Friday 7 October 2011

Will Richard Dawkins be honest?

Here's some blurb for the latest attempts of the non-existent one to explain how you can be an "intellectually fulfilled atheist":
The Magic of Reality - Richard Dawkins - Royal Albert Hall

Wednesday 19 October 2011, 8.30pm

Chaired by James Harding, editor, The Times.

...

The Magic of Reality - An Evening with Richard Dawkins will see him discussing his new book, The Magic of Reality, which uses stunning words and pictures to present the real story of the world around us, taking us on an enthralling journey through scientific reality. Richard Dawkins and Dave McKean have created a dazzling celebration of our planet that will entertain and inform for years to come.
The question I'm interested in, is whether whilst trying to persuade everyone that being an atheist is just as "magical" and "dazzling" and "enthralling" as loving the Creator, he'll be honest about the implications of his beliefs. Will he be at any pains to explain this:
The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no
good, nothing but blind pitiless indifference.
-- Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life (1995)
There's quite a difference in tone between those two quotes, isn't there? The first is atheist PR... the second is atheist honesty. When on his magical atheism tour, will he be bringing the honesty out on display or keeping it hidden?

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