Freethought Radio

After reporting a slew of Christian Nationalist nonsense from pastors, government officials and our President, FFRF Action Fund's Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Jayne and State Policy Manager Ryan Dudley describe a slew of good and bad state-church bills in state legislatures so far this year.

We first get the lowdown on the back and forth that Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., has gotten into with the Freedom From Religion Foundation regarding our objection to the Auburn University men's baseball program being suffused with religion. Then, we listen to writer Chrissy Stroop talk about her journey from evangelical schools to leading counternarratives about the Christian right.

Historian Steven K. Green's new book, "American Infidelity: The Gilded Age Battle Over Freethought, Free Love and Feminism," describes how 19th-century freethinkers fought religious laws such as the Comstock Act.

What to do about religion at graduation ceremonies? FFRF State Policy Manager Ryan Dudley gives a roundup of state legislative actions this past spring. Then, Harvard student Ash Bu talks about her op-ed in The Crimson newspaper asking, "Where Are All the Atheists Hiding?"

After reporting alarming Christian nationalist news, we talk with Amy Littlefield, author of "Killers of Roe: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Abortion Rights."

We hear excerpts of some of our favorite shows from the past two decades, including Gore Vidal, Christopher Hitchens, Ron Reagan, Ursula K. Le Guin, Sara Paretsky, Julia Sweeney, Daniel C. Dennett, Anne Gaylor, Cecile Richards, Ernie Chambers, Steve Benson, Anthony Pinn, Brent Michael Davids, Janeane Garofalo, Leighann Lord, Ann Druyan and Donald C. Johanson.

After offering a fresh perspective on President Trump masquerading as Jesus and other news of the week, we interview Johnnie Cotton, a Texas band director who resigned rather than put up a Ten Commandments poster in his classroom.

Attorney Sam Grover describes FFRF's court victory demanding the removal of the Ten Commandments from the Arkansas capitol. Then, activist Lucas F. W. Wilson, a survivor of "conversion therapy," discusses his book "Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors' Stories of Conversion Therapy."

After we cover state/church news in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Maryland, FFRF attorney Chris Line dissects the so-called "Religious Liberty Commission" and FFRF attorney Nancy Noet tells us about this week's decision by an Arkansas court permanently enjoining the state from displaying the Ten Commandments in public classrooms.

Moroccan feminist/activist/freethinker Ibtissame ("Betty") Lachgar is in prison for wearing a T-shirt that insulted Islam. Hear about her harrowing story and about how you can help to free her.

FFRF Communications Director Amit Pal and FFRF Multimedia Producer Leo Costello break down the latest state-church headlines, including troubling rhetoric at the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance led by House Speaker Mike Johnson. Then, historian Chris Cameron explores the freethinkers of color who helped build a powerful tradition of Black secularism in America.

FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott reports on FFRF's exciting new legal developments to protect state/church separation. Then as a memorial tribute, we play an interview of Barbara G. Walker, a provocative bestselling skeptic and feminist who died recently.

What is a "godman"? Tune in to find out. FFRF Senior Attorney Sam Grover gives an eyewitness account of oral arguments over Ten Commandments-in-schools court challenges. Next, Gauhar Raza, an Indian scientist, poet and social activist, tells us about his latest book, "From Myths to Science."