Ricky D. Gervais (/jər-VAYZ/) was born June 25, 1961, and is an English comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director. He co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the British TV sitcoms The Office (2001–2003), Extras (2005–2007), and Life's Too Short (2011–2013) with Stephen Merchant.
He also created, wrote, and starred in Derek (2012–2014) and After Life (2019–2022).[1] Gervais was also executive producer of and had cameos in the American rendition of The Office (2005–2013). Gervais has received various accolades including seven British Academy Television Awards, five National Comedy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Satellite Award, and the Rose d'Or twice (2006 and 2019). In 2003, The Observer named Gervais one of the 50 funniest performers in British comedy [2].
In 2007, he was placed at No. 11 on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups [3] and at No. 3 in their 2010 list [4]. In 2010, he was included in the Time 100 list of World's Most Influential People [5]. More
Shintoism is a religion from Japan classified as an East Asian religion by scholars. It is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as a "nature religion." Religious scholars sometimes call its practitioners "Shintoists," although adherents rarely use that term themselves. With no central authority in control of Shintoism, there is much diversity of belief and practice evident among practitioners. A polytheistic and animistic religion, Shinto revolves around supernatural entities called the kami (神), who are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent locations.
These shapeshifting kami are worshipped at kamidana household shrines, family shrines, and jinja public shrines staffed by priests, known as kannushi(those who deal with the kami), who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific kami enshrined at that location. This is done to cultivate harmony between humans and kami [shapeshifting spirits, apparitions, ghosts, genies, poltergeists, elementals, ghouls, monsters, tricksters, fairies, gargoyles, or other invisible beings] and to solicit their blessings. Other common rituals include kagura dances, rites of passage, and kami festivals. Public shrines facilitate forms of divination and supply religious objects, such as amulets, to the Shintoists. The religion places a major conceptual focus on ensuring purity, largely by cleaning practices such as ritual washing and bathing, especially before worship. Little emphasis is placed on specific moral codes or particular afterlife beliefs, although the dead are deemed capable of becoming kami. The religion has no single creator or specific doctrine and instead exists in a diverse range of local and regional forms.
Yōkai are also referred to as ayakashi (あやかし), mononoke (物の怪), or mamono (魔物). Some academics and Shinto practitioners acknowledge similarities within the seeming dichotomy between the natures of yōkaiand most kami, which are generally regarded as relatively beneficent by comparison. Shintoists classify the two as ultimately the same type of spirits of nature or of a mythological realm [3]. Their behavior can range from malevolent harm or mischievous trickster pranksterism to benevolent towards humans. More: yōkai
Mormonism: the theology and religious tradition of the Latter-Day Saint movement of RestorationistChristianitystarted by Joseph Smith in Western New York in the 1820s and 1830s. As a label, it has been applied to various aspects of the movement, although since 2018 there has been a push from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to distance itself from this label [1]. A prominent feature of the theology is the Book of Mormon, a 19th-century text that describes itself as a chronicle of early Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their dealings with [the white man's] God [2]. This theology combines mainstream Christian beliefs with modifications stemming from belief in revelations to Smith and other religious leaders.
Atheism: knowing that there are no Gods (theos); in the broadest sense, an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are certainly no deities. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which is the belief that at least one deity exists.
NONTHEISM: The position that whether there is a God(s) or not, that has no bearing on an individual's enlightenment, liberation, deliverance, salvation, emancipation. (Why? The gods/Gods are caught in this samsaric rounds just as other beings are). It is a range of both religious [1] and non-religious [2] attitudes characterized by the absence of espoused belief in the existence of a God or gods.
It has generally been used to describe silence towards the subject of gods (deus, theos, dīvus) and differs from atheism, which is an active disbelief in any gods. It has been used as an umbrella term for summarizing distinct and even mutually exclusive positions.
(We apologize in advance if our statements have offended any FSMists; it is never our intention at WQ to offend, diminish, mock, or otherwise find fault with the religion or nonreligion of anyone's choosing. Do carry on believing and never mind our backwards ways. In fact, everyone should convert to this religion and/or make up their own, such as George Costanza Sr.'s Festivusism. We ourselves are nontheists, Buddhists yes, but nontheists.)
FSM Pastafarianism
One day the eternal Creator Deity blessed humankind with starch but cursed it with gluten
The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is the supreme deity of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster [of the latter-day tortellinis], an ironic, satirical, and parodic new religious movement that promotes a light-hearted view of religion [3]. The parody originated in opposition to the teaching of intelligent design in public schools in the USA. According to adherents ("Pastafaris"), Pastafarianism (a portmanteau of pasta and Rastafarianism 🌬️) is a "real, legitimate religion, as much as any other" [4]. It has received some limited recognition as such [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. More
If Buddhism has no God, who are Buddhists praying to?
(Buddha's Wisdom) 🔍 IF THERE'S NO BUDDHIST GOD, WHO GETS ALL THESE PRAYERS?
The Buddha with gods Sakka and Brahma
Buddhism famously teaches that there is no "creator God." Yet, Buddhist temples across Asia overflow with [what sounds like] prayers, chants, offerings, and devotion.
From bodhisattvas and buddhas to spirits, protectors, and ancestors, this video explores whom Buddhists are actually praying to—if anyone—and why [petitionary] prayer never disappeared from Buddhism.
Discover how Buddhist "prayer" works in the absence of a supreme deity and why this "godless" religion created one of the most elaborate spiritual support systems ever conceived.
[NOTE: Theists are sure there's a God; atheists are sure there is not; agnostics say they do not know and remain on the fence. But nontheists are different. They say, "Whether there is a God or is not a God, we must still concern ourselves with our own enlightenment and liberation/salvation." No one else, not even "God," can do it for us. We must develop calm and insight, study and practice, to awaken from this illusory samsara or Wheel of Suffering and Rebirth.]
DISCOVER:
Why Buddhism rejected [an all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent] creator God but preserved devotion
Why [Mahayana] Buddhism has multiple buddhas instead of one God...and what each one specializes in
The bodhisattvas who postponed enlightenment just to help all living beings (and millions pray to them daily)
The terrifying wrathful protectors (guardian deities) who guard Buddhism with fangs and flames
How Buddhism absorbed local spirits, gods, and ancestors without losing its core philosophy
Why the three Buddhist schools (Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna) solve this paradox differently
How this ancient system still explains modern meditation, ritual, and faith
📿 If this changed understanding of Buddhist devotion, subscribe to Buddha's Wisdom for more deep explorations into Buddhism's most fascinating mysteries and apparent contradictions.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 If Buddhism has no God
01:31 The core confusion: No God yet prayer everywhere
06:50 Chapter 1: The Buddha specialists (Shakyamuni, Amitābha, Medicine Buddha, Guanyin)
14:55 Chapter 2: The Bodhisattva Help Desk—compassion incarnate
21:53 Chapter 3: Protectors, Gods, and spiritual security
27:40 Chapter 4: Where Buddhism meets local spirits and ancestors
34:48 Chapter 5: Human bridges—the power of dead masters
41:48 Chapter 6: Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna Buddhism — three different solutions
50:12 Chapter 7: How all the layers work together
54:45 Chapter 8: Why this still matters today
56:17 What 'prayer' really cultivates
📚 SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:
Primary Buddhist texts:
The Pāli canon (Tipiṭaka) - the Buddha's final words on self-reliance
Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra) - foundation of bodhisattva devotion
Pure Land Sutras (Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtras) - Amitābha Buddha and rebirth in [his western] Pure Land
Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thödol) - death and intermediate states between lifetimes
Platform Sutra - Zen Buddhism's approach to "sudden enlightenment"
Scholarly resources:
Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor
The Bodhisattva Ideal in Buddhism by Sangharakshita
Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations by Paul Williams
Tantric Buddhism in East Asia by Richard Payne
The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism by Robert E. Buswell Jr. and Donald S. Lopez Jr.
Popular Buddhism in Sri Lanka by Michael Ames (folk religion integration)
The Cult of the Book of the Dead in Tibet by Bryan J. Cuevas
Academic articles:
"The Concept of the Bodhisattva in Early Buddhism" - Buddhist Studies Review
"Wrathful Deities in Vajrayana Buddhism" - Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies
"Pure Land Buddhism in China" - Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies
Historical context:
The Buddhist Conquest of China by Erik Zürcher (syncretism examples)
Buddhism and Society in Thailand by Tambiah (spirit house integration)
Charvaka (Sanskrit चार्वाक, Cārvāka), also known as Lokāyata ("world only"), is an ancient Indian school of materialism [1].
It is an example of the atheistic schools in the ancient Indian philosophies [a][3][b][5][c].
Charvaka holds that only direct perception (seeing with my own eyes, experiencing with my own senses), empiricism (provable, objective scientific method), and conditional inference (logical deduction and argument) are proper sources of knowledge; it embraces philosophical skepticism and rejects all ritualism [4][6][7][8][9].
In other words, the Charvaka epistemology (the study of how we know or decide that things are true) states that whenever one infers a truth from a set of observations or truths, one must acknowledge doubt; inferred knowledge is conditional [10]. It was a well-attested belief system in ancient India [d].
Brihaspati, a [heretical] philosopher, is traditionally referred to as the founder of the Charvaka or Lokāyata philosophy, although some scholars dispute this [11, 12].
Charvaka developed during the Hindu reformation period in the first millennium BCE [13] and is considered a philosophical predecessor to subsequent or contemporaneous heterodox philosophies such as Ajñāna, Ājīvika, Jainism, and Buddhism [14].
Its teachings have been compiled from historic secondary literature such as those found in the shastras, sutras, and Indian epic poetry [15].
Charvaka is categorized as one of the nāstika or "heterodox" schools of Indian philosophy [16, 17]. More
Who will be the pan-Asian inhabitants of the future Empire of China when 1984 comes true?
Chinese futuristic engineering: most amazing wonders
(Lifeder) Ahead of the USA and Russia, the PRC (People's Republic of China) has had its proficiency in mathematics and other STEM subjects pay off. Is there space alien technology afoot or just better chips and AI computing? Maybe 5,000+ years of civilization has finally paid off again to make China the world leader in technology, complexity, advancement, and cultural cohesion, seamlessly blending Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
(Dwarkesh Clips) Nov. 2, 2025: Military historian Sarah Paine. In the full lecture, military historian Sarah Paine explains how Russia—and specifically Dictator Stalin—completely derailed China’s rise, slowing the mega-country down for over a century. This lecture is of particular interest because, in my opinion, the Chinese Civil War is one of the top three most important events of the 20th century. To understand why it transpired as it did, one needs to understand Russian Dictator Stalin’s role in it.
What is a rubber yacht? - It is a plasticized dinghy.
Who is Hymie? It is a religious slur for Jews derived from the Hebrew Chaim ("life"), pronounced /hai-ym/ or /hay-yim/. It is also used in the term "Hymietown," a nickname for Brooklyn, NY, and as a Jewish first name.
Who is Cohen? - Common Jewish surname, reminiscent of a priest or someone descended from a priestly caste.
In that case, what is The Rubber Yacht of Hymie Cohen? - It is a misapprehension and misunderstanding of the famous translated Persian text, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: new modern translation
Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) was a Persian astronomer and mathematician born in Nishapur in northeastern Iran, who lived and worked at the courts of the Seljuk dynasty.
Modern scholars agree that there is very little (if any) of the collected work of poetry known as the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam that can with certainty be attributed to the historical figure.
A tradition of attribution grew up in the centuries after Khayyam’s death, which culminated in the popular Edward Fitzgerald’s translation in the 19th century. More
Cosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind is an attempted scientific study of illuminated individuals. Author Richard Maurice Bucke provides three dozen very consistent examples of "cosmic consciousness." Some of these are the usual suspects, and others are contemporary case-histories which Bucke collected. He proposed that these enlightened figures are evolutionary jumps, the predecessor of a more advanced species. (Internet Archive)
There's another distinction, the small and nearly insignificant historical figure (Jesus the Nazarene of Bethlehem) used as the core of a lot of ancient mythology and astrotheology, which Dr. Reza Aslan calls the fantasy version or "Jesus Christ." It is easy to take a questionable person, like William Shakespeare, and make a superman out of him until one wonders if there ever was a root figure to begin with, one stripped of all the additional mythology grafted onto him.
I'm a professional academic Bible scholar
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth is a historical account of the life of a possible person, Jesus, that analyzes religious perspectives on the figure and the creation of Christianity. Prof. of Religion Aslan, Ph.D., argues that Jesus was a political rebel and eschatological ("end times") Jew, whose proclamation of the "coming kingdom of God" [not the genocidal figure in the Old Testament Bible but rather the Gnostic real God] was a call for regime change, for ending Roman Empire hegemony over Judea and the corrupt and oppressive aristocratic Jewish priesthood. The New York Times bestseller has been optioned by Lionsgate and producer David Heyman with a script co-written by Aslan and screenwriter James Schamus. More
(Jupitar Star) This thought-provoking video explores Bertrand Russell's classic essay, "Why I'm Not a Christian," in which the logician and renowned philosopher outlines his reasons for rejecting Christianity and organized religion.
Russell critiques the historical and philosophical foundations of Christianity, addressing topics such as the problem of evil, the lack of empirical evidence for religious claims, and the contradictions within religious texts.
Through logical reasoning and intellectual clarity, Russell presents a compelling case for skepticism and atheism (or at least rejection of monotheistic claims by the Abrahamic faiths), challenging traditional beliefs while encouraging viewers to think critically about religion and its role in society.
(T&H - Inspiration & Motivation) Alan Watts gives a clarifying and powerfully insightful lecture on knowing, religion, Jesus, and the big questions we ask. "Life is not a problem, in other words, not a contest between ourselves and our environment. This conception of life turns out to be basically phony." Original audio source: Alan Watts, "Extended Seminars, Early Radio Talks - Ghosts" (T&H).
Jupitar Star, March 26, 2025; A Dose of Reason (YouTube), 2024; T&H - Inspiration & Motivation, Oct. 23, 2023; Sheldon S., Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
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