re: #133 Ulpianus

Though I am an atheist, I generally find Dawkins to be irritating.

Many atheists would agree with you on this.

In defense of his own anti-religiousness, however, Dawkins once said something that still makes me sympathize with him (hugely paraphrasing from memory):

“Suppose you were a Classics scholar who’d made a long career studying the language, culture, art, and history of ancient Rome. And suppose that every week you got 15 or 20 letters from crackpots eager to share their pet theory about how Rome was actually founded by Incas who’d crossed the Atlantic in reed boats. And — after you’d patiently explained why this idea is without the tiniest bit of linguistic, genetic, or archeological foundation — they sent still more letters berating you for being closed-minded and anti-Incan. Wouldn’t you get irritable after a while?”

Thus, I can forgive Dawkins somewhat for being a “pushy” atheist just because I know quite well how insufferable Creationists can be.