Celebrity Atheists
Monday, December 10, 2007 Labels: atheist, religion 14 commentsI happened to accidentally come across this site that gives a list of celebrities who publicly admitted they are atheists. Some I either knew or figured they were such as Lance Armstrong, Warren Buffett, Ron Reagan Jr and Andy Rooney. However there were some I were surprised at like Bill Gates, Billy Joel, Jodie Foster and Barry Manilow. Of these the most surprising to me was David Horowitz who is an agnostic. For those who don't know him, he is a conservative author. I have met him before and enjoy his work.
The purpose of this is basically for your personal interest. I don't know if you will view people differently knowing their religious beliefs or not, but I found it interesting.
Here is the link to view the complete list.
Do you view them differently? Does the fact that you know they are a different belief change your thoughts about/toward them? What if they were muslim?
Just curious, obviously, you need not respond, I was asking rhetorically.
FYI, Barry Manilow is not an atheist. He's Jewish although I don't know how observant he is and I know where some people got the idea he's an atheist. Several years ago, he was interviewed by Humanist Magazine and upon being asked if he believed in God, Barry said yes he did and his name is Clive Davis. Clive runs Arista records which is where Barry has been for most of his recording career and it was said as a joke.
I doubt God sees them differently. Who are we to judge His creation? Living by "Christian standards" but not being a Christian still makes you a good person I assume. I think God would see it that way. Now the question I ask (and am actually interested in a few opinions since I think the people who post here are pretty intelligent in discussion), Would God prefer a morally good person who doesn't believe to an immoral believer...?
I'd like to answer db's question with a couple of questions:
If you are morally good, does that mean you believe?
If you believe, does that mean you will be morally good?
And it doesn't change what I think about them. They still need God's love and grace and mercy. Just like me.
The thing is, neither a morrally good person, or a "christian" who is immoral go to heaven. This is because I believe you can lose your salvation. So that kinda makes it cut and dry for me.
Here are quick responses to the multiple posts that included questions.
Layneh,
I do view some differently, but that is because I don't look at everyone the same. Not necessarily worse, but you can't look at everyone the same. By this I am not demeaning them, I for example will look at Horowitz' writings differently knowing that they are coming from an agnostic viewpoint.
Crissy,
Thanks for the post and the information. Obviously everything on found on the internet is not always factual. On the website however, if you click on his name it does give the reason you mention along with others. They do have an ambiguous category, it may be more fitting to put him there.
db,
I don't think God prefers either. He is separate from sin. The verse that talks about being lukewarm comes to mind.
Roland,
I noticed that you do ask a lot of questions, but that is fine by me. Anyway I think a non-believer can be moral by worldly standards and a believer should show the characteristics of bearing good fruit.
Lance isn't an atheist. Thats an old rumor.
This doesn't change my views on any of these people. It's not news that God is absent in Hollywood. But, just like I'm able to seperate celebrities from their politics, I seperate them from their beliefs. If they make the movies I love good, that's all I care about.
Layneh, why do you think you can lose your salvation?
That is something I would love to explain to you, however not on craigs comments page. :)
Would God prefer a morally good person who doesn't believe to an immoral believer...?
There are no "good" people, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
A better question would be this: Since we're all "bad" people, should God simply destroy us all, or should He give us some sort of escape clause?
Good point Triton. Kinda makes the fact that God even offers salvation all the more amazing.
To add to Triton and Timm:
And it doesn't matter how rotten we are, He offers it freely to any who will come.
It is humbling.
Triton and Roland and Craig: Right on...
Layne and DB: James 2: 15-17
--Nick
www.RightMichigan.com