Richard Dawkins and Religious Right Find Common Ground

They both don't like fantasy stories like Harry Potter and their effect on children. [Link]

The prominent atheist is stepping down from his post at Oxford University to write a book aimed at youngsters in which he will warn them against believing in "anti-scientific" fairytales.

Prof Hawkins said: "The book I write next year will be a children's book on how to think about the world, science thinking contrasted with mythical thinking.

"I haven't read Harry Potter, I have read Pullman who is the other leading children's author that one might mention and I love his books. I don't know what to think about magic and fairy tales."

Prof Dawkins said he wanted to look at the effects of "bringing children up to believe in spells and wizards".

He can pry them from our cold, dead hands. Kids know the difference between fantasy and reality. I love fantasy and read a lot of it as a kid and never once forgot that it wasn't real.

How do we get kids to think critically and do their own research and then ability to critically evaluate the sources of information they get?