Ammonite: <I fear you are making gross inferences regarding my opinions>
I haven't made any inferences; I told you, I didn't read your posts and was responding to the thread's host.
I'm a big fan of Dawkins myself and have read and been edified by much of his stuff.
Your point 3 is a simplification of Eagleton's position. I do agree with Eagleton that Dawkins constructs a straw man of theology--though that's not my main criticism. You may please yourself. Why isn't Dawkins outspoken about other evils of our society?
I didn't say atheism was an ideology and agree that it's properly not. However, Ditchkins' charismatic roadshow effectively sells it as an ideology; an empty one that is part of a new wave Western triumphalism that, in its eagerness to exorcise religious demons, is oblivious of its own dark side and the numerous practical evils it elides.
Your other facetious comments miss the crucial fact that you instigated the tone of our exchange, and certainly haven't debated me.
Enjoy the conference.

woot makes his own point moot
""all the casimir effect does is prove
that there are virtual particles..that flit in and out of existence.""

ahh so you are experiencing a "virtual reality"
by means of "virtual particles'
this explasins much

you gotta watch that
that is usually drug induced

anyhow you got no proof re evolution
if you do..name that first life
name what it..'evolved' into

and maybe name the scientist what done it[lol]

natural selection..
isnt selection by science

you grasp at straws..using the links of straw
more off topic destraction..that actual faulsiyable proof

[mate try talking about the subject
not only what you got links to

AND DO TRY
TO USE YOUR OWN WORDS..!

your links dont relate to what your saying
and at best refute nothing comming from nothing
[nothing real
in virtual reality son]

your virtually a genus in ya dreams
but in cold hard reality you got a belief system

faith in science..as the new god head
[add that to your list of gods paul]...lol

Philo: I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier on your questions and what they are eluding too, creation and how all is done by the guiding hand of god. So I’ll cut to the chase. I’ve been down to my local and consulted with those two bar flies Wazza and Nev on this very subject. When I asked Wazza what his thought of Moses, he reckons he’d be better off playing second row he’s wasted in the backs, but that’s another story. Nev was on his 10th schooner so he couldn’t shed that much light on the subject, if you know what I mean. Armed with the knowledge from Wazza and Nev I then went home and fastidiously read the holy book ‘The Book of Cyril’ one of the missing books of the bible, fortunately I have a copy. I then done a bit more of which I won’t go into detail as you might think I’m quite mad. I have now changed my position and have come to the conclusion that the Earth was created in 1963 at a quarter past two in the afternoon and it was on a Tuesday, and we are all under the control of the Giant Sloth which done it all. My explanation is just as valid as any explanation that god created the universe and he is the all knowing, all seeing being that controls everything. No one has to accept my explanation for creation, just as I don’t have to accept the god explanation, one is as logical as the other.

paul..your use of sar-casm
in lue of fact..validates much [not]

your integrity is now at stake

you say this..""fastidiously read the holy book ‘The Book of Cyril’ one of the missing books of the bible, fortunately I have a copy""

ok sunshine
present it

did your pal dorkins write it
is it for sale in the 'lobby'

it sounds nonsensical..and clearly is

but thats all you got
eh mate!

mate try to seriously think
apply yourself for just a moment

you have your faith in evolution
so mate NAME NAMES..name this first life
name what mutation involved it into the next genus YOU claim EVOLVED..lol

so stick to one topic[for once]
give some simple fact
not some obsure link for kiddies

IN YOUR OWN WORDS
wat was the first life...!
what changed/mutated..evolved
into a next evolution..

what specific genus
became what specific next genus

how?

any other than naming names
is avoiding the question

lets hear it in your own words..[lol]

Squeers

You are right - of course there has been no debate - you have chosen not to read anything I have written. This is a shame, I have as much right to express a thought as you. And I do read your posts and enjoyed many.

I do not believe I have oversimplified Eagleton at all - rather HE has done so to Dawkins and Hitchens. Eagleton has started his critique from the premise that these prominent atheists are starting from a point of complete ignorance of Christianity. Dawkins himself writes in the God Delusion that he refers to Christianity more than others because this is the religion with which he has the most familiarity. Nor does Eagleton address the impact of denying scientific evidence on the majority of religious followers. There are many religious people who manage to understand science and feel a connection with the numinous - they are not the problem Dawkins is identifying.

The problem is as I and others have expounded upon - it is the massive hurt and damage that a fundamentalist religious belief has done to humanity and continues to do. The claims by fundamentalists that god is an interventionist god and has a physical action on the world is pulling the esoteric into the natural world and therefore into the gaze of science.

Also, I find where people resort to demeaning others such as you have done to me and Eagleton has done to the names of Dawkins and Hitchens; in other words, if you cannot argue from a position of respect for the other, then you probably do not have a valid argument at all.

I may well be playful and provocative - that you interpret this as facetious is your choice and your misfortune.

Ammonite,
Utter tosh from beginning to end! You're like a petulant child and I can't be bothered responding in detail, again.
I usually do read yours and most posts, bot on this occasion I never got past the first, nor had I the time--not that I'm obliged to.

I am a non-theist, not a celebrant of an ideology.

Please feel free to have the last word..
That's it for me here--spoilers aren't welcome.