http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress A blog devoted to freethought, atheism and skepticism. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:01:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Copyright © 2010 American Freethought contact@americanfreethought.com (American Freethought) contact@americanfreethought.com (American Freethought) freethought 1440 http://www.americanfreethought.com/images/podcastlogo144x144.jpg http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress 144 144 Question. Think. Decide. A podcast focusing on information of interest to freethinkers, atheists, agnostics, skeptics, rationalists, Brights, etc. freethought, atheism, skepticism, religion, secularism, philosophy, atheist, skeptic American Freethought American Freethought contact@americanfreethought.com no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/09/podcast-100-live-at-dragoncon-2010/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/09/podcast-100-live-at-dragoncon-2010/#comments Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:01:05 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2231 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/09/podcast-100-live-at-dragoncon-2010/feed/ 0 60:38 It's our 100th episode, and it's live on the Podcast Track at Dragon*Con 2010!  Aside from reminiscing about our previous 99 shows, we present our ... It's our 100th episode, and it's live on the Podcast Track at Dragon*Con 2010!  Aside from reminiscing about our previous 99 shows, we present our usual potpourri of items. Donald Crosby, founder and pastor of God's Kingdom Builders Church of Jesus Christ in Macon, Georgia, is up in arms because nearby Warner Robins High School's mascot is the Demon.  [Note:  John states during the podcast that he lived in Warner Robins in the late 90s.  It was actually the late 80s.] Holey Scripture:  Behold Behemoth!  The Old Testament waxes poetic in Job 40:15-24 about the monstrous behemoth, but a quick etymological study (courtesy of the July 28, 2010 Dictionary Word-of-the-Day) reveals that it's not a monster at all, but rather a hippopotamus.  But that doesn't stop the guys at T.R.U.T.H. (To Reach Understanding Through Him), who created a video for kids called "What's a Behemoth?" Which Mohammad?  In this corner...Omid Safi,Islamic mystic and professor of Islamic studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.  His latest book is Memories of Muhammad, a generally positive look at the life and influence of the Prophet.  And in this corner...Wafa Sultan, a Syrian born American psychiatrist and author of A God Who Hates, a blistering condemnation of Islam as a backward, misogynistic, violent and insular cult.  She's best known for her vigorous take-down of an imam on Al-Jazeera in 2006.  We compare the vastly different interpretations of each author of the marriages of Mohammad to Aisha (a six-year-old girl) and Safiyah (a Jewess taken as a spoil of war).  Was Mohammad a noble protector of women, or a pedophile and a rapist?  You decide. Feedback:  Listeners take David to task over his (incorrect) statement in show #99 that August 2010 won't contain five Sunday-Monday-Tuesdays for another 800+ years.  What can we say?  The guy trusts his mother. Live Q&A:  What do we make of the Tea Party?  And how can those uppity non-Muslim (?!) women like Wafa Sultan, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Irshad Manji criticize Islam? Thanks again to Swoopy for organizing the Podcast Track and giving us a slot on it. 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 3, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, christianity, evolution, history, islam, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/09/podcast-98-the-crescent-and-the-moonpie/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/09/podcast-98-the-crescent-and-the-moonpie/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:01:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2159 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/09/podcast-98-the-crescent-and-the-moonpie/feed/ 1 64:44 In our live presentation to the Atlanta Freethought Society, "The Crescent and the Moonpie: Islam and the American South," we look at the history of ... In our live presentation to the Atlanta Freethought Society, "The Crescent and the Moonpie: Islam and the American South," we look at the history of Islam in the Antebellum South, then jump forward to discuss  how Muslim communities are being received in 21st century Dixie. Mentioned in the presentation: US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan and former heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali.  Both men are native-born Southerners (Hasan in Virginia, Ali in Kentucky).  Both are adherents of Islam, yet they took very different paths. Muslims in the Antebellum South: Estevanico the Moor (1500-1539), Muslim convert to Catholicism and the first African to set foot in North America. Ayuba Suleiman Diallo, an African slave eventually returned to his homeland with the help of (among others) James Oglethorpe, the founder of colonial Georgia. Yarrow Mamout (1736-1823), a freedman who lived in early Washington, DC, who owned property and bank investments and was painted by famous portraitist Charles Willson Peale. Omar ibn Said (1770-1864), and Islamic scholar who wrote 14 Arabic manuscripts during his time as a slave. Bilali Muhammad, who led a congregation of 80 fellow Muslims while enslaved on Sapelo Island, Georgia in the early 19th century. Islam in the 21st Century South: Al-Farooq Masjid of Atlanta, the largest and most prominent mosque in Georgia (possibly in the South). Case Study #1:  The Christian Action Network sponsors a billboard campaign for Islam Rising, an anti-Islamic documentary. Case Study #2:  Residents of Murfreesboro, Tennessee are upset at the pending construction of a sizable Islamic Center. Case Study #3:  The City Council of Alpharetta, Georgia denies an expansion permit to the Islamic Center of North Fulton, citing zoning concerns. Case Study #4:  Residents of Lilburn, Georgia allege harassment by"Middle Eastern men" after the Dar-e-Abbas mosque was denied an expansion permit in their neighborhood.  The police have so far found no evidence of wrongdoing. Announcements: Dragon*Con (which includes SkepTrack) is just around the corner, September 3-6, right here in Atlanta.  And if you can join us a day early, the second annual Star Party will be hosted by Emory University's Science and Math Center. Send us email!  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 August 8, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. civil rights, history, islam, news, podcast, politics, religion, religious rights American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/12/podcast-96-michael-largo-gods-lunatics/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/12/podcast-96-michael-largo-gods-lunatics/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:01:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2117 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/12/podcast-96-michael-largo-gods-lunatics/feed/ 0 47:56 We talk with Michael Largo, author of the entertaining, enlightening, encyclopedic tome God's Lunatics: Lost Souls, False Prophets, Martyred Saints, Murderous Cults, Demonic Nuns, and ... We talk with Michael Largo, author of the entertaining, enlightening, encyclopedic tome God's Lunatics: Lost Souls, False Prophets, Martyred Saints, Murderous Cults, Demonic Nuns, and Other Victims of Man's Eternal Search for the Divine.  His previous nonfiction works include Genius and Heroin, The Portable Obituary, and the award-winning Final Exits: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of How We Die.  For more about Michael and his books visit FinalExits.com. The Usual Announcements Check out the Texas Freethought Convention, coming up October 8-10 in Dallas/Fort Worth.  Among the luminaries scheduled to speak are Michael Newdow, John W. Loftus, Ed Buckner and Stuart Bechman, with musical entertainment from George Hrab! Look for David Driscoll, in his roll as regional ambassador for Atheist Alliance International, speaking August 1st in Knoxville to the Rationalists of East Tennessee. If you'll be in metro Atlanta on August 8th, look for John Snider and David Driscoll speaking to the Atlanta Freethought Society. Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded July 6, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, history, humor, interviews, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/06/podcast-95-hitch-22/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/06/podcast-95-hitch-22/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 05:01:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2105 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/06/podcast-95-hitch-22/feed/ 1 40:50 Writer/activist Christopher Hitchens has announced he'll be stepping out of the public light to undergo chemotherapy to treat esophageal cancer.  This is bad and scary ... Writer/activist Christopher Hitchens has announced he'll be stepping out of the public light to undergo chemotherapy to treat esophageal cancer.  This is bad and scary news and we're hoping for a speedy and relatively painless recovery. Meanwhile, Hitchens has just published Hitch-22, a controversial memoir in which he reveals hitherto unknown details of his early life, and tries to explain his convoluted journey from hardcore Trotskyite to (for lack of a better term) neocon apologist.  It's not a dull read, although much of the name-dropping will go over the heads of average American readers who only know Hitch from his recent elevation to the ranks of the Four Horsemen.  (Keep Wikipedia or Google handy and you'll do just fine.) Hitch-22 is available in hardcover, as an audiobook (read by Hitch himself) and in Kindle format. For more Hitchedy goodness, listen to Podcast #6 for our discussion of The Portable Atheist (or read our review here). Meanwhile, Ed Buckner has announced he'll be stepping down as president of American Atheists.  It'll be hard to fill his soft-spoken, yet undaunted, shoes. 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 July 3, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, history, podcast American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/23/atheists-in-life-jackets/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/23/atheists-in-life-jackets/#comments Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:54:47 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2084 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/23/atheists-in-life-jackets/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/oreilly-palin-natl-day-of-prayer-my-head-goes-all-explody/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/oreilly-palin-natl-day-of-prayer-my-head-goes-all-explody/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 22:17:05 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2011 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/oreilly-palin-natl-day-of-prayer-my-head-goes-all-explody/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/11/no-god-but-god/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/11/no-god-but-god/#comments Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:46:44 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1945 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/11/no-god-but-god/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/22/podcast-84-newdow-in-flames/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/22/podcast-84-newdow-in-flames/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:01:56 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1914 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/22/podcast-84-newdow-in-flames/feed/ 3 44:58 The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has denied activist Michael Newdow's lawsuits to challenge "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God ... The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has denied activist Michael Newdow's lawsuits to challenge "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" on the currency.  We think the Court was cowardly and disingenuous.  Unfortunately, this is likely to be the last gasp in the decades-long struggle.  You can find links to the full texts of the Court's opinions (including Judge Stephen Reinhardt's scathing 120-page dissent) here. In other news...the city council of Roswell, Georgia has resoundingly turned back a suggestion to begin council meetings with prayer.  A surprising victory, but one we welcome nonetheless. Plus: David reports on Secular Coalition executive director Sean Faircloth's appearance at the Atlanta Freethought Society; meanwhile, John attends a Jewish funeral and a Buddhist wedding. 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. 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 March 21, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, buddhism, christianity, civil rights, history, judaism, news, podcast, politics, religion, religious rights American Freethought no no 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/2010/01/31/my-islam-reading-project/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/31/my-islam-reading-project/#comments Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:11:02 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1850 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/31/my-islam-reading-project/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/26/podcast-78-pat-robertson-is-an-evil-moron/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/26/podcast-78-pat-robertson-is-an-evil-moron/#comments Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:01:42 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1843 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/26/podcast-78-pat-robertson-is-an-evil-moron/feed/ 0 48:15 Or at least so says Christopher Hitchens, responding to Robertson's claim that the devastating Haitian earthquake (which may have killed upwards of 200,000 innocent people) ... Or at least so says Christopher Hitchens, responding to Robertson's claim that the devastating Haitian earthquake (which may have killed upwards of 200,000 innocent people) was the result of "a deal with the devil" made during the Haitian Revolution in 1791.  White House press secretary Robert Gibbs called Robertson's remarks "utterly stupid."  Barry Lynn of Americans United said they were callous and grotesquely insensitive.  And Keith Olbermann says Robertson is full of "senile crap." So what the heck is Robertson talking about?  In a word: voodoo.  Specifically, the semi-legendary meeting at Bois Caiman, in which African slaves called upon spirits to help them overthrow their French masters.  (And for more on modern-day voodoo right here in America, check out this short film from photojournalist Stephanie Keith. For those who want to help their fellow human beings instead of floating crack-brained religious theories, there's CFI's SHARE and Non-Believers Giving Aid. Meanwhile...US defense contractor Trijicon is backpedaling furiously after the media reported that they've been encoding Bible verses into the serial numbers of their specialty gun-sights.  Crusade, what Crusade?  Trijicon is offering a half-assed apology and has pledged to "voluntarily" stop the practice for future military production. Plus: Holey Scripture! Remember Samuel L. Jackson's brilliant recitation of Ezekiel 25:17 from the modern classic Pulp Fiction?  Turns out Jackson's hitman Jules knows about as much of the Bible as most Christians.  It also turns out Quentin Tarantino ripped off payed homage to Sonny Chiba. David reports on his ambassadorial trip to Charleston. John reports on American Atheist president Ed Buckner's recent debate with Charles Gernazian (director of the Catholic American Center on Law and Religion).  Two guesses as to who we think won. The Usual Announcements Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John's other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded January 24, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, cults, history, movies, news, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/09/goddess-of-the-market/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/09/goddess-of-the-market/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:20:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1732 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/09/goddess-of-the-market/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/09/podcast-72-jennifer-burns-goddess-of-the-market/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/09/podcast-72-jennifer-burns-goddess-of-the-market/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:01:28 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1737 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/09/podcast-72-jennifer-burns-goddess-of-the-market/feed/ 1 78:39 We interview Jennifer Burns, assistant professor of history at the University of Virginia and author of the new biography Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand ... We interview Jennifer Burns, assistant professor of history at the University of Virginia and author of the new biography Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right.  It's a timely book considering the recent resurgence of Rand's works (especially her novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged)  as a reaction to the country's current economic situation.  For more about Prof. Burns visit www.JenniferBurns.org.  Read John Snider's review of Goddess of the Market and/or order you very own copy at Amazon.com. Readers may also be interested in But Is It Science Fiction? Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged (essay by John C. Snider from 2000) and Five Questions with Nathaniel Branden (interview by John C. Snider from 2005). 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 7, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, history, interviews, podcast, politics American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/01/podcast-67-jeff-sharlet-the-family/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/01/podcast-67-jeff-sharlet-the-family/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:01:28 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1455 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/01/podcast-67-jeff-sharlet-the-family/feed/ 0 47:58 We interview Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power.  The Family is both an investigation into the ... We interview Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power.  The Family is both an investigation into the organization that has influenced presidents from Eisenhower to Obama, and a history of American fundamentalism from colonial times to the present.  If you don't read any other book this year about religion in America, read this one.  You can buy The Family at Amazon.com. Sharlet is the co-creator of Killing the Buddha, a literary magazine about religion, and The Revealer, "a daily review of religion and the press."  Sharlet is also a contributing editor to Harper's and Rolling Stone. Announcements - We encourage you to leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com.  We have a Yahoo Group, a Facebook page, an Atheist Nexus page, a Think Atheist page (NEW!), and a Twitter feed.  If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. Say "hi" to David if you're planning to attend the upcoming Atheist Alliance International 2009 Convention, October 2-4 in Los Angeles (Burbank, actually), CA. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John's other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded September 28, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, christianity, cults, history, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/26/darwin-film-gets-us-distributor/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/26/darwin-film-gets-us-distributor/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:01:27 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1432 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/26/darwin-film-gets-us-distributor/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/18/the-family/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/18/the-family/#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:01:36 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1337 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/18/the-family/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/14/norman-borlaug-1914-2009/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/14/norman-borlaug-1914-2009/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:02:21 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1355 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/14/norman-borlaug-1914-2009/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/19/the-voyage-that-shook-the-world/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/19/the-voyage-that-shook-the-world/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:01:31 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1222 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/19/the-voyage-that-shook-the-world/feed/ 6 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/13/magic-mushrooms-and-he-were-familiar-friends/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/podcast-61-adventures-in-cobb-county/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/podcast-61-adventures-in-cobb-county/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:01:22 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1090 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/03/podcast-61-adventures-in-cobb-county/feed/ 6 68:27 "Ufologist" and Young Earth Creationist Gary Bates of Creation Ministries International presented "Aliens, UFOs and the Bible" on July 18th at the Sewell Mill Baptist ... "Ufologist" and Young Earth Creationist Gary Bates of Creation Ministries International presented "Aliens, UFOs and the Bible" on July 18th at the Sewell Mill Baptist Church in Marietta, GA.  We (John and Allison) were there, but the building did not spontaneously burst into flame, nor were there any clear-skies lightning strikes to manifest the ire of YHWH at the presence of infidels.  As for Bates...thanks a LOT, Australia!  For general creationist debunkage visit TalkOrigins.org.  [Late-breaking Bonus:  If you can stomach it, you can listen to Bates's entire baloneython in podcast format at the church's website--including the very session we sat in on!] American Atheists president Ed Buckner delivers the invocation before a meeting of the Cobb County (Georgia) Board of Commissioners in Marietta.  Yes, we know that "atheist invocation" is an oxymoron, but Ed used the opportunity to go meta, delivering a four-minute invocation on the idiocy of invocations.  Go get 'em, Ed! More Cobb Craziness: Pelphry v Cobb - The ACLU (with Ed Buckner among the plaintiffs) sued the county over sectarian invocations before meetings of the BOC.  The ACLU lost, but the BOC has loosened up on who may deliver the invocation. Evolution Stickers - The county was sued--and lost--over stickers placed in school biology texts that read "Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things.  The material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered." Olympic Scandal - In the mid-1990s the BOC passed a resolution declaring that homosexuality was "incompatible with the standards to which this community subscribes."  After gay rights activists threatened to disrupt the Olympic Torch Relay (which was scheduled to go through Cobb on its way to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta), the Olympic organizers rerouted the torch.  Cobb rescinded the anti-gay resolution in 1997. Annette Kesting - Cobb's first black Commissioner got in hot water for stating, while speaking at a black church, "I love my enemies.  I pray every day with my enemies because I have to go up on the third floor and work with white women," and "You would be amazed seeing the people I work with at the county.  They are not Christian people."  Kesting lost the next election to Woody Thompson; to exact revenge, Kesting hired a South Carolina voodoo priestess to put a curse on Thompson that would kill him.  The curse failed; actually, it was never cast, since both of Kesting's checks bounced.  In July 2009 Kesting and her husband were arrested for allegedly stealing a truck they had borrowed from a friend and failed to return. ANNOUNCEMENTS Dragon*Con is only a month away!  Four day memberships are $90 (plus Ticketmaster charges) through August 15th.  After that, you'll have to buy tickets at the door ($100 for four days, less for other packages).   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 astronomy & space, atheism, christianity, evolution, history, intelligent design, news, paranormal, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/22/will-in-god-we-trust-be-set-in-stone/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/podcast-60-40th-anniv-of-apollo-11-with-seth-shostak/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/podcast-60-40th-anniv-of-apollo-11-with-seth-shostak/#comments Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:01:47 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1028 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/19/podcast-60-40th-anniv-of-apollo-11-with-seth-shostak/feed/ 3 56:14 We celebrate the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11!  On July 20, 1969 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to set ... We celebrate the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11!  On July 20, 1969 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on another world.  Our special guest this time is Seth Shostak, senior astronomer with the SETI Institute, co-host of the Are We Alone? radio show, and author of the book Confessions of an Alien Hunter (available at Amazon.com and/or Amazon.co.uk). 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 will podcast new episodes of Secular Nation soon.  AtheistAlliance.org/podcast. Interested in science fiction?  Then check out John’s other online project, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded July 16, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. astronomy & space, history, interviews, paranormal, podcast, science, skepticism, urban legends American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/18/colbert-mocks-tx/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/18/colbert-mocks-tx/#comments Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:36:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1051 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/18/colbert-mocks-tx/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/17/lro-images-apollo-sites/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/17/lro-images-apollo-sites/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:56:49 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1045 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/17/lro-images-apollo-sites/feed/ 0 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/15/robert-wright-takes-on-the-new-atheists/feed/ 8 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/03/podcast-58-robert-wright/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/03/podcast-58-robert-wright/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:01:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=952 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/03/podcast-58-robert-wright/feed/ 14 73:57 We interview Robert Wright, author of The Evolution of God and one of the founders of the pundit-driven website bloggingheads.tv.  In The Evolution of God, ... We interview Robert Wright, author of The Evolution of God and one of the founders of the pundit-driven website bloggingheads.tv.  In The Evolution of God, Wright lays out a convincing case that the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) are "illusions" shaped by completely natural forces like commerce, warfare and social instability.  At the same time, Wright controversially claims that Western religion's progressive march (from shamanistic superstition to primitive polytheism to a monotheism which recognizes the value of individual human beings) reveals an inevitable, even divine "higher purpose."  For more information visit evolutionofgod.net. Wright is also known for his books The Moral Animal (a classic explication of the emerging discipline of evolutionary psychology) and Nonzero (which uses game theory to construct a model of human history that dovetails nicely with The Evolution of God). Read John's review of The Evolution of God, or buy your very own copy (highly recommended) at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. 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 1, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, christianity, ethics, history, interviews, islam, judaism, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/02/the-evolution-of-god/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/02/the-evolution-of-god/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:40:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=956 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/07/02/the-evolution-of-god/feed/ 7 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/22/may-i-recommend/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/22/may-i-recommend/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:01:06 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=923 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/22/may-i-recommend/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/16/rage-in-the-gate-city/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/16/rage-in-the-gate-city/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:10:59 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=891 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/16/rage-in-the-gate-city/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/16/idiot-america/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/16/idiot-america/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:00:07 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=841 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/06/16/idiot-america/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/24/freethinkers-by-susan-jacoby/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/24/freethinkers-by-susan-jacoby/#comments Sun, 24 May 2009 05:01:12 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=741 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/24/freethinkers-by-susan-jacoby/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/19/agora/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/19/agora/#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 05:01:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=722 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/05/19/agora/feed/ 6 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/25/witch-hunting-is-no-laughing-matter/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/25/witch-hunting-is-no-laughing-matter/#comments Sat, 25 Apr 2009 05:01:24 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=660 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/25/witch-hunting-is-no-laughing-matter/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/22/podcast-51-bart-ehrman/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/22/podcast-51-bart-ehrman/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:01:37 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=647 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/22/podcast-51-bart-ehrman/feed/ 3 40:28 We interview Bart Ehrman, Biblical scholar and author of the new book Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know ... We interview Bart Ehrman, Biblical scholar and author of the new book Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them). Dr. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.   He has written 21 books and numerous articles, but he is best known for his nonfiction books on Biblical scholarship aimed at general audiences--books that reveal Christianity's dirty little secret: that what scholars know about the problems with the Bible rarely makes it to the pulpit. For more info about Dr. Ehrman and his work visit bartdehrman.com. Also mentioned in the podcast: Read John's review of Jesus, Interrupted.  You can buy it at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. Misquoting Jesus - Another great book by Dr. Ehrman published in 2005.  You can buy it at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. Does the God of Christianity Exist? A panel discussion from the Christian Book Expo, in which Christian apologist Lee Strobel claims that there's a solid case for the historical accuracy of the Gospels. 2010 Mythicist Prize - Organized by author Rene Salms (who makes the controversial claim that the city of Nazareth didn't even exist during Jesus' time) and coordinated with the blessing of American Atheists, this prize offers $1,000 to the best academic paper proving that Jesus did not exist. 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 17, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, christianity, history, interviews, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/20/urban-legends-and-columbine/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/20/urban-legends-and-columbine/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:58:57 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=642 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/20/urban-legends-and-columbine/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/15/jesus-interrupted-2/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/15/jesus-interrupted-2/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:01:46 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=608 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/15/jesus-interrupted-2/feed/ 1 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/04/07/obama-says-america-not-a-christian-nation/feed/ 20 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/09/jesus-interrupted/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/09/jesus-interrupted/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:27:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=356 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/09/jesus-interrupted/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/05/righteous-stuff-2-of-2/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/05/righteous-stuff-2-of-2/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:01:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=219 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/05/righteous-stuff-2-of-2/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/04/righteous-stuff-1-of-2/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/04/righteous-stuff-1-of-2/#comments Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:01:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=218 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/02/04/righteous-stuff-1-of-2/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/23/the-religious-right-looks-to-the-future/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/23/the-religious-right-looks-to-the-future/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:01:43 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=188 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/01/23/the-religious-right-looks-to-the-future/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/21/on-this-day-in-forgotten-history/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/21/on-this-day-in-forgotten-history/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:40:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=159 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/21/on-this-day-in-forgotten-history/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/17/140-years-of-ufo-photos/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/17/140-years-of-ufo-photos/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:55:43 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=157 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/17/140-years-of-ufo-photos/feed/ 3 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/11/04/random-thoughts-on-election-2008/feed/ 1 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/26/podcast-32-potpourri-and-feedback/feed/ 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 ... 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 no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/20/solar-system-quilt/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/20/solar-system-quilt/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:00:24 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=141 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/10/20/solar-system-quilt/feed/ 0 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/09/05/podcast-25-live-at-dragoncon/feed/ 3 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 ... [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/2008/06/28/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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/28/american-freethought-podcast-20/feed/ 1 90:13 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 ... 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, intelligent design, interviews, news, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/01/82/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/01/82/#comments Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:49:59 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=82 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/06/01/82/feed/ 0 66:33 The Catholic Church - We provide an overview on the good, the bad and the crazy aspects of the Roman Catholic Church.  Purgatory.  Limbo.  Whatever. Ben ... The Catholic Church - We provide an overview on the good, the bad and the crazy aspects of the Roman Catholic Church.  Purgatory.  Limbo.  Whatever. Ben Stein - The frontman for the anti-science documentary Expelled opens his mouth and removes all doubt.  He appeared on Trinity Broadcasting Network on April 21, 2008 and made some outrageous statements. Meanwhile, we stumbled across The Mortal Storm, a 1940 movie starring Jimmy Stewart that addresses, among other things, just how (un)scientific the Nazi outlook was. [Link] ANNOUNCEMENTS Visit us online at AmericanFreethought.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 5/30/2008. christianity, ethics, evolution, history, news, podcast, politics, religion, science 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/21/american-freethought-podcast-16/feed/ 4 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 ... 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, intelligent design, movies, podcast, politics, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/03/american-freethought-podcast-15/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/03/american-freethought-podcast-15/#comments Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:37:02 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/03/american-freethought-podcast-15/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/03/american-freethought-podcast-15/feed/ 1 49:29 Creation Museum - We discuss a recent expedition to the Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky.  You can read more about it in John Snider's report titled ... Creation Museum - We discuss a recent expedition to the Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky.  You can read more about it in John Snider's report titled "The Creation Museum Is Full of Sh!t".  We'll also talk about "Everything You Always Wanted to Know about the Separation of Church and State but Were Afraid to Ask", a recent event co-sponsored by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Interfaith Alliance Foundation. In other news, AF's John Snider and David Driscoll are guests on the most recent Reason Driven Podcast, and will be guests on an upcoming episode of Skepticality! 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 4/2/2008. atheism, christianity, evolution, history, intelligent design, podcast, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/02/the-creation-museum-is-full-of-sht/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/02/the-creation-museum-is-full-of-sht/#comments Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:59:40 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/02/the-creation-museum-is-full-of-sht/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/04/02/the-creation-museum-is-full-of-sht/feed/ 10 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/27/there-will-be-blood-revisited/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/27/there-will-be-blood-revisited/#comments Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:21:11 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/27/there-will-be-blood-revisited/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/27/there-will-be-blood-revisited/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/19/einstein-by-walter-isaacson/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/19/einstein-by-walter-isaacson/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:47:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/19/einstein-by-walter-isaacson/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/19/einstein-by-walter-isaacson/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/09/celia-sandys-a-brush-with-history/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/09/celia-sandys-a-brush-with-history/#comments Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:51:55 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/09/celia-sandys-a-brush-with-history/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/03/09/celia-sandys-a-brush-with-history/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/14/there-will-be-blood-a-freethought-film/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/14/there-will-be-blood-a-freethought-film/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:39:54 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/14/there-will-be-blood-a-freethought-film/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2008/01/14/there-will-be-blood-a-freethought-film/feed/ 0