The Highlands Presbyterians are outraged because Dawkins is invited to the Faclan Hebridean Book Festival on the Isle of Lewis.
The festival does not take place until November but as soon as Prof Dawkins’ name appeared on the schedule it was enough to rouse the ire of many in this stronghold of Presbyterianism.
Pastor Donnie Stewart of the New Wine Church in Stornoway said: “It is disappointing he has been invited, given the Christian heritage and local sensitivities here.”
Is it? So the Christian heritage there means atheists should Keep Out? Only one opinion allowed, in the whole region? Really, Mr Stewart – that’s an awfully theocratic claim.
…the Free Church (known locally as the Wee Frees) got involved, challenging Prof Dawkins to a debate.
His response – a deliberately antagonistic jibe on Twitter – did not go down well.
“As a great president of the Royal Society said, ‘That would look great on your CV, not so good on mine,'” he tweeted.
Oh those deliberately antagonistic jibes on Twitter! Hahahahaha
As of last night, Prof Dawkins insisted he will attend the festival but still refuses to debate.
The main winners at this stage, it seems, are the organisers of the Faclan Book Festival who have generated the sort of publicity they could only ever have dreamed of before they decided to put Prof Dawkins on the schedule.
Oooh – deliberately stirring up controversy to get blog hits ticket sales. Naughty!
I see what you did there. :))
Now, if they were to turn the whole island into a country club, they could keep those pesky atheists out. 😉
Is the implication that Dawkins is one of the people who said certain bloggers are stirring controversy for blog hits (money)? Dawkins??
Aratina – well actually I meant that as a little joke about that claim in general. But yes, sadly, he did. That was before you got back, I guess.
The Wee Free Kirk rules the Hebrides. You all probably thought it was HM Government that did that, but the Presbyterians are the force behind the Queen and her ministers.
Regardless of Dawkins’s previous tweet on racking up the hits by stirring controversy (didn’t he retract when confronted with the data that it doesn’t?), that tweet of his regarding what looks good on one’s CV is a classical one, but still pure genius, and a good attitude when it comes to debating religious people or creationists.
Actually, I do remember something about him calling for a boycott. (Here it is cataloged at Zvan’s. I bet that made the Watson haters’ heads explode, heh.) I just wasn’t paying much attention at the time.
Anonymous Atheist says:
That wouldn’t work because the club would have to be open on Sundays.
I’m sure Dawkins’ arguments have weak points that could be attacked by a good philosopher. But I very much doubt that anyone from the “Lord’s Day Observance Society” is anywhere near being in that league*.
*Because people obsessed with that level of legalistic religiosity generally have no idea what constitutes evidence or rational argument. It’s a prerequisite.
Oh, and re Dawkins: In the past, I’ve generally agreed with about 70% of what he says, disagreed with a further 25%, and felt that 5% of the time he just steps in it. Lately, that last number has been growing at the expense of the first.
“Down with this sort of thing!”
“Careful, now.”