Another Goddamned Podcast #28: August 21, 2008

THIS WEEK - An Unusually Happy Episode

Original audio source

Ex surprises The Herd by asking if we're happy. Find out exactly why Chappy is. What do we make of various studies "showing" a greater happiness for woo-ists than others? The first one we look at claims higher levels of mental disorder for women who have eased up on their lifelong religious practice. Is there gender stereotyping involved? How much of church-going is about socializing? Oh, and Philly: We love you man! (0:00)

Another study. Is it science? And, more importantly, what does it prove? Philly knows lots of things besides religion that make people "happy." Evo wonders if Christians are like people with mental handicaps. We briefly pay homage to various cheery animals. Chappy, quoting Paul, tells us why slaves might be happy. But what about us atheists? Does skepticism make people somewhat uncomfortable? (14:01)

Is OG floating in limbo, or does she have a purpose driven life? What's the 4-Point Plan for Happiness — and why is it brought to us by a scientist? Are any of our brave listeners willing to volunteer to be part of SI's social network? (27:58)

OG practically steps on other members of The Herd in her excitement to answer a question: Did she ever get self-esteem from god? Ummmm ... does anyone? In any religion? Philly thinks "meaning" a meaningless word. Which brings us to: Would atheist weddings and baby-naming ceremonies make us happy? Not Ex — until SI ropes him back into the Herd. (42:17)

No, it's not poetry; it's the puzzler, huh? We announce Another Goddamned Correct Solution, but not from a listener. The Herd and our audience, champions of free speech, nevertheless do find some books offensive! Which ones? Hint: Voters loved Johnny Evo but hated Dinesh D'Souza. Speaking of Evo, he clears up some fuck-ups from the past, and then goes on to award two of our listeners for getting last weeks' science quiz right. (56:33)

Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [12:57]: excerpt from "Jesus Loves Me feat. Satan"
Bridge Music [27:18]: excerpt from "Highway 45"
Bridge Music [40:35]: excerpt from "The Atheist's Hymn"
Bridge Music [55:39]: excerpt from "Latin Down the Hatches"
Closing Music [1:11:52]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)

This Week's Goddamned Links
Anxious Women (Science Daily)
Are Religious People Happier? (Daily Galaxy)
Happiness and Religion (Psychology Today)
Rise of the Humanist Wedding
Atheist Baby-Naming Ceremony
Sing Along with Evo

Special Announcement


OG will be at Dragon Con from August 28 - September 1. If you plan to attend the convention and would like to give feedback on the podcast, participate in an interview, or get your very own limited edition AGP postcard (lovingly crafted by Philly, and suitable for wall framing or using as a coaster), contact OG. Click on her link in the sidebar under "Contributors," and drop her a goddamned e-note.

Puzzling Listeners

Another Goddamned Puzzle:
Wifeshui

Evo's Science Quiz:
shudd3r2th1nk, Yunshui

Another Goddamned Podcast #27: August 14, 2008

THIS WEEK - "Creation Care," Ethanol ... and Evo Screws Up

Original audio source

We have a special guest this week: Shrike, president of his local Audubon Society chapter and an active environmentalist for more than 30 years. The Herd asks him to tell us about the new green movement among evangelical Christians. Is the fundies' approach to saving the planet different from the traditional one? Do Christian bears shit in the woods? Chew on this phrase: Creation Care. Will the environmental movement be hijacked by a religious agenda? Shrike is willing to use all the help he can get. (0:00)

Or is he? Ex, fretting about religionists' involvement, poses a challenge. Would Shrike be willing to start his Audubon Society meetings with a prayer? The lifetime environmentalist doesn't have to think twice about his answer, but can you predict what it is? We wonder: If evangelicals are around, won't they ... duh ... evangelize? Philly worries what Shrike and others would be called if they walked away. (14:20)

SI finds a Creation Care website that looks mighty religious to him. After our disclaimer about Democrat bashing, we bash Obama. On ethanol. Shrike is not happy with this bogus response to the energy/environmental crisis. He likes his corn flakes and hopes a Democratic Congress will resolve this. The cynical Herd doubts that it will happen. (26:04)

Another Goddamned Puzzle, Poll and Quiz. Atheists need poetry, huh? Well, at least a different combination of those letters. Is Evo actually bright enough to be testing our listeners? We give a marginal thumbs-up to Atheist Nexus. Our conclusion: Join, but don't expect any miracles! However, do feel free to become a member of our group there. Not surprisingly, it's called ... ta-da ... "Another Goddamned Podcast." (49:11)

Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [12:57]: excerpt from "One of Many"
Bridge Music [25:00]: excerpt from "Swing to the Left"
Bridge Music [39:24]: excerpt from "Heathen Boogie"
Closing Music [51:50]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)

This Week's Goddamned Links
Creation Care
Christian Care Students Abroad
Wikipedia on Evangelical Environmentalism
Washington Post on The Greening of Evangelicals
E.O. Wilson: The Creation
David Pimentel: "Biofuel Skeptic Extraordinaire"
John Stossel report on Ethanol
Alternative Energy Source: Vertigro

Puzzling Listeners

Another Goddamned Puzzle:
Aly, J-Mil, Question Everything, Venjanz, Yunshui

Evo's Science Quiz:
Aly, Derek, EnoNomi, IsThatLatin, J-Mil, Konradius, Paul (shudd3r2th1nk), Question Everything

Another Goddamned Podcast #26: August 7, 2008

THIS WEEK - Muslims, Publishers, and Free Speech

Original audio source

Islam sucks, OK? And so do some publishing companies. We examine Random House's decision to quash the publication of Sherry Jones's book The Jewel of Medina. Why? The publisher "learned" that the novel might infuriate Muslims. Who's Denise Spellberg, and what was she thinking when she fomented Islamic hysteria? Doesn't the Random House decision just encourage threats of violence? (0:00)

The Herd wonders if there's any book that would deserve banning. It's clear that Random House cancelled publication for one reason only: Can you say "scared shitless," boys and girls? What legal rights does Jones have? We look a little harder at Spellberg and what she had to gain by worrying the editors. Why is it OK to anger other groups, but not Muslims? Philly wants to open up a new front in the so-called "War on Terror." (13:10)

We explore Muslims' responses to Western secular culture — even when they're living in that culture. Evo tells us what Sherry Jones' next move should be. We ask: What might Random House do if it was suddenly besieged by infuriated emails and calls from people who love our freedoms. (That's a hint, listeners.) Or should freethinkers simply threaten violence, just as Muslims would? Question: Is the Bush foreign policy indirectly responsible for the cancelling of Jones's book? (26:18)

Why does Denise Spellberg get us pissed off at liberals? What exactly are our government's Constitutional responsiblities to religion? Then, briefly, it's "Be Kind to Christians" Week. But that doesn't last long! (42:18)

Do we reveal the correct answer to last weeks' puzzle? Dawk! You'll have to finish listening to find out if we're lying or not. A scrupulous puzzle-solver actually turns down his AGP secret decoder ring. And don't you just live for our poll results? Finally, Evo asks: Where the fuck are our science-savvy listeners? (55:29)

Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [11:57]: excerpt from "Crouching Christian Hidden Atheist"
Bridge Music [25:17]: excerpt from "Waltz of the Dead"
Bridge Music [41:02]: excerpt from "Child of the 80s"
Bridge Music [54:12]: excerpt from "Disco is Not Dead"
Closing Music [1:05:46]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)

This Week's Goddamned Links
Asra Q. Nomani's piece in The Wall Street Journal
Denise Spellberg's Letter in Response
Amazon UK's page on The Jewel of Medina
Wikipedia on Aisha (a wife of Mohammed)
Wikipedia on Denise Spellberg (not a wife of Mohammed)
Denise Spellberg's "Liberal" Quote (scroll to bottom of page)
Contact Random House
Extreme Mohammed (nothing here by Denise Spellberg)

Puzzling Listeners
No correct answers this week, but funny ones by:
David Smith
shudd3r2th1nk
Venjanz
Yunshui

Another Goddamned Podcast #25: July 31, 2008

THIS WEEK - Angry Atheists

Original audio source

We welcome Chappy back, and then immediately attack her. Why? Well, she's been on the warpath lately and we'd like to know what she's so angry about. It turns out that OG and SI are mad about the very same thing. The other three of us may be even more furious, but for different reasons. Philly and Evo articulate theirs. Listeners are urged to form a circle and join hands. (0:00)

Ex, great sage that he is, tells us all why we're really pissed off, and we see that there are "three flavors of our discontent." OK, so how do we deal with our anger? Does our rage make us "strike out" at religionists, both in the blogosphere and in real life? Urging calm, some members of the Herd argue that we should remain logical. Philly makes an insightful point about theist arguments, which leads us to discuss the role of education in deconversion. (14:26)

Higher education is our continued focus, and we find out how it freed OG. Can it work that way on others? Ex remains rankled. Does religion require ignorance of worldly knowledge? Evo points out that there's probably nothing more worldly for a theist to do than ... what? (29:44)

Another Goddamned Puzzle is solved, but Venjanz needs a shave. Sean sends an audio file, complete with gratuituous wisecracks. In our new poser: No man is an island, but someone gets stuck on one. Evo offers a little Science Quiz, for which fantastic prizes will be awarded! (Well, our definition of "fantastic" might be a little different than yours.) Philly explains how Scientology is like the Mafia. Finally, we award a mini-medal of honor - to one of our own listeners. Find out what she did to earn it. (46:22)

Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [13:45]: excerpt from "Highway 45"
Bridge Music [28:42]: excerpt from "Jesus Loves Me feat. Satan"
Bridge Music [45:35]: excerpt from "Heathen Boogie"
Closing Music [1:00:53]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)

This Week's Goddamned Links
Is Scientology a Crime Syndicate?
Superintendent's Letter to yinyang
Sing Along with Evo
Sing Along with Philly
Sing Along with Chappy, OG, & SI
Sing Along with Ex

Puzzling Listeners
InTheSkyGirl
Sean
Venjanz
Yunshui