Freethought Radio

We mourn the death of scientist and atheist Stephen Hawking. FFRF attorney Ryan Jayne  tells us about stopping a North Carolina County from paying for a church mural. Communications Director Amit Pal  warns us about the scary nomination of extremist evangelical Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State. Then we talk with Toni Van Pelt , president of the National Organization for Women, about equality, in...

Harvard cognitive psychologist, linguist and popular science author Steven Pinker ( The Language Instinct, The Blank Slate, The Better Angels of Our Nature ) gave his very first public talk about his new book, Enlightenment Now , at FFRF's 40th annual convention in Madison, Wisconsin. His optimistic talk is replayed in full on this week's show while Dan and Annie Laurie are traveling to the Centra...

What's wrong with evangelist Billy Graham lying in state in the nation's capitol? Nonbelief Relief awards $75,000 in spring grants, FFRF announces four student essay contests, and unveils the new Avijit Roy Memorial Award in honor of the Bangladesh-American freethought author who was hacked to death by Islamic extremists in 2015 for his nonbelief. Then we talk with champion swimmer and freethinkin...

"Thoughts and prayers" are no response to the tragedy of gun violence. Billy Graham's death leaves a legacy of divisiveness and disrespect for state/church separation. After discussing the Russians using religion as a tool to meddle in US policies, we talk with the founder of Jordanian Atheists, Mohammed al Khadra , about the challenges of being a nonbeliever in a country that outlaws blasphemy an...

Is Vice President Mike Pence delusional when he thinks Jesus is talking to him? Is a Georgia senator's proposed law (in response to FFRF victories) to allow public school teachers to pray with students constitutional? After discussing the recent Florida shooting, FFRF's "In Science We Trust" billboard in Atlanta, and hearing a child prompted by parents to call FFRF to tell us we are "going to hell...

We analyze the "Christian nationalism" remarks made by President Trump and others at today's National Prayer Breakfast. After reporting an FFRF state/church victory in Tulsa, Oklahoma, stopping police and firefighters from raising money for the Salvation Army while in uniform, we celebrate poet Philip Appleman's 91st birthday by hearing his poem "Fleas." Then we talk with Muhammad Syed , president...

HUD Secretary Ben Carson goes after FFRF on his Facebook page after we filed a lawsuit in response to his dodging of FOIA records requests relating to a White House bible study. FFRF attorney Colin McNamara tells us about another FOIA lawsuit we just filed over a Kentucky jailer who is refusing to provide documents in our investigation of prayer services at a county jail. Then we talk with Camille...

After analyzing President Donald Trump's unctuous, divisive and erroneous remarks at a right-wing "March For Life," we dissect Vice President Mike Pence's biblically based address to the Israeli Kenesset where he mistook myth for historical fact while embracing the "people of the book." FFRF attorney Sam Grover tells us about positive developments in our lawsuit challenging a Texas judge who force...

FFRF Senior Attorney Patrick Elliott tells us about the federal lawsuit we filed today demanding that HUD Secretary Ben Carson waive fees in our FOIA request for information related to White House Bible Studies. We discuss evangelical hypocrisy, Trump's racism, FFRF's "In Science We Trust" billboard in Atlanta and Ron Reagan's FFRF ad running on MSNBC. Then we talk with 11-yr-old Bailey Harris and...

Dan Barker announces the publication of his new book, Free Will Explained . After hearing about FFRF in the news and complaining about a Tennessee pastor who sexually molested a high-school girl and then apologized to his church to a standing ovation, we learn the connection between the anniversary of Otis Redding's "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay" and Dan Barker's piano playing. Then, after heari...

The first-ever Atheist Flag, erected by FFRF member Richard Gagnon , appeared this week in Somersworth, New Hampshire. We announce the debut broadcast of FFRF's new TV Show, "Freethought Matters," beginning Sunday on CBS in Madison, Wisconsin. FFRF attorney Ryan Jayne tells us about stopping a $5,000 city grant to a church in Sitka, Alaska. Then we speak with former Southern Baptist minister John...

When U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) courageously resisted Trump's "smear against women" Tweet that she learned about during a Congressional bible study, Annie Laurie told Gillibrand: "The bible is even worse than Trump!" After hearing Iranian-born feminist and atheist activist Maryam Namazie 's acceptance speech for the Hank Zumach "Freedom From Fundamentalist Religion" award, we listen to j...

FFRF's Winter Solstice signs have been erected around the country, one of which was vandalized in Olympia, Washington. Our full-page New York Times ad ran today, during a time when more Americans consider "Christmas" to be a purely secular holiday. After FFRF Legal Fellow Colin McNamara  tells us about religious instruction in Wisconsin prisons, we listen to a number of irreverent and moving songs...

Many victories to report on the eve of Bill of Rights Day: IRS Clergy Housing Allowance enjoined, Texas Judge rebuffed, Trump's theocratic judicial nominee rejected, nativity scene moved from Pennsylvania city property, Christian mentoring program stopped in South Carolina schools. After celebrating the defeat of the religious ideologue Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, we talk with Diana Sabill...

FFRF's secular Winter Solstice displays are going up around the country. FFRF attorney Chris Line  tells us about the 350+ letters we mailed to high-school superintendents warning them of the proselytizing Todd Becker Foundation that preys on students. After celebrating the birthdays of actress Hermione Gingold and British comedian Kate Smurthwaite, we talk with Lubna Ahmed , who had to flee Iraq...

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...