Podcast appearances and mentions of margaret downey

Margaret Downey, president of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association, tells us about an exciting celebration of the birth of the “Forgotten Founder" Thomas Paine on his Jan. 29 birthday. Then, FFRF Director of Communications Amit Pal speaks with the actor, theater director and artist-in-residence at UW-Madison Vamsi Matta, a Dalit (the most oppressed in the Hindu caste hierarchy) who is fighting back against religious discrimination.

Happy Thomas Paine Day! June 8, also known as Freethinkers Day, celebrates one of leading lights of the American Revolution that hardly anyone knows anything about.His writings ignited our independence; laid out the structure for a new democracy; articulated the rights of all men and women, young and old; envisioned the safety net we now call Social Security; decried slavery and, above all, called for a separation of church and state. A deist himself, he understood that although religious devotion is a right, it should have no influence on the body politic. It's time America gave Thomas Paine his due. David and Christina learn all about who Thomas Paine was, and why his work is more relevant today than ever before, as they speak with Margaret Downey, founder of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association.Thanks for listening! Now follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Threads. And become a Patreon supporter at www.podcastunreasonable.com. It's a small price to pay to keep America from becoming a theocracy, dontchya think?

We belly up to the bar with Kristin Manna and Margaret Downey. We are get into what does it take to get into politics and how it doesn't always mean running for office. We also discuss the Thomas Paine Memorial Association. Why should we have a memorial for Thomas Paine and what did he do for the nation. So make sure your glass is full and as always be sure to push your stole in. Facebook- The Above The Bar Podcast   Instagram- The Above The Bar Podcast   Twitch- The Above The Bar Podcast   Twitter- The Above The Bar Podcast    LinkedIn-The Above The Bar Podcast

Guest: Philip S. Gorski. This week we listen to the moving testimony before the National Capital Memorial Advisory Committee in favor of a new monument to honor America's "forgotten founder" Thomas Paine — testimony by Rep. Jamie Raskin, Margaret Downey (president of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association), military veteran Greg Jones and Black Nonbelievers President Mandisa Thomas. Then we talk with Philip S. Gorski, co-author of The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy.

Guests: Margaret Downey and Gary Berton. We talk about the need to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Breyer with a proponent of state/church separation. After hearing Dan Barker's tribute to Thomas Paine, "The World Is My Country," we talk with two Paine experts: Margaret Downey, president of the new Thomas Paine Memorial Association, and Gary Berton, president of the Thomas Paine National Historical Association, about the drive to erect a statue to the "forgotten founder" in Washington DC.

On the next State of Belief Radio, Interfaith rapid response in the aftermath of that Synagogue hostage attack in Texas… I'll talk with Pastor Bob Roberts of the nearby Northwood Church. Also, the inestimable legacy of the late Bishop Desmond Tutu. The Rev. Doug Tanner will be with us to share some personal remembrances of working with the human rights hero at the Faith & Politics Institute. And why does Thomas Paine deserve a statue for his birthday? I'll ask Margaret Downey, Founder and Director of the Freethought Society.

Martin and I again greet Margaret Downey from The Freethought Society and Andrew Seidel from the Freedom From Religion Foundation to discuss their https://centerforinquiry.org/news/celebrate-the-freethought-legacy-of-thomas-paine-june-8/ (Thomas Paine celebration on Tuesday, June 8th), at 6:45 pm EST. Details in the interview and show notes! Show notes with links to articles, blog posts, products and services: https://the-secular-foxhole.captivate.fm/episode/interview-with-margaret-downey-and-andrew-seidel (Interview with Margaret Downey and Andrew Seidel (January 29, 2021)) https://www.ftsociety.org/2021/05/25/the-2021-thomas-paine-day-event-details/ (The 2021 Thomas Paine Day Event) https://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/38925-ffrf-co-sponsors-online-thomas-paine-day-celebration-on-tuesday-june-8 (FFRF co-sponsors online Thomas Paine Day celebration on Tuesday, June 8) https://thomaspainememorial.org (Thomas Paine Memorial Association) Episode 21 (23 minutes) was recorded at 9 PM CET, on May 21, 2021, with https://alitu.com/?fp_ref=egonetcast (Alitu). Support this podcast

VICTORY! Today we announce a major victory in our lawsuit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbot's censorship of FFRF's Bill of Rights display. Margaret Downey of the Freethought Society tells us how atheists and agnostics are helping the homeless and the hungry through the Mayday For Humanity event featuring well-known comedians, actors and musicians. Then, FFRF's Director of Communications Amit Pal describes how Hindu nationalism and religious beliefs are exacerbating the current COVID megatragedy in India.

We continue our conversation with various activists about apologetics arguments (and the refutations). Joining us this week: Shannon Q, Matt Dillahunty, Margaret Downey, Hemant Mehta, Thomas Smith, Andrew Torrez, Tracie Harris, Chris Shelton, Jimmy Snow, and Muhammad Syed.LINK TO PART ONE: https://bit.ly/3691DnO

On January 24th, we discussed the life and work of Thomas Paine, one of America's first, great, intellectuals. Margaret Downey of The Freethought Society and Andrew Seidel of The Freedom From Religion Foundation were our guests for this lively discussion. You will hear an important announcement by the Thomas Paine Memorial Association. Show notes with links to articles, blog posts, products and services: https://www.ftsociety.org (The Freethought Society) https://www.ftsociety.org/menu/thomas-paine-memorial-committee/ (Thomas Paine Foundation/Memorial Committee) https://ffrf.org (Freedom From Religion Foundation) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Sense (Common Sense) - Wikipedia https://www.writlarge.fm/episodes/common-sense (Common Sense) - Writ Large podcast https://religiondispatches.org/the-inaugurations-beautiful-call-for-unity-was-undermined-by-the-invocation-of-religion/ (The Inauguration's Beautiful Call for Unity was Undermined by the Invocation of Religion) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Crisis (The American Crisis) http://www.zenosfrudakis.com (Zenos Frudakis) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robyn_Blumner (Robyn Blumner) https://americanhumanist.org/about/staff/speckhardt/ (Roy Speckhardt) https://ffrf.org/about/getting-acquainted/annie-laurie-gaylor (Annie Laurie Gaylor) https://ffrf.org/about/getting-acquainted/dan-barker (Dan Barker) https://www.ftsociety.org/2014/04/10/celebrate-thomas-paine-day-in-philadelphia-with-fs-and-the-aha-june-8-2014-2/ (Thomas Paine Day on June 8) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_G._Ingersoll (Robert G. Ingersoll) https://andrewlseidel.com/book/ (Andrew L. Seidel's book, The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American) https://www.secular-celebrations.com/officiants/margaret-downey (Margaret Downey - Secular Celebrations) Support this podcast

On this episode I speak with Victoria de la Torre and Margaret Downey about Secular Day of the Dead, a secularized celebration of an ancient pre-Columbian Mesoamerican celebration that goes back some 3,000 years.This year the Freethought Society is hosting International Secular Day of the Dead on Zoom, due to the pandemic. All are invited to join in this celebration of the lives of our dead loved ones and pets.Learn more about Secular Day of the Dead and register to attend at http://www.ftsociety.org.Reserve a 3-5-minute time slot to speak in celebration of your dead loved one by sending an email to SecularDayoftheDead@FtSociety.org.KPCC coverage of the first Secular Day of the Dead in 2018—https://www.scpr.org/news/2018/11/02/86926/angelenos-celebrate-first-secular-day-of-the-dead

Show Notes 0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:02:55 Dragon*Con 2019 Dr Angie Mattke and a Walking Tour We chat to Dr Angie Mattke to get a taste of things to come over the next few days, followed by a walking tour of Dragon*Con, accompanied by Adam Bovalino from Melbourne, to help get our bearings. https://www.dragoncon.org 0:12:00 Interview with Jennifer Hathorn American Association for the Advancement of Science At a time when STEM education is struggling to produce graduates with the qualities and skills to keep the United States' science and technology sectors competitive, AAAS provides a variety of programs to make sure talent and interest in scientific endeavors are nurtured.   http://www.aaas.org 0:17:22 Dragon*Con Vendors A walk through the giant rooms devoted to selling everything under many suns for fantacy fans. 0:24:16 Pharmacy Fantasy From the pages of 'The Skeptic', Loretta Marron looks at a disturbing attempt by pharmacists to woo customers ... with woo.   https://www.skeptics.com.au Also Skeptic Zone LIVE at Dragon*Con 2019 An interview with Margaret Downey. Also dice predictions with Evan Bernstein. https://vimeo.com/357932554 http://video.skeptrack.org A / V by Calico Cove, LLC

Encore release June 22, 2018. Encore release March 15, 2017. Originally posted December 7, 2009.

First we say a mixed farewell to Art Bell, radio host and conspiracy monger. Then we discuss the Near-Death Experience phenomenon, or NDEs. We go from Hollywood fan theories to real medical history and fear of premature burial. We touch on how children’s NDEs are shaped and exploited by adults. Then our special guest, Margaret Downey, discusses her non-religious journey of understanding her NDE. To wrap up, Celestia examines a UK nurse's “experiment” to find evidence that patients really do sometimes float above their own bodies.

At the American Humanist Association conference in Chicago recently, we had a chance to speak with a number of incredible people and we'll be posting those interviews over the next few weeks. Today, we're posting our conversation with Margaret Downey, a life-long atheist activist and a member of the Reason Rally Coalition Board of Directors. She is also founder and President of the Freethought Society and a former President of Atheist Alliance International. We spoke with her about what to expect at this weekend's Rally, how she plans to gauge its success, and what she wants people to take away from the event.

In this episode, Bo interviews former AHA board member Margaret Downey about several humanistic issues as well as her famous anti-superstition parties. Downey has been active in a variety of causes including feminism and anti-smoking campaigns before becoming a public representative of atheism, and has known for her activities in this area. Her first major involvement as a publicly active nontheist was when her son Matthew was not allowed to renew his membership in the Boy Scouts of America since he was raised in a nontheist household. This led to Margaret Downey v. Boy Scouts of America, which did not go far in the courts before the United States Supreme Court's 2000 decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale that the Boy Scouts constituted a private organization and could thus choose their own membership criteria, preventing Downey from taking her case further. Since then Downey has been a prominent public representative of atheism in the United States as well as representing atheists and other non-theists at United Nations conferences. Her work has been incorporated into United Nations reports on religious discrimination.

0:00:00     IntroductionRichard Saunders0:04:44     Maynard's Spooky Action.. at TAM 2012An interview with Bob Novella from The Skeptics' Guide to the UniverseBob is a cofounder and Vice-President of the New England Skeptical Society. He has written numerous articles that are widely published in the skeptical literature and has a special interest in physics and astronomy, their abuse by pseudoscientists, and methods of self-deception0:20:15     Maynard's Spooky Action.. at TAM 2012A chat with our friend Linley Kissick from Melbourne.0:22:05     Maynard's Spooky Action.. at TAM 2012An interview with Sharon Hill, who runs the Doubtful News websiteDoubtful News is a unique news feed providing links to original sources of internet news stories about things that make you go “Hmm…” News is pulled from a wide range of sources including paranormal and anti-science sources.0:28:35 Maynard's Spooky Action.. at TAM 2012An interview with Margaret Downey from the Friggatriskaidekaphobia treatment roomFrigga-triska-ideka-phobia is an unreasonable fear of Friday-the-Thirteenth.0:37:10     Richard Saunders chats to Liam Jones from the Secular Student Alliance041:35     Maynard's Spooky Action..Claims of Palm Reading with Albert and JeanCan people really see the past and future in the palm of the hand? Well... we doubt it. However it is worth, from time to time, hearing form people who claim it's true.

Margaret Downey, president of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia, will talk about why her FFRF chapter erects a "Tree of Knowledge" every year by a courthouse creche and how officials have tried to sabotage that solstice observance. Well-known journalist Hanna Rosin will talk about her cover story in the December Atlantic: "Did Christianity Cause the Crash? How Preachers Are Spreading a Gospel of Debt." The hosts will replay Ken Lonnquist's "O Isthmus Tree."