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Dawkins is interviewed in a link I provided saying he would treat religion like the small pox virus if he could, he would "stamp it out".

I think a little analysis of metaphors is in order here. Smallpox was not stamped out by killing or imprisioning all the innocent little poxes. It was stopped from spreading by immunizing people.

This may seem like an irrelevant distinction to you, but it is not irrelevant. The people who were immunized were volunteers.

The implication of Dawkins statement is that he would spread his word with the same ferver that evangelicals spread theirs. There is no force implied.

You might argue that force is used in the public school system, but you would be wrong on several counts. No one requires kids to attend public schools; no one requires those who do to take courses in biology. The content of public school education is determined by politics, just like our laws. Some you approve of and some you don't. Your tax dollars support both. But you are not required by any law to send your kids to public schools.

ferver=feverish fervor

Stamped out is not synonomous with innoculate, it is synonomous with extinguish, crush, annihilate. Perhaps he misspoke? If so, he is welcome to correct or explain. As it stands I know the meaning of is and I know the meaning of "stamp out".

I must say though that the entire thread has been a learning experience.

You might argue that force is used in the public school system, but you would be wrong on several counts. No one requires kids to attend public schools; no one requires those who do to take courses in biology. The content of public school education is determined by politics, just like our laws. Some you approve of and some you don't. Your tax dollars support both. But you are not required by any law to send your kids to public schools.

I don't disagree with anything you've said here. My children have children of their own. Some go to public school some to Catholic school.

You do understand though that you've made a persusasive argument for those in Cobb County, Ga who wish to put a disclaimer in their biology book, right?