The Vatican has officially canonized Carlo Acutis (the first millennial saint) sparking headlines and debates worldwide. In this week’s episode of Thank God I’m Atheist, Frank and Dan unpack how the Catholic Church fast-tracked a “patron saint of the internet” and why it matters for modern Catholicism. Along the way, they dive into the historic first female preacher at the National Baptist Convention USA, the LDS Church’s 101-year-old president Russell M. Nelson and his record-setting tenure, and the Department of Defense’s controversial Bible-verse-laden videos under Pete Hegseth. They also explore why your Zodiac sign may be 2,000 years out of date and answer a listener’s question about Christian-heavy choir music in an Utah public school. Finally, they close with their candid reaction to the shocking political assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah and what it signals about America’s religious and political landscape. 💖 Support us on Patreon for bonus content & ad-free episodes: www.patreon.com/tgiatheist
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1:28:24
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1:28:24
Inside the Call Center Cult
This week, Frank and Dan dig into the shocking story of a Florida pastor who ran a $50 million call center cult, complete with forced labor, starvation, and abuse in the name of God. They also cover: Kristi Noem funneling Homeland Security funds to churches, the Taliban refusing to let men rescue women after an earthquake, a chaplain abusing detainees in ICE custody, and a Mormon columnist caught in a predator sting. Listener emails tackle everything from schizophrenia stigma to Dobson’s “strong-willed child” legacy. And in the final segment: the Wall Street Journal’s profile of ex-Mormon TikTok influencers—and why Utah Senator Mike Lee is losing his mind over it. 👉 Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/tgiatheist 📺 Watch us on YouTube: youtube.com/tgiatheist Epsiode 716
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1:24:29
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1:24:29
Massacre? Don’t Worry, They’ll Pray About It
This week on Thank God I’m Atheist, Frank is joined by Rachel (with Dan off at Burning Man!) for a lively dive into religion’s latest absurdities. Trump’s bizarre new obsession with “getting to heaven” makes the headlines, Kentucky churches are stealing library books in the name of morality, Quebec wrestles with prayer bans in public spaces, and a nurse swaps her grandmother’s medication for “vitamins and prayers” with tragic results. In the second half, Frank and Rachel tackle the empty ritual of “thoughts and prayers” in the wake of yet another school shooting. Why do politicians keep offering platitudes instead of solutions? And what does it say about a country that can't figure out how to protect children? 👉 Support the show on Patreon: www.patreon.com/tgiatheist 👉 Watch more episodes + shorts: www.youtube.com/@tgiatheist
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47:17
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47:17
Garments, Glory Holes, and Goodbye Dobson #714
This week Frank and Dan take a long, hard look at the legacy of James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and one of the most influential figures of the Religious Right. He spent decades pushing child abuse as “discipline,” spreading anti-LGBTQ hate, and shaping the culture wars that still drag us down today. With his passing, we’re not exactly breaking out the hymns… We also dive into: Mormon women going wild over new, shoulder-baring garments An Episcopal priest who turned psychedelics into his new ministry A Catholic money man trying to steer investments away from LGBTQ rights and Planned Parenthood Bible verse sneakers making their way into the Museum of the Bible Mormon leaders panicking as church members turn to AI to write their sacrament talks 💸 Support the Show Help us keep the show going! Donate at thankgodimatheist.com/donate or join us on Patreon at patreon.com/tgiatheist. ▶️ Watch on YouTube Catch weekly episodes and Shorts: youtube.com/tgiatheist
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1:21:01
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1:21:01
The Pastor Who Stole the Prize #713
Oklahoma’s Ryan Walters loses in court while doubling down on Christian victimhood, Pastor Doug Wilson’s growing extremist empire in Idaho gets national attention, and Lindsey Graham warns that “God will pull the plug on America” if we stop funding Israel. Also in the mix: Marjorie Taylor Greene picks a fight with Lindsey Graham A Christian charity fires a pregnant gay woman and wins in court New York pushes back against political churches with a bold new bill A Pennsylvania priest rigs a Corvette raffle And in Arizona, a young candidate who says women shouldn’t hold office is… running for office 💙 Support the Show If you enjoy Thank God I’m Atheist, help us keep it going! Join our community on Patreon and get access to bonus content, early releases, and more. ▶️ More Ways to Listen & Watch Find full episodes, clips, and extras on YouTube: youtube.com/tgiatheist
Frank and Dan's off-the-cuff conversations focus on current events cast through the lens of their shared atheism. Episodes include a rundown of six news stories from the prior week, and the show occasionally features interviews with writers, thinkers, and leaders in the atheist community. As former Mormons, the hosts provide insight into the often misunderstood religious minority.
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