Freethought Radio

We protest bibles and prayers in public schools and "In God We Trust" on public buildings. Freethought Radio co-host Annie Laurie Gaylor wraps up her series on "The Cult of Fetus Worship." Then we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Indian rationalist Narendra Dabholkar by speaking with his brave successor Avinash Patil , president of the Maharashtra Association for the Eradic...

"It's Too Darn Hot!" And evangelicals are making global warming worse. After reporting state/church news in Indiana, South Carolina, Colorado, Ohio and Florida, Freethought Radio co-host Annie Laurie Gaylor reads more of her blog: "Let's Abort the Cult of Fetus Worship." Then we speak with Berkeley history Professor  David A. Hollinger  about his book Christianity's American Fate: How Religion Bec...

After reporting on state/church complaints and victories in Oklahoma, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Indiana and California, Annie Laurie asks, "Is there a cult of fetus worship?" Then we speak with Stanford Professor Lerone A. Martin about his illuminating new book, The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover: How the FBI Aided and Abetted the Rise of White Christian Nationalism .

We announce a new lawsuit attempting to stop public money from repairing churches in New Jersey. We celebrate the birthdate of the "Great Agnostic" orator and author Robert G. Ingersoll by hearing his "Love" recitation set to music. Then we speak with University of Aberdeen professor Isabella Kasselstrand about her new book  Beyond Doubt: The Secularization of Society .

We announce a new lawsuit to stop Oklahoma officials from creating the nation's first religious public charter school. After hearing Rupert Brooke's poem "Heaven" (from the point of view of a fish) set to music by Dan Barker, Annie Laurie questions why so many Americans still believe in angels. Then British author  Sarah Bakewell  tells us about her new book  Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years...

FFRF attorney  Chris Line explains why many evangelicals are boycotting the "Barbie" movie. Colorado activist Rob Rogers tells us how he is protesting book banning by insisting that the bible should also be banned. Then we remember freethinking author and editor James A. Haught, from West Virginia, who died this week at age 91. 

FFRF litigation attorney Sam Grover tells us about his trip to Little Rock to do oral arguments in FFRF's federal lawsuit challenging the placement of a Ten Commandments monument at the Arkansas capitol. Then we interview the well-known skeptic Michael Shermer about his book Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational.

Atheists have bragging rights when it comes to LGBTQ-plus matters. We talk about state/church issues in Utah, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Canada. After hearing the 1954 Woody Guthrie song "Ballad of Old Man Trump," Professor and author Hector Garcia tells us about "Apes, Gods and Reproductive Health Policy."

We tell Trump that atheists are not arsonists. After hearing Henry Fonda defend freethought and academic liberty in 1942, we listen to George M. Cohan's freethinking 1904 song "Life's a Very Funny Proposition After All." Then FFRF Associate Counsel  Liz Cavell  and FFRF   Legal Director  Rebecca Markert  describe two recent bad Supreme Court decisions,  Groff v. DeJoy  and  303 Creative v. Elenis.

We complain about religion and government mixing in Texas, Colorado, New York, Florida and Oklahoma. Freethought Radio co-host Annie Laurie Gaylor tells Southern Baptist women: "Please stay home next Sunday." After hearing lyricist Sheldon Harnick (who died last week) sing his cautionary song "Merry Little Minuet," we speak with The Progressive journalist  Jeff Abbott  about how right-wing evangel...

We report state/church victories and complaints in Texas, Alabama, Utah, California and Wisconsin, and we chastise Sen. Josh Hawley for his erroneous and tone-deaf Juneteenth comments about Christianity and slavery. Then we speak with Catholic journalist Mary Jo McConahay about her new book, Playing God: American Catholic Bishops and the Far Right.

Students complain about graduating in a church. We talk about women pastors, Catholic charter schools, Ten Commandments and prayer in public schools, child marriage and book banning. We talk with  Sheryl Monk , a brave South Carolinian who is complaining about the "Lord's Prayer" at school board meetings. Then we interview  Jon Ward , chief correspondent for Yahoo! News, about his new book  Testim...

Oklahoma Catholic charter school complaint; bibles banned in Utah schools; state/church complaints in Arizona and Georgia schools. After noting the death of televangelist Pat Robertson, we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the June 1963 Abington v. Schempp Supreme Court decision that removed bible reading and the Lord's Prayer from public schools by speaking with octogenarian  Ellery Schempp , t...

Americans are losing confidence in God's existence; Tulsa massacre anniversary; exoneration of 'witches'; Uganda's anti-gay law; state/church complaints in Arkansas and Michigan. We hear Roy Zimmerman's hilarious "Wedding of Church and State" song and Shelley Segal's moving "Apocalyptic Love Song." Then 11-yr-old Elle Harris describes her book  Elle The Humanist .

The good, the bad, and the ugly: Texas Ten Commandments bill fails; anti-abortion laws proliferate; Illinois reports widespread clergy sex abuse; proselytizing school bus driver; legislative prayer; graduations in churches. After we hear Dan Barker's song "The Freethinker Blues," FFRF's Director of Communications Amit Pal joins us to interview Professor  Irfan Nooruddin , co-author of  The Everyda...

We talk about abortion, book banning and the X-rated bible. We also talk with "God." After hearing the song "The Trinity" (words by Robert Ingersoll), we speak with investigative journalist  Christine Kenneally about her chilling new book  Ghosts of the Orphanage: A Story of Mysterious Deaths, a Conspiracy of Silence, and a Search for Justice .

We talk about religion and abortion rights, the IRS and church electioneering, the Texas Ten Commandments bill and clergy sexual abuse. After Annie Laurie describes the bible's role in asking rape victims "Why didn't you scream?", FFRF contributing author  Barbara Alvarez tells us about her new book (published by the American Library Association): The Library's Guide to Sexual and Reproductive Hea...

We celebrate the National Day of Reason, recommend the new movie "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" based on Judy Blume's banned book, and advocate for meaningful court reform. Then we speak with distinguished Bible scholar and bestselling author Bart D. Ehrman  about his new book,  Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says About the End.

We announce plans to sue the state of Texas over their new Ten Commandments edict, and we celebrate the upcoming National Day of Reason on May 4. After hearing Sammy Davis Jr. sing "It Ain't Necessarily So" (written by George and Ira Gershwin), we speak with  Evan Clark , Executive Director of Atheists United, about the "Atheist Street Pirate" campaign to remove religious signs from public propert...

In the news: religious privilege in Minnesota, predator priests, ancient "Comstock law" revived, Latinos losing religion, and Walter Reed military hospital's phony "crisis." After hearing the wistful Richard Rodgers song "Spring is Here," we talk with Michelle Dowd , author of the new memoir  Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult .

We discuss some troubling state/church news (and a few victories) in New Jersey, California, Texas, Indiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Oklahoma. FFRF attorney  Liz Cavell  describes the Groff v. DeJoy case before the Supreme Court that will likely extend religious privilege in the workplace. Then we hear a voice from the past, the never-before-played "God is not Great"...

We announce the "Theocrat" & "Secularist" of the Week, play Bill Maher's very funny "Atheists Day" monologue, then interview University of San Francisco Professor and Middle East expert Stephen Zunes  about the theocratic threats in Israel and what's at stake.

After reporting international and U.S. state/church news, we talk with Kentucky activist  Linda Allewalt , whose op-ed opposing a new state law that encourages public school teachers to promote religion was printed in the Lexington paper. Then we hear Val Benavidez , executive director of the Texas Freedom Network, tell us how her group is "messing with Texas" by fighting religious extremism in th...

FFRF's "Equal Justice Works Fellow"  Kat Grant  describes the letter they wrote to the president of West Texas A&M University protesting his cancellation, for religious reasons, of a student-hosted drag show. Then we speak with former minister and religion scholar  Bradley Onishi  about his new book  Preparing For War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—And What Comes Next.

Local and federal state/church victories and complaints; Walgreens and abortion; new rules for faith-based providers. FFRF attorney  Chris Line  describes the controversy over University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders praying with students. Then we talk with neurologist and financial theorist  William J. Bernstein  about his book  The Delusions of Crowds: Why People Go Mad in Groups.