Send us a text

This week, we tackle the assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk and its broader implications for American democracy. Our discussion covers Kirk's rise as a major figure in Christian nationalist movements, the immediate political reactions to his death, and the troubling patterns of political violence in the United States. We examine how martyrdom functions in modern politics, the performative nature of political outrage, and why both sides aren't equally responsible for America's violence problem. The conversation also explores the role of online radicalization, the othering of political opponents, and what we can expect as political tensions continue to escalate. A sobering look at where we are and where we might be heading.

💬 Viewer Question Do you think political violence in America will get worse before it gets better, and what would it take to actually reduce the temperature of our political discourse?

📑 Relevant Topics or Chapter Headings

• Charlie Kirk's Rise and Influence in Conservative Politics
• The Immediate Aftermath: Blame, Speculation, and Performance
• Political Violence Throughout American History
• The Making of Modern Martyrs
• Christian Nationalism and the Othering Problem
• Online Radicalization and Real-World Violence
• Comparing Responses: How Different Sides Handle Tragedy
• The Path Forward: Can We De-escalate?

Suggested Reading List:

Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the Religious Right by Randall Balmer — Documents how evangelical political movements often appropriate religious language for partisan ends rather than theological ones, providing crucial context for understanding vaccine resistance. https://amzn.to/429RRio

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn — A powerful retelling of American history from the perspective of the marginalized, challenging traditional narratives and power structures. https://amzn.to/3UqDfHn

The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism by Katherine Stewart —For too long the Religious Right has masqueraded as a social movement preoccupied with a number of cultural issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. In her deeply reported investigation, Katherine Stewart reveals a disturbing truth: this is a political movement that seeks to gain power and to impose its vision on all of society. https://amzn.to/4na3a2A

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez — Jesus and John Wayne is a sweeping, revisionist history of the last seventy-five years of white evangelicalism, revealing how evangelicals have worked to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism―or in the words of one modern chaplain, with “a spiritual badass.” https://amzn.to/48jYUJ7

Visit us at www.Atheistville.com for more great content
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@atheistville
💬 Want to be a guest or submit a question? Drop us a note at CONTACT
Check us out at: https://atheistville.buzzsprout.com
Follow us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Atheistville
🔥 New episodes weekly—Mike Drop, Ask an Atheist, and The Unholy Roundtable
© 2025 Atheistville Media

Send us a text

For centuries, religious leaders have predicted the end of the world — and for centuries, they’ve been wrong. In this episode, our panel discusses failed prophecies, the cultural fascination with apocalypse narratives, and the political consequences of end times obsession.

We also explore how these beliefs fuel dangerous thinking, from support for apocalyptic foreign policy to the normalization of extremist rhetoric.

💬 Viewer Question
Do you think end times preaching is harmless tradition or a dangerous influence on society?

📑 Relevant Topics or Chapter Headings

Why “End Times” Predictions Never Stop

Failed Prophecies and Date Resets

Pop Culture and the Rapture Obsession

Israel, Evangelicals, and Apocalyptic Politics

The Dangers of Doomsday Thinking

Choosing Evidence Over Fear

📚 Suggested Reading List

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens — Systematically dismantles religious moral authority and critiques harmful doctrines, including apocalyptic thinking.
https://amzn.to/3ZVLSg9

Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris — A concise rebuttal of religious claims, challenging faith-based arguments with evidence and reason.
https://amzn.to/4npPG3g

Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel Dennett — Examines religion scientifically, including why humans are drawn to end times beliefs.
https://amzn.to/45JWYZf

One Nation Under God by Kevin M. Kruse — Shows how religion and politics fused in America, shaping the environment for apocalyptic rhetoric.
https://amzn.to/45o99cx

Visit us at www.Atheistville.com for more great content
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@atheistville
💬 Want to be a guest or submit a question? Drop us a note at CONTACT
Check us out at: https://atheistville.buzzsprout.com
Follow us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Atheistville
🔥 New episodes weekly—Mike Drop, Ask an Atheist, and The Unholy Roundtable
© 2025 Atheistville Media

Send us a text

In this episode, we reflect on growing up without the language or community to identify as an atheist — a reality that left many of us isolated before the internet connected like-minded people. Our conversation explores how religious communities reinforce their beliefs weekly, while atheists lack the same infrastructure or political representation.

We also compare the atheist movement’s visibility to the LGBTQ community’s decades-long fight for rights and acceptance, asking what lessons we might take from their progress. From court cases that chip away at secular values to the challenges of running for office as an open atheist, this is an honest look at why so many remain quiet and what it would take to build a stronger, more vocal presence in public life.

Relevant Topics / Chapter Headings

• Growing up without the language for atheism
• The isolation of pre-internet nonbelievers
• How religious communities reinforce belief
• Lack of political representation for atheists
• Court cases and the erosion of secular values
• Comparing atheist visibility to LGBTQ progress
• Lessons from successful social movements
• Challenges of running for office as an open atheist
• Building infrastructure for atheist advocacy

Visit us at www.Atheistville.com for more great content
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@atheistville
💬 Want to be a guest or submit a question? Drop us a note at CONTACT
Check us out at: https://atheistville.buzzsprout.com
Follow us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Atheistville
🔥 New episodes weekly—Mike Drop, Ask an Atheist, and The Unholy Roundtable
© 2025 Atheistville Media