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Richard Dawkins

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[[File:Richard Dawkins - March 2005.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|251px|right|Richard Dawkins declared "[[Christianity]] may actually be our best defence against aberrant forms of religion that threaten the world".<ref name="christiantoday.com">[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><ref name="breitbart.com">[httphttps://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> See also: [[Richard Dawkins and Islamophobia accusations|Richard Dawkins and Islam]] ]]
'''Clinton Richard Dawkins''', [[Royal Society|FRS]], FRSL, (born March 26, 1941, age {{age|1941|3|26}}), is a British author, [[biologist]], [[evolution]]ist, [[agnosticism|agnostic]] and [[leftist]]/[[liberal]] (See also: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]).<ref>
*[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/02/mailvox-richard-dawkins-is-not-atheist.html Mailvox: Richard Dawkins is not an atheist!]
*[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100139859/id-go-to-church-just-to-reduce-the-probability-of-spending-eternity-in-hell-with-richard-dawkins/ ''I'd go to church just to reduce the probability of spending eternity in Hell with Richard Dawkins'' by Dr. Tim Stanley, ''The Daily Telegraph'', February 27, 2012]
*[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_rGbiT_3c Richard Dawkins Says He's Agnostic -- NOT atheist - video testimony of Richard Dawkins saying he is not an atheist, but an agnostic]</ref>
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>
== Biography of Richard Dawkins ==
[[File:Richard Dawkins photo.jpg|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 name="washingtonpost.com">[httphttps://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 name="Who is belittling what">[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>
Dawkins was raised to have religious values, and confesses that when he was young, he acknowledged the complexity of life and believed that it indicated a designer. However, during his teens, he chose to abandon this faith and embrace Darwinism instead, despite admitting that he hadn’t actually read [[Charles Darwin]]’s works.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/feb/10/religion.scienceandnature</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk">http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/atheism/people/dawkins.shtml</ref> See also: [[British atheism]] and [[UK and secularism]]
*[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/david-allen-green/2011/07/richard-dawkins-chewing-gum Sharing a lift with Richard Dawkins by David Allen Green - New Stateman - 06 July 2011]
*[http://gawker.com/5818993/richard-dawkins-torn-limb-from-limbby-atheists Richard Dawkins Torn Limb From Limb—By Atheists - Gawker]
*[httphttps://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-15/atheist-sexism-women/50416454/1 Atheists address sexism issues - USA Today]*[httphttps://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jun/09/is-richard-dawkins-destroying-his-reputation Is Richard Dawkins destroying his reputation?] by Sophie Elmhirst, ''The Guardian'', June 9, 2015
</ref>
On August 6, 2014, Dawkins apologized for his remarks related to his Elevatorgate scandal.<ref name="Who is belittling what"/><ref>[https://twitter.com/rebeccawatson/status/497087309805027328 Rebecca Watson's Twitter tweet about Richard Dawkins apologizing for his Elevate scandal]</ref>
However, on November 18, 2014, Richard Dawkins retracted his apology and indicated that: he stands by his recent remarks about women/men relations, he feels muzzled by "thought police" and that [[Rebecca Watson]]'s experience in the elevator was "rather trivial" compared to events some Muslim women experience.<ref>[httphttps://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</ref>
Specifically, the ''Washington Post'' reported on November 18, 2014:
Recent criticism of Dawkins has come from women, many of them within the [[atheist movement]], which has long drawn more men to its ranks. His online remarks, some women say, contribute to a climate they see as unwelcoming to female atheists...
“I concentrate my attention on that menace and I confess I occasionally get a little impatient with American women who complain of being inappropriately touched by the water cooler or invited for coffee or something which I think is, by comparison, relatively trivial,” he said.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">[httphttps://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>}}
==== Reason Rally related incident involving David Silverman and Richard Dawkins ====
*[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/21/the-12-stages-of-a-richard-dawkins-twitter-scandal_n_5698443.html The 12-Stage 'Evolution' Of A Richard Dawkins Twitter Scandal] by Paul Vale, The Huffington Post UK, Posted: 22/08/2014 02:06 BST
*[http://www.salon.com/2016/01/27/richard_dawkins_delete_your_account_the_prominent_atheist_unleashes_new_islamophobic_assault_partner/ Richard Dawkins, delete your account: The prominent atheist implodes on Twitter (again)], Salon
*[httphttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/15-of-richard-dawkins-most-controversial-tweets_us_56004360e4b00310edf7eaf6 15 Of Richard Dawkins' Most Controversial Tweets], ''Huffington Post''
</ref>
''See also:'' [[Atheism and women]] and [[Richard Dawkins and women]]
[[File:PZ Myers.jpg|thumbnail|150px|left|[[PZ Myers]] ]]
In 2014, the prominent [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] [[PZ Myers]] said of Richard Dawkins' attitude towards women: "At a time when our movement needs to expand its reach, it’s a tragedy that our most eminent spokesman has so enthusiastically expressed such a regressive attitude.”<ref>[httphttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/18/richard-dawkins-sexist-atheists-bad-name Richard Dawkins has lost it: ignorant sexism gives atheists a bad name] by Adam Lee, ''The Guardian'', September 18, 2014</ref>
Myers also said in 2014 concerning Dawkins:
The [[New Atheism|New Atheists]] Richard Dawkins, [[Sam Harris]] and the late [[Christopher Hitchens]] have received multiple accusations of engaging in [[Islamophobia|Islamophobic]] behavior.<ref>
*[http://www.salon.com/2013/03/30/dawkins_harris_hitchens_new_atheists_flirt_with_islamophobia/ Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens: New Atheists flirt with Islamophobia] by Nathan Lean, ''Salon'', March 30, 2013
*[httphttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/apr/03/sam-harris-muslim-animus Sam Harris, the New Atheists, and anti-Muslim animus] by Glenn Greenwald, ''The Guardian'', April 3, 2013</ref> Dawkins is dismissive of the concept of Islamophobia and declared: "I’m always being accused of Islamophobia, that’s a non-word."<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/richard-dawkins-defends-ahmed-mohamed-comments-and-dismisses-islamophobia-as-a-non-word-10515389.html Richard Dawkins defends Ahmed Mohamed comments and dismisses Islamophobia as a 'non-word'], ''Independent'', 24 September 2015</ref>
On December 28, 2015, the ''Daily Express'' reported about Dawkins:
Atheist [[Sikivu Hutchinson]] wrote:
{{cquote|The recent merger of the secular organization [[Center for Inquiry]] (CFI) and the [[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science|Richard Dawkins Foundation]] (RDF) has been dubbed atheism's supergroup moment. Acknowledging the two organizations' outsized presence in the atheist world, Religion News Service acidly declared it a "royal wedding". The partnership, which gives Richard Dawkins a seat on the CFI board, smacks of a vindication of Dawkins' toxic, reactionary brand of [http://www.salon.com/2013/08/10/richard_dawkins_does_it_again_new_atheisms_islamophobia_problem/ damn-all-them-culturally-backward-Western-values-hating- Muslims] New Atheism. As one of the most prominent global secular organizations, CFI's [http://www.centerforinquiry.net/about/corporate_governance all-white board] looks right at home with RDF's [https://richarddawkins.net/boardandstaff/ lily white board] and staff.<ref>[httphttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/sikivu-hutchinson/atheismsowhite-atheists-o_b_9078736.html #AtheismSoWhite: Atheists of Color Rock Social Justice] by Sikivu Hutchinson</ref>}}
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:
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>[httphttps://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 ==
''See also:'' [[Evangelical atheism]]
Richard Dawkins is commonly thought to be an [[Evangelical atheism|evangelical atheist]].<ref>[https://newrepublic.com/article/119596/appetite-wonder-review-closed-mind-richard-dawkins The Closed Mind of Richard Dawkins] by John Gray, ''New Republic''</ref><ref>[https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2014/10/evangelical-atheism Evangelical Atheism] by Peter J. Leithart, First Things</ref><ref>[httphttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-stedman/evangelical-atheists-what_b_765379.html ‘Evangelical Atheists:’ Pushing For What?] by Chris Stedman, Huffington Post</ref>
Although evangelical atheists do not advocate the violent/murderous methods that the [[militant atheism|militant atheists]] of [[communism]] have employed, they generally favor using the power of state to indoctrinate children into believing various aspects of [[Atheist worldview|atheist ideology]] (see: [[Atheist indoctrination]]). The new atheist Richard Dawkins claims that children need state protection from religion/religion of children's parents.<ref>[https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/richard-dawkins-the-government-needs-to-protect-children-from-religion-and Richard Dawkins: The state needs to ‘protect’ children from religion…and their parents], LifeSite News</ref>
Although the [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] Richard Dawkins was always known for [[Abrasiveness of Richard Dawkins|his abrasiveness]] and [[Atheism and arrogance|arrogance]], post [[Elevatorgate]] and subsequent to his various embarrassing Twitter posts, many atheists are now asking if he is a liability to the [[atheist movement]].<ref>
*[httphttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/richard-dawkins-atheisms-asset-or-liability/2014/08/07/9f19a7a2-1e58-11e4-9b6c-12e30cbe86a3_story.html Richard Dawkins: Atheism’s asset or liability?] by Kimberly Winston, ''Washington Post'', source: ''Religion News Service'', August 7, 2014
*[http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119596/appetite-wonder-review-closed-mind-richard-dawkins ''The Closed Mind of Richard Dawkins''], New Republic by John Gray
*[https://twitter.com/jennifurret/status/405391218273554433 Jennifer McCreight on the Twitter about the Elevatorgate scandal]
''See also:'' [[Abortion and atheism]], [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Eugenics]]
In August 2014, Richard Dawkins caused a firestorm by claiming an unborn baby with [[Down's Syndrome|Down’s syndrome]] should be aborted and that it would be “immoral to bring it into the world.”<ref>[httphttps://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/08/20/Atheist-Richard-Dawkins-Abort-Down-s-Syndrome-Baby-Immoral-To-Bring-It-Into-The-World Atheist Richard Dawkins: 'Abort' Down's Syndrome Baby, 'Immoral To Bring It Into The World'] by by Dr. Susan Berry, Breitbart News 20 Aug 2014</ref> Dr. Michael Brown wrote in the ''Christian Post'' about this matter: "It is becoming increasingly clear that Dawkins is something of an embarrassment, even to other atheists (although he is still revered by many). The only question that remains is this: Are his irrational and immoral positions unique to him, or are they the logical outcome of his Darwinian evolutionism?"<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/richard-dawkins-exposes-the-immorality-of-his-atheism-125159/ Richard Dawkins Exposes the Immorality of His Atheism By Michael Brown, ''Christian Post'', August 21, 2014|10:15 am]</ref> See also: [[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]
A British father whose Down's syndrome daughter passed six General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) tests called Richard Dawkins an "ignorant idiot".<ref>[http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/downs-syndrome-girl-passes-six-4095031 Down's Syndrome girl passes six GCSEs as dad calls Richard Dawkins 'an ignorant idiot'], Mirror by By Grace Macaskill, Aug 23, 2014 15:41</ref>
[[Image:2384975035_230a0eac30.jpg‎‎|thumb|right|160px|A Baylor University study found that the irreligious are more likely to be [[superstitious]] than evangelical [[Christians]].<ref name="online.wsj.com"/>]]
In 2010, a new discovery relating to the [[eye]] further discredited the [[evolution]]ary quackery of Richard Dawkins.<ref>http://creation.com/mueller-cells-backwardly-wired-retina-v-dawkins</ref> In addition, in 2010, the journal ''Nature'' featured an interview with the evolutionist, biologist, and atheist David Sloan Wilson who criticized Richard Dawkins for denying the evidence for the societal benefits of religion (see also: [[Atheism and health]]).<ref>httphttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sloan-wilson/atheism-as-a-stealth-reli_3_b_83605.html</ref>
As far as the the social science of [[history]], Richard Dawkins has [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism|engaged in historical revisionism when it comes to the mass murders committed by atheists]].
Many of Richard Dawkins detractors are [[conservative]] [[Christianity|Christians]] which is not surprising. As alluded to earlier, the [[Wall Street Journal]] reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that [[Conservative Christianity|traditional Christian religion]] greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of [[astrology]]. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to [[superstition]], tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians."<ref name="online.wsj.com"/> In the [[United States]], CBS News reported in October 2005 that the [[Theory of evolution and liberalism|Americans most likely to believe only in the theory of evolution are liberals]].<ref name="cbsnews.com">httphttps://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/22/opinion/polls/main965223.shtml</ref>
== Agnosticism of Richard Dawkins ==
Although Dawkins declared himself an agnostic in his 2006 book ''The God Delusion'', he declared that atheist evangelism is important.<ref name="voxday.blogspot.com">[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/02/mailvox-richard-dawkins-is-not-atheist.html Mailvox: Richard Dawkins is not an atheist!]</ref> 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"/> Also, despite being an elderly self-declared agnostic, in his book ''The God Delusion'', Dawkins said that "permanent agnosticism in principle" is "fence-sitting, intellectual cowardice".<ref>''The God Delusion'', page 70</ref> In February 2012, Dawkins declared that he believed that there is a 6.9 out of 7 probability of [[God]]'s non-existence (approximately a 1 percent probability that God exist).<ref name="voxday.blogspot.com"/><ref name="blogs.telegraph.co.uk">[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100139859/id-go-to-church-just-to-reduce-the-probability-of-spending-eternity-in-hell-with-richard-dawkins/ ''I'd go to church just to reduce the probability of spending eternity in Hell with Richard Dawkins'' by Dr. Tim Stanley, ''The Daily Telegraph'', February 27, 2012]</ref>
Although Dawkins declared that he was an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] in 2006 and 2012, in 2002 Richard Dawkins publicly argued for the position of [[militant atheism]] and claimed that he will not feel anything after death (see also: [[Ex-atheists]]).<ref name="voxday.blogspot.com"/><ref>[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_rGbiT_3c Richard Dawkins Says He's Agnostic -- NOT atheist - video testimony of Richard Dawkins saying he is not an atheist, but an agnostic]</ref><ref>
*[http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_dawkins_on_militant_atheism.html Richard Dawkins on militant atheism]</ref> Despite arguing for the position of militant atheism previously, Dawkins told the Archbishop Dr. [[Rowan Williams]] that he never said was an atheist.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105834/Career-atheist-Richard-Dawkins-admits-fact-agnostic.html 'I can't be sure God DOES NOT exist': World's most notorious atheist Richard Dawkins admits he is in fact agnostic], ''Daily Mail'', 24 February 2012</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfk7tW429E4 Richard Dawkins: I can't be sure God does not exist]</ref><ref>[http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_dawkins_on_militant_atheism.html Richard Dawkins on militant atheism]</ref> See also: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]] and [[Atheism and historical revisionism]]
== Creationist Video Interview of Richard Dawkins Being Stumped==
[[File:Richard Dawkins stumped.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins stumped|thumbnail|200px|left|The video ''From a Frog to a Prince'', produced by [[Creation Ministries International]], features Richard Dawkins being stumped by the question of a creationist.<ref name="creation.com">http://creation.com/was-dawkins-stumped-frog-to-a-prince-critics-refuted-again</ref> The interviewer asked Dawkins for an example of [[genetics|genetic]] [[information]] arising from a [[mutation]].<ref name="creation.com"/> Recently, a creationist produced an excellent [[YouTube]] video demonstrating the Richard Dawkins still has not answered the question posed to him by the interviewer and he uses Richard Dawkins own words to demonstrate this fact.<ref name="youtube.com">[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W4e4MwogLo YouTube video - Is Richard Dawkins Really Stumped? The Truth - In His Own Words - YES...he is!]</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Richard Dawkins and Creation Ministries International]], [[Richard Dawkins' public refusal to debate creationists]] and [[Instances of Richard Dawkins ducking debates]]
In later interviews, Dawkins claims that he was not stumped, but instead shocked when he realized that the interviewer was a [[creationism|creationist]], and the video was edited in a way to make him look like he was unable to answer the question.<ref>[http://www.skeptics.com.au/articles/dawkins.htm]</ref> However, the question came after he had that realization, and after the creationists negotiated with Dawkins and he agreed to continue.<ref>[http://creationontheweb.com/images/feedback/2008/5712timeline_lge.jpg Interview Timeline]</ref>
However, despite being given a free reign in a sceptic publication to respond, he still didn't provide any examples. Recently, a creationist produced an excellent [[YouTube]] video demonstrating the Richard Dawkins still has not answered the question posed to him by the interviewer and he uses Richard Dawkins own words to demonstrate this fact.<ref name="youtube.com"/> The [httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W4e4MwogLo video] can be found at [[YouTube]] and is entitled ''Is Richard Dawkins Really Stumped? The Truth - In His Own Words - YES...he is!''
As noted earlier, Dr. Don Batten of [[Creation Ministries International]] theorizes that Richard Dawkins is a God hater and not a skeptic.<ref>http://creation.com/is-richard-dawkins-an-atheist</ref> The video in which Richard Dawkins [http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5712/ clearly squirms] when asked for an example of genetic information arising from a mutation and dodges the question with an unrelated monologue, certainly gives some credence to Dr. Batten's postulate. Richard Dawkins inept response relating to the existence of God during his interview with Ben Stein further bolsters the view that Richard Dawkins is more motivated by hatred towards God than any inward assurance Dawkins has concerning the validity of his skeptical contentions.[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12rgtN0pCMQ VIDEO] There is certainly historical precedence for evolutionists/atheists having inward doubts about the validity of evolution and atheism. The evolutionist [[Charles Darwin]] wrote in a private notebook that he was a [[materialism|materialist]] (a type of atheist).<ref>http://creation.com/charles-darwins-real-message-have-you-missed-it</ref> Late in [[Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin's]] life, Darwin told the Duke of Argyll that he frequently had overwhelming thoughts that the natural world was the [[Intelligent design|result of design]].<ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html</ref>
Richard Dawkins [[Richard Dawkins' public refusal to debate creationists|has been inconsistent concerning his supposed refusal to debate creationists]] and his refusal is merely a ruse to avoid losing debates to creation scientists. Generally speaking, [[Creation science|creationist scientists]] tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates (see: [[Creation vs. evolution debates]]).
{{See also|Ben Stein Interview with Richard Dawkins}}
In the movie [[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]], [[Ben Stein]] demonstrated the folly of [[evolutionism]] in his interview with Richard Dawkins ([httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12rgtN0pCMQ A clip of the interview has been uploaded to YouTube] ).
The [[Discovery Institute]] provides an transcript of part of the interview along with some commentary:
Instead of attempting to defend [[abiogenesis]], Dawkins actually suggested [[directed panspermia]]&mdash;the very thing that [[Francis Crick]] once suggested to explain life's beginnings.
On March 20, 2008, Dawkins and colleague [[Paul Zachary Myers|P. Z. Myers]] tried to gain entry to a special preview of the Ben Stein documentary, though no member of the production team had invited them. Dr. Myers was not allowed in, but Dawkins was. Accounts vary as to why this was so; the production team asserts that they decided to grant Dawkins entry on-the-spot because {{cquote|he has handled himself fairly honorably, he is a guest in our country and I had to presume he had flown a long way to see the film.<ref name=Dean>Dean, Cornelia. "[httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/science/21expelledw.html No Admission for Evolutionary Biologist at Creationist Film]." ''The New York Times'', March 21, 2008. Accessed April 21, 2008. Note the erroneous headline: ''Expelled'' propounds [[intelligent design]], not [[creationism]].</ref>}} On the other hand, Myers himself states that he guesses that Richard Dawkins was not recognized.
Richard Dawkins arranged to have a filmed conversation between Richard Dawkins and [[PZ Myers]] concerning this incident posted to YouTube<ref>[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=c39jYgsvUOY]</ref> In it Myers claimed that the production team had full knowledge of his attendance through the online RSVP system and Dawkins claimed that it was an "incredible piece of inept public relations" to "expel" PZ Myers from a film about people being expelled for their views. Both PZ Myers and Richard Dawkins were featured in the film.
''For more information please see:'' [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism]], [[Atheists and historical illiteracy]] and [[Atheism and historical revisionism]]
[[Dinesh D'Souza]] took Richard Dawkins to task for engaging in [[historical revisionism]] when it comes to the atrocities of [[atheism|atheist]] regimes and declared Dawkins "reveals a complete ignorance of history".[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmrRC6zD4Zk VIDEO]
[[Image:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|left|201px|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]]'s atheistic regime killed tens of millions of people.]]
In a recent interview D'Souza declared:
''See also:'' [[Atheists and historical illiteracy]] and [[Historicity of Jesus]]
[[John Lennox]] pointed out to Richard Dawkins that Dawkins claimed in his book ''The God Delusion'' that [[Jesus Christ]] may have never existed and that Dawkins errantly claimed that ancient historians have some disagreement on whether Jesus existed or not. After some additional discussion with Dawkins, Dawkins conceded that Jesus existed and said, "I take that back. Jesus existed".<ref>[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ant5HS01tBQ Richard Dawkins admits Jesus existed]</ref>
== Christian apologist Dr. William Lane Craig is Reported to Have Called Dawkins a Coward ==
Richard Dawkins is a writer and media commentator on the debate between evolution and the opposing positions of creation science and intelligent design.<ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/creation/people/dawkins-r.html Christiananswers.net webpage on Richard Dawkins.]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1872331.stm School attacked over evolution teaching]</ref> He is an ardent proponent of the evolutionary view of life in works targeted at the general public, such as his books entitled ''The Selfish Gene'' and ''The Ancestor's Tale''. However, his efforts to promote the theory of evolution have not been very successful, and even in his native land of the UK, 40% of the population believes that creationism or intelligent design should be taught in the school science curriculum.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4648598.stm</ref>
[[Image:Winston.jpg‎‎|right|thumb|175px|Lord Robert Winston stated Richard Dawkins is bringing science "into disrepute".]]
As an evolutionist, Dawkins holds [[Charles Darwin]]'s view that "the universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference." In addition, he often comes across as having a mocking attitude towards religion.<ref>[http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6mmskXXetcg]</ref> He stridently<ref>Dawkins "has repeatedly likened religious faith to a mental defect." Cornelia Dean, "Scientists Feel Miscast in Film on Life’s Origin," New York Times, Science Section (September 27, 2007).[httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/science/27expelled.html]</ref> opposes the traditional role of religion in educational institutions and in society in general.<ref>[http://www.godlessinamerica.com/When%20atheists%20attack.html When atheists attack: Debunking religion without apology] - George A. Ricker.</ref> Dawkins has derided belief in [[God]] as a "mind-virus",<ref>[http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/47052/ The Dawkins Delusion] by Alistair McGrath</ref> which is infectious and harmful to society. In his 2006 book ''The God Delusion'', he states his belief that fundamentalist religion "subverts science and saps the intellect," a view that is contrary to the fact that many of the most productive scientists, from [[Isaac Newton]] to [[Louis Pasteur]], were devout Christians. The foundation of modern science [[Christianity and Science|was largely established by those who held a Christian worldview]]. Dawkins often says that these men were rather a product of their time and, like many that came before them, lived in fear of persecution by Christians. There is no substantive evidence for this.
Dawkins also cites in his book, the God Delusion, that not one winner of the [[Nobel Prize]] for Science is a theist. While this has been openly debated, he cites his own personal relationships with many of these scientists.
[[Image:McgrathatRefresh.jpg‎|left|thumb|175px|[[Alister McGrath]]]]
'''Video:'''
*[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W4e4MwogLo Is Richard Dawkins really stumped? The truth - In his own words - YES...he is!] - [[YouTube]] video* Former Atheist Alister McGrath discusses Dawkins (video) [httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghIghLvttVU part 1] [httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UiCUEBB9Z4&feature=related part 2]*[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaKryi3605g&NR=1 YouTube - Video of Richard Dawkins being stumped by a creationist's question]*[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmrRC6zD4Zk&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2Fvideosearch%3Fhl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial%26hs%3DxUv%26q%3Ddawkins%2520and%2520his&feature=player_embedded Atheists dodge their history of atrocities] (Video)
'''Collection of rebuttals:'''
*[http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5712/ Was Dawkins Stumped?]
*[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaKryi3605g&NR=1 YouTube - Video of Richard Dawkins being stumped by a creationist's question]
*[http://www.trueorigin.org/ca_gb_01.asp Gillian Brown answers Barry Williams] (Gillian Brown is the film's producer. Barry Williams is a Skeptic who criticised the film. The page includes an apology from another skeptic, and an admission that the film accurately presents Dawkins' answer.)
*[http://creationwiki.org/%28Talk.Origins%29_Dawkins_could_not_give_an_example_of_increasing_information CreationWiki's response to TalkOrigins Archive's criticism of interview.]
*[http://www.richarddawkins.net/ Richard Dawkins' main website]
*[httphttps://twitter.com/richarddawkins Richard Dawkins' Twitter page]
*[http://richarddawkinsfoundation.org/ The Richard Dawkins Foundation]
*[http://users.ox.ac.uk/~dawkins/ Richard Dawkins homepage at Oxford University]
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