http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress Question. Think. Decide. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:36:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 2007-2011 john@americanfreethought.com (American Freethought) john@americanfreethought.com (American Freethought) atheism 1440 http://www.americanfreethought.com/images/podcastlogo144x144.jpg http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress 144 144 Question. Think. Decide. An atheist podcast. freethought, atheism, skepticism, religion, secularism, philosophy, atheist, skeptic American Freethought American Freethought john@americanfreethought.com yes no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2012/01/22/podcast-142-jessica-ahlquist-victorious-in-rhode-island/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2012/01/22/podcast-142-jessica-ahlquist-victorious-in-rhode-island/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:41:52 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3152 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2012/01/22/podcast-142-jessica-ahlquist-victorious-in-rhode-island/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/07/rick-perry-is-strong-bullshit-strong/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/07/rick-perry-is-strong-bullshit-strong/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:38:27 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3126 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/07/rick-perry-is-strong-bullshit-strong/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/06/podcast-133-shocking-abuse-of-teens-in-christian-homes/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/06/podcast-133-shocking-abuse-of-teens-in-christian-homes/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:48:06 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3037 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/06/podcast-133-shocking-abuse-of-teens-in-christian-homes/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/27/eddie-long-is-off-the-hook/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/27/eddie-long-is-off-the-hook/#comments Sat, 28 May 2011 02:00:50 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2821 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/27/eddie-long-is-off-the-hook/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/22/when-the-world-doesnt-come-to-an-end/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/22/when-the-world-doesnt-come-to-an-end/#comments Sun, 22 May 2011 17:34:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2806 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/22/when-the-world-doesnt-come-to-an-end/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/21/podcast-123-study-on-us-catholic-child-abuse/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/21/podcast-123-study-on-us-catholic-child-abuse/#comments Sat, 21 May 2011 16:56:56 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2798 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/21/podcast-123-study-on-us-catholic-child-abuse/feed/ 4 0:37:16 Assuming the world hasn’t come to an end or that you haven’t been Raptured away… The US Catholic Church reveals The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010, a study into the [...] Assuming the world hasn’t come to an end or that you haven’t been Raptured away… The US Catholic Church reveals The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010, a study into the causes of priestly child abuse in the late 20th century.  It’s a mixed bag of things that should have been obvious, things the Church won’t want to hear, and some feeble hand-waving about the Sexual Revolution being sooo confusing. Michael Newdow has lost.  Again.  The US Supreme Court has turned down his appeal in a lawsuit to prevent the president from saying “so help me God” after taking the oath of office.  While we can’t disagree with Newdow that “so help me God” is a bad idea, insulting to nonbelievers, and potentially blasphemous to believers, we also think this was a bad fight to pick–a losing battle that has now set bad precedent. Holey Scripture!  What does the Bible have to say about Indiana governor Mitch Daniels?The answer may surprise you, and will surely flummox most Christians.  (And this already came up a while back during David Plotz’s “Blogging the Bible” series at Slate.com.) Announcements Atlanta Skepticamp is June 11-12th at the Doraville Community Center in north metro Atlanta.  If you’ll be in Atlanta that weekend, sign up to give a presentation and/or help with the organization. John Snider will repeat his “20th Century Twain” presentation, July 3rd for the Fellowship of Reason, at Atlanta Freethought Hall. children, christianity, cults, ethics, history, politics, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/20/the-end-of-the-world-is-no-joke-for-some/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/20/the-end-of-the-world-is-no-joke-for-some/#comments Fri, 20 May 2011 21:17:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2789 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/20/the-end-of-the-world-is-no-joke-for-some/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/10/so-much-for-being-held-to-a-higher-standard/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/10/so-much-for-being-held-to-a-higher-standard/#comments Wed, 11 May 2011 02:05:51 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2752 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/10/so-much-for-being-held-to-a-higher-standard/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/04/katy-perrys-evangelical-upbringing/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/04/katy-perrys-evangelical-upbringing/#comments Wed, 04 May 2011 11:04:59 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2733 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/04/katy-perrys-evangelical-upbringing/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/04/01/huckabee-forcible-indoctrination-at-gunpoint/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/04/01/huckabee-forcible-indoctrination-at-gunpoint/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:40:01 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2681 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/04/01/huckabee-forcible-indoctrination-at-gunpoint/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/03/28/songs-from-the-science-frontier/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/03/28/songs-from-the-science-frontier/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:01:10 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2644 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/03/28/songs-from-the-science-frontier/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/19/vashti-mccollum/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/19/vashti-mccollum/#comments Tue, 19 Oct 2010 05:01:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2390 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/19/vashti-mccollum/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/25/katy-perry-banned-from-sesame-street/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/25/katy-perry-banned-from-sesame-street/#comments Sat, 25 Sep 2010 05:01:42 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2298 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/25/katy-perry-banned-from-sesame-street/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/22/bishop-eddie-long-in-sex-scandal/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/22/bishop-eddie-long-in-sex-scandal/#comments Thu, 23 Sep 2010 01:30:21 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2285 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/22/bishop-eddie-long-in-sex-scandal/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/17/church-of-body-modification/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/17/church-of-body-modification/#comments Fri, 17 Sep 2010 05:01:29 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2271 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/17/church-of-body-modification/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/23/podcast-97-the-essential-freethought-library/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/23/podcast-97-the-essential-freethought-library/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:01:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2146 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/23/podcast-97-the-essential-freethought-library/feed/ 4 1:04:44 We discuss the Essential Freethought Library, the result of a poll of dozens of notable personalities in the freethought community.  We asked them one simple question: “What ten books must the well-read freethinker have read?” Also, loc[...] We discuss the Essential Freethought Library, the result of a poll of dozens of notable personalities in the freethought community.  We asked them one simple question: “What ten books must the well-read freethinker have read?” Also, local craziness in the news: Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!  A Georgia pastor is suing the state over a law that expands gun-carrying rights, but prohibits guns in places like government buildings and churches.  That’s right: a preacher wants the right to have a gun in his place of worship. Magic Jeff Goes Bye-Bye!  A Georgia youth minister and magician who performed for kids as “Magic Jeff” gets 20 years in prison for (among other things) child pornography. A Flock Put out to Pasture!  The Greater Works Assembly of Atlanta was evicted from their building for failing to pay the mortgage for TWO YEARS.  And not because of tough economic times, but apparently because the husband-and-wife team that headed up the church were engaged in an elaborate shell game whereby they moved money around amongst nearly ten shadowy non-profits. The Usual Announcements Look for David Driscoll, in his roll as regional ambassador for Atheist Alliance International, speaking August 1st in Knoxville to the Rationalists of East Tennessee. If you’ll be in metro Atlanta on August 8th, look for John Snider and David Driscoll speaking to the Atlanta Freethought Society.  The title of our main presentation:  The Crescent and the Moonpie. Dragon*Con (which includes SkepTrack) is just around the corner, September 3-6, right here in Atlanta.  And if you can join us a day early, the second annual Star Party will be hosted by Emory University’s Science and Math Center. Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded July 17, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, children, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/21/help-make-songs-from-the-science-frontier-a-reality/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/21/help-make-songs-from-the-science-frontier-a-reality/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:01:05 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2142 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/21/help-make-songs-from-the-science-frontier-a-reality/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/16/podcast-92-the-good-man-jesus-and-the-scoundrel-christ/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/16/podcast-92-the-good-man-jesus-and-the-scoundrel-christ/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:01:45 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2051 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/16/podcast-92-the-good-man-jesus-and-the-scoundrel-christ/feed/ 0 0:35:00 We discuss the latest novel from Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), which re-imagines Jesus Christ as twin brothers named “Jesus” and “Christ.”  The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Chr[...] We discuss the latest novel from Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), which re-imagines Jesus Christ as twin brothers named “Jesus” and “Christ.”  The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is published in hardcover by Canongate and in unabridged audio by Brilliance Audio. Listen to our discussion of the movie adaptation of The Golden Compass from way back in podcast #3. The Usual Announcements Look for David Driscoll at  “Gods and Politics,” the Atheist Alliance International Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18-20. Live in metro Atlanta?  Look for John and Allison in attendance at Michael Largo’s reading from his encyclopedic God’s Lunatics, 6:30 PM, Tuesday, June 22nd at Ivy Hall. Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded June 8, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, children, christianity, podcast, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/sam-harris-puts-the-pope-in-his-crosshairs/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/sam-harris-puts-the-pope-in-his-crosshairs/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 22:38:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2014 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/sam-harris-puts-the-pope-in-his-crosshairs/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/22/catholic-scandal-are-these-guys-reading-the-same-news/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/22/catholic-scandal-are-these-guys-reading-the-same-news/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:17:38 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1978 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/22/catholic-scandal-are-these-guys-reading-the-same-news/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/31/podcast-84-bonus-material-newdow-in-2002/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/31/podcast-84-bonus-material-newdow-in-2002/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:01:19 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1929 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/31/podcast-84-bonus-material-newdow-in-2002/feed/ 1 0:39:41 I’m packing up to head to Newark for the American Atheists convention this weekend, but meanwhile, here’s a blast from the past.  Waaay back in August 2002, I (John C. Snider) interviewed Michael Newdow when he was  just hitting the nati[...] I’m packing up to head to Newark for the American Atheists convention this weekend, but meanwhile, here’s a blast from the past.  Waaay back in August 2002, I (John C. Snider) interviewed Michael Newdow when he was  just hitting the national scene with his first lawsuit challenging the Constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. And to get the Christian perspective on this issue, I interviewed Dr. Bob Allred, who at the time was pastor of Atlanta First United Methodist Church (the oldest church in Atlanta).  Dr. Allred went on to pastor at at least one other church in the metro area, but I lost track of him two or three years ago.   This interview is also from 2002. My apologies if the sound quality of these interviews isn’t as good as it could be; my apologies also if my delivery is flat and/or less-than-professional.  This was an early, early experiment in internet broadcasting, certainly predating the podcasting phenomenon by several years.  In any case, I hope you find it an interesting and enlightening listening experience.  Enjoy! atheism, children, christianity, commentary, interviews, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/30/the-pope-aint-so-dope-but-then-we-knew-that-already-didnt-we/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/30/the-pope-aint-so-dope-but-then-we-knew-that-already-didnt-we/#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:28:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1926 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/30/the-pope-aint-so-dope-but-then-we-knew-that-already-didnt-we/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/rape-your-daughters-for-the-apocalypse/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/rape-your-daughters-for-the-apocalypse/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:03:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1904 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/rape-your-daughters-for-the-apocalypse/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/07/homeschooled-evangelical/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/07/homeschooled-evangelical/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:38:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1894 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/07/homeschooled-evangelical/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/19/podcast-81-announcing-unity-2013/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/19/podcast-81-announcing-unity-2013/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:01:08 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1872 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/19/podcast-81-announcing-unity-2013/feed/ 2 0:43:52 Margaret Downey (former president of Atheist Alliance International, now a “freethought free agent”) announces the formation of the Unity 2013 Event Committee.  What is Unity 2013?  Nobody knows just yet, but what we do know is that it[...] Margaret Downey (former president of Atheist Alliance International, now a “freethought free agent”) announces the formation of the Unity 2013 Event Committee.  What is Unity 2013?  Nobody knows just yet, but what we do know is that it’ll be big, it has the blessing of such notables as Daniel Dennett, and it’ll involve many (if not most) of the major freethought-friendly organizations.  To keep abreast of the details as they unfold, check out the Unity 2013 Facebook page. Also: David swells in righteous indigation over the misguidedness of a local religious school whose “philosophy of education” includes a lot of blither-blather about fearing God, the inerrancy of the Bible, and man’s dominion over the planet–but nary a word about, oh, curriculum. Black children are an endangered species! In other words, if you’re black, look out!  The evil atheist liberal abortionists are gunning for your fetuseseses. Upcoming events: See Creation with American Freethought!  We’re arranging an outing for the afternoon of Saturday, February 20th, to see the new Charles Darwin bio-pic starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly.  We’ll convene for Thai food immediately after the movie.  Details can be found here, or at this Facebook event page. John and Allison will be attending a rare joint appearance by Christopher Hitchens and Salman Rushdie at Emory University, Friday, February 26th.  If you’re there and you see us, be sure to say hello. John and Allison will also be at the upcoming American Atheists convention in Newark, NJ, April 2-4.  We’ll actually be in the greater NYC are March 31 – April 5, and we welcome suggestions for places to eat, things to do, or stuff to see. Atlanta SkeptiCamp 2010 is tentatively scheduled for May.  Keep an eye on the Atlanta Skeptics website for details as they unfold. Hey, what’s that waaay over there, just over the horizon?  Why, it’s Dragon*Con!  Yep, it’s time to start thinking about the all-encompassing pop culture juggernaut held every year in Atlanta, featuring (among other things) the increasingly popular Skeptrack!  Four-day memberships to the Con are only $80 through May 15th ($90 through July 15th).  We’ll see you there! Can you spell C-O-N-T-E-S-T? We have a minor trove of nifty things to give away, including a 2009 American Atheists convention program signed by Richard Dawkins, a handful of books by famous critical thinkers, and an American Freethought t-shirt and coffee mug.  To win, simply challenge John C. Snider to a game of “Words With Friends” (the iPhone version of the classic Scrabble).  You’ll need an iPhone, of course; and you’ll need to download Words With Friends (created by game developer Newtoy, Inc.).  John’s user name is “johncsnider.”  The person who beats him by the most points during the month of February wins the tchoch. The Usual Announcements Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John’s other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 18, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. abortion, atheism, children, christianity, interviews, news, podcast, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/03/podcast-79-e-meters-for-haiti/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/03/podcast-79-e-meters-for-haiti/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:01:05 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1853 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/03/podcast-79-e-meters-for-haiti/feed/ 1 0:43:51 Earthquake-devastated Haiti has become a magnet for kooky, misguided (but perhaps well-intentioned) religious groups.  Scientologist John Travolta (disguised, apparently, as L. Ron Hubbard–see photo at right) has personally flown his private 7[...] Earthquake-devastated Haiti has become a magnet for kooky, misguided (but perhaps well-intentioned) religious groups.  Scientologist John Travolta (disguised, apparently, as L. Ron Hubbard–see photo at right) has personally flown his private 707 to Haiti, delivering food, medical supplies, and “volunteer ministers” who claim the ability to heal through therapeutic touch.  Meanwhile, a Christian group called Faith Comes By Hearing has sent 600 solar-powered audiobook Bibles.  Finally, a group of Idaho Baptists were arrested trying to transport Haitian orphans (some of whom weren’t actually orphans) across the border into the Dominican Republic. While America is spending billions to ensure a smooth transition of security responsibilities to the Iraqi military, the Iraqis are squandering millions on what are effectively divining rods that supposedly detect explosives, guns–even truffles!  The manufacturer of this quackery is UK-based ATSC, whose founder, one Jim McCormick, has been arrested by British authorities on suspicion of fraud, and his device has been banned for export. Scott Roeder, who murdered abortion doctor George Tiller in May of last year, has been given a life sentence by a Kansas jury.  Unfortunately, Roeder could be eligible for parole in 25 years. Also: We’re Number One!  Atlanta has been named the “Gayest City in America” by Advocate.com.  Take heart, Yankees: Portland, Maine is #8. We (meaning John and Allison) will be going to the American Atheists convention, April 2-4 in Newark, NJ.  We’ll be going up a couple of days early and staying a day after to enjoy some tourism in NYC, so any suggestions are welcome for cool stuff to do or cool people to see (email john@americanfreethought.com with your suggestions).  The convention’s speakers include CFI founder Paul Kurtz, Freedom from Religion’s Dan Barker, and biologist-turned-philosopher Massimo Pigliucci. And speaking of Massimo Pigliucci, check out the brand new Rationally Speaking Podcast!  Massimo has teamed up with fellow members of the New York City Skeptics to create this great addition to the skeptical podscape. Can you spell C-O-N-T-E-S-T? We have a minor trove of nifty things to give away, including a 2009 American Atheists convention program signed by Richard Dawkins, a handful of books by famous critical thinkers, and an American Freethought t-shirt and coffee mug.  To win, simply challenge John C. Snider to a game of “Words With Friends” (the iPhone version of the classic Scrabble).  You’ll need an iPhone, of course; and you’ll need to download Words With Friends (created by game developer Newtoy, Inc.).  John’s user name is “johncsnider.”  The person who beats him by the most points during the month of February wins the tchoch. The Usual Announcements Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John’s other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 1, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. children, christianity, humor, news, podcast, religion, skepticism American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/15/podcast-77-sports-losses-and-southern-crosses/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/15/podcast-77-sports-losses-and-southern-crosses/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:18:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1830 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/15/podcast-77-sports-losses-and-southern-crosses/feed/ 1 0:40:29 University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was sidelined with a shoulder injury early-on at college football’s 2010 Rose Bowl.  McCoy had to watch from the bench as Texas lost the National Championship to Alabama.  But that’s okay, [...] University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was sidelined with a shoulder injury early-on at college football’s 2010 Rose Bowl.  McCoy had to watch from the bench as Texas lost the National Championship to Alabama.  But that’s okay, ’cause it’s all part of God’s Plan. Tiger Woods’ rumored infidelities have been all the rage with the tabloids, but who’da thunk Fox News pundit Brit Hume (not exactly an outspoken evangelical zealot) would make us forget all about it with his shoot-from-the-hip comparison of Buddhism and Christianity. North Georgia parents Patty Jo Marsh and Jacob Bartels decided it was a good idea to give tattoos to six of their seven children.  Themselves.  With a homemade tattoo machine.  Now they’re charged with illegal tattooing, reckless conduct, and more.  Oh, did we mention the tattoos were of Christian crosses? Also discussed in this episode: David wonders if he can count his work for atheist non-profits in his company’s volunteerism program. Mark your calendars: May 11, 2011 is the End of the World.  Or will be, according to often-wrong doomsayer and religious broadcaster Harold Camping.  We aren’t holding our breath, but a beer-fueled End of the World party 16 months from now doesn’t sound like a bad idea. David will be speaking, in his capacity as ambassador for Atheist Alliance International, to the Secular Humanists of the Low Country.  That’s Saturday, January 17th in Charleston, South Carolina.  Here are the details. The Usual Announcements Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John’s other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded January 8, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. buddhism, children, christianity, podcast, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/16/rifqa-bary-to-return-to-ohio-or-sri-lanka/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/16/rifqa-bary-to-return-to-ohio-or-sri-lanka/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:20:47 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1585 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/16/rifqa-bary-to-return-to-ohio-or-sri-lanka/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/neumanns-get-light-sentence-for-murder-of-daughter/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/neumanns-get-light-sentence-for-murder-of-daughter/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:30:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1497 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/neumanns-get-light-sentence-for-murder-of-daughter/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/north-georgia-craziness/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/north-georgia-craziness/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:00:38 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1493 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/north-georgia-craziness/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/28/podcast-66-freethought-in-mexico/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/28/podcast-66-freethought-in-mexico/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:01:37 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1446 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/28/podcast-66-freethought-in-mexico/feed/ 2 0:43:47 We interview Danny Zepeda, a skeptical blogger living in Morelia, a city in central Mexico.  He talks about the state of freethought South of the Border, the prevalence of superstition and alt-medicine quackery in Mexican society, and the challenges[...] We interview Danny Zepeda, a skeptical blogger living in Morelia, a city in central Mexico.  He talks about the state of freethought South of the Border, the prevalence of superstition and alt-medicine quackery in Mexican society, and the challenges of raising children to be critical thinkers.  Visit Danny’s Spanish-language blog Un Papá Escéptico (A Skeptical Papa) at papaesceptico.wordpress.com.  If you can’t read Spanish, try pasting the URL into the Babel Fish text translation tool: the results are sometimes a bit iffy but readable. Announcements – We encourage you to leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com.  We have a Yahoo Group, a Facebook page, an Atheist Nexus page, a Think Atheist page (NEW!), and a Twitter feed.  Also, if you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. Say “hi” to David if you’re planning to attend the upcoming Atheist Alliance International 2009 Convention, October 2-4 in Los Angeles (Burbank, actually), CA. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John’s other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded September 25, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, children, christianity, podcast, religion, skepticism, superstitions American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/28/god-spoke-to-him-through-a-box/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/28/god-spoke-to-him-through-a-box/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:26:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1295 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/28/god-spoke-to-him-through-a-box/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/25/podcast-63-efficacy-of-prayer/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/25/podcast-63-efficacy-of-prayer/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:01:34 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1270 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/25/podcast-63-efficacy-of-prayer/feed/ 9 1:05:00 It’s the p-p-p-p-power of prayer!  Or not.  We look at several anecdotes that point toward the efficacy (or inefficacy) of intercessory prayer, including: The tragic cases of two teenage girls (one in TN, one in KY), both of whom suffered ter[...] It’s the p-p-p-p-power of prayer!  Or not.  We look at several anecdotes that point toward the efficacy (or inefficacy) of intercessory prayer, including: The tragic cases of two teenage girls (one in TN, one in KY), both of whom suffered terrible injuries.  One recovered (more or less), the other is maimed for life.  Both were the beneficiaries of  the prayers of hundreds.  Why did God heal one and snub the other???  We’ll give you a hint: the answer can be found at www.whywontgodhealamputees.com. The Miracle of Colwich Man – A Kansas man was healed after thousands of parishioners prayed to the late Father Emil Kapaun, a Korean War hero who’s currently under “skeptical” investigation by the Vatican for possible sainthood. The Case of the Shriveling Glacier – Faithful Catholics in the Swiss towns of Fiesch and Feischertal have prayed for centuries that God protect them from the wintertime advance of the Aletsch Glacier.  Now the Aletsch is rapidly receding due to global warming, so now the townsfolk are seeking the Pope’s permission to reverse the prayer. Science has a few things to say about prayer.  Okay, actually science only has one thing to say: it don’t work. Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) – The American Heart Association published the results of a double-blind study on the effects of prayer on patients undergoing heart surgery.  Those who were told they would be prayed for–and were actually prayed for–actually did worse than those who were not prayed for. A Governor’s Prayer for Rain (scroll down to find the article) – Skeptic magazine publishes a statistical study of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s controversial prayer-for-rain organized on the steps of the state capitol in 2007.  Conclusion: Sonny’s God is a penurious God. Does TM reduce violent crime? – The World Peace Project claims that Transcendental Meditation en masse actually reduced violent crime during a six-week period in 1993–guaranteed to “less than two parts per billion.”  Skeptico thinks not. Plus: The Voyage that Shook the World!  Creation Ministries International has just released a $1 million documentary that insists Charles Darwin was a fantasy-prone nebbish and pathological liar who cherrypicked his data to crank out that addle-brained Theory of Evolution.  Plus Darwin was a racist.  Local skeptic/freethinker Douglas Scott joins us for the critique.  You can read John’s extensive review here or visit the movies official website. ANNOUNCEMENTS Dragon*Con is coming soon!  September 4-7 in Atlanta, to be exact.  American Freethought will record a live podcast at 11:30AM, Saturday, September 5th with the Skeptics Track. We (meaning John and David and respective redheads) will also be attending the Star Party at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA on Thursday, September 3rd.  The Star Party is organized by the Atlanta Skeptics, will feature dinner, drinks, an opportunity to chat with Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy) and Pamela Gay (Astronomy Cast podcast), and stargazing through the Bradley Observatory telescope.  Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society in honor of the late Jeff Medkeff (Blue Collar Scientist). Participation and Feedback: Email contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. American Freethought on Twitter.  We’re new on Twitter!  Get auto-tweets every time we post something to the website, plus the occasional random news item. American Freethought on Atheist Nexus – What’s Atheist Nexus?  Well, it’s like Facebook for nonbelievers.  Join up! American Freethought on Facebook American Freethought Yahoo Group – Chat with fellow freethinkers. iTunes – If you listen to us via iTunes, take a moment and leave feedback. Shop or Donate: CafePress – Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs.[...] children, christianity, commentary, evolution, movies, news, podcast, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/21/the-latest-on-rifqa-bary/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/21/the-latest-on-rifqa-bary/#comments Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:54:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1268 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/21/the-latest-on-rifqa-bary/feed/ 10 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/16/an-interfaith-springer-moment/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/16/an-interfaith-springer-moment/#comments Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:17:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1220 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/16/an-interfaith-springer-moment/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/prayer-or-natural-recovery/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/prayer-or-natural-recovery/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:38:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1153 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/prayer-or-natural-recovery/feed/ 9 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/02/goodbye-neumanns/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/02/goodbye-neumanns/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:55:29 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1140 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/02/goodbye-neumanns/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/30/how-to-avoid-church/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/30/how-to-avoid-church/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:46:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1110 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/30/how-to-avoid-church/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/29/science-music-for-the-kiddies/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/29/science-music-for-the-kiddies/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:39:35 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1093 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/29/science-music-for-the-kiddies/feed/ 0