Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Atheist Richard Dawkins: God Might Exist

The evolutionary biologist says he isn't totally sure

By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 25, 2012 2:37 PM CST

(Newser) – World-famous atheist Richard Dawkins said in a debate this week that he's at least a little bit agnostic, the Telegraph reports. Sharing an Oxford University stage with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, Dawkins said he was “6.9 out of seven” certain of his atheism. “I think the probability of a supernatural creator existing is very, very low,” he said.

Dawkins also argued in favor of a universe created from nothing, a notion he has discussed on YouTube. "What I can’t understand is why you can’t see the extraordinary beauty of the idea that life started from nothing—that is such a staggering, elegant, beautiful thing, why would you want to clutter it up with something so messy as a God?” Williams "entirely agreed" with the "beauty" of the idea, but added, “I’m not talking about God as an extra who you shoehorn on to that.” (See the whole discussion here. Or look at last week's kerfuffle over a Dawkins-family slave owner.)

British author Richard Dawkins admits to being slightly agnostic. (Getty Images)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

CLICK BELOW TO VOTE

43%

14%

31%

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Getty Images

Man Goes to Hospital For Kidney Stone...Leaves a Woman (Huff Post)

Is Chase Crawford Dating a Cougar? (Bleacher Report)

My Boss Walked in on Me Touching Myself, Now He Won't Stop Flirting (Slate)

7 Gross Celebrity Items Sold at Auction (The Week)

The Lowest-Rated Show on TV Is Actually Awesome (Slate)

Partner Links

Sponsor Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 235 comments

Redhorn

Feb 27, 2012 8:34 AM CST

Take a college course in Human Anatomy. You'll become a believer.

hopeandchange

Feb 26, 2012 11:30 PM CST

The fact that we discuss his existence or not seems significant to me. Lends credence to "He placed eternity in their hearts but they did not understand."

SPHeroid

Feb 26, 2012 6:07 PM CST

How about we play some math....you know fact based.... Given there are roughly 7,000,000,000 people on the earth right this second, then say "god" will entertain each prayer for one second; ... From the frivolous "How about chocolate pudding for desert tonight?" to the more poinant death bed conversion "I now except Jesus Christ as my Lord and saviour"... "God" will get to your request once every 222 years... I admit this is assuming serial processing; If "god" has parallel processors this calculation will be somewhat shorter...

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Cops Shoot Naked Guy Eating Man's Face on Highway

Japanese Artist Serves Up Own Cooked Genitals

Telegraph (UK) (Source Grid »)
YouTube (Source Grid »)

Science • World

religion • God • Archbishop of Canterbury • atheism • Richard Dawkins

More Newser Stories

2,500 Atheists Gather in Melbourne

Global Atheist Convention thought to be largest meeting of godless ever

(NEWSER) - If ever there was a group unafraid of a vengeful lightning bolt, it's the 2,500 atheists converging on Melbourne—likely the largest concentration of godless thinkers ever. The Global Atheist Convention says it doesn't intend to proselytize, and in fact discourages any “missionary zeal." Still, the convention plans to draft a statement on the ill effects of religion on the world, the BBC reports, and there’s also talk of a film about government subsidies for religion. More»

Atheist Ads to Hit NYC Subways

Coalition to launch godless monthlong campaign

(NEWSER) - Eight atheist organizations are the creators of a unique month-long ad campaign beginning next week in Manhattan subways that will challenge the belief in God. "A million New Yorkers are good without God. Are you?" the ads will ask on posters featuring blue sky and clouds. Because the city's subways host 5 million riders a day, the Big Apple Coalition of Reason decided the underground ads would return the "best bang" for the $25,000 campaign, said spokesman Michael De Dora Jr. More»

Dawkins to Battle the Harry Potter 'Delusion'

Atheist author will write children's book to wean kids from magic

(NEWSER) - Evengelical atheist Richard Dawkins will take on Harry Potter in his next book, the Daily Telegraph reports. The God Delusion author is working on a book aimed at teaching children not to put their faith in "anti-scientific" fairytales. The professor plans to examine what effect raising children on stories of witches and wizards has on rationality later in life. More»

Atheist Richard Dawkins: Slavery Profiteer?

Telegraph newspaper: His family once owned slaves

(NEWSER) - Renowned atheist Richard Dawkins fired back at the Telegraph today after the paper accused him of profiting—albeit indirectly—from slavery, the Guardian reports. The Telegraph's article notes that Dawkins' great great great great great grandfather, Henry Dawkins, owned 1,013 Jamaican slaves before he died in 1744. Dawkins called the article "a smear tactic" and says the family slave fortune dwindled long before he was born. More»

Atheists to Military: Recognize Us

Handful apply to be humanist leaders, thus far without success

(NEWSER) - The nonreligious may make up just a fraction of the military, but they say their beliefs are as valid as those of their religious counterparts—and the military should recognize them. Some dozen troops are currently applying to become humanist lay leaders—joining the lay Christians, Muslims, and Jews who assist military chaplains—as a way of offering support to other members of the military who don’t believe in God. But it hasn’t been an easy process, they tell the Baltimore Sun . More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Atheist Richard Dawkins: God Might Exist

The evolutionary biologist says he isn't totally sure

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

religion • God • Archbishop of Canterbury • atheism • Richard Dawkins

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

2,500 Atheists Gather in Melbourne

Global Atheist Convention thought to be largest meeting of godless ever

Atheist Ads to Hit NYC Subways

Coalition to launch godless monthlong campaign

Dawkins to Battle the Harry Potter 'Delusion'

Atheist author will write children's book to wean kids from magic

Atheist Richard Dawkins: Slavery Profiteer?

Telegraph newspaper: His family once owned slaves

Atheists to Military: Recognize Us

Handful apply to be humanist leaders, thus far without success

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?