RIP - Arthur C Clarke : (
Posted on: March 18, 2008 - 6:57pm
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RIP - Arthur C Clarke : (
Some Quotes from Clarke:
It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him."
"Religion is a byproduct of fear. For much of human history, it may have been a necessary evil, but why was it more evil than necessary? Isn't killing people in the name of God a pretty good definition of insanity?"
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/03/18/arthur-clarke.html
Rendezvous with Rama was the first book without pictures I ever read.
I never understood why people got so upset when someone famous died.
Now I do. 
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Here, here. I am right there with you.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
I wonder if the Phelpses have bought the plane tickets yet to picket his funeral. Perhaps we should spread the rumor that he accepted Jesus on his deathbed.
*sigh*
Where have all of our heroes gone? The grave.
Why would anyone want to live forever if everyone else dies around us?
"I am an atheist, thank God." -Oriana Fallaci
I always wished heaven were real, just so I could have a beer with Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke. I wish I had a beer right now, just to lift to the man that made me want to meet aliens. Real aliens, unimaginable and barely describable, and not at all like us.
For now, I reckon I'll go re-read The Star, and The Nine Billion Names of God.
At least Bradbury's still with us. And Vonnegut.
"Yes, I seriously believe that consciousness is a product of a natural process. I find that the neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers who proceed from that premise are the ones who are actually making useful contributions to our understanding of the mind." - PZ Myers
Kurt Vonnegut Died at 84, April 12, 2007
www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/04/12/obit.vonnegut/index.html
When the ugly truth about Baron Clarkonnen (figure it out) comes out some day, it will unfortunately provide ammo to the atheist-haters.
I read about this earlier today. Had he only written 2001 he'd have still been a legend in my mind.
RIP you dirty old bastard.
I think Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. You know why? When he played, he was one of the greatest players who's ever lived. Last I checked, Ty Cobb was an asshole who did all sorts of seedy things off the field. As a manager, Rose did shitty things. Obviously, I don't think his managerial exploits are deserving of the Hall, but his playing was.
I honestly don't care if Clarke barbecued kittens for breakfast. (I don't know what you're referring to, but I think I can make a damn good educated guess from your Dune reference.) He was an amazing writer, and for that, I admire him.
Last I checked, music students still study Wagner, and he was a total antisemitic douche.
I really hate the "So and so did bad things, so atheists suck" argument. Really.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
So it goes.
People have made a huge deal out of the fact that some Catholic priests have sexually exploited children. Why does Clarke get a pass on allegedly engaging in the same behavior?
I've never made a big deal about the priests. I think it's a stupid thing to do as an atheist. Theism falls under its own philosophical absurdity. I don't need to resort to pointing out flaws in theists.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
i think the operative word there is allegedly, i don't remember him ever being charged and convicted, or are rumours enough now?
MOD EDIT - improperly closed quote tag
i knew i'd broken it, just wasn't sure how to fix it, thanks
Tis a sad day... Been along time since i read any of the Rama's maybe i will go back and do a read read. What the hell is going on some of my favorite authors are either dieing or are dead... Robert Jordan died( and he didnt even finish the series...), Terry Pratchett has got Alzheimers THE HELL!?!?!?!?!
Then some guy i never have heard of was brought on to finish Jordan's last book for him, what is with that, i Don't know weather i should read it when it comes out or not...
Terry Pratchett has Alzheimers? Fuck!! I dreamed that my mum got it the other night, and that it was contagious! Was quite scary.
But, to the point. RIP Arthur C Clarke, I was never really that familiar with your work, but what I saw, I liked.
Atheist Books
Talk about literary blue balls. This is SOOOO much worse than the writer's strike putting a halt to Heroes.
An ex-gf of mine read everything Jordan wrote, and tried to get me to read it. I knew he was very old, so I refused to even start reading.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
ACC was one of the great thinkers of the 20th century.
here are some great quotes from him:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/arthur_c_clarke.html
“The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.”
“It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him.”
<Actually he was not that old, he was only 59 years old, his problem was he had primary amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (cardiac amyloidosis), which has a life expectancy of 4 years. I had already started to read the series so i wasn't going to leave myself hanging. In his last hours he told his wife and sons what was to be in the last book. He had already gotten pretty far into the book but still didn't have it finished. But I am afraid to finish the series when a different author is writing the series.