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. — A group of extremist Christians are holding a "Make America Straight Again" conference this weekend. (0:38) — Romance writer Nicholas Sparks opened a Christian school that is anti-gay. (9:41) — A Tennessee law enforcement official thinks people like him should be able to put gay people to death. (12:41) — A prominent doctor, who is also anti-gay, promoted religion in his final article for a medical journal. (16:50) — Actress Jessica Biel is fighting against a vaccination bill in California. (22:26) — A Christian publisher insists their racist Bible School lessons aren't racist. (28:25) — There are a whole bunch of "post-Christian" cities now. (34:14) — Rick Santorum is launching a Bitcoin for Catholics. (38:05) — Who knew meatless burgers were Satanic? (41:50) — The Vatican released a new anti-transgender document. (46:17) — Most Americans say the Catholic Church's abuse scandal is an ongoing crisis. (48:45) — A pastor promoted God at a public school graduation in Appleton, Wisconsin. Again. (53:20)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. — Was Pastor David Platt right or wrong to remain apolitical during a visit from Donald Trump? (0:50) — For no scientific reasons, the Trump administration will restrict fetal tissue research. (17:00) — This is a strange way to wage an attack on Netflix over its abortion position. (21:50) — These people are horrible at defending a televangelist's private jet. (29:00) — The Catholic Church has lobbyists. Guess what they're lobbying for? (39:15) — We know which Democratic candidate atheists prefer the most — and it's not Joe Biden. (43:15) — A district attorney in Tennessee says his rejection of marriage equality changes how he prosecutes criminals. (49:49) — An Alabama mayor says he was just joking about killing LGBTQ people. (No he wasn't.) (55:00) — A Catholic bishop from West Virginia spent millions of dollars on travel and gifts. (59:54) — Creationists are mocking Flat Earthers for not understanding science. My irony meter just broke. (1:03:16) — Nevada has decriminalized abortion! (1:05:18) — A Sikh man with a rainbow turban won the internet. (1:06:00) — God loves you. That's why he might kill you. (1:07:07) — Here's more information about attorney Andrew Seidel's talk in Chicago, which Hemant will be moderating!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. — Ark Encounter is suing its insurers because they wouldn't cover $1 million worth of rain damage. RAIN DAMAGE! (2:07) — A Christian moms group can't handle a Gillette ad featuring a father helping his transgender son shave. (9:20) — Trans activists got a monument in New York. (16:54) — It's not just Catholic priests. Nuns can be abusers, too. (20:15) — The Satanic Temple says members don't have to abide by Indiana's fetal burial law. Because they're a religion now. (22:57) — There's no sex in Heaven. Good think we're all going to Hell. (27:00) — A Texas church will pay for your wedding if you stop co-habitating, not realizing the problems they're creating. (33:35) — Research finds that anti-atheist stereotypes aren't accurate. Who knew?! (41:55) — A man from Arizona is allegedly stalking women at Planned Parenthood. (51:30) — Evangelist Franklin Graham wants people to pray for Donald Trump. I don't recall him doing that for Obama. (53:40) — Alabama lawmakers changed the law so judges don't have to sign off on same-sex marriages. It's equal, but it is right? (57:34) — Media outlets are threatening to leave Georgia over its abortion restrictions. (1:02:30) — The University of CA won't partner with a Catholic health care system after massive backlash. (1:12:30) — Maine has finally banned conversion therapy. (1:15:01) — Missouri may lose its last abortion clinic. (1:16:12) — Illinois is on the verge of strengthening its own abortion laws and passing a major marijuana bill. (1:21:50) — Steak. Two of them. (1:24:30)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 Christian Right is having a hard time dealing with the candidacy of Pete Buttigieg. (0:24) — A Methodist pastor had the best comments about the pro-life crowd's hypocrisy. (8:03) — An episode of Arthur featuring a gay wedding didn't air in Alabama. (11:35) — A "pro-life" Christian lawmaker from Mississippi was arrested for punching his wife in the face because she wouldn't undress for sex quickly enough. (15:32) — A New Orleans man accused of multiple rapes was granted bail, possibly putting women in danger. (18:06) — A former Illinois megachurch pastor allegedly hired a hitman. (20:27) — An Alabama school board member wants to "investigate" why kids aren't standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. (26:58) — A new study says religious couples have better sex lives. Is it accurate? (29:30) — A California bill that would force priests to be mandated reporters is on the verge of becoming law‚ but only after some amendments. (38:39) — Nevada is taking a sensible step to stop doctors from having to tell patients unnecessary information about abortions. (45:10)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'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.