The comedian George Carlin has died at age 71 of heart failure. It doesn’t seem so old. He was courageous in tackling taboo subjects and words. Here’s a last word from him:
Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man — living in the sky — who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of those ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ’til the end of time… But He loves you!
—copied from Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion
Here’s an expanded version:
“Religion convinced the world that there’s an invisible man in the sky who watches everything you do. And there’s 10 things he doesn’t want you to do or else you’ll to to a burning place with a lake of fire until the end of eternity. But he loves you! …And he needs money! He’s all-powerful, but he can’t handle money! [...]
I’ve begun worshipping the sun for a number of reasons. First of all, unlike some other gods I could mention, I can see the sun. It’s there for me every day. And the things it brings me are quite apparent all the time: heat, light, food, a lovely day. There’s no mystery, no one asks for money, I don’t have to dress up, and there’s no boring pageantry. And interestingly enough, I have found that the prayers I offer to the sun and the prayers I formerly offered to God are all answered at about the same 50-percent rate. [...]
Religion is sort of like a lift in your shoes. If it makes you feel better, fine. Just don’t ask me to wear your shoes. And let’s not nail the lift to the natives’ feet.”
More:
- Bill Dauphin says,
Yah, today it’s especially true that “the forecast for tonight is dark”… but we shouldn’t forget the near certainty of “scattered light in the morning.”
- PhysioProf has an obitiuary: George Carlin is dead.
- The Atheist Jew has some quotes and a couple of video clips: George Carlin: RIP.
June 23, 2008 at 21:08
I wonder if he discovered how true those words were and if he’s sorry he ever mocked God…
June 23, 2008 at 21:16
I doubt it. The evidence for gods is slim to nonexistent and generally comes under the heading of special pleading, circular reasoning, and bare assertion. There’s more evidence for Santa Claus: supposed radar tracking, mysterious presents, etc. Prayer doesn’t work, as shown in double-blind tests; and when people are told they are being prayed for, they do worse than if they’re not told. I guess they think they’re really sick and suffer accordingly. If a god wanted to demonstrate his or her existence, it would be easy to send a clear signal. But the way things stand now, there is no clear evidence, lots of counter-evidence, and the human motivation that being a priest nets someone a soft living.
June 23, 2008 at 21:41
Thanks for the link, dudes!
June 25, 2008 at 00:35
` Hey! Already love your blog! Did not expect to see this here!
` He was one funny and critically thinking man! Thank goodness HBO specials can be re-run again and again!