Ask an Atheist radio program taped before live HSGP audience

On Tuesday the Humanist Community Center hosted the Ask an Atheist radio program for a "live audience" taping of an episode to be broadcast sometime later this summer.  Co-Host Sam Mulvey softened up the crowd of about 40 people with a short presentation on "Nones", or those people who respond to religious surveys by answering "None".   Some analysts have pointed to the rising percentage of "Nones" in surveys as an indication that the atheist community is growing proportionately.  Sam pointed out that this is not necessarily true because "Nones" include people who believe in a god but who just don't like organized religion, folks who believe in what he calls "Woo" or supernatural forces as well as the various types of true non-believers.

Sam and his lovely wife/co-host Becky Friedman then began the "live taping" portion of the program with some snappy Humanist repartee between them and current HSGP president Richard Dewey who held up his end of the program admirably.  (Maybe there's a new career for you, Richard!)  This was followed by questions from the "live" audience.  The program ended up with Sam and Becky answering questions that had previously been emailed by listeners.  The live audience clapped and laughed in all the right places.

Sam and Becky lived in the Phoenix area before moving to Tacoma, Washington in 2008 and a running joke throughout the interchange was that Sam has regularly trashed Phoenix on his radio program.  He asked forgiveness for his "sins" now that it had been revealed to him that this area is home to a variety of non-believers, organized and otherwise.  The pair are on a road trip and have taken the opportunity to visit non-believer groups along their route.  Their next scheduled stop is Tucson on July 19.

You can listen to past broadcasts by going to the show's website at askanatheist.tv    With any luck at all, the HSGP episode will be appearing soon.  If not, check back later.