richard_dawkins_-_the_god_delusion
THE R O O T S OF M O R A L I T Y : W H Y ARE WE G O O D ? 211Many religious people find it hard to imagine how, withoutreligion, one can be good, or would even want to be good. I shalldiscuss such questions in this chapter. But the doubts go further,and drive some religious people to paroxysms of hatred againstthose who don't share their faith. This is important, because moralconsiderations lie hidden behind religious attitudes to other topicsthat have no real link with morality. A great deal of the oppositionto the teaching of evolution has no connection with evolution itself,or with anything scientific, but is spurred on by moral outrage. Thisranges from the naive 'If you teach children that they evolved frommonkeys, then they will act like monkeys' to the more sophisticatedunderlying motivation for the whole 'wedge' strategy of 'intelligentdesign', as it is mercilessly laid bare by Barbara Forrest and PaulGross in Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of IntelligentDesign.I receive a large number of letters from readers of my books,*most of them enthusiastically friendly, some of them helpfully critical,a few nasty or even vicious. And the nastiest of all, I am sorryto report, are almost invariably motivated by religion. Suchunchristian abuse is commonly experienced by those who are perceivedas enemies of Christianity. Here, for example is a letter,posted on the Internet and addressed to Brian Flemming, authorand director of The God Who Wasn't There, S6 a sincere and movingfilm advocating atheism. Titled 'Burn while we laugh' and dated21 December 2005, the letter to Flemming reads as follows:You've definitely got some nerve. I'd love to take a knife,gut you fools, and scream with joy as your insides spill outin front of you. You are attempting to ignite a holy war inwhich some day I, and others like me, may have thepleasure of taking action like the above mentioned.The writer at this point seems to come to a belated recognition thathis language is not very Christian, for he goes on, more charitably:However, GOD teaches us not to seek vengeance, but topray for those like you all.* More than I can hope adequately to reply to, for which I apologize.
212 T H E G O D DE L U SIGNHis charity is short-lived, however:I'll get comfort in knowing that the punishment GOD willbring to you will be 1000 times worse than anything I caninflict. The best part is that you WILL suffer for eternityfor these sins that you're completely ignorant about. TheWrath of GOD will show no mercy. For your sake, I hopethe truth is revealed to you before the knife connects withyour flesh. Merry CHRISTMAS!!!PS You people really don't have a clue as to what is instore for you ... I thank GOD I'm not you.I find it genuinely puzzling that a mere difference of theologicalopinion can generate such venom. Here's a sample (original spellingpreserved) from the postbag of the Editor of the magazineFreethought Today, published by the Freedom from ReligionFoundation (FFRF), which campaigns peacefully against the underminingof the constitutional separation of church and state:Hello, cheese-eating scumbags. Their are way more of usChristians than you losers. Their is NO separation ofchurch and state and you heathens will lose . . .What is it with cheese? American friends have suggested to me aconnection with the notoriously liberal state of Wisconsin - homeof the FFRF and centre of the dairy industry - but surely there mustbe more to it than that? And how about those French 'cheese-eatingsurrender-monkeys'? What is the semiotic iconography of cheese?To continue:Satan worshiping scum . . . Please die and go to hell ... Ihope you get a painful disease like rectal cancer and die aslow painful death, so you can meet your God, SATAN. . . Hey dude this freedom from religion thing sux ... Soyou fags and dykes take it easy and watch where you gocuz whenever you least expect it god will get you ... Ifyou don't like this country and what it was founded on&C for, get the fuck out of it and go straight to hell . . .
- Page 158 and 159: WHY THERE ALMOST CERTAINLY IS NO GO
- Page 160 and 161: W H Y T H E R i ; A L M O S T C E R
- Page 162 and 163: T H E R O O T S OF R K 1. i G I ()
- Page 164 and 165: THE ROOTS OF RELIGION 165themselves
- Page 166 and 167: THE ROOTS ()1 ; R fc L I G I O N 16
- Page 168 and 169: T H 1-; R O O T S O F R E I 1 C 1 O
- Page 170 and 171: T H E R O O T S OF R E L I G I O N
- Page 172 and 173: T H I', R O () T S OF R K I. I G I
- Page 174 and 175: THL R O O T S OF R E L I G I O N 17
- Page 176 and 177: T H E R O O T S OF R I: I. I (i I O
- Page 178 and 179: T 11 E R O O T S O F R K L 1 (. 1 O
- Page 180 and 181: THE ROOTS OF RELIGION 181psychologi
- Page 182 and 183: THE R O O T S O F R E L I G I O N 1
- Page 184 and 185: THE R O O T S O F RELIGI O N 185boo
- Page 186 and 187: T H E ROOTS OF RELIGION 187Breakfas
- Page 188 and 189: T H E R O O T S O F R E L I G 1 0 N
- Page 190 and 191: T H E R O O T S O F R E L \ G I O N
- Page 192 and 193: T H E ROOTS OF RELIGION 193the prob
- Page 194 and 195: T H E R O O T S O F R E L I G I O N
- Page 196 and 197: T H E R O O T S OF RELIGION 197'mem
- Page 198 and 199: T HE ROOTS OF RELIGION 199ambiguity
- Page 200 and 201: T H E R O O T S OF R E L I G I O N
- Page 202 and 203: T H E ROOTS OF RELI G I O N 203They
- Page 204 and 205: T HE R O O T S O F R E L J G 1 O N
- Page 206 and 207: T H E R O O T S O F R E L 1 G I O N
- Page 210 and 211: T H E R O O T S OF M O R A L ! T Y
- Page 212 and 213: T H H R O O T S O F M O R A L I T Y
- Page 214 and 215: T H K R O O "I S O ! ; M O R A M T
- Page 216 and 217: T H F , R O O T S O F M O R A L I T
- Page 218 and 219: \ I i') K A I I M : \V 1 ! \ A i d
- Page 220 and 221: R (> O I S (i I Y1 O l< A I I I "I
- Page 222 and 223: R O t ' i l s O F M d l t A I I'I'V
- Page 224 and 225: K O O I S O! M O R A I . I H : «
- Page 226 and 227: K O O I S O I V! (> R A 1 1 T Y : W
- Page 228 and 229: 1K O O I \ < ) i VI O K A I . i l >
- Page 230 and 231: HO I s o r M (.> R A ! I ! Y : \\ I
- Page 232 and 233: O O K \ \ i> 'Mil Xi I'H ,\ j / J.
- Page 234 and 235: T H E ' G O O D ' B O O K A N D T H
- Page 236 and 237: H E ' G O O D " B O O K A N D T H E
- Page 238 and 239: THE ' G O O D ' B O O K AND T H E M
- Page 240 and 241: T H E ' G O O D ' B O () K A N D T
- Page 242 and 243: T H E ' G O I H ) ' B O O K AN l> T
- Page 244 and 245: T H E ' G O O D ' BO O K A N D T H
- Page 246 and 247: ' ! I K ' G O O 1) ' B O O K A N I"
- Page 248 and 249: T H E - G O O D ' B O O K A N D T H
- Page 250 and 251: T H i : ' G O O IV Si O O K A N D T
- Page 252 and 253: TII 1- ' G O O D ' B O O K A N D T
- Page 254 and 255: F i l l • ( . O O D ' B O O K A N
- Page 256 and 257: T H |{ • (. O O D ' B O O K A N D
212 T H E G O D DE L U SIGN
His charity is short-lived, however:
I'll get comfort in knowing that the punishment GOD will
bring to you will be 1000 times worse than anything I can
inflict. The best part is that you WILL suffer for eternity
for these sins that you're completely ignorant about. The
Wrath of GOD will show no mercy. For your sake, I hope
the truth is revealed to you before the knife connects with
your flesh. Merry CHRISTMAS!!!
PS You people really don't have a clue as to what is in
store for you ... I thank GOD I'm not you.
I find it genuinely puzzling that a mere difference of theological
opinion can generate such venom. Here's a sample (original spelling
preserved) from the postbag of the Editor of the magazine
Freethought Today, published by the Freedom from Religion
Foundation (FFRF), which campaigns peacefully against the undermining
of the constitutional separation of church and state:
Hello, cheese-eating scumbags. Their are way more of us
Christians than you losers. Their is NO separation of
church and state and you heathens will lose . . .
What is it with cheese? American friends have suggested to me a
connection with the notoriously liberal state of Wisconsin - home
of the FFRF and centre of the dairy industry - but surely there must
be more to it than that? And how about those French 'cheese-eating
surrender-monkeys'? What is the semiotic iconography of cheese?
To continue:
Satan worshiping scum . . . Please die and go to hell ... I
hope you get a painful disease like rectal cancer and die a
slow painful death, so you can meet your God, SATAN
. . . Hey dude this freedom from religion thing sux ... So
you fags and dykes take it easy and watch where you go
cuz whenever you least expect it god will get you ... If
you don't like this country and what it was founded on
&C for, get the fuck out of it and go straight to hell . . .
Change language