DMB

BBC Radio 4 has a very popular morning news/current affairs programme called Today. This is marred (IMO) by the presence of a god slot, otherwise known as "Thought for the Day". For many years the speaker was normally a CofE clergyman. Somewhat more recently they have let in occasional catholics,Jews, muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, but never unbelievers. BTW, TFTD is produced by their religion and ethics department, which appears to believe that ethics is a subset of religion.

After a lot of grumbling by unbelievers, they had a short discussion on this morning's programme and broadcast what an atheist TFTD might sound like, in the form of a short piece by Richard Dawkins. You can hear it <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/features/thought_for_day.shtml" target="_blank">here</a> if you get there fast enough before they wipe it.
If you want to contribute to the debate, go <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/" target="_blank">here,</a>click on ARGUE, register and join in.

[ August 20, 2002: Message edited by: DMB ]</p>

GaryP

How delightful! I cannot even imagine this type of debate in the US media.


With Sept. 11 fast approaching, we must once again brace ourselves for the pandering platitudes of politicians!

Thanks for sharing the links.

Huginn

I caught that this morning (thanks to my dad). I thought Dawkins was great in his usual provocative unrestrained style. George Melly wasn't a very good representitive, though, his arguments were weak and poorly thought out.

The programme is called 'Thought for the Day' and tends to feature rather personal perspectives on ethical matters (often based on the person's worldview). I think to exclude secular (I nearly wrote sucular!) viewpoints is silly. I occasionally listen to TFTD and I enjoy the different viewpoints represented, even when I don't agree with them. I think it would be nice if religious people were able to hear things from an atheist's perspective even if they don't agree.

I think that Dawkins' Thought was a little too harsh for TFTD, most religious people would only pay enough attention to feel insulted but not actually ponder what he has said.

It is a shame Douglas Adams is dead, he would have been perfect.

DMB

I agree that Dawkins came over as unnecessarily abrasive, but that is mainly because we are so used to hearing this sort of thing from a theist POV. Many times when I have heard TFTD, a xian has burbled on about what god needs, wants,likes or has ordained without any apology for pretending that god is real or recognition that millions of listeners don't share his/her belief. I tend to find this sort of laziness or smugness offensive, but I'm sure that it would never occur to a theist that it was.

If they are going to keep this slot as it is, they should change the title to "Religious Thought for the Day" or something. Otherwise it is simply dishonest. I don't think the Today people like having this foisted on them anyway. It was in fact someone at the BBC who alerted me to this feature, because I don't receive Today by radio where I am currently resident.

Stephen T-B

Dawkins was making a point and being pugnacious.
The real point at issue is that secularists have as much to say of value on ethics and morality as those who profess a religious perspective.
And what they have to say about how to get along with each other and how to lead contented and fulfiled lives is of equal merit.
Excluding them from Thought for the Day was always indefensible.

Stephen T-B

(duplicate post removed)

[ August 15, 2002: Message edited by: Stephen T-B ]</p>

DMB

Stephen, I do agree with you. Please post a few comments on the website. The Today progamme needs plenty of this sort of feedback if they are going to succeed in winning their inside battle against R&E.