PBS documentary about nontheism airs May 4th

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.
# # #

The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) is the
oldest and largest Humanist organization in the nation. The AHA is
dedicated to ensuring a voice for those with a positive outlook, based
on reason and experience, which embraces all of humanity.