The wanton destruction of a unique historical record.

[CJ]

The wanton destruction of a unique historical record.

How will historians view what Josh Timonen and Richard Dawkins have done by destroying the forum element of richarddawkins.net?

My wife is currently studying for a masters in History, in particular how to research the past. She has found a number of resources such as The Times online archive. It is a unique record of life and society. In years to come how will researchers begin to understand how religion and science fought it out in the early 21st century if we don't leave a record of that struggle?

Josh Timonen and Richard Dawkins should hang their heads (and egos) in shame for their culpability in the destruction of a unique and possibly pivotal historical record.

That is what is a stake here.

Regards
Chris

[Matt H]

Before yesterday, if you had said to me Richard Dawkins would be willing to destroy a forum full of scientific discussion I would have said you were lying.

I still can't believe he's done this. He probably doesn't know anything about it. The worst thing is, he will side with Josh, as he always has done. Just look at his posts on RichardDawkins.net, both the site and the forum. They are full of praise for Josh. He loves him like a son.

[Bella Fortuna]

...or a gimp.

[klr]

Before yesterday, if you had said to me Richard Dawkins would be willing to destroy a forum full of scientific discussion I would have said you were lying.

I still can't believe he's done this. He probably doesn't know anything about it. The worst thing is, he will side with Josh, as he always has done. Just look at his posts on RichardDawkins.net, both the site and the forum. They are full of praise for Josh. He loves him like a son.

You've hit on something there. I've long suspected that there is more than a whiff of the surrogate son in how RD views Josh. RD also seems to lack depth in appreciating technical issues and their impact, but that's another matter.

As for the destruction of all those scientific posts: If someone had burned the same information in written form, imagine how it would be viewed. Early in the TAT (The Ancestor's Tale), RD made a swipe at the US military for failing to protect historical artefacts in Iraqi museums during the 2003 invasions. Well, I wonder how he views this? It's not as if there were plenty of other non-destructive alternatives if our friends wanted to suppress adverse comment.

[CJ]

Before yesterday, if you had said to me Richard Dawkins would be willing to destroy a forum full of scientific discussion I would have said you were lying.

I still can't believe he's done this. He probably doesn't know anything about it. The worst thing is, he will side with Josh, as he always has done. Just look at his posts on RichardDawkins.net, both the site and the forum. They are full of praise for Josh. He loves him like a son.

You've hit on something there. I've long suspected that there is more than a whiff of the surrogate son in how RD views Josh. RD also seems to lack depth in appreciating technical issues and their impact, but that's another matter.

As for the destruction of all those scientific posts: If someone had burned the same information in written form, imagine how it would be viewed. Early in the TAT (The Ancestor's Tale), RD made a swipe at the US military for failing to protect historical artefacts in Iraqi museums during the 2003 invasions. Well, I wonder how he views this? It's not as if there were plenty of other non-destructive alternatives if our friends wanted to suppress adverse comment.

+1

The utter hypocrisy in all this is utterly mind boggling.

[Skinny Puppy]

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but does this equation add up?

Richard Dawkins + Josh = hypocrites

Sorry, math isn’t my forte.

[J.A.Poisson]

How will historians view what Josh Timonen and Richard Dawkins have done by destroying the forum element of richarddawkins.net?

:facepalm:

ETA 4 million smilies and no facepalm?

[klr]

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but does this equation add up?

Richard Dawkins + Josh = hypocrites

Sorry, math isn’t my forte.

A new form of algebra! A scientific discovery.

[Spearthrower]

This is my biggest bone of contention, and something we can still potentially stop from occurring. I know a lot of people have had their stuff deleted, but if we can extol them into retaining the information there for a reasonable amount of time, then they could at least escape the moral culpability of destroying a repository of knowledge.

[Agrippina]

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but does this equation add up?

Richard Dawkins + Josh = hypocrites

Sorry, math isn’t my forte.

Off topic: Hi Skinny, I found you!

Isn't this a little bit of the new pattern of behaviour i.e. controlling language, I mean FFS the anchors on Sky News are not allowed to say the word 'bastard' even though it's in the name of the moie and spelt "Basterds" it reminds me of when "The Best little Whorehouse in Texas" was doing the cinema rounds in the 1980s and the billboards read "The best little ****house in Texas." It's thought control and dragging people behind the lines of a new type of Victorianism. Christ what's next, are they going to ban miniskirts and tank tops?

[Horwood Beer-Master]

How will historians view what Josh Timonen and Richard Dawkins have done by destroying the forum element of richarddawkins.net?

:facepalm:

ETA 4 million smilies and no facepalm?

[CJ]

Added to the open letter to RD linked to elsewhere.

Date: 2010-02-24 15:41:08 (GMT +1:00)
13,889 of my posts were deleted from the forum of which a maximum of 6 were critical of Josh Timonen. As a result many threads have now lost their OP. One such thread concerned the make up of the membership and the ratio of innate atheists to those that have come through a religious route the ratio was 45:55. This information has now been lost to future historians FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER!! Ok so if 50% of my posts were chit chat that still leaves at 6,000+ serious and considered posts made in good faith that they were contributing to science and reason. Josh Timonen should be sacked and the forum restored from the last most intact back up, if not then you Richard Dawkins are complicit in the wanton destruction of a historical record the like of which THERE CAN NEVER AGAIN EXIST. I offer you 1p for a full backup copy of the forum. I will arrange for the copy to be hosted in a read only form simply as a historical archive of the battle between reason and faith. If you refuse my offer then it can be seen that you are undoubtedly a history destroyer of the first order and will go down in history with this stain irrevocably associated with your character. If you find 1p to0 little for something you are preparing to destroy then I suggest you auction a copy on ebay and put the funds towards an appropriate charity such as the Sam Harris Reason Project where it will be put to good use. Regards Chris

[Agrippina]

I'm so sorry to hear that Chris. You were instrumental in my staying with the forum, making me feel so welcome in my first week there. I hate it when good people are made to look like asses and the real asses win.

[CJ]

I'm so sorry to hear that Chris. You were instrumental in my staying with the forum, making me feel so welcome in my first week there. I hate it when good people are made to look like asses and the real asses win.

We ain't lost yet.