http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/

i really love this article. It's the best thing I've read for a long time! I would post it on Facebook but I'm too afraid of the ambush and murder it would cause XP

"'Do unto others…' is a good rule of thumb. I live by that. Forgiveness is probably the greatest virtue there is. But that’s exactly what it is -­‐ a virtue. Not just a Christian virtue. No one owns being good. I’m good. I just don’t believe I’ll be rewarded for it in heaven. My reward is here and now. It’s knowing that I try to do the right thing. That I lived a good life. And that’s where spirituality really lost its way. When it became a stick to beat people with. 'Do this or you’ll burn in hell.'

You won’t burn in hell. But be nice anyway."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2011 11:34AM by Strykary.

Oh man, I loved that! I never, EVER thought I'd get to this point in my life, but...the guy makes sense. More for me to think about.

Interesting point about the 75% of people in prison who are christians (I think "religious" would bump the percentage up to about 90%), and that there are about 10% of USA citizens who are atheists (in December 2010 anyway, when Gervais was writing this, now that percentage is higher), but that only 0.2% of people in prison are atheists.

Which is bizarre considering how much the average American distrusts an atheist.
I love Ricky Gervais. My favourite story is when he and his GF were living in one of those flats without a bathroom. He didn't want to go wee down in the hallway bathroom in the middle of the night, so he would di it in the sink. One night, his GF caufght him and said, "At least lift p the dishes first!"

Thanks for the link, I sent it on to many friends. He's got some great thoughts on the topic. "God made me this way." HA!

that was interesting.

The embedded "update" link was interesting, too.