But is it not important

at least somewhere in society to have a prominent proponent of atheism? A person who, with intellectual rigour, challenges belief systems?

I do not believe in God and I am ' on the fence' about Dawkins. However he serves a valuable purpose in being pro-actively atheistic, if only to create a profile for atheism which, in any reasonable society, deserves a similar prominence to religion.

His programme about Faith Schools last week was both instructive and measured. Is it right that the scientifically proven suggestibility of children is manipulated to convince (not teach but convince) them of the existence of God?

His probing of these issues was fair and he even believes that religious teachings should be on the national curriculum. This way, they can be taught as 'a view of the world' and not the foundations upon which a child should educated.

Posted By: The Judge on August 26th 2010 at 12:50:20

Message Thread

Interesting programme on last night about people's belief in a God (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Aug 26, 10:44:51
- Nope, I don't (General Chat) - pants, Aug 26, 12:51:35
  - I'm with that :) (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 13:18:01
    - What a fantastic thing it would be to have some (General Chat) - pants, Aug 26, 15:58:22
  - Amen, brother. (n/m) (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Aug 26, 13:15:06
- I'm with Ron Hubbard. (n/m) (General Chat) - tudders, Aug 26, 11:19:54
- lol as if (General Chat) - SCC 28, Aug 26, 10:58:00
- We were talking the other day on here about Richard Dawkins, (General Chat) - Al NCFC4life, Aug 26, 10:54:44
  - Religion was put here to kill kids? (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Aug 26, 11:20:06
  - I saw an image of Dawkins in my marmite lid this morning (General Chat) - The Judge, Aug 26, 11:01:27
    - Did it have that cretinous 'There's probably no God' slogan accompanying it? (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:09:48
      - The only thing at all cretinous about that saying (General Chat) - Firstnews, Aug 26, 11:21:11
        
        What a marvellous logical destruction of the agnostic position. (n/m) (General Chat) - Johnny Comecardiff, Aug 26, 11:37:53
        
        Not as marvellous as Dicky Dawkins does it in The God Delusion (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Aug 26, 11:51:27
        
        Ah, the imposition of your views onto those of other people. (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 12:01:18
        
        Yes, the insistance from a large majority of the gay/bi community that if I do not (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 26, 12:19:57
        
        ^repressed homosexual^ (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Aug 26, 12:37:04
        
        bender (n/m) (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 26, 12:39:41
        
        x (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Aug 26, 12:40:55
        
        Yes - as with the atheist/Christian argument, there are two sides to that coin (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 12:24:32
        
        I would consider myself a devout atheist. Dawkins is a fundemental atheist. (n/m) (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 26, 12:26:38
        
        Agreed. (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 12:30:43
        
        But is it not important (General Chat) - The Judge, Aug 26, 12:50:20
        
        That's more about the separation of faith from science and education though (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 12:59:40
        
        "yes, religion has caused a lot of wars" (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Aug 26, 13:19:33
        
        Yes, fair point - thanks for clarifying my somewhat clumsy statement! (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 13:29:25
        
        and the recruiting banner religion can provide? (n/m) (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Aug 26, 13:25:12
        
        Ed Hussain's book, The Islamist, provides a decent insight on this subject. (n/m) (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Aug 26, 13:34:49
        
        Fair enough (General Chat) - The Judge, Aug 26, 13:05:02
        
        Yes, there's a place for a Dawkins, and also for a Moore. But I wonder if there is a need (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 26, 12:55:03
        
        There's a need for good Pope (General Chat) - The Judge, Aug 26, 12:58:50
        
        I disagree. There is no need for Catholicism, so no need for a pope. (n/m) (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 26, 13:01:42
        
        I'd disagree with that. Even if you strip out all the religious elements, it can still (General Chat) - megson, Aug 26, 14:08:25
        
        which doesn't give it a reason to exist (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Aug 26, 14:32:56
        
        I am an atheist to the point that (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 26, 12:39:07
        
        i'm pretty much the same when it comes to scummers (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Aug 26, 12:54:07
        
        Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at with it as well. (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 12:46:28
        
        You're too old to be a gay. (n/m) (General Chat) - tudders, Aug 26, 12:23:24
        
        Good ol' fashioned narrow mindedness (n/m) (General Chat) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Aug 26, 12:11:00
        
        I don't think that's opinion. I seem to remember they initially didn't have "probably" (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 26, 11:48:16
      - lol - what a great campaign! (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Aug 26, 11:18:34
  - If Richard Dawkins didn't exist (General Chat) - BerlinCanary, Aug 26, 10:58:59
  - Im afraid mr lee isnt very funny, nor is he bill hicks, whose jokes he frequently pilfers (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Aug 26, 10:58:52
    - Lee also did a brilliant parody of Hicks in some sketch once. (n/m) (General Chat) - tudders, Aug 26, 11:42:34
      - "What are mice? Fag rats!" (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:44:06
    - In a recent Guardian piece he admitted to owning 7 feet of Japanese psychedelia (General Chat) - BerlinCanary, Aug 26, 11:27:10
    - I couldn't disagree more. (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:05:41
      - By the way (General Chat) - BerlinCanary, Aug 26, 11:32:59
      - You don't sound like you've read 300 books. But seriously, this isn't the place for this (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Aug 26, 11:13:40
        
        Argh! You were quoting the YouTube comments, weren't you? (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:16:48
        
        pwned (n/m) (General Chat) - BerlinCanary, Aug 26, 11:29:39
        
        Totally! (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:39:22
        
        I have just got up. Lazy bastard I know. (General Chat) - tudders, Aug 26, 11:47:29
        
        i think you know nothing about me n need to shut your mouth. but hey Keep believing th (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Aug 26, 11:23:17
    - I think he's good, (General Chat) - Al NCFC4life, Aug 26, 11:01:04
      - TBH I'm surprised most of a British audience even know what creationism is. (n/m) (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Aug 26, 11:04:44
  - I call him Rich Dork. (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 10:56:47
    - I call the pope (General Chat) - Firstnews, Aug 26, 11:30:06
      - the pope does my head in (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Aug 26, 11:43:24
        
        Driving around in a bullet proof car. There's faith in action for you. (n/m) (General Chat) - tudders, Aug 26, 11:49:00
        
        lol (n/m) (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Aug 26, 11:51:02
        
        Don't forget the combination of obsessive homo/transphobia and wearing Judy Garland shoes. (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:45:52
        
        indeed, although (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Aug 26, 11:49:39
        
        Exactly - the Christian faith is about tolerance and forgiveness (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:57:56
        
        Forgivesness and tolerance (General Chat) - Firstnews, Aug 26, 12:27:54
        
        Haha (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 12:46:38
        
        fundamentalism makes sense to me (General Chat) - Firstnews, Aug 26, 11:57:19
      - Don't get me started on Ratzinger! (n/m) (General Chat) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Aug 26, 11:39:36
- Who knows? (General Chat) - Johnny Comecardiff, Aug 26, 10:49:56
- I do (General Chat) - revsimon, Aug 26, 10:48:01

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