Jun 21 2018

Episode 256 – Think of the children

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


Dustin’ off the Degree – Cults

The word cult has a lot of meanings. For example, in archaeology describing something as cultic, just means that it was a religious site or artifact because in its original meaning, cult just means worship. At its most academic, all religions and religious groups are cults. However, if you use it like this to describe modern groups in conversations with almost anyone, you’re using it wrong.

On the other extreme, there are cult classics, TV shows, movies, comic books, etc that develop a cult following. Nobody actually worships the Firefly TV series, but it has developed a large following and quite a few dedicated fans.

Many of groups we’ve talked about recently are considered cults by many, but I have avoided using it because how it’s most commonly used is a pejorative for weird groups, but there is a meaning that is actually pretty well accepted, or at least unlikely to cause confusion.

Generally cults are:

New religious movements, arising since the mid 1800s
High degree of devotion to a single leader
Novel beliefs
Deviate from social norms
Isolate themselves from society
Aggressively proselytize
Separate members from friends and family

Concepts like mind control as being a cult thing is really meaningless, because that’s what all religion does, so if it’s a cult, what they do is mind control and if it’s not, then it’s just discipleship.

NEWS

Spain’s new atheist Prime Minister spells trouble for the Church

On June 2 Pedro Sanchez became the new Spanish Prime Minister. What’s most notable is he got this after his predecessor was kicked out over corruption. He’s also an atheist. When he took his oath before King Felipe there was no Bible or crucifix, as was tradition, but the president of the bishop’s conference still blessed him.

Of course now the Catholic church is scared. He’s campaigned against state funding of the Church, he wants to remove religious symbols from public institutions, and separate schools from religion. His party wants to advance gay rights and legalize euthanasia and the new foreign minister wants to reexamine Spain’s treaty with the Vatican.

The Catholic church is calling this an “aggressive secular agenda”.

Ireland to vote on removing blasphemy as an offence

Legalizing abortion wasn’t the end of constitutional reforms in Ireland. They will hold a referendum in October to remove blasphemy from their constitution. Next up will be a reference to a “woman’s life within the home”.

Boy Scouts still won’t accept atheists

Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board Resolution Reaffirming Duty to God

“WHEREAS the Declaration of Religious Principle in Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America states that:

“The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgement of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members. No matter what the religious faith of the members may be, this fundamental of good citizenship should be kept before them.”

Congressional Leaders Aim To Slip Johnson Amendment Repeal Into ‘Must-Pass’ Bill This Year

Ralph Reed is the chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition and told the Road to Majority Conference that he’s working with the Republican leadership in the Senate to put a repeal of the Johnson Amendment in a must pass bill this year.

This was tried in the House version of the 2018 Omnibus, but that portion was ruled as being out of order by the Senate parliamentarian.

Politics hijacked the SBC

Mike Pence spoke at the Southern Baptist Convention where there were 10,000 people present. He took the opportunity to basically turn it into a campaign rally. Many people there gave him lots of applause and many, including the new president of the SBC, were offended by him politicizing their religious convention.

DISCUSSION – Think of the children

US has withdrawn from UN Human Rights Council

Trump’s policy of breaking up migrant families is ‘unconscionable’, says UN human rights chief

Huckabee-Sanders Defends Ripping Children From Parents, Because It’s “Very Biblical to Enforce the Law”

Jeff Sessions Is Killing Civil Rights

Jeff Sessions’ church slams his use of the Bible to defend separating migrant families

Nationwide protests against Trump’s family separation policy planned for June 30

New Patron

Mikey Pullman

Feedback

Arthur via Facebook

This episode is brought to you by:

Save $25 on Wag with promo code lauren26048

Save $25 towards a new device or your first bill on Ting

Refinance your student loans and get $200 back

* Mike M
* Danielle M
* Darryl G
* Arthur K
* Rachel B
* Mikey Pullman
* Jimmy Ninetoes
* Al from Cestus Three
* Kim B
* SoJo
* Alexandra T
* John A
* Rob C
* Henry K
* Alan M
* The Flying Skeptic
* George G

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

Jun 14 2018

Episode 255 – Messianic Judaism and Pride

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


This week we are joined by Mikey Pullman and talk about Messianic Judaism, why Pride is relevant, renewed gay hate, parents claiming Christianity was on trial, Norway’s new burqa ban, and more.

Dustin’ off the Degree – Messianic Judaism

In the 19th century protestant groups in started targeting Jewish communities for evangelism. In 1821 the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews published the first Yiddish New Testament. These efforts spread from the UK to Ukraine, the US, and various other places. In the US they had the greatest success with converting Jewish immigrants and created communities that had their worship services on Saturday and mixed Jewish and Christian customs. As a result the gentile leaders of the groups were being accused of being Judaizers by other Christians.

This movement picked up steam starting in the 1920s and by the 1940s and 50s Southern Baptist missionaries operating in Israel used the term “messianics” instead of notsrim which translates to Christians from Nazarenes.

The modern movement started in the 1960s with young Jewish people converting to Christianity while still being committed to continuing to be culturally Jewish. In response to this increase in interest the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America changed its name to the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America and the group Jews of Jesus started.

Like you’ll find in most religious groups, it’s difficult to nail down the beliefs because of congregation is a little bit different, but:

* Most are trinitarian.
* All believe that Jesus is the messiah and even the ones who aren’t trinitarian believe that he was fathered by the Holy Spirit.
* They believe that the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, is still in effect and not replaced by Christianity.
* They believe that Israel is still God’s chosen people and generally do not think that switched to gentile Christians.
* They consider the Tanakh, the Jewish scripture, same as the Christian Old Testament, but in a different order, as well as the New Testament to be scripture.
* Some accept Jewish oral tradition and the Talmud.
* They tend to have the same eschatology as evangelical Christians.
* They keep the Jewish holidays and include the celebration of Jesus’s death and resurrection as part of Passover.
* They follow Jewish dietary rules.

Most of the groups actively work to evangelize to Jews, often through handing out leaflets and doing one on one Bible studies.

In many congregations, especially outside of Israel, a majority of members are not people of Jewish descent. They are Christians that had to convert to both Judaism and Christianity at the same time to join.

Messianic Judaism is generally not considered to be Judaism by anyone, unless you need a token “non-Christian” for a National Day of Prayer event or you’re an Adventist middle school teacher trying to make the segment in Bible class about the Sanctuary more interesting by bringing in a “Jewish person”.

Many liberal Christians actively and often officially oppose Messianic Judaism as they believe that the Jews have their own covenant with God and Christians don’t need to mess with that. Evangelicals, on the other hand, love Messianic Judaism, because they’re the Evangelicals that put the Judeo in Judeo-Christian Values.

NEWS

‘No Gays Allowed’: Tennessee store owner puts sign back up after SCOTUS ruling

Jeff Amyx, a Baptist pastor and owner of Amyx Hardware & Roofing Supplies from eastern Tennessee was in the news three years ago for his “No Gays Allowed” sign he put up in his store. After getting quite the backlash he replaced it with a sign that read, “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who would violate our rights of freedom of speech & freedom of religion”. After the Masterpiece Cake ruling was announced last week, he took that sign down and put his “No Gays Allowed” sign back up.

‘Christianity is not on trial’: baby custody case pits B.C. zealots against state

If you ever find yourself in a child custody case, it helps to have real lawyer, not Jesus, especially when the government thinks that you aren’t stable enough to take care of your child. AJ and DK had a baby, CJ at home on November 1, 2016 with the aid of a paramedic. They refused eye drops, the bilirubin test, hearing test, and vaccines and their baby was taken from them over concerns over the mother’s mental health and the father’s “potential for violence” as the CBC puts it. At one month the baby was back with the parents, but she was removed two weeks later because she was losing weight and parents refused to supplement breastfeeding with formula.

Since then a pastor has taken a restraining order against them and they’ve been arrested for disturbance at another church.

Then they got their day in court. The government made the case for permanent removal of their parental rights over mental health, violence, and medical care concerns. The parents countered that they were being persecuted for their deeply held Christian beliefs.” Of course at that hearing they refused legal counsel. They spoke in tongues at a stuffed lion which was giving them direct counsel from God. They also advised witnesses that their lawyer was Jesus.

They lost. They also lost their appeal with the BC Supreme Court.

Norway bans burqa and niqab in schools

Norway has now banned burqas and niqabs for students, teachers, and staff at schools and daycare centers.

Progress Party is the right wing anti-immigrant party that pushed for this.

Åshild Bruun-Gundersen, an MP with the party, had the following to say about it:

“This is very good news. When Progress in 2003 proposed a total ban on the niqab and burqa, we were laughed at. We see now that we have succeeded in bringing the political environment around to our viewpoint. In a few years’ time, we believe that Norwegian politicians will be ready to pass a total ban on the niqab in public.”

Patron – High Court backs NHS decision to stop funding homeopathy

Forget the Bible; GA County Commissioner Takes Oath on Malcolm X’s Autobiography

Patron – Egypt authorities arrest atheist blogger

A Republican who filmed herself harassing a trans woman lost her election. By a lot. / LGBTQ Nation

Feedback

* @JohnnyLaird on Twitter
* Randy via Facebook re 253
* Adam via Facebook re 253

Discussion – Pride in the Age of Trump

This episode is brought to you by:

Save $25 on Wag with promo code lauren26048

Save $25 towards a new device or your first bill on Ting

Refinance your student loans and get $200 back

* Mike M
* Danielle M
* Darryl G
* Arthur K
* Rachel B
* Jimmy Ninetoes
* Al from Cestus Three
* Kim B
* SoJo
* Alexandra T
* John A
* Rob C
* Henry K
* Alan M
* The Flying Skeptic
* George G

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

Jun 07 2018

Episode 254 – The Salvation Army and pressure on moms

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


Dustin’ Off the Degree – The Salvation Army

You’ve seen Salvation Army thrift stores and bell ringers raising money around Christmas, and while there is a Salvation Army charitable organization, it’s run by the Salvation Army church.
The organization was founded under the name of the East London Christian Mission by a Methodist Reform Church minister, William Booth and his wife Catherine in 1865. Their early goal was to convert the poor prostitutes, alcoholics, and gamblers of London with William leading the preaching and Catherine working her way through high society raising money. In 1878 in a letter where William had dictated “we are a volunteer army” to his secretary, after some banter it was updated to “we are a salvation army.” By the end of the year William styled him self a general and started wearing a military style uniform. He then started commissioning other ministers as officers and made the lay members soldiers. Catherine at this time also got a special title, “Mother of The Salvation Army”.
They set their evangelism style as three “S”s, first soup, second soap, and third salvation. They then started spreading around the world targeting society’s outcasts and officially started their operations in New York after a man who had been in a lot of trouble for drunkenness was sentenced by a judge to the attend the Salvation Army. They further boosted their reputation in the US providing disaster relief services after the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and San Francisco earthquake of 1906. They started providing aid to soldiers in the Boer Wars and started National Donuts Day in 1917 when 250 Salvation Army volunteers fried donuts for American soldiers. In World War II they were one of the founding organizations of the USO.
As a church, the Salvationists, as members are known are not allowed to drink, gamble, or do drugs. Marriage is a civil institution, yet officers will perform weddings and they are opposed to same sex marriage, and they only allow members to have sex with opposite sex marital partners.
They’ve been called a para church organization by some churches since they do not baptize members or perform communion. Interestingly they are usually okay with members attending other churches as well where they can get communion. Instead of baptism, they put on the uniform, which is styled after the local military uniforms, enough so that they were expelled from the Soviet Union for being a paramilitary organization.
They have generally been among the highest rated and most respected charities and are usually among the first nongovernmental organizations to respond to a disaster.
Since the start they have allowed women to be ministers, or officers as they call them and at several times, including in the early 20th century women have served as the General of the Salvation Army. Until recently, officers were only allowed to marry other officers and they hold the same rank, with the exception of the General’s spouse, and they serve in the same commands generally moving every two to five years.
They have been staunch opponents of gay rights, but as soon as that threatens the billions in tax payer money they get every year, they back down which then get’s them the condemnation of other Christians.
It almost seems like they’re trying to be AA, the Red Cross, and church at the same time. That was easy to do 100 years ago when everyone loved them, but now everyone seems to be surprised every time they find out why they shouldn’t. They are definitely a strange organization, but not for the reasons most people think.

NEWS

Supreme Court backs Christian baker refused service to gay couple

The US Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision that it is at least sometimes okay to discriminate against gay people. They sided with the owner of Masterpiece Cakes in Colorado who refused to bake a cake for a gay couple’s wedding reception. Justice Kennedy tried his best to avoid setting precedent and to key this as narrow as possible, but the court decided that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had been hostile towards religion in it’s handling of the case and that there needs to be some way to protect the religious liberty of artists while still protecting gay people from discrimination.

PATRON – Federal judge says ‘In God We Trust’ on money isn’t religion endorsement

In a case brought by a satanist, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that “In God We Trust” on money isn’t a religious endorsement, but a “historical reminder” of our heritage. They also cited current Supreme Court precedent that it is not a statement of belief that you are forced to display, it’s just something in your wallet.

Mark Taylor: Hurricanes will be created to suppress Pro-Trump voter turnout

The “firefighter prophet” Mark Taylor, is someone who Liberty University is making a movie about went on Sheila Zilinksy’s podcast to talk about what God’s been showing him about the election.

PATRON – Denmark passes law banning burqa and niqab

Denmark has passed what is being called a burqa and niqab ban. Specifically it bans any face covering that does not have an obvious safety purpose, such as cold weather or wearing a motorcycle helmet. This also does not ban headscarves or other head coverings, just face coverings.

MormonLeaks: LDS Church connected to at least $32B in U.S. stock market

According to Reddit, this includes $1 billion in pharmaceutical company stocks and explains their objection to medical marijuana.

PATRON – The Bible Says The World Is Going To End On June 24, 2018s

DISCUSSION – Religious and woo pressure on moms

This episode is brought to you by:

Save $25 on Wag with promo code lauren26048

Save $25 towards a new device or your first bill on Ting

Refinance your student loans and get $200 back

* Mike M
* Danielle M
* Darryl G
* Arthur K
* Rachel B
* Jimmy Ninetoes
* Al from Cestus Three
* Kim B
* SoJo
* Alexandra T
* John A
* Rob C
* Henry K
* Alan M
* The Flying Skeptic
* George G

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

May 31 2018

Episode 253 – Transhumanism

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


Dustin’ Off the Degree – Patron Saint of Doubters

High churches are the ones that follow the liturgical calendar where each church service is tied to events in the life of Christ or other significant events. They also tend to recognize saints as special class of dead believers. This is different from the low churches which don’t follow a specific liturgical calendar and that believe in the sainthood of all believers.
Saints as a special class are the best of the best dead believers. In some cases they are martyrs but in all cases they have a special in with God. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches kind of take this to an extreme and don’t pray to God, since the average Christian isn’t good enough to get his attention, so they pray to a saint and then that saint will talk to God about the living believer’s request and if they’re lucky God will allow the saint to work a miracle. Candidates for sainthood in the Roman Catholic church are confirmed by the church verifying miracles that happened when they prayed to the candidate. When sainthood is bestowed, it’s not making that person special, it’s recognizing that person’s special relationship with God and telling everyone that they can pray to that saint.
Some saints become patron saints when they are closely identified with a place, organization, or cause. Organizations will also pick a saint to align with, such as in the naming of Catholic churches, hospitals, and schools. Saints also often become the patron of traits that they were known for such as Jude, the Patron Saint of Lost Causes or the focus of today, Thomas, the patron saint of doubters.
John 20:24-29

NEWS

Arizona state education standards see evolution deleted

The Federal government lost 1,475 migrant children

Pictures of immigrant children at holding facility

Circuit Court considering suit to stop excluding atheists from Congressional invocations

Paul McGuire: Trump is under spiritual attack from Luciferian ‘advanced beings’ who control the world

Franklin Graham Declares Liberals And Progressives Aren’t Christians

Oregon principal fired after making LGBTQ students read the Bible as punishment

Patron – Ireland ends abortion ban in historic vote

Patron – Judge orders Alaska prison guards to stop giving Muslim inmates pork during Ramadan

Discussion – Transhumanism

This episode is brought to you by:

* Mike M
* Danielle M
* Darryl G
* Arthur K
* Rachel B
* Jimmy Ninetoes
* Al from Cestus Three
* Kim B
* SoJo
* Alexandra T
* John A
* Rob C
* Henry K
* Alan M
* The Flying Skeptic
* George G

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

May 24 2018

Episode 252 – Christian Science

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


Dustin’ Off the Degree – Christian Science

You’ve probably seen the Christian Science Monitor and I know we’ve used it a few times on the show. It’s a publication that generally does good reporting and has won 7 Pulitzer Prizes. There’s also a decent chance you’ve seen Reading Rooms in your downtown.
Science, reading, and good journalism? They can’t be that bad, right? This is the Church of Christ, Scientist and the the science is Mary Baker Eddy’s divinely inspired revelation that that the material world and illness are all illusions. The real world is purely spiritual and wrong beliefs cause the illusion of illness which can only be healed by corrective prayer. Christian Scientists will begrudgingly comply with vaccination laws, they will see the dentist, optometrist, OB/GYN, and let doctor’s take care of broken bones, but they discourage members from seeking medicine to treat illness. They don’t believe that the medicine will prevent the prayers from effecting healing, but they believe the healing will be more effective without the medicine.
To be fair, Eddy’s revelations were first published in her 1875 book “Science and Health” at a time when medicine was not yet modern and doing nothing was often as effective and sometimes preferable to the care you could get from the local doctor, who often was the barber. This briefly made the church that Eddy founded the fastest growing religion in American peaking at 270,000 members in 1936 and garnered them enough clout that a member who was working in the Nixon Administration was able to get Nixon to force all 50 states to enact laws, like still on the books in Idaho, that protect parents from prosecution if their child dies as long as the kid was treated through prayer alone.
The Church of Christ, Scientist doesn’t just anyone do faith healing, you have to be a properly certified Christian Science Practitioner. A position that an many states provides generous protections and standing at least on par with other quacks from yesteryear and some insurance plans will pay for these corrective prayer sessions.
What’s actually more interesting to me with this church is their other theology. “Science and Health” is considered inspired Scripture. God is the divine mind and the father-mother. In many cases, especially in later additions of “Science and Health” feminine pronouns are used to describe God. Jesus was the first Christian Scientist, but is not divine and trinitarianism is rejected as polytheism. The first creation story in Genesis is accepted, but the second, more physical one is rejected.

NEWS

Santa Fe High School shooting

New US Embassy in Israel

Tony Perkins appointed to Religious Freedom Commission

The Virginia GOP wants to get this creationist elected to Congress

Ft Cambell’s Jewish leader was fired

Outcry in Mali after albino child beheaded in ‘ritual’ murder

Atheists in Muslim Majority Countries: Between Inclusion and Exclusion

Minnesota priest accused of abusing 60 boys in Guam

All Chile’s 34 bishops offer to resign

Austrailian detective finally paid 46 years after being forced out for investigating a paedophile priest

EFF Wins Final Victory Over Podcasting Patent

Senate Approves Overturning FCC’s Net Neutrality Repeal | Fight for the Future

This episode is brought to you by:

New patron: Jimmy Nineties
Upgrading patron: Al from Cestus Three

* Travis McGee
* Mike
* Danielle
* Darryl
* Arthur
* Rachel
* Jimmy
* Al from Cestus Three
* Kim
* SoJo
* Alexandra
* John
* Rob
* Henry
* Alan
* The Flying Skeptic
* George Greene

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

May 17 2018

Episode 251 – The Trouble with God with Chris Matheson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


On this week’s episode of the Atheist Nomads Chris Matheson is back to talk about his new book The Trouble with God: A Divine Comedy about Judgment (and Misjudgment) where we follow God, last seen in The Story of God through Islam, Mormonism, and Scientology.

This episode is brought to you by:

* Travis McGee
* Danielle
* Michael
* Darryl
* Arthur
* George
* Mike
* The Flying Skeptic
* SoJo
* George Greene
* Kim
* Rachel
* John
* Josh
* Rob
* Al from South Carolina
* Henry
* Alexandra
* Alan

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

May 10 2018

Episode 250 – Freedom, hate, and social media

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


Discussion – Freedom, hate, and social media

NEWS

White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative

Some famous faces—and questionable reputations—are joining President Donald Trump’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition

Trump has named Dr. Oz, Patriots coach BIll Belichick, the CEO of SlimFast, an NBC executive, and 14 others to the Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

Eighteen members of congress have nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize

Betsy DeVos gets standing ovation from Florida graduates after religious speech

US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos delivered the commencement address for the graduation at Ave Maria University in Florida. During her 20 minutes she focused on teachings of John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Jesus, and heavily pushed service to God, country, and neighbor.

Franklin Graham continues to defend Trump

Evangelist Franklin Graham is continuing to defend Trump. He told the Associated Press:

[Play audio]

This differs from his views on Bill Clinton in 1998:

“Private conduct does have public consequences.

“Just look at how many have already been pulled under by the wake of the president’s sin: Mr. Clinton’s wife and daughter, Ms. Lewinsky, her parents, White House staff members, friends and supporters, public officials and an unwitting American public.

“The God of the Bible says that what one does in private does matter. Mr. Clinton’s months-long extramarital sexual behavior in the Oval Office now concerns him and the rest of the world, not just his immediate family. If he will lie to or mislead his wife and daughter, those with whom he is most intimate, what will prevent him from doing the same to the American public?”

MSNBC guest: White evangelical woman may ‘sit out’ midterms over disgust with Trump

Eugene Scott is an identity politics reporter with the Washington Post during an interview on MSNBC he talked a bit about white evangelical women.

Amazon Removes Conservative Legal Group From Charity Smile Program Over SPLC ‘Hate Group’ Label

The Alliance Defending Freedom has announced that they have been dropped from Amazon’s smile program because they are listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

ADF’s president wrote Amazon about this saying:

“Although the SPLC did good work many years ago, it has devolved into a far-left propaganda machine that slanders organizations with which it disagrees and destroys the possibility of civil discourse in the process.”

Tyler, TX high school approved, then denied lesbian couple that wanted to go to prom

Merary Melchor was excited to be able to take her girlfriend to prom after getting permission from John Tyler High School in Tyler, TX. She pulled together some money, bought the dress, and then the school refused to give her the tickets claiming she had missed the deadline. She hadn’t. They then refused again citing a threat of a gang fight.

Boy Scouts to allow girls, but still not atheists

Boy Scouts of America’s scouting program is changing its name to Scouts BSA. Teen girls have been welcome in the Venturing program for quite some time and they have opened up Cub Scouts. Next year Scouts BSA will be welcoming girls and they will be eligible to become Eagle Scouts.

Atheists still aren’t welcome and Eagle Scouts still get to enlist in the military at a higher rank.

Cardinal George Pell will stand trial on multiple sexual assault charges

Cardinal George Pell got his day in court, at least the first day in court, now that he is back home in Australia. Magistrate Belinda Wallington threw out the most serious charges citing insignificant evidence for a jury trial

SUPPORTERS – New patrons!

SoJo
George Greene

This episode is brought to you by:

* Travis McGee
* Danielle
* Michael
* Darryl
* Arthur
* George
* Mike
* The Flying Skeptic
* Kim
* Rachel
* John
* Josh
* Rob
* Al from South Carolina
* Henry
* Alexandra
* Alan

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

May 03 2018

Episode 249 – Congress throws us a bone

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


Atheist Comedy Experience – May 18 in Boise

NEWS

Four House Democrats have launched the Congressional Freethought Caucus

Representatives Jared Huffman and Jerry McNearney of California as well as Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Dan Kildee of Michigan have launched the Congressional Freethought Caucus with the goal of pushing “public policy formed on the basis of reason, science, and moral values,” to promote “secular character of our government by adhering to the strict Constitutional principle of the separation of church and state,” and to fight against “discrimination against atheists, agnostics, humanists, seekers, religious and nonreligious persons” and giving “a forum for members of Congress to discuss their moral frameworks, ethical values, and personal religious journeys.”

Paul Ryan forced the US House Chaplain to resign

The Chaplain of the US House of Representatives was given the choice of retiring or being fired by Paul Ryan. He chose to retire. Why would the Catholic House Speaker force out the Catholic priest serving as chaplain? It’s because Father Patrick Conroy used the opening invocation to encourage the House to not forget about poor people while debating the tax reform bill and also allowed a Muslim to offer an invocation.

DOJ removed ‘need for free press and public trial’ and racial gerrymandering from internal manual

As part of an overdue but misguided revamping of a DOJ manual that guides federal prosecutors they removed in its entirety a section titled “Need for Free Press and Public Trial” and also removed references to racial gerrymandering. They did add in language about dealing with leaks.

Proposed Tennessee constitutional amendment would add God

The Tennessee Senate passed House Joint Resolution 37 which has the goal of adding a line to the state constitution that says: “that liberties do not come from government, but from Almighty God.”

This will have to be passed again by the state legislature and then be approved in a referendum that is in conjunction with a gubernatorial election, so the soonest it could be added is 2020.

Oklahoma bill allowing adoption agencies to discriminate against gays & lesbians passed

Oklahoma’s Adoption Protection Act has now passed both houses of the state legislature. This bill will allow adoption and foster care agencies to refuse parents whose lives violate the agency’s “sincerely held religious beliefs”.

Hawaii becomes 12th state to ban gay conversion therapy for minors

“Mysteries and Myths with Megan Fox” is coming to the Travel Channel to look at history and archaeology

“Mysteries and Myths with Megan Fox” is coming to the Travel Channel. As a spokesperson for the show has put it:

“Fox has been obsessed since an early age with the history of ancient cultures, people and places — always questioning their ‘documented’ story. Now she is embarking on an epic and personal journey across the globe, where archaeologists and experts will re-examine history, asking tough questions and challenging the conventional wisdom that has existed for centuries. The series will delve into some of the greatest mysteries of time, including whether Amazon women really existed or if the Trojan War was real.”

Why is Fox qualified for this? As she put’s it:

“History only gives us a one-sided view of the truth. I haven’t spent my entire life building a career in academia so I don’t have to worry about my reputation or being rebuked by my colleagues, which allows me to push back on the status quo. So much of our history needs to be re-examined.”

People flee ‘Avengers’ movie, lady leaps from theater balcony when man shouts about God

ISIS servers seized in Canada as countries launch coordinated takedown of propaganda network

Norway party to seek ban on Islamic call to prayer

FEEDBACK

Caleb via email

Really enjoyed today’s episode. I am presently working with a gay woman who talks shit about gay men being “nasty”. She claims to have been infected by the polio vaccine and cured herself. Also claims to have had MS caused by bacteria, also self cured. Numerological, anti-vax, pro-gun, anti-GMO psych major. She gets all the crazy from all sides and still claims to be a fan of science. Idaho, man. Idaho.

This episode is brought to you by:

* Travis McGee
* Danielle
* Michael
* Darryl
* Arthur
* George
* Mike
* The Flying Skeptic
* Kim
* Rachel
* John
* Josh
* Rob
* Al from South Carolina
* Henry
* Alexandra
* Alan

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

Apr 26 2018

Episode 248 – Is science broken?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


Discussion – Is science broken?

NEWS

Mormon president told Africans that tithing was the solution to poverty

While visiting Nairobi, Kenya, Russell Marion Nelson Sr, the President of the Mormon church, addressed a crowd of over 2000 and talked to them about tithing, saying:

“We preach tithing to the poor people of the world because the poor people of the world have had cycles of poverty, generation after generation. That same poverty continues from one generation to another, until people pay their tithing.”

Poverty, by definition, is not having enough money to meet basic needs like food and shelter, yet in his mind it’s a spiritual problem and the solution is to give 10% of not enough money to feed your family to the Mormon church.

Liberty Counsel’s attorney says that Satan is behind sex ed programs

Mary McAlister and “Activist Mommy” Elizabeth Johnston are working on “Sex Ed Sit Out” where they are trying to get parents to remove their kids from school in protest of “graphic, gender-bending sex education.”

To help promote this event McAlister, who works as a senior litigation counsel for the Liberty Counsel, went on Cliff Kincaid’s “USA Survival” program last week to promote the event. He asked her about her twitter bio where she includes the line that she is working to “stop the satanic sexualization of our children and the destruction of the family.” Here’s her response:

[Play Audio]

In Closed-Door UN Meetings, Trump Administration Officials Pushed Abstinence For International Women’s Health Programs

In closed door meetings at the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women the United States delegation came in to the right of Russia and Arab states. Our representatives, coming from the US’s UN delegation, HSS, and USAID demanded that contraception, abortion, and comprehensive sex ed to be removed from the standards for what UN calls for to improve the status and rights of women around the world. They also called on all women’s health programs to promote abstinence only sex ed.

Fortunately, the rest of the countries present joined together against the Trump administration with most of the 45 countries backing comprehensive family planning. This includes very conservative countries where abortion is illegal.

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda wants to ban oral sex

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda wants to ban oral sex because the mouth is for eating.

FFRF win: N.J. Supreme Court upholds bar on funds to repair churches – Freedom From Religion Foundation

A school bus driver in MN was removed from his route and probably fired for leading students in prayer

Senate Confirms Climate Change Denier To Lead NASA

Senate passes resolution allowing Duckworth to bring baby on floor

This episode is brought to you by:

* Travis McGee
* Danielle
* Michael
* Darryl
* Arthur
* Mike
* The Flying Skeptic
* Kim
* Rachel
* John
* Josh
* Rob
* Al from South Carolina
* Henry
* Alexandra
* Alan

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE

Apr 19 2018

Episode 247 – Fighting About Condiments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS


This week we’re joined by Mikey Pullman and we’ve got David Silverman, updates on Trump’s latest trans military ban, Ken Ham’s labor woes, the impending apocalypse, fighting over condiments, and more!

Atheist Comedy Experience – May 18 in Boise

NEWS

David Silverman has been fired by American Atheists amid conflicts of interest and allocations of sexual assault

Judge blocks Trump’s latest trans military ban, declares trans people a protected class

Atheist sues Missouri town that ejected her from city council meeting for criticizing “In God We Trust” sign

Arizona House passes bill requiring women seeking abortions to say why

A Woman has accused the governor of Missouri of violent, nonconsensual sex

Trinidad and Tobago set to decriminalize homosexuality

Billy Graham’s daughter says that God may send a nuclear strike to punish us all for immorality

Ken Ham can’t find enough creationist employees, so he’s loosening restrictions

‘Boy who came back from Heaven’ says he didn’t and is suing

A numerologist claims the rapture is coming April 23 because of prophesy and an alignment of the stars.

Puerto Rico vs Utah over Heinz’s new condiment

This episode is brought to you by:

* Travis McGee
* Danielle
* Michael
* Darryl
* Arthur
* George
* Mike
* The Flying Skeptic
* Kim
* Rachel
* John
* Josh
* Rob
* Al from South Carolina
* Henry
* Alexandra
* Alan

You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.

Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE