George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950) was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60 plays. He was also an essayist, novelist and short story writer. Nearly all his writings address prevailing social problems, but have a vein of comedy which makes their stark themes more palatable. Issues which engaged Shaw's attention included education, marriage, religion, government, health care, and class privilege.
He was most angered by what he perceived as the exploitation of the working class. An ardent socialist, Shaw wrote many brochures and speeches for the Fabian Society. He became an accomplished orator in the furtherance of its causes, which included gaining equal rights for men and women, alleviating abuses of the working class, rescinding private ownership of productive land, and promoting healthy lifestyles. For a short time he was active in local politics, serving on the London County Council.
In 1898, Shaw married Charlotte Payne-Townshend, a fellow Fabian, whom he survived. They settled in Ayot St Lawrence in a house now called Shaw's Corner. Shaw died there, aged 94, from chronic problems exacerbated by injuries he incurred by falling from a ladder.
He is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize in Literature (1925) and an Oscar (1938), for his contributions to literature and for his work on the film Pygmalion (adaptation of his play of the same name), respectively. Shaw wanted to refuse his Nobel Prize outright because he had no desire for public honours, but accepted it at his wife's behest: she considered it a tribute to Ireland. He did reject the monetary award, requesting it be used to finance translation of Swedish books into English.
I too have been happier as a non-believer. But beside that, even if I wasn't would not be the point. People don't seem to get that you can't just choose to believe it or not. And even if I could make myself, why on earth would I want to?? I sometimes wonder what mental state most Christians, and I was in to ever go along with such immorality, even at the prize of avoiding hell.
8:20am
comment on atheist quote:
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one
Actually, I've never been happy as a Christian. I've lived my entire life feeling shame, condemnation, fear, guilt, worthless,guilt for existing, guilt for having anything--love, safety,, something good happen, everything! I've only been around people who believe as I've been taught. I've been taught since I was a tiny child that if I didn't believe exactly as I was being taught to believe that I would suffer the worst, imaginable horrors in hell for eternity. I was terrified to death as a 3 year old. I had nightmares of huge demons humanoid /bee type demons coming in the night burning my eyes out. I've been so terrified my entire life that I've gotten "re-saved" dozens of times because I've been subjected to the mindset that if I might have had even a tiny hint of insincerity in my "sinner's prayer that it may not have "taken " and even though I did ask Christ into my heart, He may not actually be there and I may fall under the scriptures that say some think they are saved but God will cast you out sayin, "I never knew you." At almost 50, I am for the 1st time in my life even READING any other view point and considering that none of this may be true. They keep people so enslaved by making part of the requirements for s"salvation" " that if you even seek out, "look back" or doubt any part of it, then you are not fit for the "Kingdom of heaven" So you spend your life terrified to even consider LOOKING. at anything else for fear you will burn in hell for eternity. I have spent every waking moment in my life feeling scrutinized by "other Christians" so. much so that I've felt small, worthless, never able to measure up, I've given up love, intimacy, freedom to enjoy a flower, a meal. I would have liked another baby but feared if I insisted on it and my husband didn't totally feel sure about it, that "God" wouldn't bless it and feared some curse would come upon me. My mother has terrified me to feel if I love my child too much that "God" would kill her off to punish me for not "worshiping" only him. I've felt terrified every moment of loosing my child. I read Sam Harris's "Letter to a Christian Nation." I never felt so free in my life. I wish there were an organization I could be part of to learn EVERYTHING. possible to learn about what any intelligent person, who thinks like he does. I never knew the Koran teachees that it is the "only holy, divine, inspired word of God." I didn't know that they are being taught they will burn in hell for eternity if they don't believe exactly as the Koran says. I had no idea of anything! Just the occult I've been psyched into since the moment I was born. We are brainwashed. I ALWAYS knew I did not truly believe much of what the bible says. I had to play the game to save myself from hell and from the shunning that would take place if one DARED to reveal a doubt. I am going to read everything I can get my hands on. I've always LOVED doing what is right. I.E. common sense things like being faithful, or helping someone, or being kind or honest, but even that natural aspect within me was constantly twisted into "having" do do such things in order to "prove" I am a "true" sincere" "Christian." I could not just do them out of my love for them. They had to have the identification tag latched onto them to "provide proof" of my "actual" Christianity. I am having to relearn everything. I wish I could go live in an atheist deprogramming camp to get a jump start cleansing. I'm having to process what joy feels like. What having a life to live feels like.
5:33am
comment on atheist quote:
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one
Actually I am so happy as a non religious person, I don't think I need anything more.
1:09am
comment on atheist quote:
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one