We who are atheists are also a-fairyists, a-teapotists, and a-unicornists, but we don't have to bother saying so.
Interpretation
Atheists often reject not just a belief in gods but also other mythical entities, emphasizing their focus on rational thought.
In this quote, Richard Dawkins humorously points out that atheism is not only a lack of belief in deities but can also extend to skepticism towards other mythical and whimsical entities. By listing 'fairies, teapots, and unicorns' as subjects of disbelief, he suggests that atheists shouldn't feel the need to proclaim their disbelief in every mythical concept, emphasizing a commitment to rational and evidence-based thinking.
In practice
During a debate on belief systems, to highlight the absurdity of unproven beliefs.
No educated person believes the Adam and Eve myth nowadays, but it's surprising how many parents think that it's somehow fun to pass on this falsehood to their children...I would want to argue that the truth of evolution is more interesting and more poetic
If the history-deniers who doubt the fact of evolution are ignorant of biology, those who think the world began less than ten thousand years ago are worst than ignorant, they are the deluded to the point of perversity.
The population of the U.S. is nearly 300 million, including many of the best educated, most talented, most resourceful, humane people on earth. By almost any measure of civilised attainment, from Nobel prize-counts on down, the U.S. leads the world by miles.
When you make machines that are capable of obeying instructions slavishly, and among those instructions are 'duplicate me' instructions, then of course the system is wide open to exploitation by parasites.
Even if not a single fossil has ever been found, the evidence from surviving animals would still overwhelmingly force the conclusion that Darwin was right.
The bitter hatreds that now poison Middle Eastern politics are rooted in the real or perceived wrong of the setting up of a Jewish State in an Islamic region. In view of all that the Jews had been through, it must have seemed a fair and humane solution. Probably deep familiarity with the Old Testament had given the European and American decision-makers some sort of idea that this really was the historic homeland of the Jews.
Whoever is open, loyal, true; of humane and affable demeanour; honourable himself, and in his judgement of others; faithful to his word as to law, and faithful alike to God and man....such a man is a true gentleman.
Only in dreams, in poetry, in play do we sometimes arrive at what we were before we were this thing that, who knows, we are.
There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God, and counterclaimed by Satan.
Lots of Orthodox go to church every Sunday but don't know much about the faith. Yet they know that there is something that they don't know much about.
Life becomes fully understandable only the moment we realise that we are all mad.
I'm for democracy, but imposing democracy is an oxymoron. People have to choose democracy, and it has to come up from below.
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