David Attenborough receives hate-mail

David Attenborough doesn't credit God in his television programmes (spelling in respect of this Brit), so what? So he receives hate-mail from religious viewers, of course.

"They tell me to burn in hell and good riddance," Sir David said, explaining that he is regularly asked why he does not "give credit" to the Lord for creating the flora and fauna featured in his programmes.

One must give credit where it's due, and since there is no evidence that it is due the Lord, none is given to him.

He then surmises that it is strange that this Lord should only be given credit for the flora and fauna that we humans admire, but not vile things that hurt us humans. He doesn't mention bacteria and viruses, but he could as well have.

"They always mean beautiful things like hummingbirds. I always reply by saying that I think of a little child in East Africa with a worm burrowing through his eyeball. The worm cannot live in any other way, except by burrowing through eyeballs. I find that hard to reconcile with the notion of a divine and benevolent creator."

Anyhow, what I wanted to get at is that I have only ever heard of hate-mail coming from the religious. It's not that I wouldn't believe that atheists send hate-mail to religious people, but I'd want to see it before I'll believe it.

If you would like some examples of hate-mail sent to atheists, PZ Myers is a good place to start. His 'I get email' series is chock full of such goodies. I especially recommend the special cracker edition, about the kidnapped Eucharist which the Catholics went nuts over last year.

To see David Attenborough in action, take a look at this clip about the Superb Lyrebird. It is mindblowingly amazing. (Via My Growing Passion.)