A Walk through Atheism
An Examination of Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion
Houghton-Mifflin, 2006
James W. Gustafson, PhD


Richard Dawkins holds a prestigious chair at Oxford University and is author of numerous books aimed at the general public explaining how science can provide a philosophic worldview devoid of appeal to God or any spiritual reality.

Dawkins is a skilled writer. I look forward what he has to say in The God Delusion. I know from the jacket where he is going—straight to atheism as the true interpretation of the meaning of human life and the meaning of the universe. Just as Darwin had his champions in the 19th century, he has another in the 21st century.

While I am one of a “different persuasion”--believing that God is the foundational idea upon which a satisfactory explanation of all things depends, I am not close-minded.

In fact, as a philosopher lo these many decades, I have camped out in Doubter Campground many a night on forays deep into the Land of Atheism. I often ask myself “Is the Christian worldview true or is it a nice feel-good security blanket that we have woven to shield us from the cold blasts of meaninglessness and death, both personal and specie-ial?”

I am what William James called “tough-minded.” As I open the pages of Dawkins’ book I am as ready as one can be to walk at his side while he points out “flora and fauna” along the way. I welcome him to be my interpreter along the trail that searches for The Answer.

One thing that I confess is worrying me. Will he indulge in “our best versus their worst; our ideals versus their reals?” At the time of departure on this tour, I give him the benefit of the doubt that he will be fair and balanced.

Where will I come out after page 400? Probably where I am presently. But like the sales promotion after a free week at the time-share resort, I hear the pitch with an open mind.

After all, didn’t I and my sales-resistant wife actually invest in a time-share despite our initial pact not to be swayed? But now, as then, it will have to be very convincing to succeed. If any one can do it, it is Dawkins—a man who is a superb writer and a penetrating thinker.

Ah. There he is. I see my guide is starting down the trail. So I’m off into the thickets of philosophy. I’ll keep you posted along the way.


Station B

As I trek along the “Delusion Trail” I see that Dawkins is stopping at a small clearing here in Camp Doubter—Station B. I wonder what he spies in the surrounding terrain. I’ll draw a bit closer so I can hear him better. Something about respect.

Scientists such as Einstein, Hawking, and Sagan deserve our respect. They showed a great respect for the natural world. While they used the word “God” at times, they did so metaphorically. Not accepting any supernatural entities, these men do not deserve to be selectively quoted in such a way as to hint that they might have been theists or even deists. I have no quibble with guide Dawkins here.

On the other side, our guide decries the undeserved respect given to religious doctrines. Just because they are called “holy” does not mean that no critique should be given them. Shouldn’t all ideas be open to debate—even religious ideas? But Dawkins asserts that hate speech in America is given a pass if it is packaged as religious speech. And mayhem is justified if Islam is portrayed negatively as in the Danish cartoons incident that sparked violence in much of the Muslim world. It’s just not fair, he insists.

OK. I may not agree with his examples, but I concede the point that religious ideas should not get a privileged free ride in the endless debates that go on about the nature of the Ultimate and whether it is the world of space and time or a transcendent spiritual order.

The gloves are off! Fair enough.