Day 05 → Your favorite quote

[motetus]

Nature is not cruel, pitiless, indifferent. This is one of the hardest lessons for humans to learn. We cannot admit that things might be neither good nor evil, neither cruel nor kind, but simply callous -- indifferent to all suffering, lacking all purpose. - Richard Dawkins

I saw Dawkins speak a few years ago at uni when he was promoting his one of his books. I don't like how he's helped turn atheism almost into a religion itself, but there's no denying he's got a very clever and sharp mind.

Comments

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

He is a very sharp person. My husband loves his books even though I think Dawkins could be a little more gentle with things.

I completely agree with your quote. It's really hard for people to accept that things just happen. It's certainly more comforting to think that there is a purpose. But there isn't. Life just is.

[motetus.livejournal.com]

My problem with Dawkins is though I absolutely agree with pretty much everything he says, I don't think his aggression and hostility towards religion is going to win him any converts, and I fear he makes people think that they have to make a choice between science and religion. Mind you, he is hugely entertaining and I've never once heard him say something that makes me think "no, you're wrong about that".

My mother's one of those people who can't accept there not being a point to life and something greater after it. Me, I've never had a problem with the thought of it, though maybe that's because I'm lucky enough to not have lost anyone dear to me yet. And as for the afterlife, Dawkins had a wonderful point at the end of Root Of All Evil - with a world as amazing and wonderful as this to experience, why would you care so much about a second one?

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

I lost my mother - watched her die and it made me even more sure that there is no afterlife.

I do agree that Dawkins makes no converts really although perhaps that isn't his goal, only to get people to think about their choices.

Ah well.

[inyadreems.livejournal.com]

One of my heroes. I think he gets very impatient with the blinkered majority.

[motetus.livejournal.com]

I do love him, despite my misgivings about his militancy. And I completely understand his frustration. I'm still angry about how I did A-level biology at a CofE school (not that long ago!) with the intention of studying it at university and only learnt about evolution when I picked up a battered second-hand book in Laos on my gap year. Yet we had plenty of time to be lectured on how we shouldn't be second-hand goods for our husbands!