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David Attenborough - Closet Athiest

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  • 03-03-2009 3:37pm
    #1
    velocirafter
    Registered Users Posts: 279 ✭✭


    Dades comment in another thread brought this to the forefront of my mind. Is David Attenborough actually an athiest? He made some very middle of the road/bordering on theist, statements on Jonathan Ross the other week.

    Are athiest just claiming Attenborough the same way theists jumped on einsteins loose use of the word "God"


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    #2
    Rev Hellfire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,346 ✭✭✭Rev Hellfire


    velocirafter wrote: »
    Dades comment in another thread brought this to the forefront of my mind. Is David Attenborough actually an athiest? He made some very middle of the road/bordering on theist, statements on Jonathan Ross the other week.

    Are athiest just claiming Attenborough the same way theists jumped on einsteins loose use of the word "God"
    Since he's claimed he's agnostic they can't have him :p

    As for Einstein he claimed he was atheist as far as the Christian god went, more in the agnostic camp also than the theist one.

    Does it matter ?


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    #3
    velocirafter
    Registered Users Posts: 279 ✭✭velocirafter


    Does it matter that I get the answer - yes
    Does the outcome of that answer matter - no


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    #4
    Overblood
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,359 ✭✭✭Overblood


    I was thinking he was a closet theist... Especially since he's getting old. He might actually be hoping for something after death.


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    #5
    Rev Hellfire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,346 ✭✭✭Rev Hellfire


    velocirafter wrote: »
    Does it matter that I get the answer - yes
    Does the outcome of that answer matter - no
    Why ?


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    #6
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Overblood wrote: »
    I was thinking he was a closet theist... Especially since he's getting old. He might actually be hoping for something after death.
    Hoping that doesn't make you a theist - it makes you human.

    I'd put Attenborough in the agnostic atheist (yes - both!) camp, myself. He doesn't entertain the gods of any religion but won't rule out the concept of some creative input.


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    #7
    Rev Hellfire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,346 ✭✭✭Rev Hellfire


    Overblood wrote: »
    I was thinking he was a closet theist... Especially since he's getting old. He might actually be hoping for something after death.
    interesting so as you get older you get more theisty :)


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    #8
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    How on earth did he make ''borderline'' atheist comments on Ross?

    He just said that you don't have to believe in creationism to believe that there's a God.


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    #9
    velocirafter
    Registered Users Posts: 279 ✭✭velocirafter


    Rev Hellfire wrote: »
    Why ?


    Well I've asked the question so it matters that i get the answer, its the same as me asking you are you atheist/theist?

    Whatever the answer is wont make much difference to my day to day life but if the question "is Rev Hellfire of boards.ie fame an atheist or a theist?:P" is asked at table quiz or when I'm on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire i'll know the answer.

    Is it not a perfectly legitimate question to ask?


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    #10
    velocirafter
    Registered Users Posts: 279 ✭✭velocirafter


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    How on earth did he make ''borderline'' atheist comments on Ross?

    He just said that you don't have to believe in creationism to believe that there's a God.

    well he was being asked a direct question about his beliefs and he just sort avoided it with some fence sitting


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    #11
    mickeydevine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭mickeydevine


    I'd say its more to do with not wanting to recieve more hatemail for professing a belief that others do not agree with. He'll leave the atheist/theist battle to more intrested people and just keep teaching us what he knows. He's always appeared to me to be a peaceful and warm man, why would he want to leave himself open to resentment and hate. He's made his views clear on numerous occasions before anyway.


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    #12
    Rev Hellfire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,346 ✭✭✭Rev Hellfire


    velocirafter wrote: »
    Well I've asked the question so it matters that i get the answer, its the same as me asking you are you atheist/theist?

    Whatever the answer is wont make much difference to my day to day life but if the question "is Rev Hellfire of boards.ie fame an atheist or a theist?:P" is asked at table quiz or when I'm on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire i'll know the answer.

    Is it not a perfectly legitimate question to ask?
    Absolutely it is a valid one to ask, as much as asking does David Attenborough prefer red cheddar to white cheddar?
    The question I have is there any value in the answer?

    Regardless Attenborough it seems has answered the question himself, so it all a bit pointless now :)


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    #13
    velocirafter
    Registered Users Posts: 279 ✭✭velocirafter


    there is no particular value, only my own curiosity...well maybe we could give him a yellow star or something just so we know whose side he is on :D


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    #14
    Fanny Cradock
    Registered Users Posts: 10,245 ✭✭✭✭Fanny Cradock


    He is apparently on the fence and leaning over into the dark side. Satisfied?


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    #15
    5uspect
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 10,518 Mod ✭✭✭✭5uspect


    Fanny Cradock wrote: »
    He is apparently on the fence and leaning over into the dark side. Satisfied?

    He's becoming more theistic then?


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    #16
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    Fanny Cradock wrote: »
    He is apparently on the fence and leaning over into the dark side. Satisfied?
    5uspect wrote: »
    He's becoming more theistic then?

    Ba-dum-tisch.

    I'd agree with what Dades said (the atheist-agnostic bit). Attenborough is far too clever to completely rule anything out.


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    #17
    Overblood
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,359 ✭✭✭Overblood


    Rev Hellfire wrote: »
    interesting so as you get older you get more theisty :)

    Haven't you ever heard of deathbed conversions?


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    #18
    lostexpectation
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,082 ✭✭✭lostexpectation


    so nobodies going to comment on his belief in yeti?


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    #19
    jill_valentine
    Registered Users Posts: 7,090 ✭✭✭jill_valentine


    If David Attenborough was in charge - you know, of everything - I don't think I'd have a problem with that.

    Hurrah for you, David Attenborough.


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    #20
    nkay1985
    Registered Users Posts: 6,975 ✭✭✭nkay1985


    I think David Attenborough was happy to not put forward a set position on it. Defining himself could only bring him grief. Either way, he's an absolute legend :)


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    #21
    The Mad Hatter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,718 ✭✭✭The Mad Hatter


    Pat Kenny asked him on the Late, Late Show about a year ago if he believed in God, and he said something to the effect of 'Yes, I do, and the reason why I do - and you're going to think this is very silly - is because of great music.'

    He cited Bach's B Minor Mass and Verdi's Requiem as examples, if I remember right.


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    #22
    CerebralCortex
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭CerebralCortex


    The Mad Hatter wrote: »
    Pat Kenny asked him on the Late, Late Show about a year ago if he believed in God, and he said something to the effect of 'Yes, I do, and the reason why I do - and you're going to think this is very silly - is because of great music.'

    He cited Bach's B Minor Mass and Verdi's Requiem as examples, if I remember right.

    I pretty much remember him saying he was agnostic and beautiful music was the reason. He never said explicitly that he believed in God but that when he heard music that it made him stop and think about it.


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    #23
    Obni
    Registered Users Posts: 424 ✭✭Obni


    After answering the God question on Ross, by delivering his position on what is certainly the most important issue concerning both science and religion, i.e. that it possible to accept evolution as a scientific certainty without rejecting faith, the great man did also go on to say that about god it was impossible to know one way or the other. The comment was partially spoken over by Ross, but clearly audible.

    The man is an agnostic.

    However, according to Voltaire, " If God didn't exist man would have to create him." As gods do not exist, and as people continue to need to believe in something, I propose we start a campaign to create Sir David Attenborough as the first popularly elected godhead.


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    #24
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    lostexpectation wrote: »
    so nobodies going to comment on his belief in yeti?

    Um... source?


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    #25
    jill_valentine
    Registered Users Posts: 7,090 ✭✭✭jill_valentine


    If either Attenborough or Stephen Fry are ever in the running for the position of Godhead, I'll renounce my atheism with giddy delight.


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    #26
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Galvasean wrote: »
    Um... source?
    Jonathon Ross was quizzing him on the possibility of us ever finding some new, big, species, and when Bigfoot was mentioned DA suggested there was still intriguing and as yet unexplained evidence for something like it.


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    #27
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    Dades wrote: »
    Jonathon Ross was quizzing him on the possibility of us ever finding some new, big, species, and when Bigfoot was mentioned DA suggested there was still intriguing and as yet unexplained evidence for something like it.

    (Bear in mind I generally avoid Jonathan Ross so have not seen the interview) So let me guess a comment as simple and throwaway has now become the latest in a long line of things to be taken out of context?


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    #28
    velocirafter
    Registered Users Posts: 279 ✭✭velocirafter


    Galvasean wrote: »
    (Bear in mind I generally avoid Jonathan Ross so have not seen the interview) So let me guess a comment as simple and throwaway has now become the latest in a long line of things to be taken out of context?

    no it was a fairly direct answer to the question


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    #29
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    velocirafter wrote: »
    no it was a fairly direct answer to the question

    Maybe I'm missing out on the full picture here but this:
    lostexpectation wrote: »
    so nobodies going to comment on his belief in yeti?

    to me is a misrepresentation of this:
    Dades wrote: »
    Jonathon Ross was quizzing him on the possibility of us ever finding some new, big, species, and when Bigfoot was mentioned DA suggested there was still intriguing and as yet unexplained evidence for something like it.


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    #30
    velocirafter
    Registered Users Posts: 279 ✭✭velocirafter


    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1157965/Yeti-evidence-convincing-says-wildlife-expert-Sir-David-Attenborough.html


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    #31
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    I suspect his comments on everything were made in the lighthearted (i.e, vacuous) vein of the show.


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