If you doubt Dawkins, ask Jesus

The Irish recently took a retrograde step with freedom of speech. The Irish government passed legislation effective January 1st making blasphemy a crime punishable with a fine up to $37,000. Blasphemy is defined as "publishing or uttering matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion, with some defences permitted."

Irish secularists are fighting back. Atheist Ireland has published a series of anti-religious quotations online to challenge the new law which they have promised to fight in court. One of the more intense quotations is by the famed biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins:

The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.

Intriguingly, ever word is true. Dawkins, a consummate scientist, is ever thorough in his research. But don't take his word for it. In the New Testament, John 8:44, Jesus has a few words for the Jews about their God,

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Richard Dawkins and Jesus: tough team to beat. If you want to read the full list of quotations, and I heartily recommend it, go to http://www.atheist.ie/.