The Scathing Atheist

In this week’s episode, Trump puts the generosity in genocide, we'll learn that communion could taste a lot worse, and Promise Backlund will be here with this year’s hottest beach read.
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To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheist
To buy our book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/
If you see a news story you think we might be interested in, you can send it here: [email protected]
To check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticrat
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To check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/
To check out our sister show’s sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/
Report instances of harassment or abuse connected to this show to the Creator Accountability Network here: https://creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org/
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Guest Links:
You can pick up a copy of Promise’s book here: https://medialabbooks.com/products/9781964487557_gospel-of-lies
Find more from Promise here: https://linktr.ee/eve_wasframed
Get tickets to see Noah and Seth Andrews in Cincinnati: https://www.sethandrews.com/cincinnati
Learn more about the Ark Park Protest here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1734215087598856/
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Headlines:
Trump approves aid for Cuba, as long as it violates church state separation: https://theconversation.com/trump-administration-pledges-100m-in-aid-for-cuba-but-only-if-catholic-or-other-faith-based-groups-distribute-it-283451
AIs don't like religion – particularly Jehovah's Witnesses, study claims: https://www.theregister.com/ai-ml/2026/05/27/ais-dont-like-religion-particularly-jehovahs-witnesses-study-claims/5247286
GOP Senator Mike Lee says Talarico will sacrifice your children to the demon Moloch: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-senator-bizarrely-accuses-james-talarico-of-religious-child-sacrifice_n_6a19bd4ce4b005ae4180807f
Pastor makes kid eat a Bible page on stage: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/swallow-it-a-christian-prophet-told
One Million Moms wants FCC to change TV rating to be more conservative: https://onemillionmoms.com/current-campaigns/help-1mm-stand-up-for-parental-rights/

In this week’s episode, the Pope gets around to calling slavery “our bad,” a Christian apostle hopes to follow in the footsteps of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and we’ll pull the plug on James Drain’s miracle.
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To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheist
To buy our book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/
If you see a news story you think we might be interested in, you can send it here: [email protected]
To check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticrat
To check out our sister show’s hot friend, God Awful Movies, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/god-awful-movies
To check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/
To check out our sister show’s sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/
Report instances of harassment or abuse connected to this show to the Creator Accountability Network here: https://creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org/
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Headlines:
Pope Leo apologizes for Vatican’s role in slavery: https://apnews.com/article/pope-apologizes-slavery-role-holy-see-vatican-78df993c5604eb098b19f255b89b3155
BoardGameGeek fires veteran advertising manager for rejecting campaign due to firsthand experiences of demonic possession: https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2026/05/20/boardgamegeek-fires-veteran-advertising-manager-for-rejecting-campaign-due-to-firsthand-experiences-of-demonic-possession/
https://gamefound.com/en/projects/dukes-of-nukes-gaming/possess-me-satan
A secretive Christian sect is pressuring members to purge their pets: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-secretive-christian-sect-is-pressuring
Arkansas group rejected woman's land purchase due to jewish ancestry, black husband: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/arkansas-group-rejects-womans-land-offer-over-race-and-religionlawsuit_n_6a0f3492e4b084c012e3c251
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/20/us/arkansas-return-to-the-land-discrimination-lawsuit
Ché Ahn says drug users must choose between Christian rehab or Bible lessons in prison: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/che-ahn-says-drug-users-must-choose
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This Week in Misogyny:
PA court finds reproductive autonomy protected by state ERA: https://feminist.org/news/pennsylvania-court-recognizes-reproductive-autonomy-under-state-equal-rights-amendment/
OK Senate unanimously prohibits child marriage: https://oksenate.gov/press-releases/senate-unanimously-approves-hamilton-bill-prohibit-underage-marriage
NC law would classify abortion as first degree murder: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/north-carolina-bill-abortion-murder-1798733

In this week’s episode, America celebrates its birthday with 250 year old ideas about pluralism, all the holy water and anointing oil in Vatican City can't lubricate the arid mouth of Marco Rubio, and that’s only one of the similarities Marco Rubio’s mouth shares with Ben Shapiro’s wife’s vagina.
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To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheist
To buy our book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/
If you see a news story you think we might be interested in, you can send it here: [email protected]
To check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticrat
To check out our sister show’s hot friend, God Awful Movies, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/god-awful-movies
To check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/
To check out our sister show’s sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/
Report instances of harassment or abuse connected to this show to the Creator Accountability Network here: https://creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org/
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Guest Links:
The links mentioned in the Farnsworth Quote:
Creating Dangerously podcast:  https://www.shawnafoundation.org/general-6
Florence on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100050205/florence
Florence on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Florence-Blu-ray-Skip-Shea/dp/B0GSCFXQ5F
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Headlines:
Rededicate 250: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/white-house-to-host-taxpayer-funded and https://www.scrippsnews.com/life/faith-and-religion/national-mall-prayer-event-sparks-concern-about-trump-administration-eroding-the-wall-between-church-and-state
Christian megachurch founder Brian Houston shared adult content on social media again: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/christian-megachurch-founder-brian
Christian nationalists try to undercut liberal education, accidentally hit religious schools: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/the-gop-wanted-to-punish-liberal
Ryan walters is getting divorced: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/oklahoma-schools-chief-ryan-walters-files-divorce-after-ordering-schools-teach-mandate-christian-1796793
Marco Rubio meets with Pope Leo and gives him a very embarrassing gift: https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/06/politics/pope-leo-rubio-meeting
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marco-rubio-gift-pope-leo_n_69fdc1d2e4b0cb033e513b3c

In this week’s episode, the DOJ enters the 1st Amendment’s SPAM folder, Florida golfers who encounter a golden idol of Donald Trump will play it as it lies, and Ross Douthat will finally make it through a chapter without shoehorning an obscure Latin or French phrase into the text.
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To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheist
To buy our book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/
If you see a news story you think we might be interested in, you can send it here: [email protected]
To check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticrat
To check out our sister show’s hot friend, God Awful Movies, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/god-awful-movies
To check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/
To check out our sister show’s sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/
Report instances of harassment or abuse connected to this show to the Creator Accountability Network here: https://creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org/
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Guest Links:
See Noah in Cincinnati with Seth Andrews on July 11th: https://www.sethandrews.com/cincinnati
See Noah at the Ark Park Protest in Williamstown, KY on July 12th: https://www.facebook.com/TriStateThinkers
See Noah at BAHACon in Ontario August 21-23: https://bahacon.com/
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Headlines:
DOJ email promotes Chrisitan Nationalist revival https://atheists.org/news/federal-policy/american-atheists-foias-trumps-doj-again/
A field competition for Army chaplains tests spiritual mettle: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/eighth-army-exercise-chaplain/
Greg Abbott shuts down legal Muslim event for being Muslim: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/a-private-muslim-event-at-a-texas
I, Robe-ot — the android monk working to reboot the faith of South Korea's buddhists: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/08/jogyesa-temple-south-korea-humanoid-ai-robot-gabi
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/technology/robot-monk-buddhist-seoul.html
Pastor Defends Golden Trump Statue From Biblical Backlash: https://www.newsweek.com/pastor-defends-golden-trump-statue-from-biblical-backlash-11933490

In this week’s episode, Christianity's persecution complex gets an annex and a ballroom, we learn that speedrunning halfway into a Scientology building leads to Xenu's paradox, and Don Ford will be here quick before the name Don goes the way of Adolph.
---
To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheist
To buy our book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/
If you see a news story you think we might be interested in, you can send it here: [email protected]
To check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticrat
To check out our sister show’s hot friend, God Awful Movies, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/god-awful-movies
To check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/
To check out our sister show’s sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/
Report instances of harassment or abuse connected to this show to the Creator Accountability Network here: https://creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org/
---
Guest Links:
See Noah in Cincinnati with Seth Andrews on July 11th: https://www.sethandrews.com/cincinnati
See Noah at the Ark Park Protest in Williamstown, KY on July 12th: https://www.facebook.com/TriStateThinkers
See Noah at BAHACon in Ontario August 21-23: https://bahacon.com/
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Headlines:
Religious Liberty Commission releases its final report: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/the-final-report-from-trumps-anti
Ex-Spokane mayor demands $10M from city after backlash over extremist prayer rally: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/ex-spokane-mayor-demands-10m-from
Pastor writes book on Biblical marriage, gets arrested for bigamy: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/pastor-who-wrote-book-on-biblical
Richard Dawkins and The Claude Delusion: https://garymarcus.substack.com/p/richard-dawkins-and-the-claude-delusion
Scientology speedrunning: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/church-of-scientology-blasts-tiktok-speedrunning-trend-rcna342747 
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This Week in Misogyny:
Urban birds fear men more than women for some reason: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/city-birds-appear-more-afraid-of-women-than-men-and-scientists-have-no-idea-why/
Study: Increase in pregnancy deaths probably related to abortion bans: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2026/study-higher-maternal-death-rate-in-states-with-abortion-bans
Study: Young men now outnumber young women in taking religion seriously: https://zenit.org/2026/04/23/study-shows-that-young-women-are-more-likely-than-young-men-to-have-lost-their-religious-faith/