The Good · The Bad · The Ugly

The Good.

We receive many positive and supportive emails. Readers and visitors continue to send us stories of deconversion, a new understanding of reason and science, and a positive change of direction in their lives. This section is filled with stories of atheists coming out of the closet, struggles with religious family members, and many other situations you might have personally experienced!

51

Dear Mr. Dawkins,

Hello Richard, I can call you Richard can't I, we've known each other for so long, I've written you this letter to thank you. I know, I know, you're wondering what I would have to thank YOU for. You have mercelessly blasphemed against My Name on numerous occasions, of which I'll spare you the full accounting here, including but not limited to attempting to convince My followers that morality doesn't come only from My Word, or even by providing logical arguments against the probability of My very existence! (That is the one that hurt, I have to admit. Lucky you I've been out of the smiting business for 2,000 years, give or take 30 or so.)

However, still, I feel I owe you a debt of gratitude. Despite the indignities you've heaped upon My Name, few others these days have done more to teach people that they don't need My Word to know about the virtues of honor, charity, compassion, respect, or love. Each of you have these already, and through natural selection have evolved into beings that no longer need me to survive, they need only each other. And that's really what it was all about anyway, wan't it? Good show sir, good show. I tip My Hat to you.

Cordially yours,

God

52

I am writing to thank you for writing The God Delusion. I have just finished reading your book and although in my case it was "preaching to the choir" in that I shared all your views on religion a long time before I read this, I could never have articulated many of the arguments myself with such intellectual and well researched
viewpoints as you have done in your work.

I myself am from a Catholic, working class background in the North West of England. I was educated as a Catholic although my family never forced religion on me and encouraged me to make my own mind up. I rejected Catholicism at the age of 16, realising it was incompatible with my own teenage idealistic view of the world and soon after following much "soul searching", I came to the conclusion that I never really believed in anything. Any doubts in my lack of belief were eradicated once I pursued a degree in Biological Sciences at University; any of the blanks were filled in by solid evidence or for those questions that remain unanswered, the knowledge that they will be resolved by science, even if not in my own lifetime, negating any need to believe in a God. As such, I corresponded with the Arch Bishop of Liverpool who kindly agreed for me to be removed from the Baptismal Register making me officially without religion.

I am now 25 years old and have experienced tough times in my life, even suffering an acute illness at 17 years old that brought me within hours of death but I never either attributed blame for this or thanked a god for my survival. I fear that if it wasn't for a secular approach to medical research over the years, I wouldn't have survived. If a
religious approach had its way, my illness would have been deemed as god's will and I would have died. People say that facing one's own mortality brings them closer to a god but in my case it did the opposite.

I have read a number of articles in response to your book and the majority miss the point, or respond with supposedly pro religion points that have been acknowledged, them buried by your own arguments. One common theme seems to be artistic work. Much has been discussed about the work of many classical composers which you have discussed, but if contemporary music is considered, music today supposedly in favour of music is bland and uninspiring; however, there are many examples of music today that are beautifully structured and can arouse emotions but have no religious connotation. (not sure whether this will be you cup of tea but you might wish to look up Sigur Ros, an Icelandic band)

I fear that I have rambled slightly here, but I would like to assure you that I am encouraging everyone I meet to read your book. I have stressed that they should use it to make up their own minds, to think about the issues, rather than following your words blindly as this, I'm sure you would agree, would be a just as bad as bible worship.

Again, I would like to reiterate my thanks for this book, I was struggling prior to reading it to reconcile my own views with what other people may be thinking but this has helped me realise that I am not on my own in my beliefs, or lack of them. I look forward to reading your next work.

53

Thank you for alleviating my anxiety attack over religion. My life is
now filled with a sense of realism, and sureness of thought and
importance of myself.

I am several orders of magnitude happier than I once was. Thanks again.

54

Thank you Josh for building such an awesome website. I turn people on to it nearly every day.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

55

You have a convert - I read the book and it was so good that I had to read it again immediately.

Thank you - for years I've been an apologetic atheist - when people enquired about my religious beliefs then I've always given non-committal responses that could be construed as meaning that I believe. I didn't believe, but didn't think that it was right to contradict such irrational views. No longer - I'm going to be a proud atheist now!

56

Previously, when filling in any forms that contained the question "Please state your religion" I would, with out much thought, put "Church of England" as that was how I was brought up by my parents even though we as a family seldom went to church. Now, after reading the God Delusion I proudly put "None".

When asked the same question when filling in forms for my children I enter"Emily has not yet decide which, if any, religion to follow"

Many thanks for a wonderful book

57

Thanks, Josh, for putting together this site, and to Dr. Dawkins for the funny, smart and insightful book. But what now? How can those of us who 'get it' organize ourselves effectively against deliberate ignorance, unreason, hypocrisy, stupidity and--the main force that demands these 'virtues'--religion?

58

Well done Richard! Good luck with your new website and foundation. I have always believed the 'religious' dimension in life is a private matter and should not dictate public policy and behaviour

Religion's primary function has actually always been political: to control the populace through fear. Shorn of its power by so much violence and associated-doubt over the last 150 years, it now provides private comfort and an ages-old cultural anchorage and familiar backdrop against accelerating and increasingly bewildering change

However, it is the primary business of educational establishments to teach objective truth and enlightened ideas not to become a principal vehicle for the headlong retreat back to ignorance, irrationality and darkness

So I applaud all efforts to counter the trend in wish-fulfilment, distraction and delusion which will grow rapidly as global problems become startlingly acute over the next few years

59

Dear Richard and Friends,

Please could I express my great gratitude at the creation of the RDF. The world is drowning in ignorance and superstition and I sincerely believe that the RDF will help to combat this and preserve the enlightenment. Religions and religious leaders have too much influence over western governments and its time the secular majority were heard.

Good luck for the future and may your mission be a successful one!

60

Thanks for giving me a better understanding of life and evolution through your books. Before the God Delusion I was on the fence, I put this down to years of abuse from the catholic church, putting the fear of God into me. The older I got I started to asked questions about God and religion it was my Mount Improbable. After reading The God Delusion I came out the closet. The word Atheist isn't a bad word now.

61

I was a high school student attending New Life Church. I have always found the fanatic behavior and the craze of the people who surely believe and are convinced that the bible is the only truth very peculiar. Richard Dawkin's documentary "The Root of All Evil" has cleared me up so much and my life makes so much more sense. I pity those dogmatic conservative christians who are so assured of their stone age ethics and reasonings, because they miss out on the true beauty of the nature. Evolution is proven many ways to be true. Only idiots would believe that the world was created in seven days. It is science and there is no reason not to teach it in science class. Now, I am still amazed at the complexity of nature. But it is nature itself, and not such a sill book written by cavemen, that reveals to us the truths of this world. I have finally found my true religion, which is no religion.

Thank you! The world needs more people like you.(And the entire scandal about Pastor Ted is just ironic don't you think)

Boulder, Colorado

62

I am a 16-year-old fellow atheist and have asked for your book for the holidays and am getting it from my grandparents! I started reading it in the bookstore but stopped myself so I didn't finish before I got it from my grandparents. Thanks so much, and I hope you can convince thousands of people with your books that GOD IS A DELUSION.

63

With the help of one of your flyers, I despatched two christians who
came to my door. They handed me one of their magazines and I handed
them an 'Imagine..' flyer. (I always have some in my pocket) They were
gone in less than five seconds, a new record!

They also said something un-christian as they left... Priceless!!

64

I have just finished "The God Delusion" and was watching a Nature program on the intricate relationship between the fig tree and the small wasp that fertilizes it.

After factoring out the muddled thinking that "Isn't God great" for creating such a remarkable thing....I was able to see for the first time how very beautiful it really was; And could see......in the most profound sense....how amazing that I had evolved to experience that.

It feels like a heavy...dark cloak has lifted....and a whole new....pristine world spreads out to the horizon.

........and I thank you for that.

65

I have read The God Delusion, and commend you for writing such a well researched and informative book.

I am a biologist, teacher and practicing Roman Catholic. I delight in your arguments exposing the dangers associated with fundamentalism of any type. While I do not agree with some of your assertions throughout the book, I nevertheless respect your view and the logic you use to argue them. I certainly respect and defend unquestionably your right to freely express and argue your ideas in a 21st century democracy. As a Christian, I share your sadness of the many terrible things in the history of humanity that have their genesis in religion. I hope we can learn from them in the spirit of Zeitgeiest. I also am deeply saddened by the vitriolic hatred and hysterical attacks on you personally by those citing themselves as defending religious faith of whatever persuasion. These people are an embarrassment and are to be pitied. Despite some reactionary reviews that cite you as unfairly attacking Christianity, I actually felt that while you clearly argue from an atheist position, your arguments are directed to an attack on ideas rather than personal attacks; in fact you have been very balanced in your assessment of some of the more recent issues of religion that are otherwise exaggerated by many media reports (i.e. pp 315-316). In conclusion, I believe that your arguments serve to provide reasoned debate as to how a modern society can move forward.

66

I have been an atheist since I was 12; my mom, in a fit of exasperation at yet another adolescent argument about why I had to attend mass, finally said, "Fine, choose for yourself." Of course, she never dreamed I would. I immediately denounced God as non existent and went on my merry way to find evidence of my convictions. Even though I believed to the core there is no divine being, I felt that I better have some proof. Well, I knew of evolution I didn't quite believe that science was enough (oh, to my shame) and sought out the philosopher's point of view. Our local library had Kant and Russell- so for a couple of years I tried to wade through those tomes; only understanding a fraction of what they were saying. Ultimately, I understood the science of biology better. It just made more sense. It made complete sense.

So, fast forward 31 years. I have learned to love science even more and religion even less. While I see the damage done by religion and the belief in supernatural deities, I also see that it can be completely ignored. Now here is the irony. I sent my two daughters to a Catholic elementary school. I happen to live next door to the school. It is convenient and makes my life easier from a logistical standpoint. Very easy. My daughters have no religion and have no belief in a god. Every day, despite 20 minutes of ridiculous catholic teachings, they come home, roll their eyes at it, and I tell them: There is no god.

Our house is filled with books on evolution, science, philosophy and art. Religion forms no part of their of happiness.

Are my daughters confused? Not at all. We have lively intellectual and satisfying discussions about things that matter – and god is not one of them. Instead the confused children are the "catholic" students who are amazed to discover that their good friends - my daughters - who are academically gifted, athletically inclined and socially capable are extremely happy and well adjusted NOT believing in a god.

which...is contrary to what the priests are saying.

67

I really enjoyed, "The God Delusion". it has (at least in part) given me the courage to break free from indoctrination, which bullied into silence, any objections from my scientific background.

Its liberating not to feel troubled about retribution by the celestial thought police, not that I guess my thoughts are that outlandish anyway.

I always wondered how God would reconcile the many religious differences under his jurisdiction, now I realise that won't be a problem!

68

hello Richard. My name is josh and i am 25 yrs old and a Christian. i don't know if you ever get any positive feedback from Christians, so if not, then I will be the first to say good things to you...(if i really am the first, then you might have to print this out and hang it on your refrigerator). i just watched a bunch of your videos on the Internet (debates, interviews, and the documentary that had Ted Haggard in it). i agree with a lot of the things u say. i don't believe that creationism/intelligent design should be taught in schools, don't believe that prayers should be in school, don't believe the world is 6000 years old, and most interestingly, i do agree with u that most religious believers are simply the same religion that their parents are.

i don't think i'm a typical Christian in today's world. I don't go to a mega-church or believe that Christians should socialize in mass numbers like is popular nowadays. my beliefs are very simple and old-fashioned in that its based entirely on the person of Jesus of Nazareth. I disagree with my preachers on about 99% of the things they teach because it doesn't follow with the character of Christ. i am often criticized by fellow Christians because i love philosophy and science. i think its important for everyone to read Plato and Voltaire as well as Darwin and Hawking. if Jesus were alive today, i think he would encourage such studies.

When i was younger and a much more immature Christian, i would read something like the Origin of the Species and try to find places where I could argue with non-believers about. i wasn't reading it for what it was written to be, which is a book of science. i wasn't looking for truth, i was looking for a fight. if Socrates had been around me at that time, he would've scolded me intellectually for such childish antics.

if u ever wanna know why exactly i am a Christian, i would be happy to explain. i started typing that answer in this message but noticed it was getting kind've lengthy and that wasn't my original point for this email.

I've never been one of these people who hated another person simply because their opinion was different than mine. i have a simple admiration for the truth no matter where it comes from. so anyways...

i simply want to say thanks for the work u do and the insights you've given to science. I think its great and i like that its stirring up conversation even if u and i do disagree; people will always disagree on things. 10 eyewitnesses to a crime will each interpret the scene differently in most cases. what matters is that the controversial discussion gets people to thinking (a lost art in today's society). people who don't take the time of day to question why they do things and why they believe the things they do are, in my opinion, already in hell and they don't even know it.

if u have received any of those wild, crazy, hate-filled messages from other Christians, just look at my email and remind yourself that not all Christians are that psychotic and narrow-minded.

p.s. that preacher Ted Haggard was a major idiot. he had that plastered grin that reminded me of Jack Nicholson's Joker in Batman.

69

Prof Dawkins.

'The Selfish Gene' changed my life. I thought I understood evolution, but I did not until I read your book. I have since read all of your books (except River Out of Eden - but it's on my 'to do' list) and they are all superb. I have to thank you for your hard work in making science and reason available to the public.

Ed Presswood

70

We wish to express our profound gratitude to you for all you are doing on behalf of reason and science. It is clear that, if there is to be salvation for humanity, it will not be the result of a 'Second Coming', but rather a second Enlightenment. In this regard, your voice stands out as a catalyst for hope, in stark contrast to the mindless chants of our time. Thank you for having the intellectual honesty and courage to so eloquently expose religious belief for what it is.

71

Having been brought up as an Irish catholic and having cottoned on to the God delusion in my late teens, I was asked by my father at my brother`s wedding, why I had not received communion. I told him that I was an atheist. He said; "What?"

I repeated that I was an atheist and that I did not believe in God. His reply: "I hope you still go to mass".

72

Well I have been reading your books and watching your movies since I discovered your works, they are great by the way....

I have been atheist for 5 years now and couldn't be happier with that, but I admire how you can deal with ignorance like the way you do.

I am from Brazil and you could say that 98% of the population here is christian, you could say that I try to "covert" people every 5 minutes.....and strugling like that isn't taking me anywere.....the problem with them isn't that they don't see, they DON'T WANT TO SEE.

Thanks

Daniel Caiado

73

Just thought that all y'all should know that our righteous school district won't allow us to get to some of the good stuff on your web site ... it is labelled as 'pornographic' ... I suspect because all y'all used one of them hateful words like sex or something.

Us good ole folks live in Artesia, NM ... where we have more
self-righteousness than good sense. In fact as an employee of the school district I have to use this pseudonym so's the protectors of our souls won't get too close to understanding that we aren't xians. Sad, ain't it?

The big 'a' word is most verbotin in these parts ... even though our stupid library guy stuck his damn fool neck out and bought some of your books! I guess he really believes in collection balance and decided that two full shelves of bibles needed some counter weight ... to say nothing of all of the Max Lucado and 'Left Behind' books ... designed to scare the bejeezers out of the naive.

FM
Artesia, New Mexico

74

Dear Professor Dawkins,

I am not a scientist and was once a christian (but saw the light of atheism a long time ago). I read the God Delusion and was amazed at the clarity with which you explained religion and it's place in the minds, actions and politics of society. I have just watched The Root Of All Evil - and whilst I agree with your thoughts on the destructive powers of indoctrinating children into religious philosophies and the misinformation propagated by religious leaders under the guise of tradition and moral rights etc – I was left thinking that in evolutionary terms (and this is where I'd like you to enlighten me) – if the human race is to develop itself beyond these narrow thinking, science-bashing philosophies in the future – religion and it's many inadequacies must have to have existed and have been a part of humanity in order for us to know where we should have improved and amended our thinking. If religion never existed – how can humanity conquer the irrationality of it and become a mutually beneficial species based on factual and evidential data and our genetic programming accociated with morality. If the dinosaurs had never existed – then neither would we. Surely the same goes for the shortsightedness and bigoted traditions of religion – One day there will be no religion but only because it existed in the first place and showed us what not to believe and provided us with the challenge of making a new world. Cause and effect? No? - Without religion there can be no athiests. So what i'm really saying is that your critism of relgion, whilst reasoned and agreeable, is a critism of social evolution as well - is not relgion and it's emphasis on social good not a manifestaion of the selfish gene on another branch? Relgious societies seek to look after their own and provide protection for it's members from potential risks from outside their 'gene (or philosophical) pool'. Is religion not a natural consequence of human evolution - surely the fact that it exists at all means it is?

David Grimmett

75

I am up to page 286 of this book that I got today at Easter and it is refreshing to see so many of a like minded aetheist thoughts put down on paper. As I went through the book, it prompted me to put some thoughts down:

1>> It's difficult for people to understand how much engrained the christian religion is in the UK. I went to an interview to become scout leader. They asked me about my faith and rather sheepishly, I said I was agnostic. This prompted a series of questions as they did not allow Scout Leaders without a belief in a religion e.g. christian or muslim. Yes the scouts actively discriminate against aetheists! Funnily enough I spoke to a woman who was interviewed after me and she had a similar grilling - she was a white witch! (I m curious to know what she did with the kids at Halloween).

2>> I have also tried to put articles in my newsletter questioning some of the ridiculous christian stories that are printed - but of course the local newletter is produced by the church and I am "sensored".

3>> I was interested in your line "God himself could clinch the arguement of his existence by appearing". Could He? How would he prove it? Would the believers actually believe it? I don't think this is a forgone conclusion. Which comes on to a fundamental question I have for christians - what is your God like? Like you, I think that the God most people bow to is not the loveing caring God that they claim he is but an obsessional, paranoid God - that actually they pray to because he creates things not that he is inherently good. As Viz puts it, "He died for our sins but do they need to go on about it"

4>> I hate the hypocracy of the christian church. Go into any village and the smartest, tallest bulding is the church. It is a symbol of oppression with the church colluding with the local land owner to keep the village peasants down. Another famous hypocracy is John Paul II - he could have saved so many lives (and childrens lives) if he changed his contraception policy in Africa - but condemned many thousands to death - and they are looking to canonise him.

5>> I totally agree wih you re: Jesus who actually had a number of "indian" type ideas . I can believe that where he said "You become
Christ" - it was all allegory and christian faith was meant to be similar to Buddhism - based on Self improvement. However (I never argue re: Old Testament - it is too easy) - it is quite easy to study the New testament and pick holes. The wedding at Canna is a classic - I would have been impressed had Jesus made a great speech saying that the people and the atmosphere was right - why did we need more wine - rather than just getting more wine. Then I think - people have supposedly studied the bible and have not picked this up.

6>> I like the stuff about why don't we question religion - it is held sacricanct but for no reason.Another Viz quote "I didn't find the passion of Christ as funny as its preddecessor - the Life of Brian"

7>> Proving whether "Intelligent Design" or "natural selection" is at play. I genuinely think that this can be done. There is an analogy in computer programming that separates these two - Natural selection will achieve it goal by sequential constructs of DNA - a long list of program statements - fairly efficient but could contain neutral code(e.g. add 3, multiply by 2 , subtract 6 - equivalent to multiply by 2). Intelligent design would allow calling subfunctions i.e. call a function from anywhere that has a specific job i.e. various places on the DNA calling a routine to multiply by 2. Sub Functions could be potentially fatal for natural selection whereas sequential constructs may be safer.

8.a >> Please don't underplay the need to be "part of a group". We are fundamentally pack animals - this shows everywhere and as a dog expert once told me "The cruellest thing you can do to a dog is not beat it or anything, but to turn your back on it". I do think being part of a group or gang is a basic need up there with sleeping and eating (people go mad in solitary confinement). People will do anything even do "wrong" things to be part of their group (fundamentalists, football thugs, soldiers).

8.b>> I do think that the pack "instinct" is part of the sharing instinct i.e. for us to get on with each other and more importantly - what we give we get in return. We teach kids to share at a very early age - and we all know that smiling gets you served at the bar quicker, being polite is usually reciprocated. One of my trusted friends had this theory that when he let someone in on a train, something similar would happen to him later. When he barged through to get on a train, this would also happen to him. I think this is part of the "self fulfilling prophecy", we read each other, our moods, our friendliness far better than we admit.

9.>> One area worth exploring is the old times - the "medicine man"/Shamen was the religious leader, the poet, the mathematician and the doctor. The idea of science is comparatively new and I think your theory is slightly complicated (or even helped) by the fact that
science, philospohy and mathematics was all encompassing.

10.>> Do we have an equivalent of the bible - a set of rules for the 20th Century - I think we do and ironically it has sold more than the
bible in the recent years. It is the highway code - it is a set of rules that allow us to drive safely on the roads. Unlike the bible, it can be updated to take account of new hazards that we might find, it is beginning to be universal in its symbols across the world.

11>> Please be careful that as humans - we are also arrogant. We are arrogant to believe that God wants a 1:1 with us. We get arrogant when we build our science theories one after another on what is flaky material - I cite the example of when the voyager went past Saturns rigns and all the text books had to be rewritten. We are also arrogant to believe that we are the source of all ills e.g. Global Warming

Sorry I think I've gone off on one - I am enjoying the book and it is good to see some of the bile that is put in the name of religion
discreditted (and you do a far better job than me at this).

Thanks

Paul Brelsford

76

Richard,

I've finished the book and so will not be troubling you again. Excellent piece about child religious abuse - i agree entirely. Some points again to feed into your discussions:

1.>>Interested to see female circumcism but not male circumcism. I think that male circumcism is something that should be banned as the child has no say in it - it is physical abuse and the jews celebrate this. If their God had developed the perfect beings in humans, why did he/she put too much skin around the foreskin? Sorry the hygiene issue simply does not wash.

2.>> I like your description about the brain and have been thinking that this is actually a computer building models and filtering what it doesn't need. Like yourself I assumed that the brain was good at dealing with the here and now i.e. Newtonian physics and not the Einsteinain physics. I would push this arguement further. If you watch a dog catching a frisbee/ball - wonder about the physics that must be going on to work out where the ball/frisbee will land. We use Newtonian physics every day in our lives to make decisions - it may be that these physics are made easy by our brain. It may be that there is a filtering going on within our brain so that the physics follows a simple formula. I don't want to get esoteric here - a principle of science is that any experiment must be observed and it is the observation that may also iumpact th experiment.

3.>>The key issue here is to experiment with these phenomena we don't know about. Accept that there is no God but do NOT assume anything else - we need good science to back up what we believe. It does amaze me that we haven't got more people making experiments on the religious stuff - provoing or disproving.

Paul Brelsford