Up@dawn 2.0

Monday, January 27, 2014

Penn Jillette is the Man!!

I've been reading Penn Jillette's book, "God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales" and I just love his attitude because it fits what I'm used to and I believe I'm like him in some aspects and it sort of fits in with this whole "Good Book" and doing good. That being said, I found this quote from him (if it truly is from him I'm not sure, but I think I remember hearing him say it).

7 comments:

  1. Relates to the Murfreesboro Muslim cemetery mentioned earlier. I heard of that book, I'll have to check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Penn's books are great, I've read God No and Every Day is an Atheist Holiday dozens of times each. I admire the man very much, from his magic work (P&T are BRILLIANT live) to Bullshit to Penn's Sunday School, and everywhere else. Hell, the background on my phone is a picture of me and Penn. I cannot recommend his work (any of it, really) strongly enough. And to top it off, he's a cool guy to have a conversation with.

    Okay now it sounds like I'm just a Penn fanboy. Maybe I am. So what? He led me down the path to Atheism, and I suppose for that I am (pardon the pun) eternally grateful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ...Except atheists aren't the only ones "doing good because it's good". Many religious people, myself included, are not simply "doing good" to get rewarded.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. His argument is one about morality. The point he's making is less that only atheists can do right for the right reasons and more that an atheistic system of morality is better than any divine command system of same; by atheistic system I mean, a moral system where reward or punishment from a higher being doesn't play any part in morally significant decisions.

      Delete
    2. I'll leave aside the fact that there is no grounding of objective morality in atheism, and rather point out that your response doesn't really address my concerns here; my point, in relation to Divine Command (if we're conflating religion and it as the same, which seems to be the case) is that it's not necessarily a "rewards and punishment" kind of morality--in fact, at best it's silent on the issue.

      Delete
  4. Devin here, Jon thank you for putting it so eloquently. I was a bit confused when he said this but when you think about it some religious people may do good simply because of the fact they are prodded to do so by religion or a system of rewards and punishments. Atheists, at least the ones I KNOW DO GOOD FOR THE SAKE OF DOING GOOD. Devin here

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Atheists, please keep doing good because, as some of you have already found out, when you die, there is a heaven! But, don't fear it - because if you truly have done good with love, then you will recognise LOVE (Jesus) and you will have a second chance to make a much better choice than you have done on earth - because, like it or not, HE LOVES YOU!!!! That is why He died by the way. The Creator made a perfect world but the imperfect in it was that he gave us Free Will, which you guys are exercising to the fullest! Then other people, atheists, religious, agnostics, etc. use that same Free Will to create havoc. If God interfered, it would unfortunately not be Free Will - which is why He urges us: Choose Life! Remember this please when you meet Jesus - Choose Him! Hell is hell - and He really does love you - so much!!!!

      Delete