David Baddiel, a comedian and author known for "The God Desire," joins fellow comedian Richard Ayoade and theologian Ben Quash for a deep dive into faith and belief. They discuss Baddiel's longing for a Supreme Being, exploring how this desire shapes our understanding of God. The trio tackles complex topics like the restless human heart, the intricacies of minority faiths, and the relationship between joy, beauty, and existence. Their conversation delves into the need for authenticity in our beliefs amidst the uncertainties of life.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Jewish Atheism and Kaddish
Baddiel reads an excerpt from his book, discussing his Jewish atheism.
He explains that cultural Judaism intertwines with religious knowledge and irony, sometimes dissolving in moments of grief like reciting Kaddish.
insights INSIGHT
God Desire and Fear of Death
Baddiel desires God primarily due to his fear of death and oblivion.
This sadness is an existential acceptance of his perceived reality.
insights INSIGHT
Sadness, Fear, and Acceptance
Baddiel clarifies his sadness about God's non-existence stems from an existential fear and acceptance of death.
Writing the book helped him explore this fear, a conversation with himself that others can relate to.
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In 'The God Desire: On Being a Reluctant Atheist', David Baddiel presents a unique argument for atheism, focusing on the psychological aspect of human desire for God. He posits that the intense desire for God to exist, rooted in our fear of death and the need for meaning, is actually evidence that God does not exist. Baddiel summarizes his argument with the equation 'desire + invisibility = God', highlighting that unlike other desires, there is no concrete evidence for God's existence. The book delves into how God provides a narrative and meaning to our lives but concludes that this is a form of wish fulfillment rather than reality.
Pigeon feathers
John Updike
In 'Pigeon Feathers,' John Updike tells the story of David Kern, a fourteen-year-old boy who moves with his family to a rural farm. David's reading of H.G. Wells's 'The Outline of History' leads him to question the divinity of Jesus and the existence of God, plunging him into a crisis of faith. Neither his parents nor the Lutheran minister can provide satisfactory answers to his questions. The story reaches its climax when David is tasked with shooting pigeons in the barn, an act that ultimately leads him to an epiphany about the beauty and design in nature and the possibility of divine purpose. This coming-of-age tale explores themes of faith, doubt, and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world.
Abiding
Ben Quash
In 'Abiding', Ben Quash delves into the central concept of abiding in Christianity, using various characters to illustrate each chapter. The book is both profound and accessible, challenging and inspiring readers as they reflect on their faith during Lent. It was chosen as the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book for 2013.
This is the second instalment of a three-part episode. David Baddiel would love there to be a God. The comedian and bestselling author has spent a lot of time fantasising about how much better life would be if there actually were a supreme being – which for him would be some kind of Superhero Dad who chased off Death. Unfortunately for him, there isn’t. Or at least, that’s Baddiel’s view, and it’s the starting point of his new book The God Desire. In April 2023 Baddiel came to our stage at The Tabernacle in Notting Hill, London, to argue that it is the very intensity of his, and everyone else’s, desire for God to exist that proves God’s non-existence. Baddiel was joined on stage by comedian, actor and film-maker Richard Ayoade and theologian and broadcaster Ben Quash for a conversation that tackled this most ancient and fundamental of questions: is our need for there to be something greater than ourselves anything more than just that – a need?
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