Dawkins: Q&A Atheism July 07 (1/3)

3 Parts.

Dawkins Q/A Session at Kepler's Bookstore on July 14, 2007


Thanks to David Cowan

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Tags:

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• religion
• Bush
• atheists
• Richard
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• yt:quality=high

[intecrisis]

Hitler was christian.

[gskowal]

ALL RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ARE DELUSIONAL

[thesearewarningsigns]

@intecrisis roman catholic, to be exact, and strangely enough, he also had an affinity for occult, black magic type stuff. I learned this in high school, so whenever i hear someone claim that Hitler was an atheist, i assume they either dropped out of high school before they learned this, weren't paying attention at all during history class, or went to school in some backwards hick state that apparently teaches that Hitler was an atheist, OR that they're simply being disingenuous assholes.

[ZachRose88]

@intecrisis Roman Catholic to be more precise, but yes.

[iliveon]

Christians hate when we put their god's name next to other man-made gods lol

[TheServiceWeb]

NEW BOOK FOR DEBATES AND GOVERNANCE

Topics: The Issue On The Criminal Liability Of Foretelling The END OF THE WORLD, Other Debated Issues, Terrorism, War, Law, Politics, Religion, Philosophy, Science, Others.

Websites: balanceddiet1.yolasite.com etc.

See Figure 4, which is THE MEANING OF THE PYRAMID, at figure4etc.yolasite.com

or

figure4etc3.yolasite.com

See Announcements at announcements-balancedway.weeb­­ly.com announcements-balancedway.yola­­site.com

[nordhorny]

Professor Richard Dawkins M.A., D. Phil., Dr. Sc., FRS, FRSL

[ClumsyRoot]

@clipsryan

Contrary to what religious people think about the impact of atheism, I happen to believe that it's a net gain for humanity. When you aren't constantly looking for outside assistance--when you stop believing that someone or something is going to "save" you--then you tend to become a more mature, responsible person. Religion is, in essence, a refusal to grow up.

[ClumsyRoot]

@clipsryan

Of course atheism is a belief; let's not get distracted by this "no, it's a lack of belief" silliness.

My point still stands: a person's beliefs--the way they look at the world--has implications. You don't think that the 9/11 hijackers' actions had something to do with the fact they they were Muslims? Beliefs impact actions, for good or ill. If you don't believe in God, it's going to affect your choices in life.

Race, like having a moustache, is simply a superficial physical trait.

[clipsryan]

@ClumsyRooot Atheism is not a belief and Dawkins is basically saying that atheism had as much to do with those men's actions as them having mustaches (as if physical characteristics aren't used to judge). It's just like theists saying a black man did this or that because they were black. Race and atheism aren't something you can control and both have nothing to do with your behavior.

[ClumsyRoot]

@clipsryan

My point is, there's no real analogy there. A moustache is a physical characteristic, nothing more; atheism, on the other hand, is a belief, and beliefs CAN have implications for behavior.

Don't get me wrong, I think people who equate atheism with immorality are dead wrong. I'm just saying that Dawkins' analogy doesn't really help to undermine that idea.