Pakistan cleric blames women for coronavirus, Muslim call to prayer heard in Minneapolis, Saudi Arabia introduces another reform, NYC mayor in hot water, an arrest in Nigeria, pastors dying from coronavirus at high rate, and Frank and Dan take up a hypothetical: if forced to join a religion, which would it be?
Mass funeral in Bangladesh risks lives, LDS Church pushes "Fairness for All Act" promoting discrimination, BYU gets COVID-19 relief funds, traveling flames, a pastor in Louisiana gets arrested, an ultra orthodox charity, and a discuss about Samaritan's Purse and their medical charity work.
Pastor who refuses to social distance dies from coronavirus, poll about shifting opinions in America about LGBT rights, Jim Bakker faces financial consequences for peddling bunk, a court ruling on school prayer, church showdown Ukraine, LDS think they invented Good Friday fast, and predictions from the 1990s about Mormon growth don't pan out.
Mormons hold "solemn assembly," a good time for religious leaders to get away with bad stuff, Melbourne cathedral vandalized in wake of George Pell acquittal, pope has comment about coronavirus, Jerry Falwell Jr. presses charges, landlord in California locks up church building, and what a couple of crappy holidays are Easter and Passover.
Hajj on hold, abortion during Coronavirus, COVID-19 cases linked to church gatherings, religious people getting together in defiance of lockdown orders, evangelical hospital tents set up in NYC's Central Park, zoom bombing online church services, and what we're all being forced to give up this lenten season.
Bangladeshi imam performs funeral for sex worker and later regrets it, priest give communion with shared spoon, Trump's personal bible instructor clarifies God's wrath, Irish government denies religion change, Mormon missionary fiasco at SLC airport, a proposed resolution in Pennsylvania, and our guide for not going crazy during a quarantine.
"Halal" hand sanitizer, Angel Moroni statue damaged, Muslim pilgrims refuse to self-isolate, churches refuse to close for COVID-19, European nurses, the news for the Bible Museum keeps getting worse, and cataclysmic events and our need for comfort.
American church engagement down by half since 2000, Coronavirus boosts "culture of life" according to cardinal close to pope, Alex Jones gets DWI, opposition to new burial technique, American cities rebuke India's prime minister, high school coaches still can't pray with teams, and a rundown of different religions' response to Covid-19.
Update about Iran's coronavirus situation (hint: it's bad), Lourdes denies pilgrims its healing waters (because it doesn't work against coronavirus?), rabbi indicted of charlatanism, priest denies first communion to autistic child, church-based coronavirus prevention, Argentina set to legalize abortion, and is there a difference in how to treat Mormon missionaries vs. Jehovah's Witness when they come knocking on your door.
Iran responds to Coronavirus to comedic effect, Indonesia tries the pray-it-away approach to Coronavirus, US Supreme Court turns away religious bias case, Pakistani court rules horribly, secular day at Arizona state capitol, Ash Wednesday and Coronavirus, and is there value in practicing Lent?
Jaegermeister sued over logo, trouble in the Holy Land, Hinduism and mensuration, the wacky Utah state legislature, the Southern Baptist Convention does something right, tiger widows, and does Brigham Young University's policy change about gay and lesbian students actually change anything?
Utah attempts to decriminalize polygamy, a Bible that secretes oil, a new law in Virginia, demographic update on Gen Z and nones, University of Texas receives endowment, Republican lawmaker wants to cut funding to public broadcasting over appearance of gay man on "Sesame Street," and a discussion about white supremacy and religion.
Antisemitic carvings allowed to stay on German churches, Texas attorney general’s religious beliefs cited in refusal to do his job, Malaysian pilgrim arrested in Mecca for being trans, Franklin Graham’s world tour stymied, international religious freedom alliance, federal court rules on the side of defendants’ religious freedom, and Mitt Romney surprises the nation by showing some integrity.
Kevin Bolling from the Secular Student Alliance joins us to talk about their work on school campuses, and we do a rundown of the week's news including a bill to end bishops' automatic right to sit in House of Lords, the religious make up of the Republican and Democratic parties, Jerry Falwell Jr. has an idea, news from Central and South America, and Paula White casts a spell for "Satanic pregnancies" to miscarry.
A new eternal standard for Mormon temple clothing, China finds a new use for Uyghur Muslims, BYU hosts dancing competition featuring same-gender dance partners, bishops in France adopt new rules for baptism, Utah bans so-called LGBT conversion therapy (sort of), poll reveals public's level of knowledge about the Holocaust, and a discussion about the Doomsday Clock.
Trump defends school prayer, "anti-Catholic" laws that are about to be struck down, religious sect kills seven during ritual, Christians cede all rainbows to LGBTQ+ movement, women reach new heights in religion, trouble for the two popes, and the FFRF hit by religious judge.
Public grant to protect churches, English courts offer same protection to ethical veganism as religious belief, United Methodists separate over LGBT issues, anti-gay pastor blamed Australian fires on his being denied entry into the nation, atheist are cat people, a muslim's perspective on fake pork, and the case of the very strange lawsuit against the Mormon church.
Pope Francis gets slappy, fried chicken restaurant sends hijab wearing employee home, Brazilian production company firebombed for "gay Jesus" Christmas special, Mormon fanboy makes trailer for upcoming General Conference (see it here... https://youtu.be/UL5YojeR598) , man who quit job over 666 on his paycheck doing fine, and a discussion about the status of the atheist movement and the religious right's response at the start of a new decade.
A look back at the stories we covered in 2019: Saudi phone app for men to track "their" women (from 2/9/2019); foster agencies allowed to discriminate against LGBT community (from 2/3/2019); measles outbreak among Orthodox Jews in NYC (from 4/20/2019); the distribution of religious materials at Veteran Administration hospitals (from 7/13/2019); China harvests organs from religious and political prisoners (from 06/22/2019); members of attacked synagogue oppose death penalty for shooter (from 8/31...
Christian couple looking to raise $100k for daughter's resurrection, church elder offers Arby's for sex, new guidelines for Muslim inmates at federal prisons, Pope Francis issues new rule about secrecy, Netflix releases new Christmas classic featuring a gay Jesus (Christians respond), prominent evangelical publication sides with Donald Trump's impeachment, and news breaks about Mormon Church's $100 billion stash.
Millennials’ flight from religion appears permanent, men go on trial under Nigeria’s anti-homosexuality laws, flight crew rejects passenger’s ’Hail Satan’ t-shirt, inappropriate speaker at White House Hanukkah event, trends in baby names, Vatican keeps charitable donations for themselves, and what to do when a display of devotion happens right in front of you.
Roy Moore back from the dead, family hopes for dad's resurrection (while keeping him in the other room), Jesus' manger makes a grand return to Bethlehem, a prison chaplain pleads guilty to sexual abuse, atheists take over holiday display, Jewish schools in UK try to avoid sex ed, and a talk about letting Christmas get you down.
Uproar over proposed float in Christmas parade, a judge rules on religious freedom, man in India fights for recognition of his atheism, Pope honestly answers a question, LDS Church wants to turn community garden into parking lot, Iranian cleric says the Quran mandates torture, and yet another take on the War on Xmas.
Americans' perception of Evangelicals, religious exemption for doctors not to treat LGBTQ patients struck down, freedom of the press, publisher refuses to print an Alabama magazine, a school board in Florida makes the right decision, a student body's response to a very large donation to their college, and a woman is charged with lewdness for baring her breasts in her home.
Project Blitz gets a new name, court rules Kentucky atheist can have vanity plate, BYU-Idaho stops accepting medicaid, Ohio students may gain religious exemption for being wrong, US latinos have begun leaving church, and a discussion about polygamy and whether it should be legalized in the US.
The literal cost of religion, Trump's new rules, Rusty Nelson preaches prosperity gospel, judge knocks down rules, evangelical leaders gather with Trump, Germany bans conversion therapy, and the fictitious war on xmas.
Frank and Dan discuss the weeks news and muse about the harmful beliefs they grew up with.
Anti-LGBTQ preacher banned from another country, Halloween tips for Christians, God as clown, too many Americans believe in ghosts, baptists talking smack on baptists, new poll on religious affiliation in America, and a discussion about forgiving yourself vs. being let off the hook.
US Supreme Court pleases atheists by doing nothing, Ugandan government seeks death penalty for gay sex, a Bible Museum update, an Australian archbishop has a message for reformers, Michele Bachmann is such a Karen, POS art teacher gets the boot, and William Barr likes his little straw men.
Melbourne wants to warn citizens about a very specific risk, firm markets Jesus shoes, Beto O'Rourke is the gift that keeps giving, that judge and that murder lady, the Catholics have an idea about the Amazon, Iranian women arrested for dancing, and a preview of this year's holiday season.
