Original version

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

Sunday Morning Live

Discussion & Talk

Religion & Ethics

Live ethical debates on topical issues. Join in online and on social media.

Start Sunday off with the big talking points of the week, with comment from around the UK and instant audience reaction.

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

BBC One London

London

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One North West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

Sunday Morning Live: Series 4

Samira Ahmed

Kuljinder Khaila

Dave Stanford

Simon Barnes

Lowri Turner

Jay Lakhani

David Vance

Abie Philbin Bowman

Sunday Morning Live: Series 4: Episode 8

Episode 8

Series 4

BBC One - Sunday Morning Live, Series 4, Episode 8

Samira Ahmed and her guests debate whether religion should be off-limits to comedy.

Samira Ahmed and her guests debate whether religion should be off-limits to comedy; whether should thieves go to prison; and are atheists smarter than religious people?

Samira Ahmed and her guests, broadcaster Lowri Turner, head of the Hindu Academy Jay Lakhani, Christian commentator David Vance and stand-up comedian Abie Philbin Bowman, discuss the week's ethical issues.

Should religion be off-limits to comedy?
The world of stand-up comedy has descended on Edinburgh for the annual Festival Fringe.  Performers regularly use religion in their comedy to get laughs at the Fringe. This year these include 'God, Greed and Football' and 'Jesus Christ Flew into the Cuckoo's Nest'.

Later this month, British comedian Russell Brand also kicks-off his new tour dissecting religious beliefs, called the Messiah Complex. So is religion too often targeted for laughs? Or should those that are offended turn the other cheek?

Should thieves be sent to prison?
A paper released by Howard League for Penal Reform recommends that jail should be reserved for offenders who commit crimes of a violent, sexual or threatening nature. Fines and community sentences would be more effective for offences like theft and fraud, according to Professor Andrew Ashworth from Oxford University, the report's author. He also maintains that such action could reduce the prison population in England and Wales by almost 6,000. The government says it had no intention of changing the law.

But do you agree that we should reserve prison sentences for more serious crimes? Or would these recommendations send the wrong message to criminals?

Are atheists smarter than religious people?
Atheists are smarter than those of faith - a study from the University of Rochester in America suggests. A team from the university came to that conclusion after examining 63 scientific studies into the relationship between intelligence and religious belief. They also found that infants with higher intelligence would be more likely to reject religion. And, older people with above average IQ are less religious.

So are those with faith close-minded to alternatives to religion and therefore less intelligent?

BBC One

Samira Ahmed hosts a series of live debates to raise temperatures on a Sunday morning.

The controversial live debate show is back. Samira Ahmed hosts interactive debates on the week's big moral issues. Join in on webcam and social media.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Sunday Morning Live

Series 4

Episode 8

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC One South

About BBC One