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Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.

— Here’s how atheists are helping people in Houston after Hurricane Harvey. (0:38)

— An Illinois library board member was voted out of his seat after his anti-gay comments. (7:55)

— Should atheist groups speak out against Donald Trump’s DACA decision? (13:06)

— Alt-Right leader Steve Bannon says Catholic bishops support DACA only because they need people to fill the pews. The bishops disagree. (23:12)

— Ark Encounter just got its first rebate check, courtesy of Kentucky taxpayers. (26:52)

— Creationist Ken Ham doesn’t know what a light-year is. (31:30)

— A survey found that atheists are less open-minded than religious people. (33:33)

— The new Lord Mayor of Belfast skipped a formal prayer and everyone lost their mind. (37:03)

— The pastor who had to resign from his church after speaking out against racism and white supremacy. (41:30)

— The head of Focus on the Family thinks only Christians can teach kids character. (44:50)

— The Australian postal plebiscite and the woman raised by lesbian parents who claims to be forever scarred because of it. (48:45)

— An Illinois megachurch pastor’s awful sex sermon. (1:00:09)

— Texas churches are suing FEMA to get taxpayer-funded rebuilding grants. (1:09:50)

— Take care of your mental health, everyone. (1:16:45)

(Image via Shutterstock)

If you support what we’re doing, please contribute to our new Patreon page!

We now have timestamps for stories!

Jessica and I sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.

— Why Pastor Joel Osteen didn’t open his Houston megachurch for people needing shelter during Hurricane Harvey until after he was publicly shamed over it. (0:37)

— The Nashville Statement, an anti-LGBTQ manifesto written by conservative Christians. (The statement is at 17:28; analysis is at 31:32)

— A new survey that shows many Protestants and Catholics don’t understand the basic principles of their faith. (43:21)

— A Matt Walsh tweet that was delightfully mocked by everybody. (56:18)

— People calling it a “miracle” when they see a cross or Virgin Mary statue left standing in the midst of hurricane destruction. (1:01:28)

— Ark Encounter finally (and inadvertently) shared some attendance figures. (1:05:35)

(Image via YouTube)

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Amber Cantorna was a home-schooled child raised in a conservative Christian family. But her father wasn’t merely a believer. He’s spent 30 years as an executive at Focus on the Family, the ministry founded by James Dobson and known as one of the most anti-LGBTQ groups out there.

All of that became a problem when Amber came out as gay, a pivotal moment in her life which she writes about in her forthcoming memoir Refocusing My Family.

We spoke about how her relationship with her family changed after coming out, why she still believes in God, and why taking off her purity ring marked a new beginning.

Notes:

Amber’s organization, which helps LGBTQ+ people from conservative backgrounds, is called Beyond.

If you support what we’re doing, please contribute to our new Patreon page!

Jessica and her brother Kevin sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics. (Hemant was out once again dealing with a newborn.)

— Kentuckians for Coal are boycotting the eclipse.

— A Melbourne archbishop says he’d rather go to jail than report child abuse told to him during confessional.

— Donald Trump‘s lawyer comparing George Washington to Robert E. Lee.

— A New Zealand pastor advocates killing gay couples.

— Comedian Tim Allen doesn’t understand evolution.

— There’s a Chick-fil-A, which is closed on Sundays, in the Atlanta Falcons’ new football stadium.

— The Juggalos are coming to D.C.

(Image via Shutterstock)