Committed to their beliefs, one a staunch Atheist, the other a staunch Catholic, ABC Network's QandA, hosted by Tony Jones, delivered some entertaining discussion on all things faith on their most recent show (Monday 9th April, 2012).
Richard Dawkins holds his atheist card high, while Cardinal George Pell is unmoveable on his Christian beliefs. It's a verbal battle that sees no winners. In a one hour program, Dawkins or Pell cannot particularly shake the other from their deeply held views, but it is entertaining nonetheless.
The questions and answers are somewhat predictable though. Cardinal George Pell's views on gay marriage, and the Catholic's stance of being negatively disposed towards it. Richard Dawkin's whinge about how ridiculous Christians are to believe in an intelligent being that created the Universe. Pell's passion for communion and confession and Dawkin's evolutionary bandwagon.
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Book Review on Richard Dawkins here: The God Delusion
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It's like a recipe for scones, where you know you must add flour and milk, but you just don't know how much you are going to add, and what it will all turn out like in the end.
Cardinal George Pell in clap-worthy fashion at one point says to Richard Dawkins that he'd rather believe in what Jesus has to say, than him. Can't remember what in particular, but that's not the point. All Tony Jones can do is slump back in the chair and just grin.
The QandA debate stretches my mind, and challenges me to consider the answers to the tough questions in life. Now, at this point, many crack a joke about Atheism and Christianity. I tell you, I think that's done, because confronting questions like, 'How were we created?' 'What is the meaning of life?' 'Where does morality come from?' are difficult to answer! We'd rather brush it under the carpet, and hope it goes away, that way we don't have to confront the reality of the nature of the question.
I am not a postmodernist who claims we cannot really find truth, as everything is relative. I don't think truth is that easy to push to the side. I think we can find the truth to many of these questions, and many people over the years have become peaceful in themselves on the truth they have discovered.
As a Christian, I believe IN Christ there is truth. A vague statement to many, no doubt, but one that holds true for me. The answers to the deep questions of purpose and meaning, seem to find such amazing clarity to me, as I discover more about the point of my life in Jesus. A journey I am still on, and one I will continue to travel.
Let's be challeged to not just do the cultural thing that merely 'laughs off' all the tough questions, but begin to engage them, and seek out the truth.
All the best on the journey of life...
Richard Dawkins holds his atheist card high, while Cardinal George Pell is unmoveable on his Christian beliefs. It's a verbal battle that sees no winners. In a one hour program, Dawkins or Pell cannot particularly shake the other from their deeply held views, but it is entertaining nonetheless.
The questions and answers are somewhat predictable though. Cardinal George Pell's views on gay marriage, and the Catholic's stance of being negatively disposed towards it. Richard Dawkin's whinge about how ridiculous Christians are to believe in an intelligent being that created the Universe. Pell's passion for communion and confession and Dawkin's evolutionary bandwagon.
______________________________________
Book Review on Richard Dawkins here: The God Delusion
______________________________________
It's like a recipe for scones, where you know you must add flour and milk, but you just don't know how much you are going to add, and what it will all turn out like in the end.
Cardinal George Pell in clap-worthy fashion at one point says to Richard Dawkins that he'd rather believe in what Jesus has to say, than him. Can't remember what in particular, but that's not the point. All Tony Jones can do is slump back in the chair and just grin.
The QandA debate stretches my mind, and challenges me to consider the answers to the tough questions in life. Now, at this point, many crack a joke about Atheism and Christianity. I tell you, I think that's done, because confronting questions like, 'How were we created?' 'What is the meaning of life?' 'Where does morality come from?' are difficult to answer! We'd rather brush it under the carpet, and hope it goes away, that way we don't have to confront the reality of the nature of the question.
I am not a postmodernist who claims we cannot really find truth, as everything is relative. I don't think truth is that easy to push to the side. I think we can find the truth to many of these questions, and many people over the years have become peaceful in themselves on the truth they have discovered.
As a Christian, I believe IN Christ there is truth. A vague statement to many, no doubt, but one that holds true for me. The answers to the deep questions of purpose and meaning, seem to find such amazing clarity to me, as I discover more about the point of my life in Jesus. A journey I am still on, and one I will continue to travel.
Let's be challeged to not just do the cultural thing that merely 'laughs off' all the tough questions, but begin to engage them, and seek out the truth.
All the best on the journey of life...
I would recommend reading "Modern Physics and Ancient Faith"
ReplyDeleteby Stephen m Barr
http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Physics-Ancient-Faith-Stephen/dp/0268034710
or "There Is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind"
http://www.amazon.com/There-Is-God-Notorious-Atheist/dp/0061335304/ref=pd_sim_b_3
As a catholic I was a little embarassed by some of Pells comments.
There are any number of American apologists that would be able to tear down Dawkins arguments much more convincingly. These are people that Dawkins refuses to debate with.
Thanks for the links Kev.
DeleteHow embarrassed are you by Pell now it's clear he's covering up for MORE child abuse?
ReplyDeleteAt one point Pell said that Jesus and his people were stupid!
Tony Jones did the most rubbish, biased job as chair I've ever seen! Richard Dawkins was the only one making sense and he hadn't slept in 24 hours! He'd literally stepped off the plane.
I'm usually happy about the give and take on Q&A, though I think they ask stupid questions to the wrong people a lot. It was comforting to see however, that the majority of viewers agreed with Richard Dawkins, even though the audience was clearly stacked with the pro-religious types. I was appalled by this program.
How interesting that my reply was not deemed suitable. Your blog seems as one sided as that audience. Hope you don't plan to become a serious journalist then.
ReplyDeleteTry reading "An Intelligent Person's Guide to Religion" by John Haldane, Professor of Philosophy at the University of St. Andrew and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the Royal Socirty of Arts.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the thesis of the book?
Delete