Bravo Ricky Gervais for having the courage to tell people where you stand.

[HyenaThePirate]

I'm a big Ricky Gervais fan. HUGE. And I am a Christian.
Which is why, strangely, I stood up and cheered when Ricky Shocked the world (or he WILL have, come tomorrow morning when the media breaks the story) When at the VERY end of his hosting the Golden Globe awards (after viciously taking apart every self-important, smug "artist" in the room) his final words defiantly shouted into a mic:

"And thank GOD for making me an Atheist."

That took balls. Especially after taking a MUCH a-twitter and gasp-inducing shot at scientology. I'm seriously wondering if Ricky didn't just misjudge how far his own talent could shield himself and ruin his career.

Even if he did, Ricky deserves to be applauded.
Personally, I believe in God. And I stand proudly by my belief. But I also think that Atheists are unfairly maligned by my fellow Christians (although some atheists can be asshats who care less about their own personal beliefs than taking a piss on other people's beliefs for the mere sport of it) and society seems like they try far to hard to silence them or push them to the fringes.

Ultimately though, Atheists have the RIGHT to be open about their beliefs and entitled to their own opinions. That's why I am proud of Ricky, for putting that out there, for using the national stage to take a moment to bring Atheism to the foreground. You better BELIEVE people will be talking about this, a much needed dialogue if you ask me. My only regret is that it will probably come at the cost of his own career.

But for a man to martyr himself in order to bring forth a conversation about belief and non-belief, that man EARNS my respect.

Thanks Ricky, for exposing a brave new world to those who would rather pretend that life (and faith) are about "absolutes."

 

[Bon_Clay]

Bringing up the fact you are an atheist seems to piss people off a lot these days. It seems every time atheism is brought up, while they do acknowledge it is only some of them, the only thing anyone wants to talk about is the smug ones who go around preaching it to the same annoying degree as religious fanatics. Yes some are like that, and just because you mention it is only some doesn't mean you have to bring it up every single time someone mentions atheism.

The fact is that it is a legitimate view point or belief to have. And it very much is true that they still receive unfair treatment because of it. Generally not in very serious forms of persecution or anything, but you can see a lot of the time people seem to wish that atheist weren't allowed to bring up their beliefs at all. Some Christians seem to feel they have the right to be offended by people being atheist or expressing their views. Hell I remember a while back Myspace refused some Atheist group page from staying on their site because people complained it was offensive.

If you are going to say other belief systems are offensive because they contradict your own and therefore need to be censored, then they have just as much right to turn it back on you. Its either everyone gets the right to thank God at the end of a speech, as well as make a statement like Ricky Gervais did, or all religious talk gets banned from public speech if people can't handle it like adults. Then everyone has to operate as completely irreligious except in their home lives.

Its all or nothing when it comes to that kind of censorship, otherwise its ridiculously unfair.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

While I agree with your points I doubt Ricky was making/intending to make the dramatic statement that you think he was. I just think he said it to highlight it's humorous juxtaposition than say "to be a martyr" for beliefs/non-beliefs.

I just think you might be reading too much into it. Then again, I don't know the whole context in which this was said and maybe you do.

 

[TeeBs]

I think the problem people have with atheist isn't that they have a problem with people not believing, they just view atheist as anti religious.

 

[Togs]

Im afraid to say that yet again this is an American phenomenom, very few countries on this planet take religion to the same degree of ridiculousness as the USA.

And the fact that he takes a shot at scientology and everyone gets al up in arms when everyone seems to share the same derisive opinion is so stupid my head is on the verge of exploding.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

While I agree with your points I doubt Ricky was making/intending to make the dramatic statement that you think he was. I just think he said it to highlight it's humorous juxtaposition than say "to be a martyr" for beliefs/non-beliefs.

I just think you might be reading too much into it. Then again, I don't know the whole context in which this was said and maybe you do.

Oh no, Ricky almost CERTAINLY did it on purpose. It was at the VERY end, when the credits were rolling and the show was ending and he was running quickly through his "I'd like to thank the cast, the guests, etc... and sensing he was almost out of time, you hear his last words rushed out "And thank God for making me an atheist!"

It was jarring and breathtaking and put a punctuation on an evening where Ricky showed that he wasn't afraid to take it HARDCORE to the hollywood elite, who he has always felt have no right to elevate themselves above the average person.

Believe me, you'll be hearing about how "harsh" and "insulting" his introductions of each guest were, and even a few seemed to take a moment to take a shot back at him. Even Tom Hanks said something about how he remembered Ricky when he was chubby and nice and now he's a jerk or something to that effect. You could tell some of what he said was "controversial" and hit a "nerve" and it's almost guaranteed HE will never be asked to host anything again, which is a shame. It felt GOOD to see the hoity toity "upper class" folks take a few shots to the ego, even if it was all in good fun (to which I doubt many of them will see that perspective).

I just hope his career doesn't suffer, because Hollywood can be a vengeful lot and his hosting of the show came across more as a "Roast" than a glitzy, glamorous event where these people gather together to pat each other on the backs and give each other pointless little awards to show their appreciation of each other. There are already enough awards shows, why do we need ALL of them?! Because it stokes the ego of these people. They like the "celebrity" of it all.

Good on you, Ricky Gervais. You'll be labeled a bastard for it, but nobody before or again will dare to do what you did.

 

[Hooded.Gamer]

I don't think that Ricky Gervais is using his fame as a shield (not intentionally, anyway) I think that he's just one of those people who believes what he wants to and isn't shy about such things. Besides, isn't that his sort of humor? Bluntly giving vaguely humorous self-created opinions on things to a captive audience?

 

[The Cheezy One]

I'm fine with Atheists, as long as they understand what they are saying. Many people label themselves Atheists because they disagree with certain Christians(or people of other religions), or they just haven't really thought about it. An Atheist who has honestly thought about where he stands with God, I can respect.
Go watch The Big Picture with Moviebob: Nerd Gods. This guy when to a RC school, and thus has been forced to understand that there is a God which, while being 100% the wrong way to go about it, hasn't completely removed any positive thought of religion from him. This guy, I respect.
Ricky Gervais. I don't really like him, but if he wasn't joking, then I don't know if his fame can protect him here. But most people probably don't care.

 

[Outlaw Torn]

How exactly is this 'shock[ing] the world'? He might have a Scientology hit-squad, sorry re-education patrol, visiting him soon but I wouldn't say he's suddenly controversial because of that. He's not particularly funny so he relies too much on making jokes at other peoples' expense and hoping they go down well. If not then he can just hide behind the veil of comic freedom. The BBC don't even mention that line, just that he continually made jokes about actors then went missing for an hour.

 

[Coop83]

I continually tell people where I stand - I'm agnostic and once I see definitive proof (stop waving the bible at me, I'll just wave Lord of the Rings back), I might be convinced to change my opinions. It's a joke, possibly edgy, but no more so than anything that Jimmy Carr says.

I personally don't understand how he keeps getting work - I've seen one funny role from him, which was Ferdy in Stardust. That was only funny, because he died in it. *sigh*

 

[Dexiro]

Ricky is from England, and people are far more relaxed about Atheism here. This really isn't a Christian country anymore (thankfully).

 

[DominicxD]

Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes was just fucking spectacular.

http://tv.gawker.com/5735192/watch-ricky-gervais-extremely-uncomfortable-golden-globes-monologue

Robert DeNiro's Laugh really needs to be made into a .gif.

 

[Cmwissy]

Im afraid to say that yet again this is an American phenomenom, very few countries on this planet take religion to the same degree of ridiculousness as the USA.

Ricky is from England, and people are far more relaxed about Atheism here. This really isn't a Christian country anymore (thankfully).

What these guys have said really, the fact people are Atheists does not shock and apall people in, at the very least, Europe as it does in the USA. It's not really a big deal. We're not forced to hide or call ourselves 'Agnostics'. we're Atheists, we're not Theists.

Although, to what Dexiro said, as an off point, the UK was never really a Christian place, we were Pagan, and then Roman, and then Christian for a wee while, and now Secular.

EDIT: I really don't understand the people who don't like Ricky for being 'smug', that's the whole point of his niché, his gimmick, he's an entertainer.

 

[Albino Boo]

Which is why, strangely, I stood up and cheered when Ricky Shocked the world (or he WILL have, come tomorrow morning when the media breaks the story) When at the VERY end of his hosting the Golden Globe awards (after viciously taking apart every self-important, smug "artist" in the room) his final words defiantly shouted into a mic:

Unfortunately he missed the biggest target of the night the short, fat, self-satisfied, over hyped, talentless git presenting the awards.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Damn was this the Golden Globes or something? How the fuck did i miss something so lolworthy?! I would have watched it if i knew RG was hosting!

I'm Agnostic personally (not an Athesist with commitment issues)... So it's time to find those athiest vs christian threads...

 

[Shpongled]

While I agree with your points I doubt Ricky was making/intending to make the dramatic statement that you think he was. I just think he said it to highlight it's humorous juxtaposition than say "to be a martyr" for beliefs/non-beliefs.

I just think you might be reading too much into it. Then again, I don't know the whole context in which this was said and maybe you do.

Oh no, Ricky almost CERTAINLY did it on purpose. It was at the VERY end, when the credits were rolling and the show was ending and he was running quickly through his "I'd like to thank the cast, the guests, etc... and sensing he was almost out of time, you hear his last words rushed out "And thank God for making me an atheist!"

It was jarring and breathtaking and put a punctuation on an evening where Ricky showed that he wasn't afraid to take it HARDCORE to the hollywood elite, who he has always felt have no right to elevate themselves above the average person.

Believe me, you'll be hearing about how "harsh" and "insulting" his introductions of each guest were, and even a few seemed to take a moment to take a shot back at him. Even Tom Hanks said something about how he remembered Ricky when he was chubby and nice and now he's a jerk or something to that effect. You could tell some of what he said was "controversial" and hit a "nerve" and it's almost guaranteed HE will never be asked to host anything again, which is a shame. It felt GOOD to see the hoity toity "upper class" folks take a few shots to the ego, even if it was all in good fun (to which I doubt many of them will see that perspective).

I just hope his career doesn't suffer, because Hollywood can be a vengeful lot and his hosting of the show came across more as a "Roast" than a glitzy, glamorous event where these people gather together to pat each other on the backs and give each other pointless little awards to show their appreciation of each other. There are already enough awards shows, why do we need ALL of them?! Because it stokes the ego of these people. They like the "celebrity" of it all.

Good on you, Ricky Gervais. You'll be labeled a bastard for it, but nobody before or again will dare to do what you did.

You're certainly reading far too much into it. I don't know about the US, but the whole insult-the-audience routine is fairly common over here in England, I assume Ricky just decided to take it over to the US. The whole atheism thing is a joke that's been used before, probably hundreds of times, this is nothing new or interesting.

Also Ricky Gervais is annoying. Here's hoping he stays over there permanently, you guys could have lame atheism jokes on-demand.

That's odd, he's not normally out to 'offend' anyone, regardless of sensibility.

All I can volunteer is that in the UK that wouldn't have been a big deal, maybe he just misjudged his audience?

You've obviously never seen An Idiot Abroad, where the tit spends the entire program doing what he can to shit all over the holiday of a perfectly friendly, reasonable man.

 

[DazZ.]

I can't think of a comedian that isn't openly Atheist...

I really don't get why that joke will be talked about so much, there are a billion like it told constantly on TV.