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Freethought Radio has been kicked off The Mic 92.1, replaced with Christmas music! We still broadcast on other stations around the country. (You can hear teh podcast now.) 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.”
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.
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.
Halloween weekend! 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 their cavalier treatment of women’s health.
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 month. Carter describes why he left the ministry and how difficult it was to find employment outside the church.
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: Why belief in the resurrection and the supernatural are unjustified.
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!
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 Geographic, Katherine Ozment about her new book Grace Without God: The Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Belonging in a Secular Age.
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 Women Beyond Belief: Discovering Life Without Religion.
