Freethought Radio

The January 1, 2011 show, "Name that secular songwriter!" will be replayed (due to cohosts both being felled by ailments which are not life-threatening, but kept them from the studio this week). This is a chance to enjoy the enormous contributions of nonreligious composers and songwriters who have built the Great American Songbook if you missed the New Year's Show, or to enjoy a repeat performance...

Victories and other updates in state/church news. Dan discusses his new book, "The Good Life." Prof. Dennett discusses "Breaking the Spell," his study on clergy leaving the pulpit.

Indiana dad Craig Scarberry discusses the custody battle for his kids hinging on his lack of belief. Steve Trunk reports his legal victory this week when an appeals court ruled the Mount Solidad cross must move off public property.

Welcome the New Year with a fun game: "Name That Secular Songwriter!" Learn of the enormous impact made by nonreligious composers and lyricists who have built the Great American Songbook.

To put the "saturn back in Saturnalia," Freethought Radio will play Dan Barker's broadcastable version of South Park's "Merry F------- Christmas" as well as Dan's "Solstice Tribute." After sharing news coverage of FFRF seasonal state/church actions, including placement of its Winter Solstice sign in the Mississippi State Capitol to counter a nativity display, the hosts will look at the best of "fr...

Happy Winter Solstice! We'll keep you up to date on all the latest December state/church violations. We speak with Mike Newdow about his ongoing litigation regarding the pledge of allegiance.

Reason's Greetings? Heathen's Greetings? FFRF discusses the French burka ban with lawyer Sarah Braasch who just returned from France.

Mitch Kahle discusses why he was physically removed in the Hawaii Senate Chambers by the Sargent at Arms. Stephanie Meyers talks about what to get an atheist for Christmas.

Did you know the least religious segment of the population is young, teens and twenty-somethings. This week we talk with Jesse Galef, Communications Director of the Secular Student Alliance about the growing number of young nonbelievers. We celebrate Mark Twain's birthday, Nov. 30.

A "blasphemous student," Sawyer Frey of Ohio, will talk about why he decided to dress up like Jesus for "Fictional Character" day at his public school, and what the school made him change! Also discussed: why "under god" in the Pledge of Allegiance continues to divide our nation, and the latest in FFRF's litigation efforts to remove it.

We talk about freethought up north and freethought down south. We'll talk with the leader of a Minnesota chapter and a Mexican atheist Gerardo Romera Quijada "Ramas". We'll talk about the first national atheist conference in Mexico where FFRF will be participating.

We review Wisconsin's Lt. Gov's historic welcome speech to the 33rd annual FFRF national convention in Madison, Wis. Rep. Pete Stark accepts the Emperor Has No Clothes Award as Congresses'only out non-believer. Melody Moore,  soprano opera singer, shares why FFRF is special to her.

TOPIC: KEEPING RELIGION OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FFRF staff attorney Rebecca Markert reports on the prayer in school violation FFRF has contested that is turning Daisy Soddy School District and the rest of Tennessee upside down. This year's Thomas Jefferson Youth Activist Awardee Eric Workman talks about why, as class valedictorian, he sued his public school district over illegal commencement prayers...

FFRF unveils the "Out of the Closet" bus sign and billboard campaign for atheists and agnostics. Atheist and comedian extrodinaire Julia Sweeney previews her speech at the FFRF convention next weekend.

Atheism pops up in pop culture as the co-hosts discuss the hit tv show 'Glee.' Veteran journalist and Isthmus editor Bill Lueders discusses his latest book Watchdog: 25 years of muckraking and rabble-rousing .

The co-hosts remember John Lennon. Dan and Annie Laurie speak with Madison cartoonist and illustrator of People's History of American Empire (co-authored by Howard Zinn). Mike talks about his exhibit at the FFRF national convention in Madison over Halloween weekend. The exhibit shows the perils of living in "One nation under god."

Topic: Supreme Challenges In a sneak preview for FFRF's upcoming national convention, convention speaker Linda Greenhouse, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times for 30 years, will talk about her new book on Roe v. Wade, and state/church issues before the high court. The hosts will also play amusing clips about religion and Christine O'Donnell, i...

Freethought Radio will catch up with legal complaints and victories by FFRF's lead staff attorney Rebecca, Markert, who will cohost this week's show while Dan Barker is on the road for freethought. Guest Jon Lindgren, former mayor of Fargo, N.D., professor emeritus of economics and President of Red River Freethinkers, will talk about how he dropped prayers from city commission meetings, and about...

Secular songwriter and secular billboards Brother, can you spare a buck? This week we talk about secular songwriter Jay Gorney, who wrote the music to the famous and influential Depression-era song, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (with atheist lyricist Yip Harburg). Our guest is Jay Gorney's widow, the actress Sondra K. Gorney, who wrote a biography about her nonbelieving husband. We'll also cat...

Topics: Atheism in Oklahoma, Billboards in Atlanta Which Senator Gore was an atheist? Find out on Freethought Radio. Also, FFRFs 50 billboards take Atlanta by storm. Hosts speak with Prof. Bill Doosenberry on why atheism OK in Oklahoma – and everywhere. This week only, Freethought Radio airs in Madison on the Mic 92.1 at 10 am (sports preempt).

This week Freethought Radio hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker will parse the godly tenor of Glenn Beck's D.C. rally, discuss other news developments and interview an 82-year-old Wisconsin farmer about why he dreamed up and paid for FFRF's billboard, recently defaced in Watertown, Wis., saying "Enjoy Life Now: There Is No Afterlife." The show will also air comedian Steve Martin's "atheist hy...

This week Freethought Radio hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker interview Wynne LeGrow, M.D., the Democratic challenger of U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, who came out last week as an atheist, about his decision to announce his lack of faith as a political candidate. The hosts also catch up with Steve Benson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist of the Arizona Republic, who will reprise Tu...

This week Freethought Radio hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker interview the internationally lauded Prof. James F. Crow, for whom the new evolution institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been named. The nonagenarian will talk about inspiring generations of students, why he is a freethinker and what the new center for evolution will mean for science education. The hosts will als...

TOPICS: BILLBOARDS, CITY PRAYER, AND ATHEIST JAZZ This week Freethought Radio hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker interview the award-winning California jazz vocalist Tokeli and talk about her career and life as an atheist Mom. Listen to clips from Tokeli's CD "Where Do You Start?," including "The Nearness of You," "I've Got the World On a String," and "As Time Goes By." Also hear two TV news...

TOPICS: ANSEL ADAMS & FREETHOUGHT; REMEMBERING ROBERT G. INGERSOLL Freethought Radio will interview the daughter of photographer Ansel Adams, who is a freethinker and Lifetime Member of FFRF, about her life, her famous father, what it was like growing up in Yosemite, current exhibits, and will also interview Ken Helms, a former Unitarian minister and FFRF Lifetime Member. In honor of 19th century...