richard dawkins: ratzinger is an enemy of humanity

this is the full intended speech, as posted on the richard dawkins foundation for reason and science, corresponding to the video i embedded earlier.

just a snip:

'it would be unkind to prolong this point, but ratzinger’s speech in edinburgh on thursday was so disgraceful, so hypocritical, so redolent of the sound of stones hurled from within a glass house, i felt that i had to reply.

even if hitler had been an atheist – as stalin more surely was – how dare ratzinger suggest that atheism has any connection whatsoever with their horrific deeds? any more than hitler and stalin’s non-belief in leprechauns or unicorns. any more than their sporting of a moustache – along with franco and saddam hussein. there is no logical pathway from atheism to wickedness. unless, that is, you are steeped in the vile obscenity at the heart of catholic theology. i refer (and i am indebted to paula kirby for the point) to the doctrine of original sin. these people believe – and they teach this to tiny children, at the same time as they teach them the terrifying falsehood of hell – that every baby is “born in sin”. that would be adam’s sin, by the way: adam who, as they themselves now admit, never existed. original sin means that, from the moment we are born, we are wicked, corrupt, damned. unless we believe in their god. or unless we fall for the carrot of heaven and the stick of hell. that, ladies and gentleman, is the disgusting theory that leads them to presume that it was godlessness that made hitler and stalin the monsters that they were. we are all monsters unless redeemed by jesus. what a vile, depraved, inhuman theory to base your life on.'

but the full piece here.