New York archdiocese finalizing $800m settlement with clergy sex abuse survivors

Agreement with more than 1,300 victims of clergy members and lay leaders would resolve long legal fight…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/24/new-york-archdiocese-800m-settlement-sexual-abuse

 

Peter Thiel slams Obama, Pope Leo in new ‘Antichrist’ lectures - POLITICO

Many people know that AI is politically unpopular and want to leverage that to boost their own popularity,” Thiel said. “Both Obama and the pope fall into this category. Obama knows the Democrats have no ideas, but they can at least oppose AI.” 

 The former president recently urged Democrats to come up with a more comprehensive plan on AI. 

Thiel was even more critical of Pope Leo XIV, suggesting his focus on AI was an attempt to divert attention from the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandals…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/08/peter-thiel-ai-obama-pope-leo-01112122

 

Iranian security forces coordinated killing, torture and sexual abuse of protesters, says Amnesty

Leaked documents and testimony reveal extent of regime’s crackdown in 2022 and how it paved the way for more brutal killings of protesters this year…

 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/sep/16/iran-killing-torture-sexual-abuse-protesters-amnesty

 

Catholic church had been alerted to Texas priest’s sexual predation for years – but dawdled before acting

Odiong was only removed by the New Orleans officials in connection with the various complaints against him when he also made comments from his pulpit dehumanizing LGBTQ+ people – mere months before his arrest by the Texas authorities who would later convict him. 

The documents afford the public its most complete look yet at exactly what church officials knew about Odiong – and when. 

Furthermore, the records raise serious questions about whether officials whose church has spent years navigating clergy abuse scandals worldwide did all they could to safeguard those whom Odiong encountered through his work...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/15/anthony-odiong-sexual-abuse-catholic-church

 

The Orthodox Jewish Agenda Behind Kars4Kids (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #636)

— The White House hosted a taxpayer-funded Christian Nationalist rally in D.C. (0:43)

— California judge bans Kars4Kids ads for hiding Orthodox Jewish agenda. (5:28)

— The GOP wanted to punish liberal arts degrees. They may destroy Christian colleges instead. (20:45)

— Christian megachurch founder Brian Houston shared adult content on social media. Again. (36:26)

— A board game forum rejected ads for “Possess Me, Satan” over fears of demonic oppression. (49:20)

— Mary Miller’s “In God We Trust” bill is Christian Nationalism in a nutshell. (1:11:18)

— USDA employees sue after Sec. Brooke Rollins promotes Christianity in official emails. (1:15:58)

— Former “ex-gay” leader Alan Chambers charged with soliciting a minor. (1:22:10)
Interview: 

• Audio only: https://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2026/05/20/the-orthodox-jewish-agenda-behind-kars4kids/
• YouTube video: https://youtu.be/c0TiKRUfO8g?si=SvKxRm-yq5eypuxE

Contents:

• 0:00 Intro 
• 0:43 The White House hosted a taxpayer-funded Christian Nationalist rally in D.C. 
• 5:28 California judge bans Kars4Kids ads for hiding Orthodox Jewish agenda. 
• 20:45 The GOP wanted to punish liberal arts degrees. They may destroy Christian colleges instead. 
• 36:26 Christian megachurch founder Brian Houston shared adult content on social media. Again. 
• 49:20 A board game forum rejected ads for “Possess Me, Satan” over fears of demonic oppression. 
• 1:11:18 Mary Miller’s “In God We Trust” bill is Christian Nationalism in a nutshell. 
• 1:15:58 USDA employees sue after Sec. Brooke Rollins promotes Christianity in official emails. 
• 1:22:10 Former "ex-gay" leader Alan Chambers charged with soliciting a minor.

Lawsuit claims home for vulnerable girls was a "house of horrors"

Allegations in the lawsuit range from unsanitary or inadequate living conditions, to improper use of restraints, to physical and sexual abuse, said Moose Scheib, one of the attorneys behind the lawsuit. 

One common tactic Vista Maria staff used, according to Scheib, was to put girls as young as 12 on unnecessary psychiatric medication, claiming they were suicidal. Then they would strip the girls of their clothes and lock them in a room, supposedly for their own protection...

 https://www.michiganpublic.org/criminal-justice-legal-system/2026-04-15/lawsuit-claims-home-for-vulnerable-girls-was-a-house-of-horrors 

Republicans blocked my amendment

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/prfGUthe7No

 

Pardoned Jan. 6 rioter gets life in prison for child abuse : NPR

Johnson is one of several pardoned Capitol riot defendants who have been arrested for new crimes since receiving clemency for their actions during the 2021 insurrection. Opponents of Trump's mass pardons say the president's actions have instilled a sense of impunity among members of the mob who stormed the Capitol...

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/05/nx-s1-5725470/trump-jan-6-pardon-sexual-abuse-prison 

 

Epstein files contain explicit but unsubstantiated claim that Trump abused minor

Her allegations have not been verified, and the FBI never brought charges related to her claims, which at times appear outlandish. Her statements also contradict what is known about Epstein's life in the early 1980s...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/26/trump-epstein-files-fbi

 

Palestinian prisoner tells of sexual abuse in Israeli jail

A network of torture camps for Palestinians'…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/21/not-stay-silent-palestinian-prisoner-sexual-abuse-israeli-jail

 

 

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

 

Report names 51 priests accused of abuse in Grand Rapids Catholic diocese

The report is the fifth in a seven-part series on allegations of abuse in each of the six Catholic dioceses in Michigan and the Archdiocese of Detroit...

https://www.michiganpublic.org/criminal-justice-legal-system/2025-12-16/report-names-51-priests-accused-of-abuse-in-grand-rapids-catholic-diocese 

 

‘Human trafficking behind prison walls’: women jailed in Texas allege rampant sexual abuse

The allegations at FMC Carswell, a federal medical women's prison in Fort Worth, Texas, are particularly troubling because the facility has been the focus of sexual abuse investigations for years, with 13 staff members convicted of abuse and misconduct since 1997 and promises of reform at various times. 

Now, 11 women have filed fresh lawsuits alleging they have been sexually assaulted by prison staff in recent years...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/11/texas-prison-fmc-carswell-sexual-abuse-allegations

 

Officers at Texas immigration detention facility accused of beatings and sexual abuse

Officers at the large immigration detention camp located at the Fort Bliss army base in Texas are allegedly mistreating detainees, with accusations including beatings, sexual abuse and clandestine deportations of non-Mexican nationals into Mexico, according to a coalition of local and national US civil rights organizations...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/09/texas-ice-camp-abuse-immigration

 

DoJ moves to eliminate sexual abuse protections for LGBTQ+ people in prisons

The US Department of Justice has moved to eliminate rules protecting LGBTQ+ people from sexual abuse in prisons, a shift advocates say is "reckless and dangerous" and will lead to increased assaults behind bars... 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/05/doj-prison-lgbtq-sexual-abuse-protections

 

The Catholic League’s Bizarre Epstein Defense (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #610)

— Supreme Court declines case involving loudspeaker prayers at high school football games. (1:45)

— The Catholic League’s Epstein defense is even worse than you think. (21:45)

— New Hampshire town pulls plug on open forum after Satanists hoist flag. (40:26)

— How the Assemblies of God became a safe haven for sexual predators. (49:15)

— Colorado’s “first public Christian school” isn’t a mistake. It’s a test case. (1:05:15)

— Florida’s proposed loyalty oath for educators would ban atheists from becoming teachers. (1:13:40)

— U.S. Catholic bishops double down on anti-trans policies in new hospital rules. (1:18:00)
Interview: 

https://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2025/11/20/the-catholic-leagues-bizarre-epstein-defense/

Epstein wrote that Trump knew of sexual abuse but didn’t participate - The Washington Post

That account, included in a new tranche of documents, conflicts with Trump's denial of ever knowing about Epstein's solicitation of underage prostitution before Epstein's 2008 plea deal...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/11/12/house-democrats-release-epstein-email-that-claimed-trump-spent-hours-with-victim/

Oklahoma’s Scammy PragerU Teacher ”Test” (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podast #599)

— Oklahoma’s meaningless “America First” teacher test is just a PragerU ad campaign. (1:45)

— New Jersey town sues mall for ignoring Blue Laws and selling merch on Sundays. (34:49)

— Mormon columnist who preached “traditional values” busted for alleged child exploitation. (48:55)

— Judge orders Arkansas school district to remove illegal Ten Commandments posters. (1:02:15)

— 25% of Texas districts are using Bible-heavy reading lessons in public elementary schools. (1:11:20)
Interview: 

https://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2025/09/03/oklahomas-scammy-prageru-teacher-test/

Epstein survivors say they're creating their own list to release

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNNn0U0vi9A

 

Should priests be required to report child abuse they learn about in confession

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dBE3E68p4uY