Comments

  1. speedwell says

    I would be thrilled to go about handing out “atheist tracts” with Richard Dawkins, if that’s what he was contemplating, lol.

  2. observer says

    Hooray! I hope he’s coming to Chicago. We had a particulary vapid article in the local paper today castigating Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris. As usual, the writer was responding to what she thought they meant, not what they actually wrote. It would be great to get Dawkins here to speak for himself.

  3. dogmeatib says

    Says he will be touring the midwest and bible belt … what about those of us in the southwest? :o(

  4. says

    I am hoping that NYC will be one of his stops, since it is local enough, but if he could be persuaded to do more local it would be even better, is there a list yet, or a way to add new stops?

  5. spurge says

    I saw him last year for his God Delusion book tour.

    It was great hearing him read some chapters from the book.

    The Q&A was not very contentious seeing as the talk was in Cambridge MA.

    I hope he makes a return trip to the area even if there are fewer potential converts to be had.

  6. Carlie says

    I move from the midwest to New York, and he goes to the midwest. :( However, as a former midwest resident, I give him huge kudos for doing it that way. Go to the people who need it, don’t stay on the coasts preaching to the choir.

  7. Owen says

    Congratulations – you’ve Pharyngulated the Times’ website. On the other hand, since the Times has gone from being a reputable newspaper to a Murdoch rag, maybe there’s a conspiracy theory waiting to happen…

  8. susan says

    I sure hope he has “protective services” lined up. He faces real bodily harm going to places like that. Think Mississippi 1963.

  9. says

    As one of your correspondents points out, The Times, once a world class newspaper, is now owned by the odious Murdoch. You may conclude what you will from the fact that this story is NOT posted on RichardDawkins.net

    Richard Dawkins

  10. Rey Fox says

    There’s no news of this tour on Richarddawkins.com either.

    “what about those of us in the southwest? :o(”

    And the Rockies?

  11. student_b says

    Come on, you have to love stuff like this:

    The Rev David Cox, of the First Southern Methodist Church, Charleston, South Carolina said: “I would certainly like to protest. [Dawkins] is a tool of Satan, of the AntiChrist it sounds to me. All God-fearing people will be opposed to an atheist touring.”

    I also want to be a tool of Satan. Where do I sign up and when does the crusade start? Do we also burn believers at the stake, and if yes, can I bring sausages to cook over it?

  12. Kyle says

    Maybe it’s me, but I loathe the word choice for the title in that TimesOnline article. Comparing atheism to religion through the word “preach” is abhorrent.

  13. Don says

    ‘Preach’, High Priest’, Crusade’, Church of …’

    In the first para.

    Are they trying to hint at something?

  14. student_b says

    Are they trying to hint at something?

    Hint?

    To call it “hint” it would have to be at least a bit subtle, wouldn’t it? ;)

    To be honest, I first thought that article was meant humerous, but looks more like some serious deluded people are unable to stop projecting their own motivations…

  15. says

    He’s coming to Madison… woo hoo! Hands off, everyone, I need him for an interview!

    I’ve actually known it for a couple months, but thanks for the update.

  16. says

    Yay, Dawkins is coming! One more good thing about living in the Midwest. That makes a total of…one.

    And yeah, the Times article was not the paragon of neutral reporting.

  17. Elin says

    I will most likely be moving to Denver in the next month or so…I wonder if RD is planning a stop in Teg Haggard’s old stomping grounds? Although he really should stop by Northern California as well. Not too many fundies around here, thank goodness, but more astrologers/”witches”/antiscience pseudohealers than you can shake a stick at.

  18. Neil says

    When I first read the article, I couldn’t tell if the opening remarks were a cynical attempt at humor or intended mischaracterization. There is no tongue-in-cheek tone to the rest of the article, making it seem like an intended comparison. But then again the rest of the article does no real atheist bashing-I’m just used to any comparison to a priest being obviously negative.
    I’m going to have to interpret it as a smug attempt at false equivalency. Sort of like a bad South Park episode, but less funny. Either way, at least the news got some attention!

  19. Mono Ape says

    “‘Preach’, High Priest’, Crusade’, Church of …”

    Don, I think you may have discovered a new definition of ‘biased’ and ‘leading’. A Nobel awaits.

    However, age and wisdom brings with it a complete lack of surprise. Religious apologists, when faced with logic, reason and rationality can only fall back on ad hominem, misdirection, [insert favourite fallacious argument] and hysteria.

    We’ve got ’em on the run, lads!

  20. Helio says

    I hope RD makes a stop at Arizona, the land of Mormons and Virgin Mary sightings. We could use some help over here.

  21. Patrick Quigley says

    Religious leaders in America dismissed Dawkins and his followers.

    Followers? You mean those of us who share his opinion on this one issue? Since when does that make us followers? This is a perfect example of how hierarchies are central to the theistic world-view.