Do unto othersโฆโ is a good rule of thumb. I live by that. Forgiveness is probably the greatest virtue there is. But thatโs exactly what it is - a virtue. Not just a Christian virtue. No one owns being good. Iโm good. I just donโt believe Iโll be rewarded for it in heaven. My reward is here and now. Itโs knowing that I try to do the right thing. That I lived a good life. And thatโs where spirituality really lost its way. When it became a stick to beat people with. โDo this or youโll burn in hell.โ You wonโt burn in hell. But be nice anyway.
Ricky GervaisTelling someone with depression to pull themselves together is about as useful as telling someone with cancer to just stop having cancer
Ricky GervaisA Christian telling an atheist they're going to hell is as scary as a child telling an adult they're not getting any presents from Santa.
Ricky GervaisFunny bones, to me, are more important than funny lines. If a comedian is just not likable and doing the lines, you could read them yourself. Whereas if someone [you like] shambles out, and they tell you what a bad day they've had, they don't have to say anything. I love them. I want to hug them because they've been through something. And it comes back to empathy, always empathy.
Ricky Gervais