And - just my opinion - Richard Dawkin is the author of ( badly written ) books that have about as much basis in truth as the bible does...
you either havent read them or are a bloody numpty then. 'The Greatest Show on Earth' is one of his best works. He is an evolutionary biologist, so i think he knows what he is talking about. Are you suggesting, that his writings concerning the fact of evolution is just a load of hogwash, or have you not read them?
I'm not sure that there are any figures that quantify the number of kamikaze pilots that were actually Buddhist, but I think you'll find that war was caused by Japanese imperialist aggression, not religion...
"In his 2006 book The God Delusion, Dawkins contends that a supernatural creator almost certainly does not exist and that religious faith is a delusion—"a fixed false belief"." I agree with his conclusions - but maybe not his way of reaching those conclusions. If stating that, in my opinion, his books are not particularly well written makes be a "bloody numpty" then so be it. That is your opinion and I support your right to it...
Having seen Dawkins in action in various YouTube clips, I find his delivery to be every bit as manipulative, evangelical and, frankly, as a offensive as that of those he attacks. He is so clearly selling something, every bit as much as the televangelist with the "heavenly bank account" so deftly described by Frank Zappa. I haven't read his books - I have no doubt whatsoever though that his writing will strike me in exactly the same way. I have never encountered someone with whom I agree so much and yet found so disagreeable, as Hawkins. He makes me embarrassed to share a single point of view with him. Just sayin'.
I'm honestly looking forward to your first lecture Funky, let it rip mate, your words are soothing balsm to my ears
either way, you'll have to put aside your personal dislike for his demeanor and listen to his message. the only thing he is 'selling' are his ideas. i find him a very humble person. the thing is, we are so used to pussy footing around the issue of religion, that when a person doesnt show it the respect that it has been given and expected for centuries, it can be shocking or offensive for some..take Hitchens for example..he made a career out of upsetting people....because they couldnt deal with his matter of fact logic and bone dry delivery.
fkn love you mate!! what i was driving at was if anyone wants attend one of their lectures...mine are already very well attended...the yellow rubber duck in my bathroom has been present at each and everyone of my fabled, 'toilet tirades'.
just sayin', the kamikaze's were buddhist suicide bombers. it gets swept under the carpet, but it happens to be true.
Hawkins doesn't upset me, I just feel embarrassed by some of his histrionics. Compare this to Frankie Boyle, who makes me laugh to the point of choking. I'm not easily offended, but when a "man of science" forgets scientific principles and starts proselytizing, to the point where he resembles his intellectual enemies, I do start to become a little uncomfortable. As for the late and lamented Hitchens, my money would be on Stephen Fry in a Celebrity Death Match Battle of Wits. The winner meets Bill Hicks in the final :smile:
My point is that no matter what their particular religion, they were not acting in the name of that religion, but more in a manner dictated by prevailing Japanese culture of the era... You could make an argument that the culture was influenced and driven by religion, but the actions themselves were not predicated by any particular religious beliefs.
@ Loz - Bill Hicks (RIP) and Michael Palin would make the perfect anti-religion tag team ! Palin Vs the bishop on Russel Harty's programme has to be one of the greatest bits of television ever...
Organised religions don't seem to have anything other than new and creative things to suffer angst attacks over. The simple flaw with religion is quite apparent. IF there were a 'god' and IF 'heaven' existed (taking 'heaven' to be some sort of utopian paradise) you will only get there by being an honest good person, never consciously inflicting harm on your fellow man and helping and contributing to society and the world where you can. Any 'heaven' which would damn a charity worker who has worked tirelessly and devoted their life to humanitarian ends, or a surgeon who has saved thousands of lives, yet accepts a rapist and murderer who 'accepted jesus' on his death bed and repented isn't a utopian 'heaven' at all - its would just be a sham. for a heaven to make any sense you must only be able to get there judged on merit of your life, not the fairytale you blindly believed in.
I often think of religions as either conquesting (e.g. christianity, islam) or benign (e.g. buddhism). In my opinion, respect and courtesy are fundamental to being a good person. Some religious people are, many are not. Some non-religious people are, many are not. Therein lies the problem. Does religion help? I don't think so. Would the world still be full of aggressive, controlling, cowardly bullies without religion. Yes. Thank goodness there are a lot of good people too.
Which is a sort of 'living' wing of Buddhism.. Shinto in life, Buddah in death.. Most weddings were Shinto ceremonies, most funerals were Buddhist..same shit, different day.
