Subtitled “Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales”
(Simon & Schuster, August 2011, 231pp)
This is an odd book that is superficially about religion and atheism and the author’s own version of a “ten commandments,” but is more about the author himself, entertainingly so, than a serious theological treatise.
Jillette (that’ 2 Ls, 2 Ts) is the talking half of the magician duo Penn & Teller, whose current show, Fool Us, we catch on Friday evenings if our dinner schedule permits. And we saw them once, at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, where their show is filmed, 20 some years ago. I like them, or at least Penn, the one who talks, because he doesn’t take himself serious, he’s funny, and he wants you to understand that magic is just tricks. He contrasts himself with some other magicians who want to spook you into believing that something supernatural is going on. At their Rio show, the pair ends by performing an elaborate magic trick and then showing you exactly how they did it. Which is as much fun to see as the actual trick.
Jillette is also known, via a couple books, as being an unabashed atheist, in a self-deprecating way. All in good fun. This book is his answer to an invitation to create an atheist Ten Commandments. He does so, with a lot of stories and rambling along the way.
I’ll just summarize the book, without detailing all my notes.
*
Introduction: The humility of loudmouth know-it-all asshole atheists. Pxiii
Recalls how brilliant Hitchens was, even when drinking. Author has never drunk or taken recreational drugs. You don’t have to be smart to be an atheist; you just have to say “I don’t know.” That they’re arrogant. That’s not it at all. We don’t know a lot of things. Science has helped. It keeps changing. Theists aren’t humble; they think they do know everything. That they think they can ask god to change its mind about its plan for the universe, for their sake, is arrogant. Saying “I don’t know” means, when asked if you believe in god, the answer has to be “no.” Glenn Beck asked author for an atheist Ten Commandments, as Hitchens and George Carlin have done. So he’ll do so, along with some funny stories and rambling.
1, The highest ideals are human intelligence, creativity, and love. Respect these above all.
He discusses fellow magicians and how some emphasize the idea of actual ‘magic’, while author acknowledges that everything is a trick. How P&T meet the audience after each show.
2, Do not put things or even ideas above other human beings.
Author believes most people are good. How he read the Bible and became an atheist.
3, Say what you mean, even when talking to yourself.
Author is fine with proselytizing. But if other people actually believe in God, why do they ever sin? He thinks being a “agnostic” is a copy out. Thinking Christ loves you but makes your football team lose is sad and desperate.
4, Put aside some time to rest and think.
Author describes flying on a ‘vomit comet’ to experience weightlessness; it’s the contrasting 1.8G that makes you vomit. And how he visited a gay bathhouse in 1981, and how he couldn’t get anyone’s attention.
5, Be there for your family. Love your parents, your partner, and your children.
How the Unabomber was turned in by his brother. Passing down the joy of not collecting stamps. If religions were wiped out, new ones would arise but be different; but people would figure science out again. It’s important to tell children the truth, even though we lie to them all the time, e.g. about Santa and the Tooth Fairy.
6, Respect and protect all human life.
Defends why he’s a libertarian: he doesn’t think anyone knows what’s best for anyone else. Three dogmas that hurt Americans the most: God; Most people are evil; “Ask not what your country can do for you…” which he thinks is backwards.
7, Keep your promises.
He was pitching a show on the morning of 9/11/2001. Afterwards, he took religious jokes out of his show, mostly, and sold his pitch to Showtime.
8, Don’t steal.
His encounter with a magician called the “Amazing Kreskin” who is person is pathetic, his awful tricks all stolen from Dunninger. And recalls how he argued with his father about Nixon. He was a crook, but at least he could tell jokes.
9, Don’t lie.
About Larry King and Seth MacFarlane and the Tea Party. Meeting people on the road, including a lovely woman he was told was crazy. And she was; it didn’t work. Later, James Randi, not believing in climate change simply because he doesn’t like Al Gore.
10, Don’t waste too much time wishing hoping, and being envious; it’ll make you bugnutty.
You could be Bruce Springsteen, but not Bob Dylan. Author liked Springsteen for a while, then lost interest, but doesn’t trash him. “Things like this don’t happen to normal people” is a lie. Unlike many big stars, P&T are satisfied; they make money and do exactly what they like to do. He and Teller are friends, but mostly business partners.
Afterword
Atheism is the only real hope against terrorism. The enemy isn’t Muslims, it’s faith. Islam is not “peace.” Thinking about Santa Claus and becoming less credulous about the world is just the first step: just keep going.
