New Dawkins series on More4 Good !

by Phizzy 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  Phizzy

  Richard Dawkins' new series, the first episode was aired last night on the U.K's More4 channel, is entitled "Sex, Death and the Meaning of Life"

  He doesn't waste a moment on whether God exists or not, but is looking forward to a World without God, and tackles questions such as where will Morality come from in this world, is sex somethng to feel guilty about etc etc

  One revealing interview was with Steven Pinker who shows that as the World becomes more godless it has become a more moral place, and a much safer place to live, things are getting better and better.

  Unlike the doom and gloom WT Pinker has solid evidence to back up his claims.

  I don't know if you can catch up with a More4 prog. here in the U.K but if not I would watch the next episode 10pm next Monday, heartening stuff.
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  The Scotsman

  You kiddin me?????

  "One revealing interview was with Steven Pinker who shows that as the World becomes more godless it has become a more moral place, and a much safer place to live, things are getting better and better.""

  And you "actually" believed this?

  LOL
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  slimboyfat

  I wonder if he will be interviewing Peter Singer again too, an interesting thinker asking the right questions in my view.

  Pinker's Better Angels of our Nature is good too, and completely refutes the Watchtower idea that we live in especially violent times.
• 

  Phizzy

  I don't believe something just because Pinker or Dawkins say it is no, dear Scotsman, but as I said, there is evidence to support the view.

  I know the daily news is full of doom and gloom, but that is isolated cases, look at the World as a whole over the last say 20 years and see if Pinker is wrong

  I haven't read Pinkers book yet Slimboy, but the rest of the title is "The decline of violence in History and its causes" so sounds as though he makes a case that we need to consider.

  By the way, you and Scotsman, high winds are coming, so weigh down yer kilty with some haggis !
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  still thinking

  Here you go Phizzy...funny that you mention this today, I only watched Steven Pinker discussing how there is a surprising decline in violence in the world, last night. He doesn't say he KNOWS why, but gives a few possible reasons. And he does have some pretty good evidence to suggest that this is true.

  In the end we make up our own minds...but you cannot dismiss what he says, it is food for thought.

  Vid is 20mins if anyone wants to watch... wonder when we'll get to see the new Dawkins series here.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ramBFRt1Uzk
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  The Scotsman

  ""I don't believe something just because Pinker or Dawkins say it is no, dear Scotsman, but as I said, there is evidence to support the view.""

  I do not deny this may be true but try and prove that it is purely down to a world becoming more godless?

  Also - I am far from convinced the world is becoming more godless - perhaps less religious though. History shows the rise and fall of religion over many centuries.

  I feel that religion\belief in god "can" be a force for good - but unfortunately often it is not.

  Oh - and Phizzy - good tip with the haggis on the kilt. I just need to catch one of those pesky haggis's!
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  slimboyfat

  Scotsman are you the guy who said they were from Helensburgh? I can see Helensburgh from my bedroom window.
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  Phizzy

  I don't think Pinker claims the decline in religion is the only influence on the world becoming a more compassionate and empathetic place, the point he makes is that the decline is evident, and moral values have gone up rather than down, so religion going away is no loss.

  Certainly a huge impetus to us humans behaving ourselves better is economic prosperity and the education that goes with that, Taliban and Totalitarian type regimes that keep the people poor and uneducated do not produce a tolerant and inclusive society.

  Belief in God can be a force for good, but it is not necessary, and often the person's God stops them from doing good to all, some people's God hates Gay people you know, some peoples god forbids abortion etc etc

  I don't know of anything that an Atheist holds to be true which would stop him/her doing altruistic work.
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  The Scotsman

  Hi slimboyfat.

  I am not from Helensburgh, though not that far from there - Glasgow area.

  It is going back a while but if I remember there was a thread on here about how we met our partners and I had mentioned that me and my wife walked along the front at Helensburgh (roughly October 1997) and it was a pivotal day.

  It was the first time we held hands.

  We were married within a year.
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  slimboyfat

  Hi Scotsman I remember your story now!

  It stuck with me too because my wife and me used to go to Helensburgh when we were winching (around 2002) but we did more than hold hands. In fact we were a bit naughty in a secluded part of Hermitage Park. Don't tell the elders.