Stephen Fry on confronting god after death

I don't even need to read the thread to know it will be full of the boards anti-religion brigade high fiving each other and drooling over each other's bull s*it, while insulting religious people and attacking their views.

shruikan2553

feargale wrote: »

Well, did it happen? You make it sound as if you would be disappointed if it didn't.

eh, not as many as usual. I think they were able to direct their annoyance at a person this time. Took awhile for them to turn up, were probably having to sneak home from mass to prevent them being attacked by the roving gangs of atheists.

RomanKnows

What's the fuss here? Pompous egotist claims he hates God. More after the weather. The constant swooning over Fry gets on my tits. He's a game show host and actor with a plummy accent, not Einstein. The stupid mans' intellectual. And there can be little doubt that no one is more aware of Fry's 'national treasure' status than the man himself.

Baggy Trousers

RomanKnows wrote: »

What's the fuss here? Pompous egotist claims he hates God. More after the weather. The constant swooning over Fry gets on my tits. He's a game show host and actor with a plummy accent, not Einstein. The stupid mans' intellectual. And there can be little doubt that no one is more aware of Fry's 'national treasure' status than the man himself.

I imagine he is much much brighter than you and I think that bothers you.

Loafing Oaf

NachoBusiness wrote: »

Sure in a way, aren't we all just motorcycles on the road of life.

Your bike may need to be well oiled, but you don't...

Baggy Trousers

Emersyn Deep Destroyer wrote: »

I don't even need to read the thread to know it will be full of the boards anti-religion brigade high fiving each other and drooling over each other's bull s*it, while insulting religious people and attacking their views.

Have you see any dog-cats lately noxy?

Loafing Oaf

Emersyn Deep Destroyer wrote: »

I don't even need to read the thread to know it will be full of the boards anti-religion brigade high fiving each other and drooling over each other's bull s*it, while insulting religious people and attacking their views.

And yet you feel the need to post...

If you actually do take the time to read it you'll find a guy basically blaming the Jews for all the ills in the world: would that be more in your line?

RomanKnows

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

I imagine he is much much brighter than you and I think that bothers you.

I'm sure he is. It doesn't bother me. I'm not even the smartest person in my house at the moment.
I just find Fry to be tedious and self-regarding. He's a fat white man born into privelige. His views on religion, God and faith aren't remotely new or controversial. Being angry about God is as old as a belief in God itself. I don't need a hired dicky bow to reinforce my own beliefs - or the lack of them.

Woodville56

chakademus wrote: »

There's something so insufferable about Stephen Fry.

Indeed ! Can't understand why programmers would think that this " personality"s views on organized religion is of any great relevance to us in the scheme of things or why TV license fees are wasted on "import personalities" for this type of show ? I'm sure we could come up with plenty of home grown believers and non believers for this programme whose views are just as (or even more) worthy than Mr Fry's pompous blatherings. Which begs the question where is the great demand for import tv personalities coming from - dont we have enough interesting people here to populate shows such as the Late Late Show etc rather than regurgitating "B" or "C" rated "celebs" from abroad ? I'm not being insular here nor am I having a go at Mr. Fry because of his sexuality or his atheistic views - I'm just asking the question who cares what he thinks or believes ? Are his opinions or rants what we want to be watching on prime time tax payer funded TV? I don't have strong pro or anti religious views, for me each to his own spirituality. As for Mr Fry, good luck to him with his beliefs or unbeliefs, but why do the powers that be in RTE feel he's worth an "extended" Meaning of Life - don't we have any articulate theist or athiest contributors at home to save us from this over hyped over indulgent rubbish ?

Baggy Trousers

Woodville56 wrote: »

Indeed ! Can't understand why programmers would think that this " personality"s views on organized religion is of any great relevance to us in the scheme of things or why TV license fees are wasted on "import personalities" for this type of show ? I'm sure we could come up with plenty of home grown believers and non believers for this programme whose views are just as (or even more) worthy than Mr Fry's pompous blatherings. Which begs the question where is the great demand for import tv personalities coming from - dont we have enough interesting people here to populate shows such as the Late Late Show etc rather than regurgitating "B" or "C" rated "celebs" from abroad ? I'm not being insular here nor am I having a go at Mr. Fry because of his sexuality or his atheistic views - I'm just asking the question who cares what he thinks or believes ? Are his opinions or rants what we want to be watching on prime time tax payer funded TV? I don't have strong pro or anti religious views, for me each to his own spirituality. As for Mr Fry, good luck to him with his beliefs or unbeliefs, but why do the powers that be in RTE feel he's worth an "extended" Meaning of Life - don't we have any articulate theist or athiest contributors at home to save us from this over hyped over indulgent rubbish ?

Don't watch it.

I will.

Montallie

I wish people wouldn't keep on confusing God with religion. If there is a God (and I believe there is some entity of this kind), why would it want to make contact with its creations a members-only privilege? Further, why would it need some of its creations to chastise others, when it could quite easily do the job itself? For me, religion interferes between this God-entity and its creations.

As to the question of why this GE permits evil to occur, there could be all kinds of reasons. If we haven't yet managed to know this GE, how can we hope to understand? I'm sure this will be taken as a cop-out, though.

deaddonkey15

RomanKnows wrote: »

I'm sure he is. It doesn't bother me. I'm not even the smartest person in my house at the moment.
I just find Fry to be tedious and self-regarding. He's a fat white man born into privelige. His views on religion, God and faith aren't remotely new or controversial. Being angry about God is as old as a belief in God itself. I don't need a hired dicky bow to reinforce my own beliefs - or the lack of them.

Of what relevance is his weight and skin colour?

Donkey Oaty

RomanKnows wrote: »

What's the fuss here? Pompous egotist claims he hates God. More after the weather. The constant swooning over Fry gets on my tits. He's a game show host and actor with a plummy accent, not Einstein. The stupid mans' intellectual. And there can be little doubt that no one is more aware of Fry's 'national treasure' status than the man himself.

The early Fry was a feckin gem, much needed at the time (see "Paperweight" for some superb writing) and with no equivalent nowadays.

The later Fry is a shadow of his former self - it's all alas, bless and diddums, and gushing tributes to his friends.

And yet....call me an optimist, but I have a feeling that we haven't seen the best of the old codger yet. He has it in him.

Come on, my son....we're waiting.

lazybones32

I disagree OP, with it being a good answer. It is an answer I could imagine giving to another human being who has sole responsibility for everything good and bad that occurs in human life but not to GOD.

I mean, if I didn't believe in the existence of God and when I died and was confronted with the reality that I was wrong, my first reaction is hardly going to be one of chastisement. It would probably be awe.

It's interesting to note that Fry references David Attenborough's answer - about the insect in the eye - when Gaybo asked David, if he believed in God on the late, late show some years ago. Whether it is coincidental or just shows that Fry researches, either way, I find it interesting.

feargale

shruikan2553 wrote: »

eh, not as many as usual. I think they were able to direct their annoyance at a person this time. Took awhile for them to turn up, were probably having to sneak home from mass to prevent them being attacked by the roving gangs of atheists.

You seem to have a bigger problem with certain people quietly expressing their beliefs than they have about you and Mr. Fry loudly expressing yours.

AryaStark

feargale wrote: »

You seem to have a bigger problem with certain people quietly expressing their beliefs than they have about you and Mr. Fry loudly expressing yours.

Gay Byrne asked the question knowing that Stephen is an atheist ....it's not like Stephen just starting going on about it!

shruikan2553

feargale wrote: »

You seem to have a bigger problem with certain people quietly expressing their beliefs than they have about you and Mr. Fry loudly expressing yours.

I think you need to read it again, this time finish the sentence.

You do know that Stephen was asked a question about god right? He was hardly going to say no comment.

conorh91

AryaStark wrote: »

Gay Byrne asked the question knowing that Stephen is an atheist ....it's not like Stephen just starting going on about it!

He's an agnostic isn't he? Certainly on the skeptical spectrum of agnosticism, but I doubt he'd describe himself as an atheist.

I'm probably wrong though.

I don't really follow his gameshow.

Donkey Oaty

conorh91 wrote: »

He's an agnostic isn't he? Certainly on the skeptical spectrum of agnosticism, but I doubt he'd describe himself as an atheist.

Gay Byrne thinks he is God.

On the basis of the adulation he gets from the Irish people, he can't be accused of not having any evidence for it.

feargale

AryaStark wrote: »

Gay Byrne asked the question knowing that Stephen is an atheist ....it's not like Stephen just starting going on about it!

I don't have a problem about Stephen Fry expressing himself, far from it. But we should all have a problem with people having a problem about others doing likewise. It's the old story - everybody wants freedom of speech for those they agree with. Less people want it for those they disagree with. This selective take on democracy forsakes most people, ( but not all , ) at about the same time as their last short pants.

catallus

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Gay Byrne thinks he is God.

His show on Lyric is the best thing in the world.

eviltwin

The entire show is about religion and spirituality, it's the only thing Gay and the guests will talk about. It's a short enough clip so I'm not going to judge it on that alone. I'm sure they both have plenty to say. I'm looking forward to watching.

eviltwin

feargale wrote: »

I don't have a problem about Stephen Fry expressing himself, far from it. But we should all have a problem with people having a problem about others doing likewise. It's the old story - everybody wants freedom of speech for those they agree with. Less people want it for those they disagree with. This selective take on democracy forsakes most people, ( but not all , ) at about the same time as their last short pants.

Does Stephen have a problem with people expressing it? I have never heard him calling for people to stop practicing their religion. Most people are quite tolerant of religion once it doesn't interfere with how they choose to live.

K4t

Emersyn Deep Destroyer wrote: »

I don't even need to read the thread to know it will be full of the boards anti-religion brigade high fiving each other and drooling over each other's bull s*it, while insulting religious people and attacking their views.

*Slow violin*

I mean, if I didn't believe in the existence of God and when I died and was confronted with the reality that I was wrong, my first reaction is hardly going to be one of chastisement. It would probably be awe.

I mean, if I didn't believe in the existence of my God and when I died and was confronted with Audrey Hepburn (i.e. my God) begging me to mount her with the force of a thousand living men, my first reaction is hardly going to be one of chastisement. It would probably be awe.

feargale

shruikan2553 wrote: »

I think you need to read it again, this time finish the sentence.

I read and quoted your post in full.

shruikan2553 wrote: »

You do know that Stephen was asked a question about god right? He was hardly going to say no comment.

No problem about Mr. Fry answering a question or volunteering an opinion. Why don't you read your post again, in particular the part I highlighted. You seem to have a problem about people minding their own business going to mass, a problem incidentally that you share with the likes of the late Mr. Paisley and a number of American fundamentalists. Tolerance, dialogue and debate are on the wane in the western world, and not least in A&A.

shane7218

If religious people actually read the bible most would become atheists IMO.

Dan_Solo

feargale wrote: »

You seem to have a problem about people minding their own business going to mass

Where the hell are you getting this from? If asked for an opinion I'll happily tell any theist going they are delusional. Nobody here's even hinted at standing at the church door shouting about at the delusional as they go about their delusional business, so you can reel that one right back in again.

Woodville56

catallus wrote: »

His show on Lyric is the best thing in the world.

The music content on The Time-warp is good, but could do without Gay's soapboxing on his own pet likes/dislikes ! It's very much used by Byrne as a vehicle for his own pontificating !

catallus

The pontificating is my favourite part!

Ghost Buster

Woodville56 wrote: »

The music content on The Time-warp is good, but could do without Gay's soapboxing on his own pet likes/dislikes ! It's very much used by Byrne as a vehicle for his own pontificating !

But its Gay Byrnes show. Thats the point. Its a personality lead programme.