CAIRO: Richard Dawkins - scientist, bestselling author and the world's foremost atheist- criticized Indian authorities on Monday at the Jaipur Literature Fest, pointing to the “lamentable disgrace” of Salman Rushdie's imposed absence. “Far too much sympathy is shown to people who claim to be motivated by religion – sympathy that would not be shown to people acting from mere prejudice,” said Dawkins. Reading from an altered statement that he had originally written after the fatwa was first pronounced against Rushdie, Dawkins pointed out that in the 16th century, some Catholics in England had written to a senior figure in the Vatican asking if it was acceptable to murder Elizabeth I. The response was that since the Queen had led millions away from Catholicism, her murder would actually be a praiseworthy act. Two points were clear in Dawkin's speech – he was not targeting Islam but was denouncing the acts of people who were satisfying their own desires under the cover of religion, and nothing much has changed in almost 500 years. “If we don't understand something, we should roll up our sleeves and get to work trying to figure it out. We should not be lazy and call it supernatural,” he explained. However, when asked how the rise of religious fundamentalism could be controlled in India, he said he did not know enough about India to answer the question with any authority. He did add, “I am aware that side by side with spirituality, there is also a noble tradition of atheism in this country and I would like to have better contact with free-thinkers and rationalists here.” “There shouldn't be any privileges given to the religion by the state, no tax exemption,” he emphasized. Today's secular democracies do make a distinction between religion and the state, but politics and religion still support each other, even in the US. “I suspect we have already seen several atheist US presidents, they just didn't admit it,” responded Dawkins. “I suspect Lincoln was an atheist, probably so was Kennedy. Obama is an intelligent man, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's a closet atheist,” he went on. “You can't be an American politician without being a hypocrite,” signed off the renowned biologist and ardent Darwinian. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/7e6VS Tags: India, Jaipur Literature Festival, Richard Dawkins, Salaman Rushdie Section: Asia, Latest News, Religion
