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agnosticism, Atheism, christianity, death of organized religion, evolution, God, Jaipur Literary Festival, Jesus, Lincoln the atheist, quotes, Richard Dawkins
I was reading a rather cute article last night which had Richard Dawkins waxing eloquent about a pipe dream of his. I realize that he did not mean for it be heard as a pipe dream nor does he think it is one–but that is precisely what it is–the absolute apex of wishful thinking. What he actually said was that he looked forward to “the complete death of organized religion” in his lifetime. He’s going to have to stand in a long line of people who wished (and worked) for the same thing–always ending in bitter disappointment.
There are a lot of people that have problems with “organized” religion–and rightfully so. Jesus Himself had some pretty choice words for the religious leaders of His day. I guess it could be argued that He might have had some problems with organized religion Himself–at least a certain form of it. What always must be kept in mind, of course, is that Christianity is not a religion–it is a relationship with Jesus Christ. So even if “organized religion” would “bite the dust” true biblical Christianity will never be eradicated–never! Which I am sure will be somewhat of a letdown for Dr. Dawkins.
These comments, by the way, were made yesterday at the Jaipur Literary Festival in Jaipur, India. I should probably point out that the reason I find Richard Dawkins mildly amusing on occasion has to do with the foolishness he starts delivering when he gets outside of his realm of expertise. It is my understanding that he is a world class evolutionary biologist. I say “it is my understanding” because I don’t know enough about biology to know how much he actually knows in that discipline–but he certainly is considered to be at “the top of the class.” Therefore, I would never attempt to take him to task in the biological field. I will leave that to the theistic biologists.
Unfortunately, a few years ago this preeminent scholar decided he was also an expert on theology and the Bible–that was a dumb move–and the more he speaks about it the more obvious it becomes. He can get some rousing responses from the friendly crowds he speaks to–but it is common knowledge that you can sound pretty astute when speaking to people who know even less than you do about any given subject. Keep in mind, this is the same man who won’t even debate Dr. William Lane Craig.
I did find it rather telling that when asked, in the midst of his normal vitriol against religion, how to stem the tide of religious fundamentalism in India, he demurred that he didn’t know enough about the situation in India to answer with any authority–however, that lack of knowledge has never stopped him before.
My favorite moment though was when asked when we might see the first atheist President of the United States. Now this is the man who condemns belief in God as being without evidence–“I suspect Lincoln was an atheist, probably so was Kennedy. Obama is an intelligent man, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a closet atheist.”
It doesn’t get much richer than that!
When one is an atheist, he thinks himself to be far more intelligent than the “deluded” people who believe. I would assume that since he therefore figures religion is fantasy at best, anyone one earth should be qualified as an “expert”.Calling Lincoln an atheist does prove that point- he is an expert on fantasy.
While this is not strictly true as you’ve presented it, there is a certain amount of truth there.
I believe I remember Dawkins being quoted at one time as saying something to the effect of “one need not be an expert in fashion to be able to see that the Emperor is not wearing any clothes.”
Cynisism leads a person to believe lies. Skeptisism leads a person to investigate a matter to find the truth. Most atheists are cynics. They probably don’t think of themselves as such, since they are the most “open minded” of all creatures on the earth, but it is still the truth. Sadly, arrogance and ignorance walk along the wide path, hand-in-hand until they reach the wide gate, and then they walk right in to destruction.
God bless you Pastor Jeff.
“So even if “organized religion” would “bite the dust” true biblical Christianity will never be eradicated–never!”
Except when Dawkins uses the word ‘religion’, he includes those people who claim to only have a relationship. Because, to an outside observer, your relationship looks exactly like a religion. As opposed to, say, atheism, which religious people call a religion but really doesn’t look like one.
“Keep in mind, this is the same man who won’t even debate Dr. William Lane Craig.”
Neither would I. But that’s because Craig is a professional debater, and debates are a horrible way of finding out the truth of any given subject. They are very good at finding out the popularity of any given subject in a room of people.
“Now this is the man who condemns belief in God as being without evidence”
He does…which is why he uses words like “suspect”, “probably” and “wouldn’t surprise me”. He clearly doesn’t claim these things as absolutely true.