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Free Inquiry Audio Edition

Center for Inquiry

The audio edition of Free Inquiry magazine, the Journal for Secular Humanist Ideas.

society & culture

All Episodes

07:17

Rethinking Jesus: The Morality and the Myth by David...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2026/01/23

David W. Falls argues that Jesus's moral authority should not be exempt from critical scrutiny, noting that several Gospel teachings promote division, unquestioning loyalty, punishment, and exclusion rather than empathy and autonomy. He contends that secular ethics should judge Jesus's teachings like any other moral claims—by their coherence and consequences—rather than granting them immunity through tradition or reverence. Read this article and find accompanying references at:

04:29

The Holy Trinity by Duke Mertz

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2026/01/21

The article argues that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not grounded in the original New Testament texts but emerged later through theological additions and editorial expansions. Duke Mertz contends that the Trinity is better explained as a reinterpretation of pagan mystery cult initiation rites, later formalized by church authorities such as the Council of Nicaea to impose doctrinal unity. Read this article and find accompanying references at:

04:09

Onward Christian Soldiers—Trump's America by Ronald...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2026/01/14

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

03:23

Christmas A La Carte by Ronald A. Lindsay

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/12/24

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

04:22

The Hamster Wheel of Catholic Reform by Ronald A....

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/12/17

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:

34:57

The Long Surrender: A Memoir about Losing My Religion...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/12/12

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

46:42

The Blowtorch and the Butterfly: Deconstructing Death...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/12/10

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

26:49

Is Prison AS or FOR Punishment? by Paul Schlueter III

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/12/05

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

27:34

In Defense of Retribution by Christo Roberts

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/12/03

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

16:09

Criminal Justice in General, Capital Punishment in...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/11/26

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

04:48

Thanksgiving Thoughts by Ronald A. Lindsay

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/11/21

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:

03:58

God Is Anti-Vax by Ronald A. Lindsay

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/11/19

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

04:36

No Checks or Balances? by Ronald A. Lindsay

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/11/12

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:

03:38

Government Sponsored Revival Meetings? by Ronald A....

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/11/05

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:

04:56

The Tedium of Faith, As Lived and As Promised by...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/10/29

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:

09:32

Bangladesh on the Brink: Shadow Powers, Political...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/10/22

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:

04:53

Democracy—The Good News and the Bad News by Ronald A....

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/10/15

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

34:01

We Know That God Does Not Exist by Gary Whittenberger

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/10/08

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

06:44

Brace Yourself for Trump’s Version of American...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/10/01

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

24:22

How Similar Are Human and Chimp Genomes, Really?...

Free Inquiry Audio Edition ·

2025/09/24

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:

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