Posted on 08/08/2013 9:43:35 PM PDT by Kip Russell
Richard Dawkins has been forced to defend controversial comments he made online after saying the last time Muslims contributed something worthwhile was during the Middle Ages.
Prof Dawkins, the bestselling author of The God Delusion, wrote on Twitter that all the world's Muslims had won fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge. He went on to argue that although Muslims were responsible for many achievements during the Dark Ages, including alchemy and algebra, their contribution since then was questionable.
His comments sparked outrage from many high-profile writers and journalists including author Caitlin Moran and Channel 4 News Economics Editor Faisal Islam.
Moran tweeted: "it's time someone turned Richard Dawkins off and then on again. Something's gone weird." Writing on Twitter on Thursday, Prof Dawkins said: "All the world's Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge. They did great things in the Middle Ages, though."
While in response to another Twitter user who wrote that Muslims were responsible for alchemy and algebra, he replied: "Indeed, where would we be without alchemy? Dark Age achievements undoubted. But since then?"
He later tried to justify his comments by saying he talked about the number of Muslim prize winners because we often hear "boasts about their total numbers".
He wrote: "Why mention Muslim Nobels rather than any other group? Because we so often hear boasts about (a) their total numbers and (b) their science."
He added: "A statement of simple fact is not bigotry".
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
For once I agree with Dawkins. What positive effect has Islam had on the world? I can think only of negatives.
Perfected killing innocent women and children with IED’s
Alchemy? Muslims achieved transmutation?
If religion is a choice and someone chooses Islam, then they deserve all the criticism they get.
And if it isn’t a choice, then how can we respect anyone that can’t be bothered to reflect on their own religion so they CAN make a choice?
No, no let’s all become muslims, gay, criminals, illegal aliens, druggies, because only the groups liberals pander to are noble and above approach.
And trash all the peaceful Christians, scientists, and so on for the same reason.
What’s the likelihood you are getting nobel prizes in science out of hell holes like Egypt, Pakistan, Somalia, etc.
Your side changed that rule - no good crying about it, now.
God bless Richard Dawkins.
He’s wrong, modern Muslims invented the child suicide walking bomb.
Now watch the Atheist run to the Christians and Jews for protection.
Thank you. That is an excellent quote worth publishing and repeating.
One thing we need to be careful about, however: people are capable of change. I would not indict every individual who has fallen under this insidious religion, but pray for them. I wish no ill on either Dawkins or those who err in matters of faith and life.
Did anybody list some accomplishments, instead of expressing outrage?
LOL.
F. A. Hayek once referred to journalists, politicians, and college professors as "the second-hand dealers in ideas".
Bless his heart.
Doing that would refute his claims a lot better than expressing ‘outrage’’. C’mon muzlims - list the contributions...
< crickets >
Is the bad Doctor Dawkins leaving someone off the list?
Dawkins was too generous. Muslims STOLE algebra, they didn’t invent it.
As a matter of fact, I believe that Islam itself was a badly bungled theft of Judeo-Christianity.
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