http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress A blog devoted to freethought, atheism and skepticism. Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:28:12 +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/2010/09/01/really-it-was-the-rosary-beads/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/01/really-it-was-the-rosary-beads/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:00:39 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2215 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/09/01/really-it-was-the-rosary-beads/feed/ 0 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 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/08/19/1-in-5-think-obamas-a-muslim/feed/ 1 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/2010/07/23/podcast-97-the-essential-freethought-library/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/23/podcast-97-the-essential-freethought-library/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:01:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2146 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/23/podcast-97-the-essential-freethought-library/feed/ 4 64:44 We discuss the Essential Freethought Library, the result of a poll of dozens of notable personalities in the freethought community.  We asked them one simple ... We discuss the Essential Freethought Library, the result of a poll of dozens of notable personalities in the freethought community.  We asked them one simple question: "What ten books must the well-read freethinker have read?" Also, local craziness in the news: Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!  A Georgia pastor is suing the state over a law that expands gun-carrying rights, but prohibits guns in places like government buildings and churches.  That's right: a preacher wants the right to have a gun in his place of worship. Magic Jeff Goes Bye-Bye!  A Georgia youth minister and magician who performed for kids as "Magic Jeff" gets 20 years in prison for (among other things) child pornography. A Flock Put out to Pasture!  The Greater Works Assembly of Atlanta was evicted from their building for failing to pay the mortgage for TWO YEARS.  And not because of tough economic times, but apparently because the husband-and-wife team that headed up the church were engaged in an elaborate shell game whereby they moved money around amongst nearly ten shadowy non-profits. The Usual Announcements Look for David Driscoll, in his roll as regional ambassador for Atheist Alliance International, speaking August 1st in Knoxville to the Rationalists of East Tennessee. If you'll be in metro Atlanta on August 8th, look for John Snider and David Driscoll speaking to the Atlanta Freethought Society.  The title of our main presentation:  The Crescent and the Moonpie. Dragon*Con (which includes SkepTrack) is just around the corner, September 3-6, right here in Atlanta.  And if you can join us a day early, the second annual Star Party will be hosted by Emory University's Science and Math Center. Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded July 17, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, children, news, podcast, politics, religion American Freethought no no 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/18/do-you-have-acedia/feed/ 0 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/2010/07/01/podcast-94-john-w-loftus-the-christian-delusion/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/01/podcast-94-john-w-loftus-the-christian-delusion/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:13:08 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2096 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/07/01/podcast-94-john-w-loftus-the-christian-delusion/feed/ 1 46:44 We talk with minister-turned-atheist John W. Loftus, editor of The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails, a collection of essays from contributors including Dan Barker, David ... We talk with minister-turned-atheist John W. Loftus, editor of The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails, a collection of essays from contributors including Dan Barker, David Eller, Robert Price and Richard Carrier.  The Christian Delusion is published by Prometheus Books.  You should also check out Loftus' first book Why I Became an Atheist. Also mentioned in the podcast: 57th Fighter Group, a WWII-themed restaurant with a view of the runway at Dekalb Peachtree Airport in north metro Atlanta. 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 June 26, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, christianity, interviews, podcast, religion American Freethought no no 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 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/27/a-lung-my-bad/feed/ 0 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/2010/06/22/podcast-93-gods-and-politics-in-copenhagen/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/22/podcast-93-gods-and-politics-in-copenhagen/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:01:50 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2075 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/22/podcast-93-gods-and-politics-in-copenhagen/feed/ 0 30:11 David Driscoll reports on his adventures at the Gods and Politics conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18-20.  The conference ... David Driscoll reports on his adventures at the Gods and Politics conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18-20.  The conference was co-sponsored by the Danish Atheist Society and Atheist Alliance International and featured such luminaries as Richard Dawkins, Dan Barker, PZ Myers, Victor Stenger and James "The Amazing" Randi. The Usual Announcements Live in metro Atlanta?  Look for John and Allison in attendance at Michael Largo's reading from his encyclopedic God's Lunatics, 6:30 PM, Tuesday, June 22nd at Ivy Hall. Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded June 20, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, international freethought, politics, religion American Freethought no no 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/21/enough-already-with-the-political-prayer/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/21/guilty-and-100-times-more/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/21/guilty-and-100-times-more/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:39:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2078 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/21/guilty-and-100-times-more/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/16/podcast-92-the-good-man-jesus-and-the-scoundrel-christ/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/16/podcast-92-the-good-man-jesus-and-the-scoundrel-christ/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:01:45 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2051 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/16/podcast-92-the-good-man-jesus-and-the-scoundrel-christ/feed/ 0 35:00 We discuss the latest novel from Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), which re-imagines Jesus Christ as twin brothers named ... We discuss the latest novel from Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), which re-imagines Jesus Christ as twin brothers named "Jesus" and "Christ."  The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is published in hardcover by Canongate and in unabridged audio by Brilliance Audio. Listen to our discussion of the movie adaptation of The Golden Compass from way back in podcast #3. The Usual Announcements Look for David Driscoll at  "Gods and Politics," the Atheist Alliance International Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18-20. Live in metro Atlanta?  Look for John and Allison in attendance at Michael Largo's reading from his encyclopedic God's Lunatics, 6:30 PM, Tuesday, June 22nd at Ivy Hall. Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded June 8, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, children, christianity, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/13/podcast-91-its-alive/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/13/podcast-91-its-alive/#comments Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:06:47 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2039 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/13/podcast-91-its-alive/feed/ 0 60:19 We talk with Christina L. Graves, a biology student (and prebiotic chemistry researcher) at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Christina walks us through the recent ... We talk with Christina L. Graves, a biology student (and prebiotic chemistry researcher) at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Christina walks us through the recent announcement by the J. Craig Venter Institute that they have created a self-replicating, synthetic cell.  We also discuss the reaction to Venter's news from religious groups like the Catholic Church, Creation Ministries International, and even the Raelians. Briefly mentioned: The new Adrien Brody/Sarah Polley film Splice, a sci-fi-horror shocker about genetic engineering gone very very wrong. Glossary of terms: Abiogenesis - the theory of how life on Earth could have arisen from inanimate matter. Prebiotic Chemistry - the field of study involving the spontaneous chemical reactions which may have led to the formation of biomolecules and/or life on early Earth. Stanley Miller (1930-2007) - an American chemist and biologist who is known for his studies into the origin of life, particularly the Miller-Urey experiment which demonstrated that organic compounds can be created by fairly simple physical processes from inorganic substances. Atheopath - A neologism, coined by Creation Ministries International's Jonathan Sarfati and used (as far as we can tell) by no one else, which combines the word "atheist" and the suffix "-path" ("one afflicted by a specified disorder") to create a word meaning something like "one afflicted by atheism."  Apparently it's intended to echo scary words like sociopath and psychopath.  Perhaps we should coin the counter-term "theopath." The Usual Announcements Look for David Driscoll at  "Gods and Politics," the Atheist Alliance International Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18-20. Live in metro Atlanta?  Look for John Snider (and wifey Allison!) in attendance at Christopher Hitchens' appearance (boosting his new memoir Hitch-22) at the Barnes & Noble in Buckhead, 7PM, Friday June 18th.  Also, look for John and Allison in attendance at Michael Largo's reading from his encyclopedic God's Lunatics, 6:30 PM, Tuesday, June 22nd at Ivy Hall. Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded June 8, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, cults, interviews, medical research, new age, news, podcast, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/10/teach-the-controversy-russian-edition/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/10/teach-the-controversy-russian-edition/#comments Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:44:06 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2036 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/06/10/teach-the-controversy-russian-edition/feed/ 0 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/23/podcast-89-world-ends-miss-usa-is-a-muslim/feed/ 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 ... 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 no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/19/everybody-draw-mohammed-day/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/19/everybody-draw-mohammed-day/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 02:18:22 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2019 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/19/everybody-draw-mohammed-day/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/sam-harris-puts-the-pope-in-his-crosshairs/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/sam-harris-puts-the-pope-in-his-crosshairs/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 22:38:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2014 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/sam-harris-puts-the-pope-in-his-crosshairs/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/2010/05/11/mojave-cross-stolen/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/mojave-cross-stolen/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 22:02:48 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2008 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/11/mojave-cross-stolen/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/09/podcast-88-the-cross-stays-for-now/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/09/podcast-88-the-cross-stays-for-now/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 05:01:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2005 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/09/podcast-88-the-cross-stays-for-now/feed/ 2 50:08 The Supreme Court has ruled that a Christian cross erected on federal land in the Mojave desert can say (for now).  Among other things, certain ... The Supreme Court has ruled that a Christian cross erected on federal land in the Mojave desert can say (for now).  Among other things, certain justices (<cough> Scalia <cough>) have decided that crosses are a universal symbol for the dead.  Never mind the only dead people you'll find one planted over are Christian and never, say, Jewish or Muslim.  For more google Salazar v. Buono. The Pope has made a pilgrimage to Turin, Italy, to pray before the relic icon artistic fraud the Shroud of Turin.  Now, we wouldn't pass up an opportunity to see the Shroud, just out of morbid curiosity, but Ratzinger all but calls it real in a rambling, somewhat ghoulish sermon. More faith-based terrorism in the news.  Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized citizen from Pakistan, botched an attempt to car-bomb Times Square.  Meanwhile, nine members of a "Christian patriot" group called Hutaree have been arrested on suspicion of seditious conspiracy. See you next weekend at Atlanta Skepticamp! Finally, check out The Naked Bible, a collection of essays by nonbeliever Andrew Bernardin. 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 5, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. books, christianity, civil rights, islam, news, podcast, politics, religion, religious rights American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/05/day-of-prayer-becomes-culture-war-skirmish/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/05/day-of-prayer-becomes-culture-war-skirmish/#comments Wed, 05 May 2010 11:06:56 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=2000 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/05/day-of-prayer-becomes-culture-war-skirmish/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/03/if-the-pope-had-any-credibility-left/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/03/if-the-pope-had-any-credibility-left/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 11:22:46 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1997 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/05/03/if-the-pope-had-any-credibility-left/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/25/prepare-for-boobquake/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/25/prepare-for-boobquake/#comments Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:01:42 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1990 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/25/prepare-for-boobquake/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/22/catholic-scandal-are-these-guys-reading-the-same-news/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/22/catholic-scandal-are-these-guys-reading-the-same-news/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:17:38 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1978 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/22/catholic-scandal-are-these-guys-reading-the-same-news/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/15/natl-day-of-prayer-unconstitutional/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/15/natl-day-of-prayer-unconstitutional/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 02:10:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1948 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/04/15/natl-day-of-prayer-unconstitutional/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/2010/03/31/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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/31/podcast-84-bonus-material-newdow-in-2002/feed/ 1 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 ... 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, civil rights, commentary, interviews, religion, religious rights American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/30/the-pope-aint-so-dope-but-then-we-knew-that-already-didnt-we/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/30/the-pope-aint-so-dope-but-then-we-knew-that-already-didnt-we/#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:28:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1926 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/30/the-pope-aint-so-dope-but-then-we-knew-that-already-didnt-we/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/28/the-last-cargo-cult/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/28/the-last-cargo-cult/#comments Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:28:35 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1917 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/28/the-last-cargo-cult/feed/ 1 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/2010/03/18/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/2010/03/11/9th-circuit-rejects-newdow/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/9th-circuit-rejects-newdow/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:21:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1907 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/9th-circuit-rejects-newdow/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/rape-your-daughters-for-the-apocalypse/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/rape-your-daughters-for-the-apocalypse/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:03:17 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1904 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/11/rape-your-daughters-for-the-apocalypse/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/09/voilence-continues-in-nigeria/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/09/voilence-continues-in-nigeria/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:22:22 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1897 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/09/voilence-continues-in-nigeria/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/08/podcast-83-secular-coation-at-the-white-house/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/08/podcast-83-secular-coation-at-the-white-house/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:01:44 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1887 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/03/08/podcast-83-secular-coation-at-the-white-house/feed/ 1 61:13 [caption id="" align="alignright" width="144" caption="John C. Snider with Christopher Hitchens, Emory University, February 26, 2010"][/caption] American Atheists president Ed Buckner reports on the recent meeting between ... [caption id="" align="alignright" width="144" caption="John C. Snider with Christopher Hitchens, Emory University, February 26, 2010"][/caption] American Atheists president Ed Buckner reports on the recent meeting between representatives of the Secular Coalition for America with White House officials. Plus: We meet the Hitch!  Allison joins us to talk about "The Only Subject Is Love," a seminar we attended at Emory University featuring Salman Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens, and filmmaker Deepa Mehta (who is developing a film adaptation of Rushdie's Midnight's Children).  The event celebrates the opening of Rushdie's archives at Emory.  Surprises included spontaneous recitations of poetry (Hitchens selecting the heartwrenching "Dulce et Decorum est," Rushdie the humorous "The Walrus and the Carpenter.")  And...we learned that Hitchens' memoir--Hitch 22--is due out in June! 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. Congratulations to "PopeStevo," who annihilated "johncsnider" last month in "Words With Friends" (the iPhone version of the classic Scrabble).  Steve wins a copy of the 2009 American Atheists convention program book signed by Richard Dawkins, a collection of freethoughtish books, and an American Freethought t-shirt and mug. 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 4, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. arts, atheism, civil rights, interviews, 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/2010/02/26/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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/26/podcast-82-creation/feed/ 5 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 ... 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 no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/19/podcast-81-announcing-unity-2013/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/19/podcast-81-announcing-unity-2013/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:01:08 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1872 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/19/podcast-81-announcing-unity-2013/feed/ 2 43:52 Margaret Downey (former president of Atheist Alliance International, now a "freethought free agent") announces the formation of the Unity 2013 Event Committee.  What is Unity ... Margaret Downey (former president of Atheist Alliance International, now a "freethought free agent") announces the formation of the Unity 2013 Event Committee.  What is Unity 2013?  Nobody knows just yet, but what we do know is that it'll be big, it has the blessing of such notables as Daniel Dennett, and it'll involve many (if not most) of the major freethought-friendly organizations.  To keep abreast of the details as they unfold, check out the Unity 2013 Facebook page. Also: David swells in righteous indigation over the misguidedness of a local religious school whose "philosophy of education" includes a lot of blither-blather about fearing God, the inerrancy of the Bible, and man's dominion over the planet--but nary a word about, oh, curriculum. Black children are an endangered species! In other words, if you're black, look out!  The evil atheist liberal abortionists are gunning for your fetuseseses. Upcoming events: See Creation with American Freethought!  We're arranging an outing for the afternoon of Saturday, February 20th, to see the new Charles Darwin bio-pic starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly.  We'll convene for Thai food immediately after the movie.  Details can be found here, or at this Facebook event page. John and Allison will be attending a rare joint appearance by Christopher Hitchens and Salman Rushdie at Emory University, Friday, February 26th.  If you're there and you see us, be sure to say hello. John and Allison will also be at the upcoming American Atheists convention in Newark, NJ, April 2-4.  We'll actually be in the greater NYC are March 31 - April 5, and we welcome suggestions for places to eat, things to do, or stuff to see. Atlanta SkeptiCamp 2010 is tentatively scheduled for May.  Keep an eye on the Atlanta Skeptics website for details as they unfold. Hey, what's that waaay over there, just over the horizon?  Why, it's Dragon*Con!  Yep, it's time to start thinking about the all-encompassing pop culture juggernaut held every year in Atlanta, featuring (among other things) the increasingly popular Skeptrack!  Four-day memberships to the Con are only $80 through May 15th ($90 through July 15th).  We'll see you there! Can you spell C-O-N-T-E-S-T? We have a minor trove of nifty things to give away, including a 2009 American Atheists convention program signed by Richard Dawkins, a handful of books by famous critical thinkers, and an American Freethought t-shirt and coffee mug.  To win, simply challenge John C. Snider to a game of "Words With Friends" (the iPhone version of the classic Scrabble).  You'll need an iPhone, of course; and you'll need to download Words With Friends (created by game developer Newtoy, Inc.).  John's user name is "johncsnider."  The person who beats him by the most points during the month of February wins the tchoch. The Usual Announcements Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John's other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 18, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. abortion, atheism, children, christianity, interviews, news, podcast, religion, women's rights American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/03/podcast-79-e-meters-for-haiti/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/03/podcast-79-e-meters-for-haiti/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:01:05 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1853 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/02/03/podcast-79-e-meters-for-haiti/feed/ 1 43:51 Earthquake-devastated Haiti has become a magnet for kooky, misguided (but perhaps well-intentioned) religious groups.  Scientologist John Travolta (disguised, apparently, as L. Ron Hubbard--see photo at ... Earthquake-devastated Haiti has become a magnet for kooky, misguided (but perhaps well-intentioned) religious groups.  Scientologist John Travolta (disguised, apparently, as L. Ron Hubbard--see photo at right) has personally flown his private 707 to Haiti, delivering food, medical supplies, and "volunteer ministers" who claim the ability to heal through therapeutic touch.  Meanwhile, a Christian group called Faith Comes By Hearing has sent 600 solar-powered audiobook Bibles.  Finally, a group of Idaho Baptists were arrested trying to transport Haitian orphans (some of whom weren't actually orphans) across the border into the Dominican Republic. While America is spending billions to ensure a smooth transition of security responsibilities to the Iraqi military, the Iraqis are squandering millions on what are effectively divining rods that supposedly detect explosives, guns--even truffles!  The manufacturer of this quackery is UK-based ATSC, whose founder, one Jim McCormick, has been arrested by British authorities on suspicion of fraud, and his device has been banned for export. Scott Roeder, who murdered abortion doctor George Tiller in May of last year, has been given a life sentence by a Kansas jury.  Unfortunately, Roeder could be eligible for parole in 25 years. Also: We're Number One!  Atlanta has been named the "Gayest City in America" by Advocate.com.  Take heart, Yankees: Portland, Maine is #8. We (meaning John and Allison) will be going to the American Atheists convention, April 2-4 in Newark, NJ.  We'll be going up a couple of days early and staying a day after to enjoy some tourism in NYC, so any suggestions are welcome for cool stuff to do or cool people to see (email john@americanfreethought.com with your suggestions).  The convention's speakers include CFI founder Paul Kurtz, Freedom from Religion's Dan Barker, and biologist-turned-philosopher Massimo Pigliucci. And speaking of Massimo Pigliucci, check out the brand new Rationally Speaking Podcast!  Massimo has teamed up with fellow members of the New York City Skeptics to create this great addition to the skeptical podscape. Can you spell C-O-N-T-E-S-T? We have a minor trove of nifty things to give away, including a 2009 American Atheists convention program signed by Richard Dawkins, a handful of books by famous critical thinkers, and an American Freethought t-shirt and coffee mug.  To win, simply challenge John C. Snider to a game of "Words With Friends" (the iPhone version of the classic Scrabble).  You'll need an iPhone, of course; and you'll need to download Words With Friends (created by game developer Newtoy, Inc.).  John's user name is "johncsnider."  The person who beats him by the most points during the month of February wins the tchoch. The Usual Announcements Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John's other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded February 1, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. children, christianity, civil rights, gay rights, humor, news, podcast, religion, skepticism American Freethought no no 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/2010/01/19/would-you-like-your-assault-rifle-with-or-without-scripture/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/19/would-you-like-your-assault-rifle-with-or-without-scripture/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:06:05 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1841 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/19/would-you-like-your-assault-rifle-with-or-without-scripture/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/15/podcast-77-sports-losses-and-southern-crosses/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/15/podcast-77-sports-losses-and-southern-crosses/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:18:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1830 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/15/podcast-77-sports-losses-and-southern-crosses/feed/ 1 40:29 University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was sidelined with a shoulder injury early-on at college football's 2010 Rose Bowl.  McCoy had to watch from the ... University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was sidelined with a shoulder injury early-on at college football's 2010 Rose Bowl.  McCoy had to watch from the bench as Texas lost the National Championship to Alabama.  But that's okay, 'cause it's all part of God's Plan. Tiger Woods' rumored infidelities have been all the rage with the tabloids, but who'da thunk Fox News pundit Brit Hume (not exactly an outspoken evangelical zealot) would make us forget all about it with his shoot-from-the-hip comparison of Buddhism and Christianity. North Georgia parents Patty Jo Marsh and Jacob Bartels decided it was a good idea to give tattoos to six of their seven children.  Themselves.  With a homemade tattoo machine.  Now they're charged with illegal tattooing, reckless conduct, and more.  Oh, did we mention the tattoos were of Christian crosses? Also discussed in this episode: David wonders if he can count his work for atheist non-profits in his company's volunteerism program. Mark your calendars: May 11, 2011 is the End of the World.  Or will be, according to often-wrong doomsayer and religious broadcaster Harold Camping.  We aren't holding our breath, but a beer-fueled End of the World party 16 months from now doesn't sound like a bad idea. David will be speaking, in his capacity as ambassador for Atheist Alliance International, to the Secular Humanists of the Low Country.  That's Saturday, January 17th in Charleston, South Carolina.  Here are the details. The Usual Announcements Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; for David Driscoll only use david@americanfreethought.com. Leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com. Join us on Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Atheist Nexus, or Think Atheist. Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AmerFreethought. If you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John's other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded January 8, 2010.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. buddhism, children, christianity, civil rights, podcast, religion, religious rights American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/13/will-someone-please-bitchslap-pat-robertson/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/13/will-someone-please-bitchslap-pat-robertson/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:20:18 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1828 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/13/will-someone-please-bitchslap-pat-robertson/feed/ 7 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/02/podcast-76-stuart-bechman-pres-of-atheist-alliance-international/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/02/podcast-76-stuart-bechman-pres-of-atheist-alliance-international/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:01:16 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1823 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2010/01/02/podcast-76-stuart-bechman-pres-of-atheist-alliance-international/feed/ 0 45:16 Happy New Year!  We kick off 2010 by interviewing Stuart Bechman, president of Atheist Alliance International (AtheistAlliance.org).  AAI is planning its first-ever Australian convention in ... Happy New Year!  We kick off 2010 by interviewing Stuart Bechman, president of Atheist Alliance International (AtheistAlliance.org).  AAI is planning its first-ever Australian convention in Melbourne on March 12-14, 2010.  For details visit AtheistConvention.org.au--tickets are going fast! Also discussed in this episode: Crazy Christmas: Pope Ratzinger gets jumped by a wingnut at Christmas Mass, and another Muslim whackjob tries to blow up an airplane (last time it was shoes; this time it's underpants). Congratulations, Mississippi!  You lead the nation in religiosity.  And poverty.  And teen pregnancy.  And poor health.  And federal support.   Coincidence, cause or correlation?  Oh, and check out this bonus graphic showing the correlation between Southern Baptism and teen pregnancy. 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 December 31, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, christianity, international freethought, interviews, news, podcast, religion American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/29/woman-jumps-pope-during-xmas-mass/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/29/woman-jumps-pope-during-xmas-mass/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:13:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1820 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/29/woman-jumps-pope-during-xmas-mass/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/22/wright-v-hitch-part-deux/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/22/wright-v-hitch-part-deux/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:01:49 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1814 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/22/wright-v-hitch-part-deux/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/21/podcast-75-can-atheists-hold-office-in-nc/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/21/podcast-75-can-atheists-hold-office-in-nc/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:01:43 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1806 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/21/podcast-75-can-atheists-hold-office-in-nc/feed/ 1 37:08 Cecil Bothwell has just been elected to the city council of Asheville, North Carolina.  He happens to be an atheist.  The North Carolina state constitution ... Cecil Bothwell has just been elected to the city council of Asheville, North Carolina.  He happens to be an atheist.  The North Carolina state constitution bars atheists from holding elected office.  (For what it's worth, seven other states still have constitutional provisions that discriminate against non-believers.)  Is this a case of continuing institutionalized bigotry, or just an amusingly unenforceable "quirk" left over from the 19th century?  (For more on Mr. Bothwell visit cecilbothwell.wordpress.com) Also discussed in this episode: There's a War on Christmas: haven't you heard?  South Carolina Congressman Henry Brown has introduced (nonbinding) House Resolution 951, which "seeks to express the sense...that the symbols and traditions of Christmas should be protected."  Dozens of Brown's (mostly Southern, mostly Republican) peers have jumped on the Save-Christmas-from-the-Multicultural-Heathen bandwagon, but HR951 is destined to die in committee.  Is this really how our elected representatives spend their time? The Washington, DC city council has okayed same-sex marriage.  But the District is under Congressional oversight: Congress has 30 days to reverse any actions of the council.  This puts Republicans (currently in the minority) in an interesting pickle.  They're against gay marriage, but they crow all the time about the rights of state and local governments to run their own affairs.  So which way's it gonna be, fellas? Disturbing News Alert: Another case of a child endangered by kooky, dangerous religious beliefs.  In Brazil, a man has confessed to inserting 42 needles (and leaving them in place!) into his two-year-old stepson, as part of a series of black magic rituals directed by a trance-tripping woman. Plus: It's David's turn to do jury duty, and he's amazed to read a local journalist's confession that you have to be irrational to be Christian. 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 December 17, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, christianity, civil rights, cults, gay rights, podcast, politics, religion, religious rights American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/13/an-atheist-city-councilman-but/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/13/an-atheist-city-councilman-but/#comments Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:23:25 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1797 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/13/an-atheist-city-councilman-but/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/12/house-reps-declare-war-on-the-war-on-christmas/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/12/house-reps-declare-war-on-the-war-on-christmas/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:36:45 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1789 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/12/house-reps-declare-war-on-the-war-on-christmas/feed/ 3 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/2009/12/07/podcast-74-margaret-downey/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/07/podcast-74-margaret-downey/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:01:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1767 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/07/podcast-74-margaret-downey/feed/ 0 47:17 We interview Margaret Downey, former Atheist Alliance International president and founder of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (FSGP.org), about her experiences coordinating the annual ... We interview Margaret Downey, former Atheist Alliance International president and founder of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (FSGP.org), about her experiences coordinating the annual Tree of Knowledge in Chester County, Pennsylvania, which is intended to offer an alternative to the traditional Nativity scene displayed on public property.  For more about Margaret visit secular-celebrations.com. We review Oh My God, a new documentary by writer/director/producer Peter Rodger, in which he travels around the world asking people the question: What is God?  For more info, including upcoming screenings near you, visit omgmovie.com. Also discussed in this episode: The Atheists Guide to Christmas, a book edited by Ariane Sherine (the woman behind the original Atheist Bus Campaign in London) with contributions by 42 nonbelievers, including Richard Dawkins and Phil Plait.  The book is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. And if you thought the new 150th anniversary edition of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (with "special" introduction by Ray "The Atheist's Nightmare" Comfort) was completely useless, think again.  A copy signed by skeptics Joe Nickell, Dan Barker, Rebecca Watson, PZ Myers, DJ Grothe and others is being auctioned on eBay, with the proceeds going to the Missouri State University Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to help them organize next year's Skepticon III conference).  Bidding ends December 11th, so check it out now!  For more visit Skepticon.org. 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 December 3, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, books, civil rights, interviews, movies, news, podcast, religion, religious rights American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/02/swiss-voters-ban-minarets/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/02/swiss-voters-ban-minarets/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:57:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1765 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/02/swiss-voters-ban-minarets/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/25/chris-matthews-cuts-loose-on-bishop-thomas-tobin/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/25/chris-matthews-cuts-loose-on-bishop-thomas-tobin/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:59:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1763 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/25/chris-matthews-cuts-loose-on-bishop-thomas-tobin/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/16/did-christianity-cause-the-economic-meltdown/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/16/did-christianity-cause-the-economic-meltdown/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:14:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1754 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/16/did-christianity-cause-the-economic-meltdown/feed/ 2 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/2009/11/11/sc-license-plates-fail/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/11/sc-license-plates-fail/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:48:33 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1748 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/11/sc-license-plates-fail/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/06/fort-hood-massacre-jihad-or-mental-illness/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/06/fort-hood-massacre-jihad-or-mental-illness/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:37 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1729 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/06/fort-hood-massacre-jihad-or-mental-illness/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/05/eugenie-scott-v-ray-comfort-pt-2/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/05/eugenie-scott-v-ray-comfort-pt-2/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:51:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1720 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/05/eugenie-scott-v-ray-comfort-pt-2/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/03/podcast-71-eye-of-sauron-edition/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/03/podcast-71-eye-of-sauron-edition/#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:01:02 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1640 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/11/03/podcast-71-eye-of-sauron-edition/feed/ 6 62:06 We look at three recent TV programs that have attracted the attention of the Eye of Sauron, a.k.a. Catholic League president Bill Donohue, whose job ... We look at three recent TV programs that have attracted the attention of the Eye of Sauron, a.k.a. Catholic League president Bill Donohue, whose job it is to manufacture outrage anytime anyone makes fun of the Church or offers sharp criticism of it.  Sarah Silverman's video "Sell the Vatican, Feed the World" appeared on the season finale of Real Time with Bill Maher.  The Simpsons mock the Eucharist in their annual "Treehouse of Horror" special with the segment "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind."  And Curb Your Enthusiasm auteur Larry David accidentally splashes urine on a portrait of Jesus in the episode "Dealing with the Midriff."  Bottom line: if it makes the Eye apoplectic, it warms our hearts. Speaking of TV, Muslims have yet to riot or issue any fatwas over a controversial commercial by German lingerie company Liaisons Dangereuse. We've been reading!  Check out John's chapter-by-chapter thoughts on Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth starting here, as well as his reviews of Carl Zimmer's evolution textbook The Tangled Bank and Robert Crumb's The Book of Genesis Illustrated.  Also, David recommends Robert Schadewald's posthumous collection of skeptical essays Worlds of Their Own. The Usual Announcements: Send us email at contact@americanfreethought.com.  For John Snider only use john@americanfreethoughtcom; David 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 1, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. christianity, civil rights, humor, islam, podcast, religion, religious rights, television American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/31/what-does-bill-donohue-wear-under-his-burka/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/31/what-does-bill-donohue-wear-under-his-burka/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:24:30 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1633 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/31/what-does-bill-donohue-wear-under-his-burka/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/24/the-book-of-genesis-by-r-crumb/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/24/the-book-of-genesis-by-r-crumb/#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:16:08 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1621 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/24/the-book-of-genesis-by-r-crumb/feed/ 2 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/21/q1-threatens-gay-marriage-in-maine/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/16/rifqa-bary-to-return-to-ohio-or-sri-lanka/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/16/rifqa-bary-to-return-to-ohio-or-sri-lanka/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:20:47 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1585 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/16/rifqa-bary-to-return-to-ohio-or-sri-lanka/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/14/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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/14/huffpo-covers-aai-2009/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/08/ga-college-exorcist-removed-from-school-post/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/08/ga-college-exorcist-removed-from-school-post/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:24:23 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1513 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/08/ga-college-exorcist-removed-from-school-post/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/neumanns-get-light-sentence-for-murder-of-daughter/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/neumanns-get-light-sentence-for-murder-of-daughter/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:30:58 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1497 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/neumanns-get-light-sentence-for-murder-of-daughter/feed/ 3 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/north-georgia-craziness/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/north-georgia-craziness/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:00:38 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1493 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/07/north-georgia-craziness/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/05/eternal-life-a-new-vision/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/05/eternal-life-a-new-vision/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:15:20 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1464 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/10/05/eternal-life-a-new-vision/feed/ 5 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/2009/09/30/dvr-alert-dawkins-and-collins-on-colbert/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/30/dvr-alert-dawkins-and-collins-on-colbert/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:01:11 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1461 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/30/dvr-alert-dawkins-and-collins-on-colbert/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/28/podcast-66-freethought-in-mexico/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/28/podcast-66-freethought-in-mexico/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:01:37 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1446 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/28/podcast-66-freethought-in-mexico/feed/ 2 43:47 We interview Danny Zepeda, a skeptical blogger living in Morelia, a city in central Mexico.  He talks about the state of freethought South of the ... We interview Danny Zepeda, a skeptical blogger living in Morelia, a city in central Mexico.  He talks about the state of freethought South of the Border, the prevalence of superstition and alt-medicine quackery in Mexican society, and the challenges of raising children to be critical thinkers.  Visit Danny's Spanish-language blog Un Papá Escéptico (A Skeptical Papa) at papaesceptico.wordpress.com.  If you can't read Spanish, try pasting the URL into the Babel Fish text translation tool: the results are sometimes a bit iffy but readable. Announcements - We encourage you to leave feedback at AmericanFreethought.com.  We have a Yahoo Group, a Facebook page, an Atheist Nexus page, a Think Atheist page (NEW!), and a Twitter feed.  Also, if you pick us up via iTunes, please take a moment to leave feedback. Say "hi" to David if you're planning to attend the upcoming Atheist Alliance International 2009 Convention, October 2-4 in Los Angeles (Burbank, actually), CA. David continues to produce new installments of the Secular Nation Podcast. Fans of science fiction can check out John's other project on the web, SciFiDimensions.com. Theme music by Body Found. Recorded September 25, 2009.  Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll. atheism, children, christianity, international freethought, podcast, religion, skepticism, superstitions 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/2009/09/25/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 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 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/23/marilyn-loeffels-wrong-perspective/feed/ 3 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/20/twitter-sharia-law-and-you/feed/ 7 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/19/evolution-lucky-edition/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/19/evolution-lucky-edition/#comments Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:46:18 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1383 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/19/evolution-lucky-edition/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/2009/09/17/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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/darwin-film-not-dead-in-us/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/14/jerry-falwell-on-science-fiction/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/14/jerry-falwell-on-science-fiction/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:54:18 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1345 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/14/jerry-falwell-on-science-fiction/feed/ 0 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/12/why-cant-darwin-film-find-a-us-distributor/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/12/why-cant-darwin-film-find-a-us-distributor/#comments Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:28:47 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1342 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/12/why-cant-darwin-film-find-a-us-distributor/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/09/penn-teller-vatican-vid-courtesy-of-eye-of-sauron/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/09/penn-teller-vatican-vid-courtesy-of-eye-of-sauron/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:18:08 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1335 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/09/penn-teller-vatican-vid-courtesy-of-eye-of-sauron/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/03/nasa-flies-religious-artifact-aboard-shuttle-discovery/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/03/nasa-flies-religious-artifact-aboard-shuttle-discovery/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:13:41 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1323 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/09/03/nasa-flies-religious-artifact-aboard-shuttle-discovery/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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/31/penn-teller-do-the-vatican/feed/ 4 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/28/god-spoke-to-him-through-a-box/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/28/god-spoke-to-him-through-a-box/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:26:13 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1295 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/28/god-spoke-to-him-through-a-box/feed/ 2 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/27/hey-god-stop-protecting-kentucky/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/27/hey-god-stop-protecting-kentucky/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:30:26 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1291 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/27/hey-god-stop-protecting-kentucky/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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/25/podcast-63-efficacy-of-prayer/feed/ 9 65:00 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 ... 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. Amazon.com - Click-through and buy whatever you want. PayPal - Drop some change in our virtual tip- children, christianity, commentary, evolution, medical research, movies, new age, news, podcast, religion, science American Freethought no no http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/21/the-latest-on-rifqa-bary/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/21/the-latest-on-rifqa-bary/#comments Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:54:32 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1268 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/21/the-latest-on-rifqa-bary/feed/ 10 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/20/are-georgia-peaches-kosher/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/20/are-georgia-peaches-kosher/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:39:43 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1266 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/20/are-georgia-peaches-kosher/feed/ 0 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/2009/08/18/eye-of-sauron-turns-its-gaze-on-penn-teller/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/18/eye-of-sauron-turns-its-gaze-on-penn-teller/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:07:07 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1253 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/18/eye-of-sauron-turns-its-gaze-on-penn-teller/feed/ 3 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 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 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/17/yale-univ-press-chickens-out-on-mohammed-cartoons/feed/ 1 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/16/an-interfaith-springer-moment/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/16/an-interfaith-springer-moment/#comments Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:17:04 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1220 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/16/an-interfaith-springer-moment/feed/ 5 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/13/youre-not-doin-fine-oklahoma/ http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/13/youre-not-doin-fine-oklahoma/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:34:00 +0000 John C. Snider http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1208 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/08/13/youre-not-doin-fine-oklahoma/feed/ 1 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