tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22197786253942965222017-11-15T07:30:50.751-05:00The Firebrands podcast is dedicated to critical thinking on politics, religion, philosophy, science, and social issues. The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-78196144073551094632016-12-29T23:48:00.000-05:002017-01-14T16:01:57.802-05:00

In episode 11 we sit down with human rights activist Faisal Saeed Al Mutar. Faisal was born in Iraq in 1991 and lived under both the totalitarian regimes of Saddam Hussein and the Islamists who took over in the aftermath of the US invasion in 2003. After leaving Iraq he eventually came to the US as a refugee, intent upon spreading humanist values and reforming the religion of his home country,

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-26559983777492162542016-12-22T00:15:00.000-05:002017-01-14T16:01:15.146-05:00

In episode 10 we discuss the many apparent problems that atheists have during the Christmas holiday season. Should we celebrate it or not? Is it really a Christian holiday? We also discuss money in politics, the ways to get economic populism back in power, and how the Standing Rock protest is symbolic of what corporations have done time and time again. If you'd like to be our sponsor, please

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-43087721047861411752016-12-18T15:31:00.000-05:002017-01-14T16:00:32.803-05:00

In Episode 9 the Firebrands have a conversation on the so-called Alt-Right that everybody's been talking about recently. What is it? How did it form? Should we get rid of it, and if so, how can we do that?  If you'd like to be our sponsor, please email us at firebrandspodcast@gmail.com And follow us on Twitter @The_Firebrands Plugs: Mike: Free Dumb Mitch: IFWRO.org John:

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-57569190972623170002016-12-13T01:23:00.000-05:002017-01-14T15:59:51.869-05:00

In episode 8 we decided to change things up a bit and so we each went around and talked about an issue dear to our hearts. Mike talked about his dissatisfaction with the state of atheist debaters. Mitch talked about free will not existing. And John talked about better ways we can bring rationality into political discussions. Oh yeah, and we finally got our podcast music up and running. If

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-43105025086155541012016-11-27T17:29:00.000-05:002017-01-14T15:58:42.252-05:00

In episode 7 The Firebrands talk about feminism - what it is, and what are the problems with it? If you'd like to be our sponsor, please email us at firebrandspodcast@gmail.comAnd follow us on Twitter @The_Firebrands  Plugs: John: Reason Revival: http://www.reasonrevival.net/ Andrew: Atheists are smarter and you should be one Erin: Shout out to feminists you should pay

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-37627435855994706032016-11-17T22:45:00.002-05:002017-02-04T12:55:55.785-05:00

In episode 6 the Firebrands talk about Donald Trump winning the presidential election. How did it happen? What are the consequences for secularism? We discuss the many angles to this shocking election outcome. If you'd like to be our sponsor, please email us at firebrandspodcast@gmail.com And follow us on Twitter @The_Firebrands Plugs: Andrew: Sanity Mitch: @FreeWillIsFalse & The

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-21153921229487305412016-11-07T14:00:00.000-05:002017-01-14T15:54:36.998-05:00

In episode 5 we have a frank discussion about the upcoming election, and why we're all dissatisfied with it. We discuss who we're going to vote for and why we're voting for them, plus Mike makes his electoral college prediction. And then we talk about the Southern Poverty Law Center's recent decision to add Maajid Nawaz and Ayaan Hirsi Ali to their list of "Anti-Muslim Extremists" and why this

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-70483700480263640012016-10-02T17:26:00.000-04:002017-01-14T15:51:54.193-05:00

In episode 4 we interview two local atheists about their experiences coming to atheism and dealing with religion growing up. First up, Rachel Tobias is an atheist activist and the former head of Long Island Atheists who was raised in a "conservadox" Jewish family (conservative + orthodox). Kenyae Azikiwe is a recent member of the local Gotham Atheists group who grew up in a Christian family

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-86712579151838015772016-09-20T00:05:00.000-04:002017-01-14T15:49:51.009-05:00

As atheists, we tend to focus on religious beliefs that we think are irrational, but in episode 3 we have a conversation about irrational non-religious beliefs. We discuss several of the irrational non-religious beliefs we've heard over the years, like ancient aliens, astrology, the moon landing conspiracy, and karma, along with why people tend to believe these things. Links: Mike's

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-7347381797022167962016-08-23T23:46:00.000-04:002017-01-14T15:48:40.046-05:00

On our second episode we introduce ourselves as the "firebrands" and talk about what motivates us in the broader atheist and secular movements. We also talk about the problems and morality surrounding honor killings, particularly the recent honor killing of Qandeel Baloch, who gained a reputation as the 'Pakistani Kim Kardashian.' Links: Protests Erupt over Honor Killing of 'Pakistan's Kim

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2219778625394296522.post-1918800106725163622016-08-15T23:13:00.001-04:002017-01-14T16:03:16.312-05:00

In our first ever episode we have a round table discussion on the question, "What is the Regressive Left?" The term is being used (often pejoratively) more and more to refer to a segment of left-leaning thinkers who contrast from the so called "classical liberals." Regressive leftism is generally defined as "a section of left-wing politics which is accused of paradoxically holding reactionary

The Thinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303015383137218932noreply@blogger.com0