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Richard Dawkins
Feb. 29th, 2008 10:03 amI've heard about this fellow from time to time, but I've not read any of his work. I don't, without more convincing argument than I've heard, buy the proposition that religion and science are fundamental enemies--in fact, I'm inclined to believe it is a dangerous fallacy.
But this comment of his that followed the terrorist attacks of 2001is one that certainly strikes a chord.
"Many of us saw religion as harmless nonsense. Beliefs might lack all supporting evidence but, we thought, if people needed a crutch for consolation, where's the harm? September 11th changed all that. Revealed faith is not harmless nonsense, it can be lethally dangerous nonsense. Dangerous because it gives people unshakeable confidence in their own righteousness. Dangerous because it gives them false courage to kill themselves, which automatically removes normal barriers to killing others. Dangerous because it teaches enmity to others labelled only by a difference of inherited tradition. And dangerous because we have all bought into a weird respect, which uniquely protects religion from normal criticism. Let's now stop being so damned respectful!"
I came across that in the Wikipedia profile of him, which lists his published work; I think I need to read some of it.
But this comment of his that followed the terrorist attacks of 2001is one that certainly strikes a chord.
"Many of us saw religion as harmless nonsense. Beliefs might lack all supporting evidence but, we thought, if people needed a crutch for consolation, where's the harm? September 11th changed all that. Revealed faith is not harmless nonsense, it can be lethally dangerous nonsense. Dangerous because it gives people unshakeable confidence in their own righteousness. Dangerous because it gives them false courage to kill themselves, which automatically removes normal barriers to killing others. Dangerous because it teaches enmity to others labelled only by a difference of inherited tradition. And dangerous because we have all bought into a weird respect, which uniquely protects religion from normal criticism. Let's now stop being so damned respectful!"
I came across that in the Wikipedia profile of him, which lists his published work; I think I need to read some of it.
