FIRING LINE: THE PROSPECT OF DEATH (TV)
Summary
One in this talk/interview series hosted by William F. Buckley, Jr. This episode, shot in the 400-year-old cottage of British journalist and author Malcolm Muggeridge, consists completely of raw footage; there are no credits, and the camera continues to roll for several minutes after each call of "cut" from the program's director. Buckley introduces Muggeridge as "the most prominent British journalist in history," a man who discovered Christianity late in life and has become a prominent theologian in the intellectual Christian community. Buckley opens the interview with Muggeridge by asking about a recent sound bite in which Muggeridge claimed to look forward to death. Muggeridge explains that although he finds the world beautiful he welcomes the idea of going to heaven. Buckley wonders whether it is virtuous to welcome death, and Muggeridge states that it is simply human to wish for heaven. Muggeridge then tells Buckley that he feels that the major problems of society (which will lead straight to the downfall of civilization) are attributable to world leaders' collective failure to embrace Christianity. Buckley and Muggeridge then discuss the importance of distinguishing between the "quality" of life and the "sanctity" of life. The second half of the program deals almost exclusively with Muggeridge's feelings about abortion. "How can people legalize the murdering of babies without considering the spiritual consequences?" he asks. Buckley argues that one cannot reasonably separate the abortion debate down Christian and non-Christian lines, and Muggeridge opines that Christians who condone any form of abortion are, in his words, "in denial about themselves and their Christianity." Buckley then poses several hypothetical scenarios to Muggeridge, who considers them in the context of what he sees as "true Christianity." In one scenario, Buckley asks whether Muggeridge believes it is acceptable to "pull the plug" on someone who is suffering and near death in a hospital. Muggeridge states that such a person is "being kept alive by the Devil's hand." The program ends with a brief discussion by Muggeridge of his suicide attempt many years earlier.
(Network affiliation varies; this program was also syndicated from 1966 to 1971 and from 1975 to 1977.)
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Mr. and Mrs. Theodore R. Stanley.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: November 30, 1985
- RUNNING TIME: 1:01:14
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:64218
- GENRE: Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: Abortion; Christianity; Death and dying; Theologians
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1971-1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Warren Steibel … Producer, Director
- William F. Buckley, Jr. … Host
- Malcolm Muggeridge … Guest