Dawkins: 'Not sure God does not exist'

[Mark]

Dawkins: 'Not sure God does not exist'
World's most notorious atheist admits to being agnostic

Professor Richard Dawkins today dismissed his hard-earned reputation as a militant atheist – admitting that he is actually agnostic as he can’t prove God doesn’t exist.

The country’s foremost champion of the Darwinist evolution, who wrote The God Delusion, stunned audience members when he made the confession during a lively debate on the origins of the universe with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Professor Dawkins, the former Oxford Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, is a dedicated admirer of Charles Darwin, regarding the Victorian pioneer of evolution as the man who explained ‘everything we know about life’.

rest: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105834/Career-atheist-Richard-Dawkins-admits-fact-agnostic.html

[Mark]

Atheist Richard Dawkins: ‘I Am a Secular Christian’

Richard Dawkins is known far and wide as an atheist. Now the popular scientist is admitting he's actually not an atheist at all—he's a secular Christian.

Dawkins recently spoke at the Hay Festival. There, the evolutionary biologist was presenting the first volume of his memoirs, An Appetite for Wonder, according to The Telegraph.

Dawkins isn't ready to embrace the supernatural, charismatic aspects of Christianity but expressed his affinity for religious ceremony during his talk.

"I would describe myself as a secular Christian in the same sense as secular Jews have a feeling for nostalgia and ceremonies," the Telegraph reported Dawkins as saying. "But if you don't have the supernatural, it's not clear to me why you would call yourself a minister. But I am a secular Christian, if you want to call me that."

Is he really? That would seem to indicate a miraculous change of heart toward God.

"In his best-selling book The God Delusion, Dawkins famously mocked the God of the Old Testament, claiming, 'The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully,'" says Michael L. Brown, author of The Real Kosher Jesus and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire. "This quote quickly became an atheist favorite, kind of an instant classic and part of Dawkins' legacy."

The world-renowned biologist made headlines last year by saying he's confident President Barack Obama is an atheist.

"I'm sure Obama is an atheist, I'm sure Kennedy was an atheist, but I doubt if Pope Frank is," he said on Real Time, hosted by Bill Maher, who is also an atheist. He also provoked outrage among child protection agencies and experts after suggesting that recent child abuse scandals have been overblown, according to RNS.

No one can judge another man's salvation, but let's pray Dawkins, 73, really is turning his heart away from godlessness to the God he has tried to disprove.

http://www.charismanews.com/world/43997-atheist-richard-dawkins-i-am-a-secular-christian

[Mark]

After Atheist Richard Dawkins Suffers Stroke, Twitter Users Debate over Praying for Him

Prominent science professor and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins recently suffered a “minor stroke,” to which Twitter users had decidedly different responses.
 
Christian Today reports that the 74-year-old Dawkins had to cancel the tour of Australia and New Zealand which he had planned due to the stroke.
 
“On Saturday night Richard suffered a minor stroke, however he is expected in time to make a full or near full recovery," said a statement from his management company.
 
"He is already at home recuperating,” the statement continued. “This unfortunately means Richard will be unable to make his planned Australian and New Zealand tour. He is very disappointed that he is unable to do so but looks forward to renewing his plans in the not too distant future."
 
Some Twitter users said that they were praying that Dawkins would have a quick recovery.
 
“Praying for @RichardDawkins' quick recovery after having suffered a minor stroke in the UK ahead of his Aus/NZ tour,” said Twitter user Kashif N Chaudhry.
 
Twitter user John Cumberbatch similarly tweeted, “Richard Dawkins has had a stroke Pray for him.”
 
Other Twitter users, however, knowing that Dawkins was an avowed atheist, wished Dawkins well, but said they would not be praying for him.
 
“Wishing (not praying) @RichardDawkins a speedy recovery. Hope to see you in Oz soon!” said #TeamHashtag Lisa.
 
Yokohama Lustpuffin tweeted, “@RichardDawkins I'm not praying you make a swift recovery, which I hope you'll appreciate.”
 
Dawkins is reportedly recovering and has already been back on Twitter himself.

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/after-atheist-richard-dawkins-suffers-stroke-twitter-users-debate-over-praying-for-him.html