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Original poster

Dawkins - God Delusion....

228 replies

squidette · 30/10/2006 17:30

I am half way through reading Richard Dawkins new book, The God Delusion, and loving it. I am finding myself laughing and smiling in that 'phew! someone else thinks the same thing!' kind of way that i had when reading Russell's Why i am not a Christian lectures.

I was wondering if anyone else has read it and what their thoughts were.

OP posts:

Pruni · 30/10/2006 19:49

Message withdrawn

texasrose · 30/10/2006 19:51

Why not Pruni?

If you believe in God (as I do, obviously) you should be prepared to defend your faith and give the best reasons you can for it. We Christians talk about 'loving the Lord your God with all your mind' as well as heart.

BTW I am never offended by people disagreeing with me - I love a good (friendly, of course!) barney!

texasrose · 30/10/2006 19:52

Pruni could you explain why atheism is not an act of faith?

Tinker · 30/10/2006 19:53

But it's not faith. It takes no leap of imagination to get to that point.

Pruni · 30/10/2006 19:58

Message withdrawn

LittleScarer · 30/10/2006 20:01

I think Pruni and Tinker are doing better than me, although I can see what you are saying texasrose.

texasrose · 30/10/2006 20:01

Hmmm...so is faith / belief a leap, and if so is it a leap of imagination?

That's not the christian view of faith, for sure. The Christian view is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". A bit more solid than a 'leap of imagination'.

Anyway, I'm going to have to leave this one for now as I'm off to a meeting (I run a mum's and toddlers' group, in a church - and no we don't indoctrinate them!)

texasrose · 30/10/2006 20:04

Also! (just before I go)

I don't believe it is the same thing to be a theist and a creationist. Or it doesn't need to be. They are two separate positions.

Right! I'm going to be late for this blimmin' meeting!

LittleScarer · 30/10/2006 20:05

Well texasrose, I just asked another atheist and he says it is a faith of sorts. So there you go!

LittleScarer · 30/10/2006 20:07

Okay, now he says it is a set of beliefs...

Pruni · 30/10/2006 20:08

Message withdrawn

GoingQuietlyMad · 30/10/2006 20:13

I never understand that argument. If atheism is a faith of any sort, then tell me what I have faith in?

Faith is by definition a belief in something, surely?

bossykate · 30/10/2006 20:41

i can't believe it is so controversial to say that someone should have a pretty good grounding in a particular subject before holding themselves out as someone whose views are worthy of respect!

we see so many examples of this very point every day on mnet, fhs!

to name but two - composite views after my numerous yrs on mn! :

my sil says i should go back to work/stop work/not be so fussy about what i feed my child/discipline more/discipline less. she doesn't have children.

everyone would roar with laughter at the notion that someone w/o kids could lay down the law...

or what about the recent controversy around whether sn should have a pw protected aread? which was all about knowledge/experience and whether this was the only valid basis from which to express opinions?

perhaps it is all of a piece with our dumbed down, reality tv culture... where years of scholarship in a particular field are set at naught compared to the celebrity and news value of a well know scientist attacking religion.

WeaselMum · 30/10/2006 20:43

LittleScarer - I'm hoping I will get the book for Christmas too - but doesn't that strike you as slightly ironic?

bossykate · 30/10/2006 20:43

gqm, to offer some potential answers to your question - the enlightenment, science, logical positivism, rationalism, fashion...

LittleScarer · 30/10/2006 20:44

Pruni · 30/10/2006 20:45

Message withdrawn

bossykate · 30/10/2006 20:50

how wonderful to have such a great get out of jail free card! people don't agree with you - but hey it's all bollocks so i don't have respond to their criticisms - so ner ner ner ner ner! what an intellectual cop out!

bossykate · 30/10/2006 20:51

oh and btw your comments don't address my point that it is desirable to have domain knowledge before holding yourself out as an expert. if dawkins thinks it's such bollocks he doesn't have to engage - why did he bother writing the book?

Pruni · 30/10/2006 20:52

Message withdrawn

bossykate · 30/10/2006 20:53

so you think his views are above debate? serious question.

LittleScarer · 30/10/2006 20:54

It is kind of wonderful

Pruni · 30/10/2006 20:55

Message withdrawn

bossykate · 30/10/2006 20:57

pruni wrote>> "In all seriousness, if one proposes that all religion is bollocks, it is hardly wise to go about debating theology, it would sort of defeat the point of putting forward the thesis in the first place... "

you are scaring me! let me paraphrase...

"In all seriousness, if one proposes that all science is bollocks, it is hardly wise to go about debating biology, it would sort of defeat the point of putting forward the thesis in the first place... "

that's what all those creationists and intelligent design folk must be telling themselves!

surely i am not the only one to see the eerie parallels...

oh well.

Pruni · 30/10/2006 20:57

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