This week, I interview Evan Clark, the new Executive Director of Atheists United. We discuss the new direction of his organization, what is the next evolution for atheism, and why the “Nones” are potentially the most powerful group in America…if they can get organized! Don’t Miss out!
This episode is a very special double feature with my guest Matt Facciani, and we also introduce the very first episode of “Sketchy Podcast.” You won’t want to miss out.
This week, I interview Eiynah, of the blog Nice Mangos. She recently wrote an open letter to Ben Affleck, which went viral. So I had her on so we could talk about the hot subject of Islamophobia. If you loved the interview, don’t forget to support our Patreon Campaign. One dollar a month makes all the difference.
This week, my special guest is Vyckie Garrison who joins us to discuss her latest talk (see video below). We also chat about her recent project to save her home. You can easily contribute by buying a copy of Bible Stories. All sales this week will go to her!
This week, my guest is former Rev. Bob Ripley, who was a Senior Minister of Canada’s United Church. He’s written a new book, and joins me on the show to talk about his recent experience of coming out of the atheist closet Don’t miss out!
This week, my guest is Catherine Dunphy, former director of ‘The Clergy Project,’ and now working on an outreach project along the same vein called ‘Rational Doubt*‘ on Patheos. We talk about her childhood, her de-conversion, and her good work!
*(Update: The blog no longer exists)
This week, my special guest is Jonny Scaramanga, a talented young musician from England who is one of the finalists in my ‘Next Generation’ of Good Atheists (or T-Gang for short). If you liked him on the show, please be sure to voice your support so he can become a full time participant!
Video of Jonny as a young child defending creationism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoQmfgK4oOw
His blog about leaving fundamentalism: http://leavingfundamentalism.wordpress.com/
This week, my guest is activist AJ Johnson, who has started a new business called “Be Secular”. She joins me as we talk of transitioning from activism to business, and why the new generation of unbelievers need to pick up where we left off.
This week, my special guest is author Bridget Gaudette, who joins me to talk about her important upcoming book Grieving for the Living: Effects of Disownment in Adulthood. As I mentioned on the show, there’s only a few more days to support her Kickstarter project, so if you’re feeling generous, please don’t hesitate to donate!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1433423258/grieving-for-the-living
http://grievingfortheliving.com/
This week, I interview Josh Sobel, who is trying to fund an interesting and exciting Kickstarter project. Please, go to the site and donate any amount you can. Let’s help our fellow atheists achieve their very reasonable goals!
Kickstarter Project [1]
Booklet “Be Rational” [2]
[1] http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshsobel/the-animated-freethought-project
[2] http://www.mediafire.com/?t8292f992oabtc8
This week, my guest is veteran activist Margaret Downey, who shares her ‘deconversion’ story, her fight with the Boy Scouts of America, and her recent projects. After this interview, you may want her to adopt you!
Margaret Downey
– Freethought Society President [1]
– Founder of the Thomas Paine Memorial Committee [2]
– Margaret Downey Fanpage [3]
– Video of her Thomas Paine presentation in schools [4]
[1]http://www.ftsociety.org/tag/margaret-downey/
[2]http://www.ftsociety.org/menu/thomas-paine-memorial-committee/
[3]http://www.margaretdowney.com/
[4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi_y35-dPVs
After building a makeshift recording setup, I was able to interview Professor of Native Archeology Dean R. Snow to talk about the legend of the Great Peacemaker, the structure of Native society, and how things might have played out differently if not for the European Invasion.
NOTES:
Dr. Dean R. Snow, Professor of Archeology at Penn State. Author of “Archeology of North America”,
Difficulty finding reliable material on the subject that wasn’t marred by attempts to mythologize and aggrandize Native History. Is that fair?.
Part 1: The Great Peacemaker
An attempt is made on his life, by a family relative at a young age
He is persecuted by his own people who do not understand him.
Claims to be speaking on behalf of a greater power to establish new laws and ensure a new peace after a time of strife.
In order to prove his claim, he performs a series of superhuman feats.
Was there an element of Native society that in fact precipitated the spread of illness? Were longhouses inadequate to the task of natural quarantine barriers?
The meaning of Hiawatha or Hayonwhatha, Ha-yon-wha-tha, is “he who seeks his lost mind and knows where to find it,” or possibly a more spiritual rendering might be “he who seeks his ideal and knows where to realize it.”
The Great Peace seems to coincide with Samuel de Champlain’s arrival and subsequent war with the Natives. Was this a civilizing pressure? And external threat they could rally around?
Dr. Snow’s Books:
1. Archeology of Native North America[1]
2. The Iroquois (Peoples of America)[2]
[1]http://www.amazon.com/Archaeology-Native-North-America-Dean/dp/013615686X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357943004&sr=1-2
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Iroquois-Peoples-America-Dean-Snow/dp/1557869383
This week, my special guest is Vyckie Garrisson, founder of “No Longer Quivering”*, a movement aimed at helping victims of spiritual abuse. She joins me to talk about her past in the movement, the challenges facing women in the atheism scene, and so much more.
*(Update: The site no longer exists)
This week, my special guest is author, linguist, and podcaster Karen Stollznow. On the show, we discuss the dangers of faith healing and other dangerous pseudoscience, her upcoming books, and some of the more hilarious bunk beliefs. Come and get your fix, people.
Notes for the show:
– Tam Talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woViCFeDFcU
– Website: http://www.karenstollznow.com
– Monster Talk podcast: http://www.skeptic.com/podcasts/monstertalk/
– JREF Swift blog: http://www.randi.org/site/
– Good Word (formerly The Naked Skeptic) column for CSI:http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/archive/category/the_good_word
– Bad Language column for Skeptic magazine: http://www.skeptic.com/magazine/
– Twitter Feed:@karenstollznow
