Last autumn I had a lengthy (and, frankly, bizarre) exchange with famed atheist provocateur Richard Dawkins.  While I will not here divulge his remarks on that occasion, I will reveal one of mine and a subsequent statement he made to The Times.  At one point in the conversation, I said:

“I have a theory that Islam is making great inroads in Britain precisely because of the collapse of the Church there and the corresponding rise of secularism.  The Church is the traditional bulwark against barbarism and a secularist society is ill-equipped to defeat an absolutist ideology like Islam because it offers nothing of substance: no purpose, no moral foundation, and no hope.”

This was to refute his assertion that Christianity is irrational and in response to the concern he had expressed about radical Islam.  I was pointing out to him that Christianity, the religion he attacks with such relish, is our only hope and defense against Islam, an idea that he had never countenanced.  Suddenly, a few weeks ago, he was quoted as saying this to The Times:

“There are no Christians, as far as I know, blowing up buildings. I am not aware of any Christian suicide bombers. I am not aware of any major Christian denomination that believes the penalty for apostasy is death. I have mixed feelings about the decline of Christianity, in so far as Christianity might be a bulwark against something worse.”

It is a stunning reversal of his previous position that Christianity is a societal ill that must be eradicated.  The comment also strongly suggests that our conversation was not without some effect on him.  Dare we hope that he is realizing the damage he has done?  Probably not…

Comments (1)

no flees...

I find the statement made by Dawkins to be an incredible shift in his thinking...I remember a few years back before the first FPF debate between Dawkins and Lennox here in Birmingham a fixed point staff member shared a brief bit of commentary with me regarding a question that Dawkins' assistant asked of Dr. Dawkins in regards to John Lennox based on a quick survey of his writings, "Is he a flee?" Dawkins' response, "No flee...no flee."

Deep gratitude for The Fixed Point Foundation serving as more than flees of the faith. May your work be blessed and fully resourced!

Jack

Jack Eyer , May 20, 2010

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