Richard Dawkins launches children’s summer camp for atheists.

»
S
I
D
E
B
A
R
«

July 3rd, 2009 by Andrew Drapper

BBC Newsjack Logo

The Headlines across Britain on Sunday read something like “Richard Dawkins launches children’s summer camp for atheists” the truth is much more mundane but no less dangerous. The camps are being run by Samantha Stein, and Richard Dawkins is only lending support both financially and by endorsing the project.

I have been wanting to make some comment on this for some time, but in many ways the BBC have done the job so well I am not sure what to add to it.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[A clip from BBC Radio 7's Newsjack - broadcast 2-06-09 at 23:00 on BBC Radio 7.]

The emphasis of these camps will aledgely be on ‘critical thinking’. This is to be epitomised by a test called the Invisible Unicorn Challenge. Children will be told by camp leaders that the area around their tents is inhabited by two unicorns.

The activities of these creatures, of which there will be no physical evidence, will be regularly discussed by organisers, yet the children will be asked to prove that the unicorns do not exist.

Anyone who manages to prove this will win a £10 note – which features an image of Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary theory – signed by-Richard Dawkins.

“The unicorns are not necessarily a metaphor for God, they are to show kids that you can’t prove a negative. We are not trying to bash religion, but it encourages people to believe in a lot of things for which there is no evidence.”

Samantha Stein

They are offering £10 to anyone who can disprove the existence of two unicorns? £10 to do the impossible – prove a negative – that does not sound too generous. I believe that there are at least two Christians offering $250,000 to anyone who can prove evolution. Which should be a lot easier.

(Copyright material used under the Fair Dealing provision of the Copyright Act 1968)

Share and Enjoy:

11 Responses

H writes:

August 24th, 2009 at 9:55 am

If I claim that you have committed a crime, it is up to me to provide evidence to support my claim. Until I do that, the default state is negative, i.e. you haven’t committed a crime. In the same way, if you claim that there is a god, it is up to you to provide evidence to support your claim. Until you do that, the default state is again negative, i.e. there is no god. Presupposing the existence of God is equivalent to presupposing guilt. It is not reasonable.

Jason writes:

August 2nd, 2009 at 6:43 pm

This whole business with unicorns is an intellectual exercise, related to the critical thinking theme. The athiest children camp does not suggest that the non-existence of unicorns implies the non-existence of god, it’s not a “negative implies negative” means of disproof.

The point is, no one expects to see a unicorn in the first place, it’s just a demonstration of the irrationality of an illogical framework of thought, and why it shouldn’t be taken seriously. Once a child realises that there is NO objective, credible or logical argument for the existence of a unicorn, they develop an ability to reason.

This and only this, makes you christians afraid.

Andrew Drapper writes:

August 2nd, 2009 at 7:06 pm

Hi Jason,

It has been RedBarchetta that has been suggesting that there is a link between unicorns and God. See the other comments string on this page.

It is a little strange for you to think that as an atheist you can speak for all Christians. I for one as a Christian, love logical argument and reason. I am only sorry that children are not given a better exposure to arguments form both the creation/ID side and the Evolution/non purpose side and then helped to see there the evidence points.

Great to have you on the website.

Andrew

Diane writes:

July 26th, 2009 at 8:58 pm

Oh that’s terrible. Hey wouldn’t it be funny if GOD frustrates their efforts and the kids just keep on seeing Unicorns everywhere. LOL
That will be a lot of tenner’s to dish out. Nothing is impossible for GOD! Matthew 19:26

RedBarchetta writes:

July 29th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

Let’s see shall we. We’ll call it a test – if the unicorns appear then it looks like your god is real after all.

Andrew Drapper writes:

July 30th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

I believe that you have a problem understanding logic or the scientific method. And your argument just goes to show that common sense is not all that common.

The fact that one thing does not show itself at a given time or to a given group of people, does not prove it does not exist, let alone prove that something else does not exist. Nor would the appearance of a unicorn mythical or regular biological, necessarily prove the existence of another thing, i.e. unicorns proving God.

The whole purpose of the experiment is to show that you cannot prove a negative. That is why it was thought up by all those who say they know there is no God even though they have no evidence let alone proof that he does not exist.

RedBarchetta writes:

July 30th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

> And your argument just goes to show that common sense is not
> all that common.
No, because what I absolutely didn’t say was that if the unicorn doesn’t appear then your god doesn’t exist. I agree – you cannot prove a negative. I would say though that as things stand there’s lots of evidence to say he doesn’t exist and, well, none which points to the fact that he does. I think he should make the most of these occasions and show himself a bit.

> Nor would the appearance of a unicorn mythical or regular
> biological, necessarily prove the existence of another thing,
> i.e. unicorns proving God.
Don’t be daft. If unicorns did appear then you’d be crying out “There’s your proof!”, and to be honest I’d have to agree with you.

Andrew Drapper writes:

July 30th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

How would unicorns prove God?

RedBarchetta writes:

August 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm

“How would unicorns prove God?”
Given that the first comment had stated “Nothing is impossible for GOD!” I just think it would be a good time for him to show himself to us all. Knocking out a unicorn or two surely wouldn’t be an issue? But, strangely enough this didn’t happen, those kids at the camp had their funw, some decent weather and hopefully did actally get the point of the unicorn discussion.

“I for one as a Christian, love logical argument and reason.”
But you believe in young earth creationism and take the bible literally, and so have no basis for logical arguement. See above points re- unicorn and credibility.

Andrew Drapper writes:

August 11th, 2009 at 6:55 pm

“I just think it would be a good time for him to show himself to us all” It is not for us to tell God when he should show himself.

“Knocking out a unicorn or two surely wouldn’t be an issue” Just because he does not do what you think he should does not make him – not exist. Obama probably does not often do what you think he should do, but that does not make him not the president of the USA – though now you come to mention it…

“You believe in young earth creationism and take the bible literally, and so have no basis for logical arguement” Give me the logic behind that argument.

RedBarchetta writes:

August 16th, 2009 at 10:03 pm

“Give me the logic behind that argument.”
I did. You don’t seem to have punblished my reply…
I went something like – you argue from a point of view based on a 1500 year old book which quotes talking snakes and bushes, says men live to 950 years old and has people rising from the dead. I on the other hand would quote facts, research and real physical evidence – all of which you chosse to ignore.

Send me a message