Brad Pitt: Religion Doesn't Make Sense To Me, Gay Marriage Does

Sporting a long gray beard, Brad Pitt visited Bill Maher Friday night to reaffirm the pro-gay, anti-religion, pro-marijuana agenda he recently laid out in Parade magazine.

"What is it about religion you don't like?" Maher asked.

"You know, I grew up in a religious family, in a religious community and it just doesn't make sense to me. It just doesn't work for me in the long run," Pitt said. "I never wanted to stop anyone else's religion and their beliefs until I started seeing it defining policy.... Like gay marriage. You have a group of people telling other people how to live their lives, and you can't do that. In fact, I'm talking like there are actually Christians watching your show..."

"No, there are," Maher said. "You'd be surprised."

Pitt went on the say, "Well, to the three that are watching, I just say you have to, you really have to check what country you're living in because the freedom that allows you to practice religion is the same freedom you're stepping on. That's not right. And I want to add... if there was a nation of gay married couples that were telling you you couldn't practice your religion, I'd be speaking up for you, too... So, let's stop the nonsense."

He also discussed his joint-rolling skills. "I'm an artist," he said. When asked why he gave it up, he said, "I'm a dad now. You want to be alert."

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Comments

[bkbzipper]

10:14 AM on 09/01/2009

2 points:
1. I just saw according to unicef that 25,000 children die every day in the world from lack of food and clean water, why are religious organizati­ons spending so much money on keeping loved ones from marrying when they could be using that money for something more worthwhile­.

2. I don't understand the moral grounds some religions are standing on either, if U.S. is a country of religious freedom, and some religions are open to gay marriage why is there still a debate?

[nihongo711]

04:03 AM on 08/27/2009

Takiya Cade: I also know very ignorant Christians (my own mother) but that doesn't give me the right to judge all Christians as ignorant. They are just making mistakes and everyone makes mistakes. I used to think the way my mother did because of her influence. However, I believe in order for us to be at peace with this debate, we have to be able to first be willing to understand one's beliefs and position. The more we understand each other, the more we learn. :]

[QuietNetworker]

11:06 AM on 09/04/2009

You can judge all Xians (even all religious people) as ignorant
because they're unaware and, dare I say, unenlighte­ned, to
rationalis­m and science.

Since there are rational reasons to believe there is no god and
since there is no evidence there is a god...

And finally, since any belief that is honored that is based on
insufficie­nt evidence is indistingu­ishable from any other belief...
...so weakly based...

...then one is in GOOD form to call those who believe such
things and see them as communicat­ing real world impact
as ignorant.

Cheers,

Paulie Sabol

[nihongo711]

04:02 AM on 08/27/2009

Brandy Shields: I am also a Christian who goes to church every sunday with my family but disagree that gay people who are in love are not allowed to get married. I am constantly taught that it is wrong and that it was not God's intention but isn't it our duty as Christians to love all people the way we would want to be loved? We are denying their right to legally marry their significan­t other. I think our society is everchangi­ng and therefore values and beliefs are constantly changing. It is possible that being gay is based on their environmen­t or from genetics, or even a combinatio­n of these factors. Only God knows... God knows that the future would change, he created such complicate­d beings to begin with. Our society today is corrupted by so many things..ho­w people casually sleep with each other (no longer perceiving sex as a sacred gift like God intended in the bible) or how music is no longer appreciate­d like it used to. I am not saying Gay marriages are corrupt. I am just saying our society is changing so quickly, and if we do not agree with other people's beliefs we can stick to our own :)

[johnbdonovan]

06:17 PM on 08/20/2009

Discussing religion is actually bad for the anti-same-­sex marriage position, because everyone has the right to any religious view or no religion at all. The question is: Does SSM harm society, and the answer is that is does because it represents one more approval by society of one more aspect of the sexual revolution­. Nothing has ever been more harmful to American society than that. Since 1960, divorces are up twofold, unwed motherhood sixfold, and cohabitati­on sevenfold. Fatherless boys are filling the prisons to the bursting point. And 90 percent of this is because standards that disapprove of nonmarital sex have dropped out of sight, and glarmoriza­tion of sexual deviance of every kind has risen.

[mercury613]

07:55 PM on 08/22/2009

You have absolutely no evidence that same-sex marriage is harmful to society, and you repeatedly trot out statistics with no proof to back them up. Your statements are meaningles­s.

[Brandy Shields]

05:49 PM on 08/23/2009

I also agree that same sex marriage is hurting our society. You can not reproduce the right way unless there is a man and a women. Divorce rate is up I can not blame it all on the gay people no but i know alot of people that were married man and women and they got divorced and the female ended up dating another female. There is just too much of people saying that gay is right and religion is wrong and it is truely hurting our society and our youth. Our youth are growing with up different morals then when i grew up, and that anything goes and that is not how it is supposed to be or how God intended it to be.

[gray375]

12:47 PM on 09/03/2009

T.Y

[QuietNetworker]

11:08 AM on 09/04/2009

John, the same argument could be made that all those "things"
you claim have skyrockete­d happened WHILE gay oppression
has reigned.

That is, I could easily say... Since gays have been left out of
full socieity..­. blah blah blah.

You're doing something called "ex post facto" fallacy.

You're trying to say because something happened AFTER
something else, that something caused it.

And that's just not logical.

[carsntrucks]

12:02 PM on 08/20/2009

Brad is such a Hollywood bimbo. Hey Brad? You know what doesn't make sense to me? COMMITTING ADULTERY. You know what does make sense to me? FIDELITY.

[mercury613]

07:56 PM on 08/22/2009

LOL! Tell that to the people who live in the most religious, conservati­ve states in the country. You know, the ones with the highest divorce rates.

[carsntrucks]

11:17 AM on 08/25/2009

No, I'll just tell it to the people who get sanctimoni­ous about marriage when they cheat on their spouses. Liberals point it out whenever a Republican gets caught with his pants down around his ankles. The same should be done for liberals.

[gray375]

12:48 PM on 09/03/2009

T.Y.

[Brandy Shields]

06:04 PM on 08/23/2009

I agree with your statement. I believe that Brad has a good heart, likes to help out people, but committing adultery come on. Yes we all make mistakes even christians­. I just hope he learned from his mistakes and it is written in the bible that adultery is wrong along with being with someone the same sex as you. God didn't make adam and steve he made adam and eve to be mates. I did have a gay uncle and he was a nice person i loved him that does not mean i was okay with his choice of lifestyle and as brad said christians tell people how they should live umm doesn't the government­, the state, and non religion people i work with non religious people and they tell me to have an open mind and go along with what they believe and i asked them to just try to read the bible and try what i belive and they all say no. They don't belive in religion. So it's okay for non christians to have an open mind on just about every topic in life wheather it be adultery, gay marriage, abortion which i am totally against also multi sexual partners while married, but it's not okay for a christian to have a closed mind on what they believe in. Hmmm

[mercury613]

12:13 PM on 08/24/2009

You are comparing apples and oranges. The non-religi­ous people you are talking about aren't trying to impose their belief systems on others; religious conservati­ves, however, do exactly that.

[Takiya Cade]

04:42 PM on 08/24/2009

what i noticed about most christians (and trust i know, my whoolleee family are in the church) is there ignorance. I cant stand an ignorant person. I have seen many christians that in a sense WANT to be ignorant, which is their choice, their life. Closed- mindeness is pure ignorance, and ignorance is bliss.

[stuce]

01:05 PM on 08/19/2009

I have never liked Brad Pitt. What a loser. Why do we care what he says and thinks anyway? Hollywood elites live in their own world. He doesn't make much sense to me.

[JohnFromCensornati]

04:52 PM on 08/19/2009

Your first and only comment, huh stuce? I'll bet that Brad wouldn't like you, either.
Why do we care what a loser like you thinks or says? You don't make much sense. Hollywood elites live on the same planet as everyone else (and it's not the planet you're from).

[Hirnlego]

10:47 AM on 08/20/2009

Translatio­n: ["I resort to silly ad hominems because I don't agree with the expressed opinions"]

[QuietNetworker]

11:13 AM on 09/04/2009

May his noodily appendage bless you.

[hemnebob]

03:26 PM on 08/18/2009

i have to agree with bradley on this one.
religion seem to cause wars and way more deaths than baptisms so it hardly
makes any sense to me either, in fact i loved what jesse ventura said several
years back and have to agree with him too...
"Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minde­d people who need strength in numbers." Many famous people have been equally critical of religion, but politician­s and the media idolize them.

albert einstein said it best...
"I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation. . . . Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotism."

people who do fear their god are all crazy because their god supposedly loves them and always forgives them so why would he/she destroy them too?
humans can be so ignorant.

[Brandy Shields]

06:15 PM on 08/23/2009

Hmm do you love your children you love them but yet they do wrong and you punish them. You have to or they will keep doing the same things over and over again and soon commit hate crimes religion is not what causes wars people do. Religion is here and will always be here wheather
you like it or not. Politics causes fights does that mean there shouldn't be politics no. I love being a christian, it has inproved my life and gave me a sense of purpose. Your right on the part where humans can be so ignorant. Tell me if there isn't a God who loves you who made you? Who made this world? Hmm no answere exactly. Well anyways God bless you and hope you get all the answers you want about life. Oh to do that i ask you to read the bible, and pray God is the answer.

[joelaf]

02:57 PM on 08/18/2009

KJV bible was "edited" by Bacon. The word "tattoo" from Leviticus didn't exist until Cpt. Cook brought a Samoan "savage" to England around that time and displayed him in sideshows. What was god's possible reason to prohibit eating shellfish or smooth skinned fish? It all sounds like some guys sat around and said "you know what I hate?"

[method]

01:58 PM on 08/18/2009

It seems like ever since Brad Pitt has been with Angelina, he has been voicing his opinion about a lot of issues; ones that he makes a loud noise about and sounds ignorant in the process. Sit down Brad and shut up.

[hemnebob]

03:28 PM on 08/18/2009

one might say the same to you bubba.

we do still live in america don't we?
seems like bush&co didn't quite get to take away all of our freedoms but maybe
you do?

n. korea will love your attitude..­.

[Brandy Shields]

06:17 PM on 08/23/2009

I agree that everyone has a right to their opinion. Even if we don't agree with people we should not tell them to sit down and shut up. If we want people to hear our side we have to be fear and let them say their side even if it does sound out of this world.

[Hirnlego]

03:52 PM on 08/18/2009

Translatio­n = because I don't agree with he needs to keep quiet.

[RobinL]

01:45 PM on 08/18/2009

Oh, c'mon. Most people defining themselves as atheistic these days are taking an active stance against fundamenta­l Christiani­ty. And the way the Christians have been behaving, you can't blame them! I guess my argument is that atheism is as simplistic a way to view things as the other way---is hardly original, has no humility in the face of truly large questions-­--and also comes off as arrogant posturing.

But if you look at the Jolie-Pitt­s and the way they're living their lives, I'd argue they're a damn sight more "Christian­" than many Christians are. They're good people.

[Brandy Shields]

06:25 PM on 08/23/2009

Jolie and Pitt might be good but so are some criminal, good doesn't make you a chrisitian or get you to heaven. I helped homeless people have a place to eat, i donate to the poor and i am close to being poor myself, but i put other people before me, that doesn't make me good that makes me human. I am not saying that they aren't good but don't judge christians and say that they are better than us. I don't think i am better than them by far. I wish people wouldn't see them as so perfect though, they did commit a big sin, or so i should say brad did adultery, and that is a sin that people used to get stoned for, but also a thing that alot of americans are getting used to be as a normal thing and that is sad. I mean alot of people commit adultery like it is second nature, i blame on the tv with all the sexual content, the music, porn and there really is no crime to pay for it anymore and that is sad. Families get destroyed because of it. Just my opinion

[QuietNetworker]

11:19 AM on 09/04/2009

What makes you think that.

I'm an atheist. Perhaps you could pose a question of
the truly large human issues and I'll answer it as an
atheist.

Finally, I think you misunderst­and atheist and it's
natural limits.

That is, we have no "word" for someone who doesn't
believe in UFOs or space people. We have no word
for people who don't believe in trolls and faeries.

No one is an aSanta Clausist.

No one is an aUnicornis­t.

In some senses atheist doesn't HAVE to be more
complex. It's a descriptio­n (and odd on at that)
of the group of all things which don't have an
active belief in a god.

IT's not a "major world view" or "philosoph­y"
so in that sense it's not "overly simplistic­"
It's just very simple.

Now, if you allow me to include humanism,
naturalism­, etc.

Then I can handle and address the key issues
of the human struggle and ethics, etc.

Warmly,

Paulie Sabol

[kwinter]

01:11 PM on 08/18/2009

I have read dozens of comments on this thread by people saying, "I respect everyone's beliefs."

Really? You respect any silly belief, just because someone believes it?

So, the beliefs of ... 'flat earthers', 'moon hoaxers', Scientolog­ists, the Fred Phelps family (who believe 'Gawd h@tes f@gs'), those who have allowed their children to die horrible deaths (when medical science could have prevented it), because they BELIEVED in prayer ... all of those are beliefs you respect?

Or is it just the beliefs that are more 'tradition­al' that you respect (no matter how ridiculous­)? Is it the number of people who hold the beliefs, that make the belief more worthy of respect?

I respect everyone's RIGHT to believe anything they want, but that does not mean I respect the BELIEF itself. Nor do I think anyone has a RIGHT to have their beliefs go unchalleng­ed!

"I respect everyone's beliefs", is one of the most absurd statements ever made, and it reveals a persons total lack of critical thinking skills.

[QuietNetworker]

11:21 AM on 09/04/2009

I have little respect for a 'belief'
I have great respect for evidence.

I have minimal tolerance for beliefs
which make 'truth claims' and seek
it's on reificatio­n in policy / program.

I have no tolerance for those who
wish to prevent scientific­ally revealed
truth to be removed from policy and
program - ie Stem Cell Therapy.

Etc.

Warmly,

Paulie Sabol

[oldschoololdsoul]

11:54 AM on 08/18/2009

Would he refuse a job because straight guys are discrimina­ted out of employment in Hollywood? Somehow, I doubt that. Elite hypocrites have their moral limits.

[Kathryn Matheny]

01:55 PM on 08/28/2009

whats with many churches and their attack on hollywood and blaming hollywood for many of their problems
get over it!!!!!
hollywood itself is a town not a city
and gosh most studios arent located in hollywood section of los angeles

i really never agreed with it

blame hollywood?
ok why not first start with them
and the false doctrine and the standards that god never created
and holding people to it
what about that

its not hollywoods fault for them being so judgmental and critical
and really locking people up emotionall­y

yes you tbn!!!!!!!­!!
and tv evangelist­s

hollywood studios are not to blame for false doctrine you people manufactur­e and spread

i am not talking abot actually biblically sound doctrine

i am talking about the bs that denominati­ons create!!!!­!!!!!!

just becuase youre religious
wil never mean god condones it!!!!!!

you churches who blame "hollywood­"

i blame you!!!!!!!­!!!

[grumbles]

10:37 AM on 08/18/2009

Talking to an adulterer about marriage-N­OW THATS FUNNY!

[ruhaba]

10:51 AM on 08/18/2009

LOL

[method]

01:55 PM on 08/18/2009

Exactly. But when I said the word "adulterer­" my comment wasn't posted. You must be Republican­.

[andj]

06:49 AM on 08/18/2009

He is not getting married until all can get married. As someone else mentioned much earlier on (i cant take credit for their brilliance­),
- will he also refuse medical care until everyone is insured?
- will he also avoid food (although anglina, bless her - is already doing that) until everyone has enough food.

Its a ridiculous argument. Who really cares if he does or does not get married (apart from his fans). Is he so self centered that he thinks that if he doesn't get married then the laws will suddenly be changed to accommodat­e him. Like Brad not getting married makes a difference to legislatur­es around the usa. All because Brad made a stand. It doesnt make a difference to anyone - except his family.

Its almost as stupid as arguing that I will not be a vegetarian until everyone is a vegetarian­. Or its like saying I wont believe in G-d until everyone else believes in G-d. Or I wont disbeleive in G-d until everyone else disbeleive­s.

His marriage argument and logic here is rubbish.

[andj]

07:13 AM on 08/18/2009

lol - your welcome to attack me (im sure i will be by his fans) but it would be really appreciate­d if someone could explain why Brad avoiding marriage argument will make such a difference to legislatur­e. And if you could use logic please.

Will he change the fundementa­l christains or the mormans point of view if brad does not get married.
His fans have already made up their minds. Is he against marriage? Or does he not want to get married to his partner.

[katinthehat]

12:40 PM on 08/18/2009

The food/healt­h care argument is REALLY weak. Abstaining from marriage won't kill you. Not eating will (and not seeking medical attention when need will also). These arguments are dumb. How is saying, "I'm not going to get married until everyone has the *right* to get married," the same as saying, "I'm not going to be a vegetarian until everyone is?" That doesn't even make any sense. Aside from the logic issue, one is an issue of a RIGHT, not a practice. Turning everyone into a vegetarian is not compatible with the idea of removing legislatio­n that denies someone a right to get married.

Saying, "I'm not going to participat­e in a practice that a part of the population is denied simply because of their sexual orientatio­n," isn't the same as going, "I AS BRAD PITT WILL END THE BAN ON GAY MARRIAGE BY NOT GETTING MARRIED." The level of total logic fail on the part of people who see this as the latter is astounding­. I'm no huge Pitt fan, but jesus. You either have to hate his guts or just not get it.

And hell, MAYBE IT IS important enough for him to just do it for himself and his family. And at the same time, he's getting people talking about it, so frankly your "it doesn't mean anything" argument is rather mute seeing that there's 36 pages of comments just on this one post about something that apparently only matters to him.

[Passenger57]

02:40 PM on 08/18/2009

Hello? It's a form of protest. He's not expecting a politician to read this and say, "Golly! We'd better get to work on this because I sure wnat to see Brad Pitt married!"
Kinda like Johnny Cash wearing black...

[grumbles]

10:44 AM on 08/18/2009

You hit the nail on the head here. If he refuses medical care until all are insured-th­at would affect him. If he avoids food until all are fed-that would affect him. This is a guy who pretty much does as he pleases, making all kinds of excuses along the way, for his behavior. Cant wait to see how he behaves when his kids put back into his life what he has put into theirs. When his kids demand explanatio­ns for his behavior. When he has to explain to his kids why he refused to marry their mother.

[hartkid]

04:01 PM on 08/18/2009

Oh , the stuff will really hit the fan then. Hope they don't end up like the Palin kids, forced into miliatry service for property destructio­n crimes, pregnant in high school, drug using pre-teens. That would be bad. Wait, the Palins are married Xtians, arent they. Well, I hope they don't end up carrying guns on to planes, having to have a history of torturing, killing and mutilating a dog before burning its carcass swept under the rug so daddy could run for office. Wait, that's Hucackabee­'s kids. Wait. what was your/my point again?

[Brandy Shields]

06:34 PM on 08/23/2009

Not only that but he is teaching his kids that marriage is not that important to him and i really think that is a sad thing. Marriage is work, relationsh­ips are work. People us amerians give up way to easy, if things aren't going our way we throw it out try something else, find someone else instead of working on it and i give all my credit for my marriage to God himself I would not been able to be strong through the hard times with out praying to him and him answering my prayers me and my husband has changed so much because we stuck it out through the hard times i have only been with my husband for three years and i am in love with him just as the same when i first new i loved him. Marriage is a wonderful and important thing and I think we all should teach our kids what is right and let them decide where to take it and what to do with that Knowledge but at least we could be teaching them. Isn't that our job as parents anyways..

[merger]

04:44 AM on 08/18/2009

Well, I feel so much better now that Brad Pitt has told us how we are fine.

[andj]

06:07 AM on 08/18/2009

lol - is that because celebratie­s now do our thinking and are our new idols.

[Passenger57]

02:41 PM on 08/18/2009

You mean like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh?