Eddie Vedder is an Atheist...and I'm proud of him.

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Comments

  • Jeanwah
    Jeanwah Posts: 6,363
    I certainly can't speak for Eddie, but I think the lyrics to John Lennon's God sums up a good perspective of not believing in God. It makes sense to me, however I question a lot of what to believe in.

    God is a concept,
    By which we can measure,
    Our pain,
    I'll say it again,
    God is a concept,
    By which we can measure,
    Our pain,
    I don't believe in magic,
    I don't believe in I-ching,
    I don't believe in bible,
    I don't believe in tarot,
    I don't believe in Hitler,
    I don't believe in Jesus,
    I don't believe in Kennedy,
    I don't believe in Buddha,
    I don't believe in mantra,
    I don't believe in Gita,
    I don't believe in yoga,
    I don't believe in kings,
    I don't believe in Elvis,
    I don't believe in Zimmerman,
    I don't believe in Beatles,
    I just believe in me,
    Yoko and me,
    And that's reality.
    The dream is over,
    What can I say?
    The dream is over,
    Yesterday,
    I was dreamweaver,
    But now I'm reborn,
    I was the walrus,
    But now I'm John,
    And so dear friends,
    You just have to carry on,
    The dream is over.
  • Brainofdz
    Brainofdz Posts: 1,617
    He certainly mentions God in his lyrics pretty often for someone who doesn't believe in one.
    "Stunned by my own reflection, It's looking back, sees me too clearly and I swore I'd never go there again, Not unlike a friend that politely drags you down,down,down"

    When you see me on the street, yell out "FAVO!!!"

    I've been to alot of Pearl Jam shows;So fucking what.
  • vedderoffdead
    vedderoffdead Posts: 688
    EvilRabbit wrote:
    Stalin and Hitler didn't do what they did BECAUSE they were atheists. They were inherently evil and just happened to be atheists. It's a fallacy to say they did what they did because of their lack of belief in a God.

    In contrast, the evil perpetuated by religious fundamentalists (be they Muslim or Christian) can be directly linked to their beliefs.

    I understand your point, but you can't honestly know whether or not Stalin and Hitler's 'dis-belief' in something contributed to their actions. I feel that atheism fit perfectly into their "me, me, me" attitude toward the world and toward humanity, and that may be why they embraced it. Religion and spirituality and the belief in a higher power can and are HUGE motivational 'tools'. Believing that there is NO God, NO higher power, NO one to answer to, NO one to follow, NO one to believe in can be just as motivational. These two believed that they only had themselves to answer to. They only had themselves to please. That HAD to play a part in their ego-maniacal ways. Everything they did screamed "look at me"..."look at what I can do", & "there's no one that can stop us". They were wrong.

    Atheism isn't fundamentally evil. No religions are. Fanatics are evil. Anyone that 'pushes' their beliefs on you. I don't care what you believe in. But the fact of the matter is believing in nothing, and standing behind that statement means in actuality you DO believe.
  • bernmodi
    bernmodi Posts: 631
    Brainofdz wrote:
    He certainly mentions God in his lyrics pretty often for someone who doesn't believe in one.

    That's exactly what i was thinking too.
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,255
    EvilRabbit wrote:
    Stalin and Hitler didn't do what they did BECAUSE they were atheists. They were inherently evil and just happened to be atheists. It's a fallacy to say they did what they did because of their lack of belief in a God.

    In contrast, the evil perpetuated by religious fundamentalists (be they Muslim or Christian) can be directly linked to their beliefs..

    Evil? What is evil to an atheist? Evil doesn't exist to an atheist. We are just another set of animals if there is no creator. If a lion kills another lion, that is nature. Along the same lines, if a human kills another human then that is nature too.

    If as an atheist (I don't know if you are) you define what Hitler did as evil, upon what code do you base that on? Hitler did not think it was wrong. As an atheist he viewed this world as all there is, as survival of the fittest. That's how he lived his life. What moral code does an atheist use to judge Hitler's actions? And with that moral code, how do you defend it versus another human's moral code, if we are all just animals on the planet evolving with no purpose?

    Atheists say "you should just be a good person." Who came up with the definition of "good"? Whose is correct? Is there even good and evil?

    Under religion, there is a basis for moral law. You can't have a moral law under atheism.
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,255
    bernmodi wrote:
    That's exactly what i was thinking too.

    How many references are favorable to God? How many are mocking and taunting of God and his followers?

    Athiests reference God a lot, but that doesn't mean they believe in God.
  • Ledbetterman10
    Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,993
    bootlegger10 wrote:
    Evil? What is evil to an atheist? Evil doesn't exist to an atheist. We are just another set of animals if there is no creator. If a lion kills another lion, that is nature. Along the same lines, if a human kills another human then that is nature too.

    If as an atheist (I don't know if you are) you define what Hitler did as evil, upon what code do you base that on? Hitler did not think it was wrong. As an atheist he viewed this world as all there is, as survival of the fittest. That's how he lived his life. What moral code does an atheist use to judge Hitler's actions? And with that moral code, how do you defend it versus another human's moral code, if we are all just animals on the planet evolving with no purpose?

    Atheists say "you should just be a good person." Who came up with the definition of "good"? Whose is correct? Is there even good and evil?

    you're arguing with yourself
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2, 2025: Pittsburgh 1

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    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,255
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    you're arguing with yourself

    Yeah, I'm a dufus
  • Ledbetterman10
    Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,993
    bootlegger10 wrote:
    Not really. If there is no good or evil under atheism, why do atheists complain about religion causing evil in the world?

    No, you're literally arguing with yourself in post #46
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2, 2025: Pittsburgh 1

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • vedderoffdead
    vedderoffdead Posts: 688
    Good, bad, or indifferent...referring to something time and time again means that part of you believes in that something. You can't call out to God, or a higher power and then say "I don't believe in you". That's like calling someone on the phone just to say that you don't want to talk to that person anymore. Hey, pal...you just DID talk to that person...If you don't actually BELIEVE that God exists, then there really isn't anything there for you to mock is there? All you're doing is mocking the people who actually DO believe in God. That makes you an asshole. Believe what you want, but don't mock me for my beliefs. It doesn't work that way...
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,255
    Ledbetterman10 wrote:
    No, you're literally arguing with yourself in post #46

    Yeah, I'm an idiot.
  • mookieblalock
    mookieblalock Posts: 3,567
    leiniebock wrote:
    I'm pretty sure Ed made a comment at MSG a couple weeks back about thanking god but he didn't believe in him. Something along those lines. Need to wait for the bootleg...

    So I don't think he's changed his mind. I'm atheist and say things like "god only knows" just from habit. But I guess that expression still makes sense as in no one knows.

    And I always thought of Marker in the Sand kind of "If you are there is a god, where the hell are you?" kind of take? Cynically calling out god.


    I really didn't want to get involved in this thread, but I will say at MSG I '08, Ed said he didn't believe in God, and that is an exact quote, but you can hear for yourself when the boot comes out next week. (Actually, I think he said, God, who I don't believe in)
  • primussucks
    primussucks Posts: 2,365
    To me, atheism is complete ignorance! To say that this planet came into existence by accident is ignorance. Take into consideration so many things that have to be perfect in order for this planet to exist and maintain life. Then look at the human body and see how complicated it is and also how perfect it is. I just will never understand how people can look at this world and think this was an accident. Someone clearly designed it.
    I don't know what religion is the right one, in fact maybe all of them are wrong, but there is no doubt in my mind that there is some kind of a god out there and he/she/it designed it and created it!!!
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  • primussucks
    primussucks Posts: 2,365
    bootlegger10 wrote:
    Yeah, I'm a dufus
    Your post #46 is completely correct! Also, a religion is a belief correct??? Well atheism is also a belief. A belief that god doesn't exist. So in fact ATHEISM IS A RELIGION!
    Summerfest 7/8/95
    Missoula 6/20/98
    Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98
    Alpine Valley 10/8/00 
    Champaign 4/23/03
    Alpine Valley 6/21/03
    Missoula 8/29/05
    Chicago 5/16 & 17/06
    Grand Rapids 5/19/06
    Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
    Tampa 6/12/08
    Chicago 8/23/09
    Indy 5/7/10
    Alpine Valley x2 2011
    Wrigley 2013
    Milwaukee 14
    Telluride 16
  • Super Vedder
    Super Vedder Posts: 1,531
    TrixieCat wrote:
    I don't believe in wikipedia.
    What does that make me?
    A pediest?

    I am proud of him for the social change he has tried to make regardless of the grief he may receive from fans of his music, not his religious disbelief.

    i agree with what she said ;):D
    Black, the greatest without a doubt........
  • Surf Life
    Surf Life Posts: 50
    Bathgate66 wrote:
    Ed also says every night , they are going to break the curfew and play all night,..( not the song )

    Maybe he made a remark once, ( about no god )

    but exactly who is Ed referring to in Marker In The Sand, when he says

    God, what do you say? What do you say?

    Calling out,......... Calling out.
    Calling out,......... I'm calling you out.

    Are you kidding me?

    He also says in the same song..

    "But God is nowhere,..... To be found, conveniently"

    He' calling out to god, like saying prove yourself.

    He's an athiest.
    ,
    As is Steven Hawkings, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, Thomas Jefferson..deists (they were kind of like the agnostics of their time: George Wahington, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine, John Adams, Voltaire...yadda yadda yaddda.... we are a bunch of ignorants eh?
  • PJammin'
    PJammin' Posts: 1,913
    Surf Life wrote:
    Are you kidding me?

    He also says in the same song..

    "But God is nowhere,..... To be found, conveniently"

    He' calling out to god, like saying prove yourself.

    He's an athiest.

    yeah, i love how people call out God and blame him for what is happening. people are to blame, not God. it's too bad people can't admit that THEY are the problem and not God. people need to prove themselves, NOT GOD. God doesn't want to be found because this world is a mess...and i can't say i don't blame Him either.
    I died. I died and you just stood there. I died and you watched. I died and you walked by and said no. I'm dead.
  • Surf Life
    Surf Life Posts: 50
    12345AGNST1 wrote:
    LIES!!! Given To Fly is about god!!!! Ed is no atheist!


    How do you get god out of Given To Fly?


    And in response to someone mentioning faithfull.. Have you actually listened to the lyrics...especially at the end?

    "M.Y.T.H. is
    Belief in the game controls that keeps us in a box of fear
    We never listen
    Voice inside so drowned out
    Drowned you are, you are, you are a furry thing
    And everything is you
    Me you, you me, it's all related
    What's a boy to do?
    Just be darling and I will be too
    Faithful to you"
  • libragirl
    libragirl Posts: 4,632
    That's cool. I'm not really interested in Eddie's religious or lack of religious views. I just like the music. :D.

    Personally, I believe in God and I don't blame God or religion for what happened September 11th. They were sick extremist fucks.
    These cuts are leaving creases. Trace the scars to fit the pieces, to tell the story, you don't need to say a word.
  • Smellyman2
    Smellyman2 Posts: 689
    Ed at MSG

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoXh-DyNqr0

    And of course the classic Carlin

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o

    May of both been posted, but it becomes painful to read through religious threads.

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