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| Richard Dawkins on Santa Claus, fairy tales | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 6 2014, 05:07 PM (202 Views) | |
| CJ | Jun 6 2014, 05:07 PM Post #1 |
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A very minor case of serious brain damage
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http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/480161/Richard-Dawkins-says-believing-in-Santa-could-be-bad-for-kids At Cheltenham Science Festival, the biologist and writer suggested it was "pernicious to instil in a child the view that the world is shaped by supernaturalism." Dawkins, 73, author of The God Delusion, also compared the use of religious threats to child abuse. Referring to fairytales and stories about Santa Claus, he said: "Is it a good thing to go along with the fantasy of childhood? Or should we be fostering a spirit of scepticism? "To call it testament to child abuse would be a bit strong, but when you tell a child to mind their Ps and Qs otherwise they'll roast in hell then that is tantamount to child abuse," Dawkins also spoke about his autobiography An Appetite For Wonder, which detailed his childhood growing up in Africa, and recounted an incident when a master at his school once put a hand down his shorts. If my personal experience is anything to go by, teaching fantasies and fairytales to children is actually not a bad way to foster a spirit of scepticism . Like the vast majority of children in this part of the world, I was told that my Christmas presents were delivered by Santa Claus (through the back door in my case, as my house lacked a functioning chimney). I even received a Christmas letter from Santa himself, which I accepted as 'proof' of his existence - until I noticed that Santa's handwriting apparently matched my grandfather's!Following on from this observation, I then encountered this page, which must be pretty ancient by internet standards .
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. Like the vast majority of children in this part of the world, I was told that my Christmas presents were delivered by Santa Claus (through the back door in my case, as my house lacked a functioning chimney). I even received a Christmas letter from Santa himself, which I accepted as 'proof' of his existence - until I noticed that Santa's handwriting apparently matched my grandfather's!



12:34 AM Jul 11