Freethought Radio

The Senate hearings for the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court is the topic of the first half of the show. We discuss why her views on state and church and her membership in a patriarchal cult are alarming. Then we talk with professor Christopher Cameron about his book Black Freethinkers: A History of African American Secularism.

A new national survey of 12,000 nonreligious individuals conducted by FFRF reveals that secular voters are "values voters." After describing the new state/church billboard in Knoxville, Tenn. that was erected by FFRF and its East Tennessee chapter, we announce the winners of the first essay contest for secular students in Puerto Rico. Then we speak with Oxford professor David Nash about his new bo...

FFRF's Senior Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott tells us about the lawsuit we filed today challenging the required "So help me, God" oath on Alabama's voter registration forms. Then author, scholar and essayist Susan Jacoby joins us to explain the dangerous religiously dogmatic views of Amy Coney Barrett , the nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court.

We memorialize the life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a champion of equality and state/church separation. FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel explains how we can fight for what is at stake. The Director of Black Nonbelievers of DC, Rogiérs , talks about how he went from worship leader to atheist activist and explains the speaker series "Legacy: The Story of Dissent Through the Years," acknowledging the...

We protest the imprisonment of a 13-yr-old Nigerian for blasphemy. We explain why we reported a priest, bishop and archbishop to the IRS for unconstitutional politicking. Then we honor the life and legacy of the distinguished freethinking humanist poet, scholar and author Philip Appleman who died this year at 94 years of age, by hearing his poignant interview on PBS' "Bill Moyers Journal."

We hear from recipients of the Forward Freethought Scholarships for Black Skeptics, then we complain about a politicking priest saying "You cannot be a Catholic and vote Democratic." After listening to Tom Lehrer's "pandemic" song "I Got It From Agnes," we talk with the actor, singer, game-show host and TV personality John Davidson about his long career in show business and about why he is an outs...

After we announce a major state/church victory in Puerto Rico, described by Eva Quiñones , Nigerian activist Leo Igwe tells us about the alarming arrest of humanist leader Mubarak Bala, allegedly for blasphemy. FFRF Legal Fellow Brendan Johnson describes state/church victories in Tennessee and Texas (one involving a school "prayer locker"). Then we talk with the founder and CEO of Public Religion...

For Women's Equality Day, we talk with author and feminist activist Coline Jenkins , great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, about the new women's statue she helped create and install in Central Park this week. Then we chat with author and screenwriter Chris Matheson , who co-wrote the movie "Bill and Ted Face The Music" which is released this week, and about his new irreverent book T...

FFRF is winning state/church victories in many states. We celebrate Women's Equality Day on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment by hearing Judy Collins sing the suffragist anthem "Bread and Roses." Then, FFRF Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Elliott describes the friend-of-the-court brief we submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting Philadelphia's right to deny public funding to cont...

Dallas megapastor Robert Jeffress attacks FFRF on Fox. Nancy Pelosi calls for prayer. Ventura, Calif., proposes removing religious bigot Junipero Serra from its seal. After hearing James Taylor's freethinking song "Up From Your Life," we talk with Andrew Whitehead , co-author of the book (with Samuel Perry) Taking America Back For God , about how Christian Nationalists react differently to the cor...

FFRF's Director of Communications Amit Pal updates us on President Modi's attempt to turn secular India into a Hindu nation. After hearing the "comfort music" song "Don't Fence Me In," by atheist songwriter Cole Porter, we talk with FFRF's Director of Governmental Affairs Mark Dann about what it's like to be a DC lobbyist during the pandemic, and what accomplishments FFRF has garnered on Capitol H...

Dallas megapastor Robert Jeffress improperly politicked from the pulpit on "Freedom Sunday." After hearing the parody "Hang On, Ruthie" (about Ruth Bader Ginsburg), we talk with Skyler Hutto , the South Carolina attorney who is suing his governor for distributing millions of dollars of COVID relief to private (mostly religious) schools. Then we chat with historian, author and commentator Juan Cole...

Religion is a major cause of the spread of COVID. The NO BAN Act passed the U.S. House this week, undoing President Trump's restrictions on travel and immigration from several Muslim countries. FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott tells us about a church-owned property that will now have to pay taxes. We protest an evangelical-owned coffeeshop for violating mask regulations and condemn the South Ca...

The Catholic Church lobbies for special treatment to gain billions of PPP dollars. FFRF attorney Ryan Jayne tells us about the secret phone calls between the White House and religious groups to funnel money to Trump's preachers. Then law professors Nelson Tebbe and Micah Schwartzman discuss their powerful New York Times article, "The quiet demise of the separation of church and state."

FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert explains what was so bad about two Supreme Court decisions this week dealing with religion, civil rights and women's health. FFRF's Director of Strategic Response Andrew Seidel tells us about the billions of dollars flowing to churches (many that are evangelical favorites of President Trump) under the Paycheck Protection Program. Then we talk with professor Khya...

The Mississippi flag swaps one exclusion (Confederate symbol) for another ("In God We Trust"). FFRF Senior Counsel Patrick Elliott explains our amicus brief supporting California's social-distancing requirement for churches and tells us what was wrong with the Supreme Court's Espinoza pro-voucher decision. Then FFRF's "Anne Nicol Gaylor Reproductive Rights Intern" Barbara Alvarez tells us what was...

For our first broadcast of the summer, we hear actor John de Lancie (who played Q on "Star Trek: The Next Generation") deliver a very moving virtual commencement address to graduating seniors in the Secular Student Alliance. Then we speak with award-winning NYC stand-up comedian and author Leighann Lord , who comments on the bird-watching incident in Central Park, and about her thoughts on Father'...

We celebrate this week's Supreme Court Bostock decision affirming civil-rights protections to the LGBTQ community. FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott explains how that case relates to religious liberty. After hearing the song "Freedom From Religion," we talk with Jon Steingard , the former lead singer of the Christian rock band Hawk Nelson, who just announced on Instagram that he no longer believes in...

The Texas lieutenant governor and a Texas mayor are improperly mixing religion and government. We ask the Pennsylvania governor not to hand state money to churches. After hearing the freethinker Nina Simone's 1964 civil-rights protest song "Mississippi Goddam," we talk with eminent Chicago Law School professor Geoffrey R. Stone about the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions about abortion and state/...

The President of the United States terrorizes fellow Americans in order to stage a Christian Nationalist photo-op. After hearing the protest song "No More" by Broadway composer Charles Strouse, we talk with author and filmmaker Jeremiah Camara about his movie Holy Hierarchy: The Religious Roots of Racism in America and about how we can address oppression and inequality in our country.

President Trump and public officials continue to pander to the Religious Right during the pandemic. FFRF legal fellow Dante Harootunian announces a state/church victory removing a Christian cross from a city mural in Illinois. After hearing the freethinking song "Let The Mystery Be" by Iris Dement, we talk with The Nation columnist Katha Pollitt about her recent column "Why Did the ERA Die? FX's '...

Churches or churchgoers in at least 19 states are hypocritically suing the government for shutting down public worship services. After hearing the Stephen Foster "comfort music" song "Hard Times Come Again No More," performed remotely by Rufus Wainwright and friends, we talk with Michael Shermer , editor of Skeptic magazine and author of the new book Giving the Devil His Due , about "COVID-19 Cons...

The virus of religion is worsening the pandemic. We talk about religious favoritism at the national and local levels, from the U.S. Supreme Court to states and counties that put ideology over science. Then we speak with Bonya Ahmed and Imtiaz Shams , founders of the new THINK project that is producing quality videos about science, reason and humanism in many languages for countries (including Bang...

Guess what well-known person is a humanist? Today we talk about U.S. representatives calling for a National Day of Reason (not Prayer), FFRF's full-page ad in the New York Times, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's remarks on access to contraception, and a U.S. mosque broadcasting calls to prayer. Then we speak with atheist rapper Baba Brinkman and hear his songs "Stay Home!" and "Neighborhood Atheism."

Are clergy "essential" workers? FFRF is complaining about favoritism to religion during the coronavirus pandemic. Our comfort music this week is "Smile," written by the freethinking Charlie Chaplin. FFRF Director of Communications Amit Pal j oins us as we talk by phone from locked-down India with Avinash Patil , the courageous executive president of the Organization to Eradicate Superstition in Ma...