https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMAMR_cuKpg
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
John Fugelsang on weaponized religion fueling Christian nationalism | Freethought Radio: In Studio
FFRF Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker introduce highlights from actor and comedian John Fugelsang's speech at the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s annual convention. Fugelsang offers some hilarious yet important reflections on the rise of Christian nationalism in America and how many believers have misused the Bible for political power.
- Watch John Fugelsang's full speech: John Fugelsang: Separation of Church and Hate
- Learn more about the Freedom From Religion Foundation at https://ffrf.org/
Interview:
New Year’s Eve concert is latest cancellation at the Kennedy Center - The Washington Post
"I would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name (and being controlled by the kind of board) that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture," he said…
Israel to ban dozens of aid agencies from Gaza as 10 nations warn about suffering
Failure of groups including MSF and ActionAid to hand over staff details means they will not be able to operate in Gaza, say Israeli officials…
Court orders Vought to keep CFPB funded while case is underway - POLITICO
The order from a DC District Court judge also casts doubt on the Trump administration's efforts to shutter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau…
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/30/vought-cfpb-funding-order-00707866
Putin’s war in Ukraine is crushing Russian society and forcing it to conform - The Washington Post
"I would never have signed a contract if I'd known what it's like out there. Our television is lying to us," said Fyodor, a young soldier from Siberia. Like others in this article, The Washington Post is not identifying him by his full name to protect him from any repercussions for criticizing the war... 
How Social Security has gotten worse under Trump - The Washington Post
Customer service deteriorated by key measures as the agency enacted sweeping cuts in Trump's second term, internal data and interviews show...
This is why Christian homeschooling hurts children
In an essay for the New York Times, Stefan Merrill Block, author of the memoir “Homeschooled,” wrote about why religious homeschooling can be a problem, and how conservative Christians are preventing states from fixing them.
This is a jaw-dropping look at why so many people are concerned about isolation and indoctrination.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHCmHw_nReI
History Minute (068): What to do with the land confiscated from Confederate plantations?
As Zinn explains, it was apparent to many that after the Civil War, freed enslaved people would need land. They would need to work their own land rather than that of other people in order to live independently and have status in society.
One Black person in 1863 wrote that “if the strict law of right and justice is to be observed, the country around me is the entailed inheritance of the Americans of African descent, purchased by the invaluable labor of our ancestors, through a life of tears and groans, under the lash and yoke of tyranny.”
Instead, however, the plantations that were abandoned during the Civil War were leased to the people who used to plant them, and to white men of the North. Rather than being landowners, many found themselves not much better off, as reported in a Black-owned newspaper that "The slaves were made serfs and chained to the soil. . . . Such was the boasted freedom acquired by the colored man at the hands of the Yankee."
Lincoln and the Congress compounded this problem with their policy that land that had been confiscated under the Confiscation Act of July 1862 would be returned to the heirs of the Confederate owners to compensate them for their financial loss. In response, a Black physician spoke at a meeting in Boston and said: "Why talk about compensating masters? Compensate them for what? What do you owe them? What does the slave owe them? What does society owe them? Compensate the master? . . . It is the slave who ought to be compensated. The property of the South is by right the property of the slave. . . ."
Read more!
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn
Get your copy — Support your local bookstores by shopping Bookshop.org — https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-people-s-history-of-the-united-states-1492-to-present-revised-and-updated-edition-howard-zinn/7e243f9bc6464a2e?ean=9780062397348&next=t
— or —
find it at Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states/id1046889377
LIVE DEBATE [God is Imaginary] 11-17-2025 | DZ Debates
YOUR god is fiction....mine is rock solid.
TIMESTAMPS
TIMESTAMPS
- 9:05 Jon - Troll
- 15:19 helpmebro - Troll
- 20:16 Christopher- Seventh-Day Adventist; When caller asked about the test of the bloody sheet (Deuteronomy 22) at his church, he was excommunicated
- 27:07 Trinitarian Christian - Whine
- xv29:35 Dirk - DNA is an organic crystal; The Sun is sentient
- 35:25 Darren - Discussion of abiogenesis, how planets formed, and evolution
- 51:35 living in the moment - Troll
- 52:44 FinyDays - Caller ends up quickly dropping
- 1:01:35 MAGAMIND - Can we get something from nothing? Early Biblical manuscripts and how they have been edited; Zachariah 9
- 1:27:00 McKenna - Deconstructing; Did Jesus fulfill any Messianic prophecies? John 19 and Psalm 69; Justin recommends the “Jewish Annotated New Testament”
- 1:50:03 Jacob - Did the Hebrew Bible see women as property? Women vs men as slaves;
- 2:08:55 (Jacob) - What prophecies did Jesus fulfill? Isaiah and the suffering servant; Is slavery chill?
- 2:28:07 (Jacob) - Was Jesus God? God and logical contradictions; Ezekiel 28 and the Divine Council; Prophecies
- 2:49:40 (Jacob) - Who were New Testament eye witnesses? Who were the Gospel authors?
- 3:20:15 galaxy - Jesus tell lies about the Hebrew Bible by saying non-prophecies are prophecies; Inconsistencies in the Gospels
- 3:42:55 Superchats and wrap-up
Interview:
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Gen Z men are turning on Trump. But not equally. | Vox
That causation is still unclear, he said. But, he was clear that there does seem to be an accelerating divide by age. At least when it comes to views of Trump, he said, "there's still a sense of shock at the pace at which events are happening," that is hitting the youngest cohort differently than an older, more-jaded cohort that has seen a Trump presidency before. It would then make sense that the younger cohort that swung to him would swing away more aggressively. "Odds are they were not aware of just how unstable everything felt during that first administration," he said. "So they would feel buyer's remorse."…
Americans are waking up. A grand reckoning awaits us
America's so-called "leadership class" is a sham. Most of them do not care a whit for the rest of the US. They are out for themselves.
…It's likely to get worse in 2026 as Trump and his sycophants, and many of America's "leaders", realize 2026 may be their last unrestrained year to inflict damage and siphon off the spoils.
But the nightmare has awakened much of the US to the truth about what has happened to this country – and what we must do to get it back on the track toward social justice, democracy and widespread prosperity.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/29/american-reckoning
Why the Supreme Court Is Giving ICE So Much Power - The Atlantic
Nothing drives the point home more than the case of a CBP commander, Gregory Bovino. U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis found that he had lied to the court about whether he had used excessive force against protesters in Chicago. Was he dismissed or disciplined? Neither; he went on to lead another immigration sweep, this time in New Orleans...
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/ice-scotus-impunity/685298/
There’s a 92 Percent Chance Trump Is Making It Up - The Atlantic
When riffing, the president exhibits an unusual tell...
FBI deploys more resources to ‘dismantle fraud schemes’ in Minnesota
Asked about her support of the Meals Act, a bill that changed school meal reimbursement rules during the pandemic and has been connected to systems of fraud, Omar told Fox News Digital, it has not contributed to the fraud and "it did help feed kids"…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/28/fbi-minnesota-fraud-schemes-somalia
Bankruptcies hit 15-year high in 2025 as tariffs roiled corporate America - The Washington Post
But in a shift from previous years, the rise in filings is most apparent among industrials — companies tied to manufacturing, construction and transportation. The sector has been hit hard by President Donald Trump's ever-fluid tariff policies — which he's long insisted would revive American manufacturing. The manufacturing sector lost more than 70,000 jobs in the one-year period ending in November, federal data shows…
The Trump administration's plan to close a 'huge loophole' in legal immigration - POLITICO
The effort represents the latest attempt by the Trump administration to curtail immigration and meet its ambitious annual deportation goal…
Trump aides’ official religious messages for Christmas draw objections - The Washington Post
Just before 9 a.m. on Christmas Day, for example, Harmeet K. Dhillon, head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, posted a message on X wishing "Christians nationwide" a happy holiday "celebrating the birth of Jesus!"
In the post was a video more than a minute long in which Dhillon said the department uses the principle of "religious liberty" and the First Amendment on "a daily basis to protect Christians." She did not mention protecting other religions.
About two hours later, DHS's official account posted on X that "we are blessed to share a nation and a Savior." A video in the post began with text that said, "Remember the miracle of Christ's birth," followed by 90 seconds of religious images, including Jesus, Mary and a manger, as well as several of Trump.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/12/26/trump-officials-religious-christmas-messages/
Justice Department says Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect believed election conspiracy theories - POLITICO
A Virginia man arrested earlier this month repeatedly cited conspiracy theories about the 2020 election when he confessed to placing pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican National Committees on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a Department of Justice filing…— the DOJ said suspect Brian Cole Jr. told investigators he "was going to a protest in support of [then President] Trump" on the day of the attack…
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/28/pipe-bomb-justice-department-jan-6-suspect-00707242
Trump admin doles out billions for rural health - POLITICO
And even fans of the program stress that it won't come close to making up for the deep cuts to Medicaid that states are bracing for in 2026...
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/29/trump-admin-doles-out-billions-for-rural-health-00707332
Zelensky asked for lengthy security guarantees in meeting with Trump - The Washington Post
Russian allegations of an attack on one of Putin's residences, denied by Ukraine, injected new uncertainty into U.S.-sponsored peace talks... 
Trump and Netanyahu meet amid conflicting Iranian signals on missiles - The Washington Post
The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu will focus prominently on Iran's ballistic missile program. Reports of recent tests raised questions about Iran's intentions... 
Nancy Pelosi predicts Democrats will retake US House in 2026 midterms
"Right now, Republicans in the Congress have abolished the Congress," said Pelosi, who was US House speaker from 2007 to 2011 and 2019 to 2023. Generally, Pelosi added: "They just do what the president insists that they do. That will be over.
"That ends as soon as we have the gavel."…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/nancy-pelosi-democrats-retake-house-2026-midterms
China launches live-fire drills around Taiwan simulating blockade of major ports
Taipei condemns exercise that Chinese army calls 'a stern warning against "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and external interference forces'…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/29/china-live-fire-military-drills-around-taiwan
Marjorie Taylor Greene says she was ‘naive’ for believing Trump is man of the people | Marjorie Taylor Greene | The Guardian
"I realized that I'm part of this toxic culture. I really started looking at my faith. I wanted to be more like Christ."
Grand Jury Manipulation (Andrew McCabe and Allison Gill; Unjustified podcast)
Lawyers for former CIA Chief John Brennan have written to the Chief Judge in the Southern District of Florida accusing the Justice Department of forum shopping.
The Supreme Court has ruled that Trump does not have the authority to deploy the National Guard under title 10 USC section 12406.
The Justice Department issues a memo asking assistant US Attorneys to work through the holidays to redact the Epstein files as they claim to have found a million new documents.
The White House has taken over the Justice Department communications on social media.
Plus listener questions…
Interview:
The Supreme Court has ruled that Trump does not have the authority to deploy the National Guard under title 10 USC section 12406.
The Justice Department issues a memo asking assistant US Attorneys to work through the holidays to redact the Epstein files as they claim to have found a million new documents.
The White House has taken over the Justice Department communications on social media.
Plus listener questions…
Interview:
Christian shows staggering amount of poise and honesty under pressure. (DZ Debates on YouTube)
A nice young man comes to have an honest discussion about the bible.
Interview:
History Minute (060): Black women were also heroes in the Civil War.
Zinn observes the following:
Black women aided in the war.
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn
Get your copy — Support your local bookstores by shopping Bookshop.org — https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-people-s-history-of-the-united-states-1492-to-present-revised-and-updated-edition-howard-zinn/7e243f9bc6464a2e?ean=9780062397348&next=t
— or —
find it at Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states/id1046889377
Black women aided in the war.
- Sojourner Truth, an ex-slave activist in the women’s rights movement, and Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, recruited black troops for the Union army.
- Harriet Tubman led black and white troops in raids on plantation, one of which freed 750 enslaved persons.
- Black women moved with their soldier husbands, and they and their children endured many of the same hardships of war as the soldiers themselves did.
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn
Get your copy — Support your local bookstores by shopping Bookshop.org — https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-people-s-history-of-the-united-states-1492-to-present-revised-and-updated-edition-howard-zinn/7e243f9bc6464a2e?ean=9780062397348&next=t
— or —
find it at Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states/id1046889377
Monday, December 29, 2025
Clergy abuse survivors frustrated by New Orleans archdiocese’s protracted bankruptcy
"The more you delve into the financial crimes, the sex crimes, priests breaking their vows," Adams told the National Catholic Reporter, "it's caused me to question if I'm in the right church. My son's baptismal certificate was signed by two priests; both are now in prison for sex crimes.
"If I genuinely believe that the true presence of Christ is in the Eucharist and the sacraments given to us by Jesus, there's no place else to go. That doesn't make going into church any easier. My great-grandmother was a daily communicant. I think her words would be 'Put your faith in Christ and in the Eucharist, and not church leaders who have normalized deception and abuse.' I remain hopeful that my love for God and his church is greater than the pain and anger caused by his priests and bishops."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/28/new-orleans-archdiocese-bankruptcy-abuse-settlement
More than 20% of videos shown to new YouTube users are ‘AI slop’, study finds
Low-quality AI-generated content is now saturating social media – and generating about $117m a year, data shows…
Trump’s Tariff Backfire: Canada Officially Cuts Off Cheap Aluminum Supply to the U.S.
In this video, renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs breaks down the catastrophic economic fallout as Canada officially pivots its aluminum supply chains away from the United States. President Trump's aggressive tariff policies have triggered a historic trade war, resulting in a massive backfire that is now cutting off American industries from their primary source of cheap aluminum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqebUIOhTXo
LIVE DEBATE [God is Imaginary] 11-10-2025 | DZ Debates
YOUR god is fiction....mine is rock solid.
TIMESTAMPS
TIMESTAMPS
- 8:57 Ulrich - Some audio issues; Was it good for God to unalive the Amalekite babies? What parts of the Bible are laws?
- 30:20 (Ulrich) - Does Hell have levels? Does God have male genitals?
- 54:25 Bool - The missing Hanson brother
- 1:01:15 chrismo - Historical literature (like The Iliad) vs the Bible in historical accuracy
- 1:14:50 (chrismo) - Does Daniel mention Jesus? Caller refuses to answer where Daniel mentions “the Lamb” and turns into a reading session
- 2:12:00 Michael - Believing in God is less of a risk than not; Caller loses signal
- 2:30:28 Eileen - Agnostic ; Grew up around several faiths; Prayer vs the chances of something happening without influence; Friendly call
- 2:51:50 Baltachi89 - God is a “structure”; Do objective morals exist?
- 3:25:25 Al khumuti - Was the destruction of Tyre a fulfilled prophecy?
- 3:44:34 Nick - What extrabiblical sources verify the miracles of Jesus? Was Jesus a king and did he rescue the Jews from their enemies?
- 4:08:25 (Nick) - Was Jesus the messiah?
- 4:27:25 (Nick) - Supernatural claims in other books vs the claims of the Bible; Is all of the Bible true?
- 5:03:30 (Nick) - Who wrote the Gospels and are they reliable?
- 5:32:30 Superchats and wrap-up
History Minute (064): More about slaves fighting slavery.
Quoting Zinn:
"Robert Smalls (later a South Carolina Congressman) and other blacks took over a steamship, The Planter, and sailed it past the Confederate guns to deliver it to the Union navy."
Excerpt From
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn
Get your copy — Support your local bookstores by shopping Bookshop.org —
 | |
— or —
find it at Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states/id1046889377
Sunday, December 28, 2025
Republican behind Epstein files act responds to Trump ‘lowlife’ taunt
Kentucky's Thomas Massie used the president's insult to raise funds to run against a Trump-endorsed candidate…
Conservative and Christian? US right champions psychedelic drugs
"The psychedelic renaissance is three things: capitalized, conservative and Christian," Jamie Wheal, author of Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex, and Death in a World That's Lost Its Mind, wrote earlier this year in an article titled Make America Hallucinate Again. "The tactical decision to make military veterans the face of [the psychedelic reform] movement has now taken on a life of its own."…
How far right is infiltrating everyday culture
Extremist messaging now woven into music and YouTube videos, with one expert saying: 'You can be radicalised sitting on your couch'…
Christian Identity (Wikipedia)
Christian Identity (also known as Identity Christianity) is an interpretation of Christianity which advocates the belief that only Celtic and Germanic peoples, such as the Anglo-Saxon, Nordic nations, or the Aryan race and kindred peoples, are the descendants of the ancient Israelites and are therefore God's "chosen people".
It is a racial interpretation of Christianity and is not an organized religion, nor is it affiliated with specific Christian denominations...Today it is practiced by independent individuals, independent congregations, and some prison gangs...
Venezuela, Vanity Fair, and Rob Reiner (Andrew Seidel; One Nation, Indivisible podcast Episode #044)
Andrew begins with some good news out of Oklahoma and a Christian Nationalist meltdown; he talks about Rob Reiner’s God + Country documentary and Trump’s reaction to Rob and Michele Singer Reiner’s murder.
Then, Andrew wonders about Trump and Steven Miller’s real reasons for targeting Venezuela, especially in light of recent reporting and their dabbling with the Alien Enemies Act.
Plus, the joy of the Vanity Fair article on White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and the accompanying photo spread.
- Part 1 of Vanity Fair’s masterpiece
- Reuters’ investigation of 600 employees purged post-Kirk
- WaPo reporting on Steven Miller’s wish for war with Mexico becoming a potential war with Venezuela.
Interview:
Pete Hegseth's War on Military Chaplains (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #615)
— Univ. of Oklahoma punishes instructor for failing Christian student who didn’t do the assignment. (0:55)
— Pete Hegseth is waging a pointless and damaging war on military chaplains. (19:30)
— Mayor criticized for preaching bigotry during secretly recorded speech to high school club. (45:30)
— Texas city blocks Christian pastor’s invocation after his open support for a Pride event. (1:18:40)
— Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders turned a holiday email to state employees into a Christian sermon. (1:32:20)
Interview:
— Pete Hegseth is waging a pointless and damaging war on military chaplains. (19:30)
— Mayor criticized for preaching bigotry during secretly recorded speech to high school club. (45:30)
— Texas city blocks Christian pastor’s invocation after his open support for a Pride event. (1:18:40)
— Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders turned a holiday email to state employees into a Christian sermon. (1:32:20)
Interview:
History Minute (067): The South considered enlisting Black soldiers.
As relayed by Zinn, the South did debate using freed slaves as soldiers, especially late in the war when the Confederacy became more desperate, and many came to think of the slaves as an obstacle to winning -- especially, as we reported in earlier History Minute posts, that large numbers of enslaved people were deserting their plantations and going to fight for the North. Some Southern leaders proposed freeing slaves and then enlisting them.
However, attitudes of White Supremacy prevailed, and opponents argued that "If slaves would make good soldiers, our whole theory of slavery is wrong." That is because slavery was justified for Christians as a means of bringing salvation and civilization to savages; if Black men were capable of serving in the military, how could slavery be justified? And how could the Southern rebellion be justified?
Read more!
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn
Get your copy — Support your local bookstores by shopping Bookshop.org — https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-people-s-history-of-the-united-states-1492-to-present-revised-and-updated-edition-howard-zinn/7e243f9bc6464a2e?ean=9780062397348&next=t
— or —
find it at Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-peoples-history-of-the-united-states/id1046889377
Saturday, December 27, 2025
History Minute (065): Black soldiers were vital to the success of the North.
Per Zinn:
- 200,000 blacks fought in the army and navy of the North.
- 38,000 were killed.
- Historian James McPherson observed: "Without their help, the North could not have won the war as soon as it did, and perhaps it could not have won at all."
Read More
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn
US judge blocks Trump administration from deporting UK anti-disinformation campaigner
In a statement, Ahmed said: "My life's work is to protect children from the dangers of unregulated social media and AI and fight the spread of antisemitism online. That mission has pitted me against big tech executives – and Elon Musk in particular – multiple times… Roberta Kaplan, Ahmed's legal counsel, said: "The state department's actions here are unjustified and blatantly unconstitutional."…
Nursing homes face safety risks as RN rule is repealed
This repeal is a dangerous one. And it should make every family pay closer attention. Even if the federal government no longer is.…
The great unchurching of America
The U.S. is undergoing its fastest religious shift in modern history, marked by a rapid increase in the religiously unaffiliated and numerous church closures nationwide…
Why has Trump ordered strikes in Nigeria and what has it got to do with the persecution of Christians?
Parts of the US right have for years been amplifying claims that Christians face violence in Nigeria, a notion the US president has helped to encourage…
How an ex-US Marine became vital in the fight against Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement
"I hope that people have learned that this administration, this president, mean what they say, even it if sounds absurd or anti-American or anti-democratic. They mean it. I absolutely think that this president wants to remain in power much longer, for as long as he can."
She adds: "My fear is that this is all a lead-up to potential use of the guard or the US military around the next election cycle. I'm not just dreaming about that. It's because it's been spoken about by very senior members of this administration and the president himself. That is incredibly alarming. It is not American to conduct elections with troops in the streets and to intimidate voters. It's very authoritarian."…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/26/janessa-goldbeck-vet-voice-foundation-trump
Is Donald Trump Really A Fascist (Find Out podcast on YouTube)
Today we talk about fascism really means, and how Trump’s rhetoric, governing style, and political movement compare to historical and modern examples. From attacks on democratic institutions and the press to strongman politics and loyalty tests, we separate analysis from outrage and ask what actually matters as Americans head into another high-stakes election cycle.
We also have some fun with the humiliating boxing matches for both Andrew Tate and Jake Paul over the weekend.
Interview:
We also have some fun with the humiliating boxing matches for both Andrew Tate and Jake Paul over the weekend.
Interview:
Nativity Nonsense! (with Dr. Aaron Adair) (Seth Andrews; The Thinking Atheist podcast on YouTube)
Physicist and author Dr. Aaron Adair talks about just some of the many problems with the biblical nativity story. 
- Dr. Adair's book at Bookshop.org, where your purchase supports your local bookstore: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-star-of-bethlehem-a-skeptical-view-aaron-adair/c09df8441d123c59?ean=9780956694867&next=t
Interview:
US voters linking climate crisis to rising bills despite Trump’s ‘green scam’ claims
New polling shows 65% of registered US voters believe global heating is affecting cost of living…
History Minute (066): Treatment of Black Soldiers in the North's army during the Civil War
Quoting Zinn:
Late in the war, a black sergeant of the Third South Carolina Volunteers, William Walker, marched his company to his captain’s tent and ordered them to stack arms and resign from the army as a protest against what he considered a breach of contract, because of unequal pay. He was court-martialed and shot for mutiny. Finally, in June 1864, Congress passed a law granting equal pay to Negro soldiers.
Excerpt From
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn
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