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In the days since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during a football game and had to be taken to a hospital in Cincinnati, some people have used his near-fatal injury as a vessel to spread their particular flavor of Christianity.

That included ESPN football analyst Dan Orlovsky, who delivered Christian prayers on TV on behalf of Damar Hamlin rather than useful analysis.

Whatfinger @Whatfinger1

Watch as #ESPN's Dan Orlovsky stops all commentary on NFL Live to offer a prayer for Damar Hamlin live on-air.

Orlovsky got plenty of praise for that stunt but that’s the sort of act that should’ve happened off the clock. There’s no benefit to viewers for watching a football analyst shove his religion in the face of viewers—and if you believe I’m overreacting, just ask yourself how that act would have played with a non-Christian commentator.

The content of the prayer didn’t help either. At one point, he said, “Some things are unanswerable,” sounding more like an NFL public relations staffer than an analyst who could use his huge platform to call out possible league decisions that lead to more injuries on the field.

As always, I appreciate your support through Patreon and Substack, which allows me to write articles like this one.

In a move that's both long overdue and shocking, the government of Norway has rescinded the "religious community" status of the Jehovah's Witnesses. While that move won't ban members of the religion from gathering or practicing their faith, it will prevent the JWs from receiving taxpayer-funded subsidies and performing legal marriages.

The main reason for this has to do with the JW practice of Disfellowshipping, where Witnesses who leave the religion are effectively excommunicated from the flock and members are told not to have any interactions with them. That, to the Norwegian government, is a violation of the “right to free withdrawal” from religion, and why the group need to be sanctioned.

The group’s leaders are furious and say they’ll appeal the decision.

Still, this is a huge blow to the Witnesses and a long overdue punishment for a group that wanted to have its cake and eat it too.

An art history professor at Hamline University in Minnesota was fired after showing students an ancient depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in class. The dismissal came after a Muslim student complained to administrators that the act was offensive and disrespectful; those school officials eventually agreed.

But unlike the purposely blasphemous images that are intended to cause a rise, this art was created by Muslim scholars, in a devotional way, at a time when there wasn’t an Islamic taboo against it. Furthermore, the (unnamed) professor explained all this in advance, told students he was going to show them the artwork, and made clear that anyone uncomfortable with that could skip that class without punishment.

Art History professor fired for using ancient paintings of Muhammad in class | Professor in a college classroom

The professor did everything he could have possibly done to warn students about what they were about to see and why he was doing it.

And yet a student who also happened to be president of the school’s Muslim Student Association complained anyway, arguing that the professor disrespected her. It was an unreasonable complaint from an unserious student.

But the professor lost his job anyway. The question now is whether the backlash will lead to a reversal from the university.

After a bizarre set of twists and turns in the Pennsylvania legislature, a place where House Democrats have a theoretical majority but enough vacancies to put them in a functional minority, State Representative Mark Rozzi, a self-identified “freethinker,” has become the surprise pick for Speaker of the State House.

Mark Rozzi, the new speaker of the Pennsylvania House, is a 'freethinker' | Mark Rozzi speaks to CNN in 2018

He made a name for himself fighting on behalf of child sex abuse victims, in part because he himself was a victim of sexual assault by a Catholic priest when he was 13. One of the pledges he has made is creating a retroactive two-year window for past victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue their abusers if they’re currently timed out of the legal system due to a statute of limitations. He may soon turn that into a constitutional amendment while serving as Speaker.

Mark Rozzi, in my estimation, is now the most powerful openly non-religious politician in the country.

Speaking of which, the 118th congress (if it’s ever sworn in) is as religiously diverse as ever... which isn't saying much. But, for the first time, there's finally a "Humanist" in the mix. Over 20 members have no faith label (or didn't respond). 99% of Republicans in Congress are Christian. (Of the rest, two are Jewish and one is "Jew-ish.")

Most importantly, people who are religiously unaffiliated represent 29% of the American population, but only 0.4% of Congress. (That's two members.)

My analysis of the latest Pew Research survey of religious labels in Congress.

Kirk Cameron is still spreading lies to publicize his new book, with his latest attempt at relevance taking place at the Indianapolis Public Library.

Kirk Cameron is still telling lies to boost sales of his new Christian book | Kirk Cameron loves playing the victim

I mentioned last month that Cameron, the Christian evangelist and former TV star, was claiming libraries were censoring him despite welcoming drag queens and hosting LGBTQ-friendly events.

Last week, however, his team went ahead and rented space from the Indianapolis Public Library to host their own event. Cameron’s publisher Brave Books put the attendance number at “over 2,500” while FOX said it was “the biggest crowd the library had seen in 137 years.”

All of that was debunked by… the Indianapolis Public Library. (Kirk Cameron just got owned by a library!)

Indianapolis Public Library @indylibrary

We are being inaccurately portrayed in news/social after a room rental yesterday. Our estimated door count during the event is around 750, not 2500. We've had larger events. We turn 150 yrs old in 2023. And our auditorium, which our guests chose not to rent, holds 300, not 2000.

If Christian parents want to see courage and morality and excellent storytelling in one place, maybe they should come to a Drag Queen Story Hour next time.

Defying common sense and decency, New York Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have expanded treatment options for secular people struggling with substance abuse and addiction.

NY Governor vetoes bill bolstering secular addiction treatment programs | Kathy Hochul vetoed a sensible bill to help those seeking addiction treatment

Her explanation didn’t clarify anything. Hochul claimed signing this bill into law would allow other people in other situations to claim some sort of religious right to avoid other court mandates… even though this bill wouldn’t allow atheists to avoid anything.

American Atheists said it would work with Assembly Member Harvey Epstein to introduce a similar bill in the next legislative session. That is, if there’s a way to address Hochul’s non-existent problem.

I appreciate how Sarah Levin of Secular Strategies put it: “The governor’s veto message… fails to recognize that a constitutional right is a right in name only if not enforced by our justice system.”

Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke proved yet again that he cares more about trashing liberals than acknowledging truth, defending Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer best known for spreading misogyny and alpha male arrogance online.

Hate-preacher falsely claims Andrew Tate was arrested for denying climate change | Andrew Tate was arrested for alleged human trafficking despite what Greg Locke said on Twitter

After Tate was arrested for alleged sex trafficking, shortly after getting dunked on, on Twitter, by climate activist Greta Thunberg, Locke chimed in to assume his arrest had to do with the Twitter beef and not the obviously more important allegations.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke spent years pretending political and cultural “elites” (i.e. Democrats) were involved in sex trafficking and yet…

Incidentally, Locke lost his latest YouTube channel, which shouldn’t be surprising given that he was violating the site’s rules by creating a new one after his previous channel was banned.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke has *once again* had his YouTube channel suspended. He had already violated their ToS by setting up a new channel after his previous one was banned. (via @JGrimmJr1)

Congressman Jamie Raskin released a statement revealing his diagnosis of “Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, which is a serious but curable form of cancer.” It’s a devastating blow for one of the most admirable members of Congress.

Rep. Jamie Raskin announces cancer diagnosis without any mention of God | Unlike other members of Congress who have had similar diagnoses, Jamie Raskin didn't reference a higher power in his statement

In his announcement, I was amazed by how Raskin spoke about the path forward. It’s not just that he was able to joke about it—it’s that he made clear that this one’s in the hands of experts. There’s not a single reference to God. I wasn’t expecting one, to be sure, but it’s striking to see the lack of God in a statement like this. Despite being devoid of religious faith, though, the ardent champion of secular government managed to be just as hopeful and inspirational.

In an essay that inspired unintentional laughter all over social media, right-wing commentator Dennis Prager expressed deep concern about how so many conservatives are no longer welcome in their kids’ homes over Christmas because of their politics.

Conservatives are upset their kids don't want to spend Christmas with them | Dennis Prager thinks we should all be obligated to spend the Christmas holidays with our conservative parents

To which I can only say… why is that surprising? If you care about LGBTQ people, civil rights, or reproductive rights—or you’re someone personally affected by those battles—you know damn well that the Republican Party opposes all of that. These aren’t differences of opinions that can be set aside or debated over dinner. These are harmful beliefs that threaten the lives of you and the people you love. Your kids will suffer more because of decisions made by their conservative grandparents. Shared blood and genes doesn’t make up for any of that.

This isn’t about political differences. Families aren’t breaking up because members have different ideas about taxes. This is about values and decency and the fact that one side revels in hurting others.

If Prager’s conservative fans want to be loved, they should try being more loving. Apparently, they have plenty of free time over the holidays to rethink their life choices, so there’s no better time to get started.

You know things are going bad for Republicans when Rep. Bob Good, a former administrator at Liberty University, celebrated Christian missionaries on the House floor, was met with silence, and had to literally ask for applause.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar

we just had a "please clap" moment from Bob Good

A group of Christians, funded by anonymous donors, said last year that they planned to spend over $100 million to shove Jesus in as many faces as humanly possible by way of TV spots, billboards, and online ads telling viewers one message about Jesus: "He Gets Us."

Nearly a year after the launch, though, the desperate attempt to promote Jesus is still failing to get a positive reception. Part of the problem is their refusal to acknowledge that most of the people who use their product aren't worth admiring.

More than anything, though, it’s their refusal to explain what their version of Jesus stands for. To me, it seems a lot like Andrew Yang’s pathetic “Forward Party,” a group with no actual policies and a desire to avoid any actual politics.

In this case, the Christians won’t say what Jesus stood for on matters of abortion, LGBTQ rights, immigration, etc. because they know taking a position on anything will alienate people. Unfortunately, they’re so afraid of alienating bigots that they won’t spend their money to make Jesus actually look good.

They never define Jesus. Instead, they say Jesus is just like us. But notice how they never say who “us” is.

I made a short video about how Lyft and Uber allow drivers to proselytize to riders (and why that shouldn't be allowed).

Humanists International has published the latest version of their annual “Freedom of Thought Report,” which details discrimination and persecution against non-religious people around the world. It’s worth your time to look through to get an idea of what actual religious oppression looks like.

Where is Christian Nationalism in the January 6 Committee’s final report?

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

A good article by @jackmjenkins about a startling omission in the Jan. 6 Committee report: Where are all the mentions of Christian Nationalism? Jesus was the glue for many insurrectionists. It's absurd to overlook that over 845 pages.

religionnews.comDespite ample evidence, Christian nationalism mostly absent from final Jan. 6 report(RNS) — Faith leaders have questioned the omission, which lawmakers have signaled is founded in caution against tarring ‘every American who believes God has blessed America’ as a white supremacist.

The short film “Debutante” is about a Jehovah's Witness "forced to reconsider her beliefs during a judicial committee hearing led by three congregation elders." I watched it a while back and I wished others could see it. It's available on demand now!

I still have questions for the 40% of people with graduate degrees who think the birth of Jesus story is historically accurate.

Ryan Burge 📊 @ryanburge

A majority of people who stopped w/a HS diploma believe that the story of Christmas is historically accurate. Just 28% believe it's just a theological story. Among those who went to grad school, 40% believe it's historically accurate. 55% say it's only a theological story.

This is a neat symbolic move: The recent Omnibus bill signed by President Biden includes support for a monument to Thomas Paine, author of "Common Sense" and an opponent of organized religion.

Weird how the “groomer” crowd has nothing to say about videos like this.

Christian Nightmares @ChristnNitemare

The 10-year-old son of conservative Christian rapper Tyson James stars in a pro-gun, anti-Biden rap video…

You’re going to want to see every image in this tweet:

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

This thread about a possible taxpayer-funded Christian school in Idaho took a WILD turn.

Remember this bizarre clip on The Jim Bakker Show?

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

End Times preacher Sharon Gilbert says that an alien imitated her husband, and then it tried to have sex with her, and then it claimed to be Xerxes, and then Jesus got involved, and then the alien turned out to be a reptile with a posse of gargoyles.

Now enjoy April Ajoy’s glorious reenactment:

April Ajoy @aprilajoyr

"Other Derek"- our reenactment of a weird clip from the Jim Bakker show. #jimbakker #christianhumor #exvangelical

This week in red-pilled atheism:

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

What exactly does he think the first Avatar was about…?

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Just a completely deranged take by someone completely overtaken by right-wing propaganda when it comes to college campuses.

Richard Dawkins @RichardDawkins

The buzz words of the campus—diversity, inclusion, microaggression, power differential, white privilege, group safety—have become the buzz words in public life. Already confusing on campus, they become noxious off campus. https://t.co/DfeCdTD1xD

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

*flips table*

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Just another normal afternoon in this hellscape.

Fundamentalist Christian grandmother Lori Alexander, a.k.a. The Transformed Wife, finally got a well-deserved surprise… when she wasn’t saying the worst things imaginable.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Hahahahaha, which one of you did this

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Gonna go out on a limb here and say there are reasons besides "feminism" that two-income households are often a necessity these days.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

She always finds new ways to blame the wife.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

If women stopped working, the roads would be safer for everybody… is one hell of a pro-homeschooling argument.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

The weirdest thing about this is that she’s responding to *nothing*

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

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley is no fan of Ted Cruz. So we have that in common.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley delivered a lengthy rant against me ("the stupid atheist that has nothing to live for") and all of you ("idiots") and atheists in general. Happy holidays, heathens.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley insists that feminine lesbians don't exist. As an example, he cites Hillary Clinton and "her partner."

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley says he's not running a "hate cult" before spreading more hate.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

The church of Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley has been cleared out following his latest eviction.

Existence¿ @Rattbattler

@StedfastK https://t.co/bUTXQVmXdW

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Steven Anderson says "some pope or other has died" and is now "in Hell." Joining him? All other popes. And Hindus. And Muslims. And Jews. Because Jesus. #HeGetsUs

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Joe Jones says churches that allow gay people inside are "putting your children at risk."

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Aaron Thompson says people should stop donating to the Salvation Army because their assistance benefits LGBTQ people. "I don't wanna provide [trans people] three nights of shelter! I want their houses broken down like God did!"

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

After going over God-inspired predictions that Trump would return to the White House in 2022, the ever-gullible Steve Shultz told his followers he believes those prophecies were real... "except for the detail of when do we see him physically in the White House."

Right Wing Watch @RightWingWatch

Pro tip for aspiring prophets: Don't put specific dates on things, like Manuel Johnson did in 2020 when he claimed that God took him to the year 2022 and showed him that Donald Trump was president. https://t.co/8LqXkLlgv1

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Scamvangelist Kenneth Copeland says he "will never have COVID of any kind" because he's a faithful Christian. (Many, many faithful Christians have died due to COVID.)

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Former Republican congresswoman Michele Bachmann spent Christmas teaching her grandkids how they'll be tortured in Hell unless they follow her religion.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Not that he cares, but atheists typically criticize God's followers, not God.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke has an urgent message for the people parking in Larry's yard.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

One year ago, Christian preacher Kent Christmas predicted that faith-healing would be so powerful in 2022 that "hospitals and clinics will become empty," AIDS will be stamped out, and "cancer is going to begin to disappear."

Right Wing Watch @RightWingWatch

It's the end of 2022. Did this happen?

Right Wing Watch @RightWingWatch

Right-wing anti-vaccine "expert" Sherri Tenpenny declares it's anticipated that "by the end of 2022, every fully vaccinated person over the age of 30 may have the equivalent of full-blown vaccine-induced immune suppressed AIDS." https://t.co/bKJo2lYuE8

Right Wing Watch @RightWingWatch

Pro tip for aspiring prophets: Don't put specific dates on things, like Manuel Johnson did in 2020 when he claimed that God took him to the year 2022 and showed him that Donald Trump was president.

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian preacher Kent Christmas says Donald Trump may have disqualified himself from being president again because... Can you guess?

Hemant Mehta @hemantmehta

Christian hate-preachers don't just hate gay people. They hate anyone who reminds them of gay people.

This week in Atheist Bible Study? Numbers 34: We need to figure out the boundaries of Canaan and assign some leaders to chop up the land and hand out parcels.

And a bonus! Numbers 35: It's time to learn about the suburbs, the sanctuary cities, and how to get away with murder.

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

Finally, who’s the threat to kids?

Dan Savage @fakedansavage

You see a lot of gay people at the gym. You never see gay people doing shit like this at the gym or anywhere else. This is what recruiting looks like.

Fifty Shades of Whey @davenewworld_2

A Christian "influencer" causes a scene at the gym to force his religion on people https://t.co/5wYagyGP3i

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