We talk about science, Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court, Betsy Devos for Education Secretary, Trump's so-called "Religious Freedom Act," the bigotry of the Boy Scouts of America, and about how FFRF is fighting back to preserve secular values. After celebrating the birthday of nonbelieving songwriter Burton Lane, we hear Roy Zimmerman's irreverent song "Religious Freedom." Then we speak with scholar John R. Shook, co-editor of the new Oxford Handbook of Secularism , about the rise of nonbelief ...
Feb 02, 2017•49 min
We march for freethought and women's rights. After critiquing CIA Director Pompeo's scary views on the end-times, we talk with FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel about William Pryor being on Trump's short list for the Supreme Court, then with FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott about our new lawsuit challenging bible classes in West Virginia public schools. Then we talk with legendary feminist, author, journalist (former editor of Ms. Magazine) and atheist, Robin Morgan, about how we can "Pick Ourselves Up" ...
Jan 26, 2017•42 min
It's a rocky road ahead for secular Americans. Trump's inauguration is infused with evangelical fervor and many of his cabinet picks have a religious-right agenda. FFRF attorney Rebecca Markert tells us how we got two Christian crosses removed from public property this week (in California and Minnesota). We support the women marching in protest around the country and honor the 44th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade by hearing Joan Baez and Mimi Farina sing the feminist anthem "Bread and Roses." Then w...
Jan 19, 2017•43 min
We celebrate the anniversary of the January 16, 1786, adoption of Jefferson's Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and the January 17, 1706 birthday of Benjamin Franklin, who opposed public funding for education. FFRF attorneys Patrick Elliott and Sam Grover describe the questions we submitted for the confirmation hearings of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General and Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education, both of whom have shown a disrespect for state/church separation. Then we talk with profess...
Jan 11, 2017•42 min
FFRF sent a letter to president-elect Trump insisting that he not include religion in the inauguration, and that he drop "So help meGod" from the oath. Nonbelievers are vastly under-represented in Congress, and there will be a bumpy road for state church separation in 2017. FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel tells why Clemson University's football program proves that pious does not mean moral. Then we hear Bangladeshi-American Rafida Bonya Ahmed's speech describing how she narrowly survived an assassin...
Jan 05, 2017•43 min
Barack and Michelle Obama's White House Christmas message acknowledges "nonbelievers" as well as Christians, Jews, and Muslims. We talk with Florida activist Preston Smith, a middle-school teacher who bravely erected FFRF's secular displays in a Boca Raton park to counter the Christian nativity scene. His displays were repeatedly vandalized and destroyed. Then we welcome the New Year with some hopeful music, including Shirley Horn's "Everything Must Change," Yip Harburg's "Over the Rainbow," Dan...
Dec 29, 2016•43 min
Tis the season for FFRF's winter solstice and Bill of Rights displays to appear in state capitols and other locations around the country, some of which have been defaced and destroyed. We celebrate the secular solstice by hearing Tom Lehrer's irreverent "A Christmas Carol," Ken Lonnquist's "Isthmus Tree," and the hilarious South Park classic "Merry Frickin Christmas" performed by Dan Barker. Then we listen to the very moving speech by former Christian pastor Carter Warden who came out publicly a...
Dec 22, 2016•43 min
We celebrate the Bill of Rights (December 15) and the Winter Solstice (December 21) this week. Dan reads FFRF's full-page "Bill of Rights" ad that ran in today's New York Times and Annie Laurie reads "Away with the manger—in with the Solstice!" FFRF secular holiday signs are going up all over the country. After hearing solstice songs by Kristin Lems and Dan Barker, we listen to part of the speech by Susan Jacoby —"Why I am sick and tired of 'God Bless America'"—which she gave at FFRF's October c...
Dec 15, 2016•42 min
After reporting on winter solstice signs FFRF has been posting around the country (one of which, in Boca Raton, was immediately vandalized) in response to nativity scenes on public property, we comment on two theocrats recently appointed by the president elect: Betsy Devos for Secretary of Education and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt for the Environmental Protection Agency (who has attacked FFRF). In honor of the anniversary of the adoption of the Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791, we ...
Dec 08, 2016•43 min
Peter Singer, atheist, author and Princeton professor, who is considered the world's leading ethicist, joins us for an illuminating discussion on his book, "The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically," and his newest book, "Ethics in the Real World." We celebrate FFRF's winter solstice "equal time" displays now up in the Wisconsin State Capitol and Daley Plaza (in conjunction with our Chicago chapter), and report on a state/church victory to remove ...
Dec 01, 2016•43 min
We give thinks this Thanksgiving weekend to you, the listeners and supporter of FFRF. After a tribute to FFRF principal founder Anne Gaylor (who would have turned 90 this week), we hear a fascinating talk by the young Nadia Duncan, winner of FFRF's essay contest for students of color. Then we listen to Marie Schaub, the brave Pennsylvania mother who challenged the Ten Commandments at her daughter's school, in her acceptance speech for winning FFRF's "Atheist in Foxhole Courage" award.
Nov 23, 2016•43 min
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 Outsi...
Nov 17, 2016•43 min
After some election postmortem, including hearing Neil deGrasse Tyson say we need to "make America smart again," we report two FFRF state-church victories in public schools. We listen to Sharon Jones sing her funk version of "This Land Is Your Land." Then former nun (who is now a "none") Marion Kenneally describes her 16-year life in a convent before she became an atheist. Her fascinating new book is One Nun's Odyssey: A Memoir.
Nov 11, 2016•43 min
For this Election Day and Veteran's Day week, we talk about the importance of secular voters and members of the military. We report two state/church victories involving police departments, and a complaint over religion in Biloxi, Mississippi public schools. After hearing Dan Barker's version of Bob Dylan's anti-war song "With God On Our Side," we interview historian Leigh Eric Schmidt about his new book, Village Atheists: How America's Unbelievers made their way in a godly nation ....
Nov 07, 2016•43 min
FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott tells us about two "friend of the court" briefs we recently filed in Florida and Texas regarding religion in the public schools. After hearing the scary "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" (from The Book of Mormon musical), we talk with Pennsylvania freethinker Jeff Prebeg about the denial of his "ATHE1ST" license plate that was finally allowed after FFRF wrote a letter to the Department of Transportation. Then we hear comedian Samantha Bee excoriate Catholic hospitals over ...
Oct 31, 2016•43 min
After listening to the "Moment of Bedlam" at FFRF's annual Non-prayer breakfast, we hear the Newseum Institute's shout-out to the Freedom From Religion Foundation as a "well-organized" and "very effective" force fighting for the "nones" in today's society. We play the new song, "Life After You," then talk with the songwriter, Carter Warden, a former evangelical Church of Christ minister and founding member of The Clergy Project who came out as an atheist at FFRF's convention in Pittsburgh this m...
Oct 24, 2016•43 min
Secular voters might sway the coming election! We report on studies showing that the "nones" are not only growing faster than any other demographic, but are showing up at the polls in record numbers. We announce state/church victories in Arkansas and Indiana, and celebrate the birthday of rocker Tom Petty by hearing his song "Playing Dumb," which chastises the church for its abuse of children. Then we talk with UW-Madison philosophy professor Larry Shapiro about his new book, The Miracle Myth: W...
Oct 17, 2016•43 min
FFRF's "Director of First Impressions," Lisa Treu, a former music radio DJ, is guest hosting for Annie Laurie and Dan as they are in Pittsburgh for FFRF's 39th annual convention. Lisa has asked staff and members to recommend songs with a freethought message that have impressed them in some way. The "unbelievably uplifting" selections include music by John Lennon, Robert Ellis, Abandoned Pools, 21 Pilots and more!
Oct 10, 2016•42 min
We are happy to report two state/church victories this week, removing the Ten Commandments from a west Texas high school and curbing the "Break the Grey" evangelist from preaching in Wisconsin high schools. We report on Bangladeshi atheist bloggers, renegade Alabama judge Roy Moore, and the mixing of government and religion by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. After hearing the Joe Hill song "Preacher and the Slave," we talk with award-winning journalist, former senior editor of National Geograph...
Oct 03, 2016•42 min
Listen to David Suhor's godless invocation before the Pensacola City Council, which he sang while the public was rudely protesting and praying. We hear some music by the freethinking composer George Gershwin, whose birthday is this week. After drawing for another free copy of FFRF's "Friendly Neighborhood Atheist" CD, we listen to the historic freethought anthem "Die Gedanken Sind Frei" ("My thoughts are free"). Then we talk with the "faithless feminist" Karen Garst, whose new book is called Wom...
Sep 26, 2016•42 min
This week we complain about both major presidential candidates mixing religion and politics and pandering to faith voters. FFRF Attorney Sam Grover tells us about the firestorm that erupted in a west Texas high school after we complained about the Ten Commandments and a bible verse painted permanently on the wall, and also reports the mixed results of a federal decision in FFRF's lawsuit challenging the Christian nativity in an Indiana high school. After hearing the Philip Appleman song "God's G...
Sep 19, 2016•42 min
Dan talks about his participation in the "Skep Track" at this year's Dragon Con in Atlanta. Annie Laurie provides commentary on the canonization of Mother Teresa, the death of right-wing Christian activist Phyllis Schlafly, and the National Catholic Register's denigration of atheists in general and Annie Laurie in particular. After hearing the song "Sunday Morning Blues" from FFRF's "Friendly Neighborhood Atheist" CD, we talk with Freethought Today editor P.J. Slinger (a Green Bay native, true P...
Sep 12, 2016•42 min
After Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker talk about the secular origins of Labor Day, Dan describes his first visit to speak as an atheist in a prison (Jackson Correctional Institution). We announce a new drawing for a free copy of FFRF's music CD "Friendly Neighborhood Atheist," a 2-CD compilation with 34 historic and contemporary freethought songs. We listen to the humorous poem "Reincarnation" by cowboy poet Wallace D. McRae set to music by Dan Barker. Then we speak with Diane Burkholder, a c...
Sep 05, 2016•42 min
Learn about Nonbelief Relief's help with the Louisiana flood disaster and for threatened Bangladeshi bloggers. FFRF attorney Ryan Jayne tells us about legal victories stopping a religious pre-school program at a Wisconsin public school, and booting a Christian preacher from the lunch room at an Illinois middle school. To celebrate Women's Equality Day (August 26, 1920 adoption of the 19th Amendment), we hear folksinger Malvina Reynolds' song "The Judge Said," about the successful recall of a sex...
Aug 29, 2016•42 min
FFRF attorney Maddy Ziegler tells us about the successful removal of Gideon bibles from a state-owned hotel in Arizona. FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott reports our newest lawsuit challenging the Christian cross on the official seal of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Then we speak with Rafida Bonya Ahmed, the widow of Bangladeshi atheist activist Avijit Roy, who was brutally murdered with machetes because of his outspoken criticism of religion on the Mukto-Mona blog. Bonya, who barely survived the att...
Aug 22, 2016•42 min
We report an FFRF victory granting standing to our Pennsylvania plaintiff, Marie Schaub, who is challenging a high-school Ten Commandments monument. Scholar, author and activist Sikivu Hutchinson reports the winners of college scholarships for students of color given by FFRF and Black Skeptics Los Angeles. After hearing the music and reading an email from Tom Lehrer, we listen to Robert Ingersoll's "Love" recitation set to music by Dan Barker. Then Dustin Lawson, who was the personal assistant f...
Aug 15, 2016•43 min
FFRF lead staff attorney Rebecca Market reports a victory stopping a Mississippi school district from participating in a day of prayer for students, and tells us about more unconstitutional Christian crosses on public property. We celebrate the life of Robert Green Ingersoll, the 19th-century Great Agnostic, by listening to his actual recorded voice, hearing some of his words (some set to music) and by speaking with his relative Jeff Ingersoll, chair of the Robert Ingersoll Memorial Committee, w...
Aug 08, 2016•42 min
After hearing New Jersey Senator Cory Booker acknowledging nonbelievers at the DNC, and Barack Obama affirming that the United States is not under a "savior," but under "We, the people," we talk with FFRF legal intern Chris Line about an egregious violation of state/church separation involving public money to a Texas charter school that is brazenly promoting Jesus and the bible. Then we talk with professor Tim Whitmarsh at Cambridge University about his new book Battling The Gods: Atheism in the...
Aug 01, 2016•42 min
FFRF staff attorney Liz Cavell tells us about a Christian flag that is being removed from a Georgia county courthouse. Former presidential candidate Ben Carson associated the Democratic presumptive nominee with "Lucifer," while Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis equated the Freedom From Religion Foundation with "the Devil" for daring to protest the opening of the Kentucky "Ark Encounter." After hearing actor and atheist Daniel Radcliffe singing Tom Lehrer's song "The Elements," we listen to Marjorie ...
Jul 25, 2016•42 min
After hearing televangelist Pat Robertson accuse the Freedom From Religion Foundation of being led by "the Devil," we hear comedian Robin Williams lampoon the story of Mary and Joseph. We listen to jazz pianist/composer (and FFRF member) Addison Frei's freethinking song "Clinging," sung by Tahira Clayton. Then we interview Jim Helton, president of Tri-State Freethinkers, about the successful protest he organized against young-earth creationist Ken Ham's publicly subsidized "Ark Encounter" in Ken...
Jul 18, 2016•41 min
