Listened to Richard Dawkins Lecture . . .

Originally posted by whodey
Please tell us you showed a little restraint and did not throw your underware on stage.

He would let Dawkins take down his genes any day.

Originally posted by telerion
I can understand why you would disagree with him, and he is certainly unapologetic about his position. I can tell you though that no matter how you feel about his opinion toward faith, you (particularly) would be impressed with his amazing eloquence and sharp intellect. He could insult every one of your female relatives, and your first response would be, "Damn! That was incredible."

Absolutely. Everything I have read of his is beyond the pale of the average intellect, and I consider it a privilege to observe man at his best in any endeavor... a painfully small group of people to which RD clearly belongs.

However, with as much bliss in the beholding there exists an equal measure of pain in the cosideration that such a towering intellect would allow his abilities to become so distracted in reactionary zeal. Man being what he is, religion is the cockroach of his behaviorial mechanisms. Reason is the round-toed shoe hopelessly stomping at the pest, smirking securely from the corner. Why RD isn't able to see this is beyond me. Apparently razor-sharp intellect cuts both ways: for sight and against it.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Where does he stand on the whole Creation v. Evolution debate?

Why must it be creation vs. evolution? If I recall, evolution does not address our origins, no? It kind of reminds me of the days of Galileo when he was called a heritic by saying the universe did not revolve around the sun. Those who knew the scinetific truth could have either thrown out religion because it chose to pick a fight with that particular scientific finding or they could have realized that their findings in no way contradict the original text of which their religion is based. I can just see RD giving a lecture back in the time of galileo and smugly saying that religion is preposterous becuase the universe does, in fact, not revolve around the sun.

Originally posted by whodey
Why must it be creation vs. evolution? If I recall, evolution does not address our origins, no? It kind of reminds me of the days of Galileo when he was called a heritic by saying the universe did not revolve around the sun. Those who knew the scinetific truth could have either thrown out religion because it chose to pick a fight with that particular scien ...[text shortened]... ng that religion is preposterous becuase the universe does, in fact, not revolve around the sun.

Have you read any Dawkins? He does not confine his argument against faith to pointing out its conflicts with science.

Originally posted by telerion
Have you read any Dawkins? He does not confine his argument against faith to pointing out its conflicts with science.

I can't say that I have read a great deal from him. OK, I'll bite, so what other arguements does he use against faith to give him the gonads to say that creationism is a preposterous, mind shrinking, falsehood? From such a statement, I see humility appears to be one of his greatest attributes.

Originally posted by jaywill
The man has to have something to counter balance the vanity and emptiness he must feel within. Maybe his followers will actually think he's enjoying life.

Why do you feel that he must feel "empty"? You're not going to start all that "all atheists are nialists" crap, are you? What's so wrong with vanity?

Originally posted by whodey
I can't say that I have read a great deal from him. OK, I'll bite, so what other arguements does he use against faith to give him the gonads to say that creationism is a preposterous, mind shrinking, falsehood? From such a statement, I see humility appears to be one of his greatest attributes.

Well, for a start he points out that creationism is simply the ultimate incarnation of saltationist thinking, which is against all evidence. He also makes the (valid) point that "goddunit" thinking is just intellectually giving up.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Well, for a start he points out that creationism is simply the ultimate incarnation of saltationist thinking, which is against all evidence. He also makes the (valid) point that "goddunit" thinking is just intellectually giving up.

Akin to his explanation of the existence of matter, to be sure.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Akin to his explanation of the existence of matter, to be sure.

Matter requires no explanation.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Matter requires no explanation.

You are so easily satisfied?

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
You are so easily satisfied?

I would not say that the theory of relativity is such an "easy" proof. However, all your questions are time dependant, which is ludicrous if time doesn't exist.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Matter requires no explanation.

God requires the same amount of explanation for the theist as matter does for the atheist and that is no explanation required.

Originally posted by whodey
God requires the same amount of explanation for the theist as matter does for the atheist and that is no explanation required.

Hmmm, that's perhaps true. Certainly we've more evidence for the existance of matter than you lot have for God though.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Well, for a start he points out that creationism is simply the ultimate incarnation of saltationist thinking, which is against all evidence. He also makes the (valid) point that "goddunit" thinking is just intellectually giving up.

I completly and wholeheartidly disagree. Are there no Christian scientists? Of coarse there are. After all, I have brought many to your attention in the past. Do these scientists just throw up their hands and say "Goddunnit"? No, they in fact go about their job just as the atheist.

Originally posted by whodey
I completly and wholeheartidly disagree. Are there no Christian scientists? Of coarse there are. After all, I have brought many to your attention in the past. Do these scientists just throw up their hands and say "Goddunnit"? No, they in fact go about their job just as the atheist.

You don't see many Christian evolutionary biologists though, do you? Or many Chriatian paleobiologists? The reason? It'd mess with their faith. Goddunit is the ultimate cop-out - no further explanation required. As long as someone has the concept in their brain that any particular phenomenon may be a "miracle" or magic, then they have no requirement for further investigation.