In an interview with a German magazine Brad Pitt describes himself as 20% atheist and 80% agnostic. Here’s the clip from the mag:
BILD: Do you believe in God?
Brad Pitt (smiling): “No, no, no!”BILD: Is your soul spiritual?
Brad Pitt: “No, no, no! I’m probably 20 per cent atheist and 80 per cent agnostic. I don’t think anyone really knows. You’ll either find out or not when you get there, until then there’s no point thinking about it.
I find it sad. But what I’m mostly interested in is can you be 20% atheist and 80% agnostic? Does the math work?
If an atheist is defined as being someone who denies the existence of God and an agnostic is someone who just isn’t sure, can you be both? Well, I’d say you can’t – at least at the same time, right?
You can’t say positively that there is no God but you’re not sure. Maybe he means that 20 percent of the time he’s sure there’s no God and 80 percent unsure.
I know Brad Pitt says there’s no point in thinking about it but hey, he’s not the boss of me. I’m 100 percent sure of that.
August 1, 2009 at 3:48 pm
You’ll either find out or not when you get there, until then there’s no point thinking about it.
He's talking out of a certain orifice not above the neck line. As Chesterton pointed out, if one believes in immortal souls, the afterlife, God, etc. you actually don't have to think about them much. If you don't believe in them then you must not think about them. This of course is like the challenge to not think about a purple fox for five minutes. All one has to do is look at the well-documented atheist obsession with the supposedly non-existent and their general track record of an inability to discuss the matter without being an utter jerk to demonstrate this.
August 1, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Another example of why someone who makes a living playing "make believe" shouldn't be taken seriously.
August 1, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Don't you understand anything about statistics? What Pitt is saying is:
• There's a 20% probability that there is no God.
• There's an 80% probability that there might not be a God.
All clear now?
August 1, 2009 at 6:39 pm
I think he's saying he hasn't made up his mind fully and that 20% of THE TIME he believes there is no god and the other 80% he simply has doubts on the subject. Either way, it doesn't surprise me at all, since he has achieved megastardom in Hollywood and has been treated like a god for so most of his adult life. This is certainly not an excuse, but remember when John Lenon infamously quoted the Beatles were bigger than Jesus? It's just Satan using the sin of pride to bring man down. Nothing new here.
August 1, 2009 at 8:08 pm
That's some stellar logic right there. Let's apply it to another problem: "I don't think anyone really knows if there's a massive waterfall at the end of this river. You'll either find out or not when you get there, until then there's no point thinking about it."
Pascal would be so proud of him.
August 1, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Let's exercise a little charity here. Ask yourself this: are you the type of person who pokes fun at Downs Syndrom children as they are crossing the street? We must remember that faith is a gift from God. We didn't earn it. It is a blessing. Just as some people were not born with the capacity for higher reasoning, the same can be said for those who are blinded by a lack of faith. Rather than ridiculing such people, what do you think would be the correct response as Christians?
August 2, 2009 at 4:33 am
Anon 5:21 — I think it's fair game to make fun of his reasoning (or lack thereof). I wouldn't call it ridicule, nor would I think that it's analogous to poking fun at a Downs child.
August 2, 2009 at 4:39 am
It's easy to imagine if one only were to achieve fame or riches or beauty that one could then have "it all figured out". At least, it seems one would have more time to spend pondering/investigating these important issues. After all, doesn't the possibility that there might be a God intrigue him a bit?
August 2, 2009 at 5:06 am
J Christian, from your previous post I gathered you don't. I would highly suggest you contemplate the beatitudes. And a prayer of thanksgiving tonight for God giving you faith. And you might want to also pray that it is never taken away from you.
August 2, 2009 at 7:46 am
Okay, Brad. I'll do that.
August 4, 2009 at 2:28 pm
To anon: faith is a gift from God, but we can openly and freely reject it. It's pretty clear here that's what's going on in Brad's mind, at least 20% of the time. The other 80% he lives in a grey uncertainty. Anyone ever read the Great Divorce by CS Lewis? He describes someone living in the grey twilight world of this sort of thought pattern, and it reminds me of what Brad Pitt's appearantly going through. It's like he's saying, "there may be a sun, but who needs it anyway, and if it does exist, how much better can it be than the great drabness we have around us?" His mind is trying to lead him to the light of the sun by continually piqueing his curiousity that there might be something brighter out there, but he continually rejects it because he is comfortable in the night.
Sure, pray for Brad, but also understand that it's his own choices and his own reasoning that trap him, not some mysterious witholding of faith from the Lord. If Brad but asked for faith, the Lord would surely not withold it from him, the trouble is Brad is too comfortable with his Godless life to ask for God to help him live it.
Just my 2 cents on the matter!
Hope it helps!