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WEEK IN REVIEW: Montana vs. Scientific Theories

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WEEK IN REVIEW: Montana vs. Scientific Theories

A virtual Satanic abortion clinic, banning Bible camps to make a point, the pope's digital dilemma, and more!

Hemant Mehta
Feb 3, 2023
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WEEK IN REVIEW: Montana vs. Scientific Theories

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Thank you for checking out this newsletter! Thank you even more if you become a full subscriber! Consider giving someone a gift subscription! Think of your friends! (Or your enemies.)

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A quick personal note: Because I am starting to post regular articles to Substack again, I’m going to hit pause on these weekly recaps so I can focus on the longer pieces. Hope you all understand and thank you for reading. If you’re a paid subscriber, those articles should be coming to your inbox directly.


What can you do when you’re a progressive legislator surrounded by conservatives? You may not be able to pass the bills you want, but you can throw everything against the wall to slow down the bad ones and make symbolic moves.

That’s what Nebraska’s Sen. Megan Hunt (below) did this week. Her colleagues pushed forward a bigoted bill to criminalize any group that allows children to attend drag shows. (Technically, that would include theater companies putting on old-school all-male Shakespeare plays.)

Lawmaker sees anti-drag bill, raises with 'religious indoctrination' ban | State Senator Megan Hunt

Hunt responded with an amendment that would rewrite the bill to ban children from attending vacation Bible study or any similar “religious indoctrination” camps… since that’s where they’re truly in danger.

Brilliant trolling? Yes.

But even Hunt admitted she wouldn’t have taken that step if she thought the amendment would pass. She did it to make a point. And given the reaction my story about her amendment has received so far, looks like that point is being made.

As always, I appreciate your support through Patreon and Substack, which allows me to pursue these efforts while working on articles and other projects.


This story is troubling, frustrating, and the sort of news that makes you rethink who you admire. Andrew Torrez, an attorney who was a fixture on a couple of very popular atheist podcasts, used his position to pursue fans even after they declined his sexual advances. The Religion News Service article doesn’t mention that one of the victims said there were rejected physical advances as well.

Torrez has resigned from the board of American Atheists, though he says he did that because he couldn’t devote enough time to the position. One podcast has already severed its ties with him.

Twitter avatar for @PiatPod
Official Puzzle In A Thunderstorm Podcast Account @PiatPod
At Puzzle in a Thunderstorm, we pride ourselves on creating and maintaining safe and respectful spaces for everyone in the community. As such, any conduct that makes people feel unwelcome or unsafe is unacceptable to us. (1/2)
3:53 AM ∙ Feb 2, 2023
157Likes6Retweets
Twitter avatar for @PiatPod
Official Puzzle In A Thunderstorm Podcast Account @PiatPod
For that reason, we've chosen to sever our relationship with Andrew Torrez, who until today was a member of the company and served as our legal counsel. (2/2)
3:53 AM ∙ Feb 2, 2023
118Likes3Retweets

In addition to the RNS piece, I would urge you to read this post from one of the women he pursued.

And one related update to the recent drama:

Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Another update: The American Humanist Association says Mandisa Thomas has resigned from their board of directors as well. americanhumanist.org/featured/aha-b…
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Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
American Atheists says board member Mandisa Thomas will resign to "focus on [her] work at Black Nonbelievers." https://t.co/5bd8y69Xom Here's my earlier story about the ethics complaints concerning Thomas: https://t.co/8L73iapFbd https://t.co/hDPnjCBQpi
6:24 PM ∙ Feb 2, 2023
18Likes5Retweets

Oklahoma State Sen. David Bullard wants to force public schools to teach "... America’s Christian heritage including the influence of the Ten Commandments and the Bible on America’s founding documents."

I asked Constitutional scholar and attorney Andrew Seidel what he made of this proposal and his response was blunt: “Conservative white Christian privilege is the true goal of bills like this.“


Can you imagine a state senator with virtually no online profile? That’s what I came across this week when looking into Montana Republican Daniel Emrich, a first-term lawmaker who drafted a bill to ban everything but “scientific fact” from public school classrooms. (The “theory” of evolution would presumably be censored.)

Draft bill bans everything but 'scientific fact' in Montana's science classes | Daniel Emrich sits in the Montana Senate

There’s plenty to say about his ignorance in writing that bill. But I was shocked by how little information there was about someone who defeated an incumbent and routinely promotes insane conspiracy theories. He appears to have won his seat on the basis of the (R) next to his name and nothing else. His social media pages are empty (even since his victory) and there’s no semblance of a campaign website anywhere. There aren’t even many newspaper articles about his campaign or win.

For someone with the power to cause this much harm to the people of Montana, it’s scary to think about how little we know about this guy. And the little we know is very, very bad.


I briefly mentioned this last week, but it’s wild that Christian hate-group leader Mat Staver wants Christian schools to ban children with gay parents… so that their well-adjusted and decent kids don’t fool other kids into thinking same-sex families are decent.


We need more legislators who think like this about religion:

Twitter avatar for @Provenza4Wyomin
Rep. Karlee Provenza, PhD @Provenza4Wyomin
I've been asked why I don't have my religion posted on my legislative profile. I believe there must be a separation of church and state to ensure religious freedom remains a constitutional right. The involvement of any religion in government is an infringement on all religions.
11:27 PM ∙ Jan 28, 2023
949Likes95Retweets

We need more mothers who think like this about astrology:

Twitter avatar for @smashleyhamer
Ashley Hamer Pritchard @smashleyhamer
the dumbest judgment I get as a mom is when people ask my baby's astrological sign and I don't know the answer. literally who cares
2:42 PM ∙ Jan 28, 2023
130Likes7Retweets

It takes a special kind of Christian evil to come up with this:

Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
This is shady as hell: A ministry pays prisoners $1 for every chapter of the Bible they write out by hand. It's nothing more than a coercive way to proselytize. themarshallproject.org/2022/08/04/pri…
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1:55 AM ∙ Jan 28, 2023
124Likes14Retweets

In a bit of superb trolling that also helps people who don’t want to be pregnant, The Satanic Temple is about to launch “The Samuel Alito’s Mom’s Satanic Abortion Clinic," named in honor of someone whose lack of options in 1950 forced the rest of us to pay the price.

This isn’t just for the headlines, though. Unlike most other clinics, this one is founded on a basis of religious belief. If this virtual clinic succeeds, then The Satanic Temple hopes to replicate it in other states that are not as welcoming of abortion by taking advantage of laws permitting religious exemptions.


In one of the more disturbing sermons I’ve heard in a while from a Christian hate-preacher, Jason Graber claimed gay men were “AIDS dispensers” and that “no f****t should be able to breathe air.”

Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Christian hate-preacher Jason Graber delivered a vile homophobic sermon in which he said gay men were “AIDS dispensers” and that “no f****t should be able to breathe air.” More details and context: friendlyatheist.substack.com/p/christian-ha…
3:10 PM ∙ Feb 2, 2023
33Likes9Retweets

He did this in the name of Jesus, naturally.


You may have heard that the National Prayer Breakfast—a conservative Christian event that routinely draws members of Congress and the president—is no longer connected to “The Family,” the shadowy group made famous by journalist Jeff Sharlet and a Netflix series. But that’s a cosmetic change at best, says Chrissy Stroop:

Media outlet TYT (which has broken much of the news about the National Prayer Breakfast in recent years) reported last week that the Fellowship Foundation will no longer run the event.

Instead, it will be organised by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation, a legally distinct entity (though it has been reported that all its board members have close ties to the Family)…


We're safer with drag queens running this place than with people like him.

Twitter avatar for @RightWingWatch
Right Wing Watch @RightWingWatch
Former Arkansas state senator and founder of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers Jason Rapert declares that Christians "must take authority" over government: "Do you think that America is gonna be free with a bunch of drag queens running this place?"
4:10 PM ∙ Feb 2, 2023
36Likes15Retweets

Remember, kids: Whenever you give the middle finger to the Catholic Church, you’re just sending a message that honesty matters. (The tweet was quickly deleted.)

Twitter avatar for @Pontifex
Pope Francis @Pontifex
The third finger, which is higher than the others, reminds us of something essential: honesty. To be honest means not getting entangled in the snares of corruption.
2:52 PM ∙ Feb 2, 2023
1,859Likes344Retweets

I can’t tell if I’m more offended by this clip as an atheist or a vegetarian:

Twitter avatar for @ChristnNitemare
Christian Nightmares @ChristnNitemare
Pastor Ed Young thought this was a good idea…
7:51 PM ∙ Jan 31, 2023
619Likes36Retweets

This week in red-pilled atheists:

Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Gonna go out on a limb here and say... I have my doubts.
2:35 AM ∙ Jan 29, 2023
95Likes1Retweet
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Dave Silverman has a hot take on the recent harassment scandal involving an atheist podcaster.
4:03 AM ∙ Feb 3, 2023
31Likes3Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Ranking med schools by weighting GPA and MCAT scores over many other (arguably more relevant) qualities is a pathetic way to assess how good their doctors will be. Good for those schools for opting out of the US News rankings. https://t.co/kCe0Jwea7d
Twitter avatar for @LKrauss1
Lawrence M. Krauss @LKrauss1
Medical Schools in US now prefer to be judged on the identity of their students, rather than on their academic quality. This may not bode well for the next generation of doctors.. and patients. https://t.co/CEnUHL1NXe
8:15 PM ∙ Jan 30, 2023
44Likes6Retweets

Fundamentalist Christian grandmother Lori Alexander, a.k.a. The Transformed Wife, told a story that seems too perfect to be true… while trashing women who haven’t made the same choices as her:

Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
... and that professor's name? Einstein.
9:49 PM ∙ Jan 29, 2023
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Nothing screams religious toxicity like telling people how wonderful it was when people remained in broken marriages because they couldn't afford to leave.
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9:16 PM ∙ Jan 28, 2023
919Likes159Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Do you love your jobs, ladies? Do you feel fulfilled? WHY DO YOU HATE JESUS.
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3:52 PM ∙ Jan 31, 2023
224Likes23Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
I have single friends in their 30s and 40s who had abortions and they’re now living wonderful, happy, fulfilling lives.
Twitter avatar for @godlywomanhood
The Transformed Wife 🦋 @godlywomanhood
She’s 64, my age, and told me she never wanted children because of overpopulation and not polluting the earth. She admitted she’s now lonely and growing old alone. Young women, choose a different path than what feminism is forcing upon you.
1:07 AM ∙ Feb 3, 2023
160Likes10Retweets

And now for your weekly dose of fundie insanity and right-wing preaching:

Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley says a woman should have no say in how many kids she has. "How effeminate is that, to let your wife tell you when she's gonna have kids or not?"
4:57 PM ∙ Jan 30, 2023
354Likes67Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley lashed out at independent thinkers and "fat ugly cat women" who won't "obey anyone." Somehow, there's a Miley Cyrus impression in the middle of it.
2:40 AM ∙ Feb 1, 2023
121Likes29Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
I won Greg Locke Bingo with one tweet.
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12:45 AM ∙ Jan 28, 2023
217Likes13Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Creationist Matt Powell is leaving the compound of Creationist Kent Hovind, and they both *really* want you to know Hovind isn't running a Christian cult.
2:21 AM ∙ Jan 29, 2023
157Likes9Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Christian "prophet" Robin Bullock said today that Heaven only recognizes Donald Trump as president. Then he mocked trans people: "Looks like they bought their wig at a dollar store."
1:31 AM ∙ Jan 30, 2023
156Likes26Retweets
Twitter avatar for @hemantmehta
Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Six months ago, Christian preacher Hank Kunneman said he needed to raise $2,400,000 to build his new church. Today, his wife Brenda said they needed $16,228,114.
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Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta
Christian preacher Hank Kunneman had a dream. And that dream, he explained this morning, was to quickly raise $2,400,000. "If you think that's a lot of money, it isn't for me, and it isn't for God," he said to the people whose money he craves. https://t.co/kaEELy4ExP
1:26 AM ∙ Jan 30, 2023
98Likes19Retweets
Twitter avatar for @ChristnNitemare
Christian Nightmares @ChristnNitemare
It looks like pastor Greg Locke is finally coming out! Good for him.
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5:07 PM ∙ Jan 31, 2023
575Likes39Retweets

This week in Atheist Bible Study? Deuteronomy 3: Moses is still recounting the Israelites' journey, but just to spice things up, he's now going to remind everyone of the time they killed a giant.


I spoke with my co-host Jessica Greiff about many of the stories in this newsletter during this week’s podcast:


Finally, who are the gay couples who invite Christians like Mark Driscoll to their weddings…?

Twitter avatar for @ChristnNitemare
Christian Nightmares @ChristnNitemare
Pastor Mark Driscoll says Christians shouldn't attend gay weddings, compares them to strip clubs and drug dens... h/t @newvangelicals
4:36 PM ∙ Feb 2, 2023
158Likes21Retweets

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WEEK IN REVIEW: Montana vs. Scientific Theories

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WEEK IN REVIEW: Montana vs. Scientific Theories

www.friendlyatheist.com
jomicur
Writes jomicur’s Substack
Feb 3

Dear Papa Francis doesn't have a thing to worry about. I've been giving the Catholic church a lot worse than the middle finger for years.

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Black Hole mourner
Feb 4

"Fat ugly cat women" who won't "obey anyone"

No thank you, I am a dog person.

By the way, there is a Shelley way more famous than you and you will never have the talent of Boris Karloff.

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