I just watched the Compass follow up video to "The Atheists", in which Dawkins is given the right of reply. These are Dawkins' opening remarks:

"I am pretty HOSTILE to organised religion. I'm pretty hostile to religion where it's rammed down people's throats." and "I VERY STRONGLY RESENT the indoctrination of children…"

So there you have it! straight out Dawkins' own mouth.

I must say though that he came across as a very nice, very rational fellow himself, and I have made it a point to read his book at the earliest opportunity…

I enjoyed the discussion too.

Jorge

I am enjoying this discussion. I think he is hostile to those who deserve it ie Ted Haggard, the Muslim concert interviwed in the Root of all Evil. I have watched a couple of interviews that he has had with clergy that are far more gentle, respectful. I don't think that Adams can really justify the Militant label.

Belligerent at times yes, respectful at others, depends entirely on who he is speaking to. To really justify the labelling of some one as militant, I think we need to have some sort of in your face street marching, on the front page, sign hoisting, rabble rouser.

I think that Adams, cuddly grandad that he is, was being just a little too flipant in this case:)

"Evangelist" is your word. My word to describe how he came across is "belligerent" towards religious people, particularly the clergy of whichever religious faith he was "having a go" at at any particular time.

It's not so much that Dawkins is an evangelist for Atheism as much as that he is openly hostile to religious believers…. I guess that's what Adams means by Dawkins being "millitant".

Can you give me a particular example of something Dawkins has said or done that you think demonstates his evangelism.

Still I am inclined to forgive Phillip this little "sin" , as he is a nice old fellow. Phillip is openly atheist, but I think that above all he values tolerance. I think that this explains Phillip's stance on Dawkins and his friendship with many religious people.

Dawkins sees religion as the root of many evils and wants people to realise this and give up religion – NOW! Phillip agrees with the notion of religion being the root of many evils, but is willing to let people take their time about coming to this conclusion all on their own… I think that Phillip believes it is inebitable that they will do that – eventually.

He says as much in the Compass program I cited in my previous post.

I have a lot of time for Adams as well and I regularly download his podcasts, although I am more endeared to his left wing views than to his atheism.

The link I copied above is to an ABC Compass program called The Athseists, which was aired in March 2009. Phillip is on it, as are others. In this program he expands on the reasons he says that Dawkins is "millitant". I think he means that Dawkins is going around trying to "convert" people to atheism and ridiculing those who are not otr refuse to be converted.

I must say that I think there is an element of truth here. To me Dawkins is the 7th day Adventist of Atheism.

Thanks for posting

Jorge