Claim OwnershipFree Inquiry Audio Edition
Subscribed: 4Played: 32
Subscribe
© 2024
Description
The audio edition of Free Inquiry magazine, the Journal for Secular Humanist Ideas.
96 Episodes
Reverse
The next installment of Unprayerful Reflections argues that the Trump administration's overt Christian messaging and policies signal a deliberate effort to redefine the United States as a militant Christian nation, eroding constitutional secularism. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/onward-christian-soldiers-trumps-america/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay argues that secular people need not avoid December 25 or conform to religious expectations when the holiday arrives. He emphasizes that Christmas is historically arbitrary and culturally syncretic, encouraging secularists to freely adopt—or discard—traditions à la carte in whatever ways bring joy, without guilt or deference to Christian claims. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/christmas-a-la-carte/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay critiques the Catholic Church's latest decision to bar women from the diaconate as another exercise in institutional paralysis, masking inaction with dense theological language to avoid alienating opposing factions. He argues that fear of undermining claims to absolute truth keeps meaningful reform perpetually out of reach, even at enormous moral and financial cost. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/the-hamster-wheel-of-catholic-reform/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
This essay is the author's abridged version of his book-length memoir, The Long Surrender: A Memoir about Losing My Religion (Wisdom Editions, 2022), available wherever books are sold. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/11/the-long-surrender-a-memoir-about-losing-my-religion/ About the Author: Brian Rush McDonald is a psychotherapist in private practice in Alexandria, Virginia. After leaving the ministry, he worked in various capacities for a couple years, from university professor to Starbucks barista before completing all the requirements to be a licensed psychotherapist. He has now been in private practice for nearly twenty years. He treats individuals who are experiencing depression, anxiety, or life adjustment issues. He also provides couples counseling. He and Kathy have been married for forty-seven years and have three adult children and three grandchildren. McDonald enjoys playing trombone in several community groups, and he and Kathy enjoy sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry
Dennis E. Curry examines the ethical contradictions surrounding the death penalty, showing how political ambition, procedural failures, and experimental execution methods expose deep moral flaws in state-sanctioned killing. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/11/the-blowtorch-and-the-butterfly-deconstructing-death-penalty-ethics/ About the Author: Dennis E. Curry, MD, is a writer, political commentator, and resident physician in psychiatry practicing in Canada. Subscribe to his newsletter at: https://denniscurry.substack.com/. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry
Editor's Note: Paul Schlueter III is serving a life sentence in Pennsylvania after being found guilty of murder in the first degree. He was charged with the death of Carol Ann Bonney in 1985. He pleaded no contest to the homicide but asserted a defense of diminished capacity, which was rejected by the court. We are publishing Mr. Schlueter's essay, because it provides a perspective on incarceration not often encountered: a perspective from the inside. In his essay, Mr. Schlueter makes various observations about the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and their employees. These observations express Mr. Schlueter's opinions, and in publishing this essay, Free Inquiry does not endorse these opinions or present them as facts. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/authors/paul-schlueter-iii/ Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry
Christo Roberts defends the moral and practical justification for punishing criminals, emphasizing that modern states cannot function without a criminal justice system. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/11/in-defense-of-retribution/ About the Author: Christo Roberts is a retired prosecutor. He lives in Cape Town, South Africa. Some of his writings can be found at Reason, Religion and Science—A Sceptical Look at Irrational Claims (https://thefreethoughdomain.wordpress.com/). Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry
Ronald A. Lindsay surveys the broader inequities of the criminal justice system before turning to punishment, arguing that while retribution and its expressive function have a place, capital punishment is only justifiable in principle for the most extreme crimes. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/11/criminal-justice-in-general-capital-punishment-in-particular/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry
Ronald A. Lindsay traces the religious and war-tinged origins of Thanksgiving, arguing that traditional proclamations depict a needy, punitive deity whose favor depends on public gratitude. He contrasts this with a secular, human-centered approach to giving thanks and expresses appreciation to Free Inquiry's readers for supporting thoughtful, nonreligious discourse. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/thanksgiving-thoughts/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry
Ronald A. Lindsay critiques the alliance between religious fundamentalists and anti-vaccine activists, highlighting Del Bigtree's claim that "God is an anti-vaxxer" as emblematic of a broader rejection of science. He warns that such figures now influence national health policy, pushing the country toward dangerous, anti-scientific approaches to public health. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/god-is-anti-vax/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay warns that congressional complacency has allowed President Trump to seize powers reserved for the legislature, particularly through his unilateral imposition of tariffs under dubious emergency authority. He argues that if the Supreme Court fails to curb this overreach, the nation's system of checks and balances may collapse under an increasingly unrestrained presidency. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/no-checks-or-balances/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay critiques claims that the Trump administration may sponsor nationwide Christian revival meetings as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of U.S. independence. He warns that such events, even if disguised as "voluntary" or patriotic, reflect the administration's ongoing effort to fuse religion with political power and erode constitutional limits on church-state separation. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/government-sponsored-revival-meetings/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay rebuts the notion that atheism is "too boring," arguing instead that it offers intellectual freedom and creative fulfillment compared to the monotony of religious ritual. He contends that the promise of eternal life is not bliss but an unending tedium, making mortality—and the self-awareness it allows—far more meaningful. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/the-tedium-of-faith-as-lived-and-as-promised/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Following the 2024 student-led uprising that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's interim government has struggled to maintain legitimacy, unleashing political persecution, Islamist violence, and judicial manipulation. Md Shafiqul Islam warns that the nation's secular democracy now teeters on collapse, with extremist factions filling the power vacuum and civil conflict threatening to engulf the region. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/bangladesh-on-the-brink-shadow-powers-political-massacre-and-the-eclipse-of-secular-democracy/ About the Author: Md Shafiqul Islam is the CEO and lead consultant at the Global Study Consultancy. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay reflects on the post-Franco democratization of Spain and the broader optimistic wave of democratic gains in Europe after the Cold War, noting that this promise has not become universal. Today, democracy faces threats from rising far-right movements within countries and coordinated efforts by authoritarian regimes, compounded by misguided U.S. foreign policy under Trump, which risks isolating America and undermining the global cause of liberal democracy. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/democracy-the-good-news-and-the-bad-news/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Gary Whittenberger argues that through reason and evidence, we can know—not just believe—that God does not exist. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/09/we-know-that-god-does-not-exist/ About the Author: Gary J. Whittenberger, PhD, is an independent writer and retired psychologist, now living in Valley Village, California. He was formerly a leader in many freethought groups in Tallahassee, Florida. He received his doctoral degree from Florida State University, after which he worked for twenty-three years as a psychologist in prisons. He has written many published articles on philosophy, religion, science, and psychology. He is the author of three books: God Wants You to Be an Atheist: The Startling Conclusion from a Rational Analysis, God and Natural Disasters: A Debate Between an Atheist and a Christian, and most recently God, Evil, and Morality: A Debate. He may be reached by email at whittfamily76@gmail.com. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay warns that Trump's Task Force 250 and partnership with Hillsdale College will use the Semiquincentennial to push a distorted, Christian nationalist version of U.S. history. He argues this false narrative undermines the Constitution and ignores the Founders' commitment to secular government. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/09/brace-yourself-for-trumps-version-of-american-history/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Nathan H. Lents explains why genome comparisons are complex and shows that humans and chimpanzees remain 98–99% genetically similar, despite creationist Casey Luskin's misrepresentation of new data. He warns that such distortions reflect broader attempts by ideologues to undermine science and push pseudoscience into classrooms. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/09/how-similar-are-human-and-chimp-genomes-really-quantifying-genetic-difference-isnt-straightforward/ About the Author: Nathan H. Lents, PhD, is professor of biology at John Jay College of The City University of New York, visiting professor of forensic biology at the University of Lincoln (U.K.), and an elected fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). In addition to his research interests in genome evolution and forensic genetics, he is an active science writer and media commentator and is the author of three books: Not So Different, Human Errors, and the forthcoming The Sexual Evolution. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay condemns Charlie Kirk's murder but warns that Trump is exploiting it as a pretext to erode civil liberties, silence dissent, and target liberal institutions. Drawing a parallel to the Reichstag fire, he cautions that creeping authoritarianism in the U.S. may escalate further than many expect. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/the-murder-of-kirk-trumps-reichstag-fire/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Ronald A. Lindsay exposes Abdullah Hashem as a self-declared prophet blending Christianity and Islam and shows how such figures exploit followers to amass power and wealth. He argues that the psychological appeal of surrendering autonomy explains why people repeatedly fall for charlatans, and cautions that secular ideologies can produce similar cultish dynamics. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/the-madness-of-following-prophets/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States