It is not hardness of heart or evil passions that drive certain individuals to atheism, but rather a scrupulous intellectual honesty.
2000 Years of Disbelief: Famous People with the Courage to Doubt
Steve Allan - drive to atheism
It is not hardness of heart or evil passions that drive certain individuals to atheism, but rather a scrupulous intellectual honesty.
2000 Years of Disbelief: Famous People with the Courage to Doubt
To criticize a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous, but to criticize their religion, that is a right. That is a freedom. The freedom to criticize ideas, any ideas – even if they are sincerely held beliefs – is one of the fundamental freedoms of society. A law which attempts to say you can criticize and ridicule ideas as long as they are not religious ideas is a very peculiar law indeed.
Since our inner experiences consist of reproductions, and combinations of sensory impressions, the concept of a soul without a body seem to me to be empty and devoid of meaning.
“Science can teach us, and I think our hearts can teach us, no longer to look around for imaginary supporters, no longer to invent allies in the sky, but rather to look to our own efforts here below to make the world a fit place to live”
― Bertrand Russell, Why I Am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects
“When Inventing a god, The most Important thing is to claim it is invisible, inaudible and imperceptible in every way. Otherwise people will become skeptical when it appears to no one, is silent and does nothing.”
- Lindsey Brown
#1: Angelina Jolie Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), actress and director. Won an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and three Golden Globes. Known for roles in Girl, Interrupted, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Changeling, to name just a few. In September 2000, The Onion A.V. Clubasked celebrities “Is There A God?” Angelina Jolie: “Hmm… For some people. I hope so, for them. For the people who believe in it, I hope so. There doesn’t need to be a God for me.” | |
#2: Mira Sorvino Actress. Won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress her role in Mighty Aphrodite. She is also known for her performances in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Attack on Leningrad and Multiple Sarcasms. In a 2007 interview with GQ magazine, Mira stated, “When you are a Christian, your law is laid out for you in codified form. You can have some kind of debate about this or that, but basically you’re supposed to accept God’s will. There is no argument about whether there is a definitive right and wrong. And once you know this law, nobody else can be right unless they agree with you. And so you wind up with, ‘You are wrong. You are mistaken. You are sinning. You are in error.’ I find that extremely restrictive and impossible.” | |
#3: Julianne Moore Actress and author. She has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards. She is known for roles in Short Cuts, The Big Lebowski and Far from Heaven. Host: “What would you like to hear God say to you at the pearly gates?” Moore: “Well…. I guess you were wrong, I do exist.” | |
#4: Janeane Garofalo Satirist, comedian, writer, actor, political activist. She has had TV roles on News Radio, The West Wing and The Larry Sanders Show, among many others. Her films have included The Truth About Cats & Dogs, MatchMaker and The Laramie Project. Janeane frequently discusses her atheism, including in the past on her former radio talk show and on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, and has said: “The Bible, I’ve said it before, is a beautifully written work of fiction.” | |
#5: Adrianne Curry Model and actress. She was the first winner of the reality television series America’s Next Top Model. Tweeted: “I am more agnostic. I do not believe in organized religion, nor do I think the human mind capable of the complexity of reality.” | |
#6: Annika Sorenstam Professional golfer (until 2008). While playing as a professional, she won 90 international tournaments, including 10 majors. Was quoted in an article conducted in her native Swedish as saying: “I believe in the good message that’s found in religion. But I doubt there’s someone up there above the clouds running the show.” | |
#7: Kari Byron Co-host of the TV program MythBustersand host of Head Rush. Said in an interview with Suicide Girls: “I am an atheist, but I don’t begrudge anyone for whatever belief systems they hold.” | |
#8: Nigella Lawson Journalist, food writer and broadcaster. She has written the books How to Eatand How to be a Domestic Goddess and has had successful cooking shows on the UK’s BBC Two and Channel 4, as well as Food Network’s Nigella Feasts. Told The Times (UK) (and quoted onWikipedia): “I was brought up an atheist and have always remained so. But at no time was I led to believe that morality was unimportant or that good and bad did not exist. I believe passionately in the need to distinguish between right and wrong and am somewhat confounded by being told I need God, Jesus or a clergyman to help me to do so.” | |
#9: Asia Argento Italian actress, director, singer, writer and model. She won awards for her roles in Perdiamoci di vista! and Compagna di viaggio, as well as an award for directing. She has written novels and magazine articles, and appeared in online outlets and music videos. In an audience Q+A session, Argento answered a question about her religious beliefs by saying: “God is a concept by which we can measure our pain. I just believe in me. Yoko and me. And that`s reality. The dream is over. What can I say?” | |
#10: Eva Green Actress and model. Her films include The Dreamers, Kingdom of Heaven and Casino Royale. She told Total Film magazine: “I have no religion. I wasn’t raised that way, and I have no |
I wish more people cared about Earth as much as they cared about who they believe created it