Free Inquiry Audio Edition

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Paulo Bittencourt was born in Castro, Brazil, spent his childhood in Rio de Janeiro, and studied theology in São Paulo. Close to becoming a pastor, he went on an adventure to Europe and ended up settling in Austria, where he trained as an opera singer. Bittencourt is the author of the books Lib...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Enrico Gnaulati is a clinical psychologist and affiliate professor of psychology at Seattle University who has authored many articles in academic journals and popular magazines as well as four books, his latest being Flourishing Love: A Secular Guide to Lasting Intimate Relationships. Read this...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Enrico Gnaulati is a clinical psychologist and affiliate professor of psychology at Seattle University who has authored many articles in academic journals and popular magazines as well as four books, his latest being Flourishing Love: A Secular Guide to Lasting Intimate Relationships. Read this...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Bill Cooke is a senior editor of Free Inquiry and a historian of atheism and humanism. He holds a PhD in religious studies and teaches philosophy and religious studies in Warrington, United Kingdom. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/07/five-...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Herb Silverman is founder and president emeritus of the Secular Coalition for America, author of Candidate Without a Prayer: An Autobiography of a Jewish Atheist in the Bible Belt (Pitchstone Publishing, 2012), and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the College of Charleston. Th...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Steven Rosenzweig is a retired lawyer who lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Roza, and their shitzu, Milhouse. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/07/moving-on-from-blame/ Subscribe to Free Inquiry:  https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Edward Tabash is a constitutional lawyer in the Los Angeles area and chair of the board of directors of the Center for Inquiry. He is recognized for his legal expertise pertaining to the separation of church and state. He is also one of the more well-known atheist debaters in the United States....

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Russell Blackford is a conjoint senior lecturer in philosophy at the University of Newcastle (Australia) and a regular columnist for Free Inquiry. His latest book, The Tyranny of Opinion: Conformity and the Future of Liberalism (2019), is published by Bloomsbury Academic. Read this article and...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Matt Johnson is a writer whose work has been published in The Bulwark , Quillette , Haaretz , American Purpose , The Daily Beast , and many other outlets. He is the author of How Hitchens Can Save the Left: Rediscovering Fearless Liberalism in an Age of Counter-Enlightenment (Pitchstone Publish...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of Free Inquiry and the Center for Inquiry. About the Author: Thomas Mates is an analytical chemist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a freelance writer on political, social, and religious issues.  Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/07/godwashing-in-politics/ Subscribe to Free Inquiry:...

Kathleen A. Denman shares her personal experience of confronting mortality after decades of managing Parkinson's disease. About the Author: Kathleen (Kathy) Denman is a retired psychologist specializing in addictions and grief counseling. She worked for many years as an addictions therapist in the Chicago area, the Quad Cities area in both Iowa and Illinois, and Central California. She has a maste...

Jesse J. Rond explores logical fallacies within Christian theology, particularly focusing on the biblical account of angels. About the Author:   Jesse J. Rond is just a normal guy who recently discovered his aptitude for writing. He has long had a rational mind that cannot help but analyze his prior religious beliefs. Without knowing where it would lead, Rond started writing as an outlet for the r...

John Bracht reflects on his transition from being a Christian minister to questioning the concept of God. He explains how his former belief in the necessity of faith in God now seems unconvincing, highlighting the difficulty many Christians have in articulating why they believe in God. About the Author:   John L. Bracht was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is now retired and living in Canberra, Au...

Oscar Gonzalez humorously recounts a childhood encounter with a fire-and-brimstone priest and reflects on his early skepticism about Catholic rituals and teachings. Despite the priest's threats, Gonzalez chooses the comfort of home and family over fear-driven compliance, setting the tone for a lifelong rejection of rigid religious authority. About the Author: Oscar Gonzalez is a lawyer in Texas wh...

Erin Louis recounts her journey as an exotic dancer and atheist, reflecting on her youthful defiance and eventual maturity. She critiques her earlier confrontational attitude toward religion and believers, advocating instead for empathy and collaboration, particularly in protecting secular values. About the Author:   Erin Louis is a former adult entertainer, with a love of books, writing, and humo...

Peter Lugten explores the origins and absurdity of the Religious Right's "culture wars." He traces the rise of Christian nationalism, including the impact of movements like Dominionism, which seeks to impose a Christian theocracy, and critiques the theological misinterpretations that fuel such efforts, arguing that the Bible does not support the politicization of religion or the attempt to create...

Chris Orlet argues that the brevity of human life is a blessing, making the case against extending lifespans beyond 80 years. He critiques the push for anti-aging technologies, noting the societal, environmental, and personal drawbacks of extreme longevity.  About the Author:   Chris Orlet lives in St. Louis. His essays have appeared in Utne Reader, Philosophy Now, Hedgehog Review, The Guardian, T...

Eric Shaver explores the phenomenon of the total solar eclipse and makes a case for why secular humanists should celebrate this celestial phenomenon. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/03/gather-the-shadow-lovers/ About the Author:   Eric Shaver is outreach coordinator for the Center for Inquiry and he produces Free Inquiry Audio Edition and Ske...

Robyn E. Blumner criticizes Speaker Mike Johnson's promotion of Christian Nationalism and his efforts to undermine the separation of church and state, citing his ties to the New Apostolic Reformation and history of advocating for religiously-driven public policies. The Congressional Freethought Caucus has raised concerns about his views, especially his support for teaching young-earth creationism...

Peter Uetz challenges several myths about overpopulation in his article, arguing that the real problem is excessive consumption rather than population growth alone. He emphasizes that, despite fertility rates dropping in many parts of the world, rising consumption, especially among the growing global middle class, continues to drive ecological crises like climate change and biodiversity loss. Read...

Nicole Scott presents a portion of Benjamin Radford's lecture on 'Solar Superstitions and Moon Myths'. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/03/celestial-myths-and-superstitions/ About the Author:   Nicole Scott is the managing editor of  Free Inquiry . Subscribe to Free Inquiry:  https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is...

Phil Zuckerman explores the complexity and moral ambiguity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drawing on his personal experiences and observations. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/03/reflections-on-a-death-spiral/ About the Author: Phil Zuckerman grew up in Southern California, but has lived in Oregon, Israel, and Denmark. He is a professor...

Ronald A. Lindsay critiques Gary Francione's argument that veganism is a moral imperative. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/01/is-veganism-a-moral-imperative/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to F...

Richard Dawkins reads his essay "Science, the Poetry of Reality, Jewel in Humanity's Crown," live at CSICon 2023. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/01/science-the-poetry-of-reality-jewel-in-humanitys-crown/ About the Author: Richard Dawkins is an English ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and bestselling author. He is an emeritus fellow of New...

Paul Fidalgo examines the importance of "safe spaces" in secular humanism, where individuals can explore ideas, express themselves, and learn without judgment, advocating for inclusivity in humanist communities to welcome diverse perspectives and beliefs. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/01/safe-to-be-weird-and-wrong/ About the Author: Paul Fi...