn't have any remorse? (32:50) — Move over, Christian bakers. You've got company in the tax department. (41:55) — The Church of Norway is apologizing for its stance on abortion. (45:42) — Pope Francis said critics of the Catholic Church were "friends of the Devil." (48:52) — Catholic cardinals blamed the "homosexual agenda" for the sex abuse scandal. (50:30) — Michigan's attorney general is going after the Catholic Church and its sex abuse cover-up. (52:16) — A Christian Right leader went on a rant about witches in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's district. (56:05) — What the Southern Baptist sex scandals teach us about the Catholic Church sex scandals. (1:00:40) — An 11-year-old was arrested after he didn't say the Pledge. Kind of. (1:04:15) — What is going on with Jussie Smollett? (1:07:10)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kenny Campbell is and actor and comedian known for roles in Home Alone, Groundhog Day, and Armageddon. Jessica and Kenny discussed how he almost got fired from his dream job, what it's like being the voice of a talking baby, and his likely criminal past of the men of the Bluemke family. 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. — Once again, an atheist invocation by an Arizona legislator was rebuked by a Christian who couldn't handle it. (0:45) — An investigation found rampant abuse among Southern Baptist churches. (7:00) — A Nebraska lawmaker wants atheists to promote religion in order to keep everyone "in line." (18:06) — Don't shake the hand of this FOX News host. (27:18) — A theologian claimed that female pastors are as bad as sex offender pastors. (31:14) — The MAGA hat-wearing boys from Covington Catholic did nothing wrong, says an investigation commissioned by Covington Catholic. (32:39) — A Christian school told female dancers to bind their breasts before a show. (37:11) — A Planned Parenthood (that doesn't even perform abortions) was set on fire in a possible hate crime. (42:55) — A West Virginia lawmaker suggested he would drown his kids if they were gay. (52:12) — Women in the military say they're being denied birth control. (56:35) — An 18-year-old who had never been vaccinated defied his parents and got his shots. (58:11)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.— Donald Trump accidentally praised religious leaders for achieving the “abolition of civil rights” during the National Prayer Breakfast. (1:18)— A TN lawmaker says taxpayer-funded abortions violate the law because they’re an endorsement of the “religion” of Secular Humanism. (4:00)— A cross washed up on a Florida beach… so of course it’s supernatural. (9:00)— Democrats are debating “In God We Trust” when administering oaths in House subcommittees, and one decided to do away with the phrase altogether. (12:20)— Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson says he doesn’t need health care because God made us all immortal. (16:19)— In Arizona, the specialty “In God We Trust” license plate is funding a Christian hate group. (20:40)— Hemant is giving an atheist invocation at a county council meeting! (27:10)— New Jersey will begin teaching LGBT history in public schools. (30:32)— A gay atheist in Poland just launched his own political party to push back against Catholic influence. (33:06)— Michigan’s attorney general just pulled the state out of three church/state separation lawsuits on which they were fighting for the wrong side. (36:13)— Pope Francis, for the first time, acknowledged the ongoing sexual abuse of nuns by priests. (38:35)— A judge said a 13-year-old girl was the “aggressor” in a sexual abuse crime involving a 67-year-old man. (41:45)— A 24/7 Dutch church service meant to protect refugees finally ended after the policy in question changed. (42:24)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ross Blocher is the cohost of Oh No Ross and Carrie. Jessica and Ross discussed some of his recent investigations into Scientology and the frustrating art of talking to Flat Earthers. He also gave us a preview into an upcoming investigation... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gareth Reynolds is the cohost of The Dollop, an American history comedy podcast. Jessica and Gareth discussed understanding the present political climate by understanding history and the changes in the comedy landscape. They also made fun of Jessica's brother a whole lot. 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. — Sarah Huckabee Sanders says God wanted Donald Trump to be president. (1:05) — Here's how atheists are telling the Supreme Court that a giant public cross is unconstitutional. (7:59) — Kentucky's Christian governor wants Kim Davis to pay her own bigotry fine. (29:08) — An Illinois Republican accidentally told the truth about his "In God We Trust" bill. (36:19) — A Chicago radio host slammed a local pastor for his manipulative ways. (40:59) — Conservatives were angry that a New York Times reporter asked people for their Christian school experiences. (47:56) — Biblical literacy classes might be okay, just not for the reason Trump likes them. (53:15)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. — What have we learned about the MAGA hat-wearing kids who were in the middle of a media firestorm? (0:20) — The Trump administration will allow a South Carolina faith-based foster care agency to discriminate against non-Christians using taxpayer funding. (19:30) — The definition of "domestic violence" has changed, for some reason, under the Trump administration. (24:02) — A Virginia legislator voted against the Equal Rights Amendment because God already says men and women are equal. (27:25) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on a Twitch livestream and helped raise $340,000 for a trans rights charity. (35:30) — Conan O'Brien had an optimistic take on what could be a very depressing thought. (42:32) — How do we fund Donald Trump's border wall? One Arizona legislator wants to issue a tax on adult content online. (48:00) — Being a virgin, like everything else, is no excuse to commit a mass shooting. (54:33) — A Mormon gay conversion therapist says he wants to date men. (55:44) — A judge ruled against a lesbian couple who were rejected from a faith-based retirement home. (1:01:20)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.