Freethought Radio

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The Founding Myth May 09, 2019

Show notes

What happened in Poland could happen here. Christian Nationalists are proposing and passing laws to outlaw abortion in many states. We listen to part of Georgia State Senator Jen Jordan's impassioned remarks in opposition to the fetal-heartbeat bill, and Governor Kemp's anti-choice remarks when he signed the bill into law. After hearing the 1941 song "One Life To Live," written by freethinking songwriters Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin, we talk with constitutional attorney Andrew Seidel, who is FFRF's Director of Strategic Response, about his new book The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American.

Evangelical Intrusion May 02, 2019

Show notes

We analyze Trump's Christian nationalist remarks during the unconstitutional National Day of Prayer kickoff. After applauding Kansas for protecting women's right to abortion, we hear Pete Seeger's irreverent take on the song "Gimme That Old Time Religion." Then we talk with UK journalist Nandini Archer, who worked on Open Democracy's recent eye-opening report: "Revealed: Trump-linked US Christian 'fundamentalists' pour millions of 'dark money' into Europe, boosting the far right."

The Fight Continues Apr 25, 2019

Show notes

We unveil an appealing new digital media campaign featuring three remarkable winners of FFRF's 2018 student of color freethought essay competition. Then we talk about FFRF's actions related to Ark Park school field trips, more Ten Commandments displays in schools and the true health hazard of measles spread by religious misinformation. Absentee co-host Dan Barker makes a statement about Barker v. Conroy, which permits the U.S. House to continue to exclude secular invocations by atheists. FFRF Communications Director Amitabh Pal joins co-host Annie Laurie Gaylor in interviewing Frederick Clarkson, a senior research analyst who uncovered the Christian supremacist plot known as Project Blitz, to legislate theocracy at the state level. Tune in to find out his advice about how to fight these theocratic inroads.

Latter Day Saint to Latter Day Ain't Apr 18, 2019

Show notes

Happy birthday and Happy Earthday to Mother Earth! The show discusses how FFRF got a cross relocated from public to private land, and warns about antiabortion legislative inroads threatening Roe v. Wade. Annie Laurie talks to FFRF in-house counsel Andrew Seidel, director of strategic response, about a bizarre twist in one of FFRF's concluded major court victories. Then, for a change of pace, she briefly interviews co-host Dan Barker, who's on the road, about the 23 talks or debates he's done for FFRF in the last 3 months all around the U.S. Major guest Steve Benson, who was the Arizona Republic's Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoon for 38 years, talks about going from a "latter-day saint to latter day ain't" and about the irreverent cartoons he's now drawing for FFRF. Featured composer: atheist Sergei Prokofiev (born April 23, 1891).

Days of Atheism Apr 11, 2019

Show notes

We recap the diverse international conference, "Days of Atheism" held in Poland in March, including the commemoration of the 330th anniversary of the execution of Polish writer Kazimierz Lyszczynski for atheism. In honor of Daniel C. Dennett, who visited FFRF's office last week, we play Irving Berlin's rousing 1922 song, "Pack of Your Sins and Go to the Devil." Then we talk with author, professor and clinical psychiatrist Hector A. Garcia about his new book Sex, Power, and Partisanship: How Evolutionary Science Makes Sense of Our Political Divide.

Touching on Numerous Issues Apr 04, 2019

Show notes

In this week's show, guest-hosted by FFRF Communications Director Amit Pal, we first touch on a number of events in the news, ranging from the international to the national to recent Wisconsin election results. We then talk with FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover about how the term "religious freedom" is being currently used and misused. We conclude with an interview with documentarian Mary Dore, the director of a film on the early women's rights movement, She's Beautiful When She's Angry, on how and why she made the movie and its relevance to the state of women's rights today.

Filipino Freethinkers Mar 28, 2019

Show notes

We celebrate the March 29 birthdate of Monty Python's Eric Idle by playing two of his irreverent songs. In the news segment, we talk about the upcoming international atheist gathering in Warsaw, Poland, FFRF's new scholarship competition for law students and the threat of legislation intended to ban abortion in the United States. Then Dan Barker interviews Red Tani, founder of Filipino Freethinkers, who talks about the challenges of promoting science, reason and women's rights in a country so heavily dominated by the Catholic Church.

Post-Roe America Mar 21, 2019

Show notes

FFRF constitutional attorney Ryan Jayne tells us about his testimony in Missouri opposing a bill that would disallow plaintiffs from filing anonymously in state/church lawsuits. Tax professor Adam Chodorow explains what is wrong with the recent Seventh Circuit decision overturning FFRF's victory in the "housing allowance" lawsuit challenging special tax privileges for clergy. Then we speak with author, journalist and activist Robin Marty about her new book Handbook for a Post-Roe America.

African Freethought on the Rise Mar 14, 2019

Show notes

Oral arguments are this week in the case FFRF, Americans United, and the ACLU are defending before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals over a Florida county that bars atheists from invocations. Hear our reaction to President Trump signing bibles for Alabama tornado victims, and listen to Annie Laurie's complaint over discrimination against menstruating women worldwide. After hearing the Yip Harburg song "One Sweet Morning," we talk on the phone from Ghana with Roslyn Mould, the Coordinator of the West African Humanist Network.

May Reason Prevail Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

FFRF's director of strategic response, Andrew L. Seidel, joins host Annie Laurie Gaylor for a lively dissection of the oral arguments last week in the Supreme Court's Bladensburg cross case, including clip excerpts of the arguments and Andrew's eye-witness impressions. Then they interview David Steketee about his exciting win Monday in FFRF's successful challenge of billions of tax dollars for church repairs, in clear violation of the N.J. state constitution. This week the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of FFRF's victory, making it final. Then we play a rousing, timely pep talk on the recent threats to secular government by Larry Decker, until recently the executive director of Secular Coalition for America, who spoke at FFRF's 2018 annual convention. By the way, you'll hear musical teasers of Ravel, an atheist who was born on March 7, 1875. We also give a shoutout to International Women's Day and the anniversary of the landmark McCollum v. Board of Education case (both on March 8.)

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