CNN: Ricky Gervais - atheism

[arenean]

Can't believe he actually has to defend his views. What an intolerant society!

CNN's extended & unedited portion of Ricky Gervais Interview w/ Piers Morgan

[FiveGoodMen]

1. I've hardly noticed this guy till now

I'll pay attention to him in the future.

:applause:

[reggie the dog]

13. find a dvd of the BRITISH tv show called "the office"

it came out and was the basis for the usa version of the office, but the uk version had that fingernail on the chalkbord english humor....

[whathehell]

2. Forgive me, but..

Bill Maher is an outspoken American atheist and humorist who hosts his

own weekly cable show. He also made a moderately successful

film recently that poked fun at religious belief called "Religulous".

It's just a thought, but a single interview does not

an "intolerant society" make.

Perhaps commentary regarding the nature of our society

is more reliable when it comes from people who's knowledge

of it goes beyond the occasional television show or news item.

[vi5]

3. Uh....pretty much every poll on religious life...

shows that a majority of americans would never vote for an atheist, and view atheists as less trustworthy than people of faith.

There are....what is it 1 elected, openly atheist individual on the national stage?

I'd say when it comes to atheism most people in this country are intolerant of it. Maybe not in academia or in Hollywood, but in the case of the general population I'd say it's definitely true.

[whathehell]

11. Uh.....We have an extremely large population

with many serious regional differences.

That being said, I believe the poll, but I don't know how "large" that majority is.

It certainly doesn't include me or anyone I know.

[vi5]

12. Our definitions of large may differ...

But you believe the poll. It doesn't include me as I am an atheist myself. But I know a lot of people who don't know that about me and for whom it would change their opinion of me. And I live in the very liberal northeast.

[whathehell]

14. As to definitions of "large" you might

want to compare the United States to the 27 country European Union.

The European Union, comprised of 27 nations, holds only about one quarter
more people than the ONE country of the USA.


The EU has roughly 420 million people...The USA, about 310 million.

As for the poll, there are polls and there are polls....This article

cites a study that says Americans are evenly split on voting for an atheist.

It's too many, perhaps, but it's not even a "majority", let alone a large majority.

http://atheism.about.com/od/atheistbigotryprejudice/a/AtheistSurveys.htm

As to your friends, you say their attitudes about you would "change" if they knew you were an atheist,

but you don't say how they would change...How do you think they would?

I grew up in the "very liberal northeast" myself and now live in liberal Chicago and my

my experience with friends doesn't match yours.

[vi5]

15. My wording is a victim of my own bias....

My apologies. I don't actually mean large majorities. It was my hyperbolic way of saying "a lot of people" and I was drafting off comments/posts in a too tired haze. There's definitely regional differences, no doubt about it.

As to my "friends".....again I drafted my post too quick and in haste. I have a few very religious friends but I mostly mean my co-workers and aquaintances in social settings (ie. my children's friends parents). They're nice people and I'd like to think the best of them but unfortunately I'm a cynic and no better. There are some people for whom I have no doubt would judge me if they found out, and others who my cynicism leads me to believe probably would but that's more based on a hunch (ie. the importance of religion in their lives) than it is fact.

You hit the nail on the head. My point is, "It's too many...".

The worst part about it is, that I don't actually believe a majority of the country even go to church regularly. I think they adhere to the tribalism and self identification of a religion but I don't know that as many as we are led to believe are actually devoutly religious. But I think most people think it a requirement or a good thing to believe in SOMETHING.

[whathehell]

20. Well, thanks for the clarification. I appreciate it

and I think you might be on to something with your last paragraph, especially...Some really awful people still publicly

"identify" as members of this or that religion...Jack Abramoff claims to be an observant jew

for instance...Mafia folk like to go through catholic rituals...It's all pretty bizarre to me.

If you think people will judge you in a bad way, it may be best not to "come out"...I myself am agnostic, but I don't have children

and may have a smaller social circle.


I tend to think of belief as a private matter and don't particularly like discussing it except with those

close to me....If people don't try and mix politics and religion and/or force their beliefs on me,

I don't give a flying fook who believes what.:shrug:

My motto is that it's "Deeds, not Creeds" that are important

That being said, there ARE people on this board who will

trash and insult you for NOT being an atheist, something I find appalling.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Most depressing stat: more people think atheists have a 'negative impact' than Scientologists

When people (both Christians and non-Christians) think you're less trustworthy than a ridiculous bunch of known con-artists, you are really regarded with contempt.

[whathehell]

21. I don't know what Ignore is saying..

but then again, I kind of planned it that way...:P

[vi5]

22. Uh...

Sorry, I'm confused.

You responded to me in a positive manner, but then it also seemed like you were saying I was on Ignore. Oh well.

[whathehell]

23. It was a mistake...I'm sorry.

I meant to replay to another post and his yours accidentally!

[vi5]

24. Hahah...no problem...

Everything moves pretty fast on here sometimes.

Thanks for the good discussion.

[Goblinmonger]

19. It was a pretty major study done

by the University of Minnesota. Don't want you or others thinking this is some "click you answer here" poll on the intertubes. I find this tidbit interesting:

I would disapprove if my child wanted to marry a member of this group....

Atheist: 47.6%
Muslim: 33.5%
African-American 27.2%
Asian-Americans: 18.5%
Hispanics: 18.5%
Jews: 11.8%
Conservative Christians: 6.9%
Whites: 2.3%

Yeah, I'm betting it does include someone you know.

The lead researcher had this to say

Every group except atheists is being shown much greater tolerance and acceptance than 30 years ago. "Our analysis shows that attitudes about atheists have not followed the same historical pattern as that for previously marginalized religious groups. It is possible that the increasing tolerance for religious diversity may have heightened awareness of religion itself as the basis for solidarity in American life and sharpened the boundary between believers and nonbelievers in our collective imagination."

]
from a good article about the study.

[arenean]

4. True, but...

That's fine, but I've heard Bill Maher being interviewed on BBC Radio to publicise "Religlous", and he basically said that US society WAS intolerant of non-religious "beliefs"...

[whathehell]

10. Yeah, welll...I like Bill Maher

but I don't always agree with everything he says.

.

[darkstar3]

5. That Gervais' atheism would be the topic of such an interview is proof enough.

[AlecBGreen]

16. thats what Im wondering DS3

Why is this the only topic of discussion? The clip only shows that portion of the interview where they talk of religious belief. It seems to come in @ a point where the interviewer is asking him to defend something Ricky apparently said. Do you know what came before the start of the clip?

[provis99]

6. Bill Maher isn't an atheist.

He is opposed to religion (ie. dogma) but not to the idea that there is a God. It might be best to call him an agnostic-lite.

[whathehell]

9. Close enough for me. n/t

[snot]

7. The City of Fort Worth just adopted an resolution banning ads on busses

pertaining to religion or the lack thereof, in order to avoid having to include atheist ads that simply said something along the lines of, "Don't believe in God? You're not alone."

This was after years of permitting pro-religous ads on busses.

[whathehell]

8. That's a bad thing. n/t

[Mariana]

17. Think about that level of hatred.

The religious folks enthusiastically gave up their own freedom to advertise on buses, which they had been doing for ages, just to try to shut up the atheists.

[Iggo]

25. They surrender their freedom of speech to avoid defending mine.

Beautiful, beautiful people.