Friendly Atheist Podcast

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. — These Christians are threatening to follow the law if they don't get to pray over the loudspeakers before football games. (2:20) — A new book talks about the harm of the evangelical "purity" movement. (7:53) — Several states are launching their own investigations into the Catholic Church. (17:37) — Researchers calculated how much money victims of Catholic Church abuse lose over their lifetimes. (22:18) — A Mexican cardinal says victims of the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal have their own skeletons and should shut up. (28:55) — Sinéad O'Connor deserves all the apologies for calling out Catholic Church abuse long before it was a news story. (31:09) — A Christian school has banned all Nike products for athletes after the Colin Kaepernick ad. (37:20) — A bunch of evangelical Christians released a statement denouncing social justice activism. (45:55) — A Texas pastor sexually assaulted a teen in church. Is the church handling the situation properly? (58:53) — American Atheists has a new president. Here's what he should focus on. (1:03:34) — Is it fair to question Serena Williams about her Jehovah's Witness beliefs? (1:25:38)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 held a dinner party for conservative Christian leaders, screwed up a quotation, and urged pastors to tell their congregations how to vote. (6:22) — The Pope's visit to Ireland was not nearly as popular as organizers expected. (13:51) — A critic of the Pope says he knew about the abuse and did nothing but the messenger has problems of his own. (18:02) — Louis CK is performing again - what does that say about #MeToo? (27:35) — A critic of Mormon "masturbation interviews" is being threatened with excommunication. 32:34) — Who installed a Scientology kiosk in a Hollywood police station? (40:45) — A girl was stabbed at a high school after rejecting a boy's advances. (44:25) — A 9-year-old boy killed himself after being bullied for being gay. (46:49) — 97-year-old televangelist Ernest Angley is being sued for all kinds of creepy abuse. (48:57) — Russian bots wanted to increase hostilities on both sides of the vaccine "debate." (56:09) — A preacher who went viral for speaking in tongues now says we weren't meant to see that. (57:44) — Forget the "Nones." Say hello to the "Solidly Seculars." (1:02:24) — How many victims of the Catholic Church do we not know about? (1:12:50)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.— Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) used Christianity to cover up his campaign finance fraud. (2:55)— The Catholic Church has spent millions of dollars in New York lobbying against bills that would let victims of child sex abuse seek justice. (7:50)— Good news! Claiming to have flown in an alien spaceship is no longer a dealbreaker to get an endorsement from the Miami Herald. (11:50)— Christine Hallquist, a trans woman, is the Democratic nominee for governor in Vermont! (16:55)— A conservative legal group is furious that Hawaii asked non-profits to play by the rules this election season. (18:58)— An Arkansas school district did not like the contextualized "In God We Trust" poster offered to them by American Atheists. (23:25)— Surprise: HPV vaccines aren't bad for you! (28:23)— A young Mormon woman dumped her fiancé after she realized he watched porn. (33:38)— The Christian family that handles snakes in church can't stop getting bitten by snakes for some reason. (43:30)— Rose McGowan goes from hero to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in a recent #MeToo story. (47:14)— The former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was charged with forcible touching. (50:37)— Hemant will be in Portland, Oregon on Friday, August 31 for a free conversation about religion with a Christian apologist. Expect all the fireworks! (51:39)— Thanks to our Patreon supporters! (52:15)— Is Donald Trump the first atheist president in history? (52:43)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 grand jury's report on the child sex abuse in six Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses and it's the most disturbing stuff you'll ever hear. (0:35 with details at 5:15) — The Catholic League's Bill Donohue, as usual, is downplaying the seriousness of the allegations against priests. (24:10) — Mormons don't want to be called Mormons anymore. (37:55) — The Christian baker who famously refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple is back in the news for not wanting to make a birthday cake for a trans woman. (40:05) — Amidst a sex scandal involving its founder, Willow Creek paid out millions of dollars to settle cases involving a volunteer allegedly abusing two special needs kids. (43:55) — Pat Robertson told a grieving mother who worried about her daughter getting molested to "get over it." (45:25) — Liberty University won't let student journalists do any actual journalism. (47:45) — A Catholic school has, again, kicked out a beloved staff for being gay-married. (54:20) — A Michigan Democrat is on the verge of becoming the first Muslim woman in Congress. (59:25) — Hemant's speaking with a Christian apologist in Portland on August 31. (1:01:15)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. — The rest of Willow Creek church's leadership resigned over the Bill Hybels scandal. (0:28) — Brock Turner lost his appeal to overturn a sexual assault conviction. (16:14) — A one-minute video promoting animal rights was too controversial for a Southern Baptist group. (20:40) — An anti-abortion pamphlet was found inside a box of diapers. (28:30) — An Atlanta charter school tried to avoid a Pledge of Allegiance controversy only to get embroiled in a Pledge of Allegiance controversy. (32:25) — A Tokyo medical school changed test scores to purposely exclude women for years. (37:28) — Why are people abandoning religion? Not believing in God isn't the #1 reason. (42:10) — Arkansas State Sen. Jason Rapert is rewriting history and blame atheists for wrecking his Ten Commandments monument. (52:10)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. — Willow Creek megachurch's founder Bill Hybels has now been accused of sexually harassing his assistant decades ago, and the lead pastor quit as a result. (2:15) — Jeff Sessions' "Religious Freedom Task Force" is just a government program to help conservative Christians discriminate against groups they hate. (18:09) — Child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church would stop if only seminaries required applicants to abstain from lust or masturbation for a year, says priest. (23:55) — Cosmologist Lawrence Krauss no longer has his top science job at Arizona State after an investigation found that he groped a woman at a conference. But he's still on the school's payroll. (28:58) — Want to volunteer with Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse group to help with California wildfire relief efforts? You need to be anti-gay first. (36:44) — There can be no compromise between LGBTQ Americans and conservative Christians. (41:59) — Move over, bananas. Atheists have a new worst nightmare: Broccoli. (50:43) — Pope Francis says the death penalty is never okay. Hallelujah! (55:02) — A Mormon woman couldn't get a Temple Recommend because she breastfed her baby in church. (1:04:27)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. -- 50 years ago, the pope said birth control was immoral. (1:15) -- Did you know Gwyneth Paltrow hired a fact checker for Goop? (9:40) -- This 11-year-old college grad wants to pursue astrophysics so he can prove God's existence. (19:44) -- Computer models could help us understand the future of religion. (30:25) -- A Republican candidate for office thinks the Founding Fathers put "One Nation Under God" in the Pledge... which wasn't written until after they all died. (45:35) -- Two South Asian atheists face blasphemy charges in their countries. One's currently filming a reality show. (56:25) -- This alternative Ten Commandments is incredible. (1:02:20) -- We answer a question about whether or not to show off your shoulders in a very Mormon part of Utah. (1:07:17)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. -- Republicans just passed another bill to repeal the Johnson Amendment. (0:22) -- If you're running for governor, don't belittle someone who asks a good question about climate change. (6:35) -- Russian spy Mariia Butina infiltrated the government via the National Prayer Breakfast. (12:25) -- Science denier Jenny McCarthy has solid verifiable proof that a ghost is in her house. There's even video! (25:45) -- Why a gay Catholic could help end the blood donation ban on gay men. (29:15) -- Richard Dawkins doesn't like the sound of Muslim prayers. Should we be offended? (40:05) -- White evangelicals don't like that America is becoming less white. (55:26) -- An Alabama county commissioner with the endorsement of Jesus lost her election. (59:20) -- Darla Shine, wife of the new Trump administration appointee, thinks women are just asking for harassment if they join the military. (1:02:17) -- House Republicans passed a bill effectively allowing anti-gay discrimination at adoption agencies. (1:04:19) -- Ken Ham's merry band of Creationists tried explaining the discovery of a new planet, since it violates their beliefs. (1:10:45) -- The Humanist Legal Society, an atheist response to the Federalist Society, just launched. (1:16:04)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 new Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the one right-wing group that opposed him (temporarily), and his claim that church/state separation is "based on bad history." (0:30) -- This is why it's a problem believing communion wafers are the literal body of Christ. (20:14) -- Apparently you're not a real man unless you have a first-born son. (25:29) -- Kentucky can't decide if religious license plates should be allowed because atheists would get to have them. (27:44) -- Donald Trump's spiritual adviser Pastor Paula White says (wrongly) Jesus never broke the law. (33:00) -- A judge ruled against the least offensive atheist bus ad ever. (38:09) -- What did you do, Papa John? (43:47) -- The studio behind God's Not Dead wants to make a movie about the Thai kids trapped in a cave. (46:53) -- The Center For Inquiry is suing CVS for selling homeopathic medicine in misleading ways. (52:40) -- Australia is punishing parents who don't vaccinate their kids. Good. (57:52) -- The UK government is planning on banning gay conversion therapy. (1:01:10) -- A 12-year-old girl is working to bring a Pride parade to Buffalo Grove, Illinois. (1:04:20)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. -- Is Ark Encounter lying about attendance again? (0:39) -- A Republican congressional candidate thinks women are best described as "helpers." (15:52) -- What does Scott Pruitt's resignation letter say about God? (26:22) -- The man who destroyed the Ten Commandments monument in Arkansas doesn't regret it. (30:40) -- In Virginia, a new city council was sworn in... and they got rid of prayer. (36:21) -- A priest conducting a funeral went crazy after someone bumped into a chalice. (39:30) -- Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a potential Supreme Court pick, has a church/state separation problem. (43:58) -- Southern Baptist donors are furious that a seminary fired Paige Patterson, a man who downplayed or ignored sexual abuse. (58:22) -- This church protested Donald Trump's immigration policy by locking the Holy Family up in a cage. (1:02:37) -- There's a cultural vacuum in Trump's White House. (1:04:37) -- The issue of government-led prayer is in chaos because of the Supreme Court. (1:10:26) -- Don't get suckered in by Christians saying "I'm sorry" at a Pride parade. (1:21:30) -- The new season of the StartUp podcast is looking at a church plant. (1:31:08) -- We've got listener mail! (1:33:10)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.