Pour a cup and hang out for a Sunday morning Q&A. You’ll hear my take on “I’m praying for you,” why Christian apologetics fascinates and embarrasses, and a story about a friendly young-earth creationist who pushed me to think harder. We get into belief in a god without religion, the rise of the “nones,” and…
The current debate in American education highlights a contradiction: state laws mandate the display of the Ten Commandments while erasing uncomfortable historical lessons on slavery and racial violence. This selective narrative promotes a sanitized Christian heritage, sidelining the complexities of America’s past and the reality of oppression linked to both religion and history.
In this Unholy Roundtable, five atheists discuss various issues, including the disparity in Christian charity focus, the church’s definition of sin, and agnosticism’s recognition challenges. They examine emotional deconstruction, moral double standards, and the influence of race and culture on beliefs, encouraging an interactive and contemplative dialogue about religion’s impact on values and connections.
This Breakfast with a Heathen episode covers a range of questions from faith and politics to parenting and personal belief. We start with how religion was never out of U.S. politics—Trump only made it obvious—and look at what happens when faith becomes a tool for control rather than reflection. We talk about the idea that…
In this episode, Mike Smithgall analyzes Pete Hegseth’s viral Lord’s Prayer video, highlighting the unsettling blend of religion and state power. Through biblical insights and historical parallels, he critiques how Christian nationalism transforms faith into propaganda and questions the sincerity of government officials using prayer to endorse military imagery.
In this episode, Mike Smithgall critiques Pete Hegseth’s viral video blending prayer with state power. He analyzes how Christian nationalism reshapes faith into propaganda and patriotism into obedience. The discussion questions whether government-sanctioned prayer is genuine devotion or mere performance, prompting viewers to reflect on the growth of Christian nationalism in the U.S.
When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a video of himself reciting the Lord’s Prayer over military footage, ending with the words “Department of War,” it wasn’t faith, it was theater. This companion essay explores how Christian nationalism turns devotion into propaganda, why scripture contradicts it, and what history warns about when religion and state power fuse.
Mike Smithgall, the unelected mayor of Atheistville, sits down with coffee to answer your questions about atheism, belief, and honesty. From telling your Christian mom you’re an atheist to why arguing with believers never works, this Sunday Q&A takes on faith, comfort, family, and finding peace without religion. No sermon, no shouting, no salvation required. …
By Mike Gonzalez | Oct 18, 2025 | Atheistville | Heathen Hotline: (224) 307-5435 I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how movements gain power. Not the obvious kind of power. The rallies, the speeches, the viral moments. I mean the quiet kind. The kind that builds in courtrooms and think tanks and church basements….
Mike Smithgall addresses skepticism regarding secular ethics in his response to a challenging viewer comment on his YouTube video. He contrasts secular morality, based on human empathy and social contracts, with religious morality, which varies among denominations. Smithgall emphasizes that morality can exist independently of divine authority, rooted in shared human experiences and reasoning.
