Blah Blah Flowers

Richard Dawkins to write book to prove that atheists can miss the point almost as badly as the religiousi.

The prominent atheist is stepping down from his post at Oxford University to write a book aimed at youngsters in which he will warn them against believing in "anti-scientific" fairytales.

Prof Hawkins (SIC) said: "The book I write next year will be a children's book on how to think about the world, science thinking contrasted with mythical thinking.

"I haven't read Harry Potter, I have read Pullman who is the other leading children's author that one might mention and I love his books. I don't know what to think about magic and fairy tales."

Prof Dawkins said he wanted to look at the effects of "bringing children up to believe in spells and wizards".

"I think it is anti-scientific – whether that has a pernicious effect, I don't know," he added.

I said 'almost' because at least he's not suggesting we ban the books or burn them, but otherwise this is the same objection that the Fundies make, albeit they have their wiggle room in that when one of their side does magic it's called a miracle and so therefore it's okay. But how come the His Dark Materials series, with their magic, dimension crossing, harrowing of hell and absolving god of responsibility for the shitness of creation gets a pass? Don't misunderstand me, it's a great series but is Dawkins suggesting that it's miracles are okay because it's been embraced as an Atheistic text? I've had no luck trying to find the press statement this report is created from on Dawkins website so the Telegraph's use of a Harry Potter photo seems to be irrelevant as Dawkins says he hasn't read them.

Labels: atheism, Philip Pullman, Richard Dawkins

We may not get the film sequels to The Golden Compass. This is, apparently, because of nasty Christian fundamentalists and not that the first film wasn't very good.

What? Me defending the Christians? These really must be the End Times...

Still, it's a shame if these films don't get made. Seeing as the third book has two under-age protagonists recapitulate the Fall From Grace of Adam and Eve only with more sex, if that got made it might have made a gratifying number of heads explode like an all-night Scanners broadcast.

Labels: Fundamentalists- Christian, movies, Philip Pullman

So Iorek and Aslan are standing at the bus-stop...

Labels: atheism, cartoons, Christianity, humour, Narnia, Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman would write for Doctor Who if he was asked, but it appears he hasn't been. So would Anthony Horowitz. Didn't he write for Robin Dur Dum Dum Dum! The Hooded Man back in the day, or am I getting my children's authors mixed up?

Labels: Doctor Who, Philip Pullman, Television

The Catholic League call for a boycott of the His Dark Materials movies. That's nice, a good boycott always helps drum up extra publicity for a movie. The C.L. are mostly honest, claiming the film is an attack on Catholicism rather than Christianity, though they use author Philip Pullman's atheism as a reason for the boycott to be observed by more than just Catholics. Having read the books I must say Pullman's premise ends up being almost Gnostic, the real God is held prisoner by the first angel he created, Jehovah, who has usurped His power for his own. However, in the books, although God dies the Church is left untouched, so the C.L. are calling for a boycott because someone said something mean about a religious structure which the C.L. are choosing to claim is them.

Labels: atheism, atheists, Christianity, Philip Pullman