Episode 249 – Congress throws us a bone
By Dustin
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS
Atheist Comedy Experience – May 18 in Boise
NEWS
Four House Democrats have launched the Congressional Freethought Caucus
Representatives Jared Huffman and Jerry McNearney of California as well as Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Dan Kildee of Michigan have launched the Congressional Freethought Caucus with the goal of pushing “public policy formed on the basis of reason, science, and moral values,” to promote “secular character of our government by adhering to the strict Constitutional principle of the separation of church and state,” and to fight against “discrimination against atheists, agnostics, humanists, seekers, religious and nonreligious persons” and giving “a forum for members of Congress to discuss their moral frameworks, ethical values, and personal religious journeys.”
Paul Ryan forced the US House Chaplain to resign
The Chaplain of the US House of Representatives was given the choice of retiring or being fired by Paul Ryan. He chose to retire. Why would the Catholic House Speaker force out the Catholic priest serving as chaplain? It’s because Father Patrick Conroy used the opening invocation to encourage the House to not forget about poor people while debating the tax reform bill and also allowed a Muslim to offer an invocation.
DOJ removed ‘need for free press and public trial’ and racial gerrymandering from internal manual
As part of an overdue but misguided revamping of a DOJ manual that guides federal prosecutors they removed in its entirety a section titled “Need for Free Press and Public Trial” and also removed references to racial gerrymandering. They did add in language about dealing with leaks.
Proposed Tennessee constitutional amendment would add God
The Tennessee Senate passed House Joint Resolution 37 which has the goal of adding a line to the state constitution that says: “that liberties do not come from government, but from Almighty God.”
This will have to be passed again by the state legislature and then be approved in a referendum that is in conjunction with a gubernatorial election, so the soonest it could be added is 2020.
Oklahoma bill allowing adoption agencies to discriminate against gays & lesbians passed
Oklahoma’s Adoption Protection Act has now passed both houses of the state legislature. This bill will allow adoption and foster care agencies to refuse parents whose lives violate the agency’s “sincerely held religious beliefs”.
Hawaii becomes 12th state to ban gay conversion therapy for minors
“Mysteries and Myths with Megan Fox” is coming to the Travel Channel. As a spokesperson for the show has put it:
“Fox has been obsessed since an early age with the history of ancient cultures, people and places — always questioning their ‘documented’ story. Now she is embarking on an epic and personal journey across the globe, where archaeologists and experts will re-examine history, asking tough questions and challenging the conventional wisdom that has existed for centuries. The series will delve into some of the greatest mysteries of time, including whether Amazon women really existed or if the Trojan War was real.”
Why is Fox qualified for this? As she put’s it:
“History only gives us a one-sided view of the truth. I haven’t spent my entire life building a career in academia so I don’t have to worry about my reputation or being rebuked by my colleagues, which allows me to push back on the status quo. So much of our history needs to be re-examined.”
People flee ‘Avengers’ movie, lady leaps from theater balcony when man shouts about God
ISIS servers seized in Canada as countries launch coordinated takedown of propaganda network
Norway party to seek ban on Islamic call to prayer
FEEDBACK
Caleb via email
Really enjoyed today’s episode. I am presently working with a gay woman who talks shit about gay men being “nasty”. She claims to have been infected by the polio vaccine and cured herself. Also claims to have had MS caused by bacteria, also self cured. Numerological, anti-vax, pro-gun, anti-GMO psych major. She gets all the crazy from all sides and still claims to be a fan of science. Idaho, man. Idaho.
This episode is brought to you by:
- Travis McGee
- Danielle
- Michael
- Darryl
- Arthur
- George
- Mike
- The Flying Skeptic
- Kim
- Rachel
- John
- Josh
- Rob
- Al from South Carolina
- Henry
- Alexandra
- Alan
You can find us online at www.htotw.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, use the contact form, and leave us a voice mail message at (541) 203-0666.
Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.