Podcast Link.
July 12, 2008 – Guest: David Mills
The episode starts with a brief discussion of the upcoming FFrF National Convention October 10-12th 2008. I’ve been to the Hyatt in Chicago before. I doubt that FFrF will have attendance equivalent to a Worldcon, but I wish them luck. Sounds like an interesting event. (Clift’s book link)
The audio from a video interview with Jeremy Hall on CNN was played. Jeremy Hall has been on Freethought Radio before.
Freethinkers Almanac makes a reappearance in this episode. Robert A. Heinlein is a July freethinker (check out JOB: a Comedy of Justice if you have any doubts)
David Mills is on to plug his new book Atheist Universe. His objection, that religious parents and teachers use the ultimate club “you’ll go to hell if you don’t believe like I do” to manipulate children, is something that rings a bell with me. Fear of hell was the most motivating part of my belief. In the end, it wasn’t enough.
“Fundamentalists are imposing themselves on our reality”
2007 Archive episode.
July 14, 2007 – Religion-Free Iceland
Odd, this episode also starts with a promo for an annual convention. I think I see a pattern.
A painful segment from the BBC on priestly abuse of children follows. Not for the squeamish. Followed by proof that Pope Benedict isn’t in touch with reality (neither is the sitting Texas governor for that matter) declaring that Jesus formed only one church.
Hope Knutsson is President of Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association.
Icelanders go to church 4 times in their lives; and two of those they have to be carried in. (Icelandic humor)
Phone calls (pro and con) wind up the episode.
2006 Archive episode.
July 15, 2006 – Losing Faith in Faith: Dan Barker
Theocracy alert leads off with this nightmarish figure.
What I said about this episode, previously;
I neglected to mention the two episodes in the archive in which you can learn more about the hosts. Two of the earliest episodes feature one of the co-hosts interviewing the other. Both are memorable. One is Losing Faith in Faith in which we hear more about the history of the former pastor Dan Barker. The other is Religion’s Harm to Women and the history of Annie Laurie Gaylor. If I had to pick my favorite of the two, Ms. Gaylor is a more interesting interview subject (sorry Dan) although there is much to learn from Dan’s trip from believer to non-believer.
Dan’s song Blood Brothers always chokes me up, having to give up the beliefs of youth. Life was so much simpler then; but this life is real, trying to hold on to those illusions would not be.
Dan’s book, Losing Faith in Faith has been in print since 1991.
Freethinkers Almanac finishes up the episode. (Han Solo was a freethinker? Well, I don’t know about Han, but Harrison Ford…)
