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Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti Monster - 9/26/2006 11:13:53 AM   
Chaingang


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"Richard Dawkins: The God Delusion"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWL1ZMH3-54

Richard Dawkins asserts that belief in god is irrational and inflicts great harm upon societies. Jeremy Paxman interviews Professor Dawkins as part of the Newsnight book club.

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Talk among yourselves.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 9/26/2006 1:44:12 PM   
seeksfemslave


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How can God be a delusion. Jeremy Paxman thinks or at least acts as though he is God.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 9/26/2006 1:57:37 PM   
meatcleaver


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I like Richard Dawkins, he's a good popular science writer too. How good his science is, I'd have to leave that to scientists to say but I like his attitude and I'm with him on this one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/5372458.stm

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 9/26/2006 2:27:55 PM   
DomKen


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His pure biology is alright but he mixes his philosophy into his biology frequently which isn't on anything like solid ground. I only wish he would write some books that stick to the science popularization and leave the bashing of religion out. As someone who is active in the science vs. creationism war going on in the public schools Dawkins' brand of "evangelical" atheism is energizing for the extreme fundamentalists more than it is for those on his side.

Unfortunately many more people will read/be influenced by Coulter's ignorant screed against science than even know who Richard Dawkins is.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 9/26/2006 2:36:17 PM   
cuddleheart50


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In the video he says that he is leaving the possibility open that God does exist ...smart man.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 5:21:41 PM   
meatcleaver


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Having now read this book it leaves you chuckling that anyone can seriously believe in god. He goes into the probablities and destroys the idea that whether god exists or not is 50/50 and any rational mind must come to the conclusion that god existing is highly improbable.

He also destroys the idea that Einstein believed in a supernatural god as he is often maliciously misquoted by believers to give credence to the idea of god existing.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 6:56:24 PM   
Lordandmaster


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Actually, the book got panned in the New York Review of Books, which is about as left-leaning as you can get:

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/19775

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 7:10:27 PM   
Chaingang


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"Actually" meaning what exactly?

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 7:25:31 PM   
texancutie


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Awww....I loved reading Dawkins back in college.  The Selfish Gene was a fun read.  Well, all I can say is we all have our own opinions on things.  

I think it is possible that God does exist, but of course there is no hard proof.  But it would be nice if he/she/it or something like that does exist.   I will keep my fingers crossed.  But if there is something, am sure it is nothing we will ever expect it to be.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 7:51:31 PM   
Lordandmaster


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Always looking for a fight, arencha.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Chaingang

"Actually" meaning what exactly?

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 7:52:11 PM   
KatyLied


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The Flying Spaghetti Monster makes me smile.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spaghetti... - 12/30/2006 8:02:29 PM   
michaelOfGeorgia


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my opinion on this matter would only start a flamming, so i digress.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 8:07:19 PM   
NeedToUseYou


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I agree with most of what Dawkin's says(well at least that which I've been exposed). The thing about him I don't particularly like is how he goes about it. He at least in the videos always has an arrogance and hostile demeanour when talking to the religious. In my view he just cements their views as no one is convinced by someone they feel is hostile towards them. And honestly I can see why alot of the religious react to him the way they do, because he is just disrespectful at times. Personally, I doubt he has had an affect on anything. People that agree with him almost certainly will adore him buy his books and further be cemented in their position, and people that believe in a god will dislike him, because he belittles more than anything.

IMO.





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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 8:26:45 PM   
Lordandmaster


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That was one of the points of the NYRB review.

quote:

ORIGINAL: NeedToUseYou

People that agree with him almost certainly will adore him buy his books and further be cemented in their position, and people that believe in a god will dislike him, because he belittles more than anything.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/30/2006 9:55:17 PM   
ZenrageTheKeeper


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Theory is an idea that is supported by evidence that can be acquired through scientific means.
Conjecture is a wild stab in the dark.

The notion that god exists is a conjecture.
The notion that god did anything to affect the nature of your existence is a double conjecture.
There is no evidence to support the notion that god exists.
There is no methodology to obtain any such evidence to support the notion that god exists.
There is no objective manner to measure or record such evidence if either the evidence or the methodology were to exist.
NO ONE has to disprove the non-existence of any entity when there is no evidence to support the notion of the entity's existence in the first place.
The conjecture that "god exists" is not a valid presumption for any philosophical argument.
The double conjecture that "god did it" is NOT a valid default for a lack of scientific understanding.
The double conjecture that "my god says so" is NOT a valid default regarding social welfare.

The nature of all life on this planet is to compete. When our ancestors ate, they had to compete with other forms of life to survive (the use of farms and ranches only makes the competition completely one sided). When species evolve, they pit one form of biological life against the surrounding environment - the one more compatible with the environment survives while the other forms do not. When people grow food, build homes, or make clothing they are competing against their environmental conditions. When people debate, have wars, look for employment, find recreation, they all compete in one form or another.

The notion of society is nothing more than a tool for people to use to be able to compete together in a team sport, of sorts. It is the most important tool we have and like any other tool, it requires constant responsibility and maintenance.

The notion of "god" evolved from this basic need to compete. The notion of "god" has never been more than a tool for the socially weak to use on a psychological, social, economic or metaphysical level in order to attempt to cheat in the competition of life. If a politician couldn't sell his ideals, he would say "god told me so". If a man wanted more money for preaching about some deity, they would merely sell supernatural favors in return for material things. If man wants to compete against death all he has to do is say "my belief in my god will allow me to live forever - even posthumously." If a man wants answers for why he exists in the first place, he just thinks to himself "Because some god said so".

All that "god" is, is a way for man to get what he wants with no realistic amount of effort. Its a simple and irresponsible manner of achievement within society, and nothing more. To invoke supernatural forces to achieve control over external forces is to try and cheat society of something you haven't earned. Sports stars do it all the time with their little superstitious pre-game "good luck" rituals. Wiccans do it with magic spells. Astrologers do it by reading the heavens. So how is the monotheistic "prayer" different? Simple. It isn't different at all.

To believe in "god" is a personal choice, but one that can not be validated.
To believe your invalid personal belief in "god" gives you the right to dictate your actions and interactions is social irresponsibility.
To believe your invalid personal belief in "god" gives you the right to judge others according to your invalid personal beliefs is social irresponsibility to the second power.
To believe your invalid personal belief in "god" gives you the right to enact social law based on your invalid personal beliefs is social irresponsibility to the third power.

"Good" and "Evil" are philosophically subjective terms that are defined and redefined by whatever philosophy followed.
The great acts of abuse in perpetuated by man in history were beneficial to at least one person.
No one can show solid evidence that the conjecture of "God exists" is anything more than religious faith.

Ergo, those who use the mythology and the double conjecture that "god wants me to" to support their beneficial acts, regardless of how minor, only succeed in paving the road for those who will use the same arguement to justify their great acts of abuse.

As far as Dawkins goes. The more he speaks for science and against religion, the more the religious will have to defend themselves against him. The more the religious defend themselves, the greater the personal leaps of faith for their followers become. The greater the leaps of faith become, there will be more and more people less willing to make those leaps - and like at any other dead end in a maze, they will have to come back in order to progress further down a different path.

To say Richard Dawkins and other outspoken atheists don't make a difference in society is purely wishful thinking. 

< Message edited by ZenrageTheKeeper -- 12/30/2006 10:04:31 PM >


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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/31/2006 1:44:12 AM   
luckydog1


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Rest assured Zenrage is secure in his Faith. 
The religous have no need to defend themselves against Dawkins and Zenrage, we just sort of laugh at you.  You and Dawkins definatly make a difference in society, you drive centrist folks to God and the Republican party.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/31/2006 1:48:05 AM   
Lordandmaster


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Being "secure in one's faith" is laughable?  I thought being secure in one's faith is what Christianity is all about.

Edited to add: Oh, I get it.  Christianity is about being secure in your OWN faith, and laughing at everyone else's.  Why did it take me so long to figure that one out?

quote:

ORIGINAL: luckydog1

Rest assured Zenrage is secure in his Faith. 
The religous have no need to defend themselves against Dawkins and Zenrage, we just sort of laugh at you.


< Message edited by Lordandmaster -- 12/31/2006 1:54:53 AM >

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/31/2006 2:12:46 AM   
seeksfemslave


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Zenrage attacks from a philosophical point of view the assertion that God exists and the behaviour patterns of those who say that they believe.
This he does using the  scientific method as he sees it.
He then concludes I suppose  that God does not exist and has been created by man.

The weakness of this approach is to assume that as presently developed the human intellect is capable of understanding everything.This is manifestly not true.

Those of a religious or agnostic persusion can look at the world, marvel at its complexity, note even the most primitive forms of life are mind bogglingly complex, and say chance processes could not possibly have brought this about. Statistical methods can be and have been invoked to demonstarte this. This branch of maths is studiously avoided by evolutionary biologists.

Whether or not people who claim to hold religious beliefs have committed wicked acts or used religion to gain political control has no bearing on the existence or otherwise of a deity.

With regard to morality it is noticeable that over the last 30/40 years the application of secular values has unquestionably  not produced any spectacular improvements and has often resulted in some quite nasty things occuring.
One about which info. is being suppressed , or at least not broadcast the way it should be considering the implications, is the epidemic proportions of sexually transmitted diseases.


< Message edited by seeksfemslave -- 12/31/2006 2:16:34 AM >

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/31/2006 2:47:09 AM   
luckydog1


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Being "secure in one's faith" is laughable?  I thought being secure in one's faith is what Christianity is all about.

Edited to add: Oh, I get it.  Christianity is about being secure in your OWN faith, and laughing at everyone else's.  Why did it take me so long to figure that one out?

I wasnt' laughing at his Faith, but at his attack on others faiths.  And yes, I think someone angrily insisting that there is no possible way that God in any form could exist, even Dawkins does not go that far, and that they have the right to decide which opinions of others are valid is pretty laughable.

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RE: Dawkins on "God" and the Flying Spagetti ... - 12/31/2006 3:18:39 AM   
Lordandmaster


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If you really think that's laughable, then I think you have to agree that the same attitude is laughable when it comes from theists.  I don't find too many theists who admit that atheism is "valid."  Rather, they do exactly what you're criticizing Zenrage for: they judge other people's opinions on the basis of THEIR OWN beliefs.

He's laughing at you for not accepting his beliefs, and you're laughing at him for not accepting yours.  What on earth is the point?  That was the problem with Dawkins's book, and, frankly, it's also the problem with most theistic polemics.

quote:

ORIGINAL: luckydog1

And yes, I think someone angrily insisting that there is no possible way that God in any form could exist, even Dawkins does not go that far, and that they have the right to decide which opinions of others are valid is pretty laughable.

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