Thank God I'm Atheist

The Truth About Religious Conversion 22.07.2026 58min

This 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.

Why Do Mormon Temples Look Like Luxury Hotels? 15.07.2026 1h 10min

Frank 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

The Problem With Hearing God's Voice 08.07.2026 1h 3min

How 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

Did the Founders Want a Christian Nation? 30.06.2026 1h 5min

As 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.

If Aliens are Real, What Happens to Religion? 26.06.2026 1h 9min

What 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.

Christian Nationalists, Mormon Drama, and Route 666 19.06.2026 59min

With 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

Are Mormons Christian? The Pentagon Has an Answer 12.06.2026 1h 13min

Are 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

They Saved a Buffalo Because It Looked Like Trump 04.06.2026 1h 4min

A 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

The UFO Files Dropped… and Pastors Lost It 29.05.2026 1h 8min

The 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

Trump's America 250 Celebration Is Exactly What You Fear 22.05.2026 1h 5min

America 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

The God Delusion… Meets AI Delusion 15.05.2026 57min

Richard Dawkins spent decades convincing people to think critically about religion. Now he's wondering if a chatbot might actually be conscious. After an extended conversation with an AI he nicknamed "Claudia," the famed atheist author published a baffling article arguing that modern AI may be far more self-aware than we think. Frank is away this week, so Dan and Kate dive into one of the strangest (and most unintentionally hilarious) AI meltdowns we've seen yet. Also this week: France reckons with stolen Nazi-looted artwork, Norway restores government funding to Jehovah's Witnesses despite their shunning practices, a new Christian phone company promises to protect kids from YouTube and "dangerous" ideas, Southern Baptists continue losing members, anti-Semitic incidents show signs of decline after years of spikes, and the Catholic Church cautiously opens the door to listening to gay Catholics about the damage caused by conversion therapy. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

Christian Marriage Expert Had TWO Wives!! 08.05.2026 1h 9min

A Florida pastor who wrote a book about "biblical marriage" has been arrested after allegedly marrying a second woman while still married to his first wife. Frank and Dan dive into the very awkward collision between Christian marriage advice, secret spouses, and a pastor who may have taken "biblical marriage" a little too literally. Also this week: TikTokers are "speedrunning" Scientology buildings, a strange UK religious cult faces slavery and forced marriage charges, Trump's "anti-Christian bias" task force releases a report full of grievances and very little evidence, a liberal megachurch pastor shakes up Kansas politics, and the Mormon church somehow makes their youth programs even weirder. Support the show: www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

What Happens When You Fall in Love With an AI? 01.05.2026 1h 2min

She wasn't catfished. She wasn't delusional. She fell in love... with an AI! And when that digital companion suddenly disappeared, the grief was real enough to take to a Buddhist temple for a memorial. This week, we dig into one of the strangest and most revealing stories yet about artificial intelligence, loneliness, and what happens when technology stops being a tool and starts feeling like a person. Beyond that, there's a packed slate of stories, from anti-trans policy changes at HUD and a historic Vatican meeting with the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, to slipping support for Trump among Utah's religious voters. We also cover a controversial school tracking system, a major Catholic abuse verdict, listener reactions to that deadly baptism story, and a final segment on the LDS Church suing the Mormon Stories podcast. 💸 Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

Trump Goes Full Messiah… Too Far?! 24.04.2026 42min

Trump posts an AI-generated image of himself as a Christ-like figure, and suddenly that's what sparks outrage from Christians?! In this shorter "TGIA Light" episode, we dig into the bizarre backlash, the selective standards of blasphemy, and what it reveals about modern religious and political loyalty. We also look at how pastors are increasingly using AI tools like ChatGPT to write sermons, and check in on Trump's "Religious Liberty Commission," which seems more interested in rewriting church-state separation than protecting it. Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

Even Alex Jones Is Turning on Trump?! 17.04.2026 1h

Alex Jones turning on Donald Trump wasn't on anyone's bingo card, but here we are! In a moment that feels less like politics and more like a full-blown schism, one of Trump's loudest allies is suddenly calling him out for going too far. Is this the beginning of real cracks inside MAGA, or just another bizarre twist in a movement that's built on them? Either way, it's a rare glimpse of the machine turning on itself, and it's hard to look away... Elsewhere, a school assembly speaker gets exposed for sneaking Jesus into anti-bullying talks, a baptism ends in tragedy and criminal charges, and a group of nuns would rather sue than care for trans patients. Plus, Trump dreams up a massive, gold-drenched monument for D.C., the Pentagon reportedly picks a fight with the Pope, and an astronaut can't resist bringing Jesus into orbit. 🙏 Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

Government Official Says God Teleported Him to Waffle House 10.04.2026 1h

A top FEMA official says God teleported him… to a Waffle House. Not metaphorically. Not "in spirit." Literally... mid-crisis, mid-life, mid-reality... He claims he was transported miles away as part of a divine encounter, and now he's defending it with scripture! It's the kind of story that would be funny if it weren't coming from someone with real power, and somehow, it only gets worse the deeper you go. (And it's actually pretty funny too). Also this week: the Supreme Court opens the door to conversion therapy under "free speech," a federal judge rules Arkansas's Ten Commandments monument unconstitutional (for now), and Pete Hegseth's Pentagon prayer situation raises fresh church–state questions. The LDS Church doubles down on anti-trans policy, new data shows Mormons quietly shifting left politically, and a judge blocks an attempt to gut the Johnson Amendment. In the final segment, the Artemis mission takes flight… along with people who think rockets are hitting the firmament. Support the show... www.patreon.com/tgiatheist

What Did Pete Hegseth Just Pray For?! 03.04.2026 1h 2min

A prayer calling for "overwhelming violence" is where Frank and Dan start this week, as they examine comments from Pete Hegseth and the disturbing implications of religious language being used to justify force and power. They break down how this kind of rhetoric fits into a broader pattern of increasingly militant expressions of faith in political spaces, and what it signals about the direction of religion's role in public life. From there, Frank and Dan move through a slate of stories that highlight how widespread these tensions have become: a Pentagon proposal to label military chaplains by faith, a conspiracy-driven sermon linking gender equality to demographic control, new legislation in Canada challenging religious exemptions in hate speech law, fresh data showing the continued decline of a "biblical worldview" in the U.S., shifting support for Trump-era deportation policies among religious groups, and a retracted report that briefly suggested a revival of church attendance in the U.K. 💸 Support us on Patreon! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

Televangelist Wants a Private Jet… Cites Jesus 27.03.2026 1h 1min

A televangelist says he needs a private jet, and he's citing the Bible to justify it! After ditching commercial travel, he's now asking followers to fund his upgrade, arguing even Christ had to avoid the crowds. Apparently, salvation travels first class (or better). Also this week: a bizarre Mormon conference tries to argue Joseph Smith didn't practice polygamy, prompting backlash and possible discipline from the church; a Pittsburgh priest gets caught selling church artifacts on eBay after repeatedly stealing baseball cards from Walmart; Democrats experiment with running pastors for office, raising questions about religion's role on the left; Texas gets pushed by the courts to reconsider excluding Muslim schools from its voucher program; and Jehovah's Witnesses quietly ease their blood transfusion ban (sort of). Plus, the LDS Church rolls out a so-called "gender equity" change that lets women lead Sunday School… as long as they don't lead men. 💵 Support the show: www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

Ramadan at 30,000 Feet… They Called the Cops 19.03.2026 1h 5min

A man quietly says a prayer on a flight, and it ends with police, a diversion, and a wave of panic. What should have been an ordinary moment of religious observance during Ramadan was treated like a security threat, exposing how quickly fear and bias can escalate at 30,000 feet. In this episode, we break down what actually happened, why it spiraled, and what it reveals about the double standard around public expressions of faith. Also this week: Trump leans into "bad genetics" rhetoric that sounds a lot like eugenics, Texas rolls out a "religious freedom" voucher program that somehow excludes Muslim schools, and a new legal challenge turns abortion bans into a religious freedom issue. We also look at a bizarre Bible-reading marathon featuring conservative heavyweights, and a papal critique of war that raises big questions about moral accountability. Then in the final segment, we dig into whether a progressive Christian like James Talarico might be part of the answer to Christian nationalism, or just a different version of the same problem. To support the show: www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate

The Dark Theology Behind Today's War Politics 13.03.2026 1h 17min

A top CPAC leader sparked outrage this week after defending the bombing of Iranian schoolgirls. During a heated debate on Piers Morgan's show, American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp suggested the girls might be "better off dead" than growing up under Iran's oppressive regime—an argument that left the panel stunned and raised disturbing questions about how far some are willing to go to justify war. Elsewhere in the episode: Utah lawmakers turn Good Friday into a state holiday (in a state that barely observes it), a quiet new Utah education bill pushes religion into the teaching of America's founding, and a disturbing wave of Christian pundits celebrating war because they think it will trigger the End Times. We also look at Pete Hegseth's biblical war rhetoric and the growing overlap between nationalism, Christianity, and foreign policy. Then in the final segment, we zoom out to examine the darker side of apocalyptic belief—and why some believers seem genuinely excited about the possibility of global catastrophe. 💸 Support us on Patreon: www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate