Stephen Fry asked what he would say to God, responds brilliantly
By Will Stroude
Stephen Fry left veteran journalist Gay Byrne stunned after giving a brilliant response to a question about God during an interview earlier this week (January 28).
Appearing on RTE One show The Meaning of Life, Byrne asked Fry – who is an outspoken atheist – something he asks all his guests: ‘What would you say to God if you reached the gates of heaven?’
“I’d say, bone cancer in children? What’s that about? How dare you?” Fry tells an increasingly stunned-looking Byrne.
“How dare you create a world in which there is such misery that is not our fault. It’s not right. It’s utterly, utterly evil. Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid God who creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain.”
“That’s what I would say.”
When Bryne asks Fry whether he thinks he would get into heaven after that, the newly-married actor doesn’t hold back:
“No. But I wouldn’t want to! I wouldn’t want to get in on his terms – they’re wrong!” he responds.
“The God who created this universe – if it was created by a god – is, quite clearly, a maniac. An utter maniac. Totally selfish. We have to spend our lives on our knees thanking him? What kind of god would do that?
“Yes, the world is very splendid, yes; but it also has insects whose whole life cycle is to burrow into the eyes of children and make them blind – that eat outwards from the eyes.
“Why? Why did you do that to us? You could easily have made a creation in which that did not exist.
“It is completely unacceptable”.
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