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Guest: Shawn Francis Peters, author, When Prayer Fails

Sat, Nov 14 Listen

Freethought Radio will play some coverage of FFRF's jolly new bus sign campaign in Seattle, play some coverage of its 32nd annual convention there and discuss how religious lobbies sabotaged the House health care reform bill over abortion. Shawn Francis Peters will talk about the Christian Science lobby's promotion of a "sham" repeal of faith exemption in the Wisconsin Legislature. The show will also tackle the federal lobbying by the Christian Science lobby to mandate coverage of prayer as...

Freethought Art & Music: Steve Benson, Ernie Harburg

Mon, Nov 9 Listen

Editorial cartoonist Steve Benson unveils his brand-new Seattle bus sign that he designed for the foundation (HO! HO! HO!). Ernie Harburg, retired scientist and son of famous songwriter Yip Harburg will discuss the smash Broadway success of the revival of Finian's Rainbow and tell us about his new book.

Guest: Scary Guest! IRS Auditor Talks about Parish Exemptions & Other Tales

Sat, Oct 31 Listen

Scary theocratic developments in the news, will be followed by an interview with one of America's scariest figures: an IRS tax auditor! Retired IRS auditor Robert Baty will expose the many tax privileges and benefits accruing "ministers of the gospel" in the IRS tax code, which are being challenged in a new federal lawsuit by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. An "ode" to John Keats, born on Halloween, and October's other famous freethinkers, will be featured.

Guests: Donald C. Johanson, "Lucy" Discoverer & John Whiteside, Las Vegas f

Sat, Oct 24 Listen

Scientist and "Lucy" discoverer Donald C. Johanson will talk about his atheism, evolution and how he feels about "Ardi" displacing "Lucy." FFRF'er John Whiteside will talk about why he underwrote a billboard blitz in Las Vegas for the Foundation, featuring 10 billboards variously reading: "Imagine No Religion," "Beware of Dogma" and "Praise Darwin: Evolve Beyond Belief."

Guests: Ursula K. Le Guin, author, poet & unbeliever & Anne Landman, Colora

Mon, Oct 19 Listen

This weekend's show features a conversation with the legendary author Ursula K. Le Guin, winner of many literary awards and best-known for her classic science fiction and fantasy writing. Also: an interview with Grand Junction, Colo. activist and FFRF member Anne Landman about local attempts to protest public piety by politicians on government time, and timely updates.

Guests: Ron Reagan and Lodi activist Karen Buchanan

Mon, Oct 12 Listen

Topics: "Unabashed atheist" Ron Reagan, host of Air America's Ron Reagan Show, is back for a new interview as a preview to his appearance at FFRF's 32nd annual FFRF convention in Seattle in November. Also featured: an interview with Foundation member Karen Buchanan, the original complainant in FFRF's request to the city council of Lodi, Calif., to drop prayers. That request has set off months of controversy and Karen talks about her dismay at the Council's 5-0 vote in October to continue...

Guests: Rita Swan, CHILD; Sue Robinson, local activist Topics: Prayer by Go

Mon, Oct 5 Listen

An important interview with Rita Swan, director of Children's Healthcare is a Legal Duty, will focus on insidious amendments to healthcare reform bills that would force medical insurers to cover prayer as medicine. Local California atheist and Lifetime FFRF'er Sue Robinson will talk about why she testified against government prayer in Turlock, Calif., where there has been heated debate over an FFRF state/church complaint Bonus: news coverage of FFRF's mini-blitz of freethought billboards in...

Guest: Darrell Barker Topic: Capitol Case in Olympia

Sat, Sep 26 Listen

Freethought Radio will include timely updates on various state/church and freethought activism, including a segment about a state/church prayer controversy heating up in the Dallas, Texas area. In honor of the Sept. 26 anniversary of the birth of nontheist George Gershwin, the Foundation will air his irreverent classic, "It Ain't Necessarily So," and talk about other famous freethinkers born in the month of September. Washington State FFRF activist Darrell Barker will update listeners on the...

Guest: Gregory Paul, Universal Healthcare Promotes Freethought

Sat, Sep 19 Listen

Freethought Radio will discuss new billboards in Indianapolis, bus signs in San Francisco, and the furor Foundation complaints over government prayer is creating in Tehachapi, Calif. (a TV news clip will play on the controversy there). A teaser trailer for the new film, Creation, concentrating on Darwin's loss of faith and starring major actors, will play, with discussion about how the film so far has been rejected by film distributions in the United States, while it is being praised...

Guests: Edwin Hensley: Kentucky's Godly Homeland Security Violation & Victo

Sat, Sep 12 Listen

Freethought Radio will interview 2 timely guests: Foundation member Ed Hensley, who will talk about why he is 1 of 9 plaintiffs challenging an egregious Kentucky law requiring "dependence on God" by the state Department of Homeland Security, and bestselling atheist author and scientist Victor Stenger. Stenger will talk about his hot-off-the-press book, The New Atheists: Standing Up for Science & Reason. The show will include brief commentary on the prosecution of a Sudanese feminist for...

Topic: Keep State & Church Separate! Guest: FFRF Staff Attorney Rebecca Kra

Sat, Sep 5 Listen

Energetic state/church actions by the Foundation will be featured. Staff attorney Rebecca Kratz will also talk about the Foundation's unique amicus brief in the upcoming Mohave "veteran monument" cross case before the U.S. Supreme Court, written in part on behalf of FFRF's "atheist in foxhole" veteran members. Tune in also for some commentary on Rev Steve Anderson's sermon bragging about how he prays for the death of President Barack Obama, and a short state/church quiz! Test yourself on...

Guests: Ben Sidran, Attorney Robert R Tiernan

Sat, Aug 29 Listen

Topics: Jazz as "Religion", FFRF Legal Victory in Denver SchoolsA unique legal victory for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, ending a religious endorsement by Cherry Creek Public Schools in Denver, Colo., will be discussed by the always-interesting guest, Robert R. Tiernan, the attorney who brought the case. And jazz legend/great Ben Sidran will join the cohosts in studio for a conversation about music, irreverence and lots of jazz music.

Guest: Daniel Everett, How Life in the Amazon Made Him an Atheist!

Sat, Aug 22 Listen

Co-host Dan Barker will talk about recently experiencing the bizarre creationism museum in Kentucky. Brad Pitt's nonreligion and new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer's request for "divine guidance" will get some play. Interviewed will be linguist and Daniel Everett, author of Don't Sleep, There are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle (2008). In an amazing adventure, Everett--a missionary to the Pirahas dedicated to learning their language in order to proselytize them--left...

Guests: Lodi State/Church Activist David Diskin "The Family" Author & Exper

Sat, Aug 15 Listen

David Diskin will talk about the hullabaloo over the Freedom From Religion Foundation's request to the City Council in Lodi, Calif., that it drop prayers to open the meetings. David was one of the organizers of a rally on Aug. 5 to counter religious zealots who descended on the town. And Jeff Sharlet will be a returning guest. The author of the timely book exposing the nefarious fundamentalist group at the heart of power in Washington, D.C., The Family, will discuss The Family's relationship...

Guests: Irreverent Folksingers Lou and Peter Berryman!

Sat, Aug 8 Listen

After news--the huge coverage of FFRF's complaint about city prayers in Lodi, Calif., and the conviction of a parent for letting his daughter die of untreated diabetes for religious reasons--Wisconsin folksingers Lou and Peter Berryman perform in the studio. They will perform their favorite songs touching on religion, including the song that inspired FFRF to name its crime blotter, 'Black Collar Crime.' Tune in for a fun show!

Guest: Joan Konner, ed., The Atheist Bible

Sat, Aug 1 Listen

Irreverent thoughts and thinkers will be featured this week. The August Freethinkers Almanac will highlight the contributions of famous unbelievers born in the month of August, many of whom are quoted in award-winning journalist Joan Konner's charming book, "The Atheist Bible: An Illustrious Collection of Irreverent Thoughts." Konner is dean emerita of the Columbia Gradutate school of Journalism and will also explain why she felt "inspired" to compile this collection of provocative, sage and...

Guest: Chris Mooney, author, Unscientific America

Sat, Jul 25 Listen

Chris Mooney, author of the new book, Unscientific America as well as The Republican War on Science, will be the guest. The hosts will also talk about all the attention the Foundation's newest federal lawsuit--challenging a move to engrave religious mottos prominently at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center--is receiving, and provide a brief "Freethinkers Almanac" about famous freethinkers born in July.

Guest: Sci Fi Author Ben Bova

Sat, Jul 18 Listen

The interview will feature distinguished and very charming science fiction and nonfiction author, the much-honored Ben Bova, an unbeliever. The hosts talk about FFRF's exciting new lawsuit filed this week, challenging Congressional mandates to engrave "In God We Trust" and the religious Pledge of Allegiance at the new Capitol Visitor's Center (through which everyone visiting the Capitol or their members of Congress must pass). They also talk about the Christian fundamentalist prayer...

Guest: Ellie Strote

Sat, Jul 11 Listen

Subject: Escape from PolygamyFreethought Radio will talk about some theocratic incursions, including a recent "morality" proclamation by an Oklahoma representative, and will play CNN TV coverage of FFRF's complaint over a prayer station in Warren, Mich. Interviewed will be Foundation member Ellie Strote, who will talk about growing up in a polygamous FLDS community, getting married an 15 and making her escape at age 18.

Guest: Prof. Ron Aronson, author, Living Without God

Sat, Jul 4 Listen

Tune in for timely commentary on secularism and patriotism, Gov. Mark Sanford's religious pronouncements, mews coverage of FFRF's first billboard in Alabama, and of FFRF's complaint about unlawful prayer by the city council in Lodi, Calif. The guest, a distinguished professor of history at Wayne State, will talk about the secular movement, Obama's faith-based partnership and living well without God.

Guests: Civil Rights Attorney George Daly on FFRF's South Carolina Lawsuit

Sat, Jun 27 Listen

The distinguished civil rights attorney George Daly, of Charlotte, N.C., will talk about the lawsuit he has filed on behalf of FFRF and two South Carolina parents, challenging the granting of academic credit for religious release-time instruction. Also interviewed will be the new director of Secular Coalition of America, who is an attorney and a former Maine legislator.

Guests: Broadway composer Charles Strouse Pat Cleveland, director, Alabama

Sat, Jun 20 Listen

Pat Cleveland will talk about freethought activism in the Deep South, and the hosts will interview Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony-award winning composer Charles Strouse, now 80, and author of the memoir, Put on a Happy Face, about his unbelief, his civil rights experiences and his music. Strouse wrote the music for such Broadway musicals as "Annie," "Applause" and "Bye, Bye, Birdie."

Guest: Joann Bell, executive director, ACLU of Oklahoma Foundation

Sat, Jun 13 Listen

After parsing Pres. Obama's historic speech to Muslims in Cairo on June 4 for its religious content, the hosts will interview the director of the ACLU of Okahoma Foundation, Joann Bell. Joann will recount her harrowing experience challenging religious indoctrination at an Oklahoma public school in the 1980s, which prompted her activism with the ACLU. A new state/church victory in Oklahoma will be discussed.

Guest: Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority Foundation on Assassination of Geor

Sat, Jun 6 Listen

This week's broadcast will look at the assassination of Kansas physician George Tiller by a religious fanatic and domestic terrorist. The hosts will speak with Dr. Tiller's colleague, Eleanor Smeal, executive director of the Feminist Majority Foundation, which has played a vital role in organizing defense of abortion clinics.

Guest: "Heathen" Steve Benson, "blasphemous" cartoonist & ex-Mormon & Timel

Sat, May 30 Listen

This week's guest will be Steve Benson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the Arizona Republic, and atheist grandson of Ezra Taft Benson, the late president of the Mormon Church. Steve will talk about leaving the Mormon fold, the endangered status of editorial cartoonists today, and other timely topics. For news, the hosts will talk about the Irish Commission's new report of Catholic abuse in the Irish Republic, the fate of Proposition 8, Supreme Court nominee Sonia...

Memorial Weekend 2009 Topics: Parsing Pres. Obama's Notre Dame Speech;

Sat, May 23 Listen

"Atheist Sunday School"What's Wrong with HymnsThe remarks of Pres. Barack Obama in his May 17 speech to Notre Dame, including many deferential religious references and messages, will be parsed. And for something completely different, the hosts will do an eye-opening analysis of standard Christian hymns, such as "There Is a Foundation Filled with Blood," which reveal why the more one goes to church, the more likely one is to support torture. They will also look at hawkish hymns which feed the...

Guest: Journalist Jeff Sharlet

Sat, May 16 Listen

Topic: "Jesus Killed Mohammed" (Harper's Magazine expose)After a look at timely topics in the news (including the "biblically correct" Miss California USA, the Pope's visit to the Mideast, a study correlating church-going with endorsement of torture, and the heartening secularization of American youths), the hosts will interview journalist and author Jeff Sharlet about his startling expose in this month's Harper's of fundamentalist Christian promotion by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan....

Guests: Jennifer Hecht, author of Doubt & FFRF Staff Attorney Rebecca Kratz

Sat, May 9 Listen

Jennifer Hecht, author of Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson, will talk about her book tracing the impressive history of doubt. Rebecca Kratz, FFRF staff attorney, will join Dan and Annie Laurie for updates over FFRF legal complaints about transportation of bibles to Iraq and Afghanistan by the military, and local abuses over the National Day of Prayer. FFRF is suing the President over the...

Guest: Brent Michael Davids Mohican Atheist/Film Score Composer

Sat, May 2 Listen

Freethought Radio's guest will be Brent Michael Davids, an atheist, an enrolled citizen of the Mohican Nation, an American Indian music expert and a professional concert and film composer. Excerpts of some of his compositions, touching on Christianity's role in the genocide of American Indians, will be played. The hosts will discuss FFRF's lawsuit against the upcoming National Day of Prayer and the White House "dial-a-prayer" situation.

Guest: Prof. Bart D. Ehrman Agnostic Bible Scholar

Sat, Apr 25 Listen

Bart D. Ehrman, the agnostic bestselling author of several books, most recently Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About them), will be a guest. The program will also showcase nonbelieving classical composers, and take a look at state/church conflicts in Afghanistan.

Freethought Radio (Liberal)