I want one of those

[Gasman]

Numerous desirable T-shirts.

Got myself 'Evolution' a couple of years ago.

 

[NickM]

...the priest told the congregation that he was reading The God Delusion. Very open-minded.

Well, that depends. If, having finished the book, he renounces his pernicious belief, he's open minded. If he doesn't, he isn't.

 

[Carwash]

Well, that depends. If, having finished the book, he renounces his pernicious belief, he's open minded. If he doesn't, he isn't.

That doesn't follow at all. Certainly he could do that, but not doing so does not automatically mean that he's not open minded. He may find that there are elements of the book's argument he finds to be flawed or unacceptable. You seem to be suggesting that he accept the book's thesis without critical thought, which seems a little silly.

Let's reverse your argument to see how: 'If, having read the Bible*, you immediately renounce your wicked ways and become a Christian**, you're open minded. If you don't, you're not.' Have I got that right?


*...or Koran, or Torah, or Guru Granth Sahib, or...
**...Muslim/Jew/Sikh/etc

 

[NickM]

...You seem to be suggesting that he accept the book's thesis without critical thought...

Not at all; quite the reverse, in fact.

...He may find that there are elements of the book's argument he finds to be flawed...

Then he will be mistaken.

 

[Carwash]

Then he will be mistaken.

How do you know?! Are you arguing that the book is infallible?

Wikipedia alone lists several potential problems, which as far as I can gather stem from Dawkins writing about topics outside his area of expertise. So the argument goes, his science is sound but his philosophy is extremely dodgy. I don't know how true this is, but for you to deny even the possibility of a flaw in the book's thesis seems a little, erm, narrow-minded...

 

[domtyler]

Richard Dawkins is God!

 

[Carwash]

Richard Dawkins is God!

That would explain a lot.