Dawkins to preach atheism to US

[JJuggle]

Dawkins to preach atheism to US (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article3087486.ece)

I hope he doesn't overlook the Northeast completely. Billy, would you like to attend together?

[kington99]

I would urge you to go see him if you can, I've been in the same room as this guy a couple of times, he's quite an amusing speaker, even informally.

[peleschramm]

This sounds good. I think atheists should start sort of converting people.

[JJuggle]

This sounds good. I think atheists should start sort of converting people.
I think he's trying less to convert anyone than to allow, as the article says, closet atheists to come out. But in any event, converting people is how Billy would describe the process. We atheists would rather describe it as a process of gradually changing the minds of the religious with rational argument and discussion.

And you can see how well that has worked here on these forums.

[uni57]

Raphael, may I come with you and Billy?

I was a big fan of Family Feud in the late 70s.

Edit: "Survey said...!"

[JJuggle]

Raphael, may I come with you and Billy?

I was a big fan of Family Feud in the late 70s.
Hell yeah! Will you bring the bong?

[uni57]

Are you implying that I'm smoking something? Oh, wait! Nevermind. I was thinking of Richard Dawson. So much for the autograph idea.

[JJuggle]

Are you implying that I'm smoking something? Oh, wait! Nevermind. I was thinking of Richard Dawson. So much for the autograph idea.
So much for my cultural literacy.

[Spudman]

"RICHARD DAWKINS, the British scientist who has become the high priest of atheism, is launching a crusade in America to win new recruits to the church of nonbelievers."

That's an odd way to put it....

[peleschramm]

I think he's trying less to convert anyone than to allow, as the article says, closet atheists to come out. But in any event, converting people is how Billy would describe the process. We atheists would rather describe it as a process of gradually changing the minds of the religious with rational argument and discussion.

And you can see how well that has worked here on these forums.
Notice how i said sort of convert. I basically agree with everything you just said.

[James_Potter]

This sounds good. I think atheists should start sort of converting people.
Atheist Missionaries (http://youtube.com/watch?v=sV-a1vmZ6y8)?

Oh, and the beginning might offend Mormons...so. Whatever.

[ridingwithscissors]

Atheist Missionaries (http://youtube.com/watch?v=sV-a1vmZ6y8)?

Oh, and the beginning might offend Mormons...so. Whatever.
Hehe:D

[qhxakg]

Hope he comes around this way.
i bought his book and just started reading it a while ago.

[MuniAddict]

Hope he comes around this way.
i bought his book and just started reading it a while ago.Me too! "The God Delusion"

http://richarddawkins.net/godDelusion

[BillyTheMountain]

But in any event, converting people is how Billy would describe the process. We atheists would rather describe it as a process of gradually changing the minds of the religious with rational argument and discussion.

I'd love to join you!

I just hope the GOD he doesn't believe in isn't the one who conflicts with the theory of evolution.

If so, many of the Faithful also don't believe in that GOD.

So even if he came to a Catholic church, he'd be preaching to the converted, though not Atheists.

Many Faithful also believe in the theory of evolution.

Can't wait!

[wobbling bear]

I think he's trying less to convert anyone than to allow, as the article says, closet atheists to come out. But in any event, converting people is how Billy would describe the process. We atheists would rather describe it as a process of gradually changing the minds of the religious with rational argument and discussion.
will be disappointing if you don't try to deal with the emotional dimension.

as an atheist I think that:
- being preachy is *bad*
- one way to be credible is to behave
- we should do something about emotional storms (such as deaths)

I will never try to "convert" someone....
learning to live with things you don't know requires humility

[s7ev0]

I think he's trying less to convert anyone than to allow, as the article says, closet atheists to come out. But in any event, converting people is how Billy would describe the process. We atheists would rather describe it as a process of gradually changing the minds of the religious with rational argument and discussion.

And you can see how well that has worked here on these forums.


Yep. :rolleyes:

Just reading The God Delusion for the second time. Borrowed my sig from a line in it which I believe referred to bumper stickers. Never seen one though. Just all those fish.

Another favourite quote goes something like:
"Organising atheists is rather like herding cats".

I guess that's why there aren't many "I unicycle for atheism" threads.

[peleschramm]

Yep. :rolleyes:

Just reading The God Delusion for the second time. Borrowed my sig from a line in it which I believe referred to bumper stickers. Never seen one though. Just all those fish.

Another favourite quote goes something like:
"Organising atheists is rather like herding cats".

I guess that's why there aren't many "I unicycle for atheism" threads.
Might wana check again ;) :p

[s7ev0]

Might wana check again ;) :p

Guess I've been away for longer than I thought :o

Interestingly though, a quick search for "atheism" brought up 3 pages, and of the threads listed four were started on an atheism topic, whereas 8 were started with Christianity themes.

A search for threads about "Christ" pulled 19 pages but included many about all religions. I particularly enjoyed Billy The Mountain's post about Jewish unicyclists.

[brendon557]

it says he is recruting for the church of non-beleivers,

isnt the point of church to go worship a god? so wat do they worship?

[MuniAddict]

it says he is recruting for the church of non-beleivers,

isnt the point of church to go worship a god? so wat do they worship?Life, freedom, good health, unicycling!:D

[GILD]

And people who sideways wheel-walks Cokers.
Are you insane?

[phlegm]

I hope a South Park episode is made about it.

[kington99]

I hope a South Park episode is made about it.

i loved the fact this his only major complaint about the SP episode was that they got his voice wrong. There's a man that can take a joke.

[James_Potter]

it says he is recruting for the church of non-beleivers,
isnt the point of church to go worship a god? so wat do they worship?
AFAIK, most atheists are missionaries of Truth, on a search for knowledge, understanding, and reality.
So, that is what atheists "worship": truth.

[phlegm]

I hope Dawkins keeps his religion out of the science classroom. :p

AFAIK, most atheists are missionaries of Truth, on a search for knowledge, understanding, and reality.
So, that is what atheists "worship": truth.

I don't think that really sets atheism apart. Don't most, if not all, religions claim to seek the truth?

[wickedbob]

Yeah, we don't explain everything with a carrot though.

[BillyTheMountain]

it says he is recruting for the church of non-beleivers,

isnt the point of church to go worship a god? so wat do they worship?

These damn Atheists. One started preaching on the subway train this morning, loud and passionate.

I love passion, but not so early in the morning!!!

Pretty soon they'll be handing out leaflets, and ringing your door bell, and programming your children to come live on their communes and sell flowers.

Billy

[peleschramm]

it says he is recruting for the church of non-beleivers,

isnt the point of church to go worship a god? so wat do they worship?
i don't think they meant the "church of non-believers" literally...

[qhxakg]

These damn Atheists. One started preaching on the subway train this morning, loud and passionate.

I love passion, but not so early in the morning!!!

Pretty soon they'll be handing out leaflets, and ringing your door bell, and programming your children to come live on their communes and sell flowers.

Billy
Leaflets (http://richarddawkins.net/underTopStoryB)

[cathwood]

AFAIK, most atheists are missionaries of Truth, on a search for knowledge, understanding, and reality.
So, that is what atheists "worship": truth.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. If you hop over to the current christianity threat there is a debate about truth and reality.

[s7ev0]

I wouldn't be too sure about that. If you hop over to the current christianity threat there is a debate about truth and reality.

Interesting choice of words, Cathy! :D

[OldDrone]

Leaflets (http://richarddawkins.net/underTopStoryB)

Cool,
Now I can help change the world, and not have to come up with my own words.

Imagine a world without religion.

It's catchy, reminds me of a song I heard on an elevator.

[Det-riot]

i just started The God Delusion, and damn is Dawkins an amazing read. he is both funny and correct!

On a slightly diffrent not if you read The God Delusion and liked it, check out Christopher Hitchens' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Hitchens) God is not Great (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Is_Not_Great)

[johnfoss]

...isnt the point of church to go worship a god? so wat do they worship?What would you call it?

[BillyTheMountain]

Cool,
Now I can help change the world, and not have to come up with my own words.

Imagine a world without religion.

It's catchy, reminds me of a song I heard on an elevator.

What?!! Are you against the Atheist religion??!

Imagine a world without the Atheist religion!!

Everyone is in submission to something.

Some are in submission to Science, others to Truth or GOD, others to $$$.

[phlegm]

i just started The God Delusion, and damn is Dawkins an amazing read. he is both funny and correct!

I glanced at the paperback edition a few weeks ago in a bookstore. The preface to the paperback edition completely turned me off from reading it. In it, Dawkins replies to some issues raised after the initial release of the book. The two issues that his replies irked me are (as paraphrased by me):

1. You've avoided the philosophical depth needed to fully develop your ideas in this book.

2. Why do you focus only on the extreme cases of religious fruitcakes? My religious beliefs are not like that.

His reply to #1 was that the book wouldn't have been as accessible and thus wouldn't be the best seller that it is. IOW, he is happy to write shallow pop-atheism garbage as long as he makes a nice profit.

His reply to #2 was that most religious peoples' beliefs are much closer to the fruitcakes than not. So he just disregards those whom he believes are in the minority, even though those in the minority include many university educated religious people. Treating religion this way is analogous to writing an anti-evolution book based on the science books you can find in the youth section at the library.

[mornish]

I've gotten about a third of the way through the God Delusion.


It's not really a book you can just sit down and read, it makes you think a lot.

[Det-riot]

It's not really a book you can just sit down and read

I feel the exact opposite of you. I read it all the time, epically in class:p

I really like all the footnotes that Dawkins has added. They're almost always funny, and make me think a bit.

[MuniAddict]

Another option: http://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Religion-Everything/dp/0446579807

[Det-riot]

I glanced at the paperback edition a few weeks ago in a bookstore. The preface to the paperback edition completely turned me off from reading it. In it, Dawkins replies to some issues raised after the initial release of the book. The two issues that his replies irked me are (as paraphrased by me):

1. You've avoided the philosophical depth needed to fully develop your ideas in this book.

2. Why do you focus only on the extreme cases of religious fruitcakes? My religious beliefs are not like that.

His reply to #1 was that the book wouldn't have been as accessible and thus wouldn't be the best seller that it is. IOW, he is happy to write shallow pop-atheism garbage as long as he makes a nice profit.

His reply to #2 was that most religious peoples' beliefs are much closer to the fruitcakes than not. So he just disregards those whom he believes are in the minority, even though those in the minority include many university educated religious people. Treating religion this way is analogous to writing an anti-evolution book based on the science books you can find in the youth section at the library.

i just flipped through the preface to the paperback edition and didn't get anything like that out of it. Dawkins has been backed into a corner, so to speak, by the religions nuts, and nees to take a strong swing back at them Although i guess i can see how you came to your conclusions, but it doesnt change the fact that i disagree.


Another option: http://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Religion-Everything/dp/0446579807
i didnt like this book as much as TGD(god delusion). It just seemed to lack a lot of the witty drive, and is more reliant on the author's past experiences as opposed to the larger picture that Dawkins looks at.

Also it(god is not great) seems to rely more on Ockham's razor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor) where TGD rejects a form of Occam's Razor that is used by Richard Swinburne, as being too simple of an argument for, or against, the probability of a higher power/creator

[napalm]

I have not read the god delusion, but i have seen Dawkins interviewed and used on a few doco's that i have watched. While he may write well, in the interviews i found him to be as closed minded and fanatical as the 'religious nuts' he is trying to disprove. I have no problem with moderates from both atheist/religious sides of the spectrum- but the midet of those who reject anything that is different from their conception of the world get me mad.

I much prefer scientific writers who write for knowledge's sake and leave the big questions for us to decide- Bill Bryson's a short history of nearly everything is one of my favs.

mark

[AlanChambers]

I've read both Dawkins' and Hitchens' books. Much as I respect Dawkins, I found his tone a bit too aggressively strident. Hitchens has a much calmer tone. Both correctly point out the many inconsistencies, self-delusions and fallacies involved in religious belief, and are worth reading.

As for philosophy, a five year-old child can spot religion for the drivel it is. Much so-called philosophising through the ages has been a series of vain attempts to square the observed world with the nonsensical claims of religions. As Dawkins correctly points out, religion is afforded far more respect than other crackpot beliefs. This is entirely undeserved.


Al

[tumblebug rollin]

Is Sociopathy the main religious dogma of atheism?
If, If there is no God, then the world really did begin the moment I was born and will end the moment I die and the real meaning of life--------THE MAN WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS.

[phlegm]

i just flipped through the preface to the paperback edition and didn't get anything like that out of it.

Maybe I looked at a different paperback edition. The one I looked at very clearly had a list of issues that Dawkins responded to.

Dawkins has been backed into a corner, so to speak, by the religions nuts, and nees to take a strong swing back at them.

Do you really think Dawkins feels backed into a corner? As frighteningly backwards as the religious right can be, does anyone really take them seriously? I think Dawkins just wants to make a living selling books.

Next time I look in the religion section at the bookstore, I'll skip over the first section: Atheism. :p

[GILD]

THE MAN WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS.
Now you're talking.
Race you to the corner...!

As for the concept of a moderate atheist, I'm still chuckling.

I bought The god Delusion a while back but haven't really been reading recently.
I just started Ranulph Fiennes autobiography and I can't put it down, so it seems that my read-mood may be back.