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Richard Dawkins the arch-atheist backs Michael Gove's free Bible plan
Nard Dog
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/may/19/richard-dawkins-backs-free-bible
Just from a literature pov but not moral (as MP Gove seems to think is imperative)
"While Gove believes the Bible is a guide to morality, Dawkins is sure it is not. "I have heard the cynically misanthropic opinion that without the Bible as a moral compass people would show no restraint against murder, theft and mayhem. The surest way to disabuse yourself of this pernicious falsehood is to read the Bible itself," he says.
In fact, its pages are riddled with the advocacy of murder, slavery and theft. Hence his support for Gove's plan: opening the Bible is the surest way to put young minds off its contents. From this perspective, the Dawkins-Gove alliance looks dead before it started."
Is this a good plan and should children seek moral guidance from the bible?
Just from a literature pov but not moral (as MP Gove seems to think is imperative)
"While Gove believes the Bible is a guide to morality, Dawkins is sure it is not. "I have heard the cynically misanthropic opinion that without the Bible as a moral compass people would show no restraint against murder, theft and mayhem. The surest way to disabuse yourself of this pernicious falsehood is to read the Bible itself," he says.
In fact, its pages are riddled with the advocacy of murder, slavery and theft. Hence his support for Gove's plan: opening the Bible is the surest way to put young minds off its contents. From this perspective, the Dawkins-Gove alliance looks dead before it started."
Is this a good plan and should children seek moral guidance from the bible?
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I am a strong advocate of children being brought up by their parents - the ones who SHOULD be responsible for their moral and physical wellbeing.
As to the bible, I found it rather dull. Apart from Leviticus which is always good for a laugh, and revelations which is even funnier - AND has spawned some silly but enjoyable movies.
As an aside, I don't know who I loathe more, Dawkins or Gove.
Perhaps they could have gone to someone who wanted to read them rather than thrown away to waste.
I think its unlikely to turn athiests into religionists. I doubt it will do much at all to be honest. How many people who get these free bibles will actually read them I wonder?
And how many will end up in a lake
See I don't particularly mind what people make of it because people will inevitibaly make up their own minds but when people don't have enough respect to not throw them in lakes or not even burn them... that's what gets me.
That's young teenagers for you, one throws their bible into the lake and before you know it, there's 500 of them floating along.
No children will read it.
Shakespeare is a much better read.
Well I would never burn the Bible. Not because its the bible but because I'm against the burning of books in general.
Again, unreadable for children
I guess it was the inthing to do in those days.
Children should be taught to think for themselves. I don't mind my kids playing Grand Theft Auto, or Red Dead Redemption but I would object to them having the endless rapes, murders, misogynism, cruelty to animals, and violence of the bible thrust down their throats.
For example my parents are assholes
Nuts. :D:D
Not really, I started reading Shakespeare at 11, you don't have to understand every word to get the general gist. If you don't read something challenging you'll get bored. I remember the first time I read A Clockwork Orange, I was wtf until I read it a couple more times.
My mother is. My dad died a long time ago sadly, he was the only one who made her "normal".
Me, I would consider myself a reasonable parent. No parent is perfect. Well, actually their dad is pretty perfect. Its why I married him.
You read nuts? :eek:
We paid the price and had to endure a very long assembly the following morning!
If there were no bibles they'd be virtually no Christians. Word of mouth can only go so far.
But I bet you didn't have to pay for them.
So do a lot of people. Its a religion in itself