ELLEN JOHNSON ON CBS NEWS “SUNDAY MORNING” TO DISCUSS ROLE OF ATHEISM & ATHEISTSTHIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2007 — 9:00 AM ET ELLEN JOHNSON, President of American Atheists will be one of the guests on the CBS News program “CBS Sunday Morning” this coming Sunday, August 19, 2007. The show airs at 9:00 AM ET; check your local listings. Ms. Johnson will be discussing the latest wave of popular books on Atheism, and role that religion and Atheism now plays in the country. Other guests include Julia Sweeney, Christopher Hitchens, and Boston University Professor Stephen Prothero. WHO & WHAT: Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists on “CBS Sunday Morning” program on the role of Atheism and religion in civic life. WHEN: This Sunday, August 19, 2007 — 9:00 AM ET, check local listings. WHERE: CBS “Sunday Morning” program on the CBS Network. MORE INFO: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/sunday/main3445.shtml (see: “Atheists Make Their Case Against God.”) AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for Atheists; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.
Is Ellen shipping out…?
I’m curious though…how can an atheist give an honest assesment on the role religion has on civic life…?
That is unless she’s merely going to complain…
Well, atheists are allowed to have opinions in this country, and they even let us voice them sometimes.
Sux to be you, huh? Sorry if you don’t like it.
As for honesty, you’ve been spending too much time with preachers.
I don’t know which side Professor Prothero endorses, but with Ellen, Julia and Christopher on the panel, maybe the atheist voice might just get some air time.
Looking forward to it, tho it means forgoing dome of my worship at St. Mattress of the Springs.
Karen,
9AM? I’ll probably be worshiping at the Church of the Spanking Monkey, Our Lady of the Morning Wood…
We have got to take up a collection and get TIVO for Karen!
14 billion years old…eh?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/08/16/scispeed116.xml
Anyone want to comment on the length of time a soul exists after the death of the “vessel”. Is it only untill the end of the universe? Or is it really eternal? That scares me a bit – what if I get bored?
Sorry phreedm,
How does this story impact upon our estimation for the age of the universe?
phreedm,
So how old is your estimation? 4004 BC by any chance?
Hey pixel
Glad to see you posting more often again. I’ve missed you.
TIVO for the goddess. Yay!
what’s a TIVO?
Danger
It’s a digital video recording machine.
News flash!
Jenna Bush says “I will”.
Question was: Will you be getting married solely to change your name?
Karen,
Reminds me of when I used to drink alcohol. Sunday mornings were always reserved for praying to St. Porcelin of the Bowl.
It also reminds me of the rare, but beautiful Red headed, double brested, mattress thrasher that would occasionally show up in the barracks on week-ends. She was a lovely creature!
***On Topic***
Maybe Ellen will get more than 5 minutes to be shared between shouting thiests. With Julia and Christopher on the panel, it would appear they at least plan on giving us a fair shake, for once.
I suggest we all write to CBS after the fact, to say thank you, assuming they are (god I hate this phrase) fair and balanced.
Wow- something for the last house on earth that doesn’t have cable tv
I have to work but I will try and set up the vcr. Looking forward to seeing this
Sunday Morning is probably my favorite TV show and has been for many years. I’m looking for a fair shot for Ellen and the others. Hope I’m not disappointed.
Danger,
I’ve always wondered what in hell…oops, I mean heaven, a ’soul’ is going to do for eons myself. If you have no body there wouldn’t be even the bathing/brushing/clipping of the fingernails stuff to take up time without end.
Xians appear to envision angels with harps, white fluffy clouds and the like, but even that wouldn’t do it for me since I’m afraid of heights and have no musical ability whatsoever. I’m not crazy about storms either and seems like it could get a whole lot scary up there with all that lightening zapping every which way. And think of the noise! But wait, do ’souls’ have ears do you think? Maybe not, so maybe the loud booming wouldn’t bother, but then they must because I’ve seen lots of pictures of angels with harps. Hummmmm . . .
I think we need a good xian to provide answers here.
phreedm
wants to know how an atheist can give an honest judgement on the role of religion in civic life.
well phreedm personally i think there is a difference between belief in a god and religion.i would submit that religion can flourish best when it stays out of gov’t.look at europe it is not the state church that is vibrant but the religions independent of the state. american church is at a crossroads it can choose to be appendage of gov’t or a community of likeminded people but not both.i would be wary of the karl roves of this world.
I have often wondered about the “heaven” aspect of the Xian religion.
On one hand they proclaim it will be perfection and neverending bliss but on the other they tell a tale of a WAR in heaven between God and Lucifer that ended with “people” being cast out of heaven.
So that story implies there is discontent, choice and PUNISHMENT in heaven.
Maybe one of the Xian lurkers can explain this to me…
vahalla sounds alot more fun.what was constantine the great thinking when he created christian religion.
If everyone on this blog tunes in the can quadruple their ratings!
If you’re really interested in heaven, check out a book by Randy Alcorn called “Heaven”.
Toad,
If you are really interested in heaven, check out a book by Gribbin & Godwin, called, “origins- Our place in Hubbels Universe.”
You will see some truly amazing things in this coffee table book. Virtually every page is a full color picture from the HST. What you will not see is: Angels, pearly gates, St. Peter, God, or fluffy clouds. Oh wait. There are fluffy clouds of Hydrogen, thousands of times more massive than our solar system. But still nobody playing harps on them.
I just saw it, and frankly I was rather disappointed. Every time the atheist (Hitches, Sweeney, or Johnson) made a point, they had a religious person right there with response. Problem is, they never had the atheist come back with a response to the religious response. Then they ended up with an endorsement of faith at the end–as if evidence in these matters does not matter at all.
It would be find if the religious would stick with their faith was a personal thing and not push it on others. But too often this is not what they do and this is the problem…
I wanted to ask Sweeney’s mother that if faith was such a personal thing, why doesn’t she *support* Julia’s honest search for truth?
I just saw it also. Ellen Johnson is hot. This is more evidence atheist women are better looking than holy rollers.
The theists on the show admitted there is no evidence for their magic man. That’s progress. I have no respect for theists who think they can prove God.
Why do theists, who admit their beliefs have no evidence, believe these goofy things anyway? Probably it’s because they have been brainwashed ever since they were 1 year old.
Theists have mastered the art of brainwashing. Before their children learn how to walk, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish parents are drilling god crap into their gullible minds. That’s why it will take centuries (or forever?) before the world grows up.
Agreed, MIKAYLA, but all in all I felt it was the least biased discussion I’ve seen on television regarding atheists.
I did like the point made by the guy on the side of religion that because xians are no longer respectful of the beliefs of others that we atheists have been obliged to become more vocal.
GodFree, I noticed that remark also. A theist actually agreed atheists have a good reason to speak out against religious insanity. I was surprised and pleased to hear this on an American TV news program.
I liked Ellen Johnson’s comments about how so many people we see every day are atheists, but it’s not likely we know they are athests. She talked about atheists who keep their non-beliefs to themselves.
It’s unfortunate so many atheists are closet atheists. Most likely they just don’t want to put up with theists trying to convert them. I noticed whenever I tell a theist I’m an atheist, I am given a free Bible. I have received so many of these worthless books, I probably own more Bibles than most theists.
I once was waiting in line at a store to buy something and the lady behind me looked like she was in a hurry so I let her in front of me. She then started talking about her Jesus crap. I thought here was a chance to show her atheists are nice people so I told her I was an atheist. I regretted it because I then had to listen to non-stop lies about evolution and other god baloney. It just wasn’t worth it. I know I shouldn’t but I keep quiet about my atheism now.
Bob,
That’ll show ya! It was probably an inappropriate place to get into a discussion with a theist and that must have been a frustrating experience. For the most part it’s like bashing your head against a brick wall anyway when you deal with closed minds.
I keep semi-quiet, but only because I worry that being too out-spoken would endanger my daughter’s job. So I kind of evaluate who I’m talking with and then most of the time try and come at it through the back door, so to speak. I always hope that if I can start a discussion and bring even thimble full of doubt that it is usually better than slapping them in the face right off with something they aren’t ready to hear.
I also don’t reveal my non-belief to a most of my relatives for the simple reason that I know it would cause distress and worry for them. One especially would see me sizzling in hell for eternity and worry herself sick. No upside here in discussing the topic as there isn’t a chance she could question her faith without fear of hell fire herself.
But we must keep on keeping on where we can. And I count today’s segment on Sunday Morning as a nice plus.
Yes, GodFree&Glad, that one comment was a nice bit to the program. A guy on the religious side saying that atheists are perfectly right to protest the religious pushing their beliefs on our lives.
Thanks for reminding me of that.
10 minutes of Sweeney, Hitchens, Prothero, Johnson and the late O’Hair on CBS Sunday morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mIJY2jOIns
TXatheist,
Thanks for posting the video clip. I don’t currently have TV reception so it was nice to see at least a portion of the show.
Another thank you from me as well for posting the vid, as I too was occupied with worshipping St. Mattress of the Springs and missed the broadcast. Praise him, oh mighty one of the pillow top.
I thought it was interesting that the show talked to atheists, and then had responses from believers to present their side.
Why is it that when shows have segments about the role of religion in our lives they rarely have an atheist on to offer our side?????
Karen, I’m glad to be back a little more often, as well. I did a bit of traveling this summer . . . and my beloved cat died on May 20, just 3 weeks short of her 20th birthday. Her name was “Pixel,” which is where my blog name comes from. I’ve been debating changing my blog name here . . . but for now I’ll keep it the same . . .
. . . . sheesh . . . I feel like Phreedm with all these ellipses . . .
pixel
Oh, I am sorry about your cat. I hope her passing was peaceful. She lived a very full life at almost 20 years. Must have been the influence of her owned person.
If you keep your name the same, that’s one way of having her live on.
I’m sure you miss her. Cats are wonderful companions.
Karen,
Thanks! I really miss her a lot. I still have another kitty, but Pixel was just the best cat ever. We had a real human/cat bond. I seriously loved her more than I loved a lot of humans!
I think you’re right about keeping her name. I think I will.
dear atheists, I come to you with a peace treaty.
Simply if we can agree that things like prayer should not be forced upon atheists . . .and likewise atheists should not force religious people not to pray.
If we can agree the state should not force atheists to go to church and . . . . .. . atheists should not force Christians not to go to church
If we can agree NOT on exclusion but rather on government neutrality. . . then we can be at peace.
peace out.
Christopher Bell
You’re preaching to the choir here. This is what we atheists have been saying all along.
Want to help us persuade the religious nuts?
Some religious people are nuts and some are not.
Some atheists are nuts and some are not.
Some religious people are creative and some are not.
Some atheists are creative and some are not.
this list goes on but I hope you get the idea. You do some research and you will realize that . . . a persons beliefs alone do not make them creative or uncreative, smart or dumb, mean or kind. There are many variations in each group.
I would be happy to pursue a discourse that . . . takes into account the freedom of both sides. Im well aware that some atheists are true . . . how can I put it . .. well lets just say some atheists would really prefer to take over rather than let the other side have their say and their freedom. So . .. perhaps some atheists have been saying what Im saying all along . . but .. not all of them.
Im here for one reason and one reason only, to promote proper state church seperation.
proper seperation means to me, that even a government official can excersize their religion personally and within their own family . . . they can do this as long as they do not force, by law, others to join them. Now the SAME principle must hold true for the atheist. I realize I may actually be speaking to a mixed crowd here. I hope some of you people here are on my side with this. Now christians are still confused about how to deal with things like prop 8 consitutionaly . . .its sort of like asking should we allow public porn . . but on other issues like prayer and church and holy book or temple I think Christians and atheists can come to agreement on the politics of the matter. I propose a series of laws be past in an attempt to reach these final agreements.
the first action we can take together concerns prayer. We can call this proposition 9.
simply, no government official shall control how ones prayers or whether or no one does pray even if this one is another government official.
you have to remember that the freedom of christian teachers to pray in public schools is being stiffled in some places.
Do you agree with my proposition 9?
please realize . . . Im not saying that atheists should be forced to pray. Im saying .. . Christian teachers should be alowed to pray by themselves so long as they do not coerce others into doing so.
Proposition 9: Government shall not control how citizens or government officials pray. Government shall not control whether or not citizens or government officials pray. Government shall not force other citizens or government officials TO pray. Government shall not force other citizens or government officials NOT TO pray. Government shall not, by rule of law, force prayer upon or strive to take prayer away from any citizen or government official. The FORCE of government shall remain neutral, yet the government may freely express its veiws and pray so long as it does not make it LAW.
As a first step of political peace between us. . . we must end government controled prayer. If you believe in state church seperation the proper way, you must realize that government must not control religion . . . thats not the same thing as government seperation from religion. Think clearly about this. William pen would say exactly what Im saying right now I think. It goes both ways, it is true neutrality. The neutrality is not . . in religious or atheist expresion . .. . . . but . .. . rather . .. it is neutrality of LAW ENFORCEMENT . . . sort of like what you see on some internet sites. please consider my proposal. hope to here from you as soon as you have given it a great deal of thought. remember . . . . we are talking about neutrality of enforcement . . . not expresion. There are milestones .. . . but we can accomplish something. I never forced an atheist to pray. I hope you as an atheist can say the same about your treatment of christians.
PS; the removal of that atheist sign in the public square better not have been done by a gov official. And no gov official should remove the tree . . . either.
Christopher Bell
Can you name any atheists who are like that? Why would they?