At a Guardian Book Club, bestselling writer Terry Pratchett gives his views upon scholarship as well as religion. Source: guardian.co.uk Check out my blog for some-more videos atheistplanet.blogspot.com

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25 Comments »

1. 

   3.20 : So Terry Pratchett became an atheist after he read the bible?

   I had the same experience at age 16. Read the bible expecting a kind and loving god, and it turned out there was Sodom and Gomorrah. The seven plagues of Egypt. How Moses got more land by killing rival tribes. Revelations.

   I suppose this sort of experience won’t be unique – countless others will do the same thing in the future.

   Comment by wetyewruyrtsutrdhjfg — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

2. 

   Yes, afraid was a great choice of word.

   Its funny how people often forget that religion makes supernatural claims, almost to the point where us atheists are considered the crazy ones.

   Legislation or not,
   If Somebody tells me they are hearing voices, I am getting out of dodge,and fast

   Comment by automaticSOM — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

3. 

   Fantastic.

   Comment by ArmeAntica — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

4. 

   lol, what did he mean when he said “mushroom dream”…..

   psilocybe cubensis ?……… yes, please!

   Comment by EpicHiroDJ — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

5. 

   hmcan somebody rescue mehh from my loneliness really bored today

   Comment by Arlenamadra — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

6. 

   @voltron240 get a sense of humor.

   Comment by blueleadpot — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

7. 

   @voltron240: he doesn’t compare himself with Einstein, he lists himself along with Einstein as a non-believer. When does he suggest he is “greater than most philosophers”? What points does he have no evidence on? You mean his opinions?

   He talks about evolution, for which there is plenty of evidence if you’re keen to learn. He dismisses creation myth, for which there is no evidence. And rightly so.

   You call him a fool… how many books have you written? How many have you read? Just the one?

   Comment by jigen08 — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

8. 

   Setting aside the errors in this statement…

   If you criticise for not citing evidence… please remember to cite your own evidence.

   Comment by anyaxelizabeth — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

9. 

   <3 Terry Pratchett. Probably the greatest writer of our time.

   Comment by FrankieAvocado — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

10. 

    Terry is hammered lol

    Comment by Tinils — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

11. 

    He does not compare himself to Einstein. Watch the video again.

    Comment by chstoney — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

12. 

    For all those who believe this man who compairs himself to Einstein and thinks himself greater than most philosophers i can not help but wonder if you still have what he calls an “ape” brain. He talks about points he has no real evidence on and does so while being some what intoxicated. It is hard to believe the integrity of this fool while many of histroys great and wise leaders says otherwise.

    Comment by voltron240 — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

13. 

    He isnt talking about religion is he. The T-bag is just pissing off christians lol and cracking jokes wtf. I wonder if he believes in evolution. what a drunk guy.

    Comment by shmeetheoriginal — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

14. 

    @automaticSOM
    I’m afraid the current legislation on insanity has a implicit loophole for holy ghostly voices.

    Comment by MrFacet — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

15. 

    Woa, best get these friends of yours some pills and a straight jacket.

    Standard procedure when someone says he is hearing voices. LOL

    Comment by automaticSOM — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

16. 

    @Aaberg123 yeah I know and it should be just a guideline as the “parler” pirate rules in Pirates of the Carribean.

    Comment by MrFacet — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

17. 

    Ah yes the moral highground… when somebody claims to me he (m/f) gets his morals from the bible I always ask further how. Turns out they have these voices in their head telling them how to interpret the bible.

    On ‘confused’: I noticed it when I typed, forgot to fix it. Mild sort of typing tourette .

    Comment by MrFacet — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

18. 

    MrFacet

    Yes the rule has its flaws but that is not my biggest concern.

    I just hate it when christians claim the rule for themselves and thus lay false claim to a moral high ground.

    BTW its Confucius, not Confused

    Comment by automaticSOM — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

19. 

    @MrFacet
    It’s not a perfect principle, but from an intersubjective POV, it’s rather decent.

    Comment by Aaberg123 — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

20. 

    “The golden rule is not an originally christian idea”
    I believe TP said that any self respecting philosopher used it.
    Others said the Golden Rule is not so commonly applicable as it seems. Consider SM, or believers. Such people could use the golden rule to spank, or to force others to follow their religion because it “saves their afterlife”.
    PS tried to catch you but Confused lived 551-479 BCE.

    Comment by MrFacet — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

21. 

    Shows what you know about stars. They have weather. They have structure. There are many more than 7 types of star. They have differing physical properties and different life spans and birth and death processes. Some stars sing in the radio end of the spectrum, others hum. Multiple stars dance together and some share material in a slow sexual congress. Black holes, which are stars, screech loudly, put on a light show and evaporate to death. Stars are very far from boring.

    Comment by DanDare2050 — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

22. 

    Well, you have to put it in context. There really is nothing interesting about stars compared to street lamps. I mean, there are only seven different classes of stars, how long do you think could you catalog them before it gets boring? They’re all just big, hot balls of fusing atoms, the main difference is size. When it comes to street lamps, you’ve got hundreds of different designs, different means of lighting (e.g. gas or electricity), different uses and requirements etc.

    Comment by BrokenCurtain — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

23. 

    So humble, yet so to the point. This is the first time I’ve seen this man, but he really has the same rationale and down to earth qualities as Carl Sagan. The thing about intelligent folks, like this man, is that they are not always willing to yell as loud as the under informed, overly passionate crazies in the world. Crazy drowns out logic when crazy yells louder.

    Comment by squeege421 — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

24. 

    “some beach somewhere, and nobody knows where…”
    Actually they do know where, it was northern Canada.

    Comment by GBart — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

25. 

    Technically, that’s known as the “Silver Rule”

    Comment by RexFordVII — December 26, 2009 @ 9:25 am

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