Egyptian TV Host Kicks Atheist Out of Studio, Recommending Psychiatric Treatment

Mohammad Hashem, an atheist, was invited to the Alhadath Alyoum TV studio to participate in a debate with former Deputy Sheikh of Al-Azhar Mahmoud Ashour. However, his statement that there is no scientific evidence for the existence of God and his attempt to talk about the Big Bang theory met with a barrage of insults from Sheikh Ashour and from TV host Mahmoud Abd Al-Halim, with Sheikh Ashour recommending psychiatric treatment and Abd Al-Halim refusing to allow him to remain on the show. The TV host, apologizing to his viewers for subjecting them to "inappropriate" and "destructive ideas," advised Hashem "to leave the studio and go straight to a psychiatric hospital." The show aired on February 11.