Why does Richard Dawkins sing Christmas carols?

Mr Dawkins can answer for himself. But, leaving aside the cultural and aesthetic considerations, I can tell you why a Taoist sings carols.New birth in the midst of winter darkness. It's a potent symbol.Christians know this, of course, but they have never been the only people who do. The image possessed 'deep meaning' centuries before Christianity existed. It's a Taoist idea, too, and a Buddhist one, and a Jewish one, and a Hindu one. It should come as a surprise to no one to discover that the symbol retains power in our own time, inviting contemplation beyond all lines drawn by dogma.No one can copyright an insight.Speaking of which, Linda: December 25 just arrived in my time zone.

I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave new year
All anguish, pain, and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear.

Peace and good tidings to all._________Edited by Archer Opterix, : html.

---

ArcherAll species are transitional.

Hey. Michelle Kuan is a genius.

Understood. I guess I just supported your argument.Except we all know that telemarketing really is vile. That's not opinion. That's Absolute Truth.Heathen's Greetings back at ya, Apricot Eyes. And to everyone on every branch in your tree. ______Edited by Archer Opterix, : messing around.

Or her mother might just be trying to condition the girl to use her right hand for some everyday things, in the belief that this will make life easier for her in the long run. For the rest of her life your niece is going to find forks placed on her right.That's not at all the approach I would take as a parent. But I wouldn't, from that scene alone, jump to the conclusion that her mother views left-handedness as doing 'wrong' in some way--especially with the moral baggage that word carries in our present context. Other possibilities exist._____Edited by Archer Opterix, : brev.

Aiya. I misstated it. You are correct, Brenna, of course.The other utensils are placed on the right. The assumption is that this is most convenient placing for the majority of the population, which is right-handed. Spoons and knives, not forks, illustrate the point.Forks can be placed on the left because, as the most frequently used utensils, they will spend most of the meal time in the user's hand regardless of the initial placing. As you point out, even by right-handed people the usage varies.

My point was merely that our colleague did well to bite his tongue. Parents have many choices to make and, whether we would do things the same way or not (I wouldn't), the mother in this case could have had any number of reasons for acting as she did. The post asked us to assume one motive to the exclusion of others.