It was almost like church

I went to the University of Virginia today and saw Richard Dawkins speak. It was an experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. I found Prof. Dawkins to be highly entertaining, modest, and most surprisingly willing to entertain a broad range of (intelligent) points of view. It was nice to see a very diverse group people there. There were obvious faculty and staff, there were Young Republicans, and atheists, and socialists, and then there were those who; like me, weren't "in a club". Everyone was greeted and welcomed in the same exact way, and I personally appreciated that.


I won't go into the discussion points, as that's several new posts within themselves. I didn't agree with everything Dawkins said, but I do respect the man and his opinion. I will also point out that I could have listened to him read excerpts from his book for hours. So much so that I hope he releases an audio version of his latest work (with him narrating), so I can pick it up. That's significant, as I hate books on CD.

Some of the day's magic may have been in listening to him speak in the Dome of the rotunda on the campus of UVA. I love the campus and could have roamed the Academical village for longer than I did. It was almost like church for me being there. All the things I hold dear are represented by the institution. Democracy, reason, higher education, and the belief that a secular government is the only moral and correct decision. All those values are embodied in that very building, and in it's creator. At the risk of sounding like an even bigger cheeseball, it was inspiring.

Anyway, I recommend you catch Prof. Dawkins if you have the chance. He's a staunch atheist, so if that offends you, stay away. He is also; however, a man of science and a brilliant one.