'I have no problem with faith or spirituality,' says atheist comedian Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Colbert got to talking about faith during his appearance on "The Late Show"(Photo: CBS)

Atheist comedian Ricky Gervais talked about the difference between faith and magic during an interview with Stephen Colbert on "The Late Show" this week.

Gervais, creator of "The Office", has never been shy about his disregard for religion, once saying that although he didn't believe in God, he was a "good Christian" when "compared to a lot of Christians". 

In the sitdown on Monday night, he insisted there wasn't much between him and people who believe in God. 

At one point in the show, Colbert, a Catholic, asked Gervais: "Is magic and faith the same to you?  Because they're different things to me." 

In response, Gervais revealed that he feels a spirituality of sorts in the presence of nature. 

"I don't believe in anything without evidence," he said.

"That's it. That's all they have in common. And I have no problem with faith or spirituality — I feel it in different ways. I feel it when I see nature."

He said that while he feels a sense of "awe" towards nature, there is one important difference between him and Colbert as a man of faith. 

"I don't believe someone made it, that's all the difference between me and you," he said.

"We know how amazing nature is and how good people are and how amazing dogs are, dogs are amazing. However, I just don't think there was a will to it."

He added: "I absolutely have no problem with faith or anything like that." 

Colbert went on to share about his own faith, describing it as "anemic". 

"I have a problem with magic, I don't have a problem with faith," he said. "I have a somewhat anemic faith — it comes and goes. I have firefly of a faith, it comes and goes, it shows up ever so often."

Gervais was on the show to talk about his new Netflix series "After Life", about a man called Tony who feels like saying and doing whatever he wants after the death of his wife.  Gervais plays Tony, whose closest companion following his wife's death is his dog. 

Colbert noted that the last time Gervais was on his show, he said he didn't believe in God but in dogs.

"Last time you were here I asked you whether you believe in God; you said 'I believe in dogs,'" Colbert said.