Richard Dawkins Accuses Pope Francis Of 'Religious Gullibility' Over Mother Teresa Sainthood

Richard Dawkins Takes Swipe At Mother Theresa In 'Miracle' Jibe
Professor Richard Dawkins, ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author of books including The God Delusion and The Selfish Gene, is seen at Random House, London, on Wednesday, August 14th,2013. Professor Dawkins is to publish an autobiographical book. (Fiona Hanson/AP)
Professor Richard Dawkins, ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author of books including The God Delusion and The Selfish Gene, is seen at Random House, London, on Wednesday, August 14th,2013. Professor Dawkins is to publish an autobiographical book. (Fiona Hanson/AP)
Fiona Hanson/AP

Famed atheist Richard Dawkins has taken a damning swipe at one of history's most fondly remembered missionaries.

The outspoken critic, who has previously claimed to be "against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world", blasted Mother Teresa, after it was announced she was to receive a Sainthood.

Teresa is set to become a saint, some 18 years after her death, now that the Vatican has officially attributed a second miracle to her.

She has been credited with the healing of a Brazilian man from multiple brain tumours.

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Few details have been released about the incident, which Rome believes to be her second supernatural healing, but now that a series of miracles have been attributed to Teresa, she stands to become a Saint.

Unhappy with the announcement, Dawkins lamented the decision, declaring his disapproval in a post on Twitter to his 1.3 million followers.

"Is there any limit to religious gullibility?" he despaired.

"Gullibility on miracles driven by gullibility about an over-rated woman."

While Teresa was beloved by many a she also received her fair share of criticism.

One of her most outspoken critics was journalist Christopher Hitchens, who produced a book called The Missionary Position and a Channel 4 documentary entitled 'Hell’s Angel' about her.

In these, he claimed that she used her work to foist her faith on desperate people; in the book, he labelled her a "religious fundamentalist, a political operative, a primitive sermoniser, and an accomplice of worldly secular powers".

Some also criticised the conditions of her facilities and claimed that she did little to try to cure people.

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