History of Disbelief Hits National Television
April 26, 2007
To kick off the U.S. premier of a
groundbreaking three-part television documentary, "A Brief History of
Disbelief," its host Jonathan Miller will appear on the "Bill Moyers
Journal" May 4 at 9 p.m. The unprecedented documentary, co-sponsored by the
American Humanist Association, will premier on public television stations in
some markets that same day and in others over the following weeks.
The American Humanist Association applauds the programming decision that
made this possible. The documentary, which was written by Miller, is the
first-ever historical account of nontheism on television. It outlines
nontheistic and humanist views from the first religious skeptics in ancient
Greece through the influence of disbelief in the founding of the United
States to the role of humanism in public life today. (A promo of "A Brief
History of Disbelief" can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc2n4r-0sLU.)
"This compelling documentary series fills an important gap in the public's
understanding of the long and complex history of nontheism," said Roy
Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. "This
series dispels the common misperception that nonbelief is a modern
invention. In fact, it's as old as civilization itself."
Said Fred Edwords, director of communications for the American Humanist
Association: "'A Brief History of Disbelief' shows an important change in
attitude about nontheism. People are starting to realize what Humanists have
always known: that lack of a god belief doesn't mean the lack of morality.
As a result of this, nontheism is beginning to gain acceptance in the public
square. One needs only look at the warm reception of Representative Pete
Stark's announcement that he is a nontheist, or the fact that recent atheist
books by Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and Daniel Dennett have made it to
best-seller status. Attitudes are clearly changing as people are persuaded
by Humanist ideals."
The series will feature interviews with leading authorities, such as Richard
Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, the late Arthur Miller, and Steven Weinberg. Part I
of the series, titled "Shadows of Doubt," considers the religious
implications of 9/11 and examines theories of the psychology of religious
belief. In Part II, "Noughts and Crosses," Miller considers the re-emergence
of disbelief in the Renaissance and Enlightenment as well as the perils of
challenging religious faith. "The Final Hour" illuminates the theories and
philosophies of influential thinkers like Thomas Paine, Charles Darwin, and
Sigmund Freud, as well as their impact on the way we see religion today.
Funding for the U.S. premier of "A Brief History of Disbelief" is provided
by the American Humanist Association, American Ethical Union, Center for
Inquiry, HKH Foundation, and Institute for Humanist Studies. The program
originally aired on the BBC in the United Kingdom.
