Ed on religion...

[low_light]

Found this on Wikipedia. wiki wiki!

Religion

Eddie Vedder is an atheist. There have been several instances in which Vedder has made athiest statements. At a concert in July 1998, he stated, "I would thank God, but I don't believe in it."[44] When asked in a 1998 interview about his feelings on God, Vedder responded:

"I think it's like a movie that was way too popular. It's a story that's been told too many times and just doesn't mean anything. Man lived on the planet -- [placing his fingers an inch apart], this is 5000 years of semi-recorded history. And God and the Bible, that came in somewhere around the middle, maybe 2000. This is the last 2000, this is what we're about to celebrate [indicating about an 1/8th of an inch with his fingers]. Now, humans, in some shape or form, have been on the Earth for three million years [pointing across the room to indicate the distance]. So, all this time, from there [gesturing toward the other side of the room], to here [indicating the 1/8th of an inch], there was no God, there was no story, there was no myth and people lived on this planet and they wandered and they gathered and they did all these things. The planet was never threatened. How did they survive for all this time without this belief in God? I'd like to ask this to someone who knows about Christianity and maybe you do. That just seems funny to me."[45]

[moyboy]

I'm not pretending to know what Ed believes but I know that he is a thinking man, constantly evolving... his thoughts on religion could change and evolve as well and 1998 was long ago. That specific quote of Eds must have come right after he read Ishmael which he's referenced a few times and pretty much sums up one of the major reflections of that writing. I remember spouting similar observations with great enthusiasm after reading that book also. And from his lyrics and love of nature I have to assume that he finds something out there that's spiritual in nature and in line with whatever he does believe - whether that's the lull of the ocean, an idea, or an actual god I have no idea- but I would wager that he finds some kind in something that he feels the need to knee buckle in reverence to. plus since that time he's aged 10 years, read that many more books, brought life into this world going on twice, witnessed deaths of loved ones, almost died himself, finds himself in love and as family with a person who values things he previously had railed against, and has endured who knows what else that may have challenged his faiths and perspectives... so things and opinions can certainly change, and I have to assume Ed is still evolving and always thinking, questioning, searching...

[reallygroovN]

yeah, i agree moy. at the gorge, he mentioned 'god' or 'gawd' (lol) a couple times, in relation being closer to what is out there.

although this tour he did repeat the 'blah, blah, god, even though i dont believe in him, blah, blah' statement.

yeah, like all of us, he is probablly searching for some answers.... which the older i get clearly dont seem to be judeo/christian/muslim since all of those 'believers' seem to just want to disregard eachother and/or wipe everyone else off the planet.

[Beta]

i remember watching this... he was being interviewed by jeanine garofalo... right when yield came out... it was a really cool interview. they're both that cool

[moyboy]

i remember watching this... he was being interviewed by jeanine garofalo... right when yield came out... it was a really cool interview. they're both that cool

that sounds right, i think yield was right around the time of his reading Ishmael or at least referencing it. it's a good book with some interesting points if anyone here hasn't read it. not neccessarily about religion, more so about mans role on earth and his effect upon the planet / nature.

[Not_Trapped]

well, there was a belief in a god before...there has been some belief in a higher power for a very LONG time...not just 2000 years...

[mensane]

stop it before you make me vomit.

[low_light]

Your complete attention to detail and thoughtful replies are why I am a Kevin fan as always :)

I posted this because I think it's funny how many references to God and Religion he has in many many of his songs.... like songs from Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, etc etc... you all know the tunes. it seems he is thinking a lot about it all...

just was interesting to me.

I'm not pretending to know what Ed believes but I know that he is a thinking man, constantly evolving... his thoughts on religion could change and evolve as well and 1998 was long ago. That specific quote of Eds must have come right after he read Ishmael which he's referenced a few times and pretty much sums up one of the major reflections of that writing. I remember spouting similar observations with great enthusiasm after reading that book also. And from his lyrics and love of nature I have to assume that he finds something out there that's spiritual in nature and in line with whatever he does believe - whether that's the lull of the ocean, an idea, or an actual god I have no idea- but I would wager that he finds some kind in something that he feels the need to knee buckle in reverence to. plus since that time he's aged 10 years, read that many more books, brought life into this world going on twice, witnessed deaths of loved ones, almost died himself, finds himself in love and as family with a person who values things he previously had railed against, and has endured who knows what else that may have challenged his faiths and perspectives... so things and opinions can certainly change, and I have to assume Ed is still evolving and always thinking, questioning, searching...

[Not_Trapped]

stopped.

[mensane]

stopped.

:silly:;)

[moyboy]

Your complete attention to detail and thoughtful replies are why I am a Kevin fan as always :) just was interesting to me.

aw, shucks. that was nice of you to say.
yes, i found it interesting too, thanks for posting it.
check out the book Ishmael if anyone hasn't...
its pretty interesting too and makes you look at things a bit differently.
and its not about religion (oops, i think i already said that).

[reallygroovN]

i would say that ishmael is one of the very few books that i have read that has totally shifted the way i live and view the world around me.

lol, the bible is one of the others :rolleyes: but totally not in the literal sense.

[share]

I think people are always confusing atheist and agnostic

I don't know ed from a hole in the wall but I would say - almost 90% - that the man is not an atheist

he has passion and love and has an obvious belief that those that he has loved and lost still live on somehow somewhere

this is what I get from his music - and I don't think he's that good a liar to be faking it with his emotions

[greenmind]

i remember watching this... he was being interviewed by jeanine garofalo... right when yield came out... it was a really cool interview. they're both that cool


was it filmed? i remember printing it out off the family computer, just when we first had internet, and reading it several times over. come to think of it, that was the first i ever heard of bill hicks.

and ed saying he was totally in love with janeane... which i could relate to...

[greenmind]

I think people are always confusing atheist and agnostic

I don't know ed from a hole in the wall but I would say - almost 90% - that the man is not an atheist




i also remember in some old 'rumor pit' (guess that doesn't exist any more) that there was a question about religion and the answer said "pearl jam are NOT atheists" !


has passion and love and has an obvious belief that those that he has loved and lost still live on somehow somewhere

thats my view... but i notice its getting very unfashionable. like, its always been fashionable for liberals/whatever to knock christianity, but with dawkins and everything, it seems this kind of atheist thinking is also starting to be mocked.

i kinda think some people treat science like a religion...

[yer ardy]

i'd like to think that ed's evolution into the man he is now vs. the man he was then has little to do with his religious beliefs and more to do with his life experiences, maturity, the birth of his child and the death of close friends.

he, like many, has lived a couple of lifetimes already. one's religious views shape only so much of one's life, the rest is guided by fate, luck and common sense.