Cranford, NJ—American Atheists announced on Wednesday that AtheistTV, its new television channel, will feature original programs proclaiming the truth about Christmas on December 24 and December 25, featuring scholars and celebrities from the atheist community.
New holiday-inspired specials debunking the origins of the holiday from The Thinking Atheist’s Seth Andrews, Reason Rally speaker and YouTuber Cristina Rad, author and historian David Fitzgerald, The Atheist Experience TV show cast, and Road to Reason host Rob Penczak will air with holiday favorites including a speech by Council for Secular Humanism Executive Director Tom Flynn, the episode of The Atheist Viewpoint entitled “Is Christmas a Religious Holiday?”, the “Xmas 2009” episode of The Atheist Experience featuring Matt Dillahunty, and several episodes of The Atheist Voice with The Friendly Atheist blogger Hemant Mehta.
“Christmas is hard for many atheists, so we will provide programming free from superstition and fairy tales that allows families to watch together and not worry about being preached at,” said American Atheists President Dave Silverman. “This is part of our commitment to use AtheistTV to reach atheists who have no other way to hear about the atheist community. We want you to know religion is not the only choice. You are not alone. This programming is our gift to you.”
The channel, launched worldwide from on July 29, is available free via Roku set-top boxes or sticks or as a free online stream at www.atheists.tv. The holiday programming will begin at 12 pm ET on December 24 and continue for 36 hours. A schedule is available on the website at www.atheists.tv/schedule.
The announcement comes just months in advance of the American Atheists 2015 National Convention, which will take place April 2-5 in Memphis, Tennessee, at the famous Peabody Hotel around the corner from Beale Street.
The convention will feature keynote speaker Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a costume party, an art show, a Cards Against Humanity charity tournament, workshops, and talks by more than 30 of the atheist community’s greatest speakers, including Bangladeshi atheist blogger Asif Mohiuddin, Lucien Greaves of The Satanic Temple, HowStuffWorks.com founder Marshall Brain, renowned debater Matt Dillahunty, author and memeticist Dr. Susan Blackmore, the cast of Mystery Science Theater 3000, historian and poet Dr. Jennifer Michael Hecht, and Fade zu Grau, a celebrity fashion designer (as seen on Lifetime’s Project Runway), and more.
AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that defends civil rights for atheists, freethinkers, and other nonbelievers; works for the total separation of religion and government; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy. American Atheists was founded in 1963 by Madalyn Murray O’Hair.
American Atheists, Inc.
www.atheists.org
For More Information Contact:
David Silverman, President 908-276-7300 x5, [email protected]
Danielle Muscato, Public Relations Director 908-276-7300 x7, [email protected]
P.O. Box 158
Cranford, NJ 07016
Tel: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402
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