Richard Dawkins has written quite a few books that are well known for their clarity, persuasiveness and innovation when it comes to the theory of evolution. He is also well known for his atheism, as he is actively demonstrating in the two-part documentary of the title that aired on the british Channel 4. It is clear that Dawkins's background in zoology and evolution is what mainly brings him to oppose religion but it is also the reason why I think his effectiveness is less than it should be. Evolution clearly disproves the bible stories about human origin but this can hardly mean much when you are out against ancient world-views that are massively established. Dawkins tries to be polite with those he interviews but his tone, his questions and his general approach is not well received, and this should be expected from fundamentalists. No interview goes into any depth, usually interspersed with Dawkins's own comments, and sometimes without even supplying a much needed answer to the interviewed. In the end, the documentary is sadly preaching to the converted and is even frustrating at points.
Of course, the viewer is shown religion's dark side, but who doesn't know about it? What the viewers really need to see is that there is no bright side, at least not one that we can't do without.
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