The one and only Richard Dawkins is the guest on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Sunday TV show — in a unique format and revealing a previously unknown facet of his talents.
FFRF Co-President Dan Barker was recently in England to participate in a debate at Oxford and had the opportunity to visit Dawkins — the legendary scientist, atheist and author —in his home in the city. Dawkins is the author of over 60 books, including The Blind Watchmaker, The God Delusion and The Selfish Gene. Barker, a professional musician himself, was happily surprised to find out that Dawkins also has flair in that field. Barker and Dawkins delightedly engaged in some fine-tuning together in addition to having a freewheeling conversation.
“The only reason you’re good is that you’re afraid of God,” Dawkins remarks during the chat, in analyzing believers who swallow the myth that morality only can be derived from a supreme deity. “You’re afraid of going to hell. You want to earn your place in heaven again. That’s an ignoble reason to be moral.”
Alas, the number of stations broadcasting “Freethought Matters” has reduced this year due to budgetary constraints. If you don’t live in any of the marquee towns where the show broadcasts on Sunday, you can already catch the interview on FFRF’s YouTube channel. New shows go up every Thursday.
“Freethought Matters” now airs in:
- Chicago, WPWR-CW (Ch. 50), Sundays at 9 a.m
- Los Angeles, KCOP-MY (Ch. 13), Sundays at 8:30 a.m.
- Madison, Wis., WISC-TV (Ch. 3), Sundays at 11 p.m.
- New York City, WPIX-IND (Ch. 11), Sundays at 8:30 a.m.
- San Francisco, KICU-IND (Ch. 36), Sundays at 10 a.m.
- Washington, D.C., WDCW-CW (Ch. 50 or Ch. 23 or Ch. 3), Sundays at 8 a.m.
Upcoming interviews include a chat with philosopher exemplar A.C. Grayling and a show that is all about Dan Barker’s Oxford debate. You can catch interviews from past seasons here, including recent ones with Gloria Steinem, Ron Reagan, “Daily Show” co-creator Lizz Winstead, author John Irving, actor John “Q” de Lancie and award-winning columnist Katha Pollitt. Past interviews include Julia Sweeney and Reps. Jared Huffman, Jamie Raskin, Hank Johnson and Eleanor Holmes Norton, among many other notable authors, activists, musicians, actors and freethinkers.
Please tune in to “Freethought Matters” . . . because freethought matters.
P.S. Please tune in or record according to the times given above regardless of what is listed in your TV guide (it may be listed simply as “paid programming” or even be misidentified). To set up an automatic weekly recording, try taping manually by time or channel. And spread the word to freethinking friends, family or colleagues about a TV show, finally, that is dedicated to providing programming for freethinkers — your antidote to religion on Sunday morning!
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To become an FFRF member, click here. To learn more about FFRF, request information here.
