“To fill the world with religion...is like littering the streets with loaded guns. Do not be surprised if they are used.” - Richard Dawkins
For my mid-term report, I analyzed Richard Dawkins speech “Time To Stand Up”, which was a call to action against religion that he wrote in response to the terrorist attack on 9/11. However, before he wrote “Time To Stand Up”, he published an article in The Guardian on September 15, 2001 entitled “Religion’s Misguided Missiles”. The main point of the article is best summarized when Dawkins writes, “I am trying to call attention to the elephant in the room that everybody is to polite - or to devout - to notice: religion, and specifically the devaluing effect religion has on human life.” (Dawkins 11). I would describe most of the essay as harsh and blunt, but that seems to fall in line with Dawkins militant atheist persona.
The first half of the essay describes the importance of on-board guidance systems in times of war. Dawkins focuses on pigeon guided missiles, an idea developed by B.F. Skinner during World War II. Skinner Trained Pigeons to sit in miniature cockpits and peck buttons that kept a target in the middle of the screen. Oddly enough, this actually worked - and although this technique was never used - pigeons were successfully taught how to guide a missile to a designated target. The reason Dawkins opened with the pigeon anecdote was so he could point out that pigeon guided missiles, along with all self guided missiles, have one major flaw: anything penetrating a countries airspace that clearly looks like a missile will be shot down by authorities. Thus bringing Dawkins to the conclusion, “What is needed is a missile that is not recognised for what it is until it is too late” (Dawkins 4). Something like the civilian airliner used by terrorist on September 11, 2001, and by replacing the pigeons with actual humans, an almost foolproof attack is planned.
The remainder of the essay focuses on how religion was used to persuade the hijackers to become human guided missiles. The latter half of the piece is where the diction becomes more...abrasive. For instance, when describing the teachings of heaven he states, “Given that they are certainly going to die, couldn’t we sucker them into believing that they are going to come to life again afterwards?” (Dawkins 8). He even describes the idea of an after-life as “a tall story” (Dawkins 8). He calls religion itself “a ready-made system of mind-control”, and these examples are some of the more tame phrases in the essay (Dawkins 8). According to Dawkins, religion is why people were not afraid to end their current life for an after-life, and religion is also “the underlying source of divisiveness in the Middle East which motivated the use of this deadly weapon in the first place.” (Dawkins 15). In essence, Dawkins is making the point that without religion, no one would have been willing to follow through with the terrorist attack.
This essay called out religion for being the cause of the tragedy on 9/11. While Dawkins put the blame in the right place, his abundant dislike for the very idea of religion is very apparent. However, he does admit this response is “prompted by deep grief and fierce anger,” and considering the horrific day in question, who could blame him (Dawkins 14)?
Article: 5https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/religions-misguided-missiles/213375
The first half of the essay describes the importance of on-board guidance systems in times of war. Dawkins focuses on pigeon guided missiles, an idea developed by B.F. Skinner during World War II. Skinner Trained Pigeons to sit in miniature cockpits and peck buttons that kept a target in the middle of the screen. Oddly enough, this actually worked - and although this technique was never used - pigeons were successfully taught how to guide a missile to a designated target. The reason Dawkins opened with the pigeon anecdote was so he could point out that pigeon guided missiles, along with all self guided missiles, have one major flaw: anything penetrating a countries airspace that clearly looks like a missile will be shot down by authorities. Thus bringing Dawkins to the conclusion, “What is needed is a missile that is not recognised for what it is until it is too late” (Dawkins 4). Something like the civilian airliner used by terrorist on September 11, 2001, and by replacing the pigeons with actual humans, an almost foolproof attack is planned.
The remainder of the essay focuses on how religion was used to persuade the hijackers to become human guided missiles. The latter half of the piece is where the diction becomes more...abrasive. For instance, when describing the teachings of heaven he states, “Given that they are certainly going to die, couldn’t we sucker them into believing that they are going to come to life again afterwards?” (Dawkins 8). He even describes the idea of an after-life as “a tall story” (Dawkins 8). He calls religion itself “a ready-made system of mind-control”, and these examples are some of the more tame phrases in the essay (Dawkins 8). According to Dawkins, religion is why people were not afraid to end their current life for an after-life, and religion is also “the underlying source of divisiveness in the Middle East which motivated the use of this deadly weapon in the first place.” (Dawkins 15). In essence, Dawkins is making the point that without religion, no one would have been willing to follow through with the terrorist attack.
This essay called out religion for being the cause of the tragedy on 9/11. While Dawkins put the blame in the right place, his abundant dislike for the very idea of religion is very apparent. However, he does admit this response is “prompted by deep grief and fierce anger,” and considering the horrific day in question, who could blame him (Dawkins 14)?
Article: 5https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/religions-misguided-missiles/213375
Interesting choice, Raine. I am also doing my project over some of Dawkins' work. Great job!
ReplyDeleteDawkins' 9/11-inspired essays definitely have a raw, blunt-spoken, angry edge. But he has a point, doesn't he? People who believed they had one precious life to live would surely be less reckless with their own, and less dismissive of others' - in which case it would be hard to argue that religion is a net force for good in the ONLY world we KNOW.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice of topic! I considered doing this essay before i found "Don't You Dare Call Me a Fundamentalist," and I'm glad someone else still did this one. Very excited to read your second installment!
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