Posted by Bokeem (209.86.2.197) on February 14, 2002 at 00:22:45:
What famous people are atheists?
There are many atheist celebrities, including Marlon Brando (actor), George Carlin (comedian), Arthur C. Clarke (author), Michael Crichton (author), Richard Dawkins (author/biologist), Dr. Dean Edell (radio medical talk show host), Paul Edwards (philosopher), Antony Flew (philosopher), Billy Joel (musician), Michael Kinsley (editor/columnist/commentator), Paul Kurtz (philosopher), Richard Leakey (paleontologist/author), Michael Martin (philosopher), Kai Nielsen (author), James "The Amazing" Randi (conjurer/investigator/author), Ron Reagan, Jr. (talk host), J. Michael Straczinski (exec. producer of Babylon 5), and Teller (magician).
Yes Teller, of Penn and Teller, is anti-God!!! Why not be atheist on that alone???
Movies
Movies with an overtly atheist perspective are rare; it's too easy for fundamentalists to picket cinemas and put economic pressure on movie companies.
The Handmaid's Tale
Based on Margaret Atwood's novel and set in the near future in the Republic Of Gilead, an America where something has gone very, very wrong. Excellent cinematography and truly chilling.
Monty Python's Life Of Brian
Largely regarded as the best of the Python movies. Nice young Jewish boy Brian Cohen gets involved in political activism against the Romans, and ends up being mistaken for the messiah by a group of deranged followers.
The film was deemed blasphemous by some Christians who had presumably not seen it. Jesus appears briefly in the film as the real messiah, seemingly capable of performing genuine miracles. It's quite clear that Brian is not Jesus; in fact, the plot demands it. The real issue is that the film pokes fun at the messiah industry of first century Palestine, ridiculing the gullibility of some religious followers.
Forget the controversy, though. It's a hilarious film, and if you're one of the few people on the net who hasn't seen it yet, you really should. Even most Christians find it very, very funny. The soundtrack album is available on Charisma Records / Virgin.
Wise Blood
Welcome to The Church of Christ Without Christ... where "the blind don't see, the crippled don't walk, and what's dead stays that way!"
Director John Huston struggled for years to film Flannery O'Connor's creepy tale of a fatal slide from atheism to fundamentalism, finally succeeding in 1980. An excellent cast includes Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty as crooked preachers; Huston has a cameo as a sadistic evangelist. Slow-paced, but rewards patience with a thought-provoking mix of humor and horror.
The Rapture
The title alone may scare atheists away, but writer/director Michael Tolkin poses a question we frequently discuss: even if a god exists powerful enough to destroy the world, does it deserve worship if it also destroys human feelings? Mimi Rogers and David Duchovny are group-sex fans who become religious fanatics. Any more description would give the whole thing away. Don't miss the orgy featuring one participant with the Apocalypse tattooed on her back!
Contact
Polished, epic-length sci-fi/drama profiles scientist's search for extraterrestrial life. Appreciated by fans of thought-provoking, cerebral films who are more interested in meditation on science and religion than on dramatic narrative.