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Thank God I'm Atheist

Thank God I'm Atheist

tgiatheist 765 Episodes Aug 18, 2026

Frank and Dan, former Mormons, host off-the-cuff conversations about current events from an atheist perspective. Each episode covers six news stories from the prior week, and occasionally features interviews with writers, thinkers, and leaders in the atheist community. The show provides insight into the often misunderstood religious minority.

Episodes

The Power of Religious Symbols
The Power of Religious Symbols Aug 18, 2026 01:26:25 Who owns a symbol? And who gets to decide what it means? This week, we look at how symbols can be stolen, reclaimed, transformed, or ruined, from the swastika and pink triangle to the rainbow and the cross. Also this week: the sky evangelist picks a fight with Alaska Airlines, Canada's military makes room for nonbelievers, halal barbecue takes off in Texas, a Christian influencer says aliens harve
Can the Religious Left Stop Christian Nationalism?
Can the Religious Left Stop Christian Nationalism? Aug 12, 2026 01:06:53 As Christian nationalism tightens its grip on the nation's politics, a new crop of progressive candidates is putting faith front and center. From James Talarico to Abdul El-Sayed, the religious left is making a more explicit play for political power (and challenging the idea that Republicans get to own God). Can religious progressives provide an effective counterweight to Christian nationalism, or
Mourning Without an Afterlife
Mourning Without an Afterlife Aug 5, 2026 01:02:33 Death comes for all of us, but what does grief look like without belief in an afterlife? Frank is joined by Rachel for a personal conversation about scattering her father's ashes five years after his death, finding closure without religion, and whether mourning is different when this life is the only one we have. Also this week: Christian men create women-free gyms to avoid "lust," Kim Davis is ac
Pioneers, Persecution & Selective Memory
Pioneers, Persecution & Selective Memory Jul 29, 2026 01:05:57 Pioneer Day is one of Utah's biggest celebrations, but how much of the Mormon pioneer story is history? And how much is mythology? Frank and Dan take a fresh look at the conflict that drove the Mormons west, why the word "persecution" doesn't tell the whole story, and how the familiar handcart-and-heroism narrative leaves out a lot of the truth. Also this week: preparations begin for the 2,000th a
The Truth About Religious Conversion
The Truth About Religious Conversion Jul 22, 2026 58:53 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 Mu
Why Do Mormon Temples Look Like Luxury Hotels?
Why Do Mormon Temples Look Like Luxury Hotels? Jul 15, 2026 01:10:09 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 T
The Problem With Hearing God's Voice
The Problem With Hearing God's Voice Jul 8, 2026 01:03:55 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 apologi
Did the Founders Want a Christian Nation?
Did the Founders Want a Christian Nation? Jun 30, 2026 01:05:23 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 govern
If Aliens are Real, What Happens to Religion?
If Aliens are Real, What Happens to Religion? Jun 26, 2026 01:09:59 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 wit
Christian Nationalists, Mormon Drama, and Route 666
Christian Nationalists, Mormon Drama, and Route 666 Jun 19, 2026 59:27 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 Or
Are Mormons Christian? The Pentagon Has an Answer
Are Mormons Christian? The Pentagon Has an Answer Jun 12, 2026 01:13:32 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
They Saved a Buffalo Because It Looked Like Trump
They Saved a Buffalo Because It Looked Like Trump Jun 4, 2026 01:04:39 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 demand

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