Ricky Gervais’ Atheist Easter Message: ‘I’m A Good Christian’

By on April 15, 2011 in News 3

eastermessageMr. Gervais, you are my kind of Christian. From his blog:

Last Christmas I wrote a little essay entitled: “A Holiday Message from Ricky Gervais: Why I’m an atheist.” The Wall Street Journal ran it, and it caused quite a stir. I was even asked to answer some of the comments. So for Easter I thought I’d do another one. Here it is.

A Holiday Message from Ricky Gervais: Why I’m a good Christian

The title of this one is a little misleading, or at least cryptic. I am of course not a good Christian in the sense that I believe that Jesus was half man, half God, but I do believe I am a good Christian compared to a lot of Christians.

It’s not that I don’t believe that the teachings of Jesus wouldn’t make this a better world if they were followed. It’s just that they are rarely followed.

Gandhi summed it up really. He said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

I have always felt this way, even when I believed in God, and in a weird way I feel I am still a pretty good “Christian” who doesn’t believe in God.

So many Christians think that because they believe in the right God, they are automatically good and have a one-way ticket to everlasting life. Dare I say it but I suspect this is their main reason for believing. I’ve heard so many “believers” say, “Well, since there is no way of being sure whether there is a God or not, it’s better to believe in God than not, because that way, if you’re wrong it doesn’t matter and if you’re right you get everlasting life.” Win:win.

This is of course Pascal’s Wager, which assumes that God if he exists would reward blind faith above logic and living a good life as an atheist.

To the Christians’ God by the way, it’s just as bad to believe in the wrong God as no God at all…

[continues at Ricky's blog]

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  • Butter Knife

    Excellent article, while I wouldn’t say he breaks any new ground philosophically or theologically, the points are all well-stated and grounded in logic that is extremely difficult to contend with.

    I agree with him on all but one, relatively minor, point. Specifically, his interpretation of the Second Commandment. Or, rather, the most common interpretation amongst mainstream Judeo-Christian thinkers of the past few thousand years.

    The other nine Commandments are not wrapped in tricky language or context, and were rather obvious in meaning. Taken thus, the Second is a full prohibition on making anything in the likeness of anything on Earth. One’s purpose for doing so is never taken into account.

    But, of course, who am I to say such things? I don’t even believe, so how could my straightforward reading possibly outweigh a convoluted explanation of why God would say one thing when He really meant another entirely? And my confusion as to why God would make a rule that says “don’t worship any other gods or idols” then IMMEDIATELY follow it up with “don’t carve any statues or draw any pictures and worship them as gods” is similarly moot.

    Anyway, that’s enough dabbling in heresy for one day…

  • Butter Knife

    Excellent article, while I wouldn’t say he breaks any new ground philosophically or theologically, the points are all well-stated and grounded in logic that is extremely difficult to contend with.

    I agree with him on all but one, relatively minor, point. Specifically, his interpretation of the Second Commandment. Or, rather, the most common interpretation amongst mainstream Judeo-Christian thinkers of the past few thousand years.

    The other nine Commandments are not wrapped in tricky language or context, and were rather obvious in meaning. Taken thus, the Second is a full prohibition on making anything in the likeness of anything on Earth. One’s purpose for doing so is never taken into account.

    But, of course, who am I to say such things? I don’t even believe, so how could my straightforward reading possibly outweigh a convoluted explanation of why God would say one thing when He really meant another entirely? And my confusion as to why God would make a rule that says “don’t worship any other gods or idols” then IMMEDIATELY follow it up with “don’t carve any statues or draw any pictures and worship them as gods” is similarly moot.

    Anyway, that’s enough dabbling in heresy for one day…

  • http://koowie.com Koowie

    Ricky Gervais is a funny guy. haha