Who knew I'd ever be grateful to Fox? They ran a pathetic scare story about Air America waging a war against god (they seem to spend the most time reassuring themselves that those atheists are small in numbers), but the useful thing about it is that it did manage to let me know that there is something new called Freethought Radio, with streaming audio. It's very kind of them to advertise for the godless liberal demographic.
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« The Spiritual Brain, a second opinion | Main | Laughing at them is always a good tactic »
Thanks, Fox News!
Category: Godlessness
Posted on: October 11, 2007 1:26 PM, by PZ Myers
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Posted by: MartinC | October 11, 2007 1:42 PM
The show has been available as a podcast from the freedom from religion foundation website for about a year, it just looks like it will be made available to a larger audience.
Its a nice program (if you can put up with Dan Barkers taste in music!) and gets some very good interviews.
Posted by: Michael X | October 11, 2007 1:47 PM
Ah Faux News. Benjamin Frankiln became a deist much in this way. He heard all the people railing against it and was convinced through the poorness of their arguments that deism was correct. (This being before Darwin, deism was one of the more reasonable stances to take.) Thanks Faux News, we couldn't hope for better advertisement than your lame arguments!
Posted by: Dwimr | October 11, 2007 1:56 PM
If you like Freethought Radio, you will also like the Point of Inquiry podcast at pointofinquiry.com or from iTunes. It's really outstanding.
Posted by: Dwimr | October 11, 2007 1:58 PM
Sorry, that should be pointofinquiry.org
Posted by: Michael X | October 11, 2007 2:05 PM
And by the way, the video link at crooksand liars is painful. About midway through the thing the agrument that science cannot tell us what is right and wrong, therefore follow god, is trotted out. I really wish everyone would read Mark D Hausers MORAL MINDS. Science actually has quite a bit so say about our morality.
Also everytime someone talks about Air America it's referenced as the "liberal" radio network. You can almost see the spittle as they say the word. And as PZ stated, the fact that we won't be a large audience is repeatedly brought up. I'm sure an advisor to King George III was saying "No sire, the colonial revolutionaries are a pitiully small representation of the population as a whole. Nothing got worry about."
Posted by: Jimi | October 11, 2007 2:16 PM
The irony is fantastic. I had no idea this show existed despite always being on the lookout for good godless podcasts. I still would not know about it were it not for the fact that the "Lionel Show" on Air America was talking about Fox News' crazy take on it. Which led me to that news story which led me to Freethought Radio, the podcast to which I have now subscribed.
Posted by: One Eyed Jack | October 11, 2007 2:17 PM
Fox News... should those two words be allowed to be put together?
Here is what qualifies someone to be a religious correspondent at Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1241,00.html
Summary: Lauren Green, Fox News Religious Correspondent. Former news anchor in Chicago, a reporter in St. Paul, concert pianist, journalism degree from Northwestern, Miss Minnesota in 1984, and third runner-up in the 1985 Miss America contest.
Well, I can see why Fox picked her to report on religion. She looks good in a skirt. Any knowledge of religious topics is a plus, but let's make sure she looks good in a skirt. :)
Personally, I'm getting tired of hearing "Atheists are only 4-7 % of the US population..." Here are some statistics that don't get mentioned:
1) 1.3% of the US population identifies Judaism as their religion. 13.2% of the US population is secular/nonreligious. http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#religions (Odd how politicians and the media pander to such a small religious minority, but are quick to marginalize the secular community due to their "small numbers".)
2) From 1990-2000, the number of people identifying themselves as secular/nonreligious in the US increased by 110%. http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#religions (Keep that up and 15 years from now the religious will be in the minority.)
OEJ
Posted by: Curt Cameron | October 11, 2007 2:31 PM
A couple of weeks ago, I tried to read C.S. Lewis's book Mere Christianity. He starts off with the point that since all humans share the same exact morality, therefore there must be a God.Next, since there is a God, and the Bible quotes Jesus as saying that he is God, and anyone who says that must either be God or be insane, and since Jesus's other words don't sound insane, therefore Jesus is God and Christianity is correct.
He then spends lots of time telling us that since Christianity is true, here is how we should behave. When I got to this point I realized there was no point in continuing, so I don't know what the final third of the book said.
How can someone who supposedly was so smart, make such egregious logical errors?
Posted by: Raynfala | October 11, 2007 2:32 PM
I am astounded (but, on some level, not surprised) that they would show footage of Al Franken while talking about a radio station that has been forked off of another radio station that he isn't even affiliated with anymore.
I really wonder what makes these people think it's okay to do that. Oh, wait. I think I know: It's okay, because God will forgive you. I mean, if you're in God's corner, then that makes it okay, right?
Right?
[mutter mutter]
--Raynfala
Posted by: Jeff Dee | October 11, 2007 2:34 PM
By the way, the link PZ gave does not go to the web site of the "Freethought Radio" program that's been picked up by Air America. The correct link is http://ffrf.org/radio/.
Posted by: One Eyed Jack | October 11, 2007 2:38 PM
#7 "How can someone who supposedly was so smart, make such egregious logical errors?"
Because it's rationalization, not logic.
OEJ
Posted by: breakerslion | October 11, 2007 2:38 PM
I caught that too. I had already run across a review in the blogsphere, but the "GODLESS RADIO!!!!" (Emphasis theirs) message was laughably similar to the "Godless Communism" tag line used to stir up the sheeple in the 50's and 60's. With all the Holy Rollers on the airwaves, this is a drop in the ocean in comparison the the unending river of God propaganda. I'm glad we're not so easily scared!
Posted by: Bill Dauphin | October 11, 2007 2:38 PM
I'm glad you mention this book: I saw it in a bookstore not long ago and thought it looked interesting... but my knowledge of brain science is so thin that I distrust my own ability to separate the good stuff from the BS. I thought at the time about asking the Pharyngula crowd for a recommendation, but this is the first time it's come up in conversation. So what do y'all think: Is this a good, credible take on science and morality?
Posted by: Aris | October 11, 2007 2:55 PM
It's like an alternate universe: There's the free-thought universe I inhabit, where PZ, Dawkins, Dennet, Harris, etc. are the prominent personalities, and them there are these other freethinkers who have a radio station, and who seem to be as oblivious of our universe and its personalities as we are of theirs. Very weird.
___________________________
Posted by: Derek | October 11, 2007 2:58 PM
As stated previously, it's been available for a long time. They've a radio show for awhile, they're just now going national on Air America. It is consistently great for keeping up to date on important news.
I find it interesting what Fox News chose to talk about. They failed to mention that one of the co-hosts used to be a fundamentalist minister. That's really important to know when you talk about it.
Posted by: waldteufel | October 11, 2007 3:02 PM
Any god who would be worried about a radio station can't be a very powerful, or even relevant.
Posted by: Dwimr | October 11, 2007 3:16 PM
If you want to hear Dan Barker (of Freethought Radio) absolutely take apart a fundy in a debate, follow this link:
http://exchristian.net/podcast/2006/03/dan-barker-debates-jason-gastrich.html
Posted by: MartinC | October 11, 2007 3:16 PM
While we are on the subject of rationalist podcasts perhaps we can have a roundup of the best.
Apart from the Freedom from religion and Point of Inquiry podcasts I also subscribe to the Infidel Guy podcast and the Skeptics Guide to the Universe (the best of the lot IMHO).
Are there any gems that I am missing?
Posted by: Michael X | October 11, 2007 3:18 PM
Bill, as far as references go, Noam Chomsky and Peter Singer give praise on the jacket, and in RD's website, Andy Thompson ("We few, we lucky few, we band of brothers" right on the main page) while talking about Suicide Terrorism, highly reccomends MORAL MINDS. I also highly enjoyed it, but I'm just a lowly actor. So take those other guys before me. ;)
Posted by: Dwimr | October 11, 2007 3:18 PM
MartinC,
Dogma Free America is a good one, also.
Posted by: Michael X | October 11, 2007 3:27 PM
MartinC,
It's not exactly atheism, but Philosophy Bites is a favorite of mine. Quick, easy and fun from one of the guys who wrote, Wittgenstein's Poker and Rousseau's Dog.
On another note,
I have a theater podcast called Tommyknocker Tapes (plug!) that does pretty well, but I've been looking to start one on atheism but from a new angle. Any suggestions anyone?
Posted by: Rich | October 11, 2007 3:30 PM
Not exactly on-topic but here is my favorite version of the new Republican logo:
http://crookedtimber.org/2007/10/09/starry-wisdom/
As long as they're in an alternate universe anyway -- can I pick which one?
Posted by: Willey | October 11, 2007 3:36 PM
My reaction was exactly the same as PZ. A weekly athiesm show? Sign me up!
i think that PZ linked to the correct website for the radio show, but their site is so piss poor that the ffrf.org site is much better for finding old shows/podcasts.
Cheers.
Posted by: Ichthyic | October 11, 2007 3:43 PM
How can someone who supposedly was so smart, make such egregious logical errors?
ask Francis Collins, maybe he knows, considering he fits the bill perfectly of someone who's smart enough to run the human genome project, and makes such egregious logical errors as are found in his "moral law" arguments.
...and both are illustrated in the very same book, no less.
http://www.talkreason.org/articles/Theistic.cfm
*ahem* in case the answer to your question isn't obvious already...
religion.
Posted by: Eamon Knight | October 11, 2007 3:48 PM
Jason "Gasbag" Gastrich? I'm going to have to listen to that when I get a chance, just for the laughs. I remember him from talk.origins -- all ego, no substance, either as an apologist OR a Christian evangelist. No slight meant at Barker, but Gastrich couldn't argue his way out of a wet paper bag.
Posted by: Orac | October 11, 2007 3:53 PM
I've been a fan of Freethought Radio for several months now, having discovered the podcast sometime during the winter. I will admit, however, that Dan Barker's songs drive me nuts; they just aren't that good most of the time.
Posted by: bernarda | October 11, 2007 4:25 PM
I agree, this is great advertizing, for both Air America and this atheist program. There are millions of people who would never have heard about either except for the graciousness of Fox. And all for free! Probably there are millions who had never heard of or thought about atheism before seeing the Fox report. Maybe there is a closet secular humanist producer at Fox.
Posted by: J Myers | October 11, 2007 4:44 PM
"Godless" radio? "Godless" liberals? F$%@#. Everyone is godless; some of us actually admit it.
Posted by: arensb | October 11, 2007 4:48 PM
One of the things I like about Freethought Radio is that Dan and Annie are just so gosh-darned nice. Dan Barker is avuncular; there's no other word for it. He's the polar opposite of the shrill, fire-breathing atheist a lot of people apparently imagine.
For those who like their atheist shows a little edgier, see The Atheist Experience and The Non-Prophets.
Posted by: BruceJ | October 11, 2007 4:48 PM
It's because Al Franken is running for Senate in Minnesota, and he's got a damn good change of kicking that execrable scum-bag Norm Coleman out of office.
Faux News is the propaganda wing of the GOP. This gets Al's face associated with "War on Religion".
Posted by: J Myers | October 11, 2007 4:55 PM
Perhaps there is actually a small rationalist contingent at Faux News that wants to advocate FTR and knew a silly condemnation like this would do just that... I mean, it's possible, right? A struggling, repressed enclave of functioning minds, working from within Faux to mitigate its influence and advance some commendable causes?
Ok, I know... it's more likely that there were rabbits in the Precambrian...
Posted by: Curt Cameron | October 11, 2007 5:34 PM
Here are two of my favorites, both out of the Atheist Community of Austin:* The Atheist Experience, a weekly TV show on community access. It's aimed at the general non-atheist audience, they discuss a theme subject each week, and they take callers. The videos are available on Google Video, but the audio is available as a podcast:
http://www.atheist-experience.com/podcast.php
* The Non-Prophets, a show meant more for an atheist audience. They go over news stories and rant a little, plus don't hold back as much on the language. This is a bi-weekly show that's audio only:
http://www.nonprophetsradio.com/nonprophets.xml
(both hyperlinks are to the podcast feed URL)
Posted by: Boronx | October 11, 2007 5:40 PM
And if Al chooses to defend himself, he'll have to point out that he is Jewish, which will also make Fox happy.
Posted by: Bruce | October 11, 2007 5:44 PM
While I love the idea of their show and I have listened to several of their podcasts, I really do think that they need to bring someone with professional radio experience on board. Dan and Laurie are great people but neither of them really has a radio presence and thus their show comes off as a bit amateurish. I agree with others who have pointed to Point of Inquiry as a good example. DJ Groethe has a very good radio presence their podcasts are very professional. Maybe they could get DJ to join them?
Posted by: QueenoftheHarpies | October 11, 2007 6:09 PM
Another outspoken atheist is on the following website, I haven't listened to everything (there is so much), but he's very well spoken.
http://www.freedomainradio.com/
Posted by: Dave | October 11, 2007 6:16 PM
I don't think that DJ Grothe would be too interested. The FFRF spend a lot of their time fighting church/state separation and discrimination cases. DJ tends toward the view that atheism is not a civil rights issue.
Posted by: Ichthyic | October 11, 2007 6:26 PM
Maybe there is a closet secular humanist producer at Fox.
nah. by that logic, there must be a closet creationist working behind the scenes at Pharyngula.
the old adage "any publicity is good publicity" would seem rather idiotic to a person in stocks in the town square as they get pummeled by rotten fruit and vegetables.
not saying that fox is doing a good job elucidating the logic behind their attacks on atheism, but those who watch fox news aren't exactly overabundant users of logic to begin with.
Faux News is the propaganda wing of the GOP. This gets Al's face associated with "War on Religion".
indeed. as ridiculous as it was, you just know it will work to mobilize the morons against Franken.
Posted by: Christian Burnham | October 11, 2007 6:28 PM
They're outraged that atheists have a voice. It's as if we're all holocaust deniers.
Posted by: Ichthyic | October 11, 2007 6:35 PM
that sounds about right. hadn't thought about it like that, but yes, it is very much like they view atheists as holocaust deniers.
of course the problem is that they project the same level of non-rational thinking that produces both a holocaust and an evolution denier on to their foes.
they simply can't help it.
Posted by: borehole | October 11, 2007 10:00 PM
I hope it's not fresh or compelling or anything. Otherwise Air America'll kill it after a couple weeks.
Posted by: Hellbound Heathen | October 11, 2007 11:04 PM
I've been listening to Freethought Radio for about a year now, and the change to Air America was pretty jarring - they've managed to make the program pretty generic now. Maybe it's just the first week under different circumstances, but I really hope that this isn't the end.
Posted by: Raynfala | October 12, 2007 10:40 AM
Bruce: Yup, I'm a Minnesota resident, and I'm all too aware of what's going on here. Mr. Murdoch is using one of his many toys to try to curb Al, because, as you say, he's got a mighty fine chance of ousting Coleman.
And it'll be a mighty fine day when Al does just that.
--Raynfala
Posted by: HitMe WithIt | October 12, 2007 1:11 PM
Thanks you all for the great 'Godless' podcasts recommended in this thread. I have discovered a few more now thanks to you lot.
Cheers!
Posted by: HitMe WithIt | October 12, 2007 1:25 PM
Here is another one for those of you looking to find more podcasts of interest. I've listened to this one for a while and it's great.
Truth Driven thinking.
Direct rss podcast URL...just copy and paste into your podcast program
http://www.truthdriventhinking.com/tdt.xml