They are no more "running a racket" than any other author promoting a book.

Anyway, if you don't believe in any gods, you are an atheist. Regardless of whether you think that the dreaded label tarnishes your oh-so-complex ideas and sentiments about religion.

Atheists don't all belong to a single unified "church" any more than theists do.

I don't get why it is so important to read famous and smart authors about religon and/or atheism. I mean, as an agnostic, the only religious books I'd read would be the Bible and the Quran and maybe a few books about religion and its history.

But why would I read a book which talks about beliefs and trying to prove a certain point of view and rejecting the others?

I think beliefs are deeply intimate and I don't want someone to tell me what to or not to believe...

quote:

Originally posted by Vector A They are no more "running a racket" than any other author promoting a book. Anyway, if you don't believe in any gods, you are an atheist. Regardless of whether you think that the dreaded label tarnishes your oh-so-complex ideas and sentiments about religion. Atheists don't all belong to a single unified "church" any more than theists do.

I agree and I'm glad you brought attention to book sales that some atheists clearly care about. (Not blaming them, if I wrote a book I'd want people to read it and make money off it)

I often wonder if Dawkins is less vehement and aggressive in his beliefs outside of the public eye and that his scathing comments towards religious types is some sort of gimmick.

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I've read neither author but I'd assume they're presenting ideas in a combative manner to attract rating/sales. We wouldn't be talking about them if it didn't work.

I don't think it's quite that simple. Much of Dawkins' anger comes from the ways that religion around the world is used as a way of controlling people, from oppressive religious law that enforces patriarchal social structures to the way children are indoctrinated from an age where they're too young to make a decision for themselves. And some of it probably comes from the way some religious institutes try and defy or appropriate science, which is no doubt infuriating to a scientist like Dawkins.

As I said before though, Dawkins is really a preacher to the already-converted. He might argue publicly with and against religious figureheads and institutions, but he's not really talking to them. He's actually directing his message at a certain kind of atheist: the arrogant, self-congratulatory atheist who smugly believes themselves to be more rational and intelligent for seeing through the "children's stories" of religion and confronting the truth of reality without a "comfort blanket". That's Dawkins' audience. His entire body of work is one giant pat on the back for the self-regarding atheists of the world. His belligerent style doesn't make any attempt to reach out to the religious and convince them of anything. It's a polemic to be repeated by people who already agree with Richard Dawkins.

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Last edited by SYSTEM-J on Aug-19-2015 at 19:04

I can see trying to level the playing field. Religious people have an organization, thousands years of history, religious texts, millions of believer and countless experts/scholars. All of which adds legitimacy to their beliefs and is a daunting for an individual to hold his own against.

I bet Richard Dawkins has a really small dick and that's what drives all his THERE IS NO GODDDDDD stuff.


Plus he looks like a cunt and has a really fuckin irritating shitty voice.


Just a thought.

His dick is so small microbiologists don't have the technology or skills to study it.

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Holy shit what a burn!

I like Dick.

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No, pretty much for this reason:

There have never been so many atheists and agnostics in the world, but they're a pretty much a minority in the world, with the unaffiliated being just a bit more numerous than Hindus (of course, not everyone is a sceptic in this group), but the number is bound to shrink, proportion wise, in the next few decades.

As for where I live, a tenth of Brasília's population is either atheist or agnostic, but we're note exactly a vocal minority because some people have really ruined the conversation for us. Thank you very much, Dawkins

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