Dawkins argues that there is no evidence for a creator and is among the best known -- and surely also among the most strident -- of modern atheists.
"The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction," Dawkins said at recent book signing in Washington. "A petty, unjust, unforgiving control freak. A vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser. A misogynistic, homophobic, racist, malevolent bully."
This will always be, for the remainder of my life, the most puzzling question that I have ever faced. Why do people still believe in a God, this God in particular, and why do I not?
I have researched and read until my brain is full of hundreds of opinions and scholarly observations. I have no difficulty understanding why primitive people looked for an answer to the great mysteries of nature and the cosmos and settled on God, but what compels so many millions of today's people to continue to cling to a belief that is being chipped away by scientific discovery every single day?
I would love to ask that very question of a group of truly devout people, without animosity, and then note how far they can get before having to step away from the debate. Not to be vindictive, but rather to see if they can make it through a conversation without suffering a crisis of faith or just simply falling back on the "I know it to be true" defense.
When I was younger I once had a conversation with a Catholic priest, who clearly believed that I was just misinformed, and it sent the poor old man on a three day drinking binge. He called me a philistine.
I am not so combative these days, but I am still consumed with intellectual curiosity. Especially about this subject. And I probably always will be.
Does the beginning of life matter so much that we are willing to a human life for it? I think it is best to be more concerned with the future then what fossils might tell us. Because the bigger enemy is ourselves.
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