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Richard Dawkins

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^^ And he'd be right. Christians act as a buffer between out-and-out nutters and the rest of us. ^^
 
I remember a TV interview with Dawkins in which he stated that at one point in his life he became badly addicted to writing computer code and programming, his addiction became so bad that his marriage deteriorated because of it, I think this may have been a contributing factor in the divorce from his first wife.
 
Before somebody makes the claim that Dawkins is conceding that the values underpinning his own society might have some worth for the wellbeing of his own society and are not all just a dreamy ideal for manipulating the deluded masses, can we posit the "better the devil you know" argument right now on his behalf. Even he wouldn't have foreseen the pure insanity on display almost daily now. I hold that even without extremist islamism, even christianity has nowhere else to go if truly upholds its own philosophy as a pure tenet to live by. All extreme positions will corrupt to the point of madness. All power to the spirit of reason.
 
You can argue that Dawkins, by more or less taking up the initial position of "You god worshipers are all deluded, gaze with awe upon my logical reasoning" had a pretty big hand to play in making some Christian churches, more rather than less fundamental. He's undermining 'sacred world views' and it's inevitable they will be defended.

He might, if he actually wanted the world to be a better place, rather than come across as an arrant self-publicist, try putting forward a more secular viewpoint, where you can pretty much be religious if it suits you, live and let live.

Dividing the world up into 'clever' and 'religious' might not really help in the grander scheme of things.
 
You may have a point there.
Telling someone who is religious that they're stupid will only get them to draw a line in the sand and dig a trench, ready for war (metaphorically).
I suggest separate countries for atheists and religious people.
 
Some of the ideas about religion promoted by Dawkins aren't really supported by anything but the most selective evidences. At least that's what I kept thinking while reading The God Delusion. I've often suspected that Dawkins' aim is to propagate a meme of rationalism and atheism, a sort of counter-virus to what he perceives to be the virus of religion.
 
Coal said:
You can argue that Dawkins, by more or less taking up the initial position of "You god worshipers are all deluded, gaze with awe upon my logical reasoning" had a pretty big hand to play in making some Christian churches, more rather than less fundamental. He's undermining 'sacred world views' and it's inevitable they will be defended.

He might, if he actually wanted the world to be a better place, rather than come across as an arrant self-publicist, try putting forward a more secular viewpoint, where you can pretty much be religious if it suits you, live and let live.

Dividing the world up into 'clever' and 'religious' might not really help in the grander scheme of things.
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Always thought Thomas Aquinas for one could have torn an also ran like Dawkins a new one
History is replete with ferociously intelligent people with religious worldveiws :)
 
Mythopoeika said:
You may have a point there.
Telling someone who is religious that they're stupid will only get them to draw a line in the sand and dig a trench, ready for war (metaphorically).
I suggest separate countries for atheists and religious people.
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I would definitely be up for that.
 
Sounds like a recipe for disaster. What happens to converts?
 
Squiddy said:
Or spouses/children/friends? My wife is an atheist, and I beleive more or less everything, we get on fine :)
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Is she an actual atheist, or just someone who doesn't follow any religion?
I suspect an atheist would be rather more critical of their partner's beliefs (well, speaking for myself, I would be).
 
Squiddy said:
Always thought Thomas Aquinas for one could have torn an also ran like Dawkins a new one
History is replete with ferociously intelligent people with religious worldveiws :)
Click to expand...

Plenty of intelligent religious people around but I think Dawkins and Aquinas would come up with opposing world views. The supporters in each camp would feel that their Idol won.

I'm an agnostic and much as I like Dawkins he is rather intolerant of Agnostics as well.
 
Xanatic* said:
Sounds like a recipe for disaster. What happens to converts?
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I don't think there would be any converts. Religion wouldn't be on the agenda. Children wouldn't be brainwashed by their parents and if they wanted to believe as an adult then they could move to a country that suited their needs.
 

  1. Richard Dawkins ‏@RichardDawkins 5h5 hours ago
    This is the kind of batshit barking nutbaggery that religious indoctrination of children can lead to. http://tribune.com.pk/story/1028102/15-year-old-boy-cuts-off-own-hand-in-punjab-after-blasphemy-mistake/…



  2. Pompous K ‏@PKont 4h4 hours ago
    @RichardDawkins The difference between a fundamental Islamist & a fundamental atheist is explosives.



  3. Natasha Yar ‏@NatahaYar 3h3 hours ago
    @PKont @RichardDawkins you do know that no one has ever committed murder in the name of atheism right?



  4. Pompous K ‏@PKont 3h3 hours ago
    @NatahaYar @RichardDawkins Wrong.

  5. Natasha Yar ‏@NatahaYar 1h1 hour ago
    @PKont @RichardDawkins Really? name 1 mass murderer who killed in the name of atheism?


  6. CCantrell ‏@2008Cantrell 25m25 minutes ago
    @NatahaYar @PKont @RichardDawkins If a person with no religious affiliation is an atheist then Martin Bryant is yr man. 32 victims.
Natasha Yar‏@NatahaYar
@2008Cantrell @PKont @RichardDawkins I'm saying that not one atheist has killed in the name of atheism as in stop believing in God or die
 
ramonmercado said:
Not if they actually believe that LGBTs are lesser beings or the misogyny which is prevalent in Christianity, Islam, Hiduism, Judaism.
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Yes I agree . I'm talking about the moderates. I have no time for the hardcore lunatics of any religious bent.
I have no respect for anybodys religious beliefs especially when they try to legitimise certain prejudices.
 
Xanatic* said:
Myth: So what you are saying is it's impossible to be an atheist and not be an ass about it?
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:D
Haha, I suspect there are plenty of people who would be complete asses in such a situation.

As for myself, I avoid that kind of confrontation by not getting involved with religious people - so the arguments don't happen. And...usually, in such conflicts I am not normally the one who starts the argument.
 
What is there to respect about someone doing a half-assed job of their religion?
 
Stillil's recent comment about moderates.
 
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