In the face of national tragedy, our leaders always proclaim that religious faith alone can help us get through the heartache. But how do you get through a tragedy if you have no religious faith? Nearly every public address by an American leader ends with “God bless America.” But what if those words mean nothing to you? Prominent Atheist writer and thinker Susan Jacoby joins Welton this week on State of Belief to discuss what the non-religious community has to offer in our national dialogue on vital issues – and why the community must stop standing on the sidelines. In addition to serving as the program director of the New York branch of the Center for Inquiry, she’s the author of a recent compelling New York Times column entitled “The Blessings of Atheism” and of the forthcoming book: The Great Agnostic: Robert Ingersoll and American Freethought.
A Word from Welton: Rev. Gaddy Goes the Inaugural
As a part of this week’s show we hear several perspectives on the religious elements of President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. Welton had the opportunity to attend some of the festivities, and shares his experiences and thoughts about what he saw and heard.