Browse by Year:
Browse by Month:
This week we hear a sneak preview of our upcoming convention with music and commentary from Julia Sweeney and Jill Sobule’s “Jill & Julia Show.” We report our victory in the Ball State University “intelligent design” controversy, and hear of FFRF complaints over state church violations in Alabama. Then we talk with FFRF summer legal intern Chuck Roslof, who tells us about the problems that result when secular hospitals merge with Catholic institutions.
What is the afterlife to a fish? To answer that question, we play the debut of Dan Barker’s new song, “Heaven,” setting to music the poetry of Rupert Brooke. State/church entanglements in Alabama and Texas are in the news. Then we talk with University of Chicago Law Professor Brian Leiter, author of the new book, Why Tolerate Religion?
Nothing fails like governmental prayer! This week we point out that today’s Florida governor got it just as wrong as those who prayed at the 1774 Continental Congress. We also report on the fact that atheists make up only 0.02% of the federal prison population. Then we talk with philosopher Lawrence Shapiro, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, about miracles, science, and religion.
This week we report on FFRF’s victory in Ohio, removing a Jesus painting from Jackson High School. We hear George Carlin’s monologue on “God and Religion.” Then we talk with Mandisa Thomas, president of Black Nonbelievers, who is planning the historic “Blackout Rally” in New York City on July 27, celebrating the contributions of nonbelievers of color.
This week we talk about abortion and the religious right in Ireland, Texas and Wisconsin. Then we interview science professor Jerry Coyne, author of Why Evolution is True, about the ongoing controversy at Ball State University (Indiana) where a creationist professor is preaching Intelligent Design in the science classroom.
On this July 4 weekend, we celebrate our nation’s independence from religion. Then we talk with a former pentecostal preacher of 25 years from Louisiana, Jerry Dewitt, whose new book is out: Hope After Faith: An Ex-Pastor’s Journey From Belief to Atheism.
This week we talk about songwriter Frank Loesser, immigration, the Boy Scouts ban on atheists, and religious symbols on government property. Then we interview philosopher Daniel C. Dennett about his new book, Intuition Pumps and Other Tools For Thinking.
“Christmas is early this year!” Texas Governor Perry signed into law this month the “Merry Christmas” bill, encouraging public schools to promote religion, taking pot shots at FFRF. Hear coverage of our Florida school distribution lawsuit. Then we talk with Arizona State Representative Juan Mendez, who opened a session of the House of Representatives with a freethought invocation instead of a prayer.
We file another lawsuit in federal court this week, challenging censorship of freethought literature in Orange County, Florida high schools. FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel gives us the details. Then we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic 1963 Abington v. Schempp decision by the U.S. Supreme Court by talking with Ellery Schempp, who was the high-schooler in 1956 who took his complaint to the highest court.
