Listen Now

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. — Atheists no longer have to swear an oath to God in order to vote in Alabama. (1:30) — An anti-LGBTQ official in Alabama dropped his future Senate bid after his mistress revealed their taped conversations. (8:19) — Tennessee Republicans are removing a ban on priests holding office… but not the part banning atheists from the same thing. (16:54) — Tennessee’s Lt. Gov. found a clever way to block a bill making the Bible the Official State Book. (25:52) — Texas wants lawyers for fetuses. (29:05) — The Arkansas House passed a bill permitting the teaching of Creationism in science class. (32:56) — Jerry Falwell, Jr. told people to get vaccinated to own the libs. (37:05) — A New York GOP official resigned after claiming gay people on an island would die in a few decades. (40:36) — A Kentucky tax preparer is openly refusing to work with gay couples. (46:46) — Creationists are mad that “higher standards” in science education mean not teaching Creationism. (50:33) — This is a weird reason to not like Morgan Freeman. (1:05:20) — The president of the Mormon Church said people with religious doubts are “lazy learners.” (1:13:09)

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. — Conservative Christians can’t handle Lil Nas X and his Satan Shoes. (0:38) — A church told a woman she was ineligible to win a fishing trip in a raffle because of her ladyparts. (14:20) — Church attendance in America is at an all-time low. (23:45) — Will not playing on the Sabbath hurt this baseball player’s career prospects? (30:37) — A Christian school apologized for inviting a guest speaker who wasn’t anti-LGBTQ enough. (40:23) — Evangelist Rick Joyner has five kids, all of whom reject his radical beliefs. (48:29) — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opposed a suicide hotline because it would help LGBTQ people. (56:52) — A survey found that many Republicans don’t think Joe Biden is a real Catholic. (59:45) — A Colorado town sold part of a public cemetery to a boy scout so he could promote Christianity. (1:02:56) — An Oklahoma teacher called trans people “sinful” in class; a student exposed her words. (1:09:35)

Jess sat down with her father to discuss why he left the Republican Party in 2016 and the impact that Donald Trump had on his understanding of America. (Please excuse some sound issues in the first 3 min of the recording!) Recorded on 3/20/21 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — Republican senator Cindy Hyde-Smith opposes Sunday voting because that’s the Sabbath Day. (0:42) — Franklin Graham infuriated Christians after urging them to get vaccinated. (8:40) — Half of Republican men say they won’t get vaccinated, but their family members are trying to change their minds. (13:11) — A Christian doesn’t want Robert E. Lee High School to change its name because Jesus didn’t oppose slavery. (16:34) — Ted Cruz says liberals get angry over “thoughts and prayers” because they hate God. (19:35) — Will suing the Mormon Church for fraud work? (22:31) — Australian politicians are having sex in the Parliament prayer room. (31:15) — Should the government remove roadside memorial crosses? (36:01) — A survivor of the Colorado shooting returned to the scene to declare that Jesus won. (46:40) — Panera Bread is being sued for religious discrimination by a Pagan employee. (52:54) — An Arkansas law would allow Christian doctors to refuse service to trans people. (1:01:34)

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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — A Belgian court fined the Jehovah’s Witnesses for shunning former members. (0:25) — The Catholic Church still says it won’t bless same-sex marriages. Some priests want to rebel. (7:50) — The Liberty University “think tank” co-founded by right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has fired Charlie Kirk. (18:28) — CNN’s Don Lemon said God loves everyone. Now a Christian hate group is furious. (24:18) — The Georgia spa shooter had a long faith-filled history. (27:09) — Bob Jones University, which once banned interracial dating, wants you to know they oppose the Equality Act. (40:40) — A Montana Republican says he wants silent prayer in schools as a way to get God back in the classroom. (44:58) — A Florida bill would let student athletes preach over the loudspeaker before playoff games. (49:55) — A student recorded her middle school health teacher preaching in the classroom. (57:38) — Sen. Lindsey Graham says if the filibuster is changed, he’ll talk until he falls over. Let him. (1:00:20) — Being “Super Straight” is a (silly bigoted) thing now. (1:06:59)

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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — Atheists are more likely to get vaccinated, according to a new survey. (0:26) — A realtor arrested in a murder-for-hire plot assumed God would just forgive her. (6:40) — Christian apologist Sye Ten Bruggencate apparently took advantage of a “vulnerable woman.” (12:15) — A new study links evangelicals with a desire for bigger penises. (16:50) — A Republican lawmaker says we don’t need gun control because Cain killed Abel in the Bible. (23:31) — A Tennessee church sent a nasty letter to a member for her sinful lifestyle. (30:07) — An Arizona bill could give churches immunity even in abuse cases. (37:10) — Beth Moore quit the Southern Baptist Convention. Good for her. Bad for them. (42:33) — An Arkansas lawmaker wants Creationism back in the classroom. (49:10) — Pastor Robert Jeffress says we’ll be working in Heaven but with no government regulations. Yay…? (56:05) — Ravi Zacharias‘ former ministry will rebrand to get away from the predator’s name. (59:58) — Switzerland approved a burka ban. (1:04:31)

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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — A Baptist pastor whose misogynistic nonsense went viral has temporary left the ministry. (1:11) — A New York woman saying allowing her husband to get a divorce violated her religious freedom. (17:00) — Sye Ten Bruggencate, a notorious Christian apologist, has resigned from his ministry citing unnamed “moral failure.” (20:35) — Another Idaho lawmaker opposed a child education bill because it might push more moms to work outside the home. (27:45) — An Idaho lawmaker says face masks injure “our souls.” (30:51) — Catholic leaders are stupidly urging people not to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (35:10) — An Academy Award voter told one director he wouldn’t watch her film because it espoused a pro-choice message. (42:37) — Christians are furious that a Christian adoption agency will now work with gay couples in order to not lose taxpayer funding. (49:29) — Going to CPAC and celebrating how they embrace secular conspiracies instead of religious ones is really really dumb. (54:05)

With so many Americans turning away from religion, it's natural to wonder whether a Secular Left can ever challenge the Religious Right. A new book attempts to answer that question. It's called "Secular Surge: A New Fault Line in American Politics," and it's written by three people who know this topic better than most people ever could. David E. Campbell is the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame who has written extensively about religion's role in American politics. Geoffrey C. Layman is Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. He, too, has written a lot about religion and politics and is currently the co-editor of the journal Political Behavior. David and Geoffrey are joining me today. The third author is John C. Green, the Emeritus Director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. We talked about whether the "secular surge" has peaked, if the GOP can appeal to non-religious voters, and the single issue that could unite atheists and evangelicals.

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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — This church staffer is super-racist. (1:29) — A Catholic School expelled three kids after learning about their mom’s OnlyFans account. (15:40) — Should a judge have booted a juror who said God told him about the suspect’s guilt before jury deliberations began? (22:29) — Tennessee Republicans want rapists to have veto power over their victims’ abortions. (35:48) — Ken Ham says the Perseverance rover’s budget should’ve been spent on Creationism. (40:50) — Rep. Al Green gave a stirring speech condemning Christians using God to justify their opposition to the Equality Act. (43:38) — A Texas bishop blamed atheism for all of society’s problems. (46:18) — A heavy metal musician from Poland is fighting back against blasphemy charges. (50:40) — Progressive evangelicals are speaking out against Christian Nationalism, but it’s not enough. (54:50)

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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — Don’t worry about the White House’s faith-based office… yet. (1:08) — A Newsweek article claimed atheists hate homeschooling because kids have to spend time with their parents. (16:48) — Why is a Kentucky city using FEMA relief money to build a church? (26:03) — This is what happens when a progressive church invites an anti-gay speaker. (35:34) — Georgia GOP lawmakers want three doctors to verify the genitalia of trans kids playing sports. (48:55) — There are very few Black atheists in America, according to a new survey. (56:28) — South Carolina’s abortion ban is bad news but it could be worse. (1:00:00) — Two women are getting promoted after their boss strategically decided not to elevate them when Donald Trump was in office. (1:08:28)

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. — Order anything from Stardust Science and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://stardustscience.com/discount/FriendlyAtheist — The late Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias was a bigger moral monster than we ever knew. (2:12) — Christian money manager Dave Ramsey says poor people don’t need stimulus checks. (21:02) — Jeep’s Super Bowl ad was an unintentional homage to Christian Nationalism. (42:10) — A conservative Christian reporter wants to know why the media won’t condemn Joe Biden’s Catholicism. (50:00) — 27% of white evangelicals believe in QAnon. (54:35) — A gay Christian who’s critical of church culture is the top-selling artist on iTunes’ Christian music charts. (1:01:15)

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. — Order Elle the Humanist and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://ellethehumanist.com/discount/friendlyatheist — The Arkansas legislature has passed a bill that would force women seeking an abortion to call an anti-abortion hotline first. (0:42) — The same Arkansas legislature passed a bill allowing churches to hold super-spreader events during a pandemic. (5:30) — The leader of one of the largest atheist groups in the country is stepping down and hoping a person of color replaces him. (10:12) — Are Southern Baptists still racist? Here’s Exhibit 1. (15:50) — A priest on YouTube called out “pro-life” hypocrisy and viewers lashed out! (32:00) — Democrats rejected saying the Pledge of Allegiance at House Judiciary Committee meetings because it’s pointless. (40:45) — A report on a German archdiocese reveals some truly horrifying details. (44:15) — The Catholic Church hoarded billions of dollars in PPP loans. (49:53) — Are all Republicans evil? A discussion. (53:55)

Alice Greczyn is an actress and writer who may be most familiar to audiences from her role as Mads Rybak in the ABC Family show The Lying Game. What audiences may not know is that Alice experienced what she calls a "painful yet rewarding transition from Christianity to atheism." It led her to create a website called DaretoDoubt.org, a resource for people leaving their faith. She now lives in Los Angeles and has just published a book about her journey out of religion called "Wayward."

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. — Order Elle the Humanist and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://ellethehumanist.com/discount/friendlyatheist — A Christian school kicked out a child who told another girl she had a crush on her. (4:00) — Is Joe Biden an anti-Catholic Catholic? (9:28) — If half of Protestant pastors hear conspiracies in church, what does it say about them? (18:00) — The mayor of a California city took part in a Christian COVID super-spreader event. (25:48) — Christian liar Sarah Huckabee Sanders is running for governor of Arkansas. (28:21) — An Australian bigot, who happens to be a tennis star, is receiving an honor, and people are furious. (36:49) — What is Kellyanne Conway doing to her daughter? (44:58) — Poland’s near-total abortion ban is now in effect. (53:08) — Joe Biden has reversed anti-abortion orders signed by Donald Trump. (55:59) — 14 states have already proposed laws targeting LGBTQ people. (1:07:28)

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. — Order Elle the Humanist and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://ellethehumanist.com/discount/friendlyatheist — What just happened with Atheist Alliance International? (0:33) — Should we be troubled by Joe Biden‘s overly religious inauguration speech? (17:18) — White evangelicals still view Donald Trump favorably. (25:58) — James Dobson has a lot of irrational fears about the new administration. (36:30) — Christian terrorists were absolutely a part of the Capitol siege. (43:05) — A Catholic priest apologized to his church for not condemning Trump enough. (45:15) — A former anti-vaxxer is now urging everyone to get the COVID vaccine. (52:17) — Arizona Republicans want to pass a bill to execute women and doctors who have or perform abortions. (1:09:37)

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. — Order Elle the Humanist and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://ellethehumanist.com/discount/friendlyatheist — This Christian conspiracist thinks the College Football Championship was God’s way of saying Trump will stay in power. (1:38) — One of the arrested rioters includes an anti-gay, anti-abortion lawmaker from West Virginia. (6:04) — A man arrested in the Capitol siege said he prayed for guidance, but God never said no. (13:00) — We don’t need a National Hymn. (23:18) — Help me understand this atheist running an anti-abortion group for Democrats. (28:42) — The Irish government admitted its Catholic-run homes for unwed mothers led to 9,000 deaths. (42:38) — Christians who prophesied Trump’s victory are doing damage control. (48:15) — Evangelicals make up about half of Trump’s most vocal supporters. (53:28) — A Turkish Creationist was given a thousand-year jail sentence for… everything. (57:40)

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. — Order Elle the Humanist and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://ellethehumanist.com/discount/friendlyatheist — Former PA Christian Nationalist lawmaker Rick Saccone lost his job after taking part in the Capitol Coup. (10:42) — A Catholic news outlet called out anti-democratic MAGA Catholics by name in an epic smackdown. (25:20) — There are a few surprises when it comes to the religious makeup of the new Congress. (29:30) — The Georgia Senate elections were a bright spot in an otherwise awful week. (35:00) — Meghan McCain finally realized parental leave is a good idea because she had a baby and for no other reason. (40:27) — Republicans flipped out after a House chaplain said “A-woman” when ending a prayer. (46:22) — This short documentary about Ark Encounter is more of a free ad. (48:51) — A Pakistani court banned used of the awful “virginity test” for sexual assault cases. (56:08) — The CEO of Whole Foods doesn’t think you need affordable health care. (58:35)

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. — Order Elle the Humanist and get a 10% discount with the promo code “friendlyatheist”! https://ellethehumanist.com/discount/friendlyatheist — A conservative writer says Dr. Anthony Fauci can’t be trusted because “he’s a humanist.” (3:20) — A car caravan blocked Christian preacher Sean Feucht‘s COVID-spreading rally in Los Angeles. (11:25) — 400 Liberty U. students want to see the Falkirk Center shut down. (14:58) — A leader of the Catholic Church in Germany says reform on LGBTQ rights and ordaining women is necessary. (20:35) — There was a COVID outbreak in a Bible Study group on Martha’s Vineyard because the leader allegedly told people to trust Jesus over masks. (27:45) — Donald Trump issued a proclamation honoring Saint Thomas Becket. It has problems. (33:10) — A Pennsylvania public transit system owes a lot of cash after rejecting an atheist group’s ad. (46:46) — An Idaho pub faced backlash for helping out with a Satanic group’s fundraiser for personal hygiene products. (56:25) — The Mormon Church is being sued by former boy scouts for allegedly covering up sex abuse. (1:00:47)

On this podcast, Jessica and I discussed the past year in news! We covered a whole variety of topics, going month by month, so feel free to jump around and listen in at any point!

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. — Be sure to check out the Being Reasonable podcast if you enjoy street epistemology! — What did famed Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias do to those poor women? (4:15) — God’s Not Dead 4 will soon be coming to a bargain bin near you. (17:53) — A Christian-owned wedding venue in North Carolina is getting exactly what it deserves after refusing to host a same-sex ceremony. (23:36) — Kirk Cameron is not a fan of the “mask Gestapo.” (28:36) — A judge said this to a COVID-denying pastor: “The Constitution is not a suicide pact.” (33:24) — Even Pat Robertson is telling Donald Trump that it’s time to move on. (36:18) — A Florida county that previously blocked atheists from giving invocations finally adopted a new inclusive invocation policy. (38:43) — What’s the benefit to atheists promoting their cause at a Republican event? (42:51) — Jessica talks about her favorite current Christmas movies. (54:51)