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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 4, 2024 at 11:37 pm
(April 4, 2024 at 10:46 pm)Belacqua Wrote: I think it's interesting to see that Dawkins has become somewhat less one-"tract" in his thinking. I'm curious to see where he goes with this.
Like, where do you think it would go?
Dawkins was always culturally Christian (Anglican) as he regularly congratulates people on Christmas every year, and attends the church to sing Christmas songs.
I guess this is how it is mostly in England, that they are mostly cultural Christians. Like in the movie "Bridget Jones's Diary 3" when they are in the church and nobody cares what is going on, and they yell the word 'fuck'.
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 4, 2024 at 11:52 pm
(April 4, 2024 at 9:37 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Recently, Richard Dawkins has begun calling himself a "cultural Christian." He seems to be taking a view (similar to that of historian Tom Holland) that although Christianity itself is declining, society in Europe and America is the way it is because it evolved out of Christian culture. Good bad and indifferent, we are the way we are because of our society's Christian history.
I don't know how far Dawkins has thought this out. He has called Christianity ludicrous, which means that the basis of the culture he wants to defend is ludicrous. Is it possible to respect and defend a deracinated society when its foundation has been rejected?
It looks to me as though his new position is a reaction to growing Muslim influence in British life. He dislikes Christianity, but he dislikes Islam more. He feels warm and fuzzy when he hears the church bells of Oxford and sees the church spires, but recoils from the call of the muezzin.
I understand that he's barely relevant any more, but it would be interesting to hear him develop this idea.
Are you always this clueless?!? You have obviously read much more into Dawkins' statement than e actually meant.
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 4, 2024 at 11:53 pm
(April 4, 2024 at 10:46 pm)Belacqua Wrote: (April 4, 2024 at 10:29 pm)brewer Wrote: We are the way we are is due to many factors, christianity is only one of thousands.
You're so one tract it's fucking ridiculous.
I think it's interesting to see that Dawkins has become somewhat less one-"tract" in his thinking. I'm curious to see where he goes with this.
Wow. You are that clueless.
Fuckin' priceless!
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 5, 2024 at 1:39 pm
(April 4, 2024 at 9:37 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Recently, Richard Dawkins has begun calling himself a "cultural Christian." He seems to be taking a view (similar to that of historian Tom Holland) that although Christianity itself is declining, society in Europe and America is the way it is because it evolved out of Christian culture. Good bad and indifferent, we are the way we are because of our society's Christian history.
I don't know how far Dawkins has thought this out. He has called Christianity ludicrous, which means that the basis of the culture he wants to defend is ludicrous. Is it possible to respect and defend a deracinated society when its foundation has been rejected?
It looks to me as though his new position is a reaction to growing Muslim influence in British life. He dislikes Christianity, but he dislikes Islam more. He feels warm and fuzzy when he hears the church bells of Oxford and sees the church spires, but recoils from the call of the muezzin.
I understand that he's barely relevant any more, but it would be interesting to hear him develop this idea.
Not that recently.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7136682.stm
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 5, 2024 at 1:47 pm
Well, it was in the 2000s. Gotta give some people reporting info a bit of leeway. smh (not at you Agenda)
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 5, 2024 at 2:15 pm
(April 5, 2024 at 1:39 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: (April 4, 2024 at 9:37 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Recently, Richard Dawkins has begun calling himself a "cultural Christian." He seems to be taking a view (similar to that of historian Tom Holland) that although Christianity itself is declining, society in Europe and America is the way it is because it evolved out of Christian culture. Good bad and indifferent, we are the way we are because of our society's Christian history.
I don't know how far Dawkins has thought this out. He has called Christianity ludicrous, which means that the basis of the culture he wants to defend is ludicrous. Is it possible to respect and defend a deracinated society when its foundation has been rejected?
It looks to me as though his new position is a reaction to growing Muslim influence in British life. He dislikes Christianity, but he dislikes Islam more. He feels warm and fuzzy when he hears the church bells of Oxford and sees the church spires, but recoils from the call of the muezzin.
I understand that he's barely relevant any more, but it would be interesting to hear him develop this idea.
Not that recently.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7136682.stm
News takes a bit of time to get to Japan.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 5, 2024 at 2:20 pm
(April 4, 2024 at 9:37 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Recently, Richard Dawkins has begun calling himself a "cultural Christian." He seems to be taking a view (similar to that of historian Tom Holland) that although Christianity itself is declining, society in Europe and America is the way it is because it evolved out of Christian culture. Good bad and indifferent, we are the way we are because of our society's Christian history.
I don't know how far Dawkins has thought this out. He has called Christianity ludicrous, which means that the basis of the culture he wants to defend is ludicrous. Is it possible to respect and defend a deracinated society when its foundation has been rejected?
It looks to me as though his new position is a reaction to growing Muslim influence in British life. He dislikes Christianity, but he dislikes Islam more. He feels warm and fuzzy when he hears the church bells of Oxford and sees the church spires, but recoils from the call of the muezzin.
I understand that he's barely relevant any more, but it would be interesting to hear him develop this idea.
I think what he calls ‘ludicrous’ is religious faith, not religion-based culture.
I don’t see the conflict. Like professor Dawkins, I enjoy the Christmas holiday, church architecture, and even some liturgical music. Being raised in a religious culture leaves a stamp.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 5, 2024 at 3:18 pm
Any excuse for a party!
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 5, 2024 at 3:41 pm
You need an excuse?
The meek shall inherit the Earth, the rest of us will fly to the stars.
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Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud ..... after a while you realise that the pig likes it!
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RE: Some thoughts on "god"
April 5, 2024 at 3:58 pm
(April 5, 2024 at 3:41 pm)zebo-the-fat Wrote: You need an excuse?
First excuse on my list is "the null state".
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