“I’m a cultural Christian”, says Richard Dawkins

[Anonymous]

You guys all miss the point (maybe because you want to, I gather).

Dawkins is saying that he is ALSO a cultural Christian, just like the vast majority of people that belong to one but don't literally believe the supernatural BS.

Jews have understood this for years. Centuries even.

Saying what religion you belong to is very different than saying what you actually believe to be true.

Hope you understand now.



ps he also throws Islam under the bus for good measure. How does that strike you "Atheists only attack Christians!" people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You guys all miss the point (maybe because you want to, I gather).

Dawkins is saying that he is ALSO a cultural Christian, just like the vast majority of people that belong to one but don't literally believe the supernatural BS.

Jews have understood this for years. Centuries even.

Saying what religion you belong to is very different than saying what you actually believe to be true.

Hope you understand now.



ps he also throws Islam under the bus for good measure. How does that strike you "Atheists only attack Christians!" people?

Sweetie, there’s no “you guys” because even the Christians here say they disagree with OP about Dawkins’ imminent conversion.

Either you had trouble reading the posts or, more likely, you just seized on another thread to hurl abuse and curses and show us how immature some atheists are.

[Anonymous]

You don't get it. I'm a research scientist and I'm culturally Christian. It means having grown up in a Christian country, celebrating the major Holidays, reading the Bible at some point, maybe attending Church or a private religious school as a child, or having pious relatives who have perhaps made a positive impression on you, and generally being steeped in the external trappings of your community's religious practices.

It does not mean BELIEVING in God.

But it means that when you hear the bells ring, or step into an old church, or hear the choir, you feel a strong sense of belonging. You are primed to find solace in that form of spiritual practice, and not any other.

It's akin to nostalgia, and it makes sense that older people would feel that pull more, after the drama of a life well-lived.

I bet that the immense majority of people in the world are CULTURALLY affiliated with their religion, but don't actually think deeply about whether they truly believe or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You don't get it. I'm a research scientist and I'm culturally Christian. It means having grown up in a Christian country, celebrating the major Holidays, reading the Bible at some point, maybe attending Church or a private religious school as a child, or having pious relatives who have perhaps made a positive impression on you, and generally being steeped in the external trappings of your community's religious practices.

It does not mean BELIEVING in God.

But it means that when you hear the bells ring, or step into an old church, or hear the choir, you feel a strong sense of belonging. You are primed to find solace in that form of spiritual practice, and not any other.

It's akin to nostalgia, and it makes sense that older people would feel that pull more, after the drama of a life well-lived.

I bet that the immense majority of people in the world are CULTURALLY affiliated with their religion, but don't actually think deeply about whether they truly believe or not.

+1M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You don't get it. I'm a research scientist and I'm culturally Christian. It means having grown up in a Christian country, celebrating the major Holidays, reading the Bible at some point, maybe attending Church or a private religious school as a child, or having pious relatives who have perhaps made a positive impression on you, and generally being steeped in the external trappings of your community's religious practices.

It does not mean BELIEVING in God.

But it means that when you hear the bells ring, or step into an old church, or hear the choir, you feel a strong sense of belonging. You are primed to find solace in that form of spiritual practice, and not any other.

It's akin to nostalgia, and it makes sense that older people would feel that pull more, after the drama of a life well-lived.

I bet that the immense majority of people in the world are CULTURALLY affiliated with their religion, but don't actually think deeply about whether they truly believe or not.

Your feelings are not facts. As a research scientist, can you provide a cite?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You don't get it. I'm a research scientist and I'm culturally Christian. It means having grown up in a Christian country, celebrating the major Holidays, reading the Bible at some point, maybe attending Church or a private religious school as a child, or having pious relatives who have perhaps made a positive impression on you, and generally being steeped in the external trappings of your community's religious practices.

It does not mean BELIEVING in God.

But it means that when you hear the bells ring, or step into an old church, or hear the choir, you feel a strong sense of belonging. You are primed to find solace in that form of spiritual practice, and not any other.

It's akin to nostalgia, and it makes sense that older people would feel that pull more, after the drama of a life well-lived.

I bet that the immense majority of people in the world are CULTURALLY affiliated with their religion, but don't actually think deeply about whether they truly believe or not.

Your feelings are not facts. As a research scientist, can you provide a cite?

DP. Do you not understand what PP meant when he started the sentence with "I bet"?

Now if you want to talk about facts and evidence, you will certainly find enthusiastic takers.

Do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You don't get it. I'm a research scientist and I'm culturally Christian. It means having grown up in a Christian country, celebrating the major Holidays, reading the Bible at some point, maybe attending Church or a private religious school as a child, or having pious relatives who have perhaps made a positive impression on you, and generally being steeped in the external trappings of your community's religious practices.

It does not mean BELIEVING in God.

But it means that when you hear the bells ring, or step into an old church, or hear the choir, you feel a strong sense of belonging. You are primed to find solace in that form of spiritual practice, and not any other.

It's akin to nostalgia, and it makes sense that older people would feel that pull more, after the drama of a life well-lived.

I bet that the immense majority of people in the world are CULTURALLY affiliated with their religion, but don't actually think deeply about whether they truly believe or not.

Your feelings are not facts. As a research scientist, can you provide a cite?

DP. Do you not understand what PP meant when he started the sentence with "I bet"?

Now if you want to talk about facts and evidence, you will certainly find enthusiastic takers.

Do you?

You don't understand that the post was agreeing with you, because "I bet" doesn't introduce facts.

Sure. Show us facts instead of continuing to blather on about it. You see atheists here posting all the time that "even the people who go to church just do it for the community." (As if we didn't all have tons of other community things to do on a Sunday morning, like kids' travel soccer or my nature walk group, and some of this obligatory.)

Your silly implied threat notwithstanding, I'm fine with whatever the results show.

It's time you guys backed this up with some quantitative findings. And no, not the usual stuff from Pew you always trot out, about the decline in attendance. In case you need this spelled out: you were talking about the motivations of people who DO attend, and that's what you need to provide stats on.

But do us a favor, start a new thread instead of continuing to derail this one.

[Anonymous]

Richard Dawkins is British. Britain has been culturally Christian (Anglican) for centuries. Like the US before the crazy Revivals.

[Anonymous]

This is what Dawkins is talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You don't get it. I'm a research scientist and I'm culturally Christian. It means having grown up in a Christian country, celebrating the major Holidays, reading the Bible at some point, maybe attending Church or a private religious school as a child, or having pious relatives who have perhaps made a positive impression on you, and generally being steeped in the external trappings of your community's religious practices.

It does not mean BELIEVING in God.

But it means that when you hear the bells ring, or step into an old church, or hear the choir, you feel a strong sense of belonging. You are primed to find solace in that form of spiritual practice, and not any other.

It's akin to nostalgia, and it makes sense that older people would feel that pull more, after the drama of a life well-lived.

I bet that the immense majority of people in the world are CULTURALLY affiliated with their religion, but don't actually think deeply about whether they truly believe or not.

Your feelings are not facts. As a research scientist, can you provide a cite?

DP. Do you not understand what PP meant when he started the sentence with "I bet"?

Now if you want to talk about facts and evidence, you will certainly find enthusiastic takers.

Do you?

You don't understand that the post was agreeing with you, because "I bet" doesn't introduce facts.

Then why did you demand facts? Nonsense.

Sure. Show us facts instead of continuing to blather on about it. You see atheists here posting all the time that "even the people who go to church just do it for the community." (As if we didn't all have tons of other community things to do on a Sunday morning, like kids' travel soccer or my nature walk group, and some of this obligatory.)

Again he just said it as an opinion.

Your silly implied threat notwithstanding, I'm fine with whatever the results show.

What, that you can't show any facts for what YOU believe? Not a threat. That's a fact.

It's time you guys backed this up with some quantitative findings. And no, not the usual stuff from Pew you always trot out, about the decline in attendance. In case you need this spelled out: you were talking about the motivations of people who DO attend, and that's what you need to provide stats on.

For the 10th time it's an opinion.

But do us a favor, start a new thread instead of continuing to derail this one.

Are you fricking serious? These posts are 100% germane to what Dawkins said, and the very title of the thread. THEY. COULD. NOT. BE. MORE. ON TOPIC.

Yet again you demand people leave your echo chamber. Why? Can't you handle differing opinions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Richard Dawkins is British. Britain has been culturally Christian (Anglican) for centuries. Like the US before the crazy Revivals.

What do you mean by revivals? Genuine question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richard Dawkins is British. Britain has been culturally Christian (Anglican) for centuries. Like the US before the crazy Revivals.

What do you mean by revivals? Genuine question.

DP, but referring to the emphasis on personal, emotional experience in the First, but especially Second Great Awakenings. Revivalism (tent meetings, manipulative emotional preaching, traveling shows, etc.) expanded faster than well-trained ministers could be supplied, so outpaced historical Christianity in much of America west of the Appalachians. Revivalism is being recognized more and more as a damaging and unhistorical practice even within rather traditional Christianity. And to be fair, there were cool heads speaking out against its populist "bread and circuses" appeal even at the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How weak must your conception of faith be if you think his saying “yeah, I kind of like Christmas carols” means “he’s almost accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior!”?

"Do not despise the day of small things," as scripture says. Every Christian has been saved from a cosmically rebellious, miserable state. Dawkins would be no different if he converts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richard Dawkins is British. Britain has been culturally Christian (Anglican) for centuries. Like the US before the crazy Revivals.

What do you mean by revivals? Genuine question.

DP, but referring to the emphasis on personal, emotional experience in the First, but especially Second Great Awakenings. Revivalism (tent meetings, manipulative emotional preaching, traveling shows, etc.) expanded faster than well-trained ministers could be supplied, so outpaced historical Christianity in much of America west of the Appalachians. Revivalism is being recognized more and more as a damaging and unhistorical practice even within rather traditional Christianity. And to be fair, there were cool heads speaking out against its populist "bread and circuses" appeal even at the time.

True. Sinclair Lewis satirized this very thing in Elmer Gantry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How weak must your conception of faith be if you think his saying “yeah, I kind of like Christmas carols” means “he’s almost accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior!”?

"Do not despise the day of small things," as scripture says. Every Christian has been saved from a cosmically rebellious, miserable state. Dawkins would be no different if he converts.

Which God created in the first place. Does that make sense to you?