'I'm Probably an Atheist; I Don't Buy It, I Think the Only Reason for Religion Is Death,' Says Broadcaster Larry King
Veteran radio and television broadcaster Larry King says he thinks the only reason religion exists is because people fear death and declared "I'm probably an atheist."
King made the revelation last Thursday on the popular Power 105.1 morning radio show in New York City called "The Breakfast Club" hosted by DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God.
In a portion of the interview beginning at about the 8-minute 15-second mark, King and the hosts engage in a discussion about life and death after Charlamagne Tha God questioned the 81-year-old, who's been married seven times, about his desire to freeze his body after he dies.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"I just taped Dr. Oz yesterday (last Wednesday) and he showed me what happens when they do that and it makes a lot of sense to me," King said about having his body frozen.
"I don't believe that I'm going anywhere. I'm not religious, so I believe when you die you die and that's it. So I'm so curious, and I like living and so I want one little chance. If I'm frozen and then they find a cure for whatever I died of and they could cure me, is that better than laying in the ground or being burnt while you're dead? Those two ways you can't get out, but I figure if I can be frozen and then something happens …" he continued.
"My wife says, 'Yeah, but what if you wake up 200 years later you don't know anybody?' I said, 'I'll make new friends,'" he added with a chuckle. "It's the one way grab at eternity to live. I don't want to not exist."
He then noted that he thinks it's the fear of death that makes people religious.
"I think it's the biggest fear people have. They might say they don't. 'I know I'm going somewhere (he says of those who believe in an afterlife). You don't," he said bluntly.
After he made that comment, Charlamagne Tha God asked if he's an atheist, and King when on to explain his long-held belief that he's openly talked about on "Larry King Live" in the past, which is that he's not a believer in God.
"I'm probably an atheist. Ah, I respect religion, I've interviewed every great religious leader except the Pope. ... I've interview the Billy Grahams and the heads of the Mormon Church. ... I don't buy it. I think the only reason for religion is death. If you didn't die, there would be no religion," said King.
Envy then asked King what turned him away from religion and he asserted that it's because he hasn't received any answers from God.
"Probably not getting answers to questions. The simple answer you get all the time is when you ask why does a baby die? Why is there a holocaust?
Charlemagne replied: "I think that's because God gave human beings free will."
"Yeah? Well you didn't get free will for Katrina," King shot back. "I asked those questions, why did God allow Katrina and people get swept up and died and the typical answer is: 'Well, we don't question the ways of the Lord.'"
"Well, I do question the ways of the Lord ... and if I don't get answers, I question it," King continued.
"Someone asked, 'Well, what if you could interview God?'" he later added.
"What would be the first question?" asked Charlamagne.
"Do you have a son?" said King, as his hosts erupted in laughter. "If he would say no, chaos throughout the Christian world."
