Friday, December 14, 2007

Richard Dawkins: Presbyterian.

The truth is out. Richard Dawkins, popularizer of the current petty-minded lumpen-intelligentsia's public identity flag, "atheism," has refined his pose to show his contempt yet further for all things 'all-things.' Yes, Dawkins has proclaimed himself to be a Presbyterian, an intellectual marketplace Christian in the department store bargain basement of ideas. How totally cool, dude.

This BBC report exposes the whole shocking Truth!

Yes, dear reader, you might have thought Dawkins would try to raise his cache this holiday season by proclaiming himself an Anglican, but honestly, he has more depth than that. Being too sophisticated to claim he's a same/same only different, Dawkins has struck out into new and unexplored intellectual territory to wow the kiddie masses. No, he's gone way beyond the pallid Anglican confession, beyond claiming identity as an Anglican Atheist, as a redundancy repetition repeated: Dawkins is a Presbyterian. So you dedicated followers of fashion, toss off last season's glad rags and don the new Dawkins's cloak of intellectual invisibility. Everybody's doing it. Don't be left behind. For gawd's sake, don't stand out in the crowd. Presyterians. The newest in New.

"Dawkins: I'm a cultural Christian"

Scientist Richard Dawkins, an atheist known worldwide for arguing against the existence of God, has described himself as a "cultural Christian".

He told the BBC's Have Your Say that he did not want to "purge" the UK of its Christian heritage.

The comments came after Tory MP Mark Pritchard accused "politically correct" people of undermining Christmas.

Professor Dawkins, author of the God Delusion, added that he liked "singing Carols along with everybody else".
[Dawkins in blue, seated center, caroling, Xmas, 2006.]

On Have Your Say, Mr Pritchard told Prof Dawkins there was an "increasing feeling" that "many of the main Christian festivals are being sidelined and marginalised, sometimes by stealth, sometimes openly".

This, he argued, would allow groups such as the British National Party, to utilise Christian imagery for their own ends.

'Singing carols'

Prof Dawkins, who has frequently spoken out against creationism and religious fundamentalism, replied: "I'm not one of those who wants to stop Christian traditions.

"This is historically a Christian country. I'm a cultural Christian in the same way many of my friends call themselves cultural Jews or cultural Muslims.

"So, yes, I like singing carols along with everybody else. I'm not one of those who wants to purge our society of our Christian history.

"If there's any threat these sorts of things, I think you will find it comes from rival religions and not from atheists."

[....]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7136682.stm Published: 2007/12/10
****

Yes, dear reader, you might be thinking at this point, "Dawkins has an opinion? So what?"

Uh.... Well, to keep this going a bit rather than just concede the point let's think of the benefits of being a Presbyterian. One can still be an atheist as a Presbyterian but the advantage over the old Dawkins' position is that one can now continue to receive presents in good faith on the 25th. What say? And, most importantly, one can sing carols! Jolly, what? The best of both supposed worlds: One eats too much, gets dreadful ties and argyle socks, and one is also smirkingly "One of the people." Ho, Ho, Ho, and all that rot.

It's my sincere hope that all our Muslim cousins will take a page from the Dawkins rite and they too will become Muslim in the way Dawkins is Christian. Yes, let's called it Reformed Islam. Works for me. I look forward to the very first mainstream trans-sexual imam in Boston working it out with a gang of hippie anarcho-communist vegans. Bound to happen soon.

We wish Richard Dawkins much luck in his latest career, though we must admit he was much funnier as a young man, as wikipedia points out:

Richard Dawson (born November 20, 1932) is a British-born American actor, comedian, game show panelist and host, and scientist. He is best known for his role as Bob Crane's British non-commissioned officer, Corporal Peter Newkirk, on the World War II situation comedy Hogan's Heroes, and as the original host of the Family Feud game show from 1976–1985 on ABC and in syndication, and again from 1994 to 1995, replacing Ray Combs. Dawson also appeared as a panelist on the 1970s version of Match Game on CBS, from 1973–1978. He is also more recently known as a famous scientist who writes long books. Hurrah.

5 comments:

Dag said...

WHAT! Are you making some kind of joke? Is it true that you really think the famous t.v. actor isn't the equally famous author? I suggest, sir or madam, that you jest.

truepeers said...

Liberians!

Dag said...

It is they from whom I receive so many free books, one of which was on the president of the Liberia itself and a man who is also a famous Canadian philosopher, the inimitable Charles Taylor. I missed a lot of reading while the liberians were on strike here last fall, but I do hope to catch up soon so I too know stuff.

Well, obviously I do know stuff, but I mean more stuff like I already know. That's why I don't want to see Charles Taylor tried for war crimes. Better that he stay here in Canada and give away books.

Anonymous said...

No.. I am not joking... Richard Dawson (note the spelling and check out photos online to compare)is not Richard Dawkins the atheist!!! Again, look at pictures of Dawkins.. He is much younger (he is 66) and looks nothing like Dawson (who is 75)... Peace...D

Dag said...

I'm not so sure about this. I think you're up to something with all these tricky sleights of hand about the spelling and so on. And what about the photograph of him and the other scientists signing Christmas carols?

Ha, got you there, don't I?