Freethought Radio Audio Podcast

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

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.

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.”

Topics: 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.

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 “uncensored prayer.””

Topics: Prayer by Government Decree
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 Detroit.

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 controversy over religion in the Capitol in Olympia, Wash., following a public hearing about it this week. (Note: announced guest Donald C Johanson, discoverer of Lucy, had to be rescheduled.)”

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 worldwide. The guest, Gregory S. Paul, a researcher, will talk about the correlation between lack of social safety nets (such as the timely topic of America’s lack of health care for all) and religiosity. He will advance the notion that no culture wars” were necessary in Europe in order for belief in religion to fade; “pie in the sky” is not necessary when needs are taken care of here on earth.”

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 wearing slacks.”