FFrF Radio: Third Week of May

Podcast Link.
May 17, 2008 – Guests: The Amazing James Randi & Dad Complainant in FFRF’s Newest Religion-in-School Court Challenge

Thecracy Alert. Child Evangelism Fellowship is partnering with a Wisconsin public school system, targeting children as young as 4; disguising their proselytizing as a party, and giving gifts at Christmas, using school facilities without compensating taxpayers.

McCain’s pastor problems; Mother Jones magazine skewers Rod Parsley.

James Randi is the guest.

Cruel men believe in a cruel God and use their belief to excuse their cruelty. Only kindly men believe in a kindly God, and they would be kindly in any case.

Bertrand Russell

2007 Archive episode.
May 19, 2007 – Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion

Theocracy Alert. Tinky Winky’s critic Jerry Falwell is dead; Criticism of the idiot’s own words follows. The Hitchens vs. Sharpton debate has a segment aired (as well as Hitchen’s rather pointed comments on Jerry Falwell) including this quote;

Not until gentle Jesus meek and mild is the concept of Hell introduced.

Thank you Mr. Hitchens for hitting on the point that I find most objectionable as well.

Dale McGowan (the guest) has written Parenting Beyond Belief a guide to how to raise children in this religion drenched society. I was impressed with his devotion to this subject. If my children weren’t well on their way towards adulthood, I would probably pick up a copy of the book.

Dan Barker’s song It’s Only Natural is aired. Susan Hofer is the vocal artist. Here’s a video of the song on YouTube.

Freethinkers Almanac. Lorraine Hansberry and an audio clip from Raisin in the Sun.

As men’s prayers are a disease of the will, so are their creeds a disease of the intellect.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

2006 Archive episode.
May 20, 2006 – Nothing Fails Like Prayer: Richard Sloan

Theocracy Alert. Guidelines allowing prayer in the name of Jesus in the military are of concern.

Richard P. Sloan is the guest (Last week, next year was his second appearance) As this was his first appearance, the discussion was much more focused on the contents of his book Blind Faith. Prayer in medicine claims are addressed (sharpshooters fallacy) Prayer studies, and their negative results.

Dan Barker performs Beware of Dogma (used as bumper music from this point forward)

Ask an Atheist addresses the myth of no atheists in foxholes? The Lake Hyapatia monument is referenced.

Freethinkers Almanac features Bertrand Russell, Lorraine Hansberry, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.