Why Atheist Richard Dawkins Is Irritated By Creationists | Newsweek Books

Richard Dawkins on his tense relations with those who believe in God.

Published Sep 26, 2009

From the magazine issue dated Oct 5, 2009

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In his controversial bestseller The God Delusion, evolutionary biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins attacked religious belief. He spoke with me about his new work, The Greatest Show on Earth, and his inimitable style. Excerpts:

Why were you motivated to write this book?
Well, it's about the evidence for evolution. Evolution is one of the most fascinating ideas in all of science. It explains your existence and mine, and the existence of just about everything we see. How can you possibly ask what motivated me? It's just a wonderful subject to write a book about.

Is this supposed to be the definitive refutation of creationist arguments?
Well, it's amazing that there needs to be a definitive refutation of them, but yes, if you put it like that, it is a propitious time from that point of view. Any time would have been a good time for this book.

Are those incompatible positions: to believe in God and to believe in evolution?
No, I don't think they're incompatible if only because there are many intelligent evolutionary scientists who also believe in God—to name only Francis Collins [the geneticist and Christian believer recently chosen to head the National Institutes of Health] as an outstanding example. So it clearly is possible to be both. This book more or less begins by accepting that there is that compatibility. The God Delusion did make a case against that compatibility in my own mind.

I wonder whether you might be more successful in your arguments if you didn't convey irritation and a sense that the people who believe in God are not as smart as you are.
I think there is a certain justified irritation with young-earth creationists who believe that the world is less than 10,000 years old. Those are the people that I'm really talking about. I do sometimes accuse people of ignorance, but that is not intended to be an insult. I'm ignorant of lots of things. Ignorance is something that can be remedied by education. And that's what I'm trying to do.

Is there anything else I've missed?
I would be glad if you didn't use the word "strident." I'm getting a little bit tired of it.

I've read your books and I would not disagree with that characterization.
OK. Well, let me plant one idea in your head. When somebody offers an opinion about anything other than religion—say, politics or economics or football—they will use language that is no more or less outspoken than mine, and it isn't called strident. As soon as it's an atheistic opinion, immediately the adjective "strident" is attached to it, almost as though the word atheist can't be used without the preceding adjective "strident." You wouldn't talk about a strident Christian.

The quest for truth cannot be suppressed, scaring people with final judgement with prospect of being tossed into eternal hell and quickly offering a bribe of heaven for switching gears etc. is not good enough. Adults need answers to their free inquiry, abrahamic religionists dodge those questions simply because they are not courageous enough to reform themselves. The result is rapid cropping up of nonbelievers, atheists and so forth. Such of those adults should explore the brahma and atman concepts for their spiritual realization and dharma and karma doctrines for practical life. Absolutely no need to embrace ANY religion, whatsoever.

If one were to read Vedas, Upanishads one will understand that- after all hinduism wasnt about idols and cows; no one tells them that- the brahma and atma concept is the central theme of vedic theology. The message (of vedas) is lost in translation for many for sure thanks to the exhaustive divinity painted all over it. Once stripped bare of the excess baggage, vedas are offering a spiritual model for individuals enlightenment. You are on your own understand.
Surprising it may sound, vedas almost agree with atheism, by equating creator to creation and in turn making the duo ageless and infinite. Much worse, unscrupulously depriving creator of any physical farm or gender. Thus whilst offering an olive branch to atheists, vedists, look at them (atheists) with respect. We just dont acknowledge our ancestors intelligence; by showcasing the technology we mastered much later we call them primitive. At least some of them had spent all their energies researching the most difficult subject to date and millennia ahead ie., the spiritual science. They had the clarity that the stone age mindset of people they lived among will not go away ever, they pursued with their research instead of living the dumb lives (read savage in some times) the others were living those millennia. The legend, miracle and myth were thus included in scriptures to pacify the peasants and rulers alike, because these latter characters refused any theology drink without the cocktail mix of mythology or divinity in it. A fair mix of legend and fairy tale was an add on as an appetizer for special effects if you will.

God /creator will not show up, ever to us. Unfortunately as far as the creation and creator are concerned, (to them) we are not any different from the bugs that reside in our guts.

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Posted By: Richard Head @ 10/20/2009 2:29:36 AM

Why would an athiest waste his time making comments on this post?
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Posted By: IndianDP @ 10/19/2009 7:07:28 PM

The quest for truth cannot be suppressed, scaring people with final judgement with prospect of being tossed into eternal hell and quickly offering a bribe of heaven for switching gears etc. is not good enough. Adults need answers to their free inquiry, abrahamic religionists dodge those questions simply because they are not courageous enough to reform themselves. The result is rapid cropping up of nonbelievers, atheists and so forth. Such of those adults should explore the brahma and atman concepts for their spiritual realization and dharma and karma doctrines for practical life. Absolutely no need to embrace ANY religion, whatsoever.

If one were to read Vedas, Upanishads one will understand that- after all hinduism wasnt about idols and cows; no one tells them that- the brahma and atma concept is the central theme of vedic theology. The message (of vedas) is lost in translation for many for sure thanks to the exhaustive divinity painted all over it. Once stripped bare of the excess baggage, vedas are offering a spiritual model for individuals enlightenment. You are on your own understand.
Surprising it may sound, vedas almost agree with atheism, by equating creator to creation and in turn making the duo ageless and infinite. Much worse, unscrupulously depriving creator of any physical farm or gender. Thus whilst offering an olive branch to atheists, vedists, look at them (atheists) with respect. We just dont acknowledge our ancestors intelligence; by showcasing the technology we mastered much later we call them primitive. At least some of them had spent all their energies researching the most difficult subject to date and millennia ahead ie., the spiritual science. They had the clarity that the stone age mindset of people they lived among will not go away ever, they pursued with their research instead of living the dumb lives (read savage in some times) the others were living those millennia. The legend, miracle and myth were thus included in scriptures to pacify the peasants and rulers alike, because these latter characters refused any theology drink without the cocktail mix of mythology or divinity in it. A fair mix of legend and fairy tale was an add on as an appetizer for special effects if you will.

God /creator will not show up, ever to us. Unfortunately as far as the creation and creator are concerned, (to them) we are not any different from the bugs that reside in our guts.
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Posted By: 1stopinion @ 10/19/2009 6:09:29 PM

If you think atheists cannot be fanatical you obviously haven't read these posts!!!