Stephen Fry 'astonished' over God row

Stephen Fry has told the BBC he is "astonished" at the public reaction to comments he made about God.

Last week, he found himself at the centre of a religious row after an interview with Irish broadcaster RTE.

[aoifed]

Wow, I remember watching the interview on RTÉ, didn't know there had been uproar in England about it. The man is entitled to his own opinion, that was the whole point of the interview.

[PowakaddySparesUK]

This crime called blasphemy was invented by priests for the purpose of defending doctrines not able to take care of themselves.

– Robert G. Ingersoll

[janbruml]

Thank you, Mr. Fry, for giving voice to what so many of us have had to think in the privacy of our own homes.

[doodle]

Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man -- living in the sky -- who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do.. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time! ..But He loves you... and HE NEEDS MONEY!
George Carlin

[cherrylvanwyk]

Stephen Fry - thank you for your voice of reason - you speak for so many!

[Frontdesk]

I've just watched the segment of the program with Gay Byrne and I found myself constantly nodding while listening to Fry. He was and is *so* right there.

[johnnytarponds]

Isn't it SO sad that religion has so much power on this planet, even today.

[ReliableInsider]

The mere mention of atheism terrifies religious people . . . perhaps because even the most devout sometimes wonder whether it's all nonsense.  

[Trashy-Kun]

This great man stays great to this day

[mikeyandalyssab]

I couldn't agree more with Stephen's point. As a parent of a child with cancer (leukemia, not osteosarcoma), it really annoys me when someone talks about 'God's will' or tries to justify it in some pathetic way. He's spot on.

[Dewebje]

The fact that Mr. Fry says 'much bigger minds than me' makes him very humble. Because for me he is perhaps himself a very great mind.

[philipknox]

It’s great to see people like Stephen Fry taking on this sunject in
a honest and well articulated way he’s a treasure and a Ray of light for the human race

[RATIONALMIND]

Stephen is correct - the best thing is that people are now discussing the issue.

[meh]

As is always the case, when someone like Fry brings up inconvenient truths, those who don't want to hear it have to try to misdirect by throwing verbal tantrums, usually with not even the vaguest attempt to counter such comments. Well done Mr Fry for bring such simple truths into the public eye.

[thebiopguy]

I totally agree with Stephen. In my veiw religion is a sick, twisted form of Stockholm syndrome. You have your tormentor, torturer and ultimate master playing the most evil games and tricks on you by intentionally bringing pain and misery upon you. And then he expects you to love and worship him your entire life due to the few good things he does for you and if you don't worship him it will not only be a lifetime of torment and torture but an eternity of torment and torture in the fires of hell. But if you do worship him you get the reward of being able to spend eternity with the psychopathic maniac who tormented you your entire life. Now I'm not saying everyone is tormented by god. Infact most people are not. But what about the thousands of religious people dying and losing loved ones due to unpreventable disease and parents losing their children to unpreventable cancer. The billions of religious people living in dire poverty. The millions who lose their lives, loved ones and homes due to natural disaster. Those forced to live unbearable lives due to horrendously painful illness. We should not worship this maniac of a god. We should hurl desecration at his name.

[ABLYamimash]

I believe God was created an excuse for gaps in knowledge.

Forgive my disrespect, if any.

[grahamash-porter]

Common Sense prevails from Lovely Stephen Fry, perhaps the most compassionate human being.

[DavidJJames]

He has the right to say what he said as long as the majority is Christian, wait till the majority is Muslim, then try. Maybe at that point you, Dawkins and certain others might wished you hadn't bothered undermining the Christian position in our society.

[petermurray]

all I have to say on this is.... Stephen. I love you

[damianwhite]

Religions never cease pointing out what is wrong with unbelievers but are quick to protest when someone points out what is wrong with them