Penn Jillette, the taller, louder half of the magic/comedy act “Penn and Teller,” is a well-known atheist. He is so committed to atheism that he claims, “I cross the word ‘God’ off every [dollar] bill I touch.”
However, late in 2008, Penn said that after one of his shows, a businessman approached him and gave him a Gideon New Testament. Penn noted, “It was really wonderful. I believe he knew that I was an atheist, but he was not defensive, and he looked me right in the eyes...and then gave me this Bible. I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, or not getting eternal life, or whatever, and you think that, Well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward...How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean if I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you—and this is more important than that...He cared enough about me to proselytize and give me a Bible.”
Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
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