Podcasts about freethought radio

We cover a range of state/church news on the federal and state levels. We announce FFRF's Scopes Trial Centennial celebration to be held in Tennessee in July. After hearing the irreverent Monty Python song, "Every Sperm is Sacred," we memorialize the life of former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, an ardent proponent of feminism and democracy and author of the book Make Trouble, by replaying our 2018 interview with her on Freethought Radio.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Dan Barker, a former evangelical preacher turned prominent atheist and co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, explains the current state of separation of Church and State, the influence of Catholicism on the Supreme Court, and the ongoing debates surrounding public education and religious symbols. Barker also discusses the legal challenges tackled by his organization, and introduces “Contraduction,” a new philosophical concept that reexamines how beliefs and arguments can reverse in order and meaning. Plus, the moral implications of belief systems and the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God, the nature of nothingness, and free will. Dan Barker is co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, co-host of Freethought Radio, and co-founder of The Clergy Project. He worked 19 years as an evangelical minister and is a member of the Lenape (Delaware) tribe of American Indians. His new book is Contraduction.

Today's guest, philosophy Professor Patrick J. Hurley, discusses his insightful new book, Religion, Power and Illusion: A Genealogy of Religious Belief. And FFRF Legal Fellow Hirsh Joshi talks about how an FFRF complaint caused a Minnesota jail to repaint — and hopefully repent — over a massive Ten Commandments display.

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 Eradication of Superstition.

"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 Became More Conservative and Society More Secular.

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 evangelicalism and narco-trafficking are affecting policy and politics in Latin America.

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 nationalism.

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.

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 book, Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity is Taking Over the World.

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.

After reporting on national and local state/church news, we hear singer/songwriter Shelley Segal's feminist song "Eve" from her Atheist Album. Then we listen to Pulitzer-Prize winning New York Times columnist and Supreme-Court observer Linda Greenhouse's "Cheesecake, anyone?" remarks as she accepts FFRF's "Clarence Darrow" award recognizing excellence in journalism about state/church separation.

We celebrate Earth Day and 15 years of broadcasting Freethought Radio by announcing some good news on the state/church front. After hearing Dan Barker's song "None of the Above," we talk with psychologist and educator Dr. Marlene Winell, author of Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion, who tells us how to deal with religious trauma.

We honor the life and legacy of "The Amazing" James Randi, who died this week at age 92, by listening to his entertaining 2008 interview on Freethought Radio. Then we speak with assistant professor of economics Randall Cragun, the lead plaintiff in FFRF's newest lawsuit challenging the disenfranchisement of atheists in Alabama. When Cragun was trying to register to vote, he could not sign the form containing the oath "so help me, God" because he does not believe in God.

In the week of the birthday anniversary of John Lennon, our program examines the concept of “Imagine no religion" from several angles. Freethought Radio features Congress’ lone “out” nonbeliever — U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, in a fascinating interview in which he talks about being an ex-Mormon, the inside story on congressional issues regarding separation of state and church, and why he founded the Congressional Freethought Caucus. The show examines new developments in the rise of Hindu nationalism in India, during this birth week of Gandhi. FFRF Director of Communications Amit Pal, an expert in the phenomenon, is interviewed briefly by solo host Annie Laurie Gaylor. In the news segment, Freethought Radio excerpts TV news coverage of several major FFRF victories, and recounts FFRF’s newest national complaint over the judge in the Amber Guyger trial forcing a bible on her and instructing which passages to read. We play a poignant version of “Imagine,” arranged by native American composer Brent Michael Davids on flute, with Lenape Tribe member and absentee host Dan Barker accompanying on piano. The show passages of music not only by Lennon, but by nonreligious classical composer Guiseppe Verdi, also born this week in history.

Andrew Seidel and Liz Cavell, two FFRF attorneys, fill in this week to host Freethought Radio and discuss Andrew's Messin' with Texas tour. The Democratic National Committee recognized the contribution and value of nonreligious Americans, while a federal court declared that discrimination against atheists is permissible. We interview Chrissy Stroop, a writer, activist, and EXvangelical about her work and forthcoming book, Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church.

Dan became a teenage evangelist at age 15. At 16 he was choir librarian for faith-healer Kathryn Kuhlman's Los Angeles appearances. He received a degree in Religion from Azusa Pacific University and was ordained to the ministry by the Standard Community Church, California, in 1975. Dan preached for 19 years. Following five years of reading, Dan gradually outgrew his religious beliefs. “If I had limited myself to Christian authors, I'd still be a Christian today,” Dan says. “I just lost faith in faith.” He announced his atheism publicly in January, 1984. He tells his story in the books Losing Faith in Faith (1992) and Godless (2008). Dan was PR Director of the Freedom From Religion Foundation from 1987 to 2004. He was elected co-president of the Foundation with Annie Laurie Gaylor in 2004, with whom he is co-host of Freethought Radio, a national weekly talkshow, and Freethought Matters, a national weekly TV show. He is a contributing editor of Freethought Today and is involved with the Foundation's state/church lawsuits. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/free2think/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/free2think/support

I interview Dan Barker about his latest book Mere Morality. Dan is co-president (with wife Annie Laurie Gaylor) of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, and co-host with her of the weekly show Freethought Radio. For ambitious readers, here are the other books mentioned during the course of the conversation: Free Will Explained by Dan Barker Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris Plus: Congratulations to NASA on placing the Osiris-Rex probe in orbit around the near-earth asteroid Bennu, and on the spectacular New Horizons flyby of the Kuiper Belt object Ultima Thule! Kudos also to the Chinese for Chang'e 4, the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon. The Pew Research Center reports that the new 116th Congress is the most religiously diverse in history, with the influence of mainstream Christianity continuing to diminish. Among the freshmen legislators are Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim women to the elected to the House of Representatives. Theme music courtesy of Body Found. Follow American Freethought on the intertubes: Website: AmericanFreethought.com  Podcast Page: http://americanfreethought.libsyn.com  Twitter: @AMERFREETHOUGHT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/21523473365/ Libsyn Classic Feed: https://americanfreethought.libsyn.com/rss Find out how to support the show here and here. Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Educator and author Sikivu Hutchinson, founder of Black Skeptics of Los Angeles (BSLA), describes the four new winners of FFRF's and BSLA's "Catherine Fahringer Memorial Student Scholarships" for students of color. After hearing the "freethought" lyrics of "Dancing In The Dark," we time-travel back to 2006, during Freethought Radio's first year of broadcast, to listen to our first interview with Ron Reagan, the atheist son of President Ronald Reagan.

For those of us who pay close attention in Sunday school, a troubling dissimilarity may begin to appear between what we are told of God’s personality and what we learn of it from His actions. For example, we are told that God is merciful, just, compassionate, and the very definition of love and forgiveness. However, the Bible lays out God’s primary qualities very differently: he is jealous, petty, unforgiving, bloodthirsty, vindictive, and worse! Originally conceived as a joint presentation between influential thinker and bestselling author Richard Dawkins and former evangelical preacher Dan Barker, the book we will be talking about today, God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Sterling, 2016) provides an investigation into this rather serious discrepancy. Barker combs through both the Old and New Testament (as well as thirteen different Bible editions), presenting powerful evidence for why the Scripture shouldn’t govern our everyday lives. Dan Barker is a former evangelical minister and current atheist. He is the co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, cohost of Freethought Radio, and cofounder and board member of the Clergy Project. A widely sought-after lecturer, debater, and performer, he regularly discusses atheism and lifes meaning and purpose in the national media, with past appearances on Oprah, The Daily Show, The O’Reilly Factor, Good Morning America, and many others. He is here with me today to talk about this witty, well-researched book and explain to us how the evidence in it suggests that we should move past the Bible and clear a path to a kinder and more thoughtful world. Carrie Lynn Evans is a PhD student at Universite Laval in Quebec City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For those of us who pay close attention in Sunday school, a troubling dissimilarity may begin to appear between what we are told of God’s personality and what we learn of it from His actions. For example, we are told that God is merciful, just, compassionate, and the very definition of love and forgiveness. However, the Bible lays out God’s primary qualities very differently: he is jealous, petty, unforgiving, bloodthirsty, vindictive, and worse! Originally conceived as a joint presentation between influential thinker and bestselling author Richard Dawkins and former evangelical preacher Dan Barker, the book we will be talking about today, God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Sterling, 2016) provides an investigation into this rather serious discrepancy. Barker combs through both the Old and New Testament (as well as thirteen different Bible editions), presenting powerful evidence for why the Scripture shouldn’t govern our everyday lives. Dan Barker is a former evangelical minister and current atheist. He is the co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, cohost of Freethought Radio, and cofounder and board member of the Clergy Project. A widely sought-after lecturer, debater, and performer, he regularly discusses atheism and lifes meaning and purpose in the national media, with past appearances on Oprah, The Daily Show, The O’Reilly Factor, Good Morning America, and many others. He is here with me today to talk about this witty, well-researched book and explain to us how the evidence in it suggests that we should move past the Bible and clear a path to a kinder and more thoughtful world. Carrie Lynn Evans is a PhD student at Universite Laval in Quebec City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For those of us who pay close attention in Sunday school, a troubling dissimilarity may begin to appear between what we are told of God’s personality and what we learn of it from His actions. For example, we are told that God is merciful, just, compassionate, and the very definition of love and forgiveness. However, the Bible lays out God’s primary qualities very differently: he is jealous, petty, unforgiving, bloodthirsty, vindictive, and worse! Originally conceived as a joint presentation between influential thinker and bestselling author Richard Dawkins and former evangelical preacher Dan Barker, the book we will be talking about today, God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Sterling, 2016) provides an investigation into this rather serious discrepancy. Barker combs through both the Old and New Testament (as well as thirteen different Bible editions), presenting powerful evidence for why the Scripture shouldn’t govern our everyday lives. Dan Barker is a former evangelical minister and current atheist. He is the co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, cohost of Freethought Radio, and cofounder and board member of the Clergy Project. A widely sought-after lecturer, debater, and performer, he regularly discusses atheism and lifes meaning and purpose in the national media, with past appearances on Oprah, The Daily Show, The O’Reilly Factor, Good Morning America, and many others. He is here with me today to talk about this witty, well-researched book and explain to us how the evidence in it suggests that we should move past the Bible and clear a path to a kinder and more thoughtful world. Carrie Lynn Evans is a PhD student at Universite Laval in Quebec City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For those of us who pay close attention in Sunday school, a troubling dissimilarity may begin to appear between what we are told of God’s personality and what we learn of it from His actions. For example, we are told that God is merciful, just, compassionate, and the very definition of love and forgiveness. However, the Bible lays out God’s primary qualities very differently: he is jealous, petty, unforgiving, bloodthirsty, vindictive, and worse! Originally conceived as a joint presentation between influential thinker and bestselling author Richard Dawkins and former evangelical preacher Dan Barker, the book we will be talking about today, God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Sterling, 2016) provides an investigation into this rather serious discrepancy. Barker combs through both the Old and New Testament (as well as thirteen different Bible editions), presenting powerful evidence for why the Scripture shouldn’t govern our everyday lives. Dan Barker is a former evangelical minister and current atheist. He is the co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, cohost of Freethought Radio, and cofounder and board member of the Clergy Project. A widely sought-after lecturer, debater, and performer, he regularly discusses atheism and lifes meaning and purpose in the national media, with past appearances on Oprah, The Daily Show, The O’Reilly Factor, Good Morning America, and many others. He is here with me today to talk about this witty, well-researched book and explain to us how the evidence in it suggests that we should move past the Bible and clear a path to a kinder and more thoughtful world. Carrie Lynn Evans is a PhD student at Universite Laval in Quebec City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For those of us who pay close attention in Sunday school, a troubling dissimilarity may begin to appear between what we are told of God’s personality and what we learn of it from His actions. For example, we are told that God is merciful, just, compassionate, and the very definition of love and forgiveness. However, the Bible lays out God’s primary qualities very differently: he is jealous, petty, unforgiving, bloodthirsty, vindictive, and worse! Originally conceived as a joint presentation between influential thinker and bestselling author Richard Dawkins and former evangelical preacher Dan Barker, the book we will be talking about today, God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Sterling, 2016) provides an investigation into this rather serious discrepancy. Barker combs through both the Old and New Testament (as well as thirteen different Bible editions), presenting powerful evidence for why the Scripture shouldn’t govern our everyday lives. Dan Barker is a former evangelical minister and current atheist. He is the co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, cohost of Freethought Radio, and cofounder and board member of the Clergy Project. A widely sought-after lecturer, debater, and performer, he regularly discusses atheism and lifes meaning and purpose in the national media, with past appearances on Oprah, The Daily Show, The O’Reilly Factor, Good Morning America, and many others. He is here with me today to talk about this witty, well-researched book and explain to us how the evidence in it suggests that we should move past the Bible and clear a path to a kinder and more thoughtful world. Carrie Lynn Evans is a PhD student at Universite Laval in Quebec City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 hullabaloo over his recent victory ending football prayer at a Georgia high school. Investigative reporter Katherine Stewart, author of The Good News Club, returns to talk about her new piece about another threat to secular public education, “The Proselytizers and the Privatizers,” appearing in this month’s American Prospect.

The Global Atheist Convention is returning in 2018 and one of the speakers who spoke at a previous convention is returning — this is the talk he gave called “How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America’s Leading Atheists”. Dan Barker is a former evangelical preacher, now Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. He became a teenage evangelist at age 15, and received a degree in Religion from Azusa Pacific University and was ordained to the ministry by the Standard Community Church, California, in 1975. He preached for 19 years and maintained an ongoing touring musical ministry, including eight years of full-time, cross-country evangelism.  Following five years of reading, Dan gradually outgrew his religious beliefs. He was elected Co-President of the Foundation with Annie Laurie Gaylor in 2004, with whom he is co-host of Freethought Radio, a national weekly talkshow on the Air America network. 

Freethought Radio bonus! This is the audio of the second show of FFRF's new Facebook Live video "Ask An Atheist," which aired June 14 at 12:00 noon Central. Hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker, and Andrew Seidel address the question often asked by the religious right: "Why doesn't FFRF go after Islam?" Then they take questions from the audience.

Freethought Radio bonus! This is the audio of the debut of FFRF's new Facebook Live video "Ask An Atheist," which aired June 7 at 12:00 noon Central. Hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker, and Andrew Seidel discuss each of the Ten Commandments and how they relate to morality and law. Then they take questions from the audience.

Response to FFRF’s national Ron Reagan ad has been great! We talk about born-again Alabama Governor Robert Bentley’s scandalous resignation, FFRF’s Times Square billboard, incredible contributions “in the name of Pence” to FFRF’s legal efforts, and Nonbelief Relief’s donation to the Somalia famine. After hearing Shelley Segal’s “Apocalyptic Love Song” homage to Hitchens, we listen to part of our 2007 interview of Christopher Hitchens on Freethought Radio, the year his book God Is Not Great was released.

Dan Barker and his wife Annie Laurie Gaylor are co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and co-hosts of Freethought Radio. Dan is a former minister and evangelist, Dan became a freethinker in 1983. His books, Just Pretend: A Freethought Book for Children and Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher To Atheist (1992) are published by FFRF. Other books include Godless (Ulysses Press, 2008), The Good Atheist: Living a Purpose-Filled Life Without God (Pitchstone Publishing, 2011), Life Driven Purpose: How an Atheist Finds Meaning, Pitchstone Press (2015) and GOD: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Sterling Publications, 2016). A graduate of Azusa Pacific University with a degree in religion, Dan now puts his knowledge of Christianity to effective freethought use. A professional pianist and composer, Dan performs freethought concerts and is featured in FFRF’s musical CDs, "Friendly Neighborhood Atheist," "Beware of Dogma,” and “Adrift on a Star." He joined FFRF's staff in 1987, serving as public relations director. He was first elected co-president in November 2004, speaks widely and has engaged in more than 100 debates about religion. Freedom From Religion Foundation https://ffrf.org The Clergy Project http://clergyproject.org A Room of One's Own http://www.roomofonesown.com    

Freethought Radio has been kicked off The Mic 92.1, replaced with Christmas music! We still broadcast on other stations around the country. After some post-election analysis, where we talk about Breitbart's attacks on FFRF and hear President Obama denounce "crude nationalism," FFRF attorney Maddy Ziegler tells us about a victory removing religion from an Ohio city seal. Then we speak with sociologist Penny Edgell about the 10-year updated study she co-authored, "Atheists and Other Cultural Outsiders: Moral Boundaries and the Non-Religious in the United States."

Bob and Cass interview Rodney and Trish Thompson—a religiously mixed couple. He’s atheist, she’s Catholic and we discuss how they make it work.  In this age when so many fearful people run to their polemic corners, demonize those that are different, and are unable to compromise, listen or learn from their opposites, Rod and Trish Thompson model a real-life example of how it can work and work well. To borrow from 1 Peter 4:8, “Love covers a multitude of faults.” In other words, when we love someone, we’re much more prone to overlook their faults, cut them some slack, and give them the benefit of the doubt. In this context, we’re less likely to take things personal, be easily offended, or retaliate. Love is that cache or freecell that absorbs the human difference instead of keeping it in play, further escalating the blow for blow mania. Love also helps us respect the other person’s right to think differently. It may even help us realize that that person’s different perspective does not necessarily have to be a threat to our perspective, unless it reveals weakness in it and can then serve as a catalyst to amend and strengthen our own. Staying in the room with difference has a way of maturing us and deflating the insecure ego that desperately needs to be right. The Thompson’s give us a window into how this type of harmony might be realized in religiously mixed marriages. We taped this episode on July 31st, 2016. If you’re liking our show, please subscribe to it, give it 5 stars, and/or leave a review on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Also, you can support us monetarily on a per episode basis through our Patreon page. That’s www.patreon.com/eapodcast. Or leave a donation through PayPal at our website, www.everyonesagnostic.com. Credits: "Towering Mountain of Ignorance" intro by Hank Green https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3v3S82TuxU Intro bumper "Never Know" by Jack Johnson Thanks for listening and be a yes-sayer to what is. Rod’s blogsite “Devotion to Reason” YouTubes featuring Rod & Trish Thompson Obama funny skit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7QwOFgpIFU Electric farmer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdjy4HcGhmM out take https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RaVahpYibI marriage advice for morons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4wki5jSeec Announcements: Dr. Marlene Winell was our guest back on episode 35. She’s a counselor for those recovering from religious trauma. It’s our most poplular episode to date. She called and asked me to plug a retreat she’s got coming up September 9-12th in Berkeley, California. More info is available on her website, journeyfree.org, I’ll put a link in the show notes. A Journey Free Retreat weekend is a chance to come together in a small group with the shared goal of taking steps to recover from harmful religion.  Led by Dr. Winell, it provides a safe place to process experiences with the support of others who understand. The 3 day program includes presentations, discussions, and guided activities to facilitate both intellectual insight and emotional growth, providing a leap forward in one’s personal development.  Getting through the fear, grief, anger and stress isn’t easy but you don’t have to do it alone. The cost of the retreat is scaled according to your income, so it’s gonna cost between $500 to $700 and they’ll even work out a payment plan. She just wants you to come.  So check that out at  http://journeyfree.org/retreats/ I also want to mention that I was the featured guest on The Wayward Atheists podcast recently, episode 12. One of the hosts of that show is David E up in Canada. He was our guest on episode 83.  So check out episode 12 of the Wayward Atheists, available wherever you listen to podcasts. http://waywardatheists.com/category/podcast/ I also want to thank Carol Kuruvilla, Religion Associate Editor for the Huffington Post, for including the Everyone’s Agnostic podcast in her article, “17 Great Podcasts For The Spiritually Curious.” Most of the other podcasts listed there are either specific to a religion or inter-faith. I believe the only atheist podcast on the list are this one and Freethought Radio hosted by former guest of this show, Dan Barker (that’s episode 72), and his wife Annie Laurie Gaylor.  Huff Post article featuring Everyone’s Agnostic I would also like to point to Sam Harris’ recent podcast episode 41 on his show called “Waking Up.” The episode is titled Faith in Reason and features guest Eric Weinstein. It’s been 11 years since Harris published his book, “The End of Faith,” and he has continued to explore the complexities of Faith and Reason and this particular episode really captures these tensions well.  Sam Harris’ Waking Up podcast  

America's leading atheist, the co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and co-host of Freethought Radio, Dan Barker, talks about his latest book, God the Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (audiobook)   The roots of the book go to Richard Dawkins' famous description of God in his book The God Delusion. “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” Barker provides scriptural verses for each of the above attributes and then adds more that Dawkins missed.  Barker challenges Christians to pull back the veil of devotion and read what the "good book" really presents as "God."

We observe our 10th anniversary by celebrating how much has changed since Freethought Radio began in 2006. We announce victories and complaints in public schools and at a Tennessee city council. We listen to the song "Adrift On a Star" by Yip Harburg and Dan Barker. Then we talk with Declan Mulkerin, Margaux Sorenson, and Peter Opitz, students at Middleton (Wisconsin) High School, about why they are protesting the proselytizing "Jesus Lunch" held during school hours at their campus.

Saturday 4/2/16 1pm ET/12pm Ctrl/11am MTN/10am Pac Call in and listen share comments and ask questions at 1-347-934-0379 or online at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/healingxoutreach/2016/04/02/debate-did-jesus-rise-from-the-dead--dan-barker-vs-catholic-william-albrecht You can also listen via Six screens telenetwork at (712) 432-8710 When prompted dial 9925. Have a comment would like to talk with us press *1 to unmute yourself or by video suite at: http://www.sixscreensofthewatchtower.com/telenetwork/telenetwork-directions.php  "Dan Barker served as a Christian preacher for 19 years but left Christianity in 1984. He is the co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and co-host of Freethought Radio. He has lectured and debated on many college campuses. Dan is a jazz pianist and writer, whose works are Beware of Dogma, Friendly, Neighborhood Atheist, and Adrift on a Star and books include Godless, Life Driven Purpose, GOD: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Foreword by Richard Dawkins)." William Albrecht has a B.A. in theology and is a member of the Catholic Legate. You can find out more at: http://catholic-legate.com/ http://www.youtube.com/gnrhead http://www.godtube.com/catholic/

Saturday 3/5/16 1pm ET/12pm CTRL/11am MTN/10am Pac 6pm UK Time Call in and listen and be prepared to ask questions during the Q and A segment of the debate at 1-347-934-0379 or online at http://tobtr.com/8297915  You can also listen via Six screens telenetwork at (712) 432-8710 When prompted dial 9925. Have a comment press *1 to unmute yourself or by video suite at: http://www.sixscreensofthewatchtower.com/telenetwork/telenetwork-directions.php Debate Postponed - "Dan Barker served as a Christian preacher for 19 years but left Christianity in 1984. He is the co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and co-host of Freethought Radio. He has lectured and debated on many college campuses. Dan is a jazz pianist and writer, whose works are Beware of Dogma, Friendly, Neighborhood Atheist, and Adrift on a Star and books include Godless, Life Driven Purpose, GOD: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction (Foreword by Richard Dawkins)." William Albrecht has a B.A. in theology and is a member of the Catholic Legate. You can find out more at: http://catholic-legate.com/ http://www.youtube.com/gnrhead http://www.godtube.com/catholic/  

This week on Freethought Radio meet Lisa “Miller” Treu, FFRF’s Director of First Impressions as she guest host’s Freethought Radio.  Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker will be busy with the 38th Annual Freedom From Religion Foundation’s National Convention at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin.  Lisa will elaborate on her inspiration to becoming a freethinker, John Ono Lennon, who would’ve turned 75 this year on the same date (October 9th) that we will inaugurate the Grand Opening of the new Freethought Hall.  This week Freethought Radio Rocks with the music of Freethinker John Lennon and thoughts from Lisa “Miller” Treu.

In the News: FFRF reports on its successful commercial by Ron Reagan on CNN, salutes Robert Kastenmeier, a former member of Congress who died last week, and its March Madness complaints over basketball chaplains at state universities. After celebrating the birthday of Eric Idle (by playing two of his irreverent Monty Python songs), Annie Laurie interviews Harry Shaughnessy, president of the Triangle Freethought Society (an FFRF chapter), whose family was featured this month in a CNN online story about “The Atheists Next Door." SPECIAL NOTE: There’s still time enter the drawing for a free signed copy of Dan Barker’s new book, Life Driven Purpose. The deadline: Wed., April 1, the official publication date. To enter, send an email to info@ffrf.org with Subject “Free Book,” providing your name and mailing address and how you listen to Freethought Radio (radio station or podcast provider). There’ll be two winners: one for broadcast listeners and one for podcast listeners. Winners announced on next week’s show.

Freethought Radio will play an excerpt of Arizona State Rep. Juan Mendez' Emperor Has No Clothes Award acceptance speech at the recent national FFRF convention. Mendez is the only "out" atheist in elected state government and talks about why he gave a freethought invocation before the Arizona State Legislature last spring and what happened when he did. Candace R. Gorham, author of the new book, "The Ebony Exodus Project: Why Some Black Women Are Walking Out on Religion — and Others Should Too." Candace was an ordained evangelist who holds a master's degree from Wake Forest University, is a credentialed counselor and founder of www.EbonyExodus.org.

The religious right is right about one thing: there definitely is a climate of hostility, and they are creating it. Listen to the Governor and Attorney General of Texas accuse FFRF of "menacing intimidation" over our First-Amendment complaint of the Kountze cheerleaders' Christian banners. Listen to Annie Laurie and Dan's response to "Wall Builder" David Barton accusing FFRF of creating a "toxic" climate of hostility. Then find out if there will be casseroles in an atheistic world.

Life goes on . . . without a Hitch. Tune in to listen to the immortal provocateur, Christopher Hitchens, in his own voice. Freethought Radio will play a quintessential excerpt of Hitchens' Emperor Has No Clothes Award acceptance speech before a national FFRF convention in 2007 in Madison, Wis. The rest of the show will be devoted to "Reason's Greetings," a recap of FFRF's whirlwind actions this past week putting up equal time displays to counter nativity scenes on government property. Bonus song: Dan Barker's expurgated-for-radio version of South Park's "Merry Fricken Christmas."Wishing all listeners a very merry Winter Solstice weekend!

Topic: Atheists in the Pulpit Did you know there are atheists and agnostics in the pulpit? Freethought Radio will announce the new Clergy Project, promoted by Dawkins, Dennett, Barker and a contingent of former ministers who are now atheists, to help nonbelieving clergy leave the pulpit. We'll interview "Chris," a nontheist "in the closet" who is a senior pastor at a Southern evangelical church. Also featured: Too much religion in Minnesota politics, and a sneak preview of "Book of Mormon" music.

Freethought Radio will memorialize two young women freethinkers, air rocker Frank Turner's new freethought anthem "Glory, Hallelujah," and feature as guest FFRF Lifetime Member Madison Arnold, a busy character actor who has appeared in many TV shows, films and stage plays.

To put the "saturn back in Saturnalia," Freethought Radio will play Dan Barker's broadcastable version of South Park's "Merry F------- Christmas" as well as Dan's "Solstice Tribute." After sharing news coverage of FFRF seasonal state/church actions, including placement of its Winter Solstice sign in the Mississippi State Capitol to counter a nativity display, the hosts will look at the best of "freethought at the flicks." Memorable clips about atheism and religion in film history will air.

Freethought Radio will catch up with legal complaints and victories by FFRF's lead staff attorney Rebecca, Markert, who will cohost this week's show while Dan Barker is on the road for freethought. Guest Jon Lindgren, former mayor of Fargo, N.D., professor emeritus of economics and President of Red River Freethinkers, will talk about how he dropped prayers from city commission meetings, and about an 8-year legal battle in Fargo to remove a Ten Commandments monument from city property.

Topics: Atheism in Oklahoma, Billboards in Atlanta Which Senator Gore was an atheist? Find out on Freethought Radio. Also, FFRFs 50 billboards take Atlanta by storm. Hosts speak with Prof. Bill Doosenberry on why atheism OK in Oklahoma – and everywhere. This week only, Freethought Radio airs in Madison on the Mic 92.1 at 10 am (sports preempt).

This week Freethought Radio hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker will parse the godly tenor of Glenn Beck's D.C. rally, discuss other news developments and interview an 82-year-old Wisconsin farmer about why he dreamed up and paid for FFRF's billboard, recently defaced in Watertown, Wis., saying "Enjoy Life Now: There Is No Afterlife." The show will also air comedian Steve Martin's "atheist hymn."

This week Freethought Radio hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker interview Wynne LeGrow, M.D., the Democratic challenger of U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, who came out last week as an atheist, about his decision to announce his lack of faith as a political candidate. The hosts also catch up with Steve Benson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist of the Arizona Republic, who will reprise Tunes N Toons with Dan at the 33rd annual FFRF convention in Madison, Wis., Oct. 29-30. Also discussed: the war against religious progress in light of a federal court ruling last week halting federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

This week Freethought Radio hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker interview the internationally lauded Prof. James F. Crow, for whom the new evolution institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been named. The nonagenarian will talk about inspiring generations of students, why he is a freethinker and what the new center for evolution will mean for science education. The hosts will also talk about the mosque controversy, FFRF's New Orleans billboard campaign and celebrate the upcoming 90th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote in the U.S. (Aug. 26, 1920).