Best Danbarker Podcasts (2025)

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"So Help Me FFRF" 49:44

Play Pause

1h ago49:44

49:44

After talking about warning labels on bibles and reporting on state/church news, we hear Brandi Carlile's new song "Church and State." FFRF Senior Litigation Counsel Sam Grover joins us to talk about our newest lawsuit with South Carolina plaintiff Jim Reel, who was denied becoming a poll worker because he could not swear "so help me God."…

1
The Great Abdication 49:24

9d ago49:24

49:24

Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky, author of How Democracies Die, tells us about "The Great Abdication: America's Descent into Authoritarianism."

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Evangelical Zionists 49:42

14d ago49:42

49:42

After reporting state/church victories and complaints in California, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Tennessee, Washington, Texas and Arkansas, we speak with Mother Jones national correspondent Kiera Butler about her article, God's "Blank Check": Christian Zionists Are Pouring Billions of Dollars Into Israeli Extremism.…

1
Guns and Poetry 49:42

21d ago49:42

49:42

Journalist William J. Kole tells us about his book, "In Guns We Trust: The Unholy Trinity of White Evangelicals, Politics, and Firearms." Then, we speak with historian and poet Jennifer Michael Hecht, author of "The Wonder Paradox: Embracing the Weirdness of Existence and the Poetry of Our Lives."

1
Fighting Authoritarianism 49:43

28d ago49:43

49:43

U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., explains how California's Proposition 50 is trying to fight religious-right authoritarianism. Legal Fellow Kyle Steinberg describes FFRF's new federal lawsuit challenging a religious oath in South Carolina.

1
Unforgiven 49:43

1M ago49:43

49:43

After reporting on state/church news, we hear the song "Friendly Atheist T-shirt" by the Freethought Band of Humanists of Minnesota. Then, we speak with University of Toronto Professor of Religion Kevin Lewis O'Neill about his book, Unforgivable: An Abusive Priest and the Church That Sent Him Abroad.…

1
Creationism on Trial 49:24

1M ago49:24

49:24

After covering state/church news, we report on the "war-mongering" Christian nationalist rhetoric at Charlie Kirk's memorial. Then, we hear distinguished attorney Richard Katskee speaking at the Scopes Trial Centennial conference about his role in the 2005 lawsuit in Dover, Pa., defending the teaching of evolution in the public schools.…

1
Whitewashing History Highlights the Importance of Church-State Separation 49:43

2M ago49:43

49:43

We celebrate a court victory in Arkansas, where a federal court issued a second preliminary injunction blocking a state law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. We criticize a "faith-based disaster recovery event" at the National Mall in which Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner proclaimed that…

1
"Western Christian values" 49:24

2M ago49:24

49:24

Christian nationalists in government are ramping up the rhetoric. We report how FFRF is protesting the White House "America Prays" initiative and a bill to put "In God We Trust" on federal buildings. Then, we speak with journalist Haley Cohen Gilliland, author of A Flower Traveled in My Blood: The Incredible True Story of the Grandmothers Who Fough…

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The "Trial of the Century" 49:43

2M ago49:43

49:43

We report on state/church victories and challenges in Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas, Morocco, Minnesota and Florida. Then, we hear Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Ed Larson (Summer for the Gods) tell us the story of the 1925 Scopes Trial, the "Trial of the Century," pitting science against religion in Dayton, Tenn., 100 years ago.…

1
Star-Spangled Jesus 49:24

2M ago49:24

49:24

We are not retreating from our lawsuit challenging the Ten Commandments in Texas public schools, in spite of the Texas attorney general's warning that he won't back down from posting them. After covering state/church news in Texas, Arkansas, Minnesota and Colorado, we hear Rachel Maddow's warning about authoritarianism. Then, we speak with April Aj…

1
Medicine River 49:43

3M ago49:43

49:43

After we cover state/church news around the country, FFRF Senior Litigation Counsel Sam Grover recounts FFRF's recent victory stopping the Ten Commandments from being posted in Texas public schools. Then, journalist Mary Annette Pember, a citizen of the Red Cliff Band of Wisconsin Ojibwe, describes her new book Medicine River: A Story of Survival a…

1
Confronting Christian nationalism 49:43

3M ago49:43

49:43

FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott tells us some breaking good news about a Christian nationalist legal attack against FFRF by Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters. Then, we'll hear a chilling warning about encroaching Christian fascism by author Katherine Stewart.

1
The Trial of the Century 49:42

3M ago49:42

49:42

We announce a great victory from the Arkansas courts blocking the state from displaying the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. After reporting state/church news in California, West Virginia, Iowa and West Point Military Academy, we hear the Tom Lehrer song "I Got it from Agnes" and the "1919 Influenza Blues" by Essie Ray Jenkins. Th…

1
Death with Dignity 49:42

3M ago49:42

49:42

Incursions of Christian nationalism at the federal and state level are increasing, and we are fighting back. We report a quick legal victory removing a Ten Commandments monument from an Illinois county courthouse. Then, we remember the lives of two precious freethinkers who died this month: long-time FFRF member Dick Hewetson, an Episcopal priest t…

1
Can religion cure loneliness? 49:24

4M ago49:24

49:24

This week on Freethought Radio, guest hosts Ryan Jayne and Leo Costello talk about a Christian state representative in Texas who's speaking out against a new law that would place the Ten Commandments in every public school in the state. Plus, we listen to debates featuring FFRF Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker as they address the qu…

1
America's Best Idea 49:24

4M ago49:24

49:24

We report on state/church violations in the White House, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Then, FFRF Rapid Response Attorney Chris Line tells us what it means now that the IRS has announced that places of worship can endorse political candidates. Finally, we speak with distingu…

1
Religious attack on LGBTQ+ 49:44

4M ago49:44

49:44

We criticize Texas Governor Gregg Abbott for using the flood devastation as an opportunity to preach his personal religious views. We point out that in spite of the IRS decision not to punish two churches for politicking from the pulpit, the Johnson Amendment prohibiting such action is still the law of the land. After honoring the life of our frien…

1
SMART Recovery 49:43

4M ago49:43

49:43

FFRF announces another Ten Commandments lawsuit, this one in Texas. After covering state/church news at the federal, state and local levels, we talk with Joe Gerstein, M.D., founder of SMART Recovery, a secular program for dealing with alcoholism and other addictions that is based on science and evidence, not faith.…

1
Debating Religion 49:43

4M ago49:43

49:43

We discuss the Supreme Court decision allowing states to defund Planned Parenthood and we decry many attempts by Christian nationalists to force religious conformity on a diverse nation. After celebrating the life of the irreverent comedian, actor, filmmaker, songwriter and playwright Mel Brooks (who turns 99 this month), we hear opening statements…

1
World Humanism 49:24

5M ago49:24

49:24

We celebrate Juneteenth, recognizing the end of slavery, and World Humanism Day, which occurs at the Summer Solstice as a secular alternative to religious holidays. After covering national and FFRF news, we speak with FFRF's Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Jayne and Regional Governmental Affairs Manager Mickey Dollens about the slew of good and bad bill…

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No Kings 49:42

5M ago49:42

49:42

We announce that FFRF is a sponsor of the "No Kings Day of Action" protesting the erosion of democratic and constitutional safeguards against a monarchical administration, especially its embrace of Christian nationalism. After hearing Dan Barker's protest song "We, The People," we introduce three new FFRF lawsuits. FFRF Senior Litigation Counsel Sa…

1
American Freethought 49:25

5M ago49:25

49:25

We announce new FFRF litigation this week. In honor of Pride Month, we celebrate the birth anniversary on June 9 (1891) of the gay/atheist songwriter Cole Porter by listening to his irreverent song "Experiment." Then, we speak with professor David C. Hoffman, author of American Freethought: The History of a Social Movement, 1794-1948.…

1
Religious Hit List 49:42

5M ago49:42

49:42

We announce two new lawsuits this week that FFRF is taking with a coalition of state/church groups. The first challenges the placement of statues of Catholic saints at the entrance of the public safety building in Quincy, Massachusetts. The second challenges a new Texas measure that mandates the placement of the Ten Commandments in every public sch…

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Wild Faith 49:24

6M ago49:24

49:24

This week we honor the life and work of our friend, the Broadway composer Charles Strouse—who died last week at age 96—who wrote "Annie" and "Bye Bye Birdie" and many other musicals and songs, by hearing some of his music, including "Poor Little Me," which he co-wrote with FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. Then, we speak with journalist Talia Lavin, au…

Danbarker Podcasts

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Freethought Radio

Freedom From Religion Foundation

1
"So Help Me FFRF" 49:44

1
The Great Abdication 49:24

1
Evangelical Zionists 49:42

1
Guns and Poetry 49:42

1
Fighting Authoritarianism 49:43

1
Unforgiven 49:43

1
Creationism on Trial 49:24

1
Whitewashing History Highlights the Importance of Church-State Separation 49:43

1
"Western Christian values" 49:24

1
The "Trial of the Century" 49:43

1
Star-Spangled Jesus 49:24

1
Medicine River 49:43

1
Confronting Christian nationalism 49:43

1
The Trial of the Century 49:42

1
Death with Dignity 49:42

1
Can religion cure loneliness? 49:24

1
America's Best Idea 49:24

1
Religious attack on LGBTQ+ 49:44

1
SMART Recovery 49:43

1
Debating Religion 49:43

1
World Humanism 49:24

1
No Kings 49:42

1
American Freethought 49:25

1
Religious Hit List 49:42

1
Wild Faith 49:24