Freethought Radio

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.

Topics include: Why Is Pat Boone Unhappy with  FFRF?The hosts talk about FFRF's Good Friday state/church complaints, why Pat Boone doesn't like FFRF, and interview Matthew Rothschild, an atheist and editor of The Progressive Magazine, celebrating its 100th anniversary in May. Also a guest is student activist Andrew Cederdahl, the president of the Pastafarians at the University of South Carolina, in Columbia, S.C.  Andrew was recently interviewed for an upcoming article in The New York Times. The show also includes an April Freethought Almanac, about famous freethinkers born this month.

The show will include lively commentary on news developments, a "Pagan Pulpit" on Easter, and interviews with author Barbara W. Walker on the real origins of Easter, and with 94-year-old Carnegie Hall conductor David Randolph. David Randolph will provide a sneak preview of the April 18 concert by the (secular) St. Cecelia Chorus on Sat., April 18, featuring the powerful works of two freethinkers: Brahms and Vaughan Williams. He will also be the Guest of Honor at FFRF's upcoming New York City lunch on Sunday, April 19, which will be briefly discussed. Find out more here:http://ffrf.org/events/

Stanford Prof. Paul Ehrlich, best-known for his Population Bomb bestseller, will talk about current overpopulation concerns and his latest book, The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment. The hosts will also discuss FFRF's federal challenge of the National Day of Prayer, and commemorate the birthdate of irreverent lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg.

The show will include an "Ask an Atheist" segment, comment on the controversy over the Pope and condoms, play a little Monty Python, and feature an interview with the head of Australia's atheist organization. Nicholls will talk about freethought Down Under, as well as the censorship of his group's proposed "Sleep in on Sundays" bus sign campaign.

Other Topics: Why Beware of Dogma? & How to Chime in Over New Bus Signs!Scientist and author Victor Stenger will be Saturday's guest. Stenger is the author of many books on science and reason, including God: The Failed Hypothesis (2007). The cohosts will relay reaction to the Foundation's "Beware of Dogma" billboard just posted in Boise, Idaho, and analyze some troubling news developments showing the harm of placing religious dogma over people.

Topics: U.S.'s Growing Secularism, & What's Wrong with Pres. Obama's Faith-Based Plans?Barry A. Kosmin, a principal researcher of the definitive American Religious Identification Survey, will talk about the newest ARIS results released this week showing that up to 1 in 5 adult Americans is nonreligious, and the continuing decline of religiosity in America. Author, journalist and freethinker Susan Jacoby will talk about her op-ed piece in The New York Times, "Keeping the Faith, Ignoring the History," detailing what's wrong with faith-based funding and offices in the federal government.

The show will feature 2 interviews: a short conversation with Tennessee freethinker Sharron King about being an unbeliever in the South, and with Henry Steinberger, of SMART Recovery, offering a secular alternative to 12-step and AA-based programs for alcohol and drug use recovery. Also featured: a teaser for Philip Appleman's newest book of freethinking poetry, "Karma, Dharma, Pudding & Pie," and the song, "Fleas," Phil Appleman's classic parody of the poem/song "Trees."

Also: The Current State of State/Church SeparationReporting on religion for the Los Angeles Times is eventually how journalist William Lobdell lost his religion. His new book, "Losing  My Religion," just came out this week so tune in for this interview! The hosts will also comment on current freethought and state/church developments, and debut Brazilian vocalist Sharon Bele's version of the song, "Beware of Dogma."

Also: What's Wrong with Pres. Obama's Faith-based Council?President Obama's executive order creating a White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will be analyzed and critiqued. The show will include audio clips of Obama's speech before the National Prayer Breakfast with host reactions. Author Eric Maisel will be interviewed about his new book: The Atheist's Way: Living Well Without Gods.

Guest: Matthew Chapman, Author, Filmmaker & Darwin's Great-great Grandson& Updates on FFRF's "Praise Darwin" BillboardIn honor of Charles Darwin's bicentennial birthday this past week, the hosts will interview Darwin's great-great grandson Matthew Chapman, author of Forty Days and Forty Nights, and Trials of the Monkey. Also featured: Susan Hofer singing the jazz love song and ode to science, "It's Only Natural." The hosts will update the Foundation's campaign to take pro-Darwin billboards to sites where the Dogma Versus Darwin debate still rages! Listen for an entertaining clip of local coverage of the "Praise Darwin: Evolve Beyond Belief" billboard in Dover, Penn. (site of the intelligent design controversy).

Announcing FFRF's New Darwin  Billboard CampaignIn honor of Charles Darwin's bicentennial birthday on Feb. 12, the hosts will interview reporter Lauri Lebo, author of The Devil in Dover: An Insider's Story of Dogma v. Darwin in Small-town America. Lauri covered the Dover "intelligent design" trial for the York Dispatch. The hosts will also talk about the Foundation's new Darwin billboard campaign, and pay a little homage to "the birthday boy." The song, "Intelligent Design," by poet/Darwin scholar Philip Appleman, to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic, will also be featured.

Topic: Religion Rules in Manitowoc County, Wis., & Why He Is Standing Up to ItAlso: FFRF's New Bus Sign Campaign Unveiled!The hosts unveil FFRF's new bus sign campaign, debuting in February in Madison, Wis.,(and going around the nation as funds permit), including memorable quotations by freethinkers, including Richard Dawkins. Interviewed will be Foundation member Paul T. Rappel, who will talk about why he decided to stand up and become a plaintiff in FFRF's new federal lawsuit challenging a 62-year nativity scene violation by Manitowoc County, Wis, an ultra-conservative spot.

Topics include Inaugural ReligionLively commentary and clips from the Presidential Inauguration, from the freethought point of view, and an update on the Newdow inaugural prayer lawsuit, will precede an interview with Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers.

Topic: State/Church Separation ActivismThe broadcast will include guest Ed Hensley, one of 10 plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed to challenge a Kentucky law requiring the state Department of Homeland Security to stress "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." Also interviewed will be the Foundation's new staff attorney, Rebecca Kratz, who will report on ending several major state/church violations this month, including Christian proselytization of service men and women in Iraq, as well as religious violations in public schools in California and Florida.

Topics: Stem-Cell Research: The Future, and Update on Inaugural Prayer ChallengeThe featured guest will be filmmaker Jessica Gerstle, whose movie, "The Accidental Advocate," chronicles the moving quest of her surgeon father, Claude Gerstle, who was recently paralyzed, to seek answers on stem-cell research and what is holding it up.  Jessica will address the complex barriers to full stem-cell research, thanks to religious-right incursions into the federal bureaucracy. The hosts will also update the new inaugural prayer challenge and discuss the dangers of politicians, such as Roland W. Burris, believing they are "anointed by God."

A lively wrap-up of 2008, with audio clips of funny or infuriating moments by would-be theocrats of 2008, will be followed by an interview of state/church watchdog Mike Newdow about the new federal challenge of inaugural prayers. A brief remembrance of freethinkers who died in 2008, and the song "Dear God," by XTC, will also be featured.

The hosts will discuss what's wrong with prayer at the Inauguration, and with Rev. Rick Warren in particular to lead that invocation. For a relaxing end of the year show, they will play some irreverent theatrical clips on religion, including one comedic jibe at homophobic religion, and end the show with a nod to infidel Robert Burns and his famous Aulde Lang Syne.

Topic: What's an atheist doing conducting The Messiah?Distinguished chorale and orchestral conductor David Randolph, an atheist and the oldest person, at nearly 94, to conduct at Carnegie Hall, will be the guest, talking about how music has no religion, among other topics. The co-hosts will play an excerpt from The Stephen Colbert Show's coverage of FFRF's Washington Capitol Winter Solstice display, and discuss FFRF's just-filed lawsuit over an unlawful creche on courthouse grounds in Manitowoc, Wis., including lively media coverage clips.

Comedian and actress Julia Sweeney talks about the long-awaited recent release of her brilliant one-woman show, "Letting Go of God," as a movie, and the hosts play clips from lots of national TV coverage of FFRF's solstice display at the Washington State Capitol in covering that ongoing saga!