In a statement just following his death, Roger Ebert’s wife, Chaz Ebert shared with media, "We were getting ready to go home today for hospice care, when he looked at us, smiled, and passed away. No struggle, no pain, just a quiet, dignified transition,"
"I am devastated by the loss of my love, Roger – my husband, my friend, my confidante and oh-so-brilliant partner of over 20 years. He fought a courageous fight. I've lost the love of my life and the world has lost a visionary and a creative and generous spirit who touched so many people all over the world. We had a lovely, lovely life together, more beautiful and epic than a movie. It had its highs and the lows, but was always experienced with good humor, grace and a deep abiding love for each other."
Ebert was brought up as a Roman Catholic. He wrote two blogs in April and May 2009 (“How I believe in God” and “Go gentle into the good night”) “no priest or nun ever treated me with anything other than love and care." He also said that he believed and lived by the Church’s teachings, although "not by the rules and regulations, but by the principles."
It was during this time that young Ebert began to ponder the questions about God, eternity, and creation. These questions caused young Ebert to stay up many nights looking up at the stars wondering. Especially questions about God.
"But how could God have no beginning? And how could he have no end? And then I thought of all the stars in the sky: But how could there be a last one? Wouldn't there always have to be one more?"
Roger did admit that as he grew older the idea of the existence of God dwindled to him, and he decided to separate himself from religion, he did admit however, "I kept this to myself. I never discussed it with my parents.”
Even though his ideas about God and religion were changing from what he was brought up to believe, Ebert refused to be labeled ‘Believer’, ‘Atheist’, or ‘Agnostic’.
"I grant you that if the universe was Caused, there might have been a Causer. But that entity, or force, must by definition be outside space and time; beyond all categories of thought, or non-thought; transcending existence, or non-existence. What is the utility of arguing our 'beliefs' about it? What about the awesome possibility that there was no Cause? What if everything ... just happened?"
Ebert, in his blogs, shared his esteem for Pope John XXIII and Richard Dawkins, and that his wife, Chaz, has "a firm faith,” He didn’t go any further about her.
In one blog Ebert came to the conclusion that he would refuse any labels at all, regardless of how so many tried to label him and stated instead that. "I am not a believer, not an atheist, not an agnostic. I am still awake at night, asking how? I am more content with the question than I would be with an answer,"
What do you think about this article?
What do you think about Roger Ebert’s conclusions?
When you look up at the stars, what questions keep you awake?
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