Freethought Radio

We applaud President Biden's repeal of religious discrimination. FFRF joins in an abortion appeal to the United Nations, and appreciates a State Department reward for Avijit Roy's killers. Vashti McCollum's heroic lawsuit is honored and Gov. Greg Abbott's idea of education is exposed as indoctrination. FFRF attorney  Sam Grover  explains our brief challenging the Ten Commandments monument in Arkan...

Our guest this week is Dr.  Christine Henneberg , author of the book  Boundless: An Abortion Doctor Becomes a Mother . FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence describes some first-amendment legal victories she was involved in, and describes the problems nonreligious seniors have while living in religious nursing homes. After reporting state/church news around the country, we hear the freethinking singer/...

After reporting state/church news in Ohio, North Carolina and Florida, we talk about the tragic religious persecution in Pakistan and Afghanistan. FFRF Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Jayne  discusses the more than 1,000 state-level religiously based bills introduced in 2023 that we are monitoring and reports a "Health Care Sharing Ministry" victory in Missouri. Then we speak with Leonard Presberg , fo...

Amy Hagstrom Miller , with Whole Woman's Health Alliance, tells us about the devastation to abortion access wrought by the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. We hear jazz singer  Tahira Clayton  perform freethinking composer Jerome Kern's song "I'm Old Fashioned," and we cover many local, national and international stories about religion and government.

A new PRRI study shows that Americans overwhelmingly reject Christian nationalism. FFRF Attorney  Chris Line  talks about this week's Wisconsin State Journal story, "The Running Man," that features his successful effort to lose more than 250 pounds. Then we speak with  Jonathan Larsen , managing editor of The Young Turks, about his revealing investigation into the National Prayer Breakfast.

We have many state/church victories to report, including against the National Prayer Breakfast and proselytizing Colorado coach Deion Sanders. FFRF litigation counsel Sam Grover describes our newest federal court win against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who censored our display in the state Capitol. Then we hear Nebraska state Sen. Megan Hunt , an atheist working to keep religion and government separat...

After addressing the numerous problems with the National Prayer Breakfast, we speak with Central Florida Freethought Association director  Joseph Richardson about how his secular invocation before a county board was "corrected" by a Christian prayer. Then we speak with Owosso, Mich., City Councilor Emily Olson , who received a death threat after she complained about prayers before council meetings...

After we report on national and local state/church news, FFRF Legal Fellow  Karen Heineman  describes a disturbing case before the U.S. Supreme Court that will most certainly expand religious privilege. Then FFRF Co-President Dan Barker and Communication Director  Amitabh Pal  report on their trip to India this month to meet with brave rationalists who are battling superstition and Hindu nationali...

We celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and National Religious Freedom Day, "eulogize" Cardinal Pell via Tim Minchin's song, "Come Home Cardinal Pell," then hear irreverent  Jim Hightower  pillory religious entanglements in Texas.

We review secular highs and lows of the week. FFRF Legal Fellow Karen Heineman tells us why the Catholic Church cannot run public charter schools in Oklahoma. Then we hear the entertaining conversation between actress/comedian Julia Sweeney and Dan Barker at FFRF's 2022 convention.

After reporting on state/church issues in December, we listen to the freethinking Frank Loesser song "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" sung by Madison jazz vocalist Susan Hofer accompanied by Dan Barker on the piano. Then, FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert wraps up the year by telling us about FFRF's significant legal challenges and victories of 2022.

Tidings of great joy: the bipartisan bill to approve a Thomas Paine memorial in DC is likely to pass this session. After hearing irreverent holiday music by Roy Zimmerman and Tom Lehrer, we talk with professor  Cavan Concannon , co-author with Jill Hicks-Keeton of the new book  Does Scripture Speak For Itself? The Museum of the Bible and the Politics of Interpretation.

We have a news-packed show this week, with congressional testimony, lawsuit updates, and state/church complaints. We celebrate Bill of Rights Day (Dec. 15) and the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21) by reporting "solstice/bill of rights" displays being erected around the country, and by hearing Dan Barker's seasonal song "Solstice Tribute." Then we speak with Australian reporter Elle Hardy about her new bo...

Tis the season to report on state/church entanglements, as well as state/church victories. This week we listen to professor Anthea Butler , author of White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America and contributor to the 1619 Project, deliver her "Do Mess With Texas" speech at FFRF's 45th annual convention in San Antonio, warning us about religious threats to democracy.

We honor Dr. Anthony Fauci, a secular humanist who is retiring at the end of this month as the Chief Medical Advisor for the President of the United States, by hearing Dan Barker's new song, "Thank you, Fauci." Then FFRF's Director of Governmental Affairs Mark Dann recaps our many successes fighting Christian nationalism in the 117th Congress and the challenges that await us in the upcoming 118th...

On our Thanksgiving show, we give thanks where thanks is due. We hear the new song "Let's All Give Thanks," written by Dan Barker and sung by Tahira Clayton and the Godless Gospel singers. Then FFRF Senior Counsel Patrick Elliott talks about the amicus brief FFRF has filed in the "303 Creative" Supreme Court case about a Christian business owner who wants to discriminate against LGBTQ customers.

This week we talk about the novelist John Irving, Christian supremacy, and the Respect For Marriage Act. After hearing the debut of the Godless Gospel song "I Don't Need Jesus," we talk with scientist and author John C. Wathey about his new book, The Phantom God: What Neuroscience Reveals about the Compulsion to Believe.

After hearing the good news (and a little not-so-good-news) after the November election, we listen to the freethinking Irving Berlin song "Pack Up Your Sins (And Go To The Devil in Hades)" 100 years after its 1922 debut on Broadway. Then we speak with playwright Marin Gazzaniga and qualitative researcher Linda LaScola , producers of the new off-Broadway play "The Unbelieving," about clergy who no...

We hit some of the highlights of FFRF's 45th annual convention in San Antonio, Texas, including welcoming remarks by U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (CA) and Jamie Raskin (MD). Then we listen in to the live performance at that convention of the world premiere of the Godless Gospel musical group.

Iranian-born  Maryam Namazie , with "Ex-Muslims of Britain," describes the dire situation in Iran where protesters of the patriarchal regime are being persecuted and killed. She also tells us how we can help. Then we speak with Harvard student Aidan Scully , who writes a secular column in the student newspaper The Harvard Crimson that combats Christian Nationalism and advocates for state/church se...

We hear a sneak preview of the Godless Gospel song "You Don't Need to Be Ashamed," written by Andre Forbes , soloists DeAngela Morant and Rogiérs Fibby , with Godless Gospel singers in the chorus. Then we speak with New Hampshire state Representative Sherry Dutzy , who formed the Secular Values Legislative Caucus in her state and who is on the board of the new national Association of Secular Elect...

Guest: Minnesota state Rep. Mike Freiberg . After hearing the late Loretta Lynn sing the feminist song "The Pill," we hear freethinkers Joni Mitchell and James Taylor perform "Circle of Time." Then we speak with Minnesota state Representative Mike Freiberg about the new Secular Government Caucus he co-founded in the state legislature with the purpose of "resisting Christian nationalism and defendi...

We announce the victory in our lawsuit challenging the "The Lord's Prayer" at a West Virginia city council meeting. Attorney Liz Cavell describes FFRF's "Know Your Rights" campaign for students. Then we hear Christopher Hitchens explain why God is not great.

We celebrate International Blasphemy Day by highlighting challenges to Christian Nationalism and the violation of state/church separation by senators and governors. Former Mormon Ray Matthews tells us why he now appears on FFRF's "I'm an Atheist and I Vote" billboard in Salt Lake City. Then we speak with Adrienne Martin , who testified before her Texas school board in protest of religiously motiva...

Guest: Marty Essen . FFRF's Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Elliott describes the new lawsuit we filed this week challenging 1.5 million dollars in the South Carolina budget to start a Christian school. Then the award-winning author, photographer and lecturer Marty Essen discusses the column against censorship he wrote for Banned Books Week: "Christian Nationalism and Book Banning."