In terms of the [[theism]] vs. [[agnosticism]]/[[atheism]] issue, Dawkins has shown himself to be rather ignorant in matters of [[philosophy]] and [[theology]]. For example, atheist philosopher Dr. [[Michael Ruse]] declared concerning Dawkins' book ''[[The God Delusion]]'': "''The God Delusion'' makes me embarrassed to be an atheist."<ref>http://www.alternet.org/media/47052?page=entire</ref> See also: [[Errors of Richard Dawkins]]
As far as the origin of the [[universe]], Dawkins wrote: “The fact that [[origin of life|life evolved]] out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved literally out of nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=4TDTnoBLdQMC&pg=PA141&lpg=PA141&dq=%E2%80%9CThe+fact+that+life+evolved+out+of+nearly+nothing,+some+10+billion+years+after+the+universe+evolved+literally+out+of+nothing,+is+a+fact+so+staggering+that+I+would+be+mad+to+attempt+words+to+do+it+justice.%22&source=bl&ots=g1m0iQzew4&sig=CT1XkXd8yfbNUCIDKeDH_x_UbO8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi7vImP8ZjNAhUGPCYKHSAdDXcQ6AEIJDAB#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CThe%20fact%20that%20life%20evolved%20out%20of%20nearly%20nothing%2C%20some%2010%20billion%20years%20after%20the%20universe%20evolved%20literally%20out%20of%20nothing%2C%20is%20a%20fact%20so%20staggering%20that%20I%20would%20be%20mad%20to%20attempt%20words%20to%20do%20it%20justice.%22&f=false Richard Dawkins quote about the origin of the universe], ''God, Science, and Reason: Finding the Light of God Amidst the Darkness of Atheism and Dogmatism'' By Michael Bunner, page 141</ref> See also: [[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]
Dawkins is a [[Richard Dawkins and Islamophobia accusations|vocal opponent of Islam]]. Despite his opposition to religion/[[Christianity]], Dawkins indicated: "Christianity may actually be our best defence against aberrant forms of religion that threaten the world".<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/01/12/professional-atheist-dawkins-says-christianity-bulwark-against-something-worse/ Professional Atheist Dawkins Says Christianity ‘Bulwark Against Something Worse’], by Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D, ''Breitbart News Network'', Jan 12, 2016</ref><ref>[http://www.christiantoday.com/article/richard.dawkins.says.christianity.is.worlds.best.defence.against.radical.islam/76416.htm Richard Dawkins says Christianity is world's best defence against radical Islam], Christianity Today, January 2016</ref> See also: [[Richard Dawkins and Christianity]]
As far as the origin of the [[universe]], Dawkins wrote: “The fact that [[origin of life|life evolved]] out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved literally out of nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice."[https://books.google.com/books?id=4TDTnoBLdQMC&pg=PA141&lpg=PA141&dq=%E2%80%9CThe+fact+that+life+evolved+out+of+nearly+nothing,+some+10+billion+years+after+the+universe+evolved+literally+out+of+nothing,+is+a+fact+so+staggering+that+I+would+be+mad+to+attempt+words+to+do+it+justice.%22&source=bl&ots=g1m0iQzew4&sig=CT1XkXd8yfbNUCIDKeDH_x_UbO8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi7vImP8ZjNAhUGPCYKHSAdDXcQ6AEIJDAB#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CThe%20fact%20that%20life%20evolved%20out%20of%20nearly%20nothing%2C%20some%2010%20billion%20years%20after%20the%20universe%20evolved%20literally%20out%20of%20nothing%2C%20is%20a%20fact%20so%20staggering%20that%20I%20would%20be%20mad%20to%20attempt%20words%20to%20do%20it%20justice.%22&f=false], ''God, Science, and Reason: Finding the Light of God Amidst the Darkness of Atheism and Dogmatism'' By Michael Bunner, page 141</ref> See also: [[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]
== Biography of Richard Dawkins ==
[[File:Richard Dawkins photo.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|left|After previously apologizing to [[feminism|feminists]] and others for the [[Elevatorgate]] scandal, Dawkins retracted his apology and said, "I don’t take back anything that I’ve said. I would not say it again, however, because I am now accustomed to being misunderstood and so I will... I feel muzzled, and a lot of other people do as well.“<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/richard-dawkins-stands-by-remarks-on-sexism-pedophilia-down-syndrome/2014/11/18/a2915cd8-6f64-11e4-a2c2-478179fd0489_story.html Richard Dawkins stands by remarks on sexism, pedophilia, Down syndrome], by Kimberly Winston | Religion News Service November 18, 2014 and syndicated to the ''Washington Post''</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/rebeccawatson/status/497087309805027328 Rebecca Watson's Twitter post about Dawkins' apology]</ref><ref>[https://richarddawkins.net/2014/08/who-is-belittling-what/ Who is belittling what?] by Richard Dawkins</ref>]]
Richard Dawkins was born in Kenya.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2004/jul/25/research.science</ref> He was a child of a family of colonial forest officers.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3657215/Preaching-to-the-converted.html</ref>
In 1984, Dawkins divorced his wife of 17 years, Marian Stamp; later that same year, he married Eve Barham. Dawkins also divorced Barham, though the precise circumstances of this divorce are unclear.<ref>http://www.richarddawkins.com/</ref> He married science fiction actress Lalla Ward in 1992; at present, the two are still married.
[[Vox Day|Theodore Beale]] wrote in the his book ''The Irrational Atheist'' about Dawkins's claim that teaching children about [[Hell]] is more harmful to children than "mild child abuse":
{{Cquote|Richard Dawkins is perhaps one of the last men on Earth who should be discussing what is the right and proper way to raise children, given that the number of his wives outnumber his offspring.
In his letter to his daughter Juliet, addressed to her at the age of ten and published in ''A Devil’s Chaplain'', there is little mention of love, no admission of regret, and no paternal promises. As one British journalist noted, the letter is “coldly impersonal” and “authoritarian.” There is no expression of interest in what might be important to her. <ref>[http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf The Irrational Atheist. Chapter VIII DARWIN’S JUDAS] by Vox Day</ref>}}
Since 2011, Dawkins has been embroiled in controversies related to [[feminism]]/[[Islam]] and he has received a significant amount of criticism from his fellow [[secular left|secular leftists]] as a result (see: [[Richard Dawkins and women]] and [[Richard Dawkins and Islamophobia accusations]]).
*[[Richard Dawkins quotes]]
*[[Atheist pessimism about the atheist movement]]
== Richard Dawkins' cult of personality ==
In response a supporter of the Question evolution! campaign wrote in an article entitled ''Atheism is rudderless and unseaworthy'':
[[File:Flip-flops.png|thumbnail|right|200px|The article ''Atheism is rudderless and unseaworthy'' written by a supporter of the [[Question evolution! campaign]] wrote: "Christians should call Dawkins on his disingenuous [[Flip-flop (politics)|flip-flopping]] if his publisher continues to promote the book as a book focusing on his journey to atheism without mentioning the fact that Dawkins is presently an agnostic who has rejected atheism."<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/atheism-is-rudderless-and-unseaworthy.html Atheism is rudderless and unseaworthy]</ref>]]
{{cquote|The publisher's notice of the upcoming book using the term "atheist" can be found on several other prominent internet properties besides the ''Christian Post'' such as ''Publishers Weekly'', ''The Blaze,'' ''Christianity Today'' and ''Galleycat'' (''Galleycat'' is on the Media Bistro domain).
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/evolutionists-atheists-and-agnostics.html Evolutionists, atheists and agnostics: Where is your master plan to reverse your global decline?]
== Selective outrage on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles" ==
[[File:668738335 394b3820fb.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Ben-Peter Terpstra wrote in the ''Australian Conservative'': "In all truth, Britain’s clean-shaven [[atheism|atheists]] aren’t serious about children’s rights, or they’d be launching venomous attacks against the [[United Nations]], in light of their more recent sex abuse scandals."]]
''See also:'' [[Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles"]] and [[Atheism and child pornography]] and and [[Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA]]
The ''Australian Conservative'' recently published an article by Ben-Peter Terpstra entitled ''Preparing for Richard Dawkins’ crocodile tears'' which charges that Richard Dawkins exhibits selective outrage on the issue of child molestation. In the article Terpstra cites Bendan Oneill who wrote:
{{cquote|The [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] campaign to have Pope Benedict XVI arrested when he visits Britain later this year exposes the deeply disturbing, authoritarian and even Inquisitorial side to today’s campaigning secularism...
In 2006, Dawkins criticised ‘hysteria about paedophilia’ and said that, even though he was the victim of sexual abuse at boarding school, he would defend his abusive former teachers if ‘50 years on they had been hounded by vigilantes or lawyers as no better than child murderers’. Yet now he wants to put abusive priests on a par with genocidaires.<ref>http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/8526/</ref>}}
Ben-Peter Terpstra writes: "In all truth, Britain’s clean-shaven atheists aren’t serious about children’s rights, or they’d be launching venomous attacks against the [[United Nations]], in light of their more recent sex abuse scandals."
Concerning Richard Dawkins recent selective outrage on child molestation the Christian apologetics website [[True Free Thinker]] writes:
{{cquote|His reputation has always been the very same and this Pope related publicity stunt is nothing new. Moreover, why would he oppose the Pope considering that what the Pope may be complicit in, surely, relates to some gentle pedophiles.
What! “Gentle pedophiles”!!!
Oh, no, no, no; those are not my words but Richard Dawkins who, indeed, argues that there are gentle pedophiles and that way too much is made of pedophilia at times.
For these reasons and more Robert Fulford’s referring to Richard Dawkins as a clown is very, very offensive—to clowns. Clowns are lovable and funny whilst Richard Dawkins is belligerent, arrogant, belittling and shockingly lacking in knowledge with regards to many of the issues that he takes on (find ample evidence [http://www.truefreethinker.com/richard-dawkins here]).<ref>http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/send-clowns-%E2%80%93-richard-dawkins-obliges</ref>}}
=== Richard Dawkins' on child abuse and children believing in Hell ===
See: [[Richard Dawkins and Hell#Richard Dawkins' on child abuse and children believing in Hell|Richard Dawkins' on child abuse and children believing in Hell]]
== Richard Dawkins on homosexuality ==
There are certainly reputable scientists, medical doctors and members of the public who hold the evolutionary paradigm in low esteem for valid reasons so Dawkins excuses for refusing to debate creationists simply have little to no weight and they are certainly not the best explanation for Mr. Dawkins' behavior in this matter. In 2007, "[[Discovery Institute]]'s Center for Science and Culture today announced that over 700 scientists from around the world have now signed a statement expressing their skepticism about the contemporary theory of Darwinian evolution."<ref>http://www.discovery.org/a/2732</ref> In addition, given that atheism is held in low esteem in many parts of the world and it is a minority position worldwide, Dawkins' refusal to debate strong theistic debaters is quite odd given his allegation that he doesn't debate creationists because he doesn't want to give them respectability and publicity. Furthermore, the Rabbi Boteach debate and the events surrounding it, shows the great lengths that Dawkins will go to avoid letting the public know about a debate loss to a [[theism|theist]] (As mentioned previously Dawkins lost his video taped debate to Rabbi Boteach and then claimed the debate never took place). The reason why Dawkins refuses to debate creation scientists is that generally speaking, [[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates|creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates]].
== Selective outrage on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles" ==
[[File:668738335 394b3820fb.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Ben-Peter Terpstra wrote in the ''Australian Conservative'': "In all truth, Britain’s clean-shaven [[atheism|atheists]] aren’t serious about children’s rights, or they’d be launching venomous attacks against the [[United Nations]], in light of their more recent sex abuse scandals."(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/tunnelarmr/668738335/ Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en license agreement]) ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and child pornography]] and [[Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles"]] and [[Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA]]
The ''Australian Conservative'' recently published an article by Ben-Peter Terpstra entitled ''Preparing for Richard Dawkins’ crocodile tears'' which charges that Richard Dawkins exhibits selective outrage on the issue of child molestation. In the article Terpstra cites Bendan Oneill who wrote:
{{cquote|The [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] campaign to have Pope Benedict XVI arrested when he visits Britain later this year exposes the deeply disturbing, authoritarian and even Inquisitorial side to today’s campaigning secularism...
In 2006, Dawkins criticised ‘hysteria about paedophilia’ and said that, even though he was the victim of sexual abuse at boarding school, he would defend his abusive former teachers if ‘50 years on they had been hounded by vigilantes or lawyers as no better than child murderers’. Yet now he wants to put abusive priests on a par with genocidaires.<ref>http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/8526/</ref>}}
Ben-Peter Terpstra writes: "In all truth, Britain’s clean-shaven atheists aren’t serious about children’s rights, or they’d be launching venomous attacks against the [[United Nations]], in light of their more recent sex abuse scandals."
Concerning Richard Dawkins recent selective outrage on child molestation the Christian apologetics website [[True Free Thinker]] writes:
{{cquote|His reputation has always been the very same and this Pope related publicity stunt is nothing new. Moreover, why would he oppose the Pope considering that what the Pope may be complicit in, surely, relates to some gentle pedophiles.
What! “Gentle pedophiles”!!!
Oh, no, no, no; those are not my words but Richard Dawkins who, indeed, argues that there are gentle pedophiles and that way too much is made of pedophilia at times.
For these reasons and more Robert Fulford’s referring to Richard Dawkins as a clown is very, very offensive—to clowns. Clowns are lovable and funny whilst Richard Dawkins is belligerent, arrogant, belittling and shockingly lacking in knowledge with regards to many of the issues that he takes on (find ample evidence [http://www.truefreethinker.com/richard-dawkins here]).<ref>http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/send-clowns-%E2%80%93-richard-dawkins-obliges</ref>}}
==Opposition to Creationism and Religion ==
McGrath recently wrote a book opposing the [[atheist]] ideology of Dawkins entitled ''The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine''.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=433628&in_page_id=1770</ref>
==Darwin's Rottweiler Richard Dawkins and the [[Huxley Memorial Debate]]==
For more information please see: [[Huxley Memorial Debate]]
*''The Greatest Hoax on Earth? Refuting Dawkins on Evolution'' by Dr. [[Jonathan Sarfati]], 2010
== Essays relating to Richard Dawkins See Also== *[[Richard Dawkins statistics]]*[http://www.conservapedia.com/Category:Richard_Dawkins Directory of Richard Dawkins articles]*[[Richard Dawkins and Creation Ministries International]]*[[British atheism]]*[[Richard Dawkins and Hell]] Essays:
*[[Essay: Atheism: A house divided and in global decline|Atheism: A house divided and in global decline]]
*[[Essay: Is Richard Dawkins an intellectually fulfilled atheist?|Is Richard Dawkins an intellectually fulfilled atheist?]]
*[[Conservapedia essay: Are Richard Dawkins fans cultic?]]
== Comedy and satires about Richard Dawkins ==
*[[Essay: Richard Dawkins' lack of appeal to the Asian women audience|Richard Dawkins' lack of appeal to the Asian women audience]]
*[[Essay: New atheists and Hiroo Onada|New atheists and Hiroo Onada]]
==See Also==
*[[Richard Dawkins and Creation Ministries International]]
*[[British atheism]]
*[http://www.conservapedia.com/Category:Richard_Dawkins Directory of Richard Dawkins articles]
*[[Theory of Evolution and Cases of Fraud, Hoaxes and Speculation]]
*[[Atheism and deception]]
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
*[[Essay: Debate challenge for Richard Dawkins|Debate challenge for Richard Dawkins]]
*[[Conservapedia essay: Are Richard Dawkins fans cultic?]]
*[[Richard Dawkins and William Dembski]]
== External Links ==
*[http://www.atheistdelusion.net/ The Atheist Delusion] (cite website rebutting Richard Dawkins)
*[http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/8885481/after-the-new-atheism/ Richard Dawkins has lost: meet the new new atheists] by [[Theo Hobson]]