Richard Dawkins latest book The God Delusion is out now. Also, have people seen this: http://richarddawkins.net/index.php
A snippet that should give all those of us with a rational outlook a real cause for concern - It is, therefore, not an exaggeration to say that if the city of New York were suddenly replaced by a ball of fire, some significant percentage of the American population would see a silver-lining in the subsequent mushroom cloud, as it would suggest to them that the best thing that is ever going to happen was about to happen: the return of Christ . . .Imagine the consequences if any significant component of the U.S. government actually believed that the world was about to end and that its ending would be glorious. The fact that nearly half of the American population apparently believes this, purely on the basis of religious dogma, should be considered a moral and *intellectual emergency.
From the article my guess would be that we each like a little snip of here n there. Well my favorite snip: * America, founded in secularism as a beacon of eighteenth century enlightenment, is becoming the victim of religious politics, a circumstance that would have horrified the Founding Fathers. The political ascendancy today values embryonic cells over real people. It obsesses about gay marriage, ahead of genuinely important issues that actually make a difference to the world. It gains crucial electoral support from a constituency whose grip on reality is so tenuous that they expect to be ‘raptured’ up to heaven, leaving their clothes as empty as their minds.* Sad, sad, that this is so true!
I expect a 'say what you see' sort of book that is as usual accurate, but will people listen? Or label him an 'extremist'?
A link to a video interview with Richard Dawkins speaking about his new book. http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/dawkins-newsnight-p1.php
Good to see ...... Somebody is spreading the undeniable fact, that believing in god/religion is a delusion in their minds............. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Yes that part is good, but will it help end religion? No! nothing will! that is because religion is not only a delusion it is an evolved predispotion - that is a synopsis that the Dawkster and the likes cannot even entertain
round where i live there's no such thing as a 'strong atheist'. You either for religion or passively against it; the answer is obvious to each side and no-one really sees the point in arguing against each other. I really find it strange when i see how much some places, particulary what i've heard of America, love to argue the freakin hell out of it. anyway, back on topic... I'll read the book, i've read most of his other's so why not. I love his books, particulary the selfish gene... in fact i just love good books on evolution... the arguments and ideas within them are so incredibly simple and evident, and just like evolution itself you kick yourself for not having thought of it already. However I doubt Dawkin's ability to right a book on religion. For his own sake, he needs to open up his mind. I'm not saying that as a religious advocate, i'm atheistic myself and agree to a limited extent with what he says; but his arguments against religion just aren't general enough to actually work. For his own sake he needs to accept a wider base of premises, from which he could really demolish religion. At the moment the only people he convinces are those who already agree with him... not much use, as Imaplanck mentioned. Besides that, the rhetoric and religious misunderstandings (it isn't apparent that half the american population believes that) doesn't bode too well, neither does the political commentary. But to be fair, that is all i've read of the book so far.
Yet- the very scientists who aim to prove God is an illusion and write books on Selfish genes, also entertain delusions of secularism and humanism. Sad indeed.
