Root of All Evil - Episode 1 (5/5)

In this two-part documentary, Oxford Professor Richard Dawkins examines how religious faith is gaining ground in the face of rational, scientific truth. The program takes you to some of the world's religious hot-spots, both in America and the Middle East. Dawkins meets with religious leaders and their followers, as well as scientists and sceptics to examine the power of religion. Interviews with former Pastor Ted Haggard, the novelist Ian McEwan, the former Bishop of Oxford, and others offer valuable insights into the global impact and consequences of faith in the 21st century.

Along with his million-copy best-seller The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins' Root of All Evil? has helped inspire people of reason worldwide to say "Enough is enough!" Our modern world is the product of a long march from ignorance and fear to the Enlightenment and beyond, always guided by the power of science and reason. To now abandon our endeavour toward progress and knowledge for faith and superstition puts humanity in peril.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Richard
• Dawkins
• Atheism
• Agnosticism
• Religion
• Science
• Reason

[baxtersave96]

I was bothered by many things the Muslim guy said but perhaps the thing that bothered me most was him saying "your woman" he thinks of them as possesions. This kind of thinking is wrong and just calliing it a religious belief does not change that. 

[MrCombineGuy]

@dejesusluisx So you're saying that believing in a scrapped up piece of scribbling from over 3000 years ago of a ruthless and murderous diety that no one has ever seen, that has never contacted us and their existence cannot be proven will push our evolution forward? You sir are an idiot. You expect more proof of the non existence of god while you people haven't even hinted at any evidence for god in over 2000 years, instead bring only speculations that you call evidence. I call bullshit.

[EVErommel]

Soldiers of allah will regret coming near me

[cataclysmichael]

"some of us just goes one God further"

It's funny, because even religious people is almost as atheist as a non-believer. How many Gods are there? Thousands? And religious people only believes in one of them among thousands, atheist also do not believe in the thousands of Gods, they just include that last one too.

[coach8401]

@SeedsOfHatred So as I studied, I noticed there is a difference between faith and religion. I too am against religion. The difference is in Christianity, we followed the bible teachings only as all religions contained 1 thing, man made laws which contain rules, traditions, etc... which were not bible based, and having others tell others what to do. I can go more into it, but I'll end up writing a book, so if you have any questions to my belief, feel free to ask?

[coach8401]

@SeedsOfHatred As for Christianity only? Of course! I was brought up as a Christian, but later became an agnostic when I stopped going to church, didn't read the bible, and just ignored God, which I became an agnostic accepting the evolutionary theory. Later I spoke with my brother who told me to check into it. So I not only checked into Chistianity, but I studied and checked out Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Greek mythology, JW's, LDS's, Catholicism, and Christianity.

[coach8401]

@SeedsOfHatred I too just got done taking a psychological class studying criminals. So your answer is basically that you wouldn't give it a shot what so ever? So would you accept a psychological research of the top rehabilitations, historical data, or archaelogical data? See this is science and the bible get mixed up. Do you think the bible is there to tell us scientific facts and science to tell us morality and spiritual growth to God?

[coach8401]

@SeedsOfHatred I understand, but you see you're only taking it so far! You only accept the saying that there is no proof for it, but you don't accept the proof that there is not proof against it. As for fairies, easter bunny, santa, there is a difference. These imaginary creatures are listed in fairy tales as Jesus and God are listed in a historical document accepted by historians. But just because you can't prove something, doesn't mean you can't rationally accept the thing described.

[SeedsOfHatred]

@coach8401 (Part 2) So no, Atheism is not "There is no God, final answer!" That would be just as absurd as Theism.

As for what proof I would require, I honestly don't know. I'd say it would take a personal religious experience, but being a graduated student of psychology, I'm not sure I'd put much trust in that experience. So again, I don't know. Considering the Biblical myths that science has discredited, probably nothing.

But Christianity isn't the only option, now is it?

[SeedsOfHatred]

@coach8401 Again, you've entirely missed the point. As Dawkins said in the video, we're all "technically and strictly Agnostic". This is true, and you are correct; it's what we're left with without evidence either way. But "Atheism" is - quite simply - a lack of belief that God exists. You can't prove fairies don't exist, but you don't believe in them, do you? The same with Santa or the Easter Bunny. That lack of belief is Atheism.

It's really quite simple.

[coach8401]

@SeedsOfHatred Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see Hebrews 11:1. As for your answer, not being able to prove that there is not a God, at best you are left with agnosticism, not athiesm, but you choose to say, there is no God, final answer! As for being open, what proof, would you as an athiest accept to believe that the Bible is correct and that Jesus Christ was the Son of God? I looking for a simple answer to what evidence you would accept.

[SeedsOfHatred]

@coach8401 The point is that an Atheist does not believe in God. Quite simply; nothing more complicated than that. And the reason we're atheists is because there is no evidence for God. 0+0=0, no? If there's no evidence, why believe something's there?

Technically, however, we can't prove - difinitively - that there is no God, so we're of course open to the possibility. God might be, God might not be. Nobody knows.

Atheists, however, have no reason to believe that there is a God. So they don't.