The God Delusion - by Richard Dawkins

[AndrewT]

You're probably right. It's most likely the exact reason he's written it in that style.

I guess for me personally it's juat a taste thing. I can't stand being forced to think something. At times it feels a bit like that.

His writing about the US is both amazing and worrying though.

He's trying to get you to think for yourself. Once you look at things logically and rationally, religion just falls away in front of you.

[The Baron]

Yes totally, but he doesn't always come accross that way.

[Swordpoker]

I haven't read the book but saw his series on the telly and was impressed.

I do think there is a better way of going about it though. Telling religions that we are right and you are wrong ain't gonna to change them. After all, that's what most religions are guilty of doing.

Instead, I think we should be asking the religions for tolerance of all other religions (and also atheism). Respect other's beliefs and they might just accept yours.

Can't we just all get along?

[Claw75]

if anyone's inspired to get a copy get down to your local Sainsbury's - 2 for £7 on all chart paperbacks

[fearisthekey]

Not going to church is a serious mistake, especially for poker players. By your 30's, women outnumber men in churches by 3:1, this is the only way I can compensate for the atrocious lack of females in your average live poker circuit.

I, like Dawkins, grew up in a very religious environment, and as he says, it's difficult for a young mind to use logic to see past what you are taught by those who reared you. Funnily enough, Dawkins reckons forcing religion on kids like this is a form of abuse. Well, I flirted with religion on and off for ages. Then I read 'The Selfish Gene' by Dawkins, I dunno, everything started changing for me from then, I developed a growing sense that the religion I had been taught was just a whole load of crap from start to finish. Like Dawkins, I'm actually pretty bitter about my religious upbringing, you do feel an urge to tell religious types just how deluded they are. Of course, to religious types, this seems like lack of tolerance. But if your mate believed that his salvation was in the flying spaghetti monster that orbited Mars, you'd probably not keep your opinion to yourself either....'What shape is green?' asks the blind man: an atheistic/agnostic perspective only makes sense when you start washing religion out of your head. Human beings weren't built to *know* they were built to survive, and in an environmental niche of cultural learning, that means you have a survival advantage if you believe what the **** you're told.
I can see where he's coming from with the whole 'religion is a big cause of fighting' blah blah, but for me it's much deeper than that. People should be liberated from this crap that they're forcefed from an early age, from before they can even decide for themselves. And they're taught by people who for the most part only have a vague idea about the notions (if any) that support their far-fetched beliefs.

p.s. Dawkins is famous for all this anti-religion stuff, but apart from that the guy is a shit hot evolutionary biologist, right at the top of his field. His books are worth reading in their own right, especially 'Selfish Gene' and 'Blind Watchmaker'.

[AndrewT]

Not going to church is a serious mistake, especially for poker players. By your 30's, women outnumber men in churches by 3:1, this is the only way I can compensate for the atrocious lack of females in your average live poker circuit.

Yeah but church-going women don't put out...

[Swordpoker]

Not going to church is a serious mistake, especially for poker players. By your 30's, women outnumber men in churches by 3:1, this is the only way I can compensate for the atrocious lack of females in your average live poker circuit.

Yeah but church-going women don't put out...

[happybhoy]

Not read it but my impression of Dawkins is that he is a bit full on but nuff respect to the man for slamdunkin' the irreducible complexity argument in that ID court case, in the future I could see that being the modern day equivalent of the Scopes trial. I'd agree that atheism in the US needs to pull it's fighting boots on, The Discovery Institute that kicked off the whole ID thing had a document leaked that outlined their 'Wedge' strategy that highlights their political aspirations. To be honest I find this scarier than anything that is going on in the Middle East cos if they take over the whole show is going to the ponies.

[fearisthekey]

Not going to church is a serious mistake, especially for poker players. By your 30's, women outnumber men in churches by 3:1, this is the only way I can compensate for the atrocious lack of females in your average live poker circuit.

Yeah but church-going women don't put out...

It is more difficult, for sure, but I love a challenge. That said, the only decent tottie I've seen in the last fortnight has been 'thenun's' avatar....

[fearisthekey]

Not read it but my impression of Dawkins is that he is a bit full on but nuff respect to the man for slamdunkin' the irreducible complexity argument in that ID court case, in the future I could see that being the modern day equivalent of the Scopes trial. I'd agree that atheism in the US needs to pull it's fighting boots on, The Discovery Institute that kicked off the whole ID thing had a document leaked that outlined their 'Wedge' strategy that highlights their political aspirations. To be honest I find this scarier than anything that is going on in the Middle East cos if they take over the whole show is going to the ponies.

Both Bush and Blair admitted to going into Iraq based on divine inspiration, let's not forget that.
Intelligent design should not be knocked though. 200 Million americans can't be wrong, surely? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIwiPsgRrOs

[ItsMrAlex2u]

This subject really winds me up.

How anyone can believe in religion is one thing although if it gives someone comfort to have some faith in something then good luck to them. How anyone can believe in creationsim though just drives me nuts.
Bunch of ******* ******* *******

The main problem is how religions just dont tollerate each other and for thousands of years have tried to obliterate all other religions.

I reckon all us athiests should get together, form a cult and go round blowing up all Non non-believers. Howzat for a solution.

Lets start with Alabama

[boldie]

For anyone who hasn't seen it on the BBC..try to get your hands on "A brief history of Atheism" by our friend Richard..it is top class telly.

[fearisthekey]

Flushy for God

[FlyingPig]

Just wait till the second coming........

[raab11]

Not going to church is a serious mistake, especially for poker players. By your 30's, women outnumber men in churches by 3:1, this is the only way I can compensate for the atrocious lack of females in your average live poker circuit.

Yeah but church-going women don't put out...

WRONG, so very very wrong