Podcast
Thank God I'm Atheist
Hosted by tgiatheist · EN
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.
51episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Truth About Religious Conversion
Yesterday00:58:53Tap to summarizeThis week's final segment tackles a surprisingly tricky question: what is a religious conversion? Does becoming an atheist count, or is it something entirely different? We explore where Americans are actually moving religiously, why the "nones" continue to grow, and what it really means to change (or leave) your faith. Also this week: a Utah man is arrested after allegedly plotting an attack on Muslims, Idaho's abortion laws drive another community's OB-GYNs away, Brazil's evangelical boom gets blamed for the national soccer team's decline, a Christian tech company asks investors to keep the faith, and Orthodox Jews lobby for permanent daylight saving time.
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Why Do Mormon Temples Look Like Luxury Hotels?
1w ago01:10:09Tap to summarizeFrank and Dan explore why modern Mormon temple interiors resemble upscale hotel lobbies rather than awe-inspiring sacred spaces. They compare Mormon architecture with historic cathedrals, discuss the church's increasing architectural homogenization, and argue that Mormon aesthetics have become more corporate than spiritual. We also tease organizing a TGIA group visit when the renovated Salt Lake Temple opens to the public. Also this week: Turkey bars an LGBTQ+ cruise from coming ashore, Indiana's lieutenant governor declares America a Christian nation, the Church of England stumbles into a conversion therapy controversy, a new poll reveals which religions Americans like (and really don't like), a MAGA preacher insists Jesus had a six-pack, and a Catholic hospital sale restores access to reproductive healthcare previously blocked by church doctrine. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate
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The Problem With Hearing God's Voice
2w ago01:03:55Tap to summarizeHow do you tell the difference between a prophet and someone experiencing a delusion? This week, Frank and Dan explore the uneasy intersection of religion and mental illness, asking how believers decide whether a voice in someone's head is divine revelation or a symptom of psychosis. Also this week: the Vatican excommunicates hundreds of traditionalist Catholics, a Mormon general authority apologizes after racist remarks about African American spirituals, Christian missionaries descend on Trump's sparsely attended America 250 celebration, FLDS leader Samuel Bateman is convicted on additional child abuse charges, scientists create a synthetic cell that can grow and divide, and the San Francisco Archdiocese agrees to a $395 million clergy abuse settlement. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate
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Did the Founders Want a Christian Nation?
3w ago01:05:23Tap to summarizeAs America approaches its 250th birthday, we're asking a simple question: Is this what the Founders wanted? Christian nationalists insist the United States was established as a Christian nation, but what did the men who actually wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution believe? Frank and Dan separate historical fact from modern mythology while exploring whether the secular government envisioned by the Founders has drifted from its original course. Also this week: a Mormon family sues a California school district over LGBTQ-inclusive lessons, the Supreme Court leaves a Rastafarian prisoner without a remedy after guards shaved his dreadlocks, Seattle's Pride World Cup match pits Iran against Egypt, reports of rising anti-Christian violence in Israel raise uncomfortable questions, Texas votes to require Bible stories in its public-school curriculum, and a gay Tennessee student reaches a settlement after being punished by her Christian school for coming out.
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If Aliens are Real, What Happens to Religion?
4w ago01:09:59Tap to summarizeWhat happens to religion if humanity discovers we're not alone in the universe? This week, Frank and Dan explore one of the biggest theological questions imaginable: aliens. Would Christianity survive first contact? Would extraterrestrials need their own Jesus? Could they arrive with a religion more advanced than our own? Along the way, we also discuss an Iranian singer punished for performing without a hijab, RFK Jr.'s push for faith-based addiction treatment, anti-Muslim opposition to a new Islamic center in New Mexico, Christian nationalism, and a bizarre fight over Bible verses on MLB Pride hats.
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Christian Nationalists, Mormon Drama, and Route 666
Jun 1900:59:27Tap to summarizeWith Frank under the weather this week, Dan takes the reins solo for a special live-stream edition of Thank God I'm Atheist. Along the way he digs into Christian nationalists attempting to build a new religious stronghold in Washington state, revisits the ongoing debate over whether Mormons are considered Christian by their evangelical neighbors, and looks at Donald Trump's latest honor from an Orthodox Christian leader. Dan also checks in on the Ark Encounter as it approaches its tenth anniversary, discusses new Catholic abuse-prevention guidelines, celebrates the return of the infamous Route 666 to Hell, and spends plenty of time chatting with listeners from around the world. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate
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Are Mormons Christian? The Pentagon Has an Answer
Jun 1201:13:32Tap to summarizeAre Mormons Christian? It's a question that's sparked debates for generations, and now the Pentagon has unexpectedly weighed in. This week Frank and Dan discuss the Department of Defense's new list of recognized faith categories, which places The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints outside its Christian classifications while simultaneously removing atheists, humanists, pagans, and several other minority belief groups from the list altogether. Elsewhere, we discuss a Christian employee suing over a Pride flag at work, a Presbyterian debate over polyamory, a Colorado gubernatorial candidate's unbelievable personal claims, the rise of megachurch-run colleges, and a UFO religion's latest attempt to prepare humanity for alien contact. Plus a Pride Month conversation about whether churches belong at Pride events. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate
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They Saved a Buffalo Because It Looked Like Trump
Jun 401:04:39Tap to summarizeA rare albino buffalo in Bangladesh was headed for ritual sacrifice during a Muslim holiday (until people noticed it looked remarkably like Donald Trump). After the buffalo went viral, government officials stepped in, canceled the sacrifice, and gave the animal a new home at a zoo. Also this week: a Muslim principal loses her job after a backlash campaign in Texas, a Christian job applicant demands protection from Pride flags and pronouns, Oklahoma lawmakers debate whether children should be allowed to marry, Congress considers spending $1 billion on security for houses of worship, and Rome's famous "hot priest" calendar turns out to feature models instead of clergy. Plus, Frank and Dan discuss why atheists are surprisingly expensive targets for political campaigns. 💸 No gods. No guilt. Some hosting fees. 💸 Support the show at www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate
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The UFO Files Dropped… and Pastors Lost It
May 2901:08:42Tap to summarizeThe government dumped a fresh batch of UFO files into the public record, and Christian pastors are already racing to explain what we're seeing. Are they aliens? Secret military tech? Weather balloons? Or… angels and demons?!! Frank and Dan dive into the newly released footage, the religious panic surrounding it, and why "we don't know" remains the most honest (and apparently least popular) answer. In other news: pastors in Nashville are accused of running a medication rebate scam through a church clinic, a Chick-fil-A franchise gets hit with a religious discrimination lawsuit over Sabbath scheduling, and a former Christian pop star reclaims one of his biggest hits after coming out as gay. Also... protest zones outside houses of worship, student loans for "useless" degrees, and Pope Leo XIV's surprisingly serious warnings about the ethics of artificial intelligence. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate
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Trump's America 250 Celebration Is Exactly What You Fear
May 2201:05:08Tap to summarizeAmerica is turning 250… and Christian nationalists are determined to make sure the birthday party belongs to them. This week, Frank and Dan dive into the bizarre "Rededicate 250" event in Washington D.C., where Trump allies, religious activists, and culture war celebrities are pushing the idea that the United States was founded as a Christian nation (and therefore should become one again). Elsewhere: Rudy Giuliani claims he had a heavenly near-death experience, Hillsong founder Brian Houston accidentally posts porn to his followers, Christian nationalist culture warrior Ryan Walters files for divorce, and Texas officials shut down a Muslim community Eid celebration at a water park because apparently even modest swimwear is too threatening for Greg Abbott. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate
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