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Topic: 50 Reasons Not to Believe in a God
Guy P. Harrison, author of the new book, 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God,” will gently debunk some of those reasons. The latest twists in the epidemic of religion in politics and church politicking will be discussed. As an antidote to all that religion, the hosts will air the 2008 “Moment of Bedlam” from FFRF’s annual national NonPrayer Breakfast!”
Topic: Society Without God
Prof. Phil Zuckerman talks about his hot-off-the-press book, Society Without God, which refutes the myth that religion is necessary for happy citizens and moral societies. Zuckerman, an FFRF member, cites statistical evidence showing the happiness index” tends to be much higher in godless societies, and offers Scandinavia as a prime example. The broadcast also looks at the contributions of famous freethinkers born in October.”
Featured guest is Larry Beinhart, best-known for his book, Wag the Dog” which became a movie with Dustin Hoffman. An atheist, talks about his new mystery, “Salvation Boulevard,” in which atheism, fundamentalist Christianity and Judaism intersect. The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s latest litigation, suing Pres. Bush and Shirley Dobson over National Day of Prayer proclamations, is discussed in the news portion of the program.”
This week’s show previews Bill Maher’s irreverent film on religion, Religulous,” and play audios of the infamous “witchcraft” prayer by Gov. Sarah Palin’s Kenyan minister-friend and her response. For a change of pace, “Women Without Superstition” is showcased in an interview featuring Annie Laurie Gaylor, as editor of the first anthology of women freethinkers.”
Journalist and Newsweek contributing editor Eleanor Clift joins Freethought Radio to talk about her new book, Two Weeks of Life.” The book is part memoir, tracing the last days of her husband, Tom Brazaitis, who died of cancer in 2005. Mr. Brazaitis, a well-known journalist, was a longtime FFRF member and, as Ms. Clift writes, “an unwavering atheist.” She parallels Tom’s last two weeks, with the Terri Schiavo debate occurring over the same time period. Also interviewed: state/church activist and Foundation member Carl Silverman, about getting an “Imagine No Religion” billboard posted in Harrisburg, Penn., last week.”
Feminist icon and atheist Robin Morgan is interviewed about the 40th anniversary of the first Miss America pageant protest, which Robin organized in 1968, among other free-ranging topics. Ms. Morgan is Ms. Magazine’s former editor, now consulting editor and author of the classic Sisterhood is Powerful,” as well as “Fighting Words: A Toolkit for Combating the Religious Right.” Religion seeping into current politics comes under analysis in “Theocracy Alert.””
Dan Barker changes hats from interviewer to interviewee to talk about his new book, Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America’s Leading Atheists” (Sept. 2008, Ulysses Press). And Freethought Radio is joined by a member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation in Phoenix who helped FFRF place five billboards saying “Imagine No Religion” to talk about both the censorship encountered–and the fun!”
Topic: Abortion and the Religious Right
This week’s Freethought Radio interviews the campaign manager of the organization working against Measure 11, a nationally-watched referendum to ban abortion which will be on South Dakota’s Nov. 4 ballot. The show also covers more religion in politics at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, and analyze the Assembly of God beliefs of McCain’s vice-presidential pick.
Freethought Radio interviews Denver attorney Robert R. Tiernan about why religion should stay out of politics. Bob, who has taken many lawsuits on behalf of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and is a lifelong Democrat, got a lot of media attention for protesting the interfaith worship service at the Democratic National Convention. FFRF co-president Dan Barker’s new book, Godless, is announced, with the Foreword by Richard Dawkins read by Brian Turany.
