Freethought Matters: A Second Look At Religion 

What a wonderfully measured delivery. You can't really argue with it, without being intellectually dishonest. Really inspiring woman.

Annie I am so proud of you, you a a real wonderful woman and Dan is so privileged to have you as his wife and partner ! - You both are a very good, combination and are my Heros !! - WELL DONE AND CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK !! FREE OUR PEOPLE FROM THIS RELIGIOUS B/S !!!

So many intelligent and articulate individuals in this video. A pleasure to watch.

What a great documentary! So many intelligent women speaking up against the damages and horrors of religion. True and important to this day.

I think I just found a new heroine, Ruth Green! In 1980 she is intelligent and offers a cohesive argument against religion that is now become more mainstream! Nice job ladies!

What a superb summing up of what Religion really is, and why it's so dangerous.

Oh my goodness, I love Ruth! If she was my neighbor, we'd be good friends and we'd talk about all these kinds of things all the time and discuss philosophical goodness over the news and stuff, man I wish more people were like Ruth, and I wish i were around to praise her intellect in that time!

The most important element coming this film, is a absolute wall of separation between church and state. The reality is that religion does poison everything.

You at ffrf are true heroes. The society that the religious fundamentalist's want to create would not even be good for them. Just look at Iran and Saudi Arabia. Two examples of how it ends when religion rules.

Freedom of religion must include freedom from religion.

Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived -- Isaac Asimov

I discovered this not too long after I realized I was an atheist. In rewatching today, I think it would be interesting for FFRF to do an updated version. I think the religious landscape in this country has changed a lot since 1980, so there would be quite a lot changed.

Bingo. Where has this video been? You know parts of this video could be used as ads during the Super Bowl. FFRF. You consistently keep getting all of this right. You are the King of Free Thought.

Terrific historic film!

Annie Laurie Gaylor was so articulate even back then and such head turner. She came out of the gate roaring.

Thank you so much for sharing this film!

9:10 "children shouldn't be exposed to the TERRORS of the Christian religion."

I love this video! The FFRF has a wonderful history, and such a marvelous present.

Imagine the courage she must have had. A grandmother in Missouri in the early 80s speaking out the way she did

Thank you Annie for your work over the years. How any woman can adhere to any religion, especially Islam, is beyond comprehension.

I had never seen this before. Thanks you.

I didn't become atheist until i was 42 years old! It was very liberating. It's amazing to watch this that this was happening back them.

It’s amazing that these things were being discussed in 1980. These women were ahead of almost everyone.

I just watched FFRF and Dan Barker's interview on Oprah in 1984. I find it inspiring. I became an atheist last year after being a devoted Christian for more than 20 years.

I agree with Annie Laurie Gaylor. I'm a man, and yet I don't think anyone should be sacrificed just to please an imaginary deity. I've read the Bible when I was a boy, and as an adult. And neither time, the stories and passages made sense to me. It appalled me how men were allowed to treat women and girls so brutally.

I’m always proud to be a member of FFRF and when I see something like this, I feel even more proud. Thank you Ann, for what you started and thank you Annie Lori for your commitment to what she started!!❤️❤️

Brilliant, eloquent, intelligent women in a row. Happy to watch this.

I love that first woman that was interviewed. The way she speaks of the bible is hilarious. I would love to see more of her.

"I think it is the most diabolical unfairness that was ever taught or devised". Yep, sums it up. FFRF, keep up the good work.

This is pretty amazing! Especially the fabulous feminism of Annie Laurie Gaylor. And I find it interesting that most of the discussion was between women because my experience growing up in the South is that women are often the ones who push religious worldviews the hardest in their families.

I love this woman, Ruth. Her common sense put into words is so empowering for me, being that I was raised Christian.

Being a “Huge” Hitchens, Harris, Dawkins, Dennett and definitely Matt Dillahaunty fan I now must expand my personal “go to” list for arguing my case against religious beliefs to include this video. Perhaps it will take the top position!

What a treasure this blast from the past is.

It makes me extremely extremely angry that people won't just practice Christianity by themself. They have to impose it onto the government, their friends and families, even going so far as to oppress multiple people groups, on racial, sexual, and religious grounds.

I LOVE this video! THANK you for sharing! I hope you have more historic videos in the archive!

I absolutely loved this video. They are my thoughts since the mid seventies. I can’t believe I never saw this. Thank you

I am pleased and proud to affirm the work of Freedom From Religion, Anne Nicole Gaylor, and Annie Laurie Gaylor. I, too, found the bible to be a book of hate, prejudice, and destruction of family and social systems as well as modern practices and policies of religion that tries to tie our government to their beliefs. The Founding Father and Mothers clearly worked for separation of government from religion.

Please keep us updated about the convention as we know that it is still on as of today. Thank you for all of the great work!

Thanks FFR for showing this video. I had no idea how many people, young and old were so open and against religion that decade. FRFF for showing this video.

"I read every page of this book and didn't find enough love to fill a salt shaker " oh Ruth 💜💐 Anni Laurie - your mom was such a beautifully spoken lady . You are so much like her 😌

Great post! Many thanks once again.

Great post, thank you so much for this.

Thanks for sharing the video! I'm surrounded by religion and its uplifting to hear others that feel the way I do .

It's amazing that even 40 years after the production of this video, that the situation is probably worse rather than better. The "Religionists" (of all the different flavors) are determined to stay in positions of power and/or authority. Someone (I unfortunately don't recall who it was) once said: "There are really only two types of people in the world, the religious and the sane " That pretty well sums it up for me. Like Ron Reagan, I'm a proud Atheist, & not afraid of burning in Hell!!

I was in a debate with a christian that I went to church with for several years. We are now on opposite sides of the spectrum. I told him that "we" don't get our morals from the bible or god, he mocked me. Thing finally got to a point that I had to block any further communication. There is no reasoning with some people.

I wish Ruth were my grandmother as she is sensitive and observant of what is ignored by so many who call themselves chriistians..

People wonder why religion is “under attack”, but those people don’t realize religion leads to warped priorities. This is why church and state must stay separate and we can’t allow religious beliefs to inform the real world. The extremely religious Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick said about the virus and getting the economy going, “there’s more important things than living”. Now tell me that wasn’t a religiously motivated statement. Nobody would say that crud unless they believed in an afterlife or some kind of higher power to which they are beholden. Living is the bare minimum of existence, everything else is just gravy.

This was so good. Watching it I realized the scenery looked familiar. I never knew FFRF was started in Madison Wi. Our once progressive state is struggling. I voted in person, during a pandemic. I never thought that would happen.

5:38 Good example of how a polite suggestion to a religious person can be helpful vs. being assertive or condescending. Ruth Green said, "...the suggestion from a relative that the Bible might not be all that I thought it was."

I would have been 9 years old when this was released. I wish I'd seen it THEN!!

This Lady's book is fantastic. I'm on my third reading of it right at this moment. It is still available from FFRF.

Just a beautifully produced modest and fair analysis. Ignorance, is always the enemy!

Great! So true that few people know what’s in the Bible. The God of the Old Testament is a monster and most of it is horrific. Yet Jesus never condemns any of it, only saying he came to fulfill it, that none of it would pass away until fulfilled. A major focus is on what people believe, not on their behavior. What you say, not what you do.

This video is brilliant !! This is the kind of knowledge we should show our children, it should be taught at schools all over the world.

Loved this video, thank you! The main reason I rejected religion, aside from all the blatant insanity, was the misogyny. Men write a book about a male god, that creates men (in his image, of course) to lord over, and control everything on Earth, including women. How convenient! lol

Separation of church and state needs to be enforced! Religions corrupt the mind and is misogynistic.

I love you guys! Thank you for sharing this wonderful historical document. It makes me feel like part of the family to have witnessed this.

Ruth Green! Long Live Ruth Green, I'm just grateful for her intelligence, I will carry her knowledge of the bible everywhere! One Love

These r the real women of the world and they speak with intelligence and have exposed religion for what it really is.....

Ruth puts the smack down on the bible. Good for her.

GREAT !!! Ruth is ruthless. If only she could speak her mind a little more 😤

This is great!

Excellent video. Great reference. Might be time to make a new version with Annie Laurie as the moderator and current events.

The Born Again Skeptic's Guide to the Bible by Ruth Hurmence Green has been one if my favorite books. It's great to see her talking here. Thankful for the FFRF.

That Ruth Green is or was a woman way ahead of her time. She is, or was a brilliant orator for the atheist viewpoint!. Being that this is a 40-year-old programme, Mrs Green will have passed on by now, but her words live on through this video programme. Well done, FFRF for rescreening this.

Well this just changed my life

Thank You, thank you, thank you!

Thanks for sharing this. The arguments this film makes are stronger today than ever!!!

The Constitution, which the Bill of Rights amends, is not really indifferent, it’s simply godless. The Constitution’s three mentions of religion are exclusionary: banning religious tests for public office, prohibiting the government from aligning with one religion over another and religion over nonreligion, and guaranteeing the freedom of thought and belief. In other words, the Constitution keeps God out of the business of government and government out of the business of worshipping God. Jefferson did not cite a god as the source of our rights and even the “endowed by their Creator” phrase did not appear in his draft of the declaration. It was added later by Ben Franklin or John Adams. Elsewhere in the declaration - relying on “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God”- and in writings penned both before and after the declaration, Jefferson rejected the idea of God-given rights. Rights are not given by politicians or gods, or men who think they talk to god. Rights are asserted. Once they are asserted, they must be defended. They are derived from natural-laws, not derived from some invisible, transcendent, supernatural, fictional psychopath of the Judean desert. “The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established.” ~James Madison Page 451 of the Annals of Congress House of Representatives, 1st Congress, 1st session Monday, June 8, 1789 Article 11, Treaty of Tripoli: "The Government of the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian Religion." Actual verifiable quotes from U.S. Presidents, starting off with James Madison: President James Madison said “A just government has no need for the clergy or the church.” Thomas Jefferson: “I do not find in Christianity one redeeming feature.” Years later Abraham Lincoln said “The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my religion.” The USA is in no way a “Christian Nation”, anyone that says it is, is a liar or ill-informed. Or both.

At first glance one would think that Ruth is a typical church going lady, with the hair and glasses and all, it's not long before you realize she is very articulate, smart lady with nice touch of sarcastic barb wit, gotta love the vintage interviewing style, glad I stumbled upon this video

Thanks a lot, everything becomes clearer, now I see the light! 🙂

A good reading and understanding of the bible is the best an a fast way to atheism. Excellent video, I love it, thanxx.

That first woman (and all the interviewees) exposed Christianity (and religion in general) for what it is. I wish more people would have listened back then but what they said was pretty darn bold and straightforward.

Religion was kept out our house. I tried to generate the idea of free thinking and questioning. They are two weapons the Bible cannot stand up to.

Everyone in the whole world needs to watch this. Thank you for FFRF and the others in this video

And here I was thinking Hitchens was the most savage

They saw the light!👏😄

This is amazing! See how good a film can communicate a message when you leave it to women? You all are wonderful, thank you for your labor and service in making this film all these years ago :)

Fabulous. Excellent dismantling of religion in general and the bible in particular. I hope the foundation is flourishing.

What a delightful film.

Excellent video! I usually keep my mouth shut around holy rollers. I guess I should be more open about my skepticism.

Love this video,my whole family need to see this

Very pertinent for our time!

Thanks, Guys for sharing Cheers

This is The BEST piece of information for atheists I have ever heard on one place in my life. I can see me memorizing it for future use. Especially the parts about women and gods attitude towards women.

I wish this woman was my grandma!

at 1:08 the guy reaches to his back pocket to be sure he has his wallet because he knows the brass collection plate will be passed...

That's some educated women rigth there

What wonderful group of women! It is/was a pity that this video was not more widely available many years ago!

Ruth Horrence Green ripped Xianity a new one! Wow, she's fantastic.

The state/church separation is a concept I learned in fifth grade. It baffles me that many politicians don’t agree with this concept. I’m sure deep down they do, but they’re being dishonest with us and with themselves.

Ruth is downright scathing towards the Bible. I love it! Also, wow, Annie Laurie barely looks like she's aged a day!

Great job! I love you women for making and posting this terrific critique of the "holy book".

Still very powerful! Thanks.

This had many great points, and I wish I'd seen this years ago. Thanks for doing such a great job and for renewing interest in this release.

Thank you !

I love her unadulterated honesty! If she was a rapper, she'll be Jay-Z.... she spitt'en bars!!!!

Thank you so much for showing us that..... very refreshing to see such strong statements way back in the 80s

Wow! I love this interview. I am glad to have watched it. Many thanks for your good work.

Wow, Annie was taking bullets for the Atheist community back in the day by putting herself out there! 👏 ❤️