Dear mr dawkins, church sign thoughts

[freethinker123]

Hi all, im new so be gentle.
Around 3 months ago the Baptist church of Victoria put banners up infront of their churches saying "Dear mr dawkins", it then goes on to question him on several subjects and "answer" some questions for him. One of these are just around ther corner from my place and being a proud athiest but not an overly active one i wonder if anyone has done anything about it.

By that i mean organise a debate or something of sorts. It may bring many baptists into a wiser, and more logical space even when most retain there beleifs.

Im a bit of a follower of Richard Dawkins, i think he is brilliant so when i see these signs and the ignorance i cant say it doesnt frustrate me a little! but then i realise im just getting a taste of my own medicine ha.

Has there been any kind of reaction from any athiest groups on this subject?

cheers,

Freethinker123

[AFA Admin]

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[Logic please]

Hi FT123, welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy the community.

I suspect that you're referring to *material* from www.DoubtingDawkins.com, which is being used by some churches?

We have an existing thread about it here, including a bit of background about the marketing group behind it.

Enjoy the read, and participating.

[crocoduck]

Originally Posted by freethinker123

Hi all, im new so be gentle.
Around 3 months ago the Baptist church of Victoria put banners up infront of their churches saying "Dear mr dawkins", it then goes on to question him on several subjects and "answer" some questions for him.
.....
Im a bit of a follower of Richard Dawkins, i think he is brilliant so when i see these signs and the ignorance i cant say it doesnt frustrate me a little! but then i realise im just getting a taste of my own medicine ha.

Has there been any kind of reaction from any athiest groups on this subject?

cheers,

Freethinker123

Hi FT123, a gentle and big welcome

I would have the same reaction to the signs as you. In my daydreams I would add "helpful" responses to the signs, before realising they are on private property.

[zerosupernatural]

Originally Posted by freethinker123

Hi all, im new so be gentle.
Around 3 months ago the Baptist church of Victoria put banners up infront of their churches saying "Dear mr dawkins", it then goes on to question him on several subjects and "answer" some questions for him. One of these are just around ther corner from my place

Have you got any pics of these banners?

[freethinker123]

Appreciate the feedback guys, i couldn't seem to upload the banner it but if you type "dear mr dawkins church sign" in images at google theres a few fairly clear images.

I have actually heard Dawkins say he dislikes or wont debate creationist so i do get it. I know EXACTLY what he means, i have a muslim friend who i regularly try to explain evolution to and just how impossible and crazy the creation stories really are but cant seem to grasp it whatsoever.
He plays the usual "fish to human haha" card even though he is a reletively intelligent guy, its very frustrating but muslims do have far for interesting but vague facts that are very hard to explain.
Indoctrination is without a doubt the hardest thing to overcome...

any way ive rambled enough, cheers for the link on the marketing group

[zerosupernatural]

While googling for a pic of the banners I came across the St Augustines Bigots of Neutral bay web site. I read the banner which was perturbing.
Reasoning that Stalin was a ruthless dictator because he was an Atheist is worse than mischievous. Anyway I scrolled to the bottom and noticed there is an option to leave a comment. And I thought....

How about we get a bunch of us to comment?
http://neutralbayanglican.org.au/?p=21319

[cjhimaa]

Ive had a look at the questions put forward for Richard Dawkins to answer, and thought, I can answer these questions so why would someone with Richard Dawkins' interlect even bother. Thats when it dawned on me, the questions weren't put up for anyone to answer. They were put up so the church goers could see and therefore think that the church was questioning Richard Dawkins, when the exact opposite was true.

[prudie]

1a. atheism is not the denial of a deity. It's the assertion that there is no evidence for the existence of one.
1b. I disagree with the premise that there is any evidence of a god so it seems a moot point to argue what some theoretical one would or would not be made of.
1c. God is a person???? Interesting statement. Can you define that better. I refer you back to 1b then because if you claim is actually a person then you will know what he is supposedly made of.
1d. If your deity ever reveals himself then science will consider that evidence. Until then he is no more a believable proposition than the easter bunny.
1e. Blind faith requires the suspension of reason. It therefore does have a negative impact on the progress of mankind. It is only in the last decade that the Catholic Chucrh has finally accepted that Gallilleo was correct and we live in a heliocentric galaxy. They wanted to subvert science and kill him for saying it.
2a. There is not one historical (contemporaneous) reference to Jeebus outside of the bible. The historical references within the bible are contradictory in parts and in others completely wrong. Show me what evidence you think you have.
2b. Reiterate, the bible is not consistent with other contemporaneous historians.
2c. There is no more evidence for Jesus than fairies. A blind assertive statement by you is not evidence.
2d. It's not about "like" or "dislike". It's about belief in an imaginary friend.
2e. Jesus sets people free to love? "If a man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also he cannot be my disciple" (Jesus in Luke 14:26)"
3a. The world has no "purpose" and religion is a power for negativity and division for mankind. I'm not understanding the point you are attempting here.
3b. Morality does not come from religion so I am unsure why you are surprised.
4a. Atheists are not at "war" with you. Why do you refer to "neutral territory". Atheists simply accept that there is no evidence for zeus, allah, the rainbow serpent, yahweh or any other deity you would care to call upon
4b. Atheism is not a "scientific" position. It is a logical position
4c. Remember when there was a christian theocracy - The Inquisition. Consider the theocracy's around the world today. Hardly an example you would want to hold up as examples.
4d. Who said that anyone is against free speech. You are free to say whatever you damn well please. I will think you are a moron but you are free to say it.
4e. Richard Dawkins is angry because like many non-christians, it is disturbing that people who believe in fairies feel it is perfectly acceptable to force that belief on other people.

[Life's Good]

I had to investigate a fire report at an address in the leafy suburbs of Sydney a few years ago. When I arrived, I found that the building was a church that had been razed to the ground, with only it's notice board left standing.

Would it have not been appropriate for me to put up a sign stating that the fire was an act of god?

Wicked, inappropriate and insensitive I admit, but I had to laugh at the irony. It is about as logical as any other sign I have seen.