WOTM: David Mitchell On Atheism
I'm a big fan of Mitchell And Webb. The two of them have given us some of the best satire and comedy in the last thirty years. So it was disheartening to see David Mitchell somewhat ill-informed about Atheism.
He also takes a swat at the motives of Atheists like myself, and does some unwarranted conflating when it comes to his idea of God and the God people actually worship. He's a sharp guy. So this was kind of beneath him — I thought. Just a note: the picture in the thumbnail is not a photo of David as a baby.
Well, that's it for the month. This is that time — it happens every month, when I get a little chocked up. I don't know if you believe that, but it's true. I feel so fortunate that you good people enable me to do this every month. I really love what I do, and I hope it shows.
And... in case you're wondering... I wear a big floppy hat almost any time I go outside. I walk my dogs a minimum of three times a day, so I'm out quite a bit, and my hands are never covered. That's why they're so incredibly dark... and somewhat leather like now. I just figured someone was going to ask.
I'll see you all next month. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You're all my very best friends. Call me! B
Comments (9)
Another insightful presentation!
I have to roll my eyes at David Mitchell's stance: it's the same one I've heard Neil deGrasse Tyson use. Are they really and truly "agnostic" (don't know, can't say)? I'd always like to ask them are they also "agnostic" about leprechauns, unicorns, fairies? Or would they admit they're a'leprechaunists, a'unicornists, a'fairiests? They can dismiss the reality of such beings, but back off on the invisible sky daddy in the Bible? Bet'cha that, if pressed, Mitchell and Tyson would admit they're a'Thorists, a'Huitzilopochtlists, a'Osirists, a'Oesterists, a'Poseidanists. Just admit you're a'MrDeitists, guys, and quit trying to avoid offending fundamentalist believers, for cryin' out loud.
I always like to ask, “So which gods are you still seriously considering?”
I am real fan of David Mitchell. I've watched and listened to a great deal of his work, both as a comedian and an author. From his books, I got the idea that he was more reasonable than this video shows. He seems to be willing to take Pascal's wager, and thus throw all those who religion injured or killed under the bus. I still think he's brilliant. Just not as much as I did before.😥
We all have our peaks and valleys.
He dismisses the point that people have killed each other in the name of religion because people have killed each other in name of absolutely everything. Fair enough, but what then does religion bring to the table if it's just another thing that people kill each other over? It's almost as if it, religion, is just another thing that people do, nothing divine about it.
That’s such a great point. Hate that it didn’t occur to me for this video. D’oh!!! But you guys are way smarter than me. So I shouldn’t be surprised. Next time!!!
I am what I guess you would call a gnostic atheist, what is really called an anti-theist, one who not only lacks belief in any god but who also has a belief that no god exists.
Well, I certainly discount the possibility of an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving God. But I can’t quite work my way to any god. Such a being, in relation to us, need not be supernatural or have any particular characteristics. Wouldn’t even have to be a personal being in any meaningful way — as we would understand that term.