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mitchellatencio.com
mitchell atencio (he·him·his)
@mitchellatencio.com
1.6K followers 450 following 5.8K posts
i'm a very religious religion journalist. (news editor @sojo.net / writing a biography of Clarence Jordan)

i post somewhat incoherently about tennis, the WNBA, leftist politics, theology, Godzilla, photography, etc.

based in Chicago
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mitchellatencio.com
that's it. i'm not bi anymore.
A photo of Rep. Sarah McBride in a white shirt and green blazer alongside the headline from LGBTQNATION reading: Sarah McBride says Dems need a "big tent" that's bisexual: "It goes to the left and the right"
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 AM
mitchellatencio.com
his mind.
A screenshot of the First Things article "How Critical Theory Paved the Way For Nick Fuentes" by Carl R. Trueman on Nov. 6, 2025. Featuring a photo of Fuentes
November 12, 2025 at 5:33 PM
mitchellatencio.com
a Genius lyric card showing Yoshinobu Yamamoto waving a finger in the air and the Kendrick Lamar "Euphoria" lyric "'Back To Back,' I like that record / I'ma get back to that, for the record.
November 2, 2025 at 4:35 AM
mitchellatencio.com
IDK. I have definitely seen lefty writers who ascribe rapture/end times as the primary or sole driver of evangelical support for Israel. I think @tylerhuckabee.bsky.social took this on well a few years ago. open.substack.com/pub/tylerhuc...
But that doesn’t answer the question of why so many White Evangelicals support Israel. Is it really all end times-motivated? The only polling I could find on this issue comes from LifeWay, and their research is worth reading in full. While they found that Evangelicals bigly support Israel, the reasoning behind that support is pretty muddled. For example, when Christians were asked why they support Israel, the vast majority went with some variety of “well, that’s just the way it’s supposed to be.” 63 percent said it was because “the Bible says God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people” and 60 percent said “Israel is the historic Jewish homeland.” Now, a little over half (52 percent) did say that “Israel is important for fulfilling biblical prophecy.” But even among Christians who said this, only 12 percent said it was their most important reason for supporting Israel. It’s probably notable that Christians age 50 and up were far more likely to go with this answer than younger Christians were. Things get even more complicated. For example, while 73 percent of Christians surveyed agree that “Christians should support Israel’s defense of itself from terrorist and foreign enemies,” 59 percent also said that “Christians should do more to love and care for Palestinian people.” Both of those questions are a little too vague to be very helpful. And I find it supremely depressing that only 59 percent of American Evangelicals think they could be doing a better job of loving Palestinian people. But all this throws at least a little wrench in the idea that Christians just see Palestinians as Armageddon fodder.
October 31, 2025 at 12:17 AM
mitchellatencio.com
he's a little better dressed, but this is what Ralph Lauren looks like these days.
Karl Havoc in the I Think You Should Leave sketch. It's Tim Robinson in a gaudy amount of prosthetics and makeup to look like an old man. But it's way too much. He can't move his fucking arms. It's too much shit.
October 29, 2025 at 8:31 PM
mitchellatencio.com
would really love if folks read my recent interview with Lecrae, where we talk about deconstruction and the way he frames it, plus the existence of demons, support for Israel, and more.

probably my best work as an interviewer.
sojo.net/articles/new...
Mitchell: When you look back now, do you understand that deconstruction as something that was a dangerous place for you or a healthy and necessary part of your faith walk? Lecrae: What many millennials refer to as deconstruction is them saying, “I’m abandoning organized religion, Christianity, all together. I’m finding a new way of living outside of this.” I would say that’s unhealthy, because when you step away from Christ, as a believer, now you’re looking for something to hang your hat on—some source of reality or truth or what not. But I do think there can be a healthy deconstruction. Jesus did it all the time. He would say, “You’ve heard it said … but I say.” Right? “Let me take down what you’ve believed forever and let me give you something different.” That was healthy for me. My views of what church was, my views of what God wanted, were more cultural than biblical. Mitchell: When I read your book I Am Restored, it didn’t always seem clear that you knew you were going to hold on to Jesus. Lecrae: Right, that’s right. Mitchell: So, what would the Lecrae at the beginning of his deconstruction have said to what you’re saying now about healthy versus unhealthy deconstruction? Lecrae: “You’re still trapped. You still are hypnotized by this Western, cultural faith. I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve been to churches. I’ve read the Bible. I’ve been to Bible institutes. You’re just wrong.” That’s probably what I would have said to me now.
October 10, 2025 at 7:22 PM
mitchellatencio.com
Mitchell: What are some of the things you feel like speaking to other Christians about right now? Lecrae: My lord. The list goes on and on. Mitchell: You mentioned going to Israel. I wonder how you’re feeling now, as someone who has visited Israel, about what’s happening in Gaza. Lecrae: [Pause] Christians are [pause] so narrow visioned. Specifically evangelical Christians. The evangelical gospel in and of itself is problematic. Because it is based on individual salvation. It is based on just getting to the other side. Because of that, there’s a high view of orthodoxy, high view of orthopraxy, and zero view of orthopathy—there’s no empathy for complex, nuanced narratives.
October 8, 2025 at 4:56 PM
mitchellatencio.com
A black and white photo of Aaron Sorkin sitting and writing at a mac computer on a large wooden desk. three framed photos hang behind him.
October 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
mitchellatencio.com
is that right?
Arch Manning of the University of Texas but the name plate of his jersey has been replaced with Jeb Bush's 2016 logo "Jeb!"
October 5, 2025 at 12:13 AM
mitchellatencio.com
A closeup of the Instagram reel where you see the caption "Jesus did you ever want to goon?"
September 16, 2025 at 2:14 AM
mitchellatencio.com
the baby when you're holding something they can't put in their mouth
Kevin Garnett in 'Uncut Gems' viciously questioning: "Why the fuck would you show it to me if I can't have it?!"
September 13, 2025 at 4:39 PM
mitchellatencio.com
well which is it
a google search for "did finances overwhelm jesus" and the result "The biblical narrative suggests Jesus was not overwhelmed by financial burdens in the same way as modern individuals experience financial stress." and for some reason a search correction including results for "did financial overwhelm jesus"
September 8, 2025 at 2:24 AM
mitchellatencio.com
an altered tweet from Media Matters for America where the first word (a name) is replaced with "Augustine:" and the photo of Laura Loomer has Augustine's head superimposed. The post now reads: "Augustine: “You think these kids are so innocent? Because they're kids? Yeah? ... You think little kids are not capable of evil?”"
September 3, 2025 at 8:51 PM
mitchellatencio.com
a disgusting and homophobic thing to say.
Caroleena posted: "Welp, Cory Booker is running for President." And an article about Cory Booker's engagement. housegecko44 replied: "Sounds performative to me. He's not a leader. he's not to be trusted." Caroleena said: "Yeah, he gets a girlfriend every time he wants to run for office. I think he's gay."
September 3, 2025 at 4:17 PM
mitchellatencio.com
reading. @girinathan.bsky.social
my hand holding up Giri Nathan's book "Changeover" which has a clay-colored cover with white and yellow text. The inside page of the book is highlighter yellow, the color of a tennis ball. A brilliant touch.
August 23, 2025 at 9:52 PM
mitchellatencio.com
lol ok maybe it's not just my church that made this song very LARPy
a screenshot of a YouTube video displaying a painting of man with a sword and armor and big wings (might be Hawkman from DC Comics) descending into a battle. the lyrics on screen say "The battle belongs to the Lord"
August 12, 2025 at 1:23 PM
mitchellatencio.com
Area Man Passionate Defender Of What He Imagines Constitution To Be
August 11, 2025 at 12:56 AM
mitchellatencio.com
FP publishing this
A photo of Nathan Fielder from his classic tweet: "Out on the town having the time of my life with a bunch of friends. They're all just out of frame, laughing too."
August 8, 2025 at 8:00 PM
mitchellatencio.com
bad news
a screenshot showing all notifications off, including badge app icon, and yet the app icon has a badge.
August 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
mitchellatencio.com
i would like to set aside the debate about the photo and say that if you think "raised in a fundie Christian homeschooling house," is the most likely path to GOP political operative, you've bought into homeschooling more seriously than many homeschool parents.
a photo of a white woman raising her arm in the air while taking a selfie and a reply reading "I bet she was raised in a fundie Christian homeschooling house."
August 4, 2025 at 3:18 AM
mitchellatencio.com
Th
The Community meme of Britta saying "I can excuse racism" except the text reads: "I CAN EXCUSE ABLEISM AND MISOGYNY / BUT I DRAW THE LINE AT BRAGGING ABOUT WEALTH INEQUALITY AND THE HOUSING SHORTAGE"
August 1, 2025 at 9:56 PM
mitchellatencio.com
blame A'ja Wilson for this
Mitchell in a black collared shirt standing in between thick tree leaves. His hair is buzzed short and dyed pink. He's wearing small white flower earrings. He's looking to the right of the frame. Mitchell in a black collared shirt standing in between thick tree leaves. His hair is buzzed short and dyed pink. He's wearing small white flower earrings. He's looking directly into the camera and a leaf is obscuring his left cheek Mitchell in a black collared shirt standing in between thick tree leaves. His hair is buzzed short and dyed pink. He's wearing small white flower earrings. This is a close-up of the haircut and his face is nearly entirely out of frame.
August 1, 2025 at 8:41 PM
mitchellatencio.com
this is what badge settings look like.
All badge settings options are turned off
August 1, 2025 at 6:01 PM
mitchellatencio.com
OK I have spent a lot of time trying to troubleshoot and I'm having no luck.... is there any way to turn off badge notifications on the Zoom Mac app???? I don't want them at all ever for anything.
Zoom mac app logo with a red dot notifying me of something
August 1, 2025 at 6:01 PM
mitchellatencio.com
i don't have personal religious beliefs, i only have public ones
a screenshot of a post reading: "i actually take the maximalist position on this matter, which is that any mention of one's personal religious beliefs should result in exclusion from public service, ESPECIALLY if you're a christian. sorry but you gotta set that shit aside if you want to govern in a pluralistic democracy"
July 29, 2025 at 3:39 PM