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/2011/12/16/hitch-is-dead/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/16/hitch-is-dead/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:12:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3133 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/12/16/hitch-is-dead/feed/ 0 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/2011/10/07/clarifying-myths-about-atheists/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/07/clarifying-myths-about-atheists/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:01:57 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3043 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/10/07/clarifying-myths-about-atheists/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/08/30/bachmann-says-jk-about-irene/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/08/30/bachmann-says-jk-about-irene/#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:10:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=3006 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/08/30/bachmann-says-jk-about-irene/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/07/26/hubbards-great-grandson-speaks/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/07/26/hubbards-great-grandson-speaks/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:09:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2970 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/07/26/hubbards-great-grandson-speaks/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/14/the-crazies-come-out-for-god/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/14/the-crazies-come-out-for-god/#comments Sat, 14 May 2011 13:55:40 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2781 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/14/the-crazies-come-out-for-god/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/12/should-alabama-sue-texas-over-the-recent-tornadoes/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/12/should-alabama-sue-texas-over-the-recent-tornadoes/#comments Thu, 12 May 2011 23:05:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2770 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/12/should-alabama-sue-texas-over-the-recent-tornadoes/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/10/podcast-122-robert-m-price-on-the-book-of-revelation/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/10/podcast-122-robert-m-price-on-the-book-of-revelation/#comments Tue, 10 May 2011 22:57:31 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2745 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/10/podcast-122-robert-m-price-on-the-book-of-revelation/feed/ 6 0:56:38 We wrap up our extended look at the Book of Revelation with an interview with Dr. Robert M. Price, theologian and author of (among other books) The Reason Driven Life. For more about Dr. Price visit his official website: robertmprice.mindvendor.com.[...] We wrap up our extended look at the Book of Revelation with an interview with Dr. Robert M. Price, theologian and author of (among other books) The Reason Driven Life. For more about Dr. Price visit his official website: robertmprice.mindvendor.com. (Correction: We state in the podcast we’re presenting the last three chapters, but actually it’s the last four.) Plus: The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart almost nails historical revisionist David Barton, one of the movers and shakers behind the “America is a Christian nation” myth. Announcements: The Secular Coalition for America is holding their Biennial Strategic Summit May 19-21 in Washington, DC. If you’re going to be in Tampa, Florida May 13-15 check out the first International Freethought Film Festival. A reminder that David Driscoll’s Secular Nation podcast is now the Secular World podcast! Finally, check out Mike Lee’s The Religious Antagonist on YouTube. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Recorded May 8, 2011. books, christianity, commentary, history, interviews, podcast, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/02/bin-laden-is-dead-but-im-not-celebrating-much/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/02/bin-laden-is-dead-but-im-not-celebrating-much/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 22:22:27 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2729 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/05/02/bin-laden-is-dead-but-im-not-celebrating-much/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/04/14/paris-oddly-enough-part-8/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/04/14/paris-oddly-enough-part-8/#comments Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:01:56 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2661 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/04/14/paris-oddly-enough-part-8/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/03/10/what-we-should-do-about-libya/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/03/10/what-we-should-do-about-libya/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2011 02:25:52 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2621 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/03/10/what-we-should-do-about-libya/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/02/10/us-house-committee-considering-a-resolution-on-darwin-day/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/02/10/us-house-committee-considering-a-resolution-on-darwin-day/#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:36:24 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2572 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/02/10/us-house-committee-considering-a-resolution-on-darwin-day/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/02/03/obama-disappoints-again-at-npb/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/02/03/obama-disappoints-again-at-npb/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:49:19 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2560 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/02/03/obama-disappoints-again-at-npb/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/01/04/the-year-in-religion/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/01/04/the-year-in-religion/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:01:15 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2501 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/01/04/the-year-in-religion/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/01/01/happy-new-year/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/01/01/happy-new-year/#comments Sat, 01 Jan 2011 21:17:44 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2496 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2011/01/01/happy-new-year/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/08/imagine/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/08/imagine/#comments Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:25:40 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2474 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/08/imagine/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/05/academic-responds-to-ky-funding-of-creationism-park/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/05/academic-responds-to-ky-funding-of-creationism-park/#comments Sun, 05 Dec 2010 05:01:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2470 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/12/05/academic-responds-to-ky-funding-of-creationism-park/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/25/the-moral-landscape-chapter-4-religion/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/25/the-moral-landscape-chapter-4-religion/#comments Thu, 25 Nov 2010 05:01:38 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2434 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/25/the-moral-landscape-chapter-4-religion/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/23/the-moral-landscape-chapter-3-belief/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/23/the-moral-landscape-chapter-3-belief/#comments Tue, 23 Nov 2010 05:01:31 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2432 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/23/the-moral-landscape-chapter-3-belief/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/21/the-moral-landscape-chapter-2-good-and-evil/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/21/the-moral-landscape-chapter-2-good-and-evil/#comments Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:42:42 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2427 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/11/21/the-moral-landscape-chapter-2-good-and-evil/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/17/podcast-106-listener-feedback/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/17/podcast-106-listener-feedback/#comments Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:15:35 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2380 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/17/podcast-106-listener-feedback/feed/ 0 0:46:47 Boy, do we get feedback!  We’re wrong about the Tea Party, the Great “Enlightenment,” bleeping out curse words, and the authorship/timing of both the Qur’an and the New Testament.  On the other hand, some listeners think we [...] Boy, do we get feedback!  We’re wrong about the Tea Party, the Great “Enlightenment,” bleeping out curse words, and the authorship/timing of both the Qur’an and the New Testament.  On the other hand, some listeners think we are “awesome” and their “very favorite.”  High praise indeed, considering the intelligence level and perspicacity of our listener base. Plus: What it’s like inside a fundamentalist cult; churches and taxes Down Under; the intersection between porn and mainstream cinema; and a surprise email from someone we talked about in a recent podcast. (Sound clips at the top and bottom of the show are from the animated not-for-kids movie Mary & Max.  Definitely worth checking out!) Announcements: We’re going to Washington, DC for Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity, noon to 3pm, October 30th on the National Mall!  If you want to join up with us at the Rally, subscribe to our Twitter feed at Twitter.com/AmerFreethought.Send us email!  For John Snider use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll 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 October 6, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, commentary, cults, military, movies, news, podcast, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/10/the-moral-landscape-chapter-1-moral-truth/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/10/the-moral-landscape-chapter-1-moral-truth/#comments Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:52:46 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2363 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/10/the-moral-landscape-chapter-1-moral-truth/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/07/podcast-104-the-tillman-story/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/07/podcast-104-the-tillman-story/#comments Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:00:56 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2356 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/10/07/podcast-104-the-tillman-story/feed/ 2 0:42:49 We discuss the new documentary The Tillman Story, which exposes the massive cover-up of the death by friendly fire of pro football player-turned soldier Pat Tillman.  Was his death a tragic mistake, or the result of a malicious “fragging[...] We discuss the new documentary The Tillman Story, which exposes the massive cover-up of the death by friendly fire of pro football player-turned soldier Pat Tillman.  Was his death a tragic mistake, or the result of a malicious “fragging”?  It doesn’t help (from the Army’s perspective) that Tillman was a left-leaning atheist/agnostic openly critical of the “illegal” War in Iraq. For more about the film, visit TillmanStory.com. Plus: We’re going to Washington, DC for Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity, noon to 3pm, October 30th on the National Mall!  If you’ll be there as well send us a note. The Eddie Long sex scandal is just beginning.  “Bishop” Eddie Long of Atlanta’s New Birth Missionary Baptist megachurch is the target of four lawsuits by young men who claim Long had homosexual affairs with them when they were teens. Atheists know more than believers: We discuss the new Pew Research Center’s U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey that shows nonbelievers score better on the basic facts of religion than are the faithful.  How can this be?  :) Finally, while the news has already circulated within the nontheistic community, we congratulate Dave Silverman on his selection as the new president of American Atheists. Announcements: Send us email!  For John Snider use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll 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 September 29, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, commentary, military, movies, news, podcast American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/30/take-comfort-in-rituals/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/30/take-comfort-in-rituals/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:50:03 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2330 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/30/take-comfort-in-rituals/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/28/rally-to-restore-sanity/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/28/rally-to-restore-sanity/#comments Tue, 28 Sep 2010 23:34:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2322 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/28/rally-to-restore-sanity/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/26/podcast-102-the-chaplain-and-the-atheist/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/26/podcast-102-the-chaplain-and-the-atheist/#comments Sun, 26 Sep 2010 05:01:31 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2309 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/26/podcast-102-the-chaplain-and-the-atheist/feed/ 6 0:28:21 We discuss journalist Michael M. Phillips’ Wall Street Journal article “A Chaplain and an Atheist Go to War.”  It’s the story of Navy Chaplain Terry Moran (a fundamentalist and Young Earth Creationist) and his bodyguard Relig[...] We discuss journalist Michael M. Phillips’ Wall Street Journal article “A Chaplain and an Atheist Go to War.”  It’s the story of Navy Chaplain Terry Moran (a fundamentalist and Young Earth Creationist) and his bodyguard Religious Programs Specialist 2nd Class Philip Chute, a Dawkins-toting atheist, who serve the troops in Afghanistan. We’re also struck by the similarity of their relationship to that described between the Chaplain and Corporal Whitcomb in Joseph Heller’s novel Catch-22.  In Heller’s satirical classic, the Chaplain is a spineless Anabaptist who’s afraid of his own shadow, while Corporal Whitcomb–an atheist–undermines the Chaplain at every turn, while simultaneously dreaming up ways to increase troop participation in church services. Plus: Feedback!  We’re popular with the young folks (or at least, one young folk).  Why can’t David pronounce “Copenhagen” like a real American?  And what’s with our bleeping of all the swear words?  For what it’s worth, if you can’t get enough swearing check out this YouTube video of all the curses in Episode 1 Season 1 of Deadwood. Announcements: Send us email!  For John Snider use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll 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 September 12, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, christianity, commentary, military, news, podcast, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/24/christian-care-packages/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/24/christian-care-packages/#comments Sat, 25 Sep 2010 00:30:11 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2295 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/24/christian-care-packages/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/15/podcast-101-international-burn-a-quran-day/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/15/podcast-101-international-burn-a-quran-day/#comments Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:01:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2255 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/15/podcast-101-international-burn-a-quran-day/feed/ 1 0:44:55 International Burn a Qur’an Day was a bust.  Pastor Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach Center of Gainesville, Florida threatened, de-threatened and repeatedly vacillated as to whether or not he was going to organize a book-burning on the nint[...] International Burn a Qur’an Day was a bust.  Pastor Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach Center of Gainesville, Florida threatened, de-threatened and repeatedly vacillated as to whether or not he was going to organize a book-burning on the ninth anniversary of 9/11 (he ultimately did not).  Even President Obama weighed in on why it was a bad idea to burn a Qur’an. Plus: Our Dragon*Con wrap-up. Glorious freak-out at the top of the show courtesy of Phil Davison of Stark County, Ohio. Announcements: Send us email!  For John Snider use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll 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 September 12, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, commentary, islam, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/09/international-burn-a-quran-day/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/09/international-burn-a-quran-day/#comments Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:59:24 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2246 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/09/international-burn-a-quran-day/feed/ 9 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/19/answering-seven-questions-you-should-ask-an-atheist/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/19/answering-seven-questions-you-should-ask-an-atheist/#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 02:32:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2185 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/19/answering-seven-questions-you-should-ask-an-atheist/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/19/1-in-5-think-obamas-a-muslim/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/19/1-in-5-think-obamas-a-muslim/#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:27:10 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2176 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/19/1-in-5-think-obamas-a-muslim/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/05/topic-of-cancer/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/05/topic-of-cancer/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:56:26 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2156 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/05/topic-of-cancer/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/18/do-you-have-acedia/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/18/do-you-have-acedia/#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:44:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2137 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/18/do-you-have-acedia/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/28/liberty-meet-irony/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/28/liberty-meet-irony/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 02:23:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2089 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/28/liberty-meet-irony/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/27/a-lung-my-bad/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/27/a-lung-my-bad/#comments Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:22:34 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2086 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/27/a-lung-my-bad/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/21/enough-already-with-the-political-prayer/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/21/enough-already-with-the-political-prayer/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:30:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2080 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/21/enough-already-with-the-political-prayer/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/23/podcast-89-world-ends-miss-usa-is-a-muslim/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/23/podcast-89-world-ends-miss-usa-is-a-muslim/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 02:14:43 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2022 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/23/podcast-89-world-ends-miss-usa-is-a-muslim/feed/ 0 0:54:56 OMFG and other exaggerations.  The new Miss USA is Rima Fakih, who hails from Dearborn, Michigan by way of Lebanon.  According to Ms. Fakih, her family is not terribly pious–apparently they observe both Muslim and Christian holidays, for examp[...] OMFG and other exaggerations.  The new Miss USA is Rima Fakih, who hails from Dearborn, Michigan by way of Lebanon.  According to Ms. Fakih, her family is not terribly pious–apparently they observe both Muslim and Christian holidays, for example.  But to hear the conservative blathersphere, you’d think the selection of  an Arab-American as one of our foremost icons of cheesecake is either political correctness run amok, or part of some elaborate master plan by Hezbollah to lower Western civilization’s defenses before they come in for the big kill. Meanwhile…candidates in Alabama’s Republican gubernatorial primary are determined to court the lowest-common-denominator demographic.  When candidate Bradley Byrne was accused of believing in evolution and doubting that the scriptures are literally true, he fell over backwards to assure the voters he’s a dyed-in-the-wool creationist and Bible-thumping fundamentalist. Plus: Atlanta Skepticamp 2010 was a big success; the Mojave cross was stolen; Idaho missionary and would-be child trafficker Laura Silsby is back from Haiti; and former executives of faith-based (and now defunct) Integrity Bank have been indicted on bribery charges. 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. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded May 23, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, commentary, islam, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no yes 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/2010/04/07/podcast-85-american-atheists-convention-part-1/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/07/podcast-85-american-atheists-convention-part-1/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 02:15:08 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1933 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/07/podcast-85-american-atheists-convention-part-1/feed/ 1 0:34:35 John reports (almost) live from the American Atheists Convention in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  Day One speakers included Center for Inquiry’s Paul Kurtz, biologist/philosopher Massimo Pigliucci, UK-based National Secular Society’s Keith Por[...] John reports (almost) live from the American Atheists Convention in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  Day One speakers included Center for Inquiry’s Paul Kurtz, biologist/philosopher Massimo Pigliucci, UK-based National Secular Society’s Keith Porteous Wood, The God Virus author Darrel Ray, and newly-elected Asheville (NC) city councilman Cecil Bothwell.  Plus: Sightseeing in NYC, including an unexpected sighting of… Mandy Patinkin. 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. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded April 3, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, commentary, news, podcast American Freethought no yes 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/2010/03/18/bible-v-quran-the-ultimate-smackdown/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/18/bible-v-quran-the-ultimate-smackdown/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:04:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1911 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/18/bible-v-quran-the-ultimate-smackdown/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/05/hitchens-rewrites-the-10c/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/05/hitchens-rewrites-the-10c/#comments Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:23:26 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1881 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/05/hitchens-rewrites-the-10c/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/26/podcast-82-creation/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/26/podcast-82-creation/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:01:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1878 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/26/podcast-82-creation/feed/ 6 0:41:16 Allison’s back–yay!  She joins us to discuss the new Charles Darwin bio-pic Creation, starring real-life husband-and-wife Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly as Charles and Emma Darwin.  Creation is based on the nonfiction book Annie[...] Allison’s back–yay!  She joins us to discuss the new Charles Darwin bio-pic Creation, starring real-life husband-and-wife Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly as Charles and Emma Darwin.  Creation is based on the nonfiction book Annie’s Box (published in the US as Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution, and reissued in conjunction with the film as Creation) by Darwin descendant Randal Keynes.  Creation is currently in limited release, so check your local art cinema to see if and when it might play in your neighborhood.  For more visit CreationtheMovie.com. Thanks to the many fellow science fans who joined us for the Creation screening at Atlanta’s Landmark Midtown Art Cinema.  And thanks to Royal Orchid Thai Cuisine for accommodating our unexpected horde. Also: David McAllister and Jason Bourque have been arrested in connection with a string of church arsons and burglaries in Texas.  There’s a minor storm of controversy in the media over reports that “books on demons and atheism” were found in Bourque’s home.  East Texas television station KLTV has offered reports from “anonymous sources” who claim that McAllister was troubled by the death of his mother and was looking to “save people from believing” and trying to “dislodge” church institutions.  Clearly, American Freethought condemns arson and vandalism of any kind.  And if it turns out that these young men committed these crimes out of some misguided notion of what atheism is, we condemn that as well. Upcoming events: 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. 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. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 24, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, buddhism, commentary, evolution, movies, news, podcast, religion, science American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/04/obama-disappoints-at-npb/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/04/obama-disappoints-at-npb/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:48:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1861 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/04/obama-disappoints-at-npb/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/11/wright-v-hitch/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/11/wright-v-hitch/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:45:44 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1781 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/11/wright-v-hitch/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/23/podcast-73-war-on-christmas-special/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/23/podcast-73-war-on-christmas-special/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:01:19 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1756 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/23/podcast-73-war-on-christmas-special/feed/ 3 1:01:31 Okay, no War on Christmas per se, but… the festive season approaches, and it’s time for us to share our Top Five suggestions for holiday gifts for nonbelievers!  It’s your opportunity to warm the cockles of the family atheist and/o[...] Okay, no War on Christmas per se, but… the festive season approaches, and it’s time for us to share our Top Five suggestions for holiday gifts for nonbelievers!  It’s your opportunity to warm the cockles of the family atheist and/or make pious relatives squirm as you share presents around the pagan tree. David’s suggestions (in no particular order): Nonfiction Two-Fer – Don’t Be Such a Scientist by Randy Olson and Worlds of Their Own by Robert J. Schadewald (David’s favorite nonfiction books of 2009). DVD Two-Fer – Troy Conrad’s The Comedy Jesus Show (www.comedyjesusshow.com) and the AAI 2009 Convention 2009 video (coming soon from www.atheistalliance.org). A telescope. American Freethought tchoch: t-shirts, coffee mugs and more (www.cafepress.com/amerfreethought). Membership in Atheist Alliance International (www.atheistalliance.org/Membership.html). John’s suggestions (in no particular order): A Very Haeckel Christmas (greeting cards inspired by the artwork of 19th century biologys Ernst Haeckel) (www.cafepress.com/therhinobird). Surly-Ramics Jewelry (www.surlyramics.com). Honorable Mention goes to Made with Molecules (www.madewithmolecules.com). Here Comes Science (CD and DVD for kids) by alt-rock legends They Might Be Giants. Bible Comics Two-Fer – The Book of Genesis Illustrated by Robert Crumb and The Wolverton Bible by Basil Wolverton Charitable donation to your local college skeptics or atheists club.  John recommends the Kennesaw State University Student Coalition for Inquiry (www.ksusci.com) or the University or Missouri’s Skeptics Atheists Secular Humanists Agnostics (MU SASHA) Also discussed in this episode: Jennifer Burns‘ (Goddess of the Market) lecture at the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta. Massimo Pigliucci’s recent series of lectures in Atlanta. Darwin’s Origin of Species is 150 years old on November 24th!  We’re celebrating with a bottle of Evolution Wine (www.evolutionwine.com). The American Freethought Podcast is 2 years old on November 26th. Hominid - A stage play at Emory University produced by Out of Hand Theater (www.outofhandtheater.com) and inspired by the chimpanzee research of Frans de Waal. Listener feedback. 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 November 22, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. arts, commentary, news, podcast American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/11/wsj-political-correctness-skewing-ft-hood-story/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/11/wsj-political-correctness-skewing-ft-hood-story/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:28:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1752 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/11/wsj-political-correctness-skewing-ft-hood-story/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/21/q1-threatens-gay-marriage-in-maine/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/21/q1-threatens-gay-marriage-in-maine/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:53:09 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1614 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/21/q1-threatens-gay-marriage-in-maine/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/14/huffpo-covers-aai-2009/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/14/huffpo-covers-aai-2009/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:18:37 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1576 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/14/huffpo-covers-aai-2009/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/30/its-blasphemy-day-god-damn-it/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/30/its-blasphemy-day-god-damn-it/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:01:54 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1452 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/30/its-blasphemy-day-god-damn-it/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/25/charlotte-pop-fest-happening-now/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/25/charlotte-pop-fest-happening-now/#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:49:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1435 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/25/charlotte-pop-fest-happening-now/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/24/gran-torino-md/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/24/gran-torino-md/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:37:26 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1427 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/24/gran-torino-md/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/23/marilyn-loeffels-wrong-perspective/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/23/marilyn-loeffels-wrong-perspective/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:59:24 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1421 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/23/marilyn-loeffels-wrong-perspective/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/22/podcast-65-live-at-dragoncon/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/22/podcast-65-live-at-dragoncon/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:01:22 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1409 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/22/podcast-65-live-at-dragoncon/feed/ 0 1:00:37 Here’s a recording of our live show, presented September 5th on the Dragon*Con Skeptics Track.  Among the topics discussed: Homeopathic beer (with a tip o’ the hat to That Mitchell and Webb Look) The CieAura Patch of Woo Are skepticism [...] Here’s a recording of our live show, presented September 5th on the Dragon*Con Skeptics Track.  Among the topics discussed: Homeopathic beer (with a tip o’ the hat to That Mitchell and Webb Look) The CieAura Patch of Woo Are skepticism and science fiction fandom compatible? Holey Scripture (with a tip o’ the hat to TheBrickTestament.com) Media FAIL: A humorous look at bad media reporting on science and science history Audience Q&A Thanks once again to Derek of Skepticality and Mark Distler of Abrupt Media for audio/visual support.  Despite their best efforts, there were some unexpected technical issues with the sound, but as the late Pope John Paul II said of The Passion of the Christ, “It is as it was.” Announcements – We encourage you to leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com.  We have a Yahoo Group, a Facebook page, an Atheist Nexus page, and a Twitter feed.  Also, 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 September 5, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. commentary, humor, news, podcast American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/20/twitter-sharia-law-and-you/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/20/twitter-sharia-law-and-you/#comments Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:09:50 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1186 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/20/twitter-sharia-law-and-you/feed/ 11 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/darwin-film-not-dead-in-us/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/darwin-film-not-dead-in-us/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:26:35 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1372 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/darwin-film-not-dead-in-us/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/15/podcast-64-dragoncon-wrap-up/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/15/podcast-64-dragoncon-wrap-up/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:01:45 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1358 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/15/podcast-64-dragoncon-wrap-up/feed/ 4 1:03:19 We’ll post the live episode we recorded on September 5th as soon as it’s available; meanwhile, we look back at our experience at Dragon*Con in general and the Skeptics Track in particular.  Kudos to: Derek & Swoopy of Skepticality f[...] We’ll post the live episode we recorded on September 5th as soon as it’s available; meanwhile, we look back at our experience at Dragon*Con in general and the Skeptics Track in particular.  Kudos to: Derek & Swoopy of Skepticality for all their hard work in making the Skeptics Track and the Podcasting Track so successful. Mark Distler of Abrupt Media for providing sound and video service at the Con. All the other cohorts, minions, sycophants and volunteers who helped make it happen. Atlanta Skeptics for pulling off a fantastic Star Party at the Agnes Scott College Bradley Observatory. Also mentioned in our Dragon*Con discussion: The Joe Nickell Files – John Snider’s series of interviews with the world-famous skeptical investigator, published at SciFiDimensions.com in 2000-2001. Surly Amy – An artist whose “Surly-Ramics” handmade ceramic jewelry has themes that will appeal to skeptics and science buffs. Center for Chemical Evolution -A research project which seeks “to understand and demonstrate the chemical origins of the first RNA-like polymers.” NOVA: Mystery of the Megavolcano – David recommends this PBS documentary that shows how scientists, working independently and across multiple disciplines, can arrive at corroborating conclusions about the timing of geological events.  In this case, the fact that science has proven a megavolcanic eruption 75,000 years ago probably won’t impress fundamentalists who still insist that the earth is only 6,000 years old. Richard Dawkins’ The Greatest Show on Earth – MC Dawky-Dawk’s latest book hits the shelves on September 22 and promises to be another bestseller.  Meanwhile, The Times Online has posted two excerpts! Scandal at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church – This story flew under the mainstream media’s radar back in July, but its twists and turns would make the most shameless soap opera pale in comparison.  David Molina is suing Lakewood after discovering that two of the pastors who counseled him and his wife knew that she was having an affair with a third pastor, who also counseled the couple–and was himself the person having the affair with Mrs. Molina!  We couldn’t make this stuff up if we tried. Feedback – We read several listener responses to episode #63 “Efficacy of Prayer.” Announcements – We encourage you to leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com.  We have a Yahoo Group, a Facebook page, an Atheist Nexus page, and a Twitter feed.  Also, 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. commentary, news, podcast, skepticism American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/08/bob-wright-on-the-behe-brouhaha-mea-culpa/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/08/bob-wright-on-the-behe-brouhaha-mea-culpa/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:39:14 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1333 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/08/bob-wright-on-the-behe-brouhaha-mea-culpa/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/31/penn-teller-do-the-vatican/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/31/penn-teller-do-the-vatican/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:51:21 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1316 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/31/penn-teller-do-the-vatican/feed/ 4 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/2009/08/18/mooneykirschenbaum-sic-darwin-on-dawkins/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/18/mooneykirschenbaum-sic-darwin-on-dawkins/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:19:14 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1238 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/18/mooneykirschenbaum-sic-darwin-on-dawkins/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/17/yale-univ-press-chickens-out-on-mohammed-cartoons/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/17/yale-univ-press-chickens-out-on-mohammed-cartoons/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:15:52 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1234 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/17/yale-univ-press-chickens-out-on-mohammed-cartoons/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/15/a-freethought-manifesto/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/15/a-freethought-manifesto/#comments Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:01:31 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1213 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/15/a-freethought-manifesto/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/13/magic-mushrooms-and-he-were-familiar-friends/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/13/magic-mushrooms-and-he-were-familiar-friends/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:31:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1201 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/13/magic-mushrooms-and-he-were-familiar-friends/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/11/ben-stein-loses-nyt-gig-grip-on-reality/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/11/ben-stein-loses-nyt-gig-grip-on-reality/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:26:15 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1183 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/11/ben-stein-loses-nyt-gig-grip-on-reality/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/10/better-late-than-never/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/10/better-late-than-never/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:51:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1181 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/10/better-late-than-never/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/09/peter-singer-on-healthcare-rationing/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/09/peter-singer-on-healthcare-rationing/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:04:35 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1179 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/09/peter-singer-on-healthcare-rationing/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/06/the-strange-case-of-francis-collins/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/06/the-strange-case-of-francis-collins/#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:01:18 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1170 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/06/the-strange-case-of-francis-collins/feed/ 1 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/2009/07/31/huffpo-spews-cam-poo/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/31/huffpo-spews-cam-poo/#comments Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:05:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1118 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/31/huffpo-spews-cam-poo/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/30/jesus-christ-what-now/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/30/jesus-christ-what-now/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:35:35 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1107 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/30/jesus-christ-what-now/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/29/defining-anti-theism/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/29/defining-anti-theism/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:28:31 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1097 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/29/defining-anti-theism/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/27/sam-harris-on-francis-collins/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/27/sam-harris-on-francis-collins/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:12:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1084 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/27/sam-harris-on-francis-collins/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/25/neumann-on-trial-for-death-of-daughter/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/25/neumann-on-trial-for-death-of-daughter/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:03:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1082 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/25/neumann-on-trial-for-death-of-daughter/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/25/n-korea-executes-woman-for-distributing-bibles/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/25/n-korea-executes-woman-for-distributing-bibles/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:59:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1078 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/25/n-korea-executes-woman-for-distributing-bibles/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/22/apparently-semi-coherent-anti-gay-bigotry-does-pay-off/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/22/apparently-semi-coherent-anti-gay-bigotry-does-pay-off/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:23:51 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1068 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/22/apparently-semi-coherent-anti-gay-bigotry-does-pay-off/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/22/will-in-god-we-trust-be-set-in-stone/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/22/will-in-god-we-trust-be-set-in-stone/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:51:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1066 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/22/will-in-god-we-trust-be-set-in-stone/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/20/robert-wright-takes-on-the-new-atheists-including-me-part-deux/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/20/robert-wright-takes-on-the-new-atheists-including-me-part-deux/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:29:19 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1059 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/20/robert-wright-takes-on-the-new-atheists-including-me-part-deux/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/if-god-cant-keep-you-out-of-trouble/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/if-god-cant-keep-you-out-of-trouble/#comments Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:55:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1055 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/if-god-cant-keep-you-out-of-trouble/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/16/podcast-59a-bill-maher-stand-up-tour/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/16/podcast-59a-bill-maher-stand-up-tour/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:05:34 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1042 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/16/podcast-59a-bill-maher-stand-up-tour/feed/ 0 1:01:58 David gives us a report on Bill Maher’s stand-up tour; specifically, Maher’s recent appearance at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta. We also give listeners a heads-up on several upcoming events, including: Atheist Allianc[...] David gives us a report on Bill Maher’s stand-up tour; specifically, Maher’s recent appearance at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta. We also give listeners a heads-up on several upcoming events, including: Atheist Alliance International 2009 Convention (Oct 2-4 in Los Angeles) featuring Bill Maher, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Brian Keith Dalton (“Mr. Deity”), Lawrence Krauss, Eugenie Scott and more.  (Say “hi” to David Driscoll, since he’ll be in attendance as well.) Charlotte Pop Fest (Sep 24-26), a power-pop music festival in North Carolina with headliners The Knack.  Proceeds benefit the Richard Dawkins Foundation.  Also, Herr Dawkins will lecture at Queens University of Charlotte on Oct 14. Speaking of Richard Dawkins, his new book The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution is set for publication on Sep 22 from Free Press.  Pre-order your very own copy at Amazon.com and/or Amazon.co.uk. Speaking of new books, you might be interested in Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right, a new biography of the controversial author and founder of Objectivism, written by University of Virginia professor Jennifer Burns.  If all goes as planned, we’ll have both a review of the book and an interview with the author.  Goddess of the Market will be published by Oxford University Press in October.  Pre-order your very own copy at Amazon.com and/or Amazon.co.uk. Plus: Lots of detailed feedback on our interview with Robert Wright (The Evolution of God), including a response from Wright himself on John’s review of the book.  Wright encourages our readers/listeners to check out his interview with Daniel Dennett.  We also explore the connection between Wright and the Templeton Foundation (which sponsors the “Percontations” series of diavlogs at Wright’s bloggingheads.tv). ANNOUNCEMENTS 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. Amazon.com – Click-through and buy whatever you want. PayPal – Drop some change in our virtual tip-jar.  You’ll help offset the cost of maintaining the website and producing the podcast. Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com.  We post new content (nearly) every day! David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded July 7, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, christianity, commentary, evolution, islam, judaism, music, news, podcast, religion, science American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/15/robert-wright-takes-on-the-new-atheists/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/15/robert-wright-takes-on-the-new-atheists/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:13:12 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1010 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/15/robert-wright-takes-on-the-new-atheists/feed/ 8 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/12/what-does-francis-collins-mean-for-the-nih/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/12/what-does-francis-collins-mean-for-the-nih/#comments Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:51:19 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=990 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/12/what-does-francis-collins-mean-for-the-nih/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/24/harris-v-ball-on-science/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/24/harris-v-ball-on-science/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:38:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=929 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/24/harris-v-ball-on-science/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/04/obamas-cairo-speech/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/04/obamas-cairo-speech/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:24:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=830 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/04/obamas-cairo-speech/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/02/when-will-abortion-opponents-reap-what-they-sow/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/02/when-will-abortion-opponents-reap-what-they-sow/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:01:27 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=810 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/02/when-will-abortion-opponents-reap-what-they-sow/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/30/podcast-54-when-religion-kills-children/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/30/podcast-54-when-religion-kills-children/#comments Sat, 30 May 2009 05:01:14 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=755 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/30/podcast-54-when-religion-kills-children/feed/ 4 1:05:11 We look at two tragic cases in the news in which religion and child welfare conflict (to say the least).  First, a Minnesota court has ordered 13-year-old Daniel Hauser to undergo chemo to treat his cancer, but he and his parents object, preferring[...] We look at two tragic cases in the news in which religion and child welfare conflict (to say the least).  First, a Minnesota court has ordered 13-year-old Daniel Hauser to undergo chemo to treat his cancer, but he and his parents object, preferring to use “natural” remedies based on supposed Native American teachings.  Second, a Wisconsin jury has found Leilani Neumann guilty in the death of her 11-year-old daughter Madeline Kara; Neumann and her coreligionists decided, rather than seek medical attention, to pray that God cure Kara of diabetes.  It didn’t work. Plus: California’s Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8, the recent amendment to the state constitution that outlaws gay marriage.  On the up-side, the Court says any same-sex marriages conducted before the ban remain valid. The return of Holey Scripture! Finally, a ton of listener feedback. (By the way, the mythical show in which John indulges in “libertarian rants” and “extols the virtues of libertarianism” is probably Show #21, our discussion of Science Debate 2008.   But if you’re looking for regular doses of libertarian preachiness, the American Freethought Podcast will disappoint overall.) ANNOUNCEMENTS 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 everytime 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. Amazon.com – Click-through and buy whatever you want. PayPal – Drop some change in our virtual tip-jar.  You’ll help offset the cost of maintaining the website and producing the podcast. Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com.  We post new content (nearly) every day! David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded May 28, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, commentary, ethics, news, podcast, politics, religion, superstitions American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/22/twelve-virtues-of-rationality/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/22/twelve-virtues-of-rationality/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 12:44:54 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=733 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/22/twelve-virtues-of-rationality/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/18/podcast-53-gay-marriage-in-the-news/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/18/podcast-53-gay-marriage-in-the-news/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 05:01:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=714 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/18/podcast-53-gay-marriage-in-the-news/feed/ 8 1:18:40 You can’t turn on the news lately without hearing multiple items involving gay marriage: Maine’s legislature passes (and its governor signs) a bill legalizing same-sex marriage; former NYC mayor and failed Republican presidential candida[...] You can’t turn on the news lately without hearing multiple items involving gay marriage: Maine’s legislature passes (and its governor signs) a bill legalizing same-sex marriage; former NYC mayor and failed Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani skips the wedding of the gay couple who put him up (and put up with him) during his messy divorce; and Miss California USA Carrie Prejean puts foot in mouth in support of “opposite marriage” (and here I thought that was the definition of divorce). Plus: David gets into (another) knock-down-drag-out with a Christian (this time his neighbor).  What can we say–the guy’s a magnet for trouble. California high school teacher James Corbett is sued (successfully) by a student for making anti-Christian statements in the classroom. (Thanks to Liz in Texas for prompting us to talk about this on the show…) Three Georgia Congressmen sponsor a bill aimed at declaring 2010 “The Year of the Bible.” The Eye of Sauron wants Sony Pictures to insert disclaimers ahead of screenings of the film Angels & Demons, the sequel to The Da Vinci Code starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron Howard.  Apparently Catholics are so reality challenged that won’t be able to tell fact from fiction. David’s Secular Nation Podcast makes it onto Christian blog twoorthree.net‘s list of “Essential Atheist/Secularist/Anti-theist Podcasts” (with American Freethought still in the running). Mexican skeptic Danny Zepeda (Un Papá Escéptico) gives us an update on the swine flu panic, the lamentable side effects include the movie theatres being shut down (which prevents Danny from seeing the new Star Trek). ANNOUNCEMENTS 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 everytime 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. Amazon.com – Click-through and buy whatever you want. PayPal – Drop some change in our virtual tip-jar.  You’ll help offset the cost of maintaining the website and producing the podcast. Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com.  We post new content (nearly) every day! David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded May 15, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, commentary, humor, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/11/hunting-men-for-jesus/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/11/hunting-men-for-jesus/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 15:26:51 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=701 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/11/hunting-men-for-jesus/feed/ 7 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/10/religiosity-rematch/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/10/religiosity-rematch/#comments Sun, 10 May 2009 21:33:29 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=699 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/10/religiosity-rematch/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/07/podcast-52-feedback/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/07/podcast-52-feedback/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 05:01:54 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=694 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/07/podcast-52-feedback/feed/ 0 1:14:33 We read and respond to lots of feedback we’ve gotten from listeners to the show.  We talk about (among other things) Christian opinions on the Creation Museum, Christian license plates in North Carolina and Florida, urotherapy, one-star iTunes[...] We read and respond to lots of feedback we’ve gotten from listeners to the show.  We talk about (among other things) Christian opinions on the Creation Museum, Christian license plates in North Carolina and Florida, urotherapy, one-star iTunes feedback and the problem of confirmation bias,  our communist boosterism(?), our racist tendencies(!),  whether or not atheism is compatible with conservatism, and how to pronounce “Hiroshima.” Plus: The Christian blogger “Daniel” at twoorthree.net has launched a project to find the best atheist/secularist/anti-theist podcasts, and American Freethought is in his crosshairs!  We’ll let you know how it turns out. ANNOUNCEMENTS 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 everytime 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. Amazon.com – Click-through and buy whatever you want. PayPal – Drop some change in our virtual tip-jar.  You’ll help offset the cost of maintaining the website and producing the podcast. Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com.  We post new content every day! David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded May 5, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, commentary, ethics, humor, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/04/18-of-my-fellow-georgians-are-morons/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/04/18-of-my-fellow-georgians-are-morons/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 12:49:06 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=686 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/04/18-of-my-fellow-georgians-are-morons/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/23/getting-all-historical-critical-on-the-koran/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/23/getting-all-historical-critical-on-the-koran/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:06:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=654 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/23/getting-all-historical-critical-on-the-koran/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/17/conservative-atheists/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/17/conservative-atheists/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:01:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=604 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/17/conservative-atheists/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/16/podcast-50-american-atheists-convention/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/16/podcast-50-american-atheists-convention/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:01:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=622 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/16/podcast-50-american-atheists-convention/feed/ 3 1:01:35 We discuss our experience at the recent America Atheists National Convention, which was held at the beautiful Emory Conference Center Hotel in Decatur, Georgia.  How did the impressive slate of presenters (including activist and retired evolutionary[...] We discuss our experience at the recent America Atheists National Convention, which was held at the beautiful Emory Conference Center Hotel in Decatur, Georgia.  How did the impressive slate of presenters (including activist and retired evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins) do?  What’s “the vibe” at AA nowadays?  And what is it with atheists and microphones? ANNOUNCEMENTS 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 everytime 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. Amazon.com – Click-through and buy whatever you want. PayPal – Drop some change in our virtual tip-jar.  You’ll help offset the cost of maintaining the website and producing the podcast. Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com.  We post new content every day! David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded April 14, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, christianity, commentary, interviews, news, podcast, skepticism American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/14/creflo-dollar-liar-or-dupe/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/14/creflo-dollar-liar-or-dupe/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:51:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=611 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/14/creflo-dollar-liar-or-dupe/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/14/new-ny-archbishop-to-challenge-criticism/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/14/new-ny-archbishop-to-challenge-criticism/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:01:21 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=596 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/14/new-ny-archbishop-to-challenge-criticism/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/13/with-allies-like-these-who-needs-enemies-pt-3/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/13/with-allies-like-these-who-needs-enemies-pt-3/#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:38:45 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=598 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/13/with-allies-like-these-who-needs-enemies-pt-3/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/07/obama-says-america-not-a-christian-nation/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/07/obama-says-america-not-a-christian-nation/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:04:53 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=563 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/07/obama-says-america-not-a-christian-nation/feed/ 23 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/03/how-many-more-ways-could-this-be-screwed-up/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/03/how-many-more-ways-could-this-be-screwed-up/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:01:55 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=515 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/03/how-many-more-ways-could-this-be-screwed-up/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/31/the-kenya-connection/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/31/the-kenya-connection/#comments Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:01:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=489 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/31/the-kenya-connection/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/30/podcast-48-morality-without-gods/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/30/podcast-48-morality-without-gods/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:01:16 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=453 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/30/podcast-48-morality-without-gods/feed/ 3 1:30:04 We present a recording of “Morality without Gods,” a debate held on the campus of Georgia State University on March 16th, 2009.  Sponsored by GSU’s Revolution Club (which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Communist Party USA), [...] We present a recording of “Morality without Gods,” a debate held on the campus of Georgia State University on March 16th, 2009.  Sponsored by GSU’s Revolution Club (which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Communist Party USA), the event was moderated by Associate Professor of Sociology Jim Ainsworth, and featured communist activist and journalist Sunsara Taylor, who is touring the country in support of RCP chairman Bob Avakian’s new book Away with All Gods (available at Amazon.com).  For this appearance, Ms. Taylor was joined by Dr. Kenneth L. Samuel of Victory for the World Church in Stone Mountain and Martin Cowen, founder of the Fellowship of Reason, a non-theistic organization based in metro Atlanta. ANNOUNCEMENTS We’ll be attending the America Atheists national convention, April 9-12 in Atlanta, Georgia.  Guest speakers include Richard Dawkins and AA president Ed Buckner. Visit our CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. We also have an Amazon.com store–click through and buy whatever you want.  You get the same great Amazon prices, and we get a small commission.  Everybody wins! …And if you’re so-inclined, you can plop some change into our virtual tip jar via PayPal. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) virtually every day at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group.  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David will soon be podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded March 25, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, christianity, commentary, ethics, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/25/and-nowa-moment-of-confusion/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/25/and-nowa-moment-of-confusion/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:01:37 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=446 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/25/and-nowa-moment-of-confusion/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/22/time-to-de-fund-nccam/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/22/time-to-de-fund-nccam/#comments Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:52:05 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=442 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/22/time-to-de-fund-nccam/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/16/liberals-and-non-christians-must-die/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/16/liberals-and-non-christians-must-die/#comments Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:03:07 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=410 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/16/liberals-and-non-christians-must-die/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/15/the-rise-of-the-godless/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/15/the-rise-of-the-godless/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:07:55 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=408 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/15/the-rise-of-the-godless/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/13/a-skit-really/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/13/a-skit-really/#comments Fri, 13 Mar 2009 05:01:15 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=392 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/13/a-skit-really/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/12/collapse-of-the-religious-right/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/12/collapse-of-the-religious-right/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:01:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=386 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/12/collapse-of-the-religious-right/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/05/buckner-bocchino-debate-at-ga-tech/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/05/buckner-bocchino-debate-at-ga-tech/#comments Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:01:16 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=325 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/05/buckner-bocchino-debate-at-ga-tech/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/02/why-arent-they-bombing-us-anymore/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/02/why-arent-they-bombing-us-anymore/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:11:10 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=310 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/02/why-arent-they-bombing-us-anymore/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/23/phil-the-pundit-plait-on-bloggingheadstv/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/23/phil-the-pundit-plait-on-bloggingheadstv/#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:01:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=272 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/23/phil-the-pundit-plait-on-bloggingheadstv/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/16/with-allies-like-these-who-needs-enemies/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/16/with-allies-like-these-who-needs-enemies/#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:29:11 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=229 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/16/with-allies-like-these-who-needs-enemies/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/03/podcast-41-neil-degrasse-tyson/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/03/podcast-41-neil-degrasse-tyson/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:01:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=214 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/03/podcast-41-neil-degrasse-tyson/feed/ 3 1:05:05 We interview Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, science advocate, and author of The Pluto Files, a look at the cosmic dust-up that resulted from the demotion of the planet Pluto to “dwarf planet” by the International Astronomical U[...] We interview Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, science advocate, and author of The Pluto Files, a look at the cosmic dust-up that resulted from the demotion of the planet Pluto to “dwarf planet” by the International Astronomical Union.  Dr. Tyson occupies the Frederick P. Rose Directorship of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of National History in NYC.  For more on Dr. Tyson visit HaydenPlanetarium.org/Tyson. The Pluto Files is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. If you haven’t already, you can read our review of The Pluto Files here. GET WELL SOON!  Father Reginald Foster, the Discalced Carmelite who is the Vatican’s chief Latinist (best known for his brief appearance in Bill Maher’s documentary Religulous, in which he openly scoffed at concepts like the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, etc. – and this is a guy who resides in the Vatican!) has been having health problems since taking a bad fall last summer.  While Catholics are encouraged to pray for him (preferrably in Latin), freethinkers are encouraged to send their best wishes to Father Foster for a speedy recovery. DARWIN DONATIONS - Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday is coming up.  To celebrate, mark your calendars for February 12th; on that day, contact the charity of your choice and tell them you’re making the donation “in honor of Charles Darwin.” ANNOUNCEMENTS We’re giving away 2 free tix to the upcoming conference “The Religious-Secular Divide,” organized by the New School in NYC.  Just email us by February 7th at contact@americanfreethought.com or post your request on our Facebook Wall and you’ll be eligible to win. Speaking of February 7th, if you’ll be in metro Atlanta, join John and David at the first-ever Atlanta SkeptiCamp!  SkeptiCamp is a special kind of conference in which the content is provided by the attendees.  For fast-changing details visit BarCamp.org/AtlantaSkeptiCampFeb2009. We now have a CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) several times a week at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group.  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 2, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, commentary, interviews, news, podcast, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/01/pope-dont-be-so-down-on-marriage-except/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/01/pope-dont-be-so-down-on-marriage-except/#comments Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:01:24 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=216 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/01/pope-dont-be-so-down-on-marriage-except/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/31/the-atheismagnosticism-relationship/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/31/the-atheismagnosticism-relationship/#comments Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:01:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=215 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/31/the-atheismagnosticism-relationship/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/29/carpe-diem-and-tough-luck/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/29/carpe-diem-and-tough-luck/#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:01:59 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=211 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/29/carpe-diem-and-tough-luck/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/27/podcast-40-the-galapagos-mountain-boys/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/27/podcast-40-the-galapagos-mountain-boys/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:01:36 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=209 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/27/podcast-40-the-galapagos-mountain-boys/feed/ 0 1:04:28 We interview Dr. Stephen Baird, frontman for the Galapagos Mountain Boys, a (mostly) bluegrass band based in the San Diego area.  Dr. Baird talks about the term “scientific gospel,” the GMBs’ new album Darwin, Darn It!, and their u[...] We interview Dr. Stephen Baird, frontman for the Galapagos Mountain Boys, a (mostly) bluegrass band based in the San Diego area.  Dr. Baird talks about the term “scientific gospel,” the GMBs’ new album Darwin, Darn It!, and their upcoming gigs celebrating Darwin Day 2009.  For details visit ScientificGospel.com. Plus: The fallout from President Obama’s nod to “non-believers” in his inaugural address, and lots of listener feedback. DARWIN DONATIONS - Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday is coming up.  To celebrate, mark your calendars for February 12th; on that day, contact the charity of your choice and tell them you’re making the donation “in honor of Charles Darwin.” ANNOUNCEMENTS Listen to this episode to find out how you can win a package of cool freethought tchoch including Phil Zuckerman’s book Society without God; Stephen Uhl’s audiobook No Gods, No Guilt; the 2009 Skepchick and Skepdude calendars; and the CD “Darwin, Darn It!” by the Galapagos Mountain Boys.  The deadline for entries is January 31st. We’re also giving away 2 free tix to the upcoming conference “The Religious-Secular Divide,” organized by the New School in NYC.  Just email us by February 7th at contact@americanfreethought.com or post your request on our Facebook Wall and you’ll be eligible to win. We now have a CafePress store!  Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs. A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) several times a week at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link].  And don’t forget our Facebook page. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded January 25, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, commentary, evolution, humor, interviews, music, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/22/meet-the-new-boss/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/22/meet-the-new-boss/#comments Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:01:06 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=206 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/22/meet-the-new-boss/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/16/pope-combats-fraud-cancels-out-self/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/16/pope-combats-fraud-cancels-out-self/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:14:34 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=201 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/16/pope-combats-fraud-cancels-out-self/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/15/is-atheism-a-religion-laci-responds/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/15/is-atheism-a-religion-laci-responds/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:01:49 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=200 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/15/is-atheism-a-religion-laci-responds/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/12/gay-bishop-to-speak-at-obama-event/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/12/gay-bishop-to-speak-at-obama-event/#comments Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:44:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=197 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/12/gay-bishop-to-speak-at-obama-event/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/11/saved-by-face-alone/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/11/saved-by-face-alone/#comments Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:03:53 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=196 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/11/saved-by-face-alone/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/06/charlie-daniels-is-a-miserable-idiot/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/06/charlie-daniels-is-a-miserable-idiot/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:07:09 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=191 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/06/charlie-daniels-is-a-miserable-idiot/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/03/sam-harris-wants-to-read-your-mind/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/03/sam-harris-wants-to-read-your-mind/#comments Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:01:14 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=186 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/03/sam-harris-wants-to-read-your-mind/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/18/rick-fking-warren/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/18/rick-fking-warren/#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:42:35 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=178 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/18/rick-fking-warren/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/15/there-are-atheists-in-foxholes/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/15/there-are-atheists-in-foxholes/#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:15:19 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=174 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/15/there-are-atheists-in-foxholes/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/12/stewart-schools-huckabee-on-gay-marriage/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/12/stewart-schools-huckabee-on-gay-marriage/#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:22:45 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=172 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/12/stewart-schools-huckabee-on-gay-marriage/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/08/bloggingheads-talk-atheism/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/08/bloggingheads-talk-atheism/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:31:38 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=167 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/12/08/bloggingheads-talk-atheism/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/22/podcast-34-mel-lipman/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/22/podcast-34-mel-lipman/#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:31:52 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=160 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/22/podcast-34-mel-lipman/feed/ 2 1:12:31 Interview with Mel Lipman (approx. 42 minutes into the show), president of the American Humanist Association (and, incidentally, the father of Lori Lipman Brown, lobbyist for the Secular Coalition for American, whom we talked to in podcast #23).  We[...] Interview with Mel Lipman (approx. 42 minutes into the show), president of the American Humanist Association (and, incidentally, the father of Lori Lipman Brown, lobbyist for the Secular Coalition for American, whom we talked to in podcast #23).  We talk to Mel about the AHA’s holiday ad campaign, which puts the message “Why believe in a god?  Just be good for goodness’ sake!” on buses in Washington, DC. But first!… Carl Raschke (Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Denver), commenting on fans of the role-playing game Playing Gods (created by Ben Radford, editor of Skeptical Inquirer), compares (some) atheists to jihadists. We discuss the new DVD release of Expelled.  Basically, refried baloney is still baloney.  If you must buy it, buy it at Amazon.com through us.  Also, a lover of science has created a way to insert fact-checking subtitles as you watch Expelled on your computer.  Here’s how. It’s three weeks after the elections, but there are still undecided Senate races around the country, including an upcoming runoff in Georgia between incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss (R) and challenger Jim Martin (D). Gay rights advocates around the country are protesting the passage of California Proposition 8 (which bans gay marriage via amendment to the state constitution).  Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich characterizes these protests as “fascist”. The Supreme Court hears a lawsuit seeking to force a Utah town to post the “Seven Aphorisms of Summum” next to the Ten Commandments. USA Today publishes a rare article that shows atheism in a positive light. We’re giving away a copy of Guy Harrison’s book 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God.  The first person who posts a request on our Facebook wall gets it. Announcements A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) every day at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link]. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Music by Body Found. Recorded November 20, 2008.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, commentary, interviews, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/17/usa-today-tackles-playing-gods/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/17/usa-today-tackles-playing-gods/#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:35:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=158 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/17/usa-today-tackles-playing-gods/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/11/keith-olbermann-is-my-hero/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/11/keith-olbermann-is-my-hero/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:42:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=154 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/11/keith-olbermann-is-my-hero/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/07/podcast-33-election-2008/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/07/podcast-33-election-2008/#comments Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:42:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=152 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/07/podcast-33-election-2008/feed/ 0 1:06:43 Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama!  The possible ramifications of an Obama presidency will be shaking out for weeks and months to come, but freethinkers are particularly interested in the effect it will have on separation of church and[...] Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama!  The possible ramifications of an Obama presidency will be shaking out for weeks and months to come, but freethinkers are particularly interested in the effect it will have on separation of church and state, the integrity of government-funded science, gay rights, women’s rights, etc.  We’ll also take a look at various election results from across the country. Announcements A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) every day at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link]. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Music by Body Found. Recorded November 6, 2008.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. commentary, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/04/random-thoughts-on-election-2008/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/04/random-thoughts-on-election-2008/#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:43:37 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=150 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/04/random-thoughts-on-election-2008/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/04/my-mostly-boring-election-experience/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/04/my-mostly-boring-election-experience/#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:27:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=149 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/04/my-mostly-boring-election-experience/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/03/endgame/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/03/endgame/#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:06:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=148 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/03/endgame/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/31/what-does-cnn-have-against-atheists/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/31/what-does-cnn-have-against-atheists/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:14:57 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=146 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/31/what-does-cnn-have-against-atheists/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/26/podcast-32-potpourri-and-feedback/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/26/podcast-32-potpourri-and-feedback/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:03:44 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=145 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/26/podcast-32-potpourri-and-feedback/feed/ 0 0:43:51 In this episode we throw in a potpourri of items in the news or random events we think our subscribers will find interesting, plus we discuss some interesting listener feedback. Religulous Kicks Expelled‘s Ass – Comedian Bill Maher[...] In this episode we throw in a potpourri of items in the news or random events we think our subscribers will find interesting, plus we discuss some interesting listener feedback. Religulous Kicks Expelled‘s Ass – Comedian Bill Maher’s anti-religion documentary Religulous has earned $10.6M in four weeks on roughly 500 screens.  Compare that to Ben Stein’s “evolution means genocide” screed Expelled, which brought in $7.7M during its entire eight-week run on over 1,000 screens.  So maybe Americans aren’t as nuts as we’d feared. W – We talk briefly about Oliver Stone’s not-great-not-terrible biopic of our current lame-duck president.  Bottom line: it’s worth seeing but offers no new insights into how a mediocrity like George W. Bush could wrangle his way into two full terms as the most powerful man on the planet.  Visit WtheFilm.com for more info. Wicked – The hit musical Wicked (based on the novel by which turns the premise of The Wizard of Oz upside-down) is playing at the historic Fox Theatre in Atlanta.  This of course leads to sidewalk preachers descending upong Peachtree Street like a plague of locusts to decry the desensitization of our youth to witchcraft and moral relativism (just like that brat Harry Potter). Track Rock Archaeological Site near Brasstown Bald is the only known example of prehistoric petroglyphs in Georgia.  Nobody – not even the Cherokee Indians – knows who carved them or when.  Paleontologists tell us that humans have lived in Georgia for as long as 15,000 years (but of course this estimate raises the hackles of some fundamentalists, who “know” the earth was created in 4,004 BC).  Atlanta’s Fernbank Museum of Natural History organizes occasional guided hikes, and if you’re ever available they’re well worth your while.  For more visit FernbankMuseum.org. Anti-Discrimination Survey – Margaret Downey (recently retired president of Atheist Alliance International) is working with the Anti-Discrimination Support Network.  If you have a few minutes, visit Atheist Research Online [link] and take their brief, anonymous survey [link]. Listener Feedback – Bill objects to our sarcastic asides about Arkansas from podcast #30.  Referencing our September 20 blog entry at AmericanFreethought.com, Jerry thinks Sam Harris is an elitist snob.  David shares a response to Secular Nation Podcast #17 from a listener who apparently wasn’t listening. Announcements A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) every day at AmericanFreethought.com. If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link]. If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page. David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast.  SciFiDimensions.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Recorded October 23, 2008.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, christianity, commentary, history, humor, movies, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no yes http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/20/hammerheads-for-mccain-unite/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/20/hammerheads-for-mccain-unite/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:53:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=142 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/20/hammerheads-for-mccain-unite/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/26/ok-if-youre-an-atheist/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/26/ok-if-youre-an-atheist/#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:00:38 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=131 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/26/ok-if-youre-an-atheist/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/22/sam-harris-picks-on-sarah-palinagain/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/22/sam-harris-picks-on-sarah-palinagain/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:00:44 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=129 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/22/sam-harris-picks-on-sarah-palinagain/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/11/bob-barrs-bold-gambit/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/11/bob-barrs-bold-gambit/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:34:27 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=112 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/11/bob-barrs-bold-gambit/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/07/pray-away-the-gay-no-way/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/07/pray-away-the-gay-no-way/#comments Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:13:29 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=104 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/07/pray-away-the-gay-no-way/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/05/podcast-25-live-at-dragoncon/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/05/podcast-25-live-at-dragoncon/#comments Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:13:03 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=98 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/05/podcast-25-live-at-dragoncon/feed/ 3 0:54:59 [Apologies for the sound glitch at the very beginning.  The theme music overpowers the voice track, but it only lasts a few seconds.] Presenting our first-ever live episode, recorded August 30th at Dragon*Con as part of the Skeptics programming trac[...] [Apologies for the sound glitch at the very beginning.  The theme music overpowers the voice track, but it only lasts a few seconds.] Presenting our first-ever live episode, recorded August 30th at Dragon*Con as part of the Skeptics programming track, directed by Derek Colanduno of Skepticality fame.  (Derek’s pod-partner Swoopy directed Dragon*Con’s Podcasting track.) In the segment “The Craziest $#!+ in Georgia”, we present real-life weirdness from the Peach State.  David discusses the Georgia Guidestones (“America’s Stonehenge”), a granite monument erected on a hillside outside Elberton, Georgia and paid for by an anonymous humanistic donor.  John offers a rambling Connections-style tale that links Stone Mountain, Creation Science, Superman and the KKK.  We also include a special Holey Scripture aimed at lovers of dragons and other mythological monsters (which can be found in the Bible if you know where to look). Thanks to everyone in our live audience, and especially to those who came up to say you’ve been listening to the podcast.  Derek and Company did a fantastic job all weekend with the Skeptics Track – packed audiences were entertained by skeptical superstars like James “The Amazing” Randi, Phil “The Bad Astronomer” Plait, George “Geologic Podcast” Hrab, D. J. “Point of Inquiry” Grothe, Lori Lipman Brown and several others.  It’s a sure bet that next year’s Dragon*Con will see improved and expanded programming for the fans. For more on Dragon*Con visit DragonCon.org. Visit Derek and Swoopy at Skepticality.com. Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format and we might play your comments in a future show. Recorded 08/30/2008.  Hosted by John Snider and David Driscoll. commentary, history, humor, podcast, religion, science, skepticism American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/03/webster-cook-deposed/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/03/webster-cook-deposed/#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:25:57 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=101 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/03/webster-cook-deposed/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/02/is-sarah-palin-an-idiot/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/02/is-sarah-palin-an-idiot/#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:20:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=99 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/02/is-sarah-palin-an-idiot/feed/ 7 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/29/its-biden-vs-palin/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/29/its-biden-vs-palin/#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:02:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=97 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/29/its-biden-vs-palin/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/25/podcast-24-saddleback-forum/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/25/podcast-24-saddleback-forum/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:11:07 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=96 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/25/podcast-24-saddleback-forum/feed/ 5 1:12:28 Saddleback Civil Forum – On August 16, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain appeared on stage together at Saddleback Church to be questioned by Pastor Rick “Purpose Driven” Warren.  We analyze their performance, esp[...] Saddleback Civil Forum – On August 16, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain appeared on stage together at Saddleback Church to be questioned by Pastor Rick “Purpose Driven” Warren.  We analyze their performance, especially on matters of church-and-state.  But really, is it so much to ask our candidates to please please please stop the kowtowing to religious types? My Fundamentalist Friend -  David recounts his recent conversation with a Christian co-worker.  The man has more patience than I.  Oy. Announcements We’ll be at Dragon*Con [dragoncon.org] August 29-September 1 in Atlanta, Georgia, participating in both the Skeptics track and the Podcasting track – including a LIVE episode of American Freethought at 5:30PM, Saturday, August 30. David will be at the Atheist Alliance International convention in Long Beach, CA, Sept 25-28 [AtheistAlliance.org]. If you like science fiction, check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast [SciFiDimensions.com/podcast]. David’s Secular Nation Podcast [AtheistAlliance.org/podcast] has new episodes. Join us for discussion at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link]. We also have a new Facebook page. Do you shop at Amazon.com?  If so, add [this link] to your browser Favorites (alternatively, you can just click through the Amazon.com link in the right-hand column of the AmericanFreethought.com website.  It won’t cost you a penny more; your purchases remain anonymous; and American Freethought gets a small percentage that will help offset our modest expenses and hopefully keep us out of the poor house. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Music by Body Found [brickhouse-acoustics.com]. Recorded 08/24/2008.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, commentary, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/15/no-science-debate-yet-but/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/15/no-science-debate-yet-but/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:01:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=95 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/15/no-science-debate-yet-but/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/08/random-house-loses-nerve-on-muhammed-novel/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/08/random-house-loses-nerve-on-muhammed-novel/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:45:56 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=94 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/08/08/random-house-loses-nerve-on-muhammed-novel/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/09/crackers-of-manufactured-outrage/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/09/crackers-of-manufactured-outrage/#comments Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:28:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=89 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/09/crackers-of-manufactured-outrage/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/08/american-freethought-podcast-21/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/08/american-freethought-podcast-21/#comments Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:27:49 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=88 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/08/american-freethought-podcast-21/feed/ 3 1:12:46 Science Debate 2008 – We take a look at the grassroots movement aimed at getting the presidential candidates to talk about issues relating to science and technology, including their “14 Questions”.  For more visit ScienceDebate2008[...] Science Debate 2008 – We take a look at the grassroots movement aimed at getting the presidential candidates to talk about issues relating to science and technology, including their “14 Questions”.  For more visit ScienceDebate2008.com. Announcements We’ll be at Dragon*Con [dragoncon.org] August 29-September 1 in Atlanta, Georgia, participating in both the Skeptics track and the Podcasting track.  No schedules are finalized yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as they are. If you like science fiction, check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast [SciFiDimensions.com/podcast]. David’s Secular Nation Podcast [AtheistAlliance.org/podcast] will have new episodes soon. Join us for discussion at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link]. Do you shop at Amazon.com?  If so, add [this link] to your browser Favorites (alternatively, you can just click through the Amazon.com link in the right-hand column of the AmericanFreethought.com website.  It won’t cost you a penny more; your purchases remain anonymous; and American Freethought gets a small percentage that will help offset our modest expenses and hopefully keep us out of the poor house. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Recorded 07/06/2008.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. commentary, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/01/obama-to-continue-faith-based-initiatives/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/01/obama-to-continue-faith-based-initiatives/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:22:31 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=87 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/07/01/obama-to-continue-faith-based-initiatives/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/29/louisianas-jindal-signs-stealth-creationism-bill/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/29/louisianas-jindal-signs-stealth-creationism-bill/#comments Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:11:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=86 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/29/louisianas-jindal-signs-stealth-creationism-bill/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/28/american-freethought-podcast-20/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/28/american-freethought-podcast-20/#comments Sun, 29 Jun 2008 01:46:57 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=85 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/28/american-freethought-podcast-20/feed/ 1 1:30:13 Barbara Forrest - We talk to Dr. Barbara Forrest about SB 733 [link], the so-called Louisiana Science Education Act, a piece of legislation sitting on the desk of Governor Bobby Jindal that, if signed, would enable teachers and administrators in sta[...] Barbara Forrest - We talk to Dr. Barbara Forrest about SB 733 [link], the so-called Louisiana Science Education Act, a piece of legislation sitting on the desk of Governor Bobby Jindal that, if signed, would enable teachers and administrators in state schools to sneak Creationism/Intelligent Design in under the radar.  Dr. Forrest is a professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University, the co-author of Creationism’s Trojan Horse [link], and was one of the star witnesses in the celebrated Kitzmiller v. Dover court case.  She’s also a co-founder of the Louisiana Coalition for Science [lasciencecoalition.org] and active in defending science against religio-political encroachment at the national level. Happy 150th Birthday, Evolution! – In 2009, the thinking world will celebrate Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his Origin of Species [link].  But we’re popping the cork early - a landmark in the history of science occurred on July 1, 1858.  That’s the day that the theory of evolution by natural selection had its first public reading (at London’s famous Linnean Society).  We’ll talk about how Charles Darwin and his associates gave naturalist Alfred Wallace the subtle shaft, ensuring that religious nutjobs in the 21st century would be railing about “Darwinism” instead of “Wallacism”.  (For an excellent analysis of this episode, read Robert Wright’s fantastic book The Moral Animal [link].) Independence Day- Now, here’s a holiday even the grumpiest atheist can get behind.  Everybody knows that on July 4th, 1776, the American Colonists told the Brits where they could shove it.  Sort of.  We’ll look at some of the myths surrounding the birth of America, and revisit that pesky semi-religious language that has the fundies crowing about how this is a Christian Nation. Goodbye, George Carlin- The skeptical world lost one of its funniest and most adamant stars.  Carlin fought for free speech (and even pissed off politically correct left-wingers in the process) during the course of his five-decade career.  He will be missed. Announcements Penn Jillette chimes in on the ongoing Atheist/Agnostic debate [link]. We’ll be at Dragon*Con [dragoncon.org] August 29-September 1 in Atlanta, Georgia, participating in both the Skeptics track and the Podcasting track.  No schedules are finalized yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as they are. Check out episode #10 of the SciFiDimensions Podcast [SciFiDimensions.com/podcast], featuring an interview with Sci-Fi&Fantasy satirist (and freethinker) James Morrow.  His latest book, The Philosopher’s Apprentice [link], is a send-up of everything from human cloning to abortion to global capitalism.  What can I say?  The man swings a wide scythe. And if you like science fiction, you can pre-order the upcoming anthology Aberrant Dreams I: The Awakening (which includes a short story written by American Freethought co-host John C. Snider) from publisher HD-Image [link].  Visit hd-image.com/store. David’s Secular Nation Podcast [AtheistAlliance.org/podcast] will have new episodes soon. Join us for discussion at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link]. Do you shop at Amazon.com?  If so, add [this link] to your browser Favorites (alternatively, you can just click through the Amazon.com link in the right-hand column of the AmericanFreethought.com website.  It won’t cost you a penny more; your purchases remain anonymous; and American Freethought gets a small percentage that will help offset our modest expenses and hopefully keep us out of the poor house. Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Recorded 06/28/2008.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, commentary, evolution, history, humor, interviews, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/01/obama-resigns-from-church/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/01/obama-resigns-from-church/#comments Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:09:59 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=81 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/01/obama-resigns-from-church/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/05/12/american-freethought-podcast-17/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/05/12/american-freethought-podcast-17/#comments Mon, 12 May 2008 15:58:08 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=80 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/05/12/american-freethought-podcast-17/feed/ 0 1:04:33 Controversies Galore – We take a look at the ongoing feud between Senator Barack Obama and his former pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright.  To see Wright’s National Press Club appearance start here [link]. Not only is John McCain kowtowing t[...] Controversies Galore – We take a look at the ongoing feud between Senator Barack Obama and his former pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright.  To see Wright’s National Press Club appearance start here [link]. Not only is John McCain kowtowing to the worst elements of the Religious Right, he’s also a superstitious nut [link]. Why was President Ellen Johnson fired from American Atheists Inc.?  The leadership has issued vague and contradictory statements.  We’re not asking them to wallow in the mud, but it would be nice if they gave their membership and the taxpaying public a straightforward explanation.  Visit nogodblog.com for more (or less) info. New French shrine recognized by the Catholic Church – Notre Dame du Laus is the latest tourist trap where the credulous can be shaken down for a few bucks [link].  Meanwhile, they have dug up infamous stigmata-monger Padre Pio, slapped a mask on him and propped him up for display [link].  Nice. Florida legislature is considering blatantly religious I Believe license plates [link]. Illinois man wants to change his name to In God We Trust.  Should we call him “God” or “Mr. Trust”? [link] ANNOUNCEMENTS Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.com. How could we pass up Rollerderby at a Shrine Temple?  AtlantaRollergirls.com David is now podcasting for Secular Nation magazine.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast John’s SciFiDimensions podcast is going strong.  SciFiDimensions.com/podcast It’s official!  We’ll both be at Dragon*Con.  DragonCon.org Join us for discussion at the American Freethought Yahoo Group [link]. If you’re picking us up on iTunes, take a moment and leave feedback [link]. Send us feedback at contact@americanfreethought.com – you can attach voicemails in mp3 or wav format. Hosted by John Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 4/11/2008. atheism, christianity, commentary, ethics, news, podcast, politics, religion, superstitions American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/21/american-freethought-podcast-16/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/21/american-freethought-podcast-16/#comments Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:50:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=78 Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/21/american-freethought-podcast-16/feed/ 5 0:52:58 Expelled – We discuss Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, the new crock-umentary starring Ben Stein.  For a thorough critique of Expelled, visit Expelled Exposed. Also mentioned in the podcast: A follow-up regarding our report of the Creation M[...] Expelled – We discuss Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, the new crock-umentary starring Ben Stein.  For a thorough critique of Expelled, visit Expelled Exposed. Also mentioned in the podcast: A follow-up regarding our report of the Creation Museum, including info on The Unicorn Museum and the YouTube sensation Charlie the Unicorn Goes to Candy Mountain.  As penance for blowing $20 at the Creation Museum, John Snider has sent $40 to Science Debate 2008. More on stem-cell research – find out what US and state policies are at hinxtongroup.org. The Atlanta Freethought Society is now holding meetings in their new un-church facility!  Donate to the cause by visiting AtlantaFreethought.org. Visit us online at www.AmericanFreethought.com. Email us at contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Join us for chat at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. Theme music by Body Found. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 4/20/2008. atheism, commentary, evolution, history, movies, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/13/american-freethought-podcast-14/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/13/american-freethought-podcast-14/#comments Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:19:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/13/american-freethought-podcast-14/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/13/american-freethought-podcast-14/feed/ 5 0:44:21 Pi Day - March 14 is Pi Day, a celebration of that irrational and transcendental number.  Pi Day has grown to become a celebration of all things mathematical.  For more check out Mike Keith’s cool page, including a mnemonic poem which captures[...] Pi Day - March 14 is Pi Day, a celebration of that irrational and transcendental number.  Pi Day has grown to become a celebration of all things mathematical.  For more check out Mike Keith’s cool page, including a mnemonic poem which captures nearly 4,000 digits of pi.  March 14 also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. We also talk about the documentary film Article VI: Faith * Politics *America. We discuss Daniel Dennett’s suggestion that comparative religion classes be compulsory for American schoolchildren. Finally, a California man stored a dead woman on dry ice “for religious reasons”. Visit us online at www.AmericanFreethought.com. Email us at contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format. Join us for chat at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. Theme music by Body Found. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 3/31/2008. atheism, christianity, commentary, movies, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/10/afs-driscoll-speaks-out-on-ga-blue-laws/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/10/afs-driscoll-speaks-out-on-ga-blue-laws/#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:54:54 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/10/afs-driscoll-speaks-out-on-ga-blue-laws/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/10/afs-driscoll-speaks-out-on-ga-blue-laws/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/24/american-freethought-podcast-12/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/24/american-freethought-podcast-12/#comments Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:34:09 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/24/american-freethought-podcast-12/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/24/american-freethought-podcast-12/feed/ 2 0:43:30 John McCain – We talk about Senator John McCain‘s likely stance on church-state issues.  We also interview Steve Yothment, president of the Atlanta Freethought Society (www.atlantafreethought.org), about AFS’s new permanent facilit[...] John McCain – We talk about Senator John McCain‘s likely stance on church-state issues.  We also interview Steve Yothment, president of the Atlanta Freethought Society (www.atlantafreethought.org), about AFS’s new permanent facility.  Plus a discussion of Calvin Wayne Inman, a Texas youth minister who recently confessed to a murder committed 14 years ago. Announcements:  John C. Snider has launched a science fiction podcast at www.scifidimensions.com/podcast.  David Driscoll has jumped on the pro-cycling bandwagon with Ride for Silence (http://www.rideofsilence.org/), which raises awareness for bicycling related fatalities. Visit us online at www.AmericanFreethought.com. Send us feedback at contact@americanfreethought.com. Join us for chat at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. Theme music by Body Found. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 2/24/2008. atheism, christianity, commentary, interviews, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/02/american-freethought-podcast-9/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/02/american-freethought-podcast-9/#comments Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:56:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/02/american-freethought-podcast-9/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/02/02/american-freethought-podcast-9/feed/ 1 1:23:34 Galileo Galilei - An exploration of his life and influence, including an interview with UNLV professor Dr. Maurice A. Finocchiaro (author of Retrying Galileo); a discussion of the recent controversy involving Pope Benedict XVI (whose 1990 speech def[...] Galileo Galilei - An exploration of his life and influence, including an interview with UNLV professor Dr. Maurice A. Finocchiaro (author of Retrying Galileo); a discussion of the recent controversy involving Pope Benedict XVI (whose 1990 speech defending the Inquisition has come back to bite him in the cassock); and a special musical contribution by singer/songwriter Ellis Paul from his album Essentials. Send us feedback at contact@americanfreethought.com. Join us for chat at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. Theme music by Body Found. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 1/30/2008. books, commentary, interviews, music, news, podcast, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/24/american-freethought-podcast-8/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/24/american-freethought-podcast-8/#comments Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:32:29 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/24/american-freethought-podcast-8/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/24/american-freethought-podcast-8/feed/ 1 0:33:17 News Item Potpourri - Mike Huckabee wants to amend the Constitution to conform with God’s laws.  Archbishop Earl Paulk fined and given 10 years’ probation for perjury.  Colorado lawmaker Douglas Bruce kicks a photographer during a praye[...] News Item Potpourri - Mike Huckabee wants to amend the Constitution to conform with God’s laws.  Archbishop Earl Paulk fined and given 10 years’ probation for perjury.  Colorado lawmaker Douglas Bruce kicks a photographer during a prayer service.  A Muslim teen athlete’s uniform violate’s track federation rules.  The Kite Runner movie is banned in Afghanistan.  And Matthew McConaughey says “God bless evolution.” Send us feedback at contact@americanfreethought.com. Join us for chat at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. Theme music by Body Found. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 1/19/2008. atheism, commentary, ethics, evolution, islam, movies, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/20/american-freethought-podcast-7/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/20/american-freethought-podcast-7/#comments Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:14:24 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/20/american-freethought-podcast-7/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/20/american-freethought-podcast-7/feed/ 5 0:50:33 Religion and Insanity - Recent, tragic cases in the news involving filicide and/or suicide by insane and possibly religiously motivated people (Banita Jacks, John Violette and Marcelle Thibault). - A look back at the sad story of Andrea Yates, who i[...] Religion and Insanity - Recent, tragic cases in the news involving filicide and/or suicide by insane and possibly religiously motivated people (Banita Jacks, John Violette and Marcelle Thibault). - A look back at the sad story of Andrea Yates, who infamously drowned all five of her children. - An academic study investigates the link between religious fundamentalism and mental illness. - A man cuts off and microwaves his hand because he thought it bore the Mark of the Beast. Plus two garden-variety crazies: - Marguerite “Dark-Sided” Perrin (from the TV show Trading Spouses). - Pastor Fred “God Hates Fags” Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church. Send us feedback at contact@americanfreethought.com Join us for chat at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. Theme music by Body Found. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 01/19/2008. atheism, commentary, news, podcast, religion, science, superstitions American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/11/american-freethought-podcast-6/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/11/american-freethought-podcast-6/#comments Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:59:07 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/11/american-freethought-podcast-6/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/11/american-freethought-podcast-6/feed/ 0 1:02:48 The Portable Atheist by Christopher Hitchens – We take a look at the latest collection of writing selected and introduced by the Bad Boy of Unbelievers! Links of interest: Christopher Hitchens: An Online Directory (official website?) Christoph[...] The Portable Atheist by Christopher Hitchens – We take a look at the latest collection of writing selected and introduced by the Bad Boy of Unbelievers! Links of interest: Christopher Hitchens: An Online Directory (official website?) Christopher Hitchens Web (links to articles, interviews, etc.) Christopher Hitchens Watch (critical blog) Send us feedback at contact@americanfreethought.com Join us for chat at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. Theme music by Body Found. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.  Recorded 01/09/2008. atheism, books, commentary, islam, podcast, politics, religion, science, superstitions American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/01/american-freethought-podcast-5/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/01/american-freethought-podcast-5/#comments Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:37:42 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/01/american-freethought-podcast-5/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/01/american-freethought-podcast-5/feed/ 0 1:19:25 Recorded 12/31/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Politics and Faith: The Presidential Candidates and how their religious beliefs will affect the race for the White House.  We’ll listen to and comment on excerpts from several [...] Recorded 12/31/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Politics and Faith: The Presidential Candidates and how their religious beliefs will affect the race for the White House.  We’ll listen to and comment on excerpts from several speechs and debates, including: John F. Kennedy’s 1960 speech, Mitt Romney’s “Faith in America” Speech, Mike Huckabee’s Christmas Commercial, Rudy Guiliani (and Mitt and Mike!) at the YouTube Debate, Barack Obama at an MTV forum, and Hillary Clinton interviewed on CNN. Plus: More Holey Scripture, and an update on The Golden Compass! Feedback – Email your comments to contact@americanfreethought.com and we might read ‘em on the air (attach “voicemails” in mp3 or wav format). Discuss – We’ve set up a message board at Yahoo Groups. Theme music by Body Found. atheism, commentary, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/17/american-freethought-podcast-4/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/17/american-freethought-podcast-4/#comments Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:05:10 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/17/american-freethought-podcast-4/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/17/american-freethought-podcast-4/feed/ 1 0:40:39 Recorded 12/15/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: Our “War on Christmas” Special! - We look at the myths and misconceptions surrounding the holiday season. Gifts for Non-Believers- We countdown our Top Five s[...] Recorded 12/15/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: Our “War on Christmas” Special! - We look at the myths and misconceptions surrounding the holiday season. Gifts for Non-Believers- We countdown our Top Five suggestions for gifts for non-believers. Driscoll’s List: 5. Flying Spaghetti Monster decal 4. The God Who Wasn’t There (DVD) 3. An all-expenses-paid trip to Cincinnati, including a visit to the Creation Museum in nearby Petersburg, KY. 2. Donation to Charity – For the nonbeliever who has everything, why not give a gift in his/her name to a relevant non-profit?  David’s suggestions: The Freedom from Religion Foundation or the Secular Coalition. 1. Four Horsemen Gift Pack containing God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, The End of Faith by Sam Harris, Breaking the Spell by Daniel Dennett, and a copy of The Bible (so you’ll know what the fuss is all about). Snider’s List: 5. The Portable Atheist, a collection of skeptical writings from antiquity to the present, edited by Christopher Hitchens. 4. Museum Membership to a local natural history, science or art museum.  If the recipient doesn’t have access to such big-city facilities, try subscriptions to magazines like National Geographic, Scientific American, or Skeptical Inquirer? 3. Flying Spaghetti Monster Paraphernalia 2. A Copy of The Bible signed by the Author – If you’re participating in a “white elephant” gift exchange, a great gag would be to toss in a copy of the Good Book and add an inscription; e.g. “To Whom It May Concern – Sorry about the mess.  Best Regards, God.”  Be sure to conceal your handwriting and be prepared to maintain a good poker face.  If you’re really daring, try a copy of The Satanic Bible. 1. From So Simple a Beginning – This bug-crushing 1,700-page hardcover contains all four of Charles Darwin’s classic books: The Voyage of the Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, and The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals.  It comes in a nice slipcase, with a forward by self-proclaimed “provisional deist” Edward O. Wilson. Feedback – Email your comments to contact@americanfreethought.com and we might read ‘em on the air (attach “voicemails” in mp3 or wav format). Discuss – We’ve set up a message board at Yahoo Groups. Theme music by Body Found.  Special holiday end-song “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by the La Brea Stompers, from the CD The Mother of All Flagpole Christmas Albums. atheism, commentary, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/16/american-freethought-podcast-3/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/16/american-freethought-podcast-3/#comments Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:24:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/16/american-freethought-podcast-3/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/16/american-freethought-podcast-3/feed/ 1 0:43:02 Recorded 12/15/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: The Golden Compass – We discuss Philip Pullman’s novel The Golden Compass (the first volume of the trilogy His Dark Materials), the feature film adaptation st[...] Recorded 12/15/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: The Golden Compass – We discuss Philip Pullman’s novel The Golden Compass (the first volume of the trilogy His Dark Materials), the feature film adaptation starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, and the controversy surrounding the story’s content.  We’ll analyze the protest organized by the Catholic League, and look at the reactions of other religious organizations and conservative pundits. Visit the movie’s Official Website. Buy His Dark Materials trilogy in unabridged audio, narrated by Philip Pullman himself - you won’t be sorry.  (This makes a great holiday gift, regardless of what the critics say!) Read the Catholic League‘s protest manifesto, The Golden Compass: Agenda Unmasked – for free! (They’ll charge you “fi’ dollahs”.) Holey Scripture – We introduce a new recurring segment, in which David exposes the inaccuracies, inconsistencies, contradictions (and sometimes downright cruelty) contained in so-called sacred texts.  In this first installment, he discusses “dust”. Feedback – Email your comments to contact@americanfreethought.com and we might read ‘em on the air (attach “voicemails” in mp3 or wav format). Discuss – We’ve set up a message board at Yahoo Groups. Theme music by Body Found. atheism, commentary, movies, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/02/american-freethought-podcast-2/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/02/american-freethought-podcast-2/#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2007 03:50:07 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/02/american-freethought-podcast-2/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/12/02/american-freethought-podcast-2/feed/ 3 0:51:47 Recorded 12/01/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: Flock of Dodos – We discuss the independent documentary film Flock of Dodos, which explores the tactics used by both sides of the Intelligent Design/Evolution debat[...] Recorded 12/01/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: Flock of Dodos – We discuss the independent documentary film Flock of Dodos, which explores the tactics used by both sides of the Intelligent Design/Evolution debate.  Read our review here.  Look for the film on Showtime and at film festivals, or purchase the DVD.  Visit the official website at www.flockofdodos.com. Randy Olson – Interview with the writer/director of Flock of Dodos.  Randy is a former evolutionary ecologist who left a tenured position in academia to become a fulltime filmmaker. Judgment Day - We also discuss the two-hour PBS documentary from NOVA – Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial, which delves into the recent court case Kitzmiller vs. Dover, PA.   The DVD is already available for advance purchase. Feedback – Email your comments to contact@americanfreethought.com and we might read ‘em on the air (attach “voicemails” in mp3 or wav format). Discuss – We’ve set up a message board at Yahoo Groups. Theme music by Body Found. atheism, commentary, evolution, interviews, movies, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/30/a-teddy-named-mo/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/30/a-teddy-named-mo/#comments Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:24:43 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/30/a-teddy-named-mo/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/30/a-teddy-named-mo/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/26/american-freethought-podcast-1/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/26/american-freethought-podcast-1/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:05:42 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/26/american-freethought-podcast-1/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/11/26/american-freethought-podcast-1/feed/ 2 0:44:03 Recorded 11/24/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: Introductions – Who are we and what’s this podcast all about? The Sam Harris “Problem with Atheism” Controversy – Author Sam Harris raised a[...] Recorded 11/24/2007.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. Show Notes: Introductions – Who are we and what’s this podcast all about? The Sam Harris “Problem with Atheism” Controversy – Author Sam Harris raised a ruckus with his October 2007 essay “The Problem with Atheism”.  Self-identified atheists, particularly members of organizations with the A-word in their title, were quick to respond, refusing to back down.  Harris isn’t alone, however – bestselling Canadian science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer said essentially the same thing in April 2007 with “A Bright Idea for Atheists” and Neil deGrasse Tyson touched on this issue in his recent interview with Point of Inquiry podcast. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue Prays for Rain on the steps of the Georgia Capitol – and we are not amused.  Okay, we’re a little amused, but we’re also a little miffed.  David tells us about his participation in the Atlanta Freethought Society’s prayer protest. Ten Commandments Displays in GA and KY – It’s happening again!  Politicians just can’t get enough of posting the Big Ten in courthouses and other government buildings.  Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, in a desperate bid, ordered the Ten Commandments posted (along with other “historical documents” in the Kentucky Capitol rotunda (Ernie lost, by the way).  And in Albany, Georgia, the city commissioners voted unanimously to post a similar display in the Dougherty County judicial building. “Imagine No Religion” Billboard Going up in Atlanta – The Freedom From Religion Foundation launches a billboard campaign in Atlanta in a follow-up to a similar campaign in Madison, Wisconsin. Will Smith Is a Thetan! – Actor Will Smith comes out as a Scientologist, equating its tenets with those of Christianity.  He’s got one thing right: Scientology’s no crazier than Christianity. Mitt Romney Is a Mormon! – JFK fielded questions about his Catholicism 45 years ago. Now Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is fielding questions about his magic underwear.  In the era of Faith-Based Initiatives and Global Crusades, how much should voters care about the religious beliefs of their elected officials? Feedback – Email your comments to contact@americanfreethought.com and we might read ‘em on the air (attach “voicemails” in mp3 or wav format). Theme music by Body Found. atheism, commentary, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/18/is-freethought-radio-a-new-war-on-religion/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/18/is-freethought-radio-a-new-war-on-religion/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:37:02 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/18/is-freethought-radio-a-new-war-on-religion/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/18/is-freethought-radio-a-new-war-on-religion/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/17/religion-trumps-reason-in-kids-vaccinations/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/17/religion-trumps-reason-in-kids-vaccinations/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:04:50 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/17/religion-trumps-reason-in-kids-vaccinations/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/17/religion-trumps-reason-in-kids-vaccinations/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/05/sam-harris-vs-the-atheist-movement/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/05/sam-harris-vs-the-atheist-movement/#comments Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:54:12 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/05/sam-harris-vs-the-atheist-movement/ Continue reading →]]> http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2007/10/05/sam-harris-vs-the-atheist-movement/feed/ 0