210 - Waking Up

I interview Ryan Cragun, co-author of Beyond Doubt: The Secularization of Society, a new book that makes a compelling argument that secularization has indeed been happening, both in the United States and around the world.

You can buy a copy of Beyond Doubt for yourself.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

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I interview Matt Johnson, whose new book How Hitchens Can Save the Left argues that the late Christopher Hitchens's staunch defense of classical liberalism is still useful, even 11 years after his death, in helping the American Left to resist some of its more illiberal tendencies.

Buy a copy of How Hitchens Can Save the Left for yourself!

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

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Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

I interview Joseph Monninger, a college professor and novelist who discovered, only three days after his retirement, that he had terminal lung cancer and likely only months to live. His memoir Goodbye to Clocks Ticking is a heartfelt, humanistic account of facing death and processing an unexpected reprieve.

Buy a copy of Goodbye to Clocks Ticking for yourself, and be sure to check out Joe's other books.

Reading/listening recommendations:

Nonverts by Stephen Bullivant.

"The Defiance of Salman Rushdie," a profile in The New Yorker magazine by David Remnick.

The Witch Trials of J. K. Rowling, a podcast hosted by Megan Phelps-Roper.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

I interview Bradley Onishi, cohost of the Straight White American Jesus podcast, and author of the new book Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—And What Comes Next. It's a terrifying look at the recent history of Christian nationalism and evangelical support for anti-democratic ideas.

For more about Bradley and his work visit BradOnishi.com. Listen to his podcast StraightWhiteAmericanJesus.com.

Buy a copy of Preparing for War here.

Also mentioned in the podcast: 

The outgoing Congress passed a bill (which President Biden signed into law) authorizing a memorial to Thomas Paine in the District of Columbia. One of the sponsors of the bill, Congressman Jamie Raskin (a Democrat representing Maryland's 8th district, and cofounder of the Congressional Freethough Caucus), announced last month that he has been diagnosed with lymphoma; nonethless, he expects a full recover after receiving chemotherapy. We wish him a speedy recovery.

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Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

I interview Daniel Sokatch, CEO of the New Israel Fund and author of Can We Talk about Israel? A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted.

Buy a copy of Can We Talk about Israel? for yourself.

For more about the New Israel Fund, visit NIF.org.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

I interview Emily Dreyfuss, co-author (with Dr. Joan Donovan and Brian Friedberg) of Meme Wars: The Untold Story of the Online Battles Upending Democracy in America.

Buy a copy of Meme Wars for yourself.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

With less than two weeks to go before the midterms, I talk with David A. Hollinger, history professor at the University of California, Berkley, and author of Christianity's American Fate: How Religion Became More Conservative and Society More Secular. This timely new book explores how, while American culture remains overwhelmingly secular, evangelical Christianity has outperformed its more liberal American counterparts and gained control of the Republican Party.

Buy a copy of Christianity's America Fate for yourself.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

For this special episode, I'm joined by podcast co-founder and co-host emeritus David Driscoll. We talk about the recent disastrous Supreme Court rulings (Carson v Makin, Kennedy v Bremerton, and Dobbs v Jackson); the ramifications of the House Select Committee on the events of January 6, 2021; and possible Constitutional crises and other terrifying scenarios that might play out over the next couple of years.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

I interview Nadya Dutchin, the new Executive Director of the American Humanist Association. Our wide-ranging discussion includes her plans and hopes for the AHA; reaction to the gun massacres in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX; raising secular kids in the current social and political climate; the effect of the newly conservative Supreme Court on litigation; and the future of secularism and humanism in America.

For more information about the American Humanist Association, visit americanhumanist.org.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

Website: AmericanFreethought.com 

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

I speak to two members of the leadership of the Association of Secular Elected Officials (ASEO), a new organization devoted to helping elected officials be authentic about their beliefs and ethics, and providing a forum for elected officials to connect with each other for education, support and fellowship.

Leonard Pressberg is the founder and president of the Association, and serves on the Board of Education in Fayette County, Georgia.

Kristiana de Leon is on the Board of Directors of the Association, and serves on the City Council of Black Diamond, Washington.

For more about the Association visit secularofficials.org.

Theme music courtesy of Body Found.

Follow American Freethought on the intertubes:

Website: AmericanFreethought.com 

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Contact: john@americanfreethought.com

Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com