Wandering monks poo where they may, Japanese cabinet faces reckoning, German bishop who helped wanted pedophile priests escape consequences in Europe, little girl kicked out of school, Hungarian Prime Minister speaks at CPAC, church adds Christian message to the musical Hamilton, and the Mormons are having a big media moment. Why aren't they happy about it?
Georgia allows fetuses to be listed as dependents on tax returns, furries and evangelical christians, an update about the pastor robbed at gunpoint, anglicans skip LGBTQ issue at mega-conference, a Michigan town defunds their library over LGBTQ books, US federal prison stats, and the Mormon church has been running an abuse helpline. Guess who it's really helping!
Christian missionaries kicked off reservation, Arkansas lawmaker blocks constituents on social media, conservatives send letter to Mitch McConnell, Pope Francis visits Quebec, preacher robbed of more than $1 million worth of jewelry, Seattle Pacific University's hiring practices, and talking to believers and gently challenging them.
Catholic Church forced to sell off property, Pope offers apology to indigenous people, send us a man to do your job, UK human rights statement, blasphemy charges in Pakistan, a judge in Kentucky actually understands the law, and a photo of Joseph Smith from the 1840s emerges.
Pope Francis says eat less meat, Albertan church fined for COVID violations, PrEP under fire, massive mudslide hits Hindus on pilgrimage, Sudan woman sentenced to death by stoning, a kosher internet, and a conversation about grief with Dr. Robert Neimeyer.
Sandwich shop faces ire of local religious nut jobs, super-spreader Hajj set to start, Pope has the wrong idea about abortion, praying with SCOTUS, executioners must allow religious leaders into death chamber, the Georgia Guidestones bombed, and CERN attempts to open portal to hell once again.
Company fires employee for not participating in daily prayer meetings, SCOTUS sides with Christian coach allowing him to pray with high school team, Lauren Boebert promotes Christian Taliban during church speech, armed police monitor Hindu pilgrimage, Florida retrains public school teachers to promote Christian nationalist version of US history, Nancy Pelosi takes communion from Pope Francis, and our conversation about "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey."
World Cup in Qatar is probably going to be really boring, Presbyterian Church of America parts with National Association of Evangelicals, ski resort sprays sacred mountain with sewage, army chaplain celebrates end of Roe v. Wade, Pixar's gay kiss ruffles feathers at Oklahoma theater, FBI finally raids some churches, and celebrating the 4th of July feels extra crappy this year.
Bishop bars school from calling itself Catholic, opponents of abortion ban in Florida, US belief in god at all-time low, cops and nasal swabs, 'Drag Queen Story Hour' disrupted by Proud Boys, truckload of white supremacists, and a chat about human burial.
This week Kate fills in for Frank who’s out with the plague. Anti-abortion sentiment finds a witchy backlash, an Army chaplain sees the U.S. military as ripe for exploitation, an Islamic hate-charity gets the treatment it deserves, Josh Duggar gets 12 years and counting, Muslim readers might be exposed to humanist children’s books, Poland’s Boy Scouts become more inclusive, and Dan and Kate discuss Christian Nationalism and the crumbling of U.S. democracy.
Christian nationalist prophet Lance Wallnau has a gripe about a new US coin, Mennonites and the gays, Fortune 500 creates space for religious diversity, a big Lutheran mess, American support of same-sex marriage at all time high, religious infection, and should we be happy religious organizations are celebrating Pride month?
The Taliban orders female news anchors to cover their faces on TV, Southern Baptists release sex abuse report (and it ain't great), the GOP is running some seriously dangerous candidates for public office, Hindu nationalists harass muslims, Turkish police break up campus Pride event, a story about reparations, and a woman stands up to pastor who raped her (he says it was adultery).
UPDATED AUDIO! Pastor charged with DUI produces excellent excuse, Southern Baptist report, 'In God We Trust' license plates, Louisiana court vs Tony Spell, just because you can burn a Quran doesn't mean you should, Catholic bishop threatens to deny Nancy Pelosi communion, and the specialness of 'creation'.
Catholic bishops seek to block sexual assault claims, United Methodist schism faces problems, exorcism ends in child's death, trouble in Jerusalem, update on Mormon membership, Idaho's crazy lieutenant governor, and a chat about grief causes by leaving Mormonism and other high demand religions.
Catholic Church pay off priest's gambling debts instead of paying sex-abuse victims, Anti-Defamation League goes off the rails, former troops allege 'religious purge' of US military, recent SCOTUS round up, Pope Francis has a warning for Russian Orthodox patriarch, Christian TV show ad campaign, and our response to 'Under the Banner of Heaven' TV series.
Frank runs away to paradise leaving Dan and Kate to cover the news. Florida man wants to ban the right book, Canadian religions rank each other, anti-semitism is on the rise, U.S. Rep Jamie Raskin says his colleagues are in a cult, street preaching might be hate-speech, Utah GOP go with blasphemy, and Dan decides he need a new diploma.
Praising Jesus (and torturing everyone else) at 30,000 feet, cellphone Goliath defeats Christian college David, health-share ministry does exactly what we expected it to, Episcopal church considers being less anti-semitic, Christians fight amongst themselves about whether they've discovered a fictitious place, BYU-Idaho covers their naughty bits, and Frank and Dan predict ways that religion will use technology in the future.
Trump has a claim about god's creation, giving up whiteness for lent, the least religious generation ever, drugs, a new Mormon chapel in SLC, international christian group threatens to kick out Russian Orthodox Church, and the oddness of Easter.
Americans stop reading the bible, Mormons still hate LGBTQ+ folks... even the ones who need speech therapy, Franklin Graham sets up hospitals in Ukraine but uses them to proselytize (of course), Canada allows more legal dying, the Mormons might be tax-fraudsters in Australia, and Frank and Dan discuss what it means that one of the largest land owners in the U.S. is a religion (you'll never guess which one).
The Netherlands passes major milestone, another "don't say gay" bill, right to laying on of hands protected during execution, Mississippi politician tweets, Mormons have a mysterious female deity, the Buddha, and Mormons take their hero worship of Joseph Smith just a little too far.
Observant Jews protest law that would make daylight saving time permanent, Hillsong church has a serious problem, Kim Davis guilty of violating constitutional rights of gay couples, congregations are reconvening, turns out Mormons support LGBTQ rights, a statue in Italy, and Lindsey Graham invokes a religious test for US Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.
"Don't Say Gay" guy's home destroyed by tornado, Russian Orthodox churches not in Russia, Jesus™ coming to a commercial break near you, a study about atheists, religious freedom watchdog warns of upcoming oppression should Russia gain control of Ukraine, Episcopalians take poll about how Christians are perceived, and a chat about saints and sainthood.
Texas "family values" Republican congressperson Van Taylor surprises nobody by being a two-timing piece of crap, the Satanic Temple just wants some nice billboards, and Frank and Dan talk to you from doomsday bunkers buried deep in the earth.
Witches send Greg Locke glitter bombs, Russia exiles Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Russian Orthodox claim on Ukraine.
Satan takes over essential oil company, new COVID-19 vaccine promotes itself as fetus free, America stops trusting pastors, a report about Reformed Jews and sexual abuse, Colombia legalizes abortion, a survey about belief in god, and the Texas state government targets trans kids.
Kevin Sorbo finds filmmaking a herculean task, Catholic school enrollment is up...ish, pastor Greg Locke on a literal witch hunt (in his own congregation), an Australian Christian school gaslights everyone about their hatred of the LGBTQ+ community, no-longer-United Methodists schizzing, Canadian Pastors want to torture gay folks, and Frank and Dan dive into why the right wing is trying to destroy education.
Hubbub in India over airport city code, problems in Bible class, Christian revival at public school causes stir, prayer apps, US military denies religious exemptions for COVID vaccine, Christianity and wokeness, and my God is a stickler God--religious rituals that require precision.
Dating app ad rankles Christians, Oklahoma bill would control teachers, town limits free meals, Norway makes decision about Jehovahs Witnesses, GOP governor candidate says rape victims shouldn't have abortions, a nurse wins settlement, and a chat with Dr Death herself... Terri Daniel. Check out the upcoming conference at https://deathgriefandbelief.com.
African atheists sue Christians, religion fails to help prisoners, Christian adoption agencies are anti-semitic not just homophobic/transphobic etc, German Catholics come out, Mississippi mayor withholds funds from a library, and Frank and Dan discuss the new interview with J.Fal.Ju. (hint: he's still a sh*tbag)
Anglicans resign from committee for actually good reasons; Supreme Court agrees to hear a case that they shouldn't; an animal sacrifice goes as wrong as could possibly be imagined; some other stories; and Frank and Dan discuss what it means to find yourself in partial agreement with bad people.
