Brain Surgery

Brain Surgery

Author: Freedom From Religion Foundation June 18, 2026 Duration: 49:23

Neurosurgeon Dr. Vivekanand Palavali joins us to examine how science unravels near-death and out-of-body experiences. Then, we hear from members of the Congressional Freethought Caucus who are pushing back against Christian nationalism and the false claim that America was founded as a Christian nation.


Tune in to Freethought Radio, a weekly hour-long conversation from the heart of Madison, Wisconsin, hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, who lead the Freedom From Religion Foundation. This podcast offers a direct line to their live Saturday broadcast, bringing you a mix of candid discussion, current events analysis, and the occasional musical interlude, all from a distinctly secular perspective. Each episode delves into the intersection of reason, politics, and culture, challenging religious privilege while advocating for the separation of church and state. You’ll hear interviews with authors, activists, and thinkers, alongside the hosts' own commentary, which is often insightful and deliberately irreverent. It’s a program for anyone questioning dogma, valuing scientific inquiry, or simply curious about life outside traditional faith structures. The tone is more like a spirited coffee shop debate than a lecture, making complex issues around belief and disbelief accessible and engaging. Listening to this podcast feels like joining a long-running, principled discussion that’s both timely and timeless, grounded in the ongoing work of one of the nation’s most prominent organizations advocating for freethinkers.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Freethought Radio
Podcast Episodes
The Edited Commandments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:48
FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott tells us about the disappointing 5th-Circuit appeals decision allowing Ten Commandments in Texas public schools. Then, author and columnist Kate Cohen tells us "Why Exodus Needs a Rewr…
Texas Courage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:24
After offering a fresh perspective on President Trump masquerading as Jesus and other news of the week, we interview Johnnie Cotton, a Texas band director who resigned rather than put up a Ten Commandments poster in his…
First Amendment hero [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
Theocrats are active in our federal government and also from beyond the moon! After FFRF staff attorney Sammi Lawrence describes recent state/church victories, we honor the life, words and legacy of Ishmael Jaffree, whos…
Conversion Therapy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:44
Attorney Sam Grover describes FFRF's court victory demanding the removal of the Ten Commandments from the Arkansas capitol. Then, activist Lucas F. W. Wilson, a survivor of "conversion therapy," discusses his book "Shame…
Hi, I'm an Atheist! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:24
After reporting on a deluge of Christian nationalist rhetoric from Congress, the White House and the Pentagon, we talk with David G. McAfee, author of the book "Hi, I'm an Atheist! What That Means and How to Talk About I…
Permanent Injunction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:43
After we cover state/church news in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Maryland, FFRF attorney Chris Line dissects the so-called "Religious Liberty Commission" and FFRF attorney Nancy Noet tells us about this week's decision…
Christian Nationalist Zionists [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:24
We talk about the Iran war with Mother Jones national correspondent Kiera Butler, author of the article: "Trump's Holy Warriors Finally Got the Apocalypse They've Prayed For."
Free Betty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:43
Moroccan feminist/activist/freethinker Ibtissame ("Betty") Lachgar is in prison for wearing a T-shirt that insulted Islam. Hear about her harrowing story and about how you can help to free her.
A Teacher's Dilemma [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:25
After reporting state/church news, we talk with Texas schoolteacher Gigi Cervantes who tells us why she quit her job rather than force the Ten Commandments on students.
Black Secularism and the Scopes Trial: A Century of Freethought [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
FFRF Communications Director Amit Pal and FFRF Multimedia Producer Leo Costello break down the latest state-church headlines, including troubling rhetoric at the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance led by House…