Dawkins versus Timonen
Wow! Just wow! Long term readers of this blog may recall my angry articles when Richard Dawkins and Josh Timonen closed the RichardDawkins.net forums. Well it seems soon (within three months?) after Richard’s passionate defence of his friend, a major falling out ensued, now culminating in a court case.
The article which has sparked several rather amusing threads on various ex-RD.net members forums can be found here -
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/10/22/31283.htm
Josh Timonen has responded here -
http://joshtimonen.com/post/1387207318/the-ultimate-betrayal
RationalSkepticism.org has a thread here -
http://www.rationalskepticism.org/news-politics/dawkins-sues-josh-timonen-t14455.html
The JREF here -
http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=189474
I do not plan to comment on the court case, as I am in a position of complete ignorance. I don’t know who is right,and who is wrong.
However if you want to understand the vitriol this is causing, you have to understand that back in February a lot of us were very angry about the lies and misrepresentations regarding the closure of the RD.net forum – and the phrase “suppurating rat’s rectum” still brings a smile to my face. It’s all detailed on this blog here
http://jerome23.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/the-end-of-an-era-richard-dawkins-forum-to-close/
http://jerome23.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/death-of-an-atheist-forum-the-lessons-of-history/
http://jerome23.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/richard-dawkins-on-changes-at-the-forum/
http://jerome23.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/in-praise-of-josh-timonen/
and by former mod Peter Harrison here
http://realityismyreligion.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/locked-entry-will-open-soon/
However for a real decent analysis may I recommend Gurdur’s blog – many post on this and other related matters
http://heathen-hub.com/blog.php?b=254
I hope this all help people see why regardless of the ins and outs of the alleged misappropriation of charitable monies, there is considerable amusement and interest in certain parts of the atheist and sceptic community.
Very sad for all concerned I’m sure
cj x
3 Responses
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Shame how Richard dismantled a wonderful community through sheer incompetence.
I led your comment on how proud you were to have contributed to the girlfriend’s patio! Yes, it was bloody miserable- and now, more of the same crap. I’ll give vent when the court case is through, but at the moment i m not really usre which I believe to be honest, Dawkins or Timonen. It may be a legitimate misunderstanding about “work for hire” and who owns the rights?
cj x
I suppose we will have to wait and see if he did swindle any money. As Josh states his defense of the accusations is in the hands of his lawyers.
He says little about it in his article, and have seen nothing in his posts elsewhere about this money.