tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9632072.post5560086733381094472..comments2023-09-25T09:37:40.536-07:00Comments on kairos : kisses: Atheism, And Everything AfterAndrew Dowsetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05417088521258450446noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9632072.post-59472108819997517122008-02-14T14:56:00.000-08:002008-02-14T14:56:00.000-08:00I have a problem with Dawkins’ book.Do you have a ...<EM>I have a problem with Dawkins’ book.</EM><BR/><BR/>Do you have a problem with McGrath's book?<BR/><BR/><BR/>1) "Thomas Aquinas ... Dawkins misunderstands an a posteriori demonstration of the coherence of faith and observation to be an a priori proof of faith..." p. 26<BR/><BR/>Reference 14 - God Delusion pp. 77-79<BR/><BR/>Dawkins clearly writes "Thomas Aquinas' five are a posteriori arguments, relying upon inspection of the world." p. 80 - so how can McGrath honestly claim Dawkins misunderstood that very thing?<BR/><BR/><BR/>2) '... Dawkins then weakens his argument by suggesting that all religious people try to stop scientists from exploring those gaps: "one of the truly bad effects of religion is that it teaches us that it is a virtue to be satisfied with not understanding."' pp. 29-30<BR/><BR/>Reference 24 - God Delusion p. 126<BR/><BR/>Dawkins clearly writes "In this respect, science finds itself in alliance with sophisticated theologians like Bonhoeffer, united against the common enemies of naive, populist theology and the gap theology of intelligent design." p. 127 - so how can McGrath honestly claim Dawkins' comment is about <B>all religious people</B>?<BR/><BR/><BR/>3) "When Dyson commented that he was a Christian who wasn't particularly interested in the doctrine of the Trinity, Dawkins insisted that this meant that Dyson wasn't a Christian at all." pp. 44-45<BR/><BR/>Reference 19 - God Delusion p. 152<BR/><BR/>McGrath snipped off a rather important part of Dyson's comment. According to Dawkins, Dyson said: "I ... do not care much about the doctrine of the Trinity or the historical truth of the gospels." p. 152<BR/><BR/>Dawkins would not be alone in being puzzled that someone who doesn't care about the historical truth of the resurrection claimed to be a Christian. (Why has McGrath hid that from his readers?)<BR/><BR/>4) "... the TV series The Root of All Evil? ... Dawkins sought out religious extremists who advocated violence in the name of religion, or were aggressively antiscientific in their outlook. No representative figures were included or considered." p. 51<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6474278760369344626" REL="nofollow">Alister McGrath himself was not only considered but filmed for that TV series!</A><BR/><BR/>Dawkins has previously stated that leading UK religious figures were invited to take part:<BR/><BR/>"We did invite the Archbishop of Canterbury - and the Chief Rabbi and the Archbishop of Westminster - to be interviewed. All declined, no doubt for good reasons."<BR/>"Diary - Richard Dawkins", <A HREF="http://www.newstatesman.com/200601300002" REL="nofollow">New Statesman, Published 30 January 2006</A>Isaac Gouyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02902123247585964087noreply@blogger.com