Anyone who is someone to me would know how much I revere Richard Dawkins. He had been the single source of inspiration for me since I read his book The Selfish Gene in 2004. The entire paper that I did took its root from his work and my consequent interest in self organising teams, self organization and memes all owe their cause to him.

So, when I came across his interview about The God Delusion, I just couldn't restrain myself from wanting to buy that book. I see the whole point of his argument in these lines:

Our Western politicians avoid mentioning the R word (religion), and instead characterize their battle as a war against 'terror', as though terror were a kind of spirit or force, with a will and a mind of its own. Or they characterize terrorists as motivated by pure 'evil'. But they are not motivated by evil. However misguided we may think them, they are motivated, like the Christian murderers of abortion doctors, by what they perceive to be righteousness, faithfully pursuing what their religion tells them. They are not psychotic; they are religious idealists who, by their own lights, are rational. They perceive their acts to be good, not because of some warped personal idiosyncrasy, and not because they have been possessed by Satan, but because they have been brought up, from the cradle, to have total and unquestioning faith.

How much ever I adore him , I am unable to digest his total contempt for faith and belief. I know I am contradicting myself when I say this [atleast by the currently established moors]- I think Science in itself has a lot of faith and belief in it. While there is an argument that Science is based on facts and proofs, there is no denying the "fact" that such facts themselves are based on our belief that they are facts. So, you have to allow for some margin of faith in a man's life. There can be no life without Faith. I only tend to agree to the extent of or degree of faith, which when applied to myself would again be contradictory.

I agree with him in his point of unquestioned faith. However, there is always a point to ponder on what is the degree to which I can question my faith. My Faith defines me. My faith gives me an identity- my faith is what makes me. When I question my faiths, my beliefs, there is often no great answer available as to the consequences of such questioning. What will I do if and when I come to know that all that I had believed in till now is just a mirage- what is the alternative. Its a classic Indian Political scenario- The TINA factor is a strong deterrent in matter of faith.

Questioning faith might happen or has a higher probability of happening in a western society, where the major faith(in this case religion) is really separable from the day to day life and the individual's identity. But, when it comes to an Asian Society, where religion is a basic identifier- the key field in a man's table, questioning faith can have drastic and often traumatic consequences.

All said and thought, I am waiting for the paper back edition of the book...at $16.20, it isnt as cheap as it can get! ;)- ie, unless someone gifts me that!