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NL888 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
And if the Templeton Foundation can help bring about even such a tiny step toward my vision of a world without religion, how bad can it be?
Does "And if the Templeton Foundation can help bring about even such a tiny step toward my vision of a world without religion, how bad can it be?" mean "And if the Templeton Foundation can help push such a tiny step forward (toward my insight of a religion-free world), nothing worse will happen (to the Templeton Foundation)"?
Context:
My conversations with the faithful deepened my appreci-
ation of why some intelligent, well-educated people
embrace religion. One reporter discussed the experience
of speaking in tongues, and another described having an
intimate relationship with Jesus. My convictions did not
change, but others' did. At least one fellow said that his
faith was wavering as a result of Dawkins's dissection of
religion. And if the Templeton Foundation can help bring
about even such a tiny step toward my vision of a world
without religion, how bad can it be?
Context:
My conversations with the faithful deepened my appreci-
ation of why some intelligent, well-educated people
embrace religion. One reporter discussed the experience
of speaking in tongues, and another described having an
intimate relationship with Jesus. My convictions did not
change, but others' did. At least one fellow said that his
faith was wavering as a result of Dawkins's dissection of
religion. And if the Templeton Foundation can help bring
about even such a tiny step toward my vision of a world
without religion, how bad can it be?
Top answer
" I lean towards the former. In either case, it is a rhetorical question with the implied answer "not so bad".
- " I lean towards the former.
- In either case, it is a rhetorical question with the implied answer "not so bad".
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1 Answers
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I'm not completely sure whether "how bad can it be?" means "how bad can the Templeton Foundation be?" or "how bad can the situation be?" I lean towards the former. In either case, it is a rhetorical question with the implied answer "not so bad".
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