Last Dawkins Comment (for now)

I have just finished The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. And, I have to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a good read, very well-written, and extremely stimulating. Many of Dawkins' criticisms of religion I agree with whole-heartedly.

However, the last bit I wanted to comment on was what Dawkins has to say about death. "Polls suggest that approximately 95% of the population of the United States believe they will survive their own death." But "how many people who claim such a belief really, in their heart of hearts, hold it?" (p.356)

Dawkins has questions to ask about the way religious people talk when in the presence of the dying, and he asks why th most vocal opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide comes from religious people. "Wouldn't you expect that religious people would be the least likely to cling unbecomingly to earthly life?" (p.356)

And why is it that those people who seem most afraid of death are the religious ones? "It doesn't ... speak strongly of religion's power to comfort the dying." (p.358)

Food for thought for those of us in pastoral ministry!?