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Richard Dawkins: Why the Campaign Against Religion?
What does Richard Dawkins have against religion?
May 6, 2008 1:23 AM
Re: Why Campaign against Religion?
The only solution is to get rid of religion? A final solution one might say.
By: SaladDays
Re: Why Campaign against Religion?
You're being sarcastic?
"...get rid of" it? As if there were some action that could accomplish this? Like outlaw it? Or talk people out of it? Do we need an intellectual elite to decide what is and is not appropriate for people to believe in?
People need to think for themselves, honestly assess their own experience, and figure out where they stand on their own, instead of being led by others' beliefs. And until everyone is ready for that there's always going to be people susceptible to ideologies of absolutes.
Tollerance is perhaps the only thing that will allow such a situation to develop, anything else would only exacerbate the situation.
Tollerating intollerance is a tough thing to accept. Certainly there's a line that must be drawn. But outlawing intollerance might only allow empower hate and ignorance.
"...get rid of" it? As if there were some action that could accomplish this? Like outlaw it? Or talk people out of it? Do we need an intellectual elite to decide what is and is not appropriate for people to believe in?
People need to think for themselves, honestly assess their own experience, and figure out where they stand on their own, instead of being led by others' beliefs. And until everyone is ready for that there's always going to be people susceptible to ideologies of absolutes.
Tollerance is perhaps the only thing that will allow such a situation to develop, anything else would only exacerbate the situation.
Tollerating intollerance is a tough thing to accept. Certainly there's a line that must be drawn. But outlawing intollerance might only allow empower hate and ignorance.
By: lobstersnail
Re: Why Campaign against Religion?
Of course I was being sarcastic, well, almost. Eradication of religion is pretty much what Dawkins would like to see.
The only people not doing their jobs properly is the governments. I've got no problem with Stem Cell research but I understand why some religious people might. Perhaps a 'tough shit' attitude should be taken by those in power. If religious people don't want Stem Cell research to be done, they shouldn't do it. Psalm 94:1 says "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself". If God cares so much, he'll sort it out, not his fans.
The only people not doing their jobs properly is the governments. I've got no problem with Stem Cell research but I understand why some religious people might. Perhaps a 'tough shit' attitude should be taken by those in power. If religious people don't want Stem Cell research to be done, they shouldn't do it. Psalm 94:1 says "O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself". If God cares so much, he'll sort it out, not his fans.
By: SaladDays
Re: Why Campaign against Religion?
Way to Godwin yourself out of a thread in two sentences.
By: SmartLX
Re: Richard Dawkins: Why the Campaign Against Religion?
Sociologically speaking, thinking for yourself is inconvenient, and studies show people who are given less choices are happier.
There was a TED talk on it somewhere.
There was a TED talk on it somewhere.
By: Faffy
Re: Richard Dawkins: Why the Campaign Against Religion?
More human beings were massacred by secular, atheist regimes motivated by humanist ideology in the 20th century, than all of the religious persecutions in history combined.
As much as I hate the religious right in America, their tough stance against abortion is the only thing preventing this country from plunging head-first into a brave new world of eugenics and genetic engineering of the human species.
As much as I hate the religious right in America, their tough stance against abortion is the only thing preventing this country from plunging head-first into a brave new world of eugenics and genetic engineering of the human species.
By: poonhound
Re: Richard Dawkins: Why the Campaign Against Religion?
Right, because we're so pristine, utopian and perfectly healthy as-is that we couldn't possibly benefit from further advances in genetic research. The religious right is hardly "the only thing" holding us back from total eugenic anarchy and a cyborg apocalypse - unless you really believe that every scientist who is *not* a religious zealot is just waiting, frothing at the mouth, for the moment when he can go fucking ape-shit and mutate the human race into the Borg collective. Believe it or not, ethics and morality do exist, in abundance, outside of the far right and agnostic and atheist scientists aren't just waiting in the wings to obliterate humanity.
Even if they were, we're about due for another mass extinction anyway.
Even if they were, we're about due for another mass extinction anyway.
By: decavolt
Re: Richard Dawkins: Why the Campaign Against Religion?
How is your masturbating into a tissue not far worse than an abortion? This represents a great deal more waste of genetic material, does it not? Think of all the potential human life lost!
The funniest thing about the vast bulk of the pro-life group is that they're mostly men. They'll never have to debate the risks to their own health if abortion is made illegal. No, they'll not have to go into dark alleys to meet up with a sleazy character who has a rusty wire hanger in hand. To these men, it's unimportant the health issues of women.
And most of the religious right finds it perfectly acceptable to continue killing, maiming and displacing millions of innocent people in Iraq in order to keep a steady supply of oil flowing. No hypocrisy indicated, is there?
The funniest thing about the vast bulk of the pro-life group is that they're mostly men. They'll never have to debate the risks to their own health if abortion is made illegal. No, they'll not have to go into dark alleys to meet up with a sleazy character who has a rusty wire hanger in hand. To these men, it's unimportant the health issues of women.
And most of the religious right finds it perfectly acceptable to continue killing, maiming and displacing millions of innocent people in Iraq in order to keep a steady supply of oil flowing. No hypocrisy indicated, is there?
By: spam_vigilante
Re: Richard Dawkins: Why the Campaign Against Religion?
I'm not sure how you're defining "humanist ideology," but I think you're mistaken.
It's true that atheist regimes are responsible for more deaths than religion, but you have to examine these regimes closely. They share so many things in common with religious regimes that you might as well call them religious regimes.
It's true that atheist regimes are responsible for more deaths than religion, but you have to examine these regimes closely. They share so many things in common with religious regimes that you might as well call them religious regimes.
By: i8ursandwich
Re: Richard Dawkins: Why the Campaign Against Religion?
Then religion isn't really the problem, is it? This kind of throws a wrench into Dawkins whole crusade.
By: poonhound
