Merry Tuesday to These Celebrities

The Daily Telegraph (Australia) has an article about atheist celebrities (who presumably won’t be celebrating Christmas).

One of them is Australian actress Rachel Griffiths:

Yummers.

When asked by Madison magazine in 2000 if she was religious, Griffiths answered: “Although I’m not Christian, I was raised Christian. I’m an atheist, with a slight Buddhist leaning.

“I’ve got a very strong sense of morality – it’s just a different morality than the loud voices of the Christian morality … I can’t tell you how many films I’ve turned down because there was an absence of morality.

“And I don’t mean that from any sort of Judeo-Christian/Muslim point of view. I’m not saying they’re wrong and can’t be made. But, fundamentally, I’m such a humanist that I can’t bear to make films that make us feel humanity is more dark than it is light.”

Nicely put.

The paper also included a photo gallery of 15 celebrity atheists (link is near the bottom of the article). If Ani Difranco is included in the list, you know it’s worth looking at. Plus, the captions are amusing 🙂

[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]

Julie

Why the heck does the article assume that atheists don’t put up trees and give presents? But nice captions, just because they’re so goofy.
Karen

Geldof! I had no idea, but that’s nice to know. I’ve always been impressed by his charity work. He and Bono are a nice example of an atheist-Christian team who are working hard to make the world a better place.

Between him, Gates and Buffett, I’d say atheists are well-represented in high-profile philanthropy circles these days. And then Angelina adopts all those kids and does a lot for the Third World, too.

I saw a profile on the news last night about the 50 percent club, which is a group of people who donate half of their annual income to good causes – a pretty hefty commitment!

The people who started it did not mention any religious motivation, nor does their website. Though they certainly may not be atheists, it’s definitely a secular organization of people living sacrificially without any overt mention of god. I think things like this put the lie to that old religious canard about how there’s no good in the world apart from god. Next time I hear that one I’m going to have lots of examples to point to to counter that argument.
Mriana

That was nicely put, but what makes them think we don’t celebrate anything this time of year? I mean we do have family and friends- that’s enough to celebrate there.
Robin

I’m an athiest, and I love Christmas…

I don’t care what the ultimate source of Christmas is; whether it’s pagan, Christian or Scientology-based is irrelevant to me.

Sometimes, a good idea is a good idea.

The only thing wrong with Christmas is its’ name. Too Christ-y. That, I’ve got a problem with. But still…

Christmas is a GREAT idea.
Chaim Krause

Hemant,

I think we were brothers in a previous life. I am originally from Chicago. I am an Athiest. That’s two. And the third? I said, “Yummers” when I saw that picture and then scrolled down to see you had said the same thing! I think God is trying to tell us something. 😉
Hemant Mehta

Chaim — Brothers, perhaps. Or maybe we’re soulmates 🙂