Mystery of Existence feat. Richard Dawkins at the Royal Institution, London

~ Frank Solanki

Had the privilege yesterday of being amongst the audience at a discussion featuring Richard Dawkins, Richard Swinburne, Jessica Frazier, Silvia Jonas and Jack Symes held at the Royal Institution, London.

What’s more? Richard Dawkins signed a copy of Outgrowing God and he even posed for pictures.

The signed copy
That’s me on the left while Richard Dawkins is signing the book
Richard Dawkins (on the left) and my wife (on the right)
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Published by Frank Solanki

Making the world a better place one poem at a time.

46 thoughts on “Mystery of Existence feat. Richard Dawkins at the Royal Institution, London”

  1. I’m a Christian and I’ve read his book ‘Outgrowing God’. I’m still a Christian, but I’ve listened to his talks on youtube and he has a beautiful voice, as did Christopher Hitchens. I enjoy listening to an accomplished speaker even if I don’t agree with them. 🙂

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  2. I agree on faith contrasting religion. People have a way of using religion to tell people what to do and how to do it. Which in my mind is strange because God says in His word, “my way is not burdensome” and He also says, “I want a happy giver”. We can’t be happy givers if the religion is burdensome, can we. The faith is clear and simple. Why ruin it? If our heart is open to Gods word, then we will understand what we read because He will see to that we understand. So again, why ruin a good thing by labelling it to a religion? God does not speak of religion in His word. He says, “this is my people, and they are have my name”. Revelations 18:4 “And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if YOU do not want to share with her in her sins, and if YOU do not want to receive part of her plagues. 5 For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind”. Here God says to His people to leave the church. If you read the entire ch. 18 you’ll understand. And in Hebrew 8:10 last part, “And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people”. See, “people” not religion.

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      1. So happy for you, Frank! He is engaging for sure. I had the opportunity to meet him at a private dinner at the first Reason Rally in 2012. He signed my books after I had a picture with him too. Lovely evening!

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      1. Life is a mystery.
        Most of the human race is not out of nappies when it comes to understanding God.
        Imagine if young boy rushes up to you and says I don’t believe in Santa any more would you not continue to give him gifts.
        Atheism is of no consequence.
        Love to all.

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      1. Hmmm, kinda depends on how you define “God”. To me it seems a bit pointless trying to debate whether or not a personal “God” in the anthropomorphised mainstream Abrahamic sense exists or not. But that’s okay. Existence and mystery are synonymous. The great “why” question can never be answered.

        🙏

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        1. maybe some structures in universe don’t have a specific known dimension such as time, therefore there is no need of a builder entity definition such as god to exist for them.

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            1. What we call reality, in my opinion, is actually what we collectively can experience with our common senses and extended abilities in interaction with the world. What exist beyond the reach of our current limitations, I don’t know. Are the realities or existences the biggest pictures or there are much more beyond these concept?
              But humans didn’t develop so far by just giving up and saying they can’t reach it, so they won’t try. Extension of logic based branches gave human this chance to understand and built upon occuring existences that was not detectable by normal senses. Other branches of our abilities could be expanded and built upon like that as well.

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              1. Uhuh, yes. The assumption that there is a world “out there” that is somehow separate from our experience of it is the basic, unprovable, axiom of the prevailing materialist paradigm…

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                  1. Hehe, yeah. Had a feeling I should probably have kept stum 🤐 After all, the only real Truth that can be expressed via the available (limited) linguistic means is silence…

                    😌🙏✨

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    1. Hi, I wanted to ask if you’re really a person named Frank Solanki which picture is in this post? Because I thought you’re another person named Felix. If so, please say, so I stop bothering you and putting nonsense comments under your posts. Sorry for inconvenience.

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    1. Ah, thanks a lot! I suppose you mean that although you have faith in some superior being, you do not follow the traditional religious practices and/or customs. Am I right?

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        2. Spot on, MW! Perhaps the title should have been “Outgrowing the conception of a “God” created by humans in their own likeness” Perhaps not such a snappy title, granted…

          ✨🦋🐍🕊🐉🗝⚖🕯🤍⚛🎐🎋🙏✨

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