Robertson - The Dawkins Letters: Revised Edition - Challenging Atheist Myths

I found The God Delusion quite a depressing read because a) the arguments did seem banal and not in any way inspiring b) many of the criticisms of religion I could only help agreeing with. I couldn't quite believe that someone so clever would use such biased and nave arguments. I thought I was missing something. You've helped me see through it.

Robertson is a prat. And not only a PRAT, but a dangerous PRAT. A complete loser. I've never read such a dogmatic, vicious diatribe as this. WHEN WILL THEISTS LIKE ROBERTSON actually provide some EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE of their own something we can really scrutinize and say Hey! You know, there could be a God, judged on this evidence.

Bravo David Robertson, Not only did you take the time to read The God Delusion You also took the time to write a long article about your reaction, and now you join this discussion.

Wow, this is an intelligent and well-crafted view of RD's book. I can see that it really got to most readers of this site as well, seeing as it was posted 2 days ago and already has a comment pagination level of 5, and most of the comments are just stating that the writer of this entry is wrong and a dumb stupid-head. I love it when things get stirred up. Please keep it up!

I'm impressed that some of the people here bother to debate this Robertson nincompoop. He is clearly out of his mind and beyond reason and logic. If you do debate him, stop respecting his delusions, however eloquent he puts them, and please approach him with the scorn and contempt that he deserves. Dawkins refuses to debate this sort of weirdness because it gives the person with the sick mind the impression that there really is something to debate.

I'd like to say thank you for your articulate responses to all of these (sometimes hostile) questions. I am definitely an atheist but I really appreciate some good, healthy, well written debate.

Of the four books, rather astonishingly only one attempted a serious rebuttal of TGD and imparted a clear view of its writer's beliefs and that was David Robertson's. I found this the best of the four books.

The Dawkins website review of The Dawkins Letters

I've just finished reading your Dawkins Letters Absolute masterpieces All of them!

M. in Botswana.

I came across your Dawkins Letters and I was blown away. You have my utmost respect for your rationale and for raising points of the God Delusion and general atheist demands, such as Go on! Prove God exists! and showing where the fallacies lie. You are a superb writer and have a fantastic gift of keeping the reader enthralled. Thank you so much for your brilliant collection. If others jibe at you and call you crazy, please ignore them.

An Atheist from South Africa

I am a 23 year old student doing my PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Oxford. I have just finished reading your Dawkins Letters. I have to say that you have a done an amazing job. Not only have you stripped down Dawkinstheories (as you convincingly show, he has no support whatsoever for many of his assumptions), but you also prove that one can be passionate about ones beliefs in a respectful, tolerant way.

An agnostic from Oxford.

Well, what a breath of fresh air. I must admit, since The God Delusion was published, I've felt somewhat gloomy and don't have the ability to refute Dawkins statements. I think I was in awe of him because of his supposed ultra brilliance, but yet felt he was mistaken somehow. Your book is great. I woke up this morning feeling as though a weight has been lifted from my mind.

A Christian in USA

Dear Reader,

The book you are reading is a collection of open review letters written in response to Professor Richard Dawkins in the winter of 2006/7 concerning his book The God Delusion. being followed by this, his most important work.

The God Delusion has hit the American and British markets at a time when religion is never far from the front pages. For those who grew up in the 1960s thinking that they were witnessing the death throes of religion it has been something of a revelation and concern that the march of progress seems to have been impeded by a resurgence of irrational religion and superstition. There is considerable worry that 9/11 and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism is being matched by a rise in Christian fundamentalism. In Europe this is seen by many as being a significant motivating factor in the War on Terror. In the US there appears to be the beginnings of a backlash against the perceived power of the Christian Right. It is into this climate of hostility, religious confusion and fear that Dawkins clarion call to atheists to come out and organise is addressed. It is a message that is being welcomed by many and is causing considerable interest. The God Delusion has been on the New York Times bestseller list for several months and is well on its way to becoming a million seller in Britain. This despite a significant number of hostile and negative reviews (by no means all of them from religious protagonists). It is a powerful, well-written book which despite its many weaknesses is having a considerable influence.

It is also generating a response. Alister McGrath and

his wife, Joanna, have published The Dawkins Delusion? in response. Many articles, newspaper columns and reviews have already been written. So why add to them with this small book? There have been a number of academic responses to the various accusations made by Dawkins and I am sure that there will be more. However, for many the damage will have been done and those who do not read academic books will still be left with the impressions and the myths. On the other hand there will be those who from a religious perspective, have a kind of knee jerk reaction and respond to Dawkins vehemence in kind. Whilst this may appeal to those in their own constituencies, it is unlikely to do anything other than reinforce the impression that religious people are deluded. And of course there will be many who think this should just be left alone and ignored. After all, is anything ever settled by argument? I suspect that you are not in the latter grouping, otherwise you would not be reading this book.