<description>&lt;p&gt;It's that time of year again: &lt;em&gt;the War on Christmas is back—and wilder than ever.&lt;/em&gt; This week, Dan and Kate dive into the bizarre conservative outrage over a nativity scene depicting the Holy Family as migrants detained by ICE. Right-wing commentators are furious, churches are divided, and somehow this one small display has become a national symbol of everything they think is wrong with America. We unpack the theology, the politics, and the truly unhinged reactions.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Then we get into a whole slate of religious weirdness from around the country:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;A Florida attorney general tries to shut down a &lt;strong&gt;Drag Queen Christmas&lt;/strong&gt; performance&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;Christian rock band &lt;strong&gt;Skillet&lt;/strong&gt; is accused of releasing "demonic" holiday music&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;West Virginia courts weaken &lt;strong&gt;vaccine mandates&lt;/strong&gt; in the name of religious liberty&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;BYU football players quietly scale back their missionary service&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;p&gt;A Tennessee woman stages a fake &lt;strong&gt;kidnapping "lesson"&lt;/strong&gt; for kids that backfires spectacularly&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;And for our final segment, Dan dives into research on how former members of insular religious communities talk about forgiveness—and how that differs from what their traditions demand.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Thank God I'm Atheist

tgiatheist

What This Nativity Says About America

DEC 12, 202577 MIN
Thank God I'm Atheist

What This Nativity Says About America

DEC 12, 202577 MIN

Description

It's that time of year again: the War on Christmas is back—and wilder than ever. This week, Dan and Kate dive into the bizarre conservative outrage over a nativity scene depicting the Holy Family as migrants detained by ICE. Right-wing commentators are furious, churches are divided, and somehow this one small display has become a national symbol of everything they think is wrong with America. We unpack the theology, the politics, and the truly unhinged reactions.

Then we get into a whole slate of religious weirdness from around the country:

  • A Florida attorney general tries to shut down a Drag Queen Christmas performance

  • Christian rock band Skillet is accused of releasing "demonic" holiday music

  • West Virginia courts weaken vaccine mandates in the name of religious liberty

  • BYU football players quietly scale back their missionary service

  • A Tennessee woman stages a fake kidnapping "lesson" for kids that backfires spectacularly

And for our final segment, Dan dives into research on how former members of insular religious communities talk about forgiveness—and how that differs from what their traditions demand.