Episodes
The Illusion of Free Will
June 4, 2024Nobody wants to believe that they had no real agency in the unfolding of their life, in the lives of others, or in the great scheme of things. But a massive amount of scientific evidence strongly suggests that every move you make, every thought you think, every choice you choose are all just illusions of free will. It …
Leo Igwe
May 15, 2024For more than twenty years, Dr. Leo Igwe has worked to promote critical thinking and humanism in Nigeria and throughout Africa as part of the Humanist Association of Nigeria (which he founded in the 1990s) and the Advocacy for Alleged Witches. Igwe speaks with Jim Underdown about the devastating impact oppressive religious beliefs have when …
There Are Definitely Atheists in Fox Holes
March 27, 2024Robert Richert was an all-American boy who ended up in the jungles of Vietnam during the war. But there’s more to his memoir Apple Pie Atheist than just a young man trying to survive a tumultuous time. Richert chats with Jim and describes the nightmare that was Vietnam while also reflecting on religion, morality, and courage. Yes, there are atheists …
Kate Cohen on Atheism and the Rewards of Honesty
January 31, 2024Almost 30 percent of the U.S. population is religiously unaffiliated, but only a fraction of those so-called “Nones” identify as atheist or agnostic. Fewer still feel comfortable revealing to the people in their lives that they don’t believe in God. Kate Cohen was one of those people. Though she had determined that God was a …
Sarah An Myers on Secularism and the Millennial Mind
January 8, 2024Members of Gen X and older grew up in an America in which being religious was the default and atheism was, as best, on the fringes. A lot has changed in the last couple of decades, and for many Millennials and members of Gen Z, being nonreligious is really no big deal. Folks in younger …
Vaccine Hesitancy With Filmmaker Scott Kennedy
December 22, 2023In 2019, Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Scott Kennedy was working on a film about the years-long anti-vaxxer movement. Filming with top public health officials–including Tony Fauci–as well as rare interviews with anti-vaccine activists who were persuading parents by the millions to refuse vaccines for their children. And then COVID hit, and further fueled immunization fears …
To The Temple of Tranquility, and Step on It with Ed Begley, Jr
November 22, 2023Few Hollywood actors can compete with Ed Begley, Jr. when it comes to career achievements and activism. In addition to decades of interesting movie and TV roles, Ed adopted a pro-environment lifestyle 50 years ago, and has lived a life consistent with that position ever since. In this episode, Ed dips into his new memoir, To The Temple …
Supreme Injustice
October 23, 2023The U.S. Supreme Court — that over sixty years ago ruled against state-led prayer in public schools — has swung back the other way with a vengeance. The ultra-conservative majority on the current court has reversed 60 years of progress and put the rights of non-believers in jeopardy. In this episode, Jim Underdown speaks to …
Dr. Juhem Navarro-Rivera on the Challenge of Rallying the Nones
October 18, 2023The Nones are on the rise! When asked about their religious affiliation, year after year, more and more Americans are choosing “none of the above.” The number of religiously unaffiliated Americans, which includes atheists and agnostics, has been rocketing up over the past couple of decades, and today these Nones make up about one-third of …
Getting to Know US Congressman Jared Huffman
August 9, 2023Of the 535 Members of Congress, only one is an out-of-the-closet atheist. His name is Jared Huffman, and he is a U.S. Representative from Northern California. He is also the co-chair (with Rep. Jamie Raskin) of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, a group all secular Americans should know about and support. In this episode, Jim Underdown chats …