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.

Nothing says "holiday spirit" quite like Christian leaders panicking over a goth-themed Christmas market, and their dramatic meltdown is far more entertaining than anything on the vendor tables.

From there, we look at an Oklahoma student stunned that her Bible-based gender essay didn't pass a psychology assignment, the Vatican's latest attempt to police monogamy, and a disturbing story out of South Africa where a pastor's self-appointed authority went far beyond anything resembling justice. Back in Utah, Sweet Salt—an LDS modest-fashion clothing store—is shutting down, and in Austria, three elderly nuns have staged a bold return to their abbey with the help of an unexpectedly large Instagram following.

In our closing segment, Dan shares a thoughtful and deeply personal reflection on the recent passing of his mother—an honest conversation about compassion, autonomy, and the realities families face.

The Epstein files have finally started to drip out, and the early reactions are already something to behold. This week, Frank and Dan wade into the bizarre rhetorical contortions spilling out of the right-wing media sphere—from Megyn Kelly's head-scratching attempt to "reframe" things to the Catholic League charging in with one of the most offensive defenses imaginable.

We also look at Catholic clergy in Chicago suing ICE for blocking access to detained migrants, and the Vatican's "generous" decision to return 62 Indigenous artifacts to First Nations communities in Canada. Meanwhile, Ken Paxton is threatening schools that won't put the Ten Commandments in every classroom, and the UK Supreme Court finally calls out mandatory religious education in Northern Ireland schools for what it is: Christian indoctrination.

To close things out, we talk about gratitude and how atheists can navigate Thanksgiving without a divine recipient of their thankfulness.

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SCOTUS just delivered a win for marriage equality. After nearly a decade of appeals, lawsuits, and national drama, the Supreme Court has officially declined to hear Kim Davis' case challenging gay marriage… leaving the original ruling in place and the former county clerk on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars. What does this mean for gay marriage going forward? We break it all down.

This week's episode dives into the biggest religion-and-politics stories making headlines:

• SCOTUS rejects Kim Davis • Marriage equality remains intact
• U.S. Catholic Bishops elect a far-right "culture warrior" to lead the conference
• Transgender Air Force veterans sue the military after losing retirement benefits
• HVAC tech sues employer for forcing him to work with women (Billy Graham Rule meltdown)
• Pastors running as Democrats in 2026 races
• The UK is building a 168-foot monument to "answered prayers" (and it's… actually cool?)
• Plus, this year's Holiday Survival Guide for atheists navigating religious family gatherings.

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A Catholic school in Pennsylvania put the words "Arbeit Macht Frei"—the infamous phrase from the Auschwitz gate—on the back of its Halloween float. Frank and Dan try to understand how something this shocking made it through so many adults without anyone realizing what it meant, and what it says about religious education and historical ignorance.

Also this week: a "family values" lawmaker caught up in the Ashley Madison data leak, ICE detains an Episcopal priest who's legally in the U.S., and the Pope shuts down the "Mary as co-redemptrix" movement. Plus, Bangladesh clerics push to ban music in schools, and churches fail a TikTok test on helping hungry families.

Finally, the guys talk about the outrage over New York City's new Muslim mayor, why so many people equate "Muslim" with "terrorist," and what that says about the fear that still drives American religion.

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Christian nationalism, hypocrisy, and pepper-sprayed pastors—oh my! Frank and Dan start in Oklahoma, where LGBTQ+ kids are literally breathing easier now that hateful school superintendent Ryan Walters is gone. Then it's on to a Pentecostal whistleblower who got fired for exposing his bishop's embezzlement, Trump's latest delusional threat to invade Nigeria, and Texas judges who just got the green light to refuse gay weddings. We also check in on America's most eyeliner-forward vice-president, J.D. Vance, and learn how Florida's school-voucher crusade is accidentally funding Muslim schools (cue the outrage!).

Finally, Frank and Dan dig into an unexpected question: why do clergy still carry moral weight in public protests—and could atheists ever have an equivalent?

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Dan welcomes guest host Kate while Frank escapes to paradise (again!). Together they discuss new revelations about creep-o Warren Jeffs and how he forced his wives to satisfy his kinks... but you know: for the lord.

This week:

• Gen Z "Revival" – Overhyped college baptisms; mostly young men clinging to old-school patriarchy.
• Pew Poll – More Americans think religion's power is rising; hosts say it's just the fringe.
• Kenya Wine Scandal – Communion wine sold in bars, church locks down supply.
• Ted Cruz & Nigeria – Cruz invents a "Christian genocide" for political points.
• King Charles & the Pope – First joint prayer in 400 years; royal-religious absurdity ensues.
• Megachurch Wealth – Pastors justify riches as God's favor, expose on greed and guilt-shaming.

And of course, God's secret commandment to Warren Jeffs.

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Trump's been thinking about eternity, and apparently he's not so sure he's getting into heaven. This week, Frank and Dan unpack the world's most unexpected crisis of conscience as Trump ponders his afterlife prospects and MAGA faithful insist he's still God's chosen one.

Also this week: an atheist in South Carolina is barred from working the polls for refusing to say "so help me God," Oklahoma schools finally ditch their Bible mandate after Ryan Walters' departure, and a Massachusetts town drops plans for $1.7 million worth of angel statues for police and firefighters. Across the pond, a British court rules that burning a Quran is protected free speech, and the Anglican Communion faces a potential schism over appointing a woman as Archbishop.

Then, in the final segment, the guys dive into a new "children's Bible" project, and the question of whether any version of the Bible is fit for kids. (Spoiler: probably not.)

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A Texas pastor has a divine recruitment strategy—he's telling Christians to "Join ICE for Jesus." We unpack his unholy mix of nationalism, cruelty, and theology while trying to keep their blood pressure in check.

Also in this episode: • A preacher blames the wrong calendar for the rapture's no-show • Mormons raise nearly $400K for a shooter's family • Catholic preschools lose their anti-LGBTQ discrimination case • Florida high school gets "Witchy Wednesday" backlash • The ELCA names its first Black presiding bishop

Then, we face off over a big question: Should atheists be anti-theists—or can religion still have a place in a secular world?

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Trump's latest executive memo takes aim at "anti-Christian" Americans—and somehow that includes us and most of our listeners! Yep, under his new NSPM-7 directive, atheists officially make the terrorist watchlist.

This week, Frank and Dan dig into what the memo actually says, why it's terrifying (and absurd), and what it means for anyone who's not worshipping at the altar of Trump.

Plus: The death of LDS prophet Russell M. Nelson at 101, a new female Archbishop of Canterbury, Malaysia says you can't quit Islam once you've joined, a Texas megachurch pastor gets a shockingly light sentence, a Nepal crowns a two-year-old living goddess, and the Vatican's Swiss Guard loses its beloved clown suits.

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