ravenflag wrote:
He said the reason he did not read it was because he didnt like dawkins (fair enough).
My mother can't stand Dawkins either...not because she's read any of his books but because she sees him as a figurehead of the war being waged against religion. I think people of a certain age find it very hard to accept or even entertain any criticism of catholicism because it is so closely interwoven with their national/cultural identity. It's like the syndrome Fianna failers suffer from. They can't accept that Dev was mad, Cj was a crook and Bertie is a lair despite all the evidence piled up in front of them. My mother is an educated, well read, funny and clever person but when it comes to her religion she won't even entertain argument.
On a different point. Last year I stood by the bedside of my 90 year old grand uncle as he died. He was the most caring, selfless and thoughtful of all my relatives. He always knew what everyone in his extended family were doing and took a great interest in their lives. He was also a priest. ( We used to have great rows about religion but he never loved me less for being an atheist)
During the day, as he was dying, he was visited by countless nuns priests and a few bishops. It was all very Father Ted like. My grand uncle knew he was dying and was scared. He kept asking all the clergy who visited to read and re-read prayers with him. He said he was worried about where he was going to go...up or down.
Every time I hear a religious person speak of how their faith comforts them I remember my grand uncle's last hours and realise that no matter what nonsense one believes about death we're all dragged kicking and screaming from this life. Despite what we might think we know about death, deep down our bodies and minds know that when we die we die.
Andrew
