Clive Barker

From Philosopedia

Barker, Clive (5 Oct 1952 - )

Barker, an author, movie producer, director, and screenwriter, was born in Liverpool, England. He has written such plays as The Inhuman Condition (1986); In the Flesh (1986); Cabal (1988); The Great and Secret Show (1989). Also, such novels as The Damnation Game (1985); Weaveworld (1987); Cabal (1988); he Great and Secret Show (1989); Imajica (1991); The Thief of Always (1992); Everville (1994); Sacrament (1996); A-Z of Horror (1997); and The Essential Clive Barker (1989.

He was writer and director of Hellraiser (1987), Nightbreed (1990); Lord of Illusions (1995); and Art Exhibition (1998).

On his website, he wrote the following freethought ideas to his fans:

• Now, I don’t believe in God. I think that the God that we have created and allowed to shape our culture through, essentially Christian theology, is a pretty villainous creature. I think that one of the things that male patriarchal figure has done is allowed under its, his church, his wing, all kinds of corruption and villainies to grow and fester. In the name of God terrible wars have been waged; in the name of that God terrible sexism has been allowed to spread. There are children being born all across this world that don't have enough food to eat because that God, at least his church, tells the mothers and fathers that they must procreate at all costs, and to prevent procreation with a condom is in contravention with his laws.
• I think that God is a creation of men, by men, and for men. What has happened over the many centuries now, the better part of two thousand in fact, is that God has been slowly and steadily accruing power. His church has been accruing power, and the men who run that church, and they are all men, are not about to give it up. If they give it up, they give up luxury, they give up comfort. I'm not saying that it's true of all of them; some of them are working leper colonies and doing extraordinary works in the name of that God. That's a paradox which we probably shouldn't be discussing now, but I'm aware of that. But I'm also aware that there are a lot of very powerful, corrupt men enjoying the power that this tradition, patriarchal tradition, has conferred upon them."