Ellery's protest
06/08/2023
Ellery's protest
Oklahoma Catholic charter school complaint; bibles banned in Utah schools; state/church complaints in Arizona and Georgia schools. After noting the death of televangelist Pat Robertson, we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the June 1963 Abington v. Schempp Supreme Court decision that removed bible
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A young Humanist
06/01/2023
A young Humanist
Americans are losing confidence in God’s existence; Tulsa massacre anniversary; exoneration of ‘witches'; Uganda’s anti-gay law; state/church complaints in Arkansas and Michigan. We hear Roy Zimmerman's hilarious "Wedding of Church and State" song and Shelley Segal's moving "Apocalyptic Love Song."
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Everyday Crusade
05/25/2023
Everyday Crusade
The good, the bad, and the ugly: Texas Ten Commandments bill fails; anti-abortion laws proliferate; Illinois reports widespread clergy sex abuse; proselytizing school bus driver; legislative prayer; graduations in churches. After we hear Dan Barker's song "The Freethinker Blues," FFRF's Director of
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Ghosts of the Orphanage
05/18/2023
Ghosts of the Orphanage
We talk about abortion, book banning and the X-rated bible. We also talk with "God." After hearing the song "The Trinity" (words by Robert Ingersoll), we speak with investigative journalist Christine Kenneally about her chilling new book Ghosts of the Orphanage: A Story of Mysterious Deaths, a Consp
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Sex and Religion
05/11/2023
Sex and Religion
We talk about religion and abortion rights, the IRS and church electioneering, the Texas Ten Commandments bill and clergy sexual abuse. After Annie Laurie describes the bible's role in asking rape victims "Why didn't you scream?", FFRF contributing author Barbara Alvarez tells us about her new book
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The end is near?
05/04/2023
The end is near?
We celebrate the National Day of Reason, recommend the new movie "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" based on Judy Blume's banned book, and advocate for meaningful court reform. Then we speak with distinguished Bible scholar and bestselling author Bart D. Ehrman about his new book, Armageddon: Wh
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Atheist Street Pirates
04/27/2023
Atheist Street Pirates
We announce plans to sue the state of Texas over their new Ten Commandments edict, and we celebrate the upcoming National Day of Reason on May 4. After hearing Sammy Davis Jr. sing "It Ain't Necessarily So" (written by George and Ira Gershwin), we speak with Evan Clark, Executive Director of Atheist
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Surviving a cult
04/20/2023
Surviving a cult
In the news: religious privilege in Minnesota, predator priests, ancient "Comstock law" revived, Latinos losing religion, and Walter Reed military hospital's phony "crisis." After hearing the wistful Richard Rodgers song "Spring is Here," we talk with Michelle Dowd, author of the new memoir Forager:
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God is still not great
04/13/2023
God is still not great
We discuss some troubling state/church news (and a few victories) in New Jersey, California, Texas, Indiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Oklahoma. FFRF attorney Liz Cavell describes the Groff v. DeJoy case before the Supreme Court that will likely extend religious privileg
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Atheists Day and theocratic threats to Israel
04/05/2023
Atheists Day and theocratic threats to Israel
We announce the "Theocrat" & "Secularist" of the Week, play Bill Maher's very funny "Atheists Day" monologue, then interview University of San Francisco Professor and Middle East expert Stephen Zunes about the theocratic threats in Israel and what's at stake.
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Do mess with Texas
03/30/2023
Do mess with Texas
After reporting international and U.S. state/church news, we talk with Kentucky activist Linda Allewalt, whose op-ed opposing a new state law that encourages public school teachers to promote religion was printed in the Lexington paper. Then we hear Val Benavidez, executive director of the Texas Fre
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Preparing for war
03/23/2023
Preparing for war
FFRF's "Equal Justice Works Fellow" Kat Grant describes the letter they wrote to the president of West Texas A&M University protesting his cancellation, for religious reasons, of a student-hosted drag show. Then we speak with former minister and religion scholar Bradley Onishi about his new book Pre
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The Delusions of Crowds
03/16/2023
The Delusions of Crowds
Local and federal state/church victories and complaints; Walgreens and abortion; new rules for faith-based providers. FFRF attorney Chris Line describes the controversy over University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders praying with students. Then we talk with neurologist and financial theorist William
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Black Atheist Activists
03/09/2023
Black Atheist Activists
We applaud President Biden’s repeal of religious discrimination. FFRF joins in an abortion appeal to the United Nations, and appreciates a State Department reward for Avijit Roy’s killers. Vashti McCollum’s heroic lawsuit is honored and Gov. Greg Abbott’s idea of education is exposed as indoctrinati
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Boundless
03/02/2023
Boundless
Our guest this week is Dr. Christine Henneberg, author of the book Boundless: An Abortion Doctor Becomes a Mother. FFRF Legal Fellow Sammi Lawrence describes some first-amendment legal victories she was involved in, and describes the problems nonreligious seniors have while living in religious nursi
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Secular elected officials
02/23/2023
Secular elected officials
After reporting state/church news in Ohio, North Carolina and Florida, we talk about the tragic religious persecution in Pakistan and Afghanistan. FFRF Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Jayne discusses the more than 1,000 state-level religiously based bills introduced in 2023 that we are monitoring and rep
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No more "thoughts & prayers"
02/16/2023
No more "thoughts & prayers"
Amy Hagstrom Miller, with Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, tells us about the devastation to abortion access wrought by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. We hear jazz singer Tahira Clayton perform freethinking composer Jerome Kern's song "I'm Old Fashioned," and we cover many local, national and int
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"The Family" Feud
02/09/2023
"The Family" Feud
A new PRRI study shows that Americans overwhelmingly reject Christian nationalism. FFRF Attorney Chris Line talks about this week's Wisconsin State Journal story, "The Running Man," that features his successful effort to lose more than 250 pounds. Then we speak with Jonathan Larsen, managing editor
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First Amendment champions
02/02/2023
First Amendment champions
We have many state/church victories to report, including against the National Prayer Breakfast and proselytizing Colorado coach Deion Sanders. FFRF litigation counsel Sam Grover describes our newest federal court win against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who censored our display in the state Capitol. Then
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The problem with prayer
01/26/2023
The problem with prayer
After addressing the numerous problems with the National Prayer Breakfast, we speak with Central Florida Freethought Association director Joseph Richardson about how his secular invocation before a county board was "corrected" by a Christian prayer. Then we speak with Owosso, Mich., City Councilor E
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Hindu Nationalism
01/19/2023
Hindu Nationalism
After we report on national and local state/church news, FFRF Legal Fellow Karen Heineman describes a disturbing case before the U.S. Supreme Court that will most certainly expand religious privilege. Then FFRF Co-President Dan Barker and Communication Director Amitabh Pal report on their trip to In
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Having fun fighting the gods
01/12/2023
Having fun fighting the gods
We celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and National Religious Freedom Day, “eulogize” Cardinal Pell via Tim Minchin’s song, “Come Home Cardinal Pell,” then hear irreverent Jim Hightower pillory religious entanglements in Texas.
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Meeting of the Minds
01/05/2023
Meeting of the Minds
We review secular highs and lows of the week. FFRF Legal Fellow Karen Heineman tells us why the Catholic Church cannot run public charter schools in Oklahoma. Then we hear the entertaining conversation between actress/comedian Julia Sweeney and Dan Barker at FFRF’s 2022 convention.
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Ringing in the New Year
12/28/2022
Ringing in the New Year
After reporting on state/church issues in December, we listen to the freethinking Frank Loesser song "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" sung by Madison jazz vocalist Susan Hofer accompanied by Dan Barker on the piano. Then, FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert wraps up the year by telling us about
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