Richard Dawkins backs plans for a bible in every school - Polidicks

[B]Leading atheist Richard Dawkins says he supports the plan to put a Bible in every English school. [/B]The privately funded distribution of King James Bibles began this month to mark its 400th anniversary. Prof Dawkins, writing in the Observer, said: "[B]It is not a moral book and young people need to learn that important fact because they are very frequently told the opposite[/B]". Critics have said[B] it is unlikely that schools do not already have a Bible[/B]. Education Secretary Michael Gove supported the plan, saying the text had had "an immense influence" on the English-speaking world. He said pupils should learn about its role in the nation's history, language, literacy and culture. [B] Prof Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, said: "A native speaker of English who has never read a word of the King James Bible is verging on the barbarian." [/B]"People who do not know the Bible well have been gulled into thinking it is a good guide to morality." He added: "I have even heard the cynically misanthropic opinion that, [B]without the Bible as a moral compass, people would have no restraint against murder, theft and mayhem. [/B]"The surest way to disabuse yourself of this pernicious falsehood is to read the Bible itself." [B] Although he questioned whether any child would actually read it[/B], he said: "Whatever else the Bible might be - and it really is a great work of literature - it is not a moral book and young people need to learn that important fact because they are very frequently told the opposite. "He added: "[B]Not a bad way to find out what's in a book is to read it, so I say go to it. But does anybody, even Gove, seriously think they will?[/B]" In the same way that Mr Gove wanted pupils to learn about its wide influence, Prof Dawkins emphasised the Bible's contribution to literature "The whole King James Bible is littered with literary allusions, almost as many as Shakespeare (to quote that distinguished authority Anon, the trouble with Hamlet is it's so full of cliches)." Among the examples he used to illustrate his point were: the salt of the earth; go the extra mile; I wash my hands of it; filthy lucre; through a glass darkly; wolf in sheep's clothing; hide your light under a bushel; and no peace for the wicked. The Bible distribution costs of £370,000 are being funded by charities and philanthropists. [URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18224114[/URL]

Big mistake. I'm sure everyone will just LOVE more useless things to read on top of their duties.

I wish Wikipedia had a plot summary for the Bible, shit would be so much easier

I don't see a problem is if they teach it like its a book. It's impossible to ignore the profound affect that one thing has had on our lives. I plan on taking Biblical literature for that reason.

I like it when people are able to look past their opinions and see things for their base concepts. In this case, looking past atheism and being able to see the Bible as a book that has influenced literary traditions and English as a whole.

[quote]Although he questioned whether any child would actually read it,[/quote] i think they would the bible's full of [B]MURDER[/B]

Can't wait for fundies and generally religious ignoramuses to not get past the first line and already get their knickers in a twist: "Your precious Dawkins has forsaken you, atheists! God has made him see the light!"

[QUOTE=smurfy;36101620]I wish Wikipedia had a plot summary for the Bible, shit would be so much easier[/QUOTE] "God is some kind of hypersperg and commits mass murder." That's pretty much it.

[QUOTE=Jad Hinto;36101640]I don't see a problem is if they teach it like its a book. It's impossible to ignore the profound affect that one thing has had on our lives. I plan on taking Biblical literature for that reason.[/QUOTE] I find that it can be replaced by more simple ways to get the same effect. I never needed anything like that to learn the basic rules given by the 10 commandments. But thats just my own opinion so take it like a grain of salt.

I wish i read the bible like later in life and knew nothing about christianity. That way i would read it and go like, "wait, people actually believe this shit is real?"

[QUOTE=codemaster85;36101883]I wish i read the bible like later in life and knew nothing about christianity. That way i would read it and go like, "wait, people actually believe this shit is real?"[/QUOTE] There has got to be a study or an experiment where people are asked to read excerpts from the bible without them knowing it's from the bible. or something. actually sounds pretty basic so whatever

Regardless of your opinion on religion, the bible is a very important and influential piece of literature, and I see no reason why people shouldn't be allowed to study it like they would any other major literary work.

[QUOTE=dass;36101839]I find that it can be replaced by more simple ways to get the same effect. I never needed anything like that to learn the basic rules given by the 10 commandments. But thats just my own opinion so take it like a grain of salt.[/QUOTE] It's not so that kids can learn about morality. It's the profound effect it had on English language and culture that's worth looking into. Also, the best way to shake people's faith is to actually make them read the Bible.

[QUOTE=Bean Shoot;36101929]It's not so that kids can learn about morality. It's the profound effect it had on English language and culture that's worth looking into. Also, the best way to shake people's faith is to actually make them read the Bible.[/QUOTE]Reminds me of the study that says on average most atheists know more about the Bible.

The best way to make somebody become atheist is to make them read their religious text. Damn Ninjas

[QUOTE=PrusseluskenV2;36101645]Homosexuals are horrible, incest is cool and Jesus was allergic to seafood.[/QUOTE] Don't forget that it says that men are allowed to rape women and make them their wives/property. I can't wait until Christians get all pissed off when kids/teens start questioning things in the bible that don't make sense and they claim that the kids have been brainwashed.

I know this is not completely relevant to this this thread, but I don't believe the Bible was ever intended to be taken 100% literally in the first place. The men who wrote the Bible way back were probably some of the most intelligent and knowledgeable people of their time. Imo the Bible is just a collection of allegories

[QUOTE=RobbL;36102244]I know this is not completely relevant to this this thread, but I don't believe the Bible was ever intended to be taken 100% literally in the first place. The men who wrote the Bible way back were probably some of the most intelligent and knowledgeable people of their time. Imo the Bible is just a collection of allegories[/QUOTE] Yes, I'm sure it means that we should stone the homosexuals only in the figurative sense.

Am I the only one who want's Richard Dawkins to become a born again anti evolution Christian just to troll us all?

Your precious Dawkins has forsaken you, atheists! God has made him see the light! Also, has anyone see the Dawkins VS Wendy Wright interview? Wendy is dumb as all hell [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFjoEgYOgRo[/url] Seriously, I don't know how Dawkins doesn't beat her to half death.

[QUOTE=Kingy_ME;36102285]Am I the only one who want's Richard Dawkins to become a born again anti evolution Christian just to troll us all?[/QUOTE] Yes

dawkins implies that the bible is the greatest storybook in history, just taken completely out of context

Fuck yeah, found a plot summary [url]http://www.ambs.edu/LJohns/BibleStory.htm[/url]

[QUOTE=matt.ant;36101581] Prof Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, said: "A native speaker of English who has never read a word of the King James Bible is verging on the barbarian."[/QUOTE] Holy shit, I'm on the verge of being a barbarian holy god damn I have to hit the gym and get a battleaxe thank you Richard Dawkins I now know my true calling

[QUOTE=Mister Sandman;36102363]Holy shit, I'm on the verge of being a barbarian holy god damn I have to hit the gym and get a battleaxe thank you Richard Dawkins I now know my true calling[/QUOTE] How have you never read anything from the bible?

[QUOTE=Bobie;36102329]dawkins implies that the bible is the greatest storybook in history, just taken completely out of context[/QUOTE] Meanwhile he explicitly states that main reason it should be taught in schools is to tell children that it is a fucking terrible moral compass. Because it is.

One of the best summaries of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bar3GOzDNzg[/media]

The KJV Bible really is fantastic to read though. Really fucking neat. Especially shit like Proverbs.

[QUOTE=Mingebox;36102280]Yes, I'm sure it means that we should stone the homosexuals only in the figurative sense.[/QUOTE] Most of the people who wrote the Bible probably only went as far as literally believing in a god, and since this was back before medieval times obviously some of them held medieval views, and would have projected them onto their idea of God

[QUOTE=Echidna666;36102380]How have you never read anything from the bible?[/QUOTE] My Dad isn't religious, my mom isn't very religious (I don't really know her stance), we never owned a Bible, I was never seriously pressured from anyone to be Christian or believe in God, and I don't honestly feel any want to. Basically I was as likely to read the Bible growing up as I was the Quran or any other religious text, and I still am. I mean yeah, I've heard quotes and shit but I've never gotten myself a Bible and read that shit up.