Guy King
Name: Guy King
Birthplace: London, England
What type of work did you do?
I’ve had numerous jobs, but no “career.” I worked in real estate for a while, and I had some of my own little businesses. When I was young and fit, I worked as a treeclimber — now we call them “arborists.” That was in New York. I had a farmstand for a while.
How would you identify yourself in terms of religion/spirituality?
Atheist.
What are some of your reasons for joining?
My friend and I had talked about starting a group for atheists, but we never did. When I found out that Loren was starting a CFI group here in Kelowna, I decided to join.
Are there any books or movies that have had a big impact on you?
Well, I read Tom Harpur’s “The Pagan Christ,” and Sam Harris’s “The End of Faith.” I’ve read Richard Dawkins, Charles Templeton…
More recently, I read “There Was No Jesus, There Is No God.” I watched the film “The God Who Wasn’t There,” and also “Religulous,” which was done by the comedian Bill Maher. He interviews religious people, and some of the answers are quite ridiculous.
What were some of the defining moments that brought you to the point where you are now, in a religious/spiritual sense?
When I was growing up in England, religion was not an issue. I did go to a religious boarding school when I was about eight or nine for a couple years, and when I was in the air force they thought I should get baptized…but mostly, it wasn’t an issue. When I was working in Calgary about 40 years ago, I met some very religious people. I used to have some pretty good arguments with fanatical Christians…it always felt crazy to me. I didn’t read much literature until about ten or twelve years ago, and since then, I’ve been lapping it up. I haven’t really been out in public about my atheism until about ten or twelve years ago. I started writing letters to the paper and wearing “atheist” t-shirts, just to get a conversation going. There are probably far more atheists in Kelowna than we’d imagine — they just don’t say so. They’ll tell me, “I agree with you, but I just don’t want to say anything.”
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