Friendly Atheist Podcast

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — Wentzville, Missouri will pay the price for trying to silence an atheist who criticized their "In God We Trust" sign. (0:58) — A white Kansas county commissioner told a black woman that he belonged to the "master race." (4:35) — Ricky Gervais and Stephen Colbert talked about religion once again, and it's a joy to watch. (9:43) — A 19-year-old progressive woman was elected to the New Hampshire State House. She ran after a sitting official insulted her. (12:00) — The conservative lawyers in a major church/state separation case aren't getting all the money they wanted because the judge said they're greedy. (15:40) — Kentucky's governor is blaming mass shootings on zombies and abortions. (24:48) — An awful video game lets you shoot LGBTQ people. (27:52) — This Christian ministry's contract with a public school district is bananas. (31:12) — Zayn Malik of One Direction says he's not a Muslim. (40:19) — Some Republicans in a Texas county want to oust a local leader because he's Muslim. (44:04) — People did not like these rainbow poppies on Remembrance Day. (49:38) — After an anti-gay Christian burned LGBTQ library books, an atheist raised over $1,000 to replace them. (53:37) — Why doesn't the media cover religion with more skepticism? (57:00)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. — Atheism, politics, and the consequences of the midterm elections! We discussed canvassing for a great candidate, the atheists who were elected, and what the GOP Senate majority could do to the courts. (1:00) — The anti-gay county clerk from Kentucky, Kim Davis, is now out of a job having lost her re-election bid. (39:08) — The Trump administration wants to make it even harder for women to obtain birth control. (45:15) — The mother of a mass shooting victim says she doesn't want anyone's thoughts and prayers. She just wants gun control. (48:40) — Michelle Obama conceived her daughters through IVF. (51:07) — Here's a FOX News story you may enjoy. (53:07) — Hemant will be speaking in St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday night! It's free. Come! (58:00) — Students at a high school outside of Chicago were sent swastikas on their phones. (59:20)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. — Kellyanne Conway blamed the synagogue shooting on anti-religiosity, not anti-Semitism. (3:04) — Don't invite a Jews for Jesus rabbi to speak after a mass shooting of Jewish people. (10:32) — Muslims covered the funeral expenses for victims of anti-Semitic mass shooting. (16:35) — Did the University of Utah properly handle the death of a student? (19:05) — Don't ever go to a gynecologist who does this. (21:30) — The Pakistani Supreme Court overturned a death sentence for Asia Bibi. Will she be safe? (23:50) — A Washington State Rep. wrote "Biblical Basis for War" manifesto. (29:50) — Attorney Michael Avenatti may run for president as the Great White Democratic Hope. (33:22) — Some young evangelicals are realizing Democrats practice what Christians preach. (36:40) — In Alberta, a patient had to discuss end of life care on the sidewalk because a Catholic hospital wouldn't allow it inside. (43:20) — A Catholic bishop allegedly told kids that Santa doesn't exist. (47:44)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. — Tasmania may remove gender from birth certificates. (3:55) — The Trump administration may revoke legal protections for transgender people. (8:35) — Ark Encounter attendance is still dropping faster than ever. (18:18) — Astrological chapstick is now a thing. (20:37) — The Museum of the Bible realized five of its Dead Sea Scrolls are fake. Who wants to tell them? (22:47) — If the Australian prime minister apologized for abuses in the Catholic Church, does it matter? (29:38) — Anti-vaxxers got Arizona to scrap its vaccine education program. (35:55) — Should anyone accept Caitlyn Jenner‚Äòs apology for supporting Donald Trump despite his actions against transgender people? (41:36) — Most evangelicals don't understand their core beliefs, according to a new survey. (51:28) — A rabbi wants people to avoid online ordination for weddings. He doesn't get the problem with that. (1:09:03) — This pastor thinks Ruth Bader Ginsburg should be executed for treason. (1:17:09) — Is it okay for parents to swear around their children? (1:19:36) — How do you meet atheists when you're new in town? (1:20:21)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 Catholic pharmacist wouldn't give a woman the medicine she needed to abort a miscarriage. (2:35) — Christian videographers want the right to discriminate against gay customers and it may go to the Supreme Court. (10:48) — Republicans are rushing to confirm an enemy of church/state separation before Democrats can weigh in. (21:12) — Stephen Hawking is adamant about his atheism in his final book. (30:42) — Donald Trump said he has a "natural instinct" for science, a comment which shows he doesn't understand science. (34:30) — There's a "grueling" exam for astrologers. I guess you fail by taking it. (37:02) — Christian author says rape doesn't count if the woman doesn't scream. Again. (42:52) — An anti-gay former fire chief in Atlanta got $1.2 million in settlement. (49:15) — 90% of Goop wellness products are not supported by science. (57:43) — Can you be a bad atheist? (1:02:07) — How can we stay optimistic in a depressing world? (1:07:59)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. — Atheist charity Nonbelief Relief just had its tax exemption revoked by the IRS‚ arguably on purpose. The group says this amounts to religious discrimination by the government. (0:45) — Here are the major church/state separation cases in front of the Supreme Court that Brett Kavanaugh could soon be ruling on. (11:55) — Secular Democrats are among the most enthusiastic about the midterms. But will that mean votes? (18:38) — Mike Huckabee thinks Taylor Swift's endorsement for Democrats won't matter. As usual, he's wrong. (22:45) — The Mormon president said women should take a 10-day social media "fast" right before the election. (27:24) — The new Quebec premier says a large crucifix in the National Assembly isn't a religious symbol at all. (32:36) — Want an important take on the #MeToo movement? Don't ask North Dakota GOP Senate candidate Kevin Cramer. (35:41) — A group representing Catholic moms released a video supporting Kavanaugh that was all about how false allegations could happen to the men in your lives. (41:41) — The UK Supreme Court just ruled in favor of Christian bakers who didn't want to bake a cake for a gay customer. But this could backfire on Christians. (44:02) — Teachers at a middle school couldn't decide what to do with a trans student during a lockdown drill. Thank goodness it was only a drill. (49:02) — Matthew Shepard will finally have a resting place nearly two decades after a hate crime took his life. (51:23) — When are government officials (including teachers) allowed to wear religious symbols? (55:42)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. — Tucker Carlson says the Brett Kavanaugh backlash is due to an atheist "theocracy." (4:40) — Does Purity Culture explain why evangelical women still support Brett Kavanaugh? (11:06) — Former Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson is teaching a class on ethics for some reason. (14:58) — Even Catholics are getting sick of Pope Francis. (19:52) — In a letter, Albert Einstein called God a "product of human weakness." (24:41) — Ark Encounter does not make for an educational (or legal) field trip. (26:40) — The "Nones" believe a lot of New Age nonsense. (30:02) — The Jenga approach to religion. (34:17) — Irish schools have an awful track record when it comes to religion. (37:55) — The Trump administration will end visas for unmarried gay partners of diplomats. (41:48) — Is "freethought" a good word for atheists to use? (47:30)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. — Even if Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, half of evangelicals wouldn't care. (1:30) — A Jesuit publication rescinded its endorsement of Kavanaugh. (11:25) — The question to Kavanaugh from Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) about God was inappropriate. (15:49) — A Kentucky city council member is holding a school district hostage unless they take back their support of church/state separation. (18:20) — The Pennsylvania House passed a bill that would create a new two-year window for child sex abuse victims to sue their abusers. (23:56) — Preacher John Piper says Christians shouldn't attend the weddings of couples who don't feel bad for having pre-marital sex. (28:53) — The Texas attorney general says students cannot "unilaterally refuse" to say the Pledge. A 1943 Supreme Court ruling says otherwise. (32:40) — NPR's Terry Gross is not anti-Christian. (37:46) — The Congressional Freethought Caucus is growing! (40:30) — Listener mail: Why do we talk about LGBTQ issues so much on an atheist podcast? And why will Hemant be the first one destroyed in the Zombie Apocalypse? (42:46)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. — White evangelicals say we shouldn't listen to Brett Kavanaugh's accuser unless there were 2-3 witnesses because the Bible says so, and that he was respectful after she said no. (0:35) — A man who strangled a woman received no jail time. (26:35) — A Louisiana congressman claims atheists are spying on students in one high school. (29:42) — An art gallery owner found a clever way to get church members to stop parking in his spaces. (34:11) — Three pastors tried banning books from a library's Banned Books display. (35:52) — An Indian court found a great reason to reject a blasphemy complaint. (43:12) — This is a remarkably tone-deaf ad, even for the GOP. (46:00) — The Mormon Church excommunicated a man who was trying to protect children. (53:34) — A former GOP state senator and Trump supporter was sentenced to 15 years in jail for child sex trafficking. (57:12) — Should taxpayers be funding church renovations? The Supreme Court may get to weigh in on that. (59:45) — How can you criticize minority religions without being called "Islamophobic" or anti-Semitic? (1:07:58)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. — This is a great way to respond to an anti-abortion protest outside a high school. (0:45) — A 9-year-old girl protesting the National Anthem in Australia. And she has a good point. (6:20) — Republican candidates' old videos are catching up to them in their races. (11:36) — What is causing Hurricane Florence? These Christians have all the (wrong) ideas. (24:35) — Here's the biggest problem with the atheist character on God Friended Me. (30:23) — Should pro-Christian advertisements be allowed on high school football fields? (38:39) — North Carolina Republicans shelved scientists' recommendations about dealing with rising sea levels. (44:12) — A Christian college won't let a student finish his degree because he's openly gay. (47:45) — Pope Francis referred to The Great Accuser (Satan) when discussing the sex abuse scandal. (53:25) — Should you pay money to see a psychic even if you know it's not real? (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.