Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and has described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual abuse.
Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so bad. Mind
you, he has come out with some rather weird views in recent years.
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:36:22 +0100, Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and
has described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual
abuse. Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so
bad. Mind you, he has come out with some rather weird views in
recent years.
I should think he does it by cherry picking which bits of the bible to
pay attention to, which is what Christians do too, but different bits.
I've read quite a bit of Dawkins over the years, he's one of my
favourite *science* writers but he's really dreadful when he starts
harping on about religion. AFAIR, he never suggested that parts of
religious beliefs were ok, he unequivocally condemned *all* religious beliefs. I can't remember where but I recall him saying that the Pope
and the Archbishop of Canterbury weren't really much better than Osama
bin Laden, they just presented a kinder face.
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:36:22 +0100, Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and
has described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual
abuse. Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so
bad. Mind you, he has come out with some rather weird views in
recent years.
I should think he does it by cherry picking which bits of the bible to
pay attention to, which is what Christians do too, but different bits.
I've read quite a bit of Dawkins over the years, he's one of my
favourite *science* writers but he's really dreadful when he starts
harping on about religion. AFAIR, he never suggested that parts of
religious beliefs were ok, he unequivocally condemned *all* religious
beliefs. I can't remember where but I recall him saying that the Pope
and the Archbishop of Canterbury weren't really much better than Osama
bin Laden, they just presented a kinder face.
The bible doesn't only contain beliefs though, for example "Love thy neighbour as thy self" and "Do unto others as you would have done unto
you" are not beliefs.
He was a Christian until he was a teenager and he talked about it in
this series with Jonathon Miller:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429323/
Strangely IMDB describes him as an Actor, Writer and Producer, known for Doctor
Who. :? Someone should tell them...
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1468026/?ref_=tt_cl_t_3
On 2024-04-11 17:27:41 +0000, Richmond said:
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:36:22 +0100, Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and
has described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual
abuse. Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so
bad. Mind you, he has come out with some rather weird views in
recent years.
I should think he does it by cherry picking which bits of the bible to >>>> pay attention to, which is what Christians do too, but different bits.
I've read quite a bit of Dawkins over the years, he's one of my
favourite *science* writers but he's really dreadful when he starts
harping on about religion. AFAIR, he never suggested that parts of
religious beliefs were ok, he unequivocally condemned *all* religious
beliefs. I can't remember where but I recall him saying that the Pope
and the Archbishop of Canterbury weren't really much better than Osama
bin Laden, they just presented a kinder face.
The bible doesn't only contain beliefs though, for example "Love thy
neighbour as thy self" and "Do unto others as you would have done unto
you" are not beliefs.
He was a Christian until he was a teenager and he talked about it in
this series with Jonathon Miller:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429323/
Strangely IMDB describes him as an Actor, Writer and Producer, known for Doctor
Who. :? Someone should tell them...
Confusing him with one of his wives.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1468026/?ref_=tt_cl_t_3
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:36:22 +0100, Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and has
described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual abuse.
Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so bad. Mind
you, he has come out with some rather weird views in recent years.
I should think he does it by cherry picking which bits of the bible to
pay attention to, which is what Christians do too, but different bits.
I've read quite a bit of Dawkins over the years, he's one of my
favourite *science* writers but he's really dreadful when he starts
harping on about religion. AFAIR, he never suggested that parts of
religious beliefs were ok, he unequivocally condemned *all* religious beliefs. I can't remember where but I recall him saying that the Pope
and the Archbishop of Canterbury weren't really much better than Osama
bin Laden, they just presented a kinder face.
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:20:46 -0600, Pro Plyd
<invalide@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Martin Harran wrote:
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:36:22 +0100, Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and has >>>>> described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual abuse.
Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so bad. Mind >>>>> you, he has come out with some rather weird views in recent years.
I should think he does it by cherry picking which bits of the bible to >>>> pay attention to, which is what Christians do too, but different bits.
I've read quite a bit of Dawkins over the years, he's one of my
favourite *science* writers but he's really dreadful when he starts
harping on about religion. AFAIR, he never suggested that parts of
religious beliefs were ok, he unequivocally condemned *all* religious
beliefs. I can't remember where but I recall him saying that the Pope
and the Archbishop of Canterbury weren't really much better than Osama
bin Laden, they just presented a kinder face.
I'm reminded of a couple of Gandhi quotes
"If Christians would really live according
to the teachings of Christ, as found in the
Bible, all of India would be Christian today."
"Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you
Christians - you are not like him."
“I like your Christ, I do not like your
Christians. Your Christians are so
unlike your Christ.”
Do you think Gandhi was applying that to *all* Christians or even
Christians in general and, if so do you agree with him?
and for extra credit
"What do I think of Western civilization? I
think it would be a very good idea."
https://catholicherald.co.uk/im-a-cultural-christian-declares-richard-dawkins-the-worlds-most-famous-atheist/
https://tinyurl.com/2xw2x96a
<quote>
Mr Dawkins, 83, said: "I do think we are culturally a Christian
country. I call myself a cultural Christian." He said: "I'm not a
believer, but there is a distinction between being a believing
Christian and a cultural Christian.
He added: "I love hymns and Christmas carols and I sort of feel at
home in the Christian ethos, and I feel that we are a Christian
country in that sense."
[he] also said he would not be happy if, for example, we lost all
our cathedrals and our beautiful parish churches.
He continued: So I call myself a cultural Christian and I think it
would be truly dreadful if we substituted any alternative religion.
... He said however that although he recognised its benefits of
Christian culture and enjoyed "living in a culturally Christian
country" at the same time he did "not believe a word of the Christian
faith".
</quote>
Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and has described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual abuse.
Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so bad. Mind
you, he has come out with some rather weird views in recent years.
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:20:46 -0600, Pro Plyd
<invalide@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Martin Harran wrote:
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:36:22 +0100, Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> wrote:
Martin Harran <martinharran@gmail.com> writes:
Dawkins has blamed religion for most of the evil in the world and has >>>>> described teaching religion to children as worse than sexual abuse.
Beats me how he can see "cultural" benefit in something so bad. Mind >>>>> you, he has come out with some rather weird views in recent years.
I should think he does it by cherry picking which bits of the bible to >>>> pay attention to, which is what Christians do too, but different bits.
I've read quite a bit of Dawkins over the years, he's one of my
favourite *science* writers but he's really dreadful when he starts
harping on about religion. AFAIR, he never suggested that parts of
religious beliefs were ok, he unequivocally condemned *all* religious
beliefs. I can't remember where but I recall him saying that the Pope
and the Archbishop of Canterbury weren't really much better than Osama
bin Laden, they just presented a kinder face.
I'm reminded of a couple of Gandhi quotes
"If Christians would really live according
to the teachings of Christ, as found in the
Bible, all of India would be Christian today."
"Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you
Christians - you are not like him."
I like your Christ, I do not like your
Christians. Your Christians are so
unlike your Christ.
Do you think Gandhi was applying that to *all* Christians or even
Christians in general and, if so do you agree with him?
On Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:59:21 +0100, Ernest Major
<{$to$}@meden.demon.co.uk> wrote:
On 12/04/2024 13:06, Martin Harran wrote:
On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:20:46 -0600, Pro Plyd
<invalide@invalid.invalid> wrote:
I'm reminded of a couple of Gandhi quotes
"If Christians would really live according
to the teachings of Christ, as found in the
Bible, all of India would be Christian today."
"Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you
Christians - you are not like him."
"I like your Christ, I do not like your
Christians. Your Christians are so
unlike your Christ."
Do you think Gandhi was applying that to *all* Christians or even
Christians in general and, if so do you agree with him?
In the absence of any context to make me think otherwise I would take
these quotes at face value as applying to the generality of Christians.
That would disappoint me. I'm pretty sure that Gandhi would have
experienced firsthand the bigotry that Indians suffer due to
stereotyping, and I would like to think he wouldn't fall into the trap
of doing the same to other groups.
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