Atheistville with Mike Smithgall
Hosted by Mike Smithgall, Atheistville explores atheism, deconversion, and secular life through open, respectful conversation. The channel features two signature shows:
Mike Drop – weekly commentary on religion, politics, and culture from a reasoned, secular perspective.
Breakfast with a Heathen – a relaxed Sunday Q&A that tackles listener and Reddit questions about belief, honesty, and living without faith.
Together, they create a space for candid dialogue about leaving belief behind, thinking for yourself, and building a meaningful life grounded in evidence, empathy, and ethics rather than dogma.
Podcast Creator Bio: Mike Smithgall
Mike Smithgall is the creator and host of Atheistville, a podcast and YouTube series exploring atheism, deconversion, and secular life through real conversation instead of confrontation. Drawing on his background as a financial professional and lifelong skeptic, Mike focuses on how people think, what leads them to question faith, and how they rebuild meaning without religion.
He interviews former believers, secular thinkers, and progressive voices to highlight shared values of empathy, critical thinking, and human connection. His mission is simple: belief should be personal, not political, and every story deserves to be heard.
Follow his work on YouTube (@Atheistville) or at Atheistville.com.
Episodes
36 episodes
Breakfast With A heathen Ep2: How Religion Warps Politics, Parenting, and the Way We Think
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...
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48:09
Prayer as Propaganda: How Pete Hegseth’s “Department of War” Video Rewrites Scripture
In this episode, Mike Smithgall dissects Pete Hegseth’s viral Lord’s Prayer video and its disturbing fusion of religion and state power. Using biblical analysis and historical parallels from Sinclair Lewis and Eugene Debs, he explains how Chris...
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12:29
Breakfast with a Heathen - Ep 1: Coffee, Questions, and the Cost of Honesty
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 Sund...
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1:06:08
Morality Without God: How Religion Hijacked Our Conscience
If morality comes from God, why do moral progress and religious doctrine so often collide? Mike Smithgall breaks down the myth that we need divine authority to be good.This episode examines empathy’s evolutionary roots, the failures of f...
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Episode 29
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13:26
The Supreme Court’s Next Test: Faith vs. Facts
A counselor in Colorado claims her “sincerely held beliefs” give her the right to counsel LGBTQ+ minors out of who they are. The state says that’s harmful pseudoscience. She says “First Amendment.” And now, the Supreme Court will decide....
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Episode 28
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15:22
From Pulpit to Prison: An Atheist’s Journey Through Faith, Identity, and Redemption with Mike Gonzalez
In this candid conversation, Mike shares his path from a devout Lutheran youth leader and Boy Scout to an openly bisexual atheist who rebuilt his life after addiction, prison, and deep personal conflict. We discuss the pressures of growing up i...
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Episode 28
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1:31:18
The Retreat of Faith: How Science Replaces Supernatural Claims
Religious faith often leans on mysteries as proof of God. But when science explains those mysteries, faith loses ground. In this episode, I trace the history of the god-of-the-gaps argument, from Zeus’s lightning to modern debates over consciou...
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Episode 27
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10:53
This Isn’t About Jesus: How Christian Nationalism Became a Political Weapon
Church attendance is plummeting, yet calls for America to be a “Christian nation” are growing louder. In this Mike Drop episode, we unpack the paradox: why Christian nationalism is gaining steam even as religion fades. It’s not about faith, it’...
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9:42
The Rapture That Wasn't: September's Failed Doomsday Prediction and the Psychology of Apocalyptic Belief
This week's failed rapture prediction joins a long list of embarrassing doomsday dates, but it reveals something deeper about human psychology and social media manipulation. We explore the 200-year history of rapture theology, the pattern of fa...
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Episode 27
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15:50
From Pastor to Atheist: The Pain and Power of Deconstruction
🎙 Podcast DescriptionWhat happens when faith unravels? In this episode, former pastors and believers reflect on the loneliness of leaving religion, the emotional toll of deconstruction, and the importance of finding community.You’...
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Episode 26
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16:38
Leaving Church Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely: Building Atheist Community That Sticks
In this episode, we focus on why many secular and humanist meetups don’t last. We hear from longtime organizers about how they rebuilt the social network that people lose after leaving religious institutions. They share how snacks, casual...
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Episode 25
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19:32
Antifa, Atheism, and the New War on Free Thought
The U.S. government is testing the limits of the First Amendment. In one week, Pam Bondi promised prosecutions for “hate speech,” the FCC threatened ABC over Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes, and Trump labeled Antifa a terrorist organization.In this...
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Episode 24
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15:37
Free Speech or Hypocrisy? Pam Bondi’s “Hate Speech” Crackdown
This week’s Mike Drop examines Attorney General Pam Bondi’s claim that the Justice Department will “target hate speech.” Mike Smithgall unpacks what the law actually says, highlights the hypocrisy of both left and right on free expression, and ...
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Episode 23
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11:30
After Charlie Kirk: Unpacking Political Martyrdom, Violence, and the Future of American Democracy
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 politi...
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Episode 22
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1:00:17
Dangerous Predictions: How End Times Beliefs Influence Politics and Culture
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 consequ...
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Episode 21
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12:09
From Silence to Strength: Why Atheists Need a Political Voice with Larry Warren
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 communitie...
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Episode 20
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6:13
My Body, My Choice - But Only Sometimes: Deconstructing the Religious and Political Hypocrisy Behind America's Growing Vaccine Resistance Movement
Mike examines Florida's groundbreaking decision to eliminate all school vaccine mandates, exposing how genuine religious concerns have been hijacked by political movements. With vaccine exemptions at record highs and measles cases surging, this...
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Episode 19
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19:36
Conversations on Death, Grief, and Saying Goodbye Without Religion
This segment explores one of the most difficult questions atheists face: what do you say to someone who is dying when you don’t share their faith in heaven or an afterlife? Our panel shares personal experiences with parents and loved ones, the ...
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Episode 18
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10:13
Throwing Out “Sin”: Building Secular Ethics Beyond Religion
What does the concept of sin mean if you remove God from the picture? In this episode, atheists wrestle with the idea of sin, exploring whether it should be redefined or abandoned altogether. They discuss cultural norms, ethical responsibility,...
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Episode 17
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19:55
Prayer Works In Your Head, Not In Heaven: Understanding Religious Ritual Through Science
This episode examines prayer from a psychological rather than theological perspective. While prayer doesn't produce supernatural results, it does provide genuine benefits through mechanisms like structured self-reflection, ritual comfort, and s...
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Episode 16
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11:18
The Unholy Roundtable: What Is Sin Without Religion? Atheists Redefine Morality, Ethics, and Truth
This Roundtable asks big questions about life after faith. What does “sin” mean when you leave religion behind? How do atheists define morality, deal with religious influence in medical spaces, and navigate the pain of deconstruction? The panel...
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Episode 15
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2:06:43
Slavery, Scripture, and Skepticism: A Black Atheist Questions the Bible’s Morality
In this powerful conversation, we explore the deep contradictions between Christian scripture and the lived Black experience, especially when it comes to slavery. Our guest shares her personal journey from belief to atheism, shaped by critical ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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18:31
From Episcopalian Choir Boy to Confident Atheist: Larry Warren tells his story
Meet Larry Warren, a man whose journey from Episcopalian choir boy to confident atheist mirrors the experience of countless Americans who quietly questioned their faith for decades before the internet gave them the tools to understand their dou...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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1:40:47
Catholic School Shooting: Identity, Media Narratives, and Secular Perspectives
This episode examines the tragic Catholic school shooting and the reactions that followed. We unpack the immediate framing of the suspect’s identity as trans and atheist, and the way partisan lines shape the headlines. We also reflect on questi...
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Season 1
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58:25
Why “God Told Me To Do It” Can’t Stand in Court
In this Mike Drop episode, Mike Smithgall explores Penn Jillette’s sharp observation that courts recognize insanity as a defense, but never “God told me to do it.” Why? Because the law must rest on evidence, not revelation.Mike unpacks t...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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11:42
