Richard Dawkins' "Root of All Evil?" on line

[veganmike]

For your viewing pleasure, here it is. Two part documentary by Richard Dawkins and Channel 4 "The Root of All Evil?".

Part 1 The God Delusion

Part 2 The Virus of Faith

More information on the documentary.

[prenna]

It was a good documentary but I had some problems with it. The suggestions that without religion we wouldn't have "good people doing bad things" is ridiculous in my opinion. If religion wasn't here we'd have, and do have, good people doing "bad things" due to political beliefs amongst other things. It's belief that is the problem in my view but I also think that the capacity for belief is hardwired into the human brain.

My other major complaint was that he only took on the big 3 and not all the others. Granted the big three have caused more harm than any of the others put together but the principal still stands.

Oh and his suggestion that scientists don't engage in blind faith is probably the msot stupid thing I've ever heard.

It is still worth watching though.

[JP]

It's belief that is the problem in my view but I also think that the capacity for belief is hardwired into the human brain.

since it is Stephen Hawkins documentary we are talking about, one has to ask evidence and proof you have of this

anyways, i dont think he is suggesting that it is the only thing that makes good people to do bad things, but that religions, by their very inhererent nature make people to do bad things.

Oh and his suggestion that scientists don't engage in blind faith is probably the msot stupid thing I've ever heard.

he probably would say that if a scientist would have blind faith in anything else but evidence, then he wouldn't be a scientist.

But yeah, awesome documentary, well worth watching and sharing with everyone!

[veganmike]

since it is Stephen Hawkins documentary we are talking about

Joni, have you been drinking lately?

[JP]

LOL! sorry

[veganmike]

JP,I still remember talking to you about science books and you told me that you had read Hawking's book and that it was mind blowing to read all that stuff that he talks about.

About Prenna's coments. I think Dawkins was very right to take on islam, christianity and judaism. For one thing, they have the largest number of followers and thus they generate most problems created by religion. Secondly, all of these religions enjoy the status of being largely untouchable. In my opinion it is a sign of courage to criticise religions which have a massive political influence in this world. Attacking Krishnas won't probably get you in trouble, daring to speak out against Abrahamic religions, on the other hand, is not that easy.

Can you elaborate on your comment that scientists too engage in blind faith. Do you mean the scientific process itself or maybe scientists who hold both naturalistic (when it comes to methodology) and supernaturalistic (when professing certain religion) beliefs at the same time?[/b]

[veganmike]

JP,I still remember talking to you about science books and you told me that you had read Hawking's book and that it was mind blowing to read all that stuff that he talks about.

About Prenna's comments. I think Dawkins was very right to take on islam, christianity and judaism. For one thing, they have the largest number of followers and thus they generate most problems created by religion. Secondly, all of these religions enjoy the status of being largely untouchable. In my opinion it is a sign of courage to criticise religions which have a massive political influence in this world. Attacking Krishnas won't probably get you in trouble, daring to speak out against Abrahamic religions, on the other hand, is not that easy.

Can you elaborate on your comment that scientists too engage in blind faith. Do you mean the scientific process itself or maybe scientists who hold both naturalistic (when it comes to methodology) and supernaturalistic (when professing certain religion) beliefs at the same time?