[MD] Dawkins a Materialist (is watching?)

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Arlo previously]
Spare me last year's rhetorical fear tactics and answer the question. Is it
better for religion to dominate society than Intellect?

[Platt]
Like I suggest, it depends on the religion and the intellect. I don't want a
politburo running society, do you? If not, why not?

[Arlo]
I no more want a "politburo" running society than a "Taliban". But if I had to
choose... I'd go with intellect. In the meantime, here in the real world, I
think modern, western governments are largely "intellectual", except when the
pander to or are coerced by religious extremists (e.g., the Christian
Coalition). What we should be doing is moving law and governance more into the
realm of reason, and away from fairytales. Instead we are pandering to the
fairytale crowd and saying that because the Judeo-Christian "God" said
something, that's a good basis for it to be a law. Riiight.

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of
government! Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not
from some... farcical aquatic ceremony! ... You can't expect to wield supreme
executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you! ...  I mean,
if I went 'round, saying I was an emperor, just because some moistened bink had
lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!" (From Monty Python)