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LINK Richard Dawkins says Christianity is "fundamentally decent," but Islam "is not" -- Friendly Atheist

The atheist's comments continue an irresponsible pattern of demonizing one religion while celebrating the one he grew up with

During an interview with the London-based radio station LBC on Easter Sunday, atheist Richard Dawkins was asked to chime in on Christianity’s “diminishing role in public life,” something he’s written and spoken about for years.

His response, predictably, was that he was thrilled that many people were ditching their religious beliefs—and I would agree with that—before going in another direction and lamenting the fact that Islam still exists and is, in some cases, growing.

(Follow above article link to view video/photos/PDFs that accompany this article.)

… Well, I must say I was slightly horrified to hear that Ramadan is being promoted instead. I do think that we—we are culturally a Christian country… I call myself a cultural Christian. I'm not a believer, but there's a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian… You know, I love hymns and Christmas carols and… I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos. I feel that we are a Christian country in that sense.

It’s truth that, statistically, the number of people who actually believe in Christianity is going down, and I'm happy with that, but I would not be happy if, for example, we lost all our cathedrals and our beautiful parish churches… I think it would matter if we… substituted any alternative religion, that would be truly dreadful. 

That answer isn’t out of character for Dawkins, who has been saying this sort of thing for decades. (That article is from 2007!) It’s not even unusual! He has a soft spot for churches and religious music. I suspect plenty of former Christians agree with him.

Still, pay attention to how he carves out space for Christianity in a cultural sense, because that’s where he takes a bizarre turn. I don’t know if I’m picking up on it now because of what’s happening in the U.S. or the fact that my views on Dawkins have shifted ever since he decided go down the anti-transgender rabbit hole, but his comments just rub me the wrong way.

After all, what is Christian Nationalism but another way to force “cultural” Christianity (as practiced by one dominant group of conservatives) on everyone else without any real regard for Jesus or God? By suggesting that cultural Christianity is okay and that the U.K. is a “Christian country in that sense,” it’s giving unearned credibility to the misguided belief that the U.S., too, is built on a foundation of Christianity, therefore our laws should reflect that. In America, it’s never really about God’s Will so much as political desire. And there are always Bible verses to back up your goals.

The LBC host, Rachel Johnson, then asked Dawkins to comment on the fact that church attendance is dropping but there are “6,000 [mosques] across Europe… under construction and there are many more… being planned.” It’s not clear where she’s getting that information from. The right-wing Daily Mail recently said there were 6,000 mosques in Europe and more under construction, which, if true, means Johnson completely misstated the numbers in order to suggest a much higher rate of growth. (Just for the sake of comparison, there are an estimated 17,000 Catholic parishes across the United States.)

More importantly, though, that Daily Mail article, with an intentionally scary headline reading, “How Ramadan is muscling out Easter all over Europe,” simply noted that more Muslims across Europe were celebrating Ramadan and government officials were also honoring the holiday.

It’s not a bad thing for any government to honor that kind of diversity. In London’s Leicester Square, 30,000 lights were switched on to celebrate Ramadan and Eid. Mayor Sadiq Khan helped launch the festivities. Windsor Castle hosted a Ramadan event. Those kinds of events are hardly examples of Muslims taking over anything but rather an acknowledgment that they’re part of the fabric of society. (Government officials in the U.S. routinely acknowledge important holidays of different religions.)

But right on cue, Dawkins dismissed all that and offered the worst possible response (even after saying he needed to “choose [his] words carefully&rdquo😉:

… If I had to choose between Christianity and Islam, I’d choose Christianity every single time. I mean, it seems to me to be a fundamentally decent religion in a way that I think Islam is not.

Christianity is “fundamentally decent.” Islam is not. God is a delusion, but some gods are more delusional than others, I guess.

Why is one better than the other? Because he’s used to the former. His familiarity with Christianity allows him to cling to certain elements of the religion and declare them good, but when other people in other religions do the exact same thing, there’s something wrong. As social scientist Samuel Perry wrote on X/Twitter, it’s not “about beliefs, but ethno-nationalism.”

It’s not the first time Dawkins has done this, elevating something religious he grew up with while simultaneously trashing Islam (for something entirely different). Who can forget this classic tweet?

(That Islamic phrase is innocuous on its own and millions of Muslims say it every day. But Dawkins, as he often does, was equating all Muslims with the actions of religious extremists.)

It’s one thing to say all religions are untrue. (I agree!) It also makes sense to call out extremists who profess a particular religion as harmful in their unique ways. (I agree!) But in the U.S., red states run by conservative Christians who want to impose their religion on us are a literal threat to the health and safety of women and LGBTQ people. Hell, their obsession with guns makes them a threat to everyone’s well-being. There’s nothing “fundamentally decent” about it. It’s also true that extremists invoking Islam have committed many acts of terror. It’s also true that there are countless believers who condemn those acts, believe their faith is being twisted by zealots, and support religious freedom. It’s irresponsible to pretend all believers are identical. Dawkins is willing to treat Christianity with nuance in a way he never extends to other religions.

Those peaceful believers deserve respect. They’re finally getting some, in important (albeit symbolic) ways. Yet that’s what Dawkins is railing against. He thinks honoring Islam in a ceremonial way, just as the same groups do with Christianity and Judaism and other major religions, is somehow a mistake… but celebrating aspects of Christianity is not just okay, but welcome.

Dawkins went on to say Islamic texts are hostile to women and gays, which could be a fair point… except that argument isn’t convincing when the thing he’s ultimately complaining about is a harmless celebration of Ramadan and when Christianity has been cited to oppress both groups.

He went on to say that, yes, Christianity is a threat in the U.S. when it comes to science education and abortion rights. But he added that in a place like Africa, where “you have missionaries of both faiths operating,” he declared himself on the side of “Team Christian.” Which is just a weird thing to say given the very real harm Christian missionaries in Africa have inflicted upon the very people they claimed to help.

Dawkins can’t see the flaw in what he’s saying. He believes certain non-supernatural elements of Christianity deserve respect because they’re meaningful to him personally, but he won’t extend the same olive branch to people who grew up in other faiths. At least the ones he’s not familiar with. This isn’t about belief. This is about believers. He doesn’t afford them the respect he thinks they ought to give him.

At a time when peaceful Muslims are demonized in both countries by people who equate them with zealots, Dawkins comments are simply adding fuel to the fire.

(I think Dawkins is suffering from a (mental) disease also suffered by many celebrities where they start to believe their own press and forget that they too are not perferfect, but are very human and fallible.)

snytiger6 9 Apr 2
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14 comments

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6

I truly admire Richard Dawkins, and this gives me another reason to admire him even more.

Same here

9

It’s preposterous to disagree with Richard Dawkins in reference to modern day Islam and modern day Christianity on so many levels due to the facts that some members with common sense have listed below. Is being allowed to marry children decent ?

10

I find it quite amusing that atheists are defending Islam where in about 13 countries around the world all of them Muslim, people who openly espouse atheism face execution under the law ..I do not see any atheists facing execution in countries following Christianity

Quite correct…and beautifully succinct and to the point!

@beb12 That idiotic ideology is defined as liberal logic.LMAO

12

How the hell can anyone disagree with Dawkins in regards to MODERN DAY Islam .Sharia, Islamic law. is the only religious law that is incompatible with democracy and human rights. Whenever Sharia is embraced. by an Islamic nation Oppression of woman, religious minorities gays atheists, and ex Muslims.follows . Cruel and unusual punishment.are employed and fear is used to control the population.In Sharia if you’re a Muslim, who commits and renounces Islam, you will be killed. Women have unequal rights in divorce. Inheritance freedom of movement.freedom of dress and freedom of employment.. Shakira supports, killing, or punishing gays lesbians, and bisexual people. Sharia enforces blasphemy laws by stating that those who criticize Islam including the Quran or Mohammed should be killed or punished .Now tell me how does modern day Christianity come even close to any of these factors above..Do not tell me about the crap that happened in the past in regards to christianity which I of course agree with. I am talking about the present.. and I’m not defending Christianity which is also bullshit religion

I agree Harry. And the fact that Israel helps keeps the radical Islamic idiots in Iran in check is the reason I support them.

3

Hasn't he also become a gay-basher lately too?
Dementia setting in.......

Gay bashing sounds exactly like what Islam supports on a daily basis . Bashing in the head to kill you I mean. not verbally bashing gays like Christians do LOL

@HarrySlick Google "curbing".

13

I Agree with Dawkins . I think there are some very good arguments that Islam causes more suffering than Christianity. The Middle East has been a nonstop source of suffering,and let’s not forget Africa as well.Christianity is more moderate due to many of its believers living in developed civilized countries where Islam lies almost solely in the Middle East and Africa(with a pocket in SE Asia). Predominantly Islamic countries are headed by dictators or officials elected under questionable circumstances. and wrongful acts that are associated with the Islamic religion are associated with the religion rather than the horrible state of government. Islam is openly aggressive expressively, violent and intolerant of the belief of others. And suicidal violent. Christianity and Islam are both abominations to mankind.and the sooner they perish from the face of the Earth.the better

Correct it’s absurd to think otherwise

In all fairness Islam is about 600 years younger than Christianity, and if you look at what Christians were doing 600 years ago, it could easily be compared to what Muslims are doing today, and Muslims would probably come out as looking to be more peaceful. Granted both religions are more than just a bit dysfunctional though, and at different times have both committed long lists of atrocities in the name of god. A case can be made to prove either one as being the worst, depending on what time period you cherry pick from history.

Let's not take sides about which religion is better or worse. Instead, lets hold fast to the idea that any religion which holds with the idea of super natural beings and/or gods is harmful and destructive, and not give a pass to any of them.

In all fairness the past is not the present in regards to the archaic beliefs and brutally of Islam compared to present day Christianity

Radical Islam is the biggest threat to world piece today.

@snytiger6 You don’t wish to take sides on which religion is worse ,are you delusional? There are 13 countries that follow Islamic law where being an atheist is punishable by death !

2

Both are horrific, if the degree to which is not equal who cares? Horrific is horrific. At this point in time, christianity, IMHO, is presently worse as it blatantly tries to infiltrate the major governments of the world through the use of money from the wealthy and the Russians.

3

I think that he is wrong, perhaps due to a sentimental attachment to Christianity. There is a darkness at the heart of Christianity which even the followers of Islam can see. The demand for absolute moral standards, to an impossible level, which insures that everyone fails, and then have to seek the forgiveness of the power grasping churches, without any ideas self redemption through prayer and the moderating effects of Purgatory, its Hell, Heaven or nothing, unlike Islam which makes much of Purgatory. Yet you can escape just by saying, I believe. So that the worst criminal can get an escape free card, is widely ridiculed even in Islamic circles. And it is very narcissistic, Christian faith is all about the "me" there is no bigger picture, no community, law or respect for the world.

Indeed, rather than teaching its followers to be good stewards of the natural world, Christianity teaches them they are entitled to exercise dominion over it. This malignant attitude may very well prove to be our undoing: the destruction of not only our civilization but also our species (and many, many others).

5

When it began, Islam spread at the end of a sword. Christianity took a few centuries to get to that point but once it did . . . . well history documents the atrocities. Both belong in the trash heap of civilization

4

I think it depends on the time frame. Each religion has had its eras of bloody, bigoted intolerance. Just because the Inquisition and the Crusades are well in the past does not mean Christians may not revert to that kind of nonsense in the future. This seems all the more likely, given the current descent into fundamentalism and nationalism. Therefore I have to disagree with Professor Dawkins on this one. Christianity and Islam are equally bad.

14

I also believe Islam to be infinitely worse as religions go (and yes all religions are delusional and ultimately bad for us because they form a kind of dependency, divide believers and nonbelievers, and keep us from thinking for ourselves). However, if I had to rank them from best to worst for harm to humankind I’d have to say I think the worst is Islam. That is not me being Islamophobic, it’s me rationally assessing which is more detrimental today to this world we live in in the 21st century, and also projecting into the future the likelihood of further expansion of the Muslim faith across the world, in particular Europe. I acknowledge that Christianity has a lot to answer for, especially before the Reformation, but even from then until the end of the 20th century it has much to be condemned for, but it’s on the wane and its influence has been weakened in many countries where it was previously strong because of the backlash against the clerical scandals. I think the experience of Richard Dawkins is vastly different from many, growing up as he did in the UK in England where the established church is the Church of England, a benign and almost irrelevant institution. I think he may have had a different opinion of Christianity if he’d been raised an Irish Catholic…most of the younger generation of Irish catholics seem utterly betrayed and disengaged completely from religion now that it’s historic cruelty, misogyny and the extent of sexual predation amongst the clergy has been exposed.

I think you are going too far with your "infinitely worse" comment and that displays a lack of objectivity. Don't be fooled by the news which only follows the worst of the worst and never seems to mention that someone is a Christian when an evil act is performed. Personally, I think the worst of what we see of Islam is more due to the considerable cultural differences in the Mideast. I have experienced far more agressiveness and hostility in America from Christians than I have from Muslims. Why do you suppose that is?

@Heraclitus I agree with you there totally. The times I have visited the US and come across religious people have been far more frightening then when visiting Islamic countries.

@Jolanta My husband and I were planning to retire to Malaysia which is a Muslim country, sadly he died before we could put our plans into effect. We loved everything about Malaysia, the people were friendly and we felt very safe there. That does not mean that Islam is a friendly and tolerant religion, just that the form of Islam practiced in Malaysia was not as repressive and restrictive as some orher Muslim countries with a different interpretation of Islam. In many Islamic countries it is forbidden by pain of death to leave the religion, and homosexuality and adultery are punishable by death.(that last one only applies to women), and of course women cannot drive or travel without the permission of male relatives in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. That doesn’t mean that I think that the fundamentalist Christian sects and the Evangelicals in the USA aren’t frightening, especially as they seem to be on the rise, but not in the same way as Islam in its most extreme form.

@Heraclitus Why would you believe me to have no objectivity, I’m quite able to be objective..I have no lingering attachment to Christianity as I’ve never had a religion and I have travelled extensively. I am not making my judgement based on any personal feeling of threat from either Islam or Christianity..nor any love of either of them. I’m purely taking an objective viewpoint from what I believe is the more harmful to humanity in general in the 21st century. I can’t emphasise enough that I’m talking about degrees of harm and calculating which of them is more harmful and dangerous in their various extreme and fanatical forms. Neither of them are beneficial or benign.

@Jolanta Did you happen to mention that you were an atheist to a citizen and devout follower of Islam when you visited an Islamic country where they execute people for.being an atheist. I don’t recall Christians sentencing an atheist to death in the US do you. Oh but they are friendly to children that they marry (which islamic law permits) until they rape them .

@biguy12

@biguy12 Actually, some I did and some I did not. All of them respected my opinion. None of them threatened me in any way. Maybe you are not aware but not all Islamic countries execute people because they are atheists and especially not if you are not a citizen of that country.

@Marionville Never said that you had no objectivity at all. Just that your 'infinitely worse" statement was over the top and that hyperbole lacks objectivity. Don't you agree? If you wish to say that the Muslim radicals of today are worse than the Christian radicals of today, I won't argue with that, but it hasn't always been the case. If you don't believe me about your exaggeration, and my personal experience to the contrary, then just read the other comments on this page.

@Heraclitus Ok…I’ll accept my choice of infinitely may have been verging on hyperbolic…In that case I’ll substitute “infinitely worse “ with “much worse” which in no way changes my opinion that I think Islam is more harmful in our current world than Christianity. It’s just a matter of degrees of how much, and which words I choose to use to express it…and that strays into the realm of semantics I think .

I have read your other remarks on this page and they in no way change my views on the subject. It is just our own opinions from our own personal observations and perspectives that colour our views on this subject and I reserve the right to hold mine in the same way that I respect your right to hold yours.

@Marionville OK, fair enough. I just hope you get to know more Muslims in America. They are much nicer. There is a reason they came here and left their own native countries.

@Heraclitus I know plenty of Muslims…I live in the U.K…I have friends who are Muslim. My son lives in Leicester which has the largest Asian population in England. I have already explained that my husband and I intended to make our home in Malaysia after our retirement, we loved the country and its people. Sadly my husband died in 2010 and that ended our dream of retirement on the island of Langkawi. My husband and I traveled extensively In south east Asia and made many Muslim friends in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia…we have nothing but happy memories and the experience of great hospitality in all of them. Malaysia is an Islamic country, but the type of Islam most people follow there is not threatening to non Muslims . What I’m referring to is the more extreme forms of Islam…the countries where they execute people for apostasy, that restrict human rights and stop women from working outside the home or driving, which don’t allow girls to be educated and force them to marry men more than double their age when they are barely into puberty. I’m not talking about how nice and friendly I find individual Muslims but how fundamentalist Islam is deeply misogynistic and basically wants to drag all of us back into the dark ages.

@Marionville Yes, when you phrase it that way, I agree. Although there was time when Christians behaved in a similar manner and burned people at the stake, sometimes just upon suspicion of heresy, or being a witch. Reading about what Christians did to each other in the name of God during the 30 years war literally turned my stomach.
Guess I missed what you said about Malaysia since it wasn't addressed to me.

5

Surely he is right up to a point. Christianity had an enlightenment. Islam did not. At it's most extreme Christianity wants to control womens bodies and what books children read.
At it's most extreme Islam wants to kill non believers.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali the well ex Muslim and author suggested that an enlightenment would cure the ills of Islam. Incidentally she is now a Christian.

Yes, Islam did have an age of enlightenment. It was called the Golden Age of Islam and lasted from the 8th to the 13th centuries. Sadly, it did not last, but either did the Western Age of Enlightment, and we are not exactly in a age of enlightenment now.

The Golden Age of Islam refers to a remarkable period of scientific, economic, philosophical, cultural, and scholarly prosperity within Islamic civilization:

Scientific Advancements: During the Golden Age, scholars made significant strides in various fields. They improved the astrolabe, a sophisticated instrument used for navigation and astronomy. Additionally, they explored medicine, mathematics, and the natural sciences, contributing to humanity’s knowledge base.
Cultural Flourishing: Baghdad, the world’s largest city at the time, played a central role. The House of Wisdom, established during the reign of Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, became a hub for scholars from across the Muslim world. They translated classical knowledge from Greek, Persian, and other languages into Arabic and Persian. This cultural exchange fostered intellectual growth and creativity.
Mathematics and Sciences: The Golden Age witnessed remarkable advancements in mathematics. Scholars like al-Khwarizmi laid the foundations for algebra, and Ibn al-Haytham made significant contributions to optics. Their work influenced subsequent generations and left a lasting impact.
Medicine and Astronomy: Innovations in medicine and astronomy were abundant. Ibn Sina (Avicenna), a polymath, wrote influential medical texts. Meanwhile, al-Biruni conducted extensive astronomical observations and calculations.
Economic Prosperity: Trade networks flourished, connecting the Islamic world with Europe, Africa, and Asia. Cities like Cairo, Cordoba, and Baghdad thrived economically, fostering cultural exchange and intellectual vibrancy.

@Heraclitus Interesting. What happened ? islam is certainly not at the forefront of scientific advancement now. Of over 700 Nobel prizes awarded only 15 have been to Muslims and half of them were peace prizes.
The church in Europe never recovered from the reformation and enlightenment so I'm not sure what you mean.
Even the all powerful Roman Catholic church in Ireland is just a shadow of it's former self.

@Moravian Good question. The period is traditionally said to have ended with the collapse of the Abbasid caliphate due to Mongol invasions and the Siege of Baghdad in 1258. Unfortunately, civilization is rather fragile and rather difficult to get back once you have lost it. Nostalgia for the past is usually a bad sign. The radicals of Islam seem to want to go back to the 7th century. The Roman Catholic Church still wears the old medieval robes and performs medieval rituals. Not sure what you think that I said about the Church of Europe. I don't think I said anything about it. However, the enduring nostalgia to make America "great again" has me concerned.

@Heraclitus It was just your comment that we are not now in an age of enlightenment. The rise of "populism" is worrying but I see signs of hope with demonstrations against the government in Hungary and Erdogan appears to be losing a bit of power in Turkey.
In my opinion many of the ills in the world are down to US imperialism and I can't see that changing much.

3

I think Dawkins is closer to the truth than the article's author. Islam and Christianity certainly suffer from the same horrific bigotry, immorality and nonsense. However, Christianity HAS evolved in the last 5 centuries while Islam has not. Meaning that the evolved sensibilities of modern culture have been adopted by Christian believers to a much greater degree than by Islamic believers. Islam left its mathematics and art behind and does little to encourage flourishing of creativity or inventiveness. Islam still provides for slavery, female genital mutilation, honor killing, justice by amputation, stoning and the mindsets that allow all that.

I basically agree with your statement. I think the differences have more to do with the differences in culture and civilizations. However, I am not so sure that Christianity has evolved all that much in the last 5 centuries, it is just that Western Civilizations has. In fact, in my experience Christianity is significantly less "Christian" and more aggressive than when I was a child which actually be reflective of a decline in Western Civilization more than the religion itself.

@Heraclitus I agree for the most part. I am reluctant to say Christianity has evolved, but I'll suggest a few ways. We don't see witch burning much, slavery is largely condemned, not too many pogroms lately, less white mans burden style colonialism, fewer Christian-on-Christian wars, slightly more tolerance for science, women, LBGTQ, and for other religions. These have been baby-steps in the right direction, but quickly cast aside if they feel empowered to do so...

@racocn8 Yes, I agree with that, but have we evolved because of or in spite of Christianity? Most of the things you name are in spite of, not because of, what the bible says.

@Heraclitus Non-Christians have evolved for many reasons, but there's the advent of science which conveyed useful truths not in the Bible. Technology which enabled large cities and the experience of meeting many people of differing customs.

Christians have evolved very little, and constantly yearn to recover the power they've lost, mostly the power to abuse and thus express their sexual repression and cognitive dissonance. Most Christians remain mired in their secret hatred of others and of themselves. Unredeemable psychotics have no net positive value to society and are only physically human.

1

Most are susceptible to cultural conditioning it seems….👀

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