Many celebrities have made it where they are not because they have some astute understanding of reality or humanity, but because they were in the right place at the right time. In fact, the more one looks at the bigger picture, the more apparent it becomes that if there were no God, there probably wouldn’t be any celebrities.
The people who call themselves celebrities lead lives that are so messed up, sometimes it’s a wonder they’re able to keep from over-dosing long enough to have any kind of career. And all that being said, the grand irony is that the majority of these individuals not only don’t believe in God, but hate the very concept; even though without Him they’d probably be a factory worker somewhere. Think about Miley Cyrus or Justin Beiber–these kids don’t even know what it means to transcend adolescence, and yet they’re informing the opinions of millions. How about any of the Kardashians? Or the Hiltons? I’m sure Paris Hilton is great at conversation. Just a stunning intellectual, that Paris.
So in light of that, here’s a list of nineteen celebrities that don’t believe in God; though they probably should.
1. James Cameron
Terminator, Sphere, Terminator 2, Space Pocahontas (AKA, Avatar)–all well-renown movies by director James Cameron, who is a complete atheist. In fact, Cameron is such an atheist he brags about his dishonesty.
In an interview (http://www.
2. Billy Joel
You probably shouldn’t be surprised that Billy Joel is an ardent atheist. Think of the lyrics in his songs: “I don’t care what you say anymore, this is myyyyy life (dee-dee-dum-dum, doo–) go along with your own life, and leave me alone!” Is it really, Billy? Did you go to the “life” store and pick one out that fit you?
Were you just like: “Hmm…drug dealer, pimp, president–pop singer! I’ll take this one please, God; I’ll be playing in hypothetical bills.” Nobody chooses their life, or there wouldn’t be any starving kids in Africa! But Billy Joel thinks they do.
3. Seth Macfarlane
It should come as no surprise that Seth Macfarlane is an ardent atheist. Creator of the Family Guy television series, as well as The Cleveland Show and American Dad, Macfarlane has a long history of mocking anyone who believes there’s more to existence than sex, farts, or non sequiturs.
Macfarlane takes it to the next level, though; regularly using his platform as a purveyor of popular entertainment to preach self-centered sermons about living life to the exclusion of all others, and ignoring the world around.
4. Richard Leakey
This well-known anthropologist is responsible for the Lucy hoax; a hoax that other atheist anthropologists even called him on (https://answersingenesis.org/
“I believe it is man who created God in his image and not the other away around; also I see no reason to believe in life after death.” A convenient philosophy, if you’re going to lie about an ape’s jaw to get more funding (http://www.icr.org/article/
5. Penn Jillette
Penn Jillette is half of the eponymous Penn and Teller, a magical act that does a great job of infusing humor to illusion; all the while educating. Jillette is an interesting figure because, though an ardent atheist, he isn’t hateful to the other side of the fence.
Teller admires the Christian side, pointing out that if you believed lack of faith could result in damnation, wouldn’t you go out and tell everybody you could? As far as atheists go, as far as “fairness” is concerned, Penn Jillette is one of the very few who is truly respectful.
6. David Cross
Perhaps best known for his role in Arrested Development as the sexually confused Tobias Funke, David Cross is a well-known atheist and entertainer who started in stand-up comedy and gradually transitioned into television and film. In a 1998 ABC interview, he said: “I was born Jewish, but I am an atheist. I don’t believe in God.” prayers
Cross has never been shy about bashing people of faith from the stage or the TV. Cross is a “militant” atheist, though he is a talented performer. But hey, you can’t be too mean to the guy. With a nose and head combo like his, faith must certainly be a difficult proposition!
7. Woody Allen
Woody Allen is a famous writer, actor, comedian, and director who once famously quipped: “How can I believe in God when just last week I got my tongue caught in the roller of an electric typewriter?” I’m sure he blamed God when the bullies tricked him into licking the frozen telephone pole as a kid, too. But hey, he’s another one of those guys it’s difficult to blame.
He fought through four separate court cases alleging he sexually abused his adopted daughter (http://www.vanityfair.com/
8. Fidel Castro
Did anyone actually think this guy believed in God? The way he’s taken Cuba through the ringer for his own personal aggrandizement is certainly evidence enough! What is most interesting about Fidel Castro, though, is that he was trained as a child by Jesuit priests. A little-known fact: Jesuit priests may be the original “the ends justify the means” proselytizers. They believe it doesn’t matter what way you go about something; it’s the end result that counts.
Ironically, this is completely in contradiction to the Christian scriptures they’re supposed to uphold. Wolves in sheep’s clothing, indeed! With an upbringing like that, how could you not be an atheist as an adult? There is controversy surrounding Castro’s atheism, as politically it is against his mandate to offend “believers”. However socialism as a system itself naturally replaces God with The State, so it isn’t a very far stretch.
9. Alan Cumming
When asked about belief in God, or whether he had any religious leanings, Cumming gave a lengthy reply in the negative, ending with: “…it makes me angry, all that.” But everyone, consider: his last name is Cumming. It’s not even spelled non-suggestively. It’s like this guy has been labeled as perpetually having an orgasm since he was a child. Perhaps it’s hard to believe in God when your last name corresponds to sexual climax.
Seems it would be the other way around, though, doesn’t it? Irony, thy name is “boundless”. Alan Cumming is a well-known actor who has starred in a variety of films. Among the films he’s been a part of is “Tropic Thunder”, where he stepped on a landmine and blew up before Ben Stiller drank faux blood from a prop-head designed to look like Cumming. (The actor, not the action.)
10. Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins is a legendary atheist. If all the atheists in the world were playing D&D in the basement of humanity, he would be beyond the dungeon master. His character would be nigh invincible! Except for Ben Stein, who called him out nationally in the film “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed”, where he managed to get Dawkins into admitting he would rather believe in extraterrestrial demi-gods than God himself (https://www.youtube.com/
Dawkins is a writer, speaker, and British person who has made his career in defense of his faith in an atheist universe. Dawkins is famous for writing: “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction.”
11. Harlan Ellison
How ironic that Harlan Ellison is also an atheist, and had to sue James Cameron for stealing rights to his intellectual property! Irony, Irony, Irony! Harlan Ellison is a very famous author who has written a number of brilliant novels, and even done some work in science fiction film/television; including Babylon 5 and Star Trek.
Harlan was once quoted saying, “I am so far beyond atheism, there isn’t a word in the English language dictionary to describe me.” This was purportedly said on the “Tomorrow Show” hosted by Tom Snyder.
12. Morgan Freeman
The next stop on the irony train is the well-renown actor Morgan Freeman, who in a twist he surely chuckles about regularly, has played God on at least two occasions. Freeman was God in the films “Bruce Almighty” and “Evan Almighty”.
When asked if he was a man of God during an interview on CNN taped June 2nd of 2010, he replied, “No, no, no…”. Apparently Freeman would chalk up all his success to personal acumen, and leave none of it to destiny or design.
13. Ricky Gervais
A famous little English fat man, Ricky Gervais is renown for playing comic roles in the original UK-produced series “The Office”, as well a host of other comic movies; like “The Invention of Lying”, where he is the only man who can lie in a universe where everyone else cannot, and it’s just so exceptionally convenient for the film’s plot arc.
Gervais usually plays an unlikable character who eventually learns to care about others despite himself–ironic, given that atheism is a religious ideology that preaches exactly the opposite. Gervais said in an interview with The Onion in April of 2004, “I don’t believe in God, so I’d like to thank dogs. Dogs have given me everything.”
14. Robert A. Heinlein
Most people who are familiar with the works of the “grand master” of science fiction Robert Anson Heinlein understand his atheist ideals. But those ideals weren’t apparent in his earlier writings. In Starship Troopers, he starts almost every chapter with a Bible verse; but the goal is to undermine scripture, not support it.
Heinlein had an exceptional writing career which ended with his death in the 1980s. An atheist until he died, his work slowly transitioned from serious, idea-based science fiction on the cutting edge conceptually and politically, to sophomoric sex-romps through space and time. With no God to look forward to, loss of sex in old age must necessarily be the opposite of cathartic.
15. Bill Maher
Bill Mahar has been an atheist mouthpiece for decades, and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. An atheist minister of the same stripe as Richard Dawkins, though much more engaging as far as performance and material are concerned, Mahar is a comedian of some note who has made his entire career from bashing the very idea of faith.
Many remember the film “Religulous”; a pun on “ridiculous”. Like many on this list, Maher doesn’t just reject the idea of God, he hates the concept. “I hate religion. I think it’s a neurological disorder.” He has been confused for Richard Gere before, which isn’t ironic; but it is kind of funny.
16. Randy Newman
“You’ve got a friend in me…you’ve got a friend in me!” Sound familiar? Well, if you’d like a friend who will do his best to convince you there’s no God, it’s hard to do better than Randy Newman. He’ll deny God and try to make you feel good about it, too! But Newman is kind of like Penn Jillette, in that he isn’t the militant type of atheist who wants to keep people from believing separate than they do.
In an interview, Randy Newman once said: “I never had faith, but I have respect for the idea. There’s no joy being an atheist.” Honesty in philosophy is commendable, regardless of that philosophy. If you believe the moon is made of cheese, by Darwin, be honest about it!
17. Daniel Radcliffe
If you had to play Harry Potter in eight separate movies, would you still believe in God? Daniel Radcliffe was so annoyed by being relegated to a children’s icon (and an icon of many D&D types also interested in things like Star Wars, Star Trek, and virginity) that the first chance he got he took on the role of Alan in Equus, a boy sexually involved with a horse. Expecto Patronum (sp), Harry! Seriously. That’s not how you use your magic wand!
On “Inside the Actor’s Studio”, Radcliffe once responded host James Lipton’s question about what he would say to God in Heaven with: “Bet you’re surprised to see me! …. Because I’m not, as I said, religious ….” Ah, well, Harry Radcliffe; everybody knows wizards worship the Devil anyhow.
18. Jack Black
Jack Black is an ardent atheist. He has said as much multiple times (http://hollowverse.com/jack-
An accomplished comedian, singer, musician, writer, and actor, Jack Black has been and continues to be very popular.
19. Wes Craven
Wes Craven died, and he did as much recently. So the question we should be asking ourselves is, given Wes Craven didn’t believe in God, will he meet God in the afterlife, or be stuck running from a very real version of Freddy Kruger for all eternity?
Craven said, during an interview in Fangoria magazine, “Formally, I don’t believe in God, because I think people’s minds are too limited to even have a concept of whether there is a God…” But is there a Freddy Kruger, Craven? Is there? Well, one thing’s for sure: he knows now!