Freethought Radio Archives

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2017 PODCAST ARCHIVES

Freethought Radio -- September 28, 2017

Survival

We memorialize the life and achievements of the late Barbara Blaine, founder of SNAP, survivor of priest abuse and advocate for other survivors. FFRF Director of Communications Amit Pal will talk about “Emancipation Day” for Saudi women. Special guest Marianne Arini will explain how she overcame a Christian fundamentalist education based on Bob Jones University workbooks. Today a nonbeliever, she teaches critical thinking skills. We give a musical nod to Sting, born in early October, a self-described agnostic.

Listen to the podcast here

Freethought Radio -- September 21, 2017

Enlightenment Now

FFRF’s 40th annual convention was a great success! Nonbelief Relief announces $100,000+ in charity to victims of hurricanes Harvey and Irma. We discuss FFRF’s amended complaint in our lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unconstitutional Executive Order that he claims now allows churches to engage in political activity. Then we hear from FFRF’s Honorary President Steven Pinker, the Harvard professor of psychology and prolific author, who gave FFRF his first speech and interview about his new book, Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress.

Listen to the podcast here

Freethought Radio -- September 14, 2017

Strong Women

For a change of pace while Annie Laurie and Dan are busy with FFRF’s 40th annual convention, FFRF’s Director of First Impressions Lisa Treu hosts this week’s show featuring music by strong women. Marlene Dietrich, Shelley Segal, Joan Baez, Peggy Seeger, Malvina Reynolds, Kristin Lems, Lena Horne, Ani DiFranco, and more, singing about evolution, equality, the (non)afterlife, peace, Eve, and life as a freethinking woman.

Listen to the podcast here

Freethought Radio -- September 7, 2017

Religious Freedom 101

This week Annie Laurie, Dan and Andrew answer questions from listeners, such as "How can you be sure there is no supreme being?", "How does the bible compare to Game of Thrones?",  "Are you afraid to die?", “How do you reply to 'God bless you'?", and so on. During the second half of the show, we talk with well-known satirical and irreverent singer/songwriter Roy Zimmerman, who will be performing at FFRF's annual convention next week. During the show, we hear a preview of Roy's songs "Ted Haggard is Completely Heterosexual" and "Religious Freedom," which covers the history of America's religious liberty in four minutes.

Listen to the podcast here

Freethought Radio -- August 31, 2017

Survivors

FFRF’s Non-Belief Relief announces a $10,000 gift for Houston hurricane relief. We complain about missionaries preying on Alabama students and Rev. Franklin Graham advising coaches to break the law. FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel describes FFRF’s complaint about Florida Senator Marco Rubio tweeting bible verses. Then we talk with Barbara Blaine, founder of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), about her decades-long effort to hold the Catholic Church responsible for the crimes against children committed by priests who are shielded by bishops.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- August 24, 2017

More Atheists Than We Thought!

What’s wrong with Senator Marco Rubio and Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin promoting bible reading? We report a victory removing scripture from a New Mexico public school and talk with FFRF attorney Maddy Ziegler about the 9th-Circuit decision telling a Bremerton, Wa. high-school football coach he cannot pray during games. After talking about romantic nonreligious weddings, we interview University of Kentucky assistant professor Will Gervais about his studies showing that because of the public distrust of nonbelievers, the number of atheists in the United States is highly under-reported.

Listen to the podcast here

Freethought Radio -- August 17, 2017

E Pluribus Unum

Listen to FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel teach a lesson to White-House bible-thumpers on Fox & Friends. After Annie Laurie and Dan discuss FFRF’s statement about the racist tragedy at Charlottesville, Va., we hear the “heathen gospel” song “You Can’t Have it Both Ways” by the Tasmanian group Mama K and the Big Love. Then we talk with Athena Salman, one of the nation’s few openly “out” atheist legislators, about the secular invocation she delivered before the Arizona House of Representatives. Photo by Morgan Glassco.

Listen to the Podcast

Freethought Radio -- August 10, 2017

Freethought Around The World

Hear moving excerpts of speeches at the Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression which took place in London in July, including Maryam Namazie, Bonya Ahmed, Zineb El Rhazoui, Mohammed Alkhadra, A.C. Grayling and Richard Dawkins. After enjoying the atheist song “Like Moths To The Flame” by the Tasmanian group Mama K and the Big Love, we talk with Óscar Pineda, vice president of Guatemala Humanists about their exciting new billboard and video campaign raising the awareness of freethinkers in Central America.

Listen to the podcast

 

Freethought Radio -- August 3, 2017

Freedom of Conscience

Clarence Darrow statue (paid for by FFRF) is unveiled in Dayton, Tennessee, at the site of the 1925 Scopes Trial. FFRF attorney Sam Grover testifies before a Wisconsin congressional committee opposing a bill to limit abortion training in Wisconsin schools. After hearing Rupert Brooke’s irreverent poem “Heaven,” set to music by Dan Barker, we talk with Egyptian-American ex-Muslim Noura Embabi, president of Muslimish, which fosters dialogue between current and former Muslims.

Listen to the podcast

Freethought Radio -- July 27, 2017

Good Without God

This week’s show was pre-recorded to air while Dan and Annie Laurie are in England for an international conference on blasphemy and freedom of expression. FFRF staff attorney Andrew Seidel joins co-presidents Barker and Gaylor to talk about the perennial question, “How Can We Be Good Without God?” during FFRF’s “Ask an Atheist” Facebook Live broadcast, taking questions from the audience.

Listen to the Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- July 20, 2017

Compassionate Choices

What does the bible say about abortion? Co-presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker and FFRF attorney Liz Cavell answer that question during FFRF’s new weekly “Ask an Atheist” series on Facebook Live, taking questions from the audience. Then we speak with Ed Gogol, president of Final Choices Illinois, about the 1-year milestones for “End of Life” laws in California and Canada, as well as the rest of the country, and how religious dogma interferes with the freedom of citizens to make compassionate choices about dying.

Listen to the Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- July 13, 2017

Tennessee Monkey Trial

FFRF attorney Rebecca Markert updates us on the appeal by the City of Pensacola of our successful lawsuit over a Christian cross in a city park. FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel discusses the impact of of the congressional appropriations bill directing the IRS not to enforce the Johnson Amendment that prohibits churches from engaging in political activity. Then we talk with actor John de Lancie (best known for his role as “Q" in the Star Trek series) who played Clarence Darrow in “The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial” play and who will join FFRF at the unveiling of the new Darrow statue in Dayton, Tennessee this week.

Listen to the Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- July 6, 2017

Breaking The Chains

Kentucky student activist Lydia Mason, whose essay “Breaking The Chains” won FFRF’s David Hudak Memorial Freethinking Students of Color High School Essay Competition, tells us about the challenges of being a minority within a minority in a highly religious state. Then we talk with a former preacher who is now the president of The Clergy Project, Drew Bekius. His new book, which narrates his exodus from the evangelical pulpit, is The Rise and Fall of Faith: A God-to-Godless Story for Christians and Atheists.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- June 29, 2017

Behave!

Cardinal George Pell of Australia, highest-ranking Vatican official (whom Dan Barker has debated) is once again accused of sexual misconduct with minors. After dissecting the fallout from the bad Supreme Court Trinity Lutheran decision, we talk with FFRF attorney Ryan Jayne about his efforts to “Educate Congress” lobbying (about vouchers and the Johnson Amendment) with FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott in Washington, DC. Then we talk with Stanford neurobiologist and primatologist <strong>Robert Sapolsky</strong> about his epic new book Behave: The Biology of Humans at our Best and Worst.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- June 22, 2017

The Evangelicals

FFRF Victory! Staff attorney Madeline Ziegler joins us to talk about our recent victory in federal court removing a 34-foot-tall Christian cross from a city park in Pensacola, Florida, a decision that has upset prominent evangelicals like Franklin Graham, Mike Huckabee, Bill Donohue and Marco Rubio. After hearing Lena Horne’s performance of the irreverent Yip Harburg song “Ain’t It The Truth,” we talk with Pulitzer-Prize winning author Frances Fitzgerald about her new book, The Evangelicals: The Struggle To Shape America.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- June 15, 2017

American Iconoclast

After honoring “Champions of the First Amendment” Roy Torcaso (1961 Torcaso vs. Watkins) and Ed and Ellery Schempp (1963 Abington vs. Schempp), we talk about atheist rock climber Alex Honnold, who this month made history by ascending Yosemite’s El Capitan free-style with no rope. We hear Roy Zimmerman’s hilarious song “Creation Science 101,” and then talk about the 1925 Scopes Trial with historian Andrew Kersten, author of the book Clarence Darrow: American Iconoclast.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- June 8, 2017

Heretics!

We announce FFRF's new “Ask an Atheist” Facebook Live show. Is the Kentucky Governor right to fight crime with prayer? Should religious hospitals be exempt from pension-plan regulations? FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott tells us about the recent Supreme Court ERISA decision that privileges religious companies and thereby endangers their employees. After hearing the irreverent song “Experiment,” by the non-religious songwriter Cole Porter, we talk with professor Steven Nadler, author of the new book Heretics! (illustrated by his son Ben Nadler), about the 17th-century scientists and thinkers who brought philosophy into the modern world.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- June 1, 2017

Freethought in the Arts

FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel tells us how we know George Washington did not say "So help me, God" at his inauguration. Dan Barker performs the song "Poor Little Me" that he co-wrote with Broadway composer Charles Strouse, whose birthday is this week. Then we talk with internationally acclaimed sculptor and atheist Zenos Frudakis about the bronze statue of Clarence Darrow he is making, which will be unveiled in July at the courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, where the 1925 Scopes Trial took place.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- May 25, 2017

A None’s Story

We announce our full-page ad in the New York Times: "Mr. President, we are not a nation of believers.” A Virginia sheriff removed a bible verse from police vehicles after hearing from FFRF. Staff attorney Patrick Elliott explains why Trump’s budget is a disaster for education, and FFRF’s thoughtful Communications Director, Amit Pal, discusses the religiously motivated bombing in Manchester, England. After hearing Mike Tramp’s irreverent song “Trust in Yourself,” we talk with former nun Maureen Hart, currently on the board of the Clergy Project, about her journey to kick the habit.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- May 18, 2017

License To Think

We celebrate the birthday of Bertrand Russell by reading his secular Ten Commandments. Attorney Sam Grover, who is indeed messin’ with Texas, updates us about FFRF’s lawsuit over a judge who forces prayer on his courtroom that prompted the Attorney General to attempt to intervene on behalf of the Christian judge. Dan and Annie Laurie rebut Trump’s “religious nation” assertions during is Liberty University commencement line by line. Then we chat with Indiana freethinker and veteran Chris Bontrager, whose initial request for a personalized ‘ATHE1ST’ license plate was denied.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- May 11, 2017

Blasphemy Is A Victimless Crime

FFRF stops bible classes in a Tennessee elementary school. After commenting on President Trump picking Teresa Manning, an avid antiabortionist who said “contraception doesn’t work,” to lead the nation’s largest family-planning program, we talk with Michael Nugent of Atheists of Ireland about blasphemy laws, and hear actor Stephen Fry’s comments that caused him to be investigated for blasphemy. Then we speak with Rice professor and prolific author Dr. Anthony Pinn about his new book, When Colorblindness Isn’t the Answer: Humanism and the Challenge of Race.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- May 4, 2017

See You In Court

The first Thursday of May, the National Day of Prayer, is actually the National Day of Reason. Today we announce FFRF’s newest lawsuit challenging President Trump’s Executive Order (signed on the National Day of Prayer in the Rose Garden) attempting to curtail the Johnson Amendment that limits politicking by churches. After hearing Dan Barker’s song “Reason,” we talk with a brave West Virginia mom who has joined FFRF’s lawsuit challenging bible classes in her daughter’s public school.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- April 27, 2017

Spotlight on Freethought

Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” on HULU is the freethought cultural event this week. We complain about the San Antonio mayor’s remark that poverty stems from a broken "relationship with their Creator.” After Michael Newdow’s hilarious song “My God Is In My Soul,” incorporating hate messages on his answering machine, we analyze what is wrong with the upcoming National Day of Prayer. Then we hear the “Spotlight on Freethought” segment that explains why the Constitution protects nonbelievers from the tyranny of the religious majority.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- April 20, 2017

Authentic American Hero

President Trump says “we are a nation of believers,” creationist Ken Ham calls FFRF “liars,” and Bill O’Reilly (who has bashed FFRF) gets dumped from FOX News, oh my! FFRF staff attorney Andrew Seidel describes the escalating “war of words” between Ken Ham and FFRF over the Kentucky Ark Encounter. Then we talk with an authentic American hero, Ishmael Jaffree, FFRF’s first “Freethinker of the Year” awardee, who won the 1985 Supreme Court Wallace v. Jaffree case stopping so-called “silent prayer" in public schools.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- April 13, 2017

God Is Not Great

Response to FFRF’s national Ron Reagan ad has been great! We talk about born-again Alabama Governor Robert Bentley’s scandalous resignation, FFRF’s Times Square billboard, incredible contributions “in the name of Pence” to FFRF’s legal efforts, and Nonbelief Relief’s donation to the Somalia famine. After hearing Shelley Segal’s “Apocalyptic Love Song” homage to Hitchens, we listen to part of our 2007 interview of Christopher Hitchens on Freethought Radio, the year his book God Is Not Great was released.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- April 6, 2017

The Only Wall We Need

New plaintiff Elizabeth Deal is added to FFRF’s lawsuit challenging bible classes in West Virginia schools. Denver FFRF chapter president Claudette StPierre tells us about the 12 Colorado billboards that say “The Only Wall We Need is Between Church and State.” Jocelyn Williamson of FFRF’s “Central Florida Freethought Community” chapter announces a “Freethought Cruise” to the Bahamas. After hearing irreverent songwriter Yip Harburg sing his song “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?,” Iowa atheist activist Justin Scott tells us about the historic atheist invocation he delivered before the Iowa Statehouse this week.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- March 30, 2017

Facts Over Fundamentalism

FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel relates his adventure filming our pro-science ad inside Ken Ham's "Ark Park" in Kentucky and describes how fundamentalist teachings are harmful to the education of children. After celebrating the 200th birthday of freethinking feminist Mathilde Franziska Giesler Anneke by hearing the German freethought anthem "Die Gedanken Sind Frei," we talk with former Tulsa Christian radio host Seth Andrews, now the host of The Thinking Atheist podcast and author of Deconverted: A journey from religion to reason.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- March 23, 2017

Freedom of Conscience

The Ten Commandments at a Pennsylvania high school is finally moved! An Arkansas school district considers dropping prayer after FFRF complains. We celebrate Gloria Steinem's birthday by hearing part of her speech about the "taliban" in politics and Catholic bishops' opposition to women's rights. Staff attorney Sam Grover tells us about FFRF's newest lawsuit challenging a Texas judge who forces his courtroom to engage in Christian prayer. Then we speak with Iranian-born feminist, atheist, and human-rights activist Maryam Namazie, spokesperson for "One Law For All" and host of "Bread and Roses" TV show, who will tell us about the July 22-23 London conference on "Freedom of Conscience and Expression."

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- March 16, 2017

Spring Into Action

Learn how you can take action to stop religion from invading our secular government: complain about the bible as the state book of Arkansas, “Choose Life” license plates in Nebraska, a Christian cross in a Florida city hall, state bills banning life-saving research, and the federal attack on women’s reproductive rights. After we play the peace/spring anthem “One Sweet Morning” by Yip Harburg and Earl Robinson, FFRF staff attorneys Sam Grover and Patrick Elliott, fresh back from lobbying in DC, tell us what it was like to “Educate Congress” about the school voucher program and the effort to repeal the Johnson Amendment.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- March 9, 2017

Why I Left

Senator Grassley tells Justin Scott the reason he will protect the rights of nonbelievers is because he believes in Jesus Christ. FFRF legal fellow Ryan Jayne explains our recent victory stopping a live nativity scene at an Indiana high school. After hearing the “obnoxious atheist” singer/songwriter (with Magnetic Field) Stephen Merritt’s freethought song “How I Failed Ethics,” we talk with former Christian minister Bart Campolo (son of the well-known evangelical preacher Tony Campolo), now a humanist chaplain, about the book he co-wrote with his father, Why I Left, Why I Stayed: Conversations on Christianity Between an Evangelical Father and His Humanist Son.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- March 2, 2017

Reluctant Apostate

Evangelist Pat Robertson claims President Trump is being attacked by witches (!). Former president George W Bush acknowledges nonbelievers. We analyze Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch’s book The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia to discern his views on abortion and death with dignity. After celebrating International Women’s Day by hearing the song “Bread and Roses,” we talk by phone from Croatia with Lloyd Evans, whose new book is The Reluctant Apostate: Leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses Comes at a Price.

Listen to podcast

Freethought Radio -- February 23, 2017

We Are The Champions

This week we celebrate victories in three federal lawsuits (Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and California), and three other state/church victories won without going to court (Wisconsin, Washington, Kentucky). After listening to former preacher Carter Warden’s new song, “Freedom From Religion,” we talk with two of the victorious litigants: Jerry Bloom, who ended censorship of freethought views in Shelton, Connecticut, and Marie Schaub, the “atheist mother” who finally got the huge Ten Commandments monument removed from her daughter’s school in New Kensington, Pennsylvania.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- February 16, 2017

Theocracy Alert

We report state/church victories stopping a Virginia city from sponsoring a trip to the ‘Ark Park’ and ending a Connecticut city’s censorship of FFRF's freethought views. We endorse the Congressional “Freedom of Religion Act of 2017” that recognizes nonbelievers, and we report a new study showing how school vouchers are helping Catholic Churches to remain in business. After hearing Kristin Lems’ song “Days of the Theocracy,” we talk with author,  journalist, slate.com columnist and MSNBC commentator Michelle Goldberg about how President Trump has become the religious right’s Trojan Horse.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- February 9, 2017

Valentine Wish

We counter Trump’s promise to “totally destroy” the Johnson Amendment that prohibits churches from politicking. We offer some comic relief by hearing Mississipians complain about FFRF’s victory removing a Christian flag from a city memorial. Ricky Gervais defends atheism on The Tonight Show with Stephen Colbert. After hearing the wonderful “CBS This Morning” story about FFRF’s lawsuit over bible classes in public schools, we talk with FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott about that case. Then we celebrate the birthdays of Darwin and Galileo and honor Valentine’s Day by hearing Susan Hofer sing Dan Barker’s love song “It’s Only Natural.”

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- February 2, 2017

Secularism

We talk about science, Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court, Betsy Devos for Education Secretary, Trump’s so-called “Religious Freedom Act,” the bigotry of the Boy Scouts of America, and about how FFRF is fighting back to preserve secular values. After celebrating the birthday of nonbelieving songwriter Burton Lane, we hear Roy Zimmerman’s irreverent song “Religious Freedom.” Then we speak with scholar John R. Shook, co-editor of the new Oxford Handbook of Secularism, about the rise of nonbelief around the world.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- January 26, 2017

Pick Yourself Up

We march for freethought and women’s rights. After critiquing CIA Director Pompeo’s scary views on the end-times, we talk with FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel about William Pryor being on Trump’s short list for the Supreme Court, then with FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott about our new lawsuit challenging bible classes in West Virginia public schools. Then we talk with legendary feminist, author, journalist (former editor of Ms. Magazine) and atheist, Robin Morgan, about how we can “Pick Ourselves Up” to keep fighting the religious right.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- January 19, 2017

Keep America Secular

It’s a rocky road ahead for secular Americans. Trump’s inauguration is infused with evangelical fervor and many of his cabinet picks have a religious-right agenda. FFRF attorney Rebecca Markert tells us how we got two Christian crosses removed from public property this week (in California and Minnesota).

Rebecca Markert rectangle

We support the women marching in protest around the country and honor the 44th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade by hearing Joan Baez and Mimi Farina sing the feminist anthem “Bread and Roses.” Then we talk with Larry Decker, Executive Director of the Secular Coalition For America, about what we nonbelievers can do under the new Congress and administration.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- January 12, 2017

The Challenge of Things

We celebrate the anniversary of the January 16, 1786, adoption of Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and the January 17, 1706 birthday of Benjamin Franklin, who opposed public funding for education. FFRF attorneys Patrick Elliott and Sam Grover describe the questions we submitted for the confirmation hearings of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General and Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education, both of whom have shown a disrespect for state/church separation. Then we talk with professor of philosophy and prolific author A. C. Grayling (founder and Master of New College of the Humanities in London) about his book, The Challenge of Things: Thinking Through Troubled Times.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- January 5, 2017

Fasten Your Seat Belts

FFRF sent a letter to president-elect Trump insisting that he not include religion in the inauguration, and that he drop “So help meGod” from the oath. Nonbelievers are vastly under-represented in Congress, and there will be a bumpy road for state church separation in 2017.

1Andrew Seideljan5radioFFRF attorney Andrew Seidel tells why Clemson University's football program proves that pious does not mean moral. Then we hear Bangladeshi-American Rafida Bonya Ahmed’s speech describing how she narrowly survived an assassination attempt that killed her husband Avijit Roy because they are atheists who are critical of religion.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- December 29, 2016

Promise of Dawn

Barack and Michelle Obama’s White House Christmas message acknowledges “nonbelievers” as well as Christians, Jews, and Muslims. We talk with Florida activist Preston Smith, a middle-school teacher who bravely erected FFRF’s secular displays in a Boca Raton park to counter the Christian nativity scene. His displays were repeatedly vandalized and destroyed. Then we welcome the New Year with some hopeful music, including Shirley Horn’s “Everything Must Change,” Yip Harburg’s “Over the Rainbow,” Dan Barker’s “Promise of Dawn,” and freethinker Robert Burns’s “Auld Lang Syne” performed by Scottish singer Mairi Campbell.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- December 22, 2016

Happy Un-Holy-Days!

Tis the season for FFRF’s winter solstice and Bill of Rights displays to appear in state capitols and other locations around the country, some of which have been defaced and destroyed. We celebrate the secular solstice by hearing Tom Lehrer’s irreverent “A Christmas Carol,” Ken Lonnquist’s “Isthmus Tree,” and the hilarious South Park classic “Merry Frickin Christmas” performed by Dan Barker. Then we listen to the very moving speech by former Christian pastor Carter Warden who came out publicly as an atheist at FFRF’s annual convention in Pittsburgh.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- December 15, 2016

Unto Us a Bill is Born

We celebrate the Bill of Rights (December 15) and the Winter Solstice (December 21) this week. Dan reads FFRF’s full-page “Bill of Rights” ad that ran in today's New York Times and Annie Laurie reads “Away with the manger—in with the Solstice!” FFRF secular holiday signs are going up all over the country. After hearing solstice songs by Kristin Lems and Dan Barker, we listen to part of the speech by Susan Jacoby —“Why I am sick and tired of ‘God Bless America’”—which she gave at FFRF’s October convention in Pittsburgh.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- December 8, 2016

The Atheist Muslim

After reporting on winter solstice signs FFRF has been posting around the country (one of which, in Boca Raton, was immediately vandalized) in response to nativity scenes on public property, we comment on two theocrats recently appointed by the president elect: Betsy Devos for Secretary of Education and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt for the Environmental Protection Agency (who has attacked FFRF). In honor of the anniversary of the adoption of the Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791, we hear Rev. Billy and the Stop Shopping choir perform the song "The First Amendment." Then we talk with Ali A. Rizvi, who grew up in Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, about his new book The Atheist Muslim: A Journey From Religion to Reason.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- December 1, 2016

The Most Good you Can Do

Peter Singer, atheist, author and Princeton professor, who is considered the world’s leading ethicist, joins us for an illuminating discussion on his book, “The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically,” and his newest book, “Ethics in the Real World.” We  celebrate FFRF's winter solstice “equal time” displays now up in the Wisconsin State Capitol and Daley Plaza (in conjunction with our Chicago chapter), and report on a state/church victory to remove an unconstitutional nativity display in Michigan. In honor of the 120th anniversary of the birth of lyricist Ira Gershwin, we play Ira’s irreverent classic about the bible, "It Ain’t Necessarily So.”

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- November 24, 2016

Give Thanks to Brave Atheists

We give thinks this Thanksgiving week to you, the listeners and supporter of FFRF. After a tribute to FFRF principal founder Anne Gaylor (who would have turned 90 this week), we hear a fascinating talk by the young Nadia Duncan, winner of FFRF's essay contest for students of color. Then we listen to Marie Schaub, the brave Pennsylvania mother who challenged the Ten Commandments at her daughter's school, in her acceptance speech for winning FFRF's "Atheist in Foxhole Courage" award.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- November 17, 2016

Atheists as Outsiders

Freethought Radio has been kicked off The Mic 92.1, replaced with Christmas music! We still broadcast on other stations around the country. (You can hear teh podcast now.) After some post-election analysis, where we talk about Breitbart's attacks on FFRF and hear President Obama denounce "crude nationalism," FFRF attorney Maddy Ziegler tells us about a victory removing religion from an Ohio city seal. Then we speak with sociologist Penny Edgell about the 10-year updated study she co-authored, "Atheists and Other Cultural Outsiders: Moral Boundaries and the Non-Religious in the United States."

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Marion Kenneally, before and after

One Nun’s Odyssey

After some election postmortem, including hearing Neil deGrasse Tyson say we need to “make America smart again,” we report two FFRF state-church victories in public schools. We listen to Sharon Jones sing her funk version of “This Land Is Your Land.” Then former nun (who is now a “none”) Marion Kenneally describes her 16-year life in a convent before she became an atheist. Her fascinating new book is One Nun’s Odyssey: A Memoir.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- November 5, 2016

Village Atheists

For this Election Day and Veteran's Day week, we talk about the importance of secular voters and members of the military. We report two state/church victories involving police departments, and a complaint over religion in Biloxi, Mississippi public schools. After hearing Dan Barker's version of Bob Dylan's anti-war song "With God On Our Side," we interview historian Leigh Eric Schmidt about his new book, Village Atheists: How America’s Unbelievers made their way in a godly nation.

Podcast.

Jeff Prebeg

Spooky Religion

Halloween weekend! FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott tells us about two "friend of the court" briefs we recently filed in Florida and Texas regarding religion in the public schools. After hearing the scary "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" (from The Book of Mormon musical), we talk with Pennsylvania freethinker Jeff Prebeg about the denial of his "ATHE1ST" license plate that was finally allowed after FFRF wrote a letter to the Department of Transportation. Then we hear comedian Samantha Bee excoriate Catholic hospitals over their cavalier treatment of women's health.

Podcast.

Freethought Radio -- October 22, 2016

From Preacher to Atheist

After listening to the “Moment of Bedlam” at FFRF’s annual Non-prayer breakfast, we hear the Newseum Institute’s shout-out to the Freedom From Religion Foundation as a “well-organized” and “very effective” force fighting for the “nones” in today’s society. We play the new song, “Life After You,” then talk with the songwriter, Carter Warden, a former evangelical Church of Christ minister and founding member of The Clergy Project who came out as an atheist at FFRF’s convention in Pittsburgh this month. Carter describes why he left the ministry and how difficult it was to find employment outside the church.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- October 15, 2016

The Miracle Myth

Secular voters might sway the coming election! We report on studies showing that the “nones” are not only growing faster than any other demographic, but are showing up at the polls in record numbers. We announce state/church victories in Arkansas and Indiana, and celebrate the birthday of rocker Tom Petty by hearing his song “Playing Dumb,” which chastises the church for its abuse of children. Then we talk with UW-Madison philosophy professor Larry Shapiro about his new book, The Miracle Myth: Why belief in the resurrection and the supernatural are unjustified.

Podcast

Freethought Radio -- October 8, 2016

Unbelievable Music

FFRF’s “Director of First Impressions,” Lisa Treu, a former music radio DJ, is guest hosting for Annie Laurie and Dan as they are in Pittsburgh for FFRF’s 39th annual convention. Lisa has asked staff and members to recommend songs with a freethought message that have impressed them in some way. The “unbelievably uplifting” selections include music by John Lennon, Robert Ellis, Abandoned Pools, 21 Pilots and more!

Podcast

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