Reginald Vaughn Finley, Sr.

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Reginald Vaughn Finley, Sr., (born in 1974), is an Internet radio host and Podcaster in Atlanta, GA. He is also the co-founder of the Atheist Radio Network and founder of FreethoughtMedia.com. Finley is better known as "The Infidel Guy" and has been conducting his show for almost 8 years.

His show features a range of personalities from across the philosophical spectrum. Previous guests have been famous scientists Michio Kaku and Richard Dawkins, lawyer Michael Newdow, creationist Kent Hovind and Reverend Fred Phelps' son Tim Phelps.

As of November 2006 Finley is in the process of changing the format of his radio show and website, to be more inclusive and cover a wider range of topics beyond atheism and freethought.

Finley attended Methodist and Baptist churches in his teens and is a former Federal Correctional Officer and U.S. Army veteran. In college, he discovered religious history and philosophy courses. After his studies led him to a course about atheism at St. Leo College at Fort McPherson, Georgia, Finley announced he is an atheist.

"If people need their God belief to get through their pain, so be it. The biggest difficulty I have is when people in the political arena who have fundamentalist beliefs try to change laws to suit their fundamentalist belief systems. We can look at Afghanistan and see that doesn't work." - Reginald Finley, as quoted in the Atlanta Journal Constitution

His family appeared on ABC's reality show Wife Swap on November 28, 2005 [1]. Many fans and friends who knew the Finleys believe they were mischaracterized on the show. A program later produced by IG and his wife confirmed it. [2] Reginald Finley, Sr. served in the military for several years and received an honorable discharge.

[edit] The Origins of "The Infidel Guy"

Finley's moniker "the Infidel Guy" originated early in his life when his then-girlfriend called herself "the Infidel Gal" as a joke about her atheism. Finley liked the name and began to call himself "the Infidel Guy." Finley claims on his site, "An infidel is, One who doubts or rejects a particular doctrine, system, or principle... therefore, 'We are ALL Infidels!'"

[edit] References

White, Gayle (October 20, 2001). "SECULAR AMERICA: Atheists uncomfortable as wounded nation turns more to religion". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, p. 1B.