Ian McKellan: Bible Should Have 'Fiction' Disclaimer

[Clearie552]

/me is an American amused at hearing "jolly good story".

[JamesJonathon013]

“To be fair, much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents, composed, revised, translated, distorted and 'improved' by hundreds of anonymous authors, editors and copyists, unknown to us and mostly unknown to each other, spanning nine centuries”

- Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion"

[kubrox91]

Honestly, they should say it's fiction, because most of the claims are actually debunked by many historians. But either way, what's so bad about saying it's fiction in the beginning of the movie? Last Temptation did the same thing.

[hazeleyedgrl1228]

Ian McKellen is awesome and such a wonderful actor. Good for him for saying this.

[evilemperordude]

You and me both, Ian.

[schlo5398]

Go Ian McKellen!

[taxmonkey123]

Gotta love this guy.

[PhoenixPsilence]

Love Sir Ian because he isnt afraid to say what he thinks. I loved it when he said that because i bet those bible thumpers that attack gay and lesbians all grabbed pencils and started making notes on how to attack us again for his comment. He is amazing in everything he does. Love him

[StoogeWatcher]

Liberals accuse Christianity of being anti-gay, yet it's Muslims who go around KILLING homosexuals.

[vids721]

You're right, Christians only kill abortion doctors...

[Einjuru]

didnt christians kill homosexuals?

[Jorgeoporco]

This dude's my hero!

[StoogeWatcher]

If McKellen said the Koran should have a terrorism disclaimer, he wouldn't have been on the show. Why is the left so afraid to speak out against radical Islam?

[califoniania]

I lean somewhat to the left and I often speak out against Islam. Christianity and Islam are equally crazy.

[Xerock]

Well the beliefs themselves are equally crazy, but islam's applications of those beliefs are much more violent than most Christians are today.

However, since Christians see themselves as a political default in the USA, I have no problem focusing on those loonies for the most part and only deal with Islam when it comes up.

[MAfr3ak]

Islam is more violent, but on the level of rationality, all religions are the same, including the legitimacy of the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, unicorns, fairies, etc

[paineojefferson]

There is no reason to think this is controversial at all. Everyone who isn't a Christian doesn't believe in the bible.

So what's the problem?

I actually think Mr. McKellan is being very witty.

[notoriousassasin]

The bible...written by cattle sacrificing primitives who didn't understand anything scientific enough to delve into research. By the way, God needs money every sunday to pay the rent...oh and by the way, his "houses" don't pay taxes either.

[StoogeWatcher]

They still pay more than Ted Kennedy does!

[Mills88]

I agree with him.

[DerVin166]

A gay atheist who can act!

There's nothing hotter!

[outforawalkbitch]

Go Sir Ian. I adore him. If people want to believe the Bible that's up to them. If evolution and science can't change their minds, nothing will.

[RomanRails]

LOL. How funny that christians want a movie labeled fiction that doesn't agree with their fictitious book. Hilarious!

[rwrw]

GD, that's an interesting take, but unfortunately not true. Just because you believe that such faith is absurd does not make a Christian lacking in intelligence. At the end of the day, we all have to have faith in something. I just happen to walk by faith, but it is surely not a blind faith but an informed one.

[interestingstd]

All faith is blind. If you are "informed" then that means you have facts, and don't need faith. Now onto the raging insults: YOU FUCKING MORON. YES, IF YOU BELIEVE IN RELIGION YOU ARE UNINTELLIGENT. You have just demonstrated this, asshole. Look up faith and INFORMED in the dictionary. Consider this, me informing you that you are a fuck nut.

[Xerock]

Not all faith is blind. The faith people have with each other and with everyday objects is not blind, but based opn personal experiences and that faith can be validated.

Religious faith, on the other had, is based on fairy tale experiences, is entirely blind and is ultimately little more than voluntary schizophrenia.

[GreenDesert]

Finally an intelligent person speaking about the fiction in the Bible. If you believe some guy with a beard and mullet walked on water chances are you will believe almost anything.

[rwrw]

Why should there be middle ground between the two? As you mention, Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code is a work of fiction. Depending on your beliefs, the Bible is or is not a work of fiction, or a work that at least contains sme elements of fiction.

The controversy of this clip, however, it that McKellan takes a swipe at those who do take the Bible as truth.

It's funny how we live in an overly politically-correct society, yet it is forgotten when it comes to mocking Christianity.

[Ba101]

It's funny how we live in an overly politically-correct society, yet it is forgotten when it comes to mocking Christianity

so true!

[chebob2009]

@rwrw

Well since it's a book that says his sexual preference means he's going to hell, I'd say he's got every right to claim it's fiction and I agree with him.

[oldnestor]

you got me there, iscoffatyou! i'm a fan of mckellan and the bible (although not religious). just trying to find a 'middle ground' between the two. mckellan points to the 'fictive' elements of the bible (walking on water). in this case, davinci is a ficiton of a fiction--how much should we expect?

[iscoffatyou]

Nothing in the book says Jesus didn't die on the cross.

[ForEmily23]

I know...what the hell was that about? Even Tom Hanks was flabbergasted with that comment.

[oldnestor]

the son of god was crucified; I am not ashamed just because men feel ashamed of it. and the son of god died; it is by all means to be believed, because it is absurd. and he was buried, and rose again; the fact is certain, because it is impossible -- tertullian. that the bible is fictive or impossible does not preclude faith.

[ryanonymous]

Ian McKellan just pwned everyone. Logic FTW.

[wesleyc]

amen ian mckellen!!!