We protest the imprisonment of a 13-yr-old Nigerian for blasphemy. We explain why we reported a priest, bishop and archbishop to the IRS for unconstitutional politicking. Then we honor the life and legacy of the distinguished freethinking humanist poet, scholar and author Philip Appleman who died th

We hear from recipients of the Forward Freethought Scholarships for Black Skeptics, then we complain about a politicking priest saying "You cannot be a Catholic and vote Democratic." After listening to Tom Lehrer's "pandemic" song "I Got It From Agnes," we talk with the actor, singer, game-show host

After we announce a major state/church victory in Puerto Rico, described by Eva Quiñones, Nigerian activist Leo Igwe tells us about the alarming arrest of humanist leader Mubarak Bala, allegedly for blasphemy. FFRF Legal Fellow Brendan Johnson describes state/church victories in Tennessee and Texas

For Women's Equality Day, we talk with author and feminist activist Coline Jenkins, great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, about the new women's statue she helped create and install in Central Park this week. Then we chat with author and screenwriter Chris Matheson, who co-wrote the mo

FFRF is winning state/church victories in many states. We celebrate Women's Equality Day on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment by hearing Judy Collins sing the suffragist anthem "Bread and Roses." Then, FFRF Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Elliott describes the friend-of-the-court brief w

Dallas megapastor Robert Jeffress attacks FFRF on Fox. Nancy Pelosi calls for prayer. Ventura, Calif., proposes removing religious bigot Junipero Serra from its seal. After hearing James Taylor's freethinking song "Up From Your Life," we talk with Andrew Whitehead, co-author of the book (with Samuel

FFRF's Director of Communications Amit Pal updates us on President Modi's attempt to turn secular India into a Hindu nation. After hearing the "comfort music" song "Don't Fence Me In," by atheist songwriter Cole Porter, we talk with FFRF's Director of Governmental Affairs Mark Dann about what it's l

Dallas megapastor Robert Jeffress improperly politicked from the pulpit on "Freedom Sunday." After hearing the parody "Hang On, Ruthie" (about Ruth Bader Ginsburg), we talk with Skyler Hutto, the South Carolina attorney who is suing his governor for distributing millions of dollars of COVID relief t

Religion is a major cause of the spread of COVID. The NO BAN Act passed the U.S. House this week, undoing President Trump’s restrictions on travel and immigration from several Muslim countries. FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott tells us about a church-owned property that will now have to pay taxes

The Catholic Church lobbies for special treatment to gain billions of PPP dollars. FFRF attorney Ryan Jayne tells us about the secret phone calls between the White House and religious groups to funnel money to Trump's preachers. Then law professors Nelson Tebbe and Micah Schwartzman discuss their po

FFRF Legal Director Rebecca Markert explains what was so bad about two Supreme Court decisions this week dealing with religion, civil rights and women's health. FFRF's Director of Strategic Response Andrew Seidel tells us about the billions of dollars flowing to churches (many that are evangelical f

The Mississippi flag swaps one exclusion (Confederate symbol) for another ("In God We Trust"). FFRF Senior Counsel Patrick Elliott explains our amicus brief supporting California's social-distancing requirement for churches and tells us what was wrong with the Supreme Court's Espinoza pro-voucher de

For our first broadcast of the summer, we hear actor John de Lancie (who played Q on "Star Trek: The Next Generation") deliver a very moving virtual commencement address to graduating seniors in the Secular Student Alliance. Then we speak with award-winning NYC stand-up comedian and author Leighann

We celebrate this week's Supreme Court Bostock decision affirming civil-rights protections to the LGBTQ community. FFRF attorney Patrick Elliott explains how that case relates to religious liberty. After hearing the song "Freedom From Religion," we talk with Jon Steingard, the former lead singer of

The Texas lieutenant governor and a Texas mayor are improperly mixing religion and government. We ask the Pennsylvania governor not to hand state money to churches. After hearing the freethinker Nina Simone's 1964 civil-rights protest song "Mississippi Goddam," we talk with eminent Chicago Law Schoo

The President of the United States terrorizes fellow Americans in order to stage a Christian Nationalist photo-op. After hearing the protest song "No More" by Broadway composer Charles Strouse, we talk with author and filmmaker Jeremiah Camara about his movie Holy Hierarchy: The Religious Roots of R

President Trump and public officials continue to pander to the Religious Right during the pandemic. FFRF legal fellow Dante Harootunian announces a state/church victory removing a Christian cross from a city mural in Illinois. After hearing the freethinking song "Let The Mystery Be" by Iris Dement,

Churches or churchgoers in at least 19 states are hypocritically suing the government for shutting down public worship services. After hearing the Stephen Foster "comfort music" song "Hard Times Come Again No More," performed remotely by Rufus Wainwright and friends, we talk with Michael Shermer, ed

The virus of religion is worsening the pandemic. We talk about religious favoritism at the national and local levels, from the U.S. Supreme Court to states and counties that put ideology over science. Then we speak with Bonya Ahmed and Imtiaz Shams, founders of the new THINK project that is producin

Guess what well-known person is a humanist? Today we talk about U.S. representatives calling for a National Day of Reason (not Prayer), FFRF's full-page ad in the New York Times, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's remarks on access to contraception, and a U.S. mosque broadcasting calls to prayer. Then we

Are clergy "essential" workers? FFRF is complaining about favoritism to religion during the coronavirus pandemic. Our comfort music this week is "Smile," written by the freethinking Charlie Chaplin. FFRF Director of Communications Amit Pal joins us as we talk by phone from locked-down India with Avi

Happy Earth Day To You! We report an FFRF state/church victory dealing with HUD and Freedom of Information. FFRF Director of Strategic Response Andrew Seidel describes his groundbreaking article in the Northeastern University Law Review called "Bad History, Bad Opinions." After hearing the "comfort

God, government, and the coronavirus. Public officials are favoring religion during the COVID-19 crisis. Despite prayer, churches were damaged by Easter storms. After hearing "America’s Best Christian" Betty Bowers urge churchgoers to "stay the hell at home," we talk with professor Ryan Burge about

We are preserving social distancing between state and church. FFRF attorney Sam Grover describes our recent free-speech victory against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott who removed our winter-solstice display from the state capitol. After hearing more comfort music — including Tom Lehrer's "Vatican Rag" — we