He is sometimes referred to as the "world's most famous atheist" but when interviewed, he claims that, on a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 is perfect faith in God and 7 is perfect confidence in atheism, he is a 6.9.<ref>{{Cite news |author= Bingham, John |title= Richard Dawkins: I can't be sure God does not exist |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9102740/Richard-Dawkins-I-cant-be-sure-God-does-not-exist.html |newspaper= [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |date= February 24, 2012 |accessdate= February 24, 2012}}</ref>
Although Dawkins is an agnostic, he advocates [[evangelical atheism]] and is widely considered to be an [[atheist activist]]. Author [[Vox Day]] wrote concerning this matter, "While the fact that Dawkins declared himself a literal agnostic in the very book in which he declared the importance of atheist evangelism is both ironic and incoherent, it will surprise no one who has read the chapter of ''The Irrational Atheist'' entitled "Darwin's Judas".<ref name="voxday.blogspot.com"/>
Most of Richard Dawkins' popular books have [[Richard Dawkins and pseudoscience|promoted evolutionary pseudoscience.]] Dawkins is also the former holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of the Public Understanding of Science at [[Oxford University]].
He is an ardent opponent of religion, which he dismisses as mere [[superstition]].<ref>Richard Dawkins is a man with a mission – the eradication of religion and superstition, and their total replacement with science and reason. [http://www.sheldrake.org/D&C/controversies/Dawkins.html "Richard Dawkins comes to call"]</ref> However, Dawkins has offered no effective rebuttal to studies which show that the irreligious [[Irreligion and superstition|are more likely]] to be superstitious than [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] [[Christianity|Christians]].<ref name="online.wsj.com">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>
Dawkins is one of the principle founders of the [[New Atheism]] movement , which is a form of [[militant atheism]] in terms of its [[rhetoric]]. Dawkins said about New Atheism, "[O]ur struggle is not so much an intellectual struggle, as a political one: What are we going to do about it?”.<ref>[http://secularismandnonreligion.org/articles/10.5334/snr.al/print/ Faithless: The politics of new atheism] by Steven Kettell</ref> In recent years, the prominence of Richard Dawkins and the New Atheism movement has greatly waned (see: [[Richard Dawkins' loss of influence]] and [[New Atheism#Decline of New Atheism|Decline of New Atheism]]).
In terms of the [[theism]] vs. agnosticism/and [[atheism]] issue, Dawkins has shown himself to be rather ignorant in matters of [[philosophy]] and [[theology]]. For example, 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>
The philosopher [[Antony Flew]], who was one of the most prominent atheist academics in the world before adopting [[deism]], said about Dawkins: “The fault of Dawkins as an academic…was his scandalous and apparently deliberate refusal to present the doctrine he appears to think he has refuted in its strongest form”.<ref>[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/ten-years-on-from-that-book-of-atheistic-faith-the-god-delusion-1-7496360 Ten years on from that book of atheistic faith, the God Delusion] by Mike Taggart</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]]ists as a result (see: [[Richard Dawkins and women]] and [[Richard Dawkins and Islamophobia accusations]]).
According to ''The Richest'', "Richard Dawkins..has an estimated net worth of $135 million ($100 euro) 10,000,000 according to the ''Sunday Times'' in 2012."<ref>[http://www.therichest.com/celebnetworth/celeb/authors/richard-dawkins-net-worth/ Richard Dawkins Net Worth]</ref> See also: [[Richard Dawkins' net worth]]
== Richard Dawkins and women ==
According to the website tracking firm [[Alexa]], women frequent the website of richarddawkins.net significantly less than men.<refname="Alexa data for Richarddawkins.net">[http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/richarddawkins.net Alexa data for Richarddawkins.net]</ref>]]
=== Women's views of Richard Dawkins ===
Survey data and website tracking data of prominent atheist websites indicate that in the Western World, atheism [[Atheism and women|is significantly less appealing to women]].
According to the website tracking firm [[Alexa]], women frequent the website of richarddawkins.net significantly less than men.<ref>[http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/richarddawkins.net name="Alexa data for Richarddawkins.net]<"/ref><ref>[http://examiningatheism.blogspot.com/2017/05/according-to-alexa-what-percentage-of.html According to Alexa, what percentage of Richard Dawkins' website visitors are women?], ''Examining Atheism''</ref> In recent years, there has been a significant amount of friction between Richard Dawkins and [[feminism|feminists]] (see: [[Richard Dawkins and women]]).
=== Elevatorgate controversy ===
</ref>
Prior to Elevatorgate, [[Monica Shores]]' ''Ms. Magazine'' article titled ''Will “New Atheism” Make Room For Women?'' criticized the News Atheism movement for being [[sexism|sexist]].<refname="msmagazine.com">[http://msmagazine.com/blog/2010/11/01/will-new-atheism-make-room-for-women/ ''Will “New Atheism” Make Room For Women''] by Monica Shores, ''Ms. Magazine'', 2010</ref> She also cited [[Conservapedia]] in her article and indicated: "The lack of lady presence is so visible that Conservapedia commented on it by noting that [[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science website|Dawkins’ website]] overwhelmingly attracts male visitors."<ref>[http://name="msmagazine.com"/blog/2010/11/01/will-new-atheism-make-room-for-women/ ''Will “New Atheism” Make Room For Women''] by Monica Shores, ''Ms. Magazine'', 2010</ref>
For more information, please see:
''See also:'' [[Feminist quotes about Richard Dawkins]]
[[File:David Silverman.JPG|thumbnail|right|150px|[[David Silverman]] ]]
An article by Sarah posted at [[Skepchick]] about a conversation between Richard Dawkins and [[David Silverman]], the (a former president of the [[American Atheists]] organization), which took place during the planning phase of the [[Reason Rally]]:
{{cquote|Richard was standing behind the podium, and he asked Dave something along the lines of, “What exactly is the Reason Rally?” Dave started explaining it, and as he did, someone who was waiting in the line outside opened the door to peek inside and we could all hear a lot of noise. I rushed up the aisle and made frantic “shut the door” gestures at the people peeking inside, and they did. As I walked the ten feet back, I couldn’t hear everything Dave was saying, but I heard the name “Rebecca Watson.” Richard suddenly had a very angry look on his face and I heard him almost shout, “No, absolutely not! If she’s going to be there, I won’t be there. I don’t want her speaking.” and then Dave immediately replied, “You’re absolutely right, we’ll take her off the roster. It’s done.” Richard huffed for a moment, Dave continued to placate him, and then he made the video.
''The Guardian'' reported that Dawkins is expected to have a full recovery or near full recovery from his stroke.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/feb/12/richard-dawkins-has-stroke-on-eve-of-australia-and-new-zealand-tour Richard Dawkins stroke forces delay of Australia and New Zealand tour], ''The Guardian'', February 11, 2016</ref>
In December of 2016, Dawkins appears to have started to Tweet again despite his doctors warnings to avoid controversy (For example, he tweeted that Britain had become a "nasty little backwater" after the [[Brexit]] vote and his Tweet drew fierce criticism).<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/richard-dawkins-england-becoming-nasty-little-backwater-brexit/ Richard Dawkins: England becoming a 'nasty little backwater' after Brexit vote], ''The Telegraph'', March 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/748479/Richard-Dawkins-pretending-war-on-christmas-christians SHOCK RANT: Richard Dawkins mocks Christians for 'pretending' there's WAR on Christianity], ''Express'', December of 2016</ref><ref>[https://swarajyamag.com/insta/what-british-scientist-dawkins-thinks-of-islam What British Scientist Dawkins Thinks Of Islam], ''Swaraya'', June 7, 2017</ref>
=== Richard Dawkins' health ===
The [[secular humanism|secular humanist]] document Human Manifesto II, which was written in 1973 by [[Paul Kurtz]] and Edwin H. Wilson, decried racism and it declared:
{{cquote|The beginnings of police states, even in democratic societies, widespread government espionage, and other abuses of power by military, political, and industrial elites, and the continuance of unyielding racism, all present a different and difficult social outlook. In various societies, the demands of women and minority groups for equal rights effectively challenge our generation.<ref>[http://americanhumanist.org/humanism/humanist_manifesto_ii Humanist Manifesto II]</ref>}}
== Richard Dawkins wants people to eat manufactured human lab meat to "overcome our taboo against cannibalism” ==
[[File:Richard Dawkins 2015.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Richard Dawkins ]]
''LifeSite News'' declares:
{{Cquote|Richard Dawkins, the (in)famous [[atheist activist|atheism proselytizer]], has mused about eating human meat.
No, he doesn’t want to join the Donner Party. Researchers may soon be able to manufacture meat from cell lines in the lab, and Dawkins has suggested in a tweet that we could “overcome our taboo” by eating human flesh so manufactured.
What if human meat is grown? Could we overcome our taboo against cannibalism? An interesting test case for [[Consequentialism|consequentialist morality]] versus “yuck reaction” [[Objective morality|absolutism]].<ref>[http://www.lifenews.com/2018/03/06/richard-dawkins-wants-to-eat-human-meat-to-overcome-our-taboo-against-cannibalism/ Richard Dawkins Wants to Eat Human “Meat” to “Overcome Our Taboo Against Cannibalism”], ''LifeSite News'', 2018</ref>}}
== Richard Dawkins' bleak worldview ==
*[[Richard Dawkins quotes]]
*[[Atheist pessimism about Decline of the atheist movement]]
== Richard Dawkins' cult of personality ==
''See also:'' [[Atheism and humor]]
The movie ''[[The Atheist Delusion]]'' features Richard Dawkins being the object of audience laughter due to something unreasonable he said.<refname="M The Atheist Delusion Movie 2016">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWiZ3iXWwM The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD]</ref> Dawkins indignantly asked the audience, "Why is that funny?".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?vname=ChWiZ3iXWwM "M The Atheist Delusion Movie (2016) HD]<"/ref>
== Dogmatic arrogance of Richard Dawkins ==
=== Initial loss of web traffic to Richard Dawkins's website post Elevatorgate ===
[[File:Richard Dawkins web traffic 12-23-12.png|thumbnail|center|775px|According to the web traffic tracking company [[Quantcast]], the web traffic of Richard Dawkins' website fell in 2012.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/12/2012-has-been-bad-year-for-richard.html 2012 has been a very BAD year for Richard Dawkins's website according to Quantcast]</ref> By October 2014, the web traffic for his website fell to a lower level according to Quantcast.<ref>[http://shockawenow.blogspot.com/2014/10/richard-dawkins-loss-of-influence.html Richard Dawkins' loss of influence]</ref>
<br />
<br />
[[File:Richard dawkins website alexa April 2017.png|thumbnail|center|400px|In April of 2017, according to Alexa, Richard Dawkins' website continued to experience a steep decline in terms of its global market share.]]
{{Clear}}
[[File:Richard Dawkins' website 9dawkins alexa 10-427-2017.png|thumbnail|center|400px|On September 4November 27, 2017, according to Alexa, Richard Dawkins' website was the 133158,104th 206th most popular website in the world. <br /><br />His website was losing global market share in the latter quarter of 2017.]]
{{clear}}
== Survey of scientists: Richard Dawkins misrepresents science and scientists ==
[[File:Richard Dawkins 2015Stockholm.jpgJPG|thumbnail|right|250px|[[Richard Dawkins]] ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and science]]
=== Impact of the New Atheism ===
''See also:'' [[Desecularization]] and [[Atheist pessimism about Decline of the atheist movement]]
New Atheism has not had much of an impact in terms of gaining new adherents to [[atheism]]. In a March 10, 2008 [[USA Today]] article Stephen Prothero stated the following regarding the impact of the "New Atheism":