Re: [asa] Richard Dawkins, atheism, and religious liberty

I heard a radio interview first hand that gives credence to Ted's
interpretation. My take is that Dawkins doesn't "get" American sensibilities
specifically dealing with the First Amendment. He casually mentioned that
parents don't have the right to raise their kids with respect to religious
instruction and then alluded that the children ought to be taken away from
them because it was child abuse. It was very, very off hand. At least that
was the sense I got from his tone of voice. In other words, no ominous
tones, just light hearted banter. He didn't get how truly offensive what he
was saying was but his American interviewer sure did (IIRC it was NPR's Ira
Flatow).

On 4/27/07, Ted Davis <TDavis@messiah.edu> wrote:
>
> Quite right, Pim, I am giving benefit of the doubt here to the author of
> the
> article, as you are to Dawkins. We've both read some Dawkins, and I'm
> inclined not to doubt the author of the article. However, if you can show
> me why I ought to doubt that Dawkins believes what he is said here to
> believe about religious education of children and about religion being a
> virus that should be quarrantined, than I am all ears.
>
> Dawkins unequivocally believes that belief in God is a "virus of the
> mind,"
> as he puts it in "A Devil's chaplain", esp p. 121 and thereabouts. And,
> he
> unquestionably believes that religion is dangerous and to be eradicated.
> Does he not?
>
> ted
>
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Received on Fri Apr 27 17:39:27 2007