Freethought Radio

Topics include: Why Is Pat Boone Unhappy with  FFRF? The hosts talk about FFRF's Good Friday state/church complaints, why Pat Boone doesn't like FFRF, and interview Matthew Rothschild, an atheist and editor of The Progressive Magazine, celebrating its 100th anniversary in May. Also a guest is student activist Andrew Cederdahl, the president of the Pastafarians at the University of South Carolina,...

The show will include lively commentary on news developments, a "Pagan Pulpit" on Easter, and interviews with author Barbara W. Walker on the real origins of Easter, and with 94-year-old Carnegie Hall conductor David Randolph. David Randolph will provide a sneak preview of the April 18 concert by the (secular) St. Cecelia Chorus on Sat., April 18, featuring the powerful works of two freethinkers:...

Stanford Prof. Paul Ehrlich, best-known for his Population Bomb bestseller, will talk about current overpopulation concerns and his latest book, The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment. The hosts will also discuss FFRF's federal challenge of the National Day of Prayer, and commemorate the birthdate of irreverent lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg.

The show will include an "Ask an Atheist" segment, comment on the controversy over the Pope and condoms, play a little Monty Python, and feature an interview with the head of Australia's atheist organization. Nicholls will talk about freethought Down Under, as well as the censorship of his group's proposed "Sleep in on Sundays" bus sign campaign.

Other Topics: Why Beware of Dogma? & How to Chime in Over New Bus Signs! Scientist and author Victor Stenger will be Saturday's guest. Stenger is the author of many books on science and reason, including God: The Failed Hypothesis (2007). The cohosts will relay reaction to the Foundation's "Beware of Dogma" billboard just posted in Boise, Idaho, and analyze some troubling news developments showing...

Topics: U.S.'s Growing Secularism, & What's Wrong with Pres. Obama's Faith-Based Plans? Barry A. Kosmin, a principal researcher of the definitive American Religious Identification Survey, will talk about the newest ARIS results released this week showing that up to 1 in 5 adult Americans is nonreligious, and the continuing decline of religiosity in America. Author, journalist and freethinker Susan...

The show will feature 2 interviews: a short conversation with Tennessee freethinker Sharron King about being an unbeliever in the South, and with Henry Steinberger, of SMART Recovery, offering a secular alternative to 12-step and AA-based programs for alcohol and drug use recovery. Also featured: a teaser for Philip Appleman's newest book of freethinking poetry, "Karma, Dharma, Pudding & Pie," and...

Also: The Current State of State/Church Separation Reporting on religion for the Los Angeles Times is eventually how journalist William Lobdell lost his religion. His new book, "Losing  My Religion," just came out this week so tune in for this interview! The hosts will also comment on current freethought and state/church developments, and debut Brazilian vocalist Sharon Bele's version of the song,...

Also: What's Wrong with Pres. Obama's Faith-based Council? President Obama's executive order creating a White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will be analyzed and critiqued. The show will include audio clips of Obama's speech before the National Prayer Breakfast with host reactions. Author Eric Maisel will be interviewed about his new book: The Atheist's Way: Living Well...

Guest: Matthew Chapman, Author, Filmmaker & Darwin's Great-great Grandson & Updates on FFRF's "Praise Darwin" Billboard In honor of Charles Darwin's bicentennial birthday this past week, the hosts will interview Darwin's great-great grandson Matthew Chapman, author of Forty Days and Forty Nights, and Trials of the Monkey. Also featured: Susan Hofer singing the jazz love song and ode to science, "I...

Announcing FFRF's New Darwin  Billboard Campaign In honor of Charles Darwin's bicentennial birthday on Feb. 12, the hosts will interview reporter Lauri Lebo, author of The Devil in Dover: An Insider's Story of Dogma v. Darwin in Small-town America. Lauri covered the Dover "intelligent design" trial for the York Dispatch. The hosts will also talk about the Foundation's new Darwin billboard campaign...

Topic: Religion Rules in Manitowoc County, Wis., & Why He Is Standing Up to It Also: FFRF's New Bus Sign Campaign Unveiled! The hosts unveil FFRF's new bus sign campaign, debuting in February in Madison, Wis.,(and going around the nation as funds permit), including memorable quotations by freethinkers, including Richard Dawkins. Interviewed will be Foundation member Paul T. Rappel, who will talk a...

Topics include Inaugural Religion Lively commentary and clips from the Presidential Inauguration, from the freethought point of view, and an update on the Newdow inaugural prayer lawsuit, will precede an interview with Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers.

Topic: State/Church Separation Activism The broadcast will include guest Ed Hensley, one of 10 plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed to challenge a Kentucky law requiring the state Department of Homeland Security to stress "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." Also interviewed will be the Foundation's new staff attorney, Rebecca Kratz, who will report on...

Topics: Stem-Cell Research: The Future, and Update on Inaugural Prayer Challenge The featured guest will be filmmaker Jessica Gerstle, whose movie, "The Accidental Advocate," chronicles the moving quest of her surgeon father, Claude Gerstle, who was recently paralyzed, to seek answers on stem-cell research and what is holding it up.  Jessica will address the complex barriers to full stem-cell rese...

A lively wrap-up of 2008, with audio clips of funny or infuriating moments by would-be theocrats of 2008, will be followed by an interview of state/church watchdog Mike Newdow about the new federal challenge of inaugural prayers. A brief remembrance of freethinkers who died in 2008, and the song "Dear God," by XTC, will also be featured.

The hosts will discuss what's wrong with prayer at the Inauguration, and with Rev. Rick Warren in particular to lead that invocation. For a relaxing end of the year show, they will play some irreverent theatrical clips on religion, including one comedic jibe at homophobic religion, and end the show with a nod to infidel Robert Burns and his famous Aulde Lang Syne.

Topic: What's an atheist doing conducting The Messiah? Distinguished chorale and orchestral conductor David Randolph, an atheist and the oldest person, at nearly 94, to conduct at Carnegie Hall, will be the guest, talking about how music has no religion, among other topics. The co-hosts will play an excerpt from The Stephen Colbert Show's coverage of FFRF's Washington Capitol Winter Solstice displ...

Comedian and actress Julia Sweeney talks about the long-awaited recent release of her brilliant one-woman show, "Letting Go of God," as a movie, and the hosts play clips from lots of national TV coverage of FFRF's solstice display at the Washington State Capitol in covering that ongoing saga!

Topic: The Winter Solstice - The Reason for the Season Dan and Annie Laurie will announce various Winter Solstice initiatives of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, air news clips about FFRF Winter Solstice Displays at State Capitols and its new "Reason's Greetings" billboards (including Bill O'Reilly ranting against them), and play a little tongue in cheek seasonal music. They will also intervi...

Featured guest is Fred Karger, founder of Californians Against Hate, who allegations of unreported Mormon activity to help pass Prop 8, banning same-sex marriage in California, are being investigated by the Fair Political Practices Commission, which oversees state campaign finance laws. Also interviewed will be Southern California FFRF member Mark Monninger, to discuss the uproar over FFRF's "Imag...

Douglas Krueger, author of What is Atheism? Also, Illegal religious displays are discussed with one Ohio member.

Author of Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity John W. Loftus, a seminary-trained minister in the Restoration Movement of Churches, will talk about why, after earning a Master of Divinity degree and other theological degrees, he realized he could no longer believe in biblical claims. The hosts will also discuss the Freedom From Religion Foundation's newest lawsuit, filed...

Topics: Post-Election: State of the Supreme Court & Judiciary & Postmortems on Religious referenda Nan Aron, expert head of the judicial watchdog, Alliance for Justice, will be this week's guest, to talk about what Nov. 4 will mean for the judiciary. Dan & Annie Laurie will comment on the Nov. 4 fate of religious-right sponsored referenda.

Topic: Prop 8 & the Religious War Against Gay Rights The show will be devoted to an expose of the religious backing of Proposition 8, to deny same-sex marriage to California residents via a Nov. 4 ballot initiative. Listen for clips of religious ads, and of religious leaders inveighing against gay marriage. FFRF Lifetime Member and Gay Atheist founder Dick Hewetson will be interviewed about Propos...