anthonyjfuchs |
01-21-2011 11:33 PM |
Quote:
MORGAN: But the joke I thought was nearest the knuckle, simply `cause I know American culture quite well now -- and they're a very Christian nation here in America -- was what you said right at the end, that almost got phased out. I just want to play this back to you.
[PLAYS CLIP]
GERVAIS: What's up with that?
MORGAN: [LAUGHS] Well, if you are...if you're a believer in God --
GERVAIS: Yeah...
MORGAN: -- if you're a Christian, as many tens-of-millions in America are --
GERVAIS: Absolutely.
MORGAN: -- are...you can see you as poking fun at their religion.
GERVAIS: Not at all. When someone thanks God, I don't get offended.
MORGAN: [LAUGHS]
GERVAIS: Loads...how many people thank God every...every time. They say, "thank God." I don't...I don't...I don't get offended. Do I?
MORGAN: But you must be aware that a lot people in America would potentially find that offensive.
GERVAIS: What...because I'm saying I don't believe in God?
MORGAN: Yeah, `cause you're kind of mocking them.
GERVAIS: No I'm not. I'm not mocking them. People's beliefs aren't...aren't my concern at all. Um, I certainly don't, um, differentiate between religions, either. I look at all religions the same. Unlike religious people, I look at all religions equally.
MORGAN: You were religious `til you were about eight years old, is that right?
GERVAIS: Yeah. I was brought up Christian, yeah.
MORGAN: What...what happened to change your mind then?
GERVAIS: Um...I used to go to, uh, Sunday School all the time, I believed in... What you've got to realize that when you're a working-class kid...I came from a very, um, poor working-class background. My dad was a laborer, mum was a housewife; I lived in a...a poor estate. Um...over here, like the projects. And, um, to a working-class mum who...her hope isn't that you become a doctor or a lawyer, or an international comedian. It's that you don't die in a barroom fight. And they think the best way to do that is to take on Christian values, which...which...you know, which preach your morality, and, um, and... But they haven't got the monopoly on...on good. This is my point. I'm not a Christian. But I live my life in a good way. And some people say, "well, who says what good is?" Well, do you know what? I do. I'm good to people `cause it's the way I want to be treated. Um, and I don't believe I'll be rewarded, um, in Heaven. But I do believe I --
MORGAN: What do you think will happen to you?
GERVAIS: I'll be rewarded now.
MORGAN: But when you die, what do you think happens?
GERVAIS: Um...um...people who liked me remember me.
MORGAN: But what happens to you? Anything?
GERVAIS: What, my physical body?
MORGAN: Yeah, yeah.
GERVAIS: It...it...it breaks down or gets buried.
MORGAN: Your spirit. Anything happen to that?
GERVAIS: I...I...don't believe there is a spirit. I think the "spirit" is...is...is an upshot of...of all your inputs, your beliefs, your...your...some people think you can't believe in love if you're an atheist. Of course I believe in love. Course I believe in the beauty of nature. I just believe that the Earth was made, um, over four-and-a-half billion years, and, um, and...and...and not by design in six days. And, uh, you know, I...I...I wasn't being disrespectful, but I think I have the right to say, "I'm not a believer in God." Just like everyone has the right to believe in God. And spirituality is very different to religion. Let's not forget that. I...I...
MORGAN: Are you a spirit person, do you think?
GERVAIS: Well, not in that sense. But I...I...I get a...I get a funny feeling when I see a friend, or...or a mountain, or an animal. It fills me with joy. I...my first love is science and nature.
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I now realize that there's more to the interview than was in this video. I'm tracking down the rest at the moment...
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