Citizen Sane – I agree. he’s an excellent writer. I’m not actually aware of exactly what Hitchens is trying to say with his book, as I only found out he’d written it this week, but I’m sure he’s probably saying it alot more convincingly than Theo Hobson. His seems to be a knee jerk reaction to an opinion he disagrees with, rather than a considered deconstruction of the points in hand.

ph – But does Dawkins tell you what you believe?

Hald and Pace – I remember them. A bit puerile, as I’m sure we’ll all agree. Won’t we?

As for Hale and Pace, I’m afraid I’m not familiar with their oeuvre. You seem to be though. Perhaps you can elucidate?

Not even funny during rampant anti gingerism of the Heliwell and Evans era. Now just a little sad and somewhat outdated.

I remember Hale & Pace doing ginger gags. They your favourites then?

Anyway. Don’t be apologetic, Rachie. You’re right and not a zealot in the slightest.

I’ve just finished reading Dawkins’ The God Delusion. It was mildly enjoyable in places but, really, while he may be an excellent evolutionary biologist, he isn’t much of a writer. I’m much more interested in reading Hitchens’ latest. He could write about the phone book and it would be worth reading. Unlike Theo Hobson.

Hobson’s piece is a well-worn argument, especially of late. Firing accusations of militancy and fundamentalism back at the likes of Hitchens, Dawkins, Sam Harris, AC Grayling etc, is really rather lame. Dawkins, for example, doesn’t ever categorically say “There is not a god”, he says that there is no evidence to support the notion that there is. If such evidence arose he would re-evaluate his opinion. That is NOT fundamentalism.

This spurt of “anti-God” literature is simply part of a reaction against subjugation to supernatural gibberish that has been going on for thousands of years and is still has a ruinous influence wherever it propagates in this troubled world. I, for one, applaud them all. Hobson is an intellectual pygmy compared to the likes of Hitchens. Oh, and he’s ginger too.

In Nicaragua I seem to be surrounded by missionaries. I am bored of enjoying people’s blogs until one day they post about God and it all gets a bit ick. Also after every setback they become holier than thou (ie I broke my finger nail, their are no manicurists here, but I guess I can manage, it is God’s will etc)

I read one recently that prayed for the safety of all the missionary workers. Fuck the poor locals then.

I’ll take my chances of burning in hell. Hopefully Christians will turn the other cheek and let me.

By the way, don’t you yearn for the first PM/president etc who actually admits to atheism. None of this getting your picture taken going to church bollocks. I mean, why do they bother? Most voters don’t.