Dawkins calls Christianity "benign"

Current issues and things in the news

Moderator: Moderators

Overcomer
Guru
Posts: 1330
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2004 8:44 am
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 32 times
Been thanked: 66 times

Dawkins calls Christianity "benign"

Post #1

Post by Overcomer »

Atheist Richard Dawkins has been critical of Christianity for a long time. But lately, he has started to change his tune, noting that as Christianity declines in Great Britain, the gap isn't being filled by secular humanists or atheists. it is being filled by Muslims. He says he prefers Christianity to Islam because Christianity is "benign." Christians don't send suicide bombers and blow up buildings, he notes.

There have been a number of articles about him and his comments re: Christianity and Islam in the news of late. Here's one:

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/richa ... mething-wo

Traditionally, Muslims have taken over countries, not just with violence, but by population growth. It has played a part in North African and Asian countries becoming Muslim. We can see it happening in a country like Sweden where the birth rate for native non-Muslim Swedes is low while Muslims have large families. Eventually, Muslims outnumber everybody else and the countries become theirs.

I'm wondering what members of this community think about that. What do you think of Dawkins' claims? Are you concerned about the "islamification" of countries built on traditional Judeao-Christian values? Would you prefer Christianity to Islam? If so, why? If not, why?

User avatar
Aetixintro
Site Supporter
Posts: 918
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 3:18 am
Location: Metropolitan-Oslo, Norway, Europe
Has thanked: 431 times
Been thanked: 27 times
Contact:

Re: Dawkins calls Christianity "benign"

Post #2

Post by Aetixintro »

[Replying to post 1 by Overcomer]

The Atheists are falling back. The Atheists are falling back!

Advance the field, dear fellow Christians! As we provide trust, steadiness and moral character!

(Then we charge! To win over the last Non-believers and "Atheists" in the future!)
I'm cool! :) - Stronger Religion every day! Also by "mathematical Religion", the eternal forms, God closing the door on corrupt humanity, possibly!

imhereforyou
Scholar
Posts: 384
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:02 pm

Re: Dawkins calls Christianity "benign"

Post #3

Post by imhereforyou »

Overcomer wrote: Atheist Richard Dawkins has been critical of Christianity for a long time. But lately, he has started to change his tune, noting that as Christianity declines in Great Britain, the gap isn't being filled by secular humanists or atheists. it is being filled by Muslims. He says he prefers Christianity to Islam because Christianity is "benign." Christians don't send suicide bombers and blow up buildings, he notes.

There have been a number of articles about him and his comments re: Christianity and Islam in the news of late. Here's one:

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/richa ... mething-wo

Traditionally, Muslims have taken over countries, not just with violence, but by population growth. It has played a part in North African and Asian countries becoming Muslim. We can see it happening in a country like Sweden where the birth rate for native non-Muslim Swedes is low while Muslims have large families. Eventually, Muslims outnumber everybody else and the countries become theirs.

I'm wondering what members of this community think about that. What do you think of Dawkins' claims? Are you concerned about the "islamification" of countries built on traditional Judeao-Christian values? Would you prefer Christianity to Islam? If so, why? If not, why?
I think anyone should be upset/concerned about any religion, Christian, Islam, Purple Monster worship, whatever, that speaks of violence towards others.
Let's not forget that history shows Christianity hasn't always been puppies and roses either - many were killed in its name and cultural rituals and celebrations annexed in its name as well.

Bust Nak
Savant
Posts: 9855
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2012 6:03 am
Location: Planet Earth
Has thanked: 189 times
Been thanked: 266 times

Post #4

Post by Bust Nak »

Here is what Dawkins actually said, in response to a report on the decline of religion in Europe:

"Before we rejoice at the death throes of the relatively benign Christian religion, let’s not forget Hilaire Belloc’s menacing rhyme:
“Always keep a-hold of nurse
For fear of finding something worse.�

It's not all that controversial. As for islamification, Christianity grew up when exposed to enough secularism. I don't see why the same can't happen for Islam. It will take time, so in the meanwhile, I prefer Christianity for its relatively benign-ness, as Dawkins put it.

User avatar
2ndRateMind
Site Supporter
Posts: 1540
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:25 am
Location: Pilgrim on another way
Has thanked: 65 times
Been thanked: 68 times

Re: Dawkins calls Christianity "benign"

Post #5

Post by 2ndRateMind »

Overcomer wrote: ...[Dawkins] says he prefers Christianity to Islam because Christianity is "benign." Christians don't send suicide bombers and blow up buildings, he notes...
This is a typical Dawkins oversimplification. He may know a lot about genetic biology, but he knows next to nothing about either philosophy or theology and religion, and it shows. Is he, as he seems to be, saying Islam is not benign?

That said, it must be admitted that most terrorists are Muslim; but it should also be noted that most Muslims aren't terrorists. Living, as I do, amongst Somali Muslim refugees in my inner-city social housing, I can confirm that mostly they are thoroughly decent, thoroughly likeable, family-orientated people. I have my criticisms of the faith, (as I do of both Christianity and Judaism) but despite them can attest that most of the problems in my neighbourhood are derived from the white, native, working- and under-classes who have no religion, at all, and breed in similar numbers. If this is what Dawkins wants for the world, an entirely secular intellectual regime for the elite, and a loss of purpose and dignity and self-respect among the poor, and no space for religion anywhere, then I think he needs to pay some vital attention to the replacement of the grounding of ethics, or we are all headed for considerable discomfort in the future, Christians, Muslims, Jews and atheists alike.

Best wishes, 2RM

Overcomer
Guru
Posts: 1330
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2004 8:44 am
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 32 times
Been thanked: 66 times

Post #6

Post by Overcomer »

i'mherefor you wrote:
Let's not forget that history shows Christianity hasn't always been puppies and roses either - many were killed in its name and cultural rituals and celebrations annexed in its name as well.
Yes, I agree. Horrible things have been done in the name of God.

But here's the thing: Look at the basic tenets of each religion. Jesus instructs Christians to love their enemies. Islam instructs Muslims to kill theirs. The fact that there have been people who have worn the label "Christian" and did not live according to Christ's instructions doesn't make Christianity bad.

2ndratemind wrote:
That said, it must be admitted that most terrorists are Muslim; but it should also be noted that most Muslims aren't terrorists. Living, as I do, amongst Somali Muslim refugees in my inner-city social housing, I can confirm that mostly they are thoroughly decent, thoroughly likeable, family-orientated people.
I agree with this as well. The majority of Muslims do NOT practise what the Koran teaches them -- and that's a good thing! However, given the number of Muslims in the world, even if only 1 per cent of them follow the Koran's instructions and practise terrorism, that makes almost 15 million of them spread around the globe.

Again, I point to the basic tenets of the two religions. At the core, they are vastly different. ISIS is actually doing what the Koran orders. Having said that, there are peaceful sects within Islam --such as the Ahmadi. However, Sunni and Shiite Muslims don't even consider them to be Muslims and one reason is their disinterest in jihad.

I don't think anybody explains the many facets of Islam better than Nabeel Qureshi in his book entitled Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward. He discusses it here:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/arti ... ing-jihad/

And here:



My thanks to all of you for your responses. I appreciate them. O.

User avatar
Tcg
Savant
Posts: 8487
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:01 am
Location: Third Stone
Has thanked: 2141 times
Been thanked: 2293 times

Re: Dawkins calls Christianity "benign"

Post #7

Post by Tcg »

Aetixintro wrote:
The Atheists are falling back. The Atheists are falling back!
This atheist isn't. Of course I don't consider myself to be in a battle with theists. They have a desire to believe that which brings them comfort. This desire for comfort will never allow them to see reality. I prefer reality.

There is no real battle, the only battle is in the minds of theists who prefer fantasy. The imaginary battle they create in their minds helps them ignore reality. For some odd reason, they need to deny reality in order to hold onto their infantile need for false and unnecessary comfort.

User avatar
marco
Savant
Posts: 12314
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:15 pm
Location: Scotland
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Dawkins calls Christianity "benign"

Post #8

Post by marco »

Overcomer wrote:
Are you concerned about the "islamification" of countries built on traditional Judeao-Christian values? Would you prefer Christianity to Islam? If so, why? If not, why?

Yes it is a huge concern. Christianity is NOW rather benign but wasn't always. A few centuries ago those of us online who deplore Yahweh would not deplore for very long. In Muslim countries people can be sentenced to death for blasphemy - and are. So the new-look, pacified Christianity is obviously preferable to the old-look, 7th century stuff of Islam. Islam may behave itself when it is a guest in other countries but where it is the state religion there is stoning. It is a matter of time before St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London are converted to mosques.

User avatar
Divine Insight
Savant
Posts: 18070
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 10:59 pm
Location: Here & Now
Been thanked: 19 times

Post #9

Post by Divine Insight »

The problem I see is that Christianity actually loans great support to Islam by simply agreeing that the Biblical God stories supposedly make sense and should be taken seriously.

It was my hope that the more advanced western civilizations which are mainly Christian would come to their senses and eventually renounce Christianity and the entire Abrahamic picture of a jealous monotheistic God. This would then leave the Islamic countries believing in an ancient folklore that no longer has any credibility in the western world at all.

But unfortunately, Christians aren't about to come to their senses, so they continue to support the idea that the jealous Biblical God makes sense. This loans Islam total support. After all a Christian can hardly tell a Muslim that their religions is clearly nothing more than silly ancient superstitions whilst proclaiming a devout dedication to Christianity which is equally absurd.

So Christians are supporting Islam to the hilt by condoning these absurd and ancient religious myths of a jealous God who is out to condemn sinful humans.

Christianity fully supports Islam, even if it has no intention to do so.
[center]Image
Spiritual Growth - A person's continual assessment
of how well they believe they are doing
relative to what they believe a personal God expects of them.
[/center]

User avatar
marco
Savant
Posts: 12314
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:15 pm
Location: Scotland
Been thanked: 2 times

Post #10

Post by marco »

Divine Insight wrote:
So Christians are supporting Islam to the hilt by condoning these absurd and ancient religious myths of a jealous God who is out to condemn sinful humans.

Christianity fully supports Islam, even if it has no intention to do so.

Jesus took a stick to beat his own followers. Turn the other cheek! If they force their faith on you, do not resist! To die in my name is a blessing. Love your enemies!

As long as somebody's faith does not involve hurt for me and others, I have no problem living with it. Our political correctness and our horror of offending, coupled with the sharp lessons delivered to those who would malign Muhammad all mean we need no dentists, since our teeth are drawn. We only stand and wait.

Post Reply