Richard Dawkins’ theory of the “meme” is an intriguing concept (though perhaps better described as speculation), which, drawing from the ‘selfish gene’ theory, attempts to explain the replication and survival of certain behavioural patterns, including belief in God. In reading the chapter on memes in Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene, one encounters significant inaccuracies regarding Christianity. These errors reveal that he did not carefully engage with the text of the Gospel, leading him to make sweeping and inaccurate judgments – a shortcoming unworthy of someone considered (by many) to be a leading critic of religion, especially Christianity.
This issue is particularly evident in his interpretation of the Apostle Thomas and the well-known episode in which Thomas declares he will not believe until he sees the evidence (John 20:25). Dawkins writes:
“Another member of the religious meme complex is called faith. It means blind trust, in the absence of evidence, even in the teeth of evidence. The story of Doubting Thomas is told not so that we should admire Thomas, but so that we should admire the other apostles. Thomas demanded evidence…The other apostles, whose faith was so strong that they did not need evidence, are held up to us as worthy of imitation…”
Let us now look at the Gospel of John, Chapter 20, where the episode of “Doubting Thomas” appears. What does it actually say?
First, the Gospel describes Mary Magdalene, one of the myrrh-bearing women, who discovers the empty tomb early on the first day of the week (John 20:1). She reports this to the apostles Peter and John, who then go to the tomb and see the empty grave (John 20:2-9). Regarding John, the Gospel states: “Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed” (John 20:8). In other words, he saw and believed – there is no mention of “blind faith” as Dawkins claims.
Peter and John then return to the other apostles, among whom Thomas is absent. The Gospel then describes the encounter between Mary Magdalene and the risen Christ (John 20:11-18). Finally, the Gospel recounts how the risen Christ appears to the apostles that evening, with Thomas absent.
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for the fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord” (John 20:19-21).
Here again, they saw and then rejoiced – there is no “blind faith” preceding the encounter, as Dawkins claims. In fact, far from exhibiting blind faith, the apostles are described as fearful and hiding.
Thomas appears after this event, and the other apostles inform him that they have seen the Lord. (John 20:24-25). Thomas responds with his famous declaration: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25).
Eight days later, Christ appears again and invites Thomas to see and touch his wounds: “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side” (John 20:27). Thomas, convinced, exclaims: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20-28).
As we can see, there is no fundamental difference between Thomas and the other apostles. Thomas required visual confirmation to believe, just as the other apostles had done eight days earlier. The same applies to Mary Magdalene – her grief turned to joy when she saw the risen Christ and was thus comforted (as recounted in John 20).
Nowhere in this passage is there any “blind faith,” as Dawkins describes. In Christianity, faith excludes blindness, rejects the absence of reason, and involves experience and encounter. In short, the term “blind faith,” when applied to Christianity, is a contradiction in adiecto – a contradiction in terms.
Deacon Dr Aleksandar Milojkov
