Natural yogurt.

A temple to Atheism, yes or no? 

There is an interesting article in the Guardian newspaper today about the philosopher and writer Alain de Botton's proposal to build a 46-metre (151ft) tower to celebrate a "new atheism" as an antidote to what he describes as Professor Richard Dawkins's "aggressive" and "destructive" approach to non-belief.

Dawkins criticised the project on Thursday, indicating the money was being misspent and that a temple of atheism was a contradiction in terms. "Atheists don't need temples," the author of The God Delusion said. "I think there are better things to spend this kind of money on. If you are going to spend money on atheism you could improve secular education and build non-religious schools which teach rational, sceptical critical thinking."

Humanists said it was misplaced for non-believers to build quasi-religious buildings, because atheists did not need temples to probe the meaning of life. "The things religious people get from religion – awe, wonder, meaning and perspective – non-religious people get them from other places like art, nature, human relationships and the narratives we give our lives in other ways," said Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Society.

I read the whole article which was a good piece of journalism. It was balanced and let the reader make up their own mind once they had read all the arguments. Of course, a personal blog like natural yogurt does not have to be balanced and I can broadcast my own opinion whilst ignoring those of different views.

So, which way is Stephen, an Atheist, going to vote on this issue? I am going to vote for Richard Dawkins, whose book The God Delusion, I have read and enjoyed. I also think that Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Society, is also right and he gets my vote too. £1m to build a temple to Atheism is an awful lot of money. I suggest that if you want a secular monument in London when you can ponder the meaning of life and gain a perspective, then walk along to the  7 July Memorial in Hyde Park.