Freethought Radio

Fifteen groups join an Americans United amicus brief supporting FFRF's federal court victory against a large public cross in Pensacola, Florida. Dan Barker asks for help in his appeal of a DC judge's dismissal of his lawsuit challenging the Congressional chaplain's refusal to allow a secular invocation before the House of Representatives. After learning the history behind the song "It Ain't Necess...

What are the real origins of Thanksgiving? Stand-up comedian Leighann Lord  shares with us her hilarious "Six Things to Argue About at Thanksgiving Other Than Politics." Then Eva Quiñones , president of Humanistas Seculares de Puerto Rico, on the phone from Puerto Rico, tells us what it has been like since Hurricanes Irma and Maria battered the island, how atheists and humanists are delivering foo...

Dan talks about his trip to Central America, where he spoke for the Honduran Freethinkers and Guatemala Humanists, a tour that included four national television and one national radio interview. After discussing Senate candidate Roy Moore's theocratic hypocrisy, we announce recent FFRF victories in the public schools in Texas and West Virginia. Then we hear renowned composer Brent Michael Davids ,...

Freethought Radio takes a trenchant look at recent insensitive religious absurdities by Rev. Pat Robertson, Bishop Robert Morlino, President Trump and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. We play Roy Zimmerman's satiric "To the Victims of This Tragedy" as commentary on "thoughts and prayers" substituting for action. FFRF Patrick O'Reiley Legal Fellow Chris Line joins us to talk about the hysterical hul...

After announcing upcoming freethought events in DC, New York City, and Central America, Dan and Annie Laurie talk with staff attorney Liz Cavell  about the FFRF amicus brief she drafted for the Supreme Court Masterpiece Bakery  case that questions whether business owners, because of their religious beliefs, can refuse to serve gays. Then we hear part of the hilarious speech that actress, comedian,...

This Halloween weekend, Bill O'Reilly is "mad at God!," and a Texas high-school is mad at FFRF. The "Nones" are growing even faster, according to Scientific American. We announce FFRF's new "Unabashed" and "Out of the Closet" virtual billboards. After hearing the first-ever "Atheist Town Hall," moderated by Cara Santa Maria, we listen to New York Times op-ed columnist Michelle Goldberg  describe t...

Another victory! FFRF prevailed in its federal lawsuit against Texas governor Greg Abbott, who violated our free-speech rights when he ordered our Bill of Rights display removed from the state capitol. We dissect President Trump's remarks at the Values Voters Summit, and then challenge the nomination of theocrat Jeff Mateer to the Texas federal court. After hearing Dan's song "Freedom From Religio...

Housing Allowance Victory! Dan and Annie Laurie discuss the recent FFRF federal lawsuit, in which they were plaintiffs, declaring the IRS clergy housing allowance exclusion unconstitutional. Then they talk about the bad decision in Barker vs. Conroy  that bars nonbelievers from opening Congress with a secular invocation. Winners of FFRF's grad-student essay contest are announced. Then we hear an e...

We mourn the death of freethinking singer/songwriter Tom Petty ("music is my religion") by playing "I Won't Back Down," appropriate for a week of state/church victories. Staff attorney Patrick Elliott  tells us about last week's federal decision declaring a Christian cross on the Lehigh County (PA) seal unconstitutional. Attorneys Sam Grover  and Andrew Seidel  compare the First Amendment with the...

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...

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 profe...

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 a...

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 a...

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 Pries...

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...

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 legis...

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...

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, pre...

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.

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...

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...

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 exod...

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 Elliot...

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...

Freethought Radio bonus! This is the audio of the second show of FFRF's new Facebook Live video "Ask An Atheist," which aired June 14 at 12:00 noon Central. Hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker, and Andrew Seidel address the question often asked by the religious right: "Why doesn't FFRF go after Islam?" Then they take questions from the audience.