THIS WEEK – The Chaplain on Deconversion ... and W on "Deal or No Deal"
The Herd interrogates fellow member of the Atheosphere - The Chaplain. This is our offering to any aspiring atheist who is somewhat skittish about the process of freeing himself or herself from superstition. (0:00)
We delve into the deconversion of the Chaplain and are surprised to find out what evolution had to do with it. (16:29)
Chappy tells us about her religious background and how she began moving away from it. "Put a nickel on the drum, save another drunken bum"... None of the Herd knows much about the Salvation Army and Chappy enlightens us. John Wilkes Booth wasn't the only holy horror with that surname back in 1865. Ex wants to know if Chappy is now trying to "save" religious folks. (32:31)
Why all the great Christian authors couldn't persuade the Chaplain to avoid atheism. Which atheist screeds had an impact on her. Making a clean break - denial, grief, anger, and finally acceptance. Moving into the Atheosphere and dealing with family and friends. Hiding the atheistic porn. (51:02)
Finally, what the fuck is "W" doing appearing on game shows and why do we need to know which celebrities support each of the candidates? Who is a bigger turn-off, Barbara Streisand or Oprah Winfrey? (1:02:02)
Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [15:17]: excerpt from "Crouching Christian Hidden Atheist"
Bridge Music [31:30]: excerpt from "Jesus Loves Me feat. Satan"
Bridge Music [49:39]: excerpt from "One of Many"
Closing Music [1:13:27]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Another Goddamned Podcast #12:
April 24, 2008
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Another Goddamned Podcast #11:
April 17, 2008
THIS WEEK – Abortions, Faith-Based Initiatives, and Debating the Debate
As surprising as listeners may find this, Ex is pissed off! He tears into the recent Compassion Forum (renaming it the Compulsion Forum). Although he has several beefs (or is it "beeves"?) he and Philly zero in on the candidates' responses to questions on abortion. (0:00)
Obama says that abortion is a "moral decision" and a "wrenching choice." Are there any actual moral issues involved in abortions early in the pregnancy, or is the word "moral" just Obama's way of pandering to the religious? (15:57)
Faith-based initiatives and Establishment. We all pretty much agree with James Madison, even though he was not an atheist blogger. (32:18)
Attacks on Obama: why has he shown an utter inability to handle them better? Does he appear as un-Presidential to you as he does to Ex? What should he be saying in his own defense? Evo wonders whether Obama modifies his debating style because of perceived racial prejudices that he faces. But OG counters that it's really Hillary who has a tougher bias to overcome. The boys gang up on OG, badgering her to accept there is no anti-feminist sentiment in the electorate. Then, Philly tells the herd why he would accept an invitation to a religious forum if he were a candidate. (51:07)
Normally, this spot in the podcast would be devoted to out-takes. In this podcast, however, it's just more in-put. During a long break, the Herd can't seem to abort its discussion. (1:10:54)
Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [14:34]: excerpt from "One of Many"
Bridge Music [31:01]: excerpt from "Disco is Not Dead"
Bridge Music [49:51]: excerpt from "Child of the 80s"
Bridge Music [1:04:01]: excerpt from "Arkansas Traveler"
Closing Music [1:10:16]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Another Goddamned Podcast #10:
April 10, 2008
THIS WEEK – Free Speech, Fred Phelps, Sneaky OG ... and the AGP Medal of Honor
The Westboro Baptist Church may have to close up shop. Hooray! Or ... wait a minute. Is free speech inviolable? The Herd takes SI to task for his published position on the Fred Phelps case. (0:00)
More on free speech and Nazis, and Fred Phelps. (16:35)
Well, speech may be free -- but does it have to go on for so long? The discussion finally draws to a close. (34:14)
The Herd's original vision for this podcast, in Philly's words, was a Heretic Happy Hour. Frequently, we find one another so stimulating and/or annoying that we can't resist shooting the shit even when we're not bantering about the week's agreed-upon topics. OG, our sneaky engineer and editor, often records these encounters. Here's a segment of one such conversation. (40:23)
Introducing the AGP Medal of Honor, which is awarded to its first recipient. This week's poll results are not really a surprise. (1:03:23)
Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [15:33]: excerpt from "Swing to the Left"
Bridge Music [31:27]: excerpt from "The Atheist's Hymn"
Bridge Music [39:49]: excerpt from "Middle Earth"
Bridge Music [1:04:01]: excerpt from "Arkansas Traveler"
Closing Music [1:06:53]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Another Goddamned Podcast #9:
April 3, 2008
THIS WEEK – Atheists, Agnostics, Antitheists ... and Superstitious "Rationalists"
Listener Venjanz asks the Herd to explain what we mean when we say "atheist," "agnostic," or "antitheist." We begin a discussion of these terms, not in reference to their dictionary definitions, but in reference to what they mean to us when we use them in our writing and our conversation. We briefly examine the concept of evidence. (0:00)
The discussion continues. Ex wonders if we shouldn't call ourselves "a-fideists." SI claims that "god" is a term for the entire supernatural realm. But OG points out that everyone, atheists included, may have some superstitious beliefs. (16:52)
More on atheists and superstititon. Philly thinks it's possible to be an atheist and still not be a skeptic. Do any of us carry a rabbit's foot, or wear a lucky shirt? Evo is skeptical about that. Somehow the conversation comes around to Mac vs. PC, vanilla vs. chocolate, and rationalizations in general. Knock on wood, it stays pretty lively. (31:23)
Poll results. Ex fulminates about the poll-takers and accuses them of irrational rationalizing. Evo disagrees. (48:49)
Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [16:03]: excerpt from "Heathen Boogie"
Bridge Music [30:27]: excerpt from "Latin Down the Hatches"
Bridge Music [47:36]: excerpt from "Crouching Christian Hidden Atheist"
Closing Music [57:08]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Another Goddamned Podcast #8:
March 27, 2008
THIS WEEK – Why We Don't Believe in Any Gods, Is America a Christian Nation?, Atheist Colors ... and OG on the Accordion!
A listener has posed the question: "How come you guys don't believe in any gods?" The Herd discusses whether or not to respond. SI gets called to the phone. (0:00)
Is America a Christian nation? Most of us think not. We also discuss whether America might be a Jewish nation, or a Muslim nation, or a Wiccan nation. Nope, none of those, either. (32:50)
Ex is pissed off that atheists seem to have chosen red as our color; he thinks it makes us look too "gullible." Philly explains the color wheel. We all weigh in on our favorite colors, then discuss songs with colors in their titles. Evo sings his rendition of "Red Roses for a Blue Lady." And OG gives an amazing performance of "Purple Haze" — on the accordion! (48:55)
Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft" - Rachel Murie (copyright 2008)
Bridge Music [15:05]: excerpt from "Yo, Mary"
Bridge Music [31:00]: excerpt from "I'm a Little Teapot in a Minor Key"
Bridge Music [47:10]: excerpt from "Village Dawn" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Closing Music [59:30]: excerpt from "Holy Wholly Holey"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Muriel Rachie except where noted)
