Richard Dawkins on CBC Tapestry

nospam@example.com (CDK) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:43:54 -0400

CDK

I've always enjoyed listening to CBC Tapestry and this afternoon's broadcast of the interview with Richard Dawkins is no exception.

Professor Dawkins said in the interview:

There is no compassion in nature and it can be extremely cruel.

Yes, of course. Survival of the fittest. And yet, throughout human history, there have been countless examples of mankind's compassion for one another, and compassion has survived all this time. So either the notion of "survival of the fittest" is wrong, or compassion is not a sign of weakness.

On his comments about the giraffe's vagus nerve disproving the theory of intelligent design, for which I found The Telegraph's article describing the experiment here, I wonder if anyone has ever attempted an operation to reconnect the giraffe's vagus nerve directly, bypassing the lengthy path down the long neck, down to the heart and up. I don't know anything about biology, but from my experience as a computer software designer, when smart developers try to reinvent what they consider to be a "bad design", it quite often leads to disastrous consequences.

Towards the end, he said:

(43:00) I don't think that there is a god of any kind, but if I were looking for any kind of god, it would be something far beyond the reach of the human imagination.

Spot on, Professor Dawkins! Thus enters revelation. I think Richard Dawkins' interactions with the Church of England might have done him some good.

Yes, belief in God has given birth to some "bad apples" throughout human history. But that's no reason to reject God. Richard Dawkins may feel satisfying in his knowledge of evolution and natural selection (without God's causal influence), but personally I can't find much satisfaction in the belief that I am merely a fluke of nature and my existence is ultimately meaningless beyond this life time.

On the other hand, I find somewhat of an endearing quality in these atheists, in that if by mere chance they manage to do some good--that is, a good that is pleasing to God--it's not for fear of the afterlife that they do it. "Because whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:24)" It is better for one to reject God in the open, and in his heart does the will of God, than to say that one believes in God and yet does not keep His commandments. Perhaps in a sense, Richard Dawkins is a better servant of God than me, and for that reason I will continue to watch "fleas" like him with interest. Yes, Professor Dawkins calls the others "fleas" for capitalizing on his work, but I see him as also fitting into this category of "fleas" for capitalizing on God.

Listen to the full interview, originally here:

The Way of the Fathers

nospam@example.com (CDK) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 11:47:14 -0500

CDK

Thanks for the pointer, Mike Liccione!
Not!

You’re St. Jerome!

You’re a passionate Christian, fiercely devoted to Jesus Christ and his Church. You are willing to labor long hours in the Lord’s vineyard, and you have little patience with those who are less willing or able to work as you do. Your passions often carry you into temptation zones of wrath, lust, and pride.

Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!

I would have thought St. Augustine would be a more appropriate fit.
Now, I have to find out who the ~~hell~~ heavens St. Jerome is.
Thanks alot!

Thanh Hai Tran's Web Log in Vietnamese ... with some English here and there. - English

Richard Dawkins on CBC Tapestry

The Way of the Fathers