October 8, 2007 | 2:05 pm

Dawkins’ Jew slander has hurt atheists

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

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Remember what Richard Dawkins said last week about how Jews “monopolize American foreign policy?” Well, its been getting a lot of negative traction in the blogosphere, and The Exterminator says the grand atheist leader has hurt the no-god movement:

I strongly suspect that Richard Dawkins is not an anti-Semite, although he has apparently bought into the delusion that there’s a “Jewish lobby.” But in the next few days, weeks, and months, he will definitely be given that label by a media hungry for sensationalism. Since Dawkins is perceived by many religionists as a major spokesperson for atheism, we nonbelievers may all have to fend off similar charges of bigotry.

I think Dawkins deserves credit for using his high-profile persona to warn the world of the god delusion. But he has hurt the atheist “movement” by his ill-considered statement. By suggesting that atheists emulate the mythological Jewish Lobby, he has given propagandistic fodder to the theistic masses. Those who know that there is no Jewish Lobby will dismiss Dawkins as a fool; and, most people being what they are, will then feel free to reject everything he has ever said or written as equally unfounded in reason. On the other hand, those who believe that there is an international Jewish conspiracy for world domination, as manifested in the Jewish Lobby, will be delighted to demonize atheists whose “leader” clearly wishes to set up a similar cabal.