"I don't care if there are 50 per cent atheists or 75 per cent atheists in the world. I've got no problem with God being the most the popular thing in the world, with churches being filled, worship, no problem at all. People who believe in God that don't impinge on me, I don't care about. When it starts infringing on people and taking people's rights away that's a battle that's not going to be won by satirists or comedians."
The Church does not impinge on individual's free will. Like God, the Church, while encouraging us towards Good, respects our freedom. I'm afraid, Ricky, that the Government is far more likely to take away your rights than any Church. Will you satirise the Government if, or more likely when, the Government makes speaking Truth illegal.
"The New Testament: that's great. There's no greater virtue than forgiveness. I try to live my life on those virtues of kindness, forgiveness, do as you would be done by. I live by those rules. It always does annoy me when people say about atheists that they are amoral and heartless. The opposite is true. I'm not a good person because I want rewards in heaven. I'm not a good person because I will be punished by God. I'm a good person because I want to interact with fellow humans. Nature is more beautiful when you know it's an accident and art is more beautiful when you know that man is an accident."
Pope Benedict XVI has never said atheists are amoral or heartless. St Paul said that, "It is not I that live but Christ who lives in me." The theological implication is that the good that we do, for a Christian, is a response out of love for Christ who loved us first and secondly that we desire to die to ourselves so that Christ may become all in all, in us. To act only out of fear of punishment is the least meritorious love of God. To act only for the love of God is the highest. The World is more beautiful if you believe it has been made by the loving hand of the Almighty, even more so when you know it has been redeemed.
"There are so many reasons to believe in God - the biggest one is: If there is no God what happens to me when I die? That's belief through necessity. The alternative is unthinkable. Now I wish I was taller, but it's not going to happen. And if truth be told, I wish there was a God. Of course, I don't want to live for 80 years and then be worm's meat. It would be brilliant but it's not going to happen, it's impossible. When I'm dying I probably will go 'I wish there was a God', but it doesn't mean there is. Wishing for something doesn't mean it's possible."
God exists whether we like it, wish He were so, or wish He were not so. God is the ultimate Reality, whether we believe in Him or not. He isn't dependent on our belief, He simply is.
No comments:
Post a Comment