[MD] Dawkins a Materialist (is watching?)

[pholden at davtv.com]

Quoting ARLO J BENSINGER JR <ajb102 at psu.edu>:


> [Arlo]
> I no more want a "politburo" running society than a "Taliban". But if I had to
> choose... I'd go with intellect.

You prefer a politburo over the Founding Fathers Christian heritage? If figures.

> 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.

Fairy tales to you, revelation and enlightenment to others. As for pandering to
Christian ethics, no one here -- after several attempts -- has responded with
a foundation for social ethics that differs significantly from that passed down
from generation to generation since the writing of the Old Testament. 

> "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)

Is Monty Python your source of serious philosophy?




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