One of the world’s most prominent atheists said: new interview He considered himself a “cultural Christian” and said he believed Christianity was a “basically decent religion” that was much better for society than Islam.
Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and self-proclaimed atheist, said in comments on LBC’s YouTube channel this week that he was grateful that Britain was a “culturally Christian country”.Dawkins is the author of his 2006 book delusion of god.
“I call myself a cultural Christian,” Dawkins said. “I’m not a believer, but there’s a difference between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian. So I love hymns and Christmas carols, and I’m into the spirit of Christianity.” We feel a kind of familiarity, and in that sense we feel like we are a Christian nation. …Statistically, the number of people who actually believe in Christianity is decreasing. And I is happy with it.
“But I wouldn’t be happy if, for example, we lost all our cathedrals and beautiful parish churches. That’s why I call myself a cultural Christian,” he said. “…Certainly, if you replaced it with another religion, it would be really scary.”
According to him, there is “active hostility towards women” in the “holy books of Islam”. Islam is also “hostile to homosexuals,” he says. Dawkins said he disagrees with “fundamentalist” Christians on abortion and evolution, saying he “doesn’t believe a single word of the Christian faith.” Still, he said, he supports Christian missionaries when they compete with Muslim missionaries.
“If I had to choose between Christianity and Islam, I would always choose Christianity.”
A self-proclaimed “cultural Christian” @RichardDawkins,Tell you @RachelSJohnson He said he was “a bit horrified” to hear that Ramadan lights were being put up on Oxford Street instead of Easter lights. pic.twitter.com/ZY2ePfpms1
— LBC (@LBC) March 31, 2024
“If I had to choose between Christianity and Islam, I would always choose Christianity. I mean, Islam is a fundamentally decent religion in ways that I don’t think it is.” It seems to me that…as long as Christianity is seen as a bulwark against Islam, that’s a very good thing. And as long as, for example, in Africa, missionaries of both religions are active, I am part of the Christian team.”
He added: “I like living in a culturally Christian country.”
Image credits: @LBC on X
Michael Faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His story was published in Baptist Press. Christianity Today, Christian Poecent, of leaf chronicle, of toronto star and of knoxville news sentinel.
