A small corner in hell.

"By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our
brains drop out." - Richard Dawkins.

For a long time I have been seeing that quote as it is the signature of someone on a mailing list to which I subscribe (http://www.york.lug.org.uk/). Each time I see it, I chuckle.

I have this vision of (a particularly Victorian fire and brimstone type) hell in which there is a little room, locked for all eternity. Inside this room are Richard Dawkins and Rv. Ian Paisley (snr).

Both are very intelligent men. Dawkins is a leading evolutionary biologist of great knowledge and Paisley a politician of renown. They are also two of the most arrogant, narrow-minded bigots in the public eye today. Neither are capable of rational debate; Paisley preferring to shout as loudly as possible into the nearest microphone and Dawkins ranting in paperback. More importantly neither seem capable of admitting that anyone except themselves may have a valid opinion.

To confine two such polarised and fanatical men in a room together could be cause of much amusement to an anthropomorphised satan.

Not that I am judgemental you understand.