++++Reuters 00:45
reported by Lotte Nensason
Academic and atheist Professor Richard Dawkins is to renounce his sceptical stance on the existence of God and will convert to Christianity, he has announced today.
Probably the world's most famous atheist, the author of the bestselling The God Delusion made the startling announcement to the press after cutting short the latest leg of his book-signing tour in Narr, Nebraska. His publishers are said to be "dismayed" by the news.
Richard Dawkins, 66, is also the author of The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker, and has long been a champion of evolution and Darwinism over faith.
"I am today making an assertion which will change my life," Professor Dawkins announced to the assembled journalists. "For too long, I have wrestled with the academic and sceptical justification for atheism, when all along the answer to the mysteries of the Universe was staring me in the face. I now realise I simply have to let Jesus into my life. It's simply the will of God."
Leading atheists and humanists were quick to express their dismay. Dr Avril Poisson, Chair of the European Atheists' Association, at whose annual conference Dawkins has spoken several times, said, "We are very disappointed in Richard and hope he will reconsider. This is unbelievable news." Similarly shocked was Professor Uwe Beynhadt, Professor Emeritus in Biology at the University of Oslo (and also coordinator of the Freely Operating Orators and Lecturers in Evolutionary Darwinism), who declared, "This is a dark day for science."
Famous since coming to prominence with his book The Blind Watchmaker - which postulated the non-existence of a creator as a scientific standpoint - Professor Dawkins has been a champion and figurehead for atheists and agnostics throughout the world.
On the subject of his new conversion, Professor Dawkins would not be drawn much further, although he did state that he "fully intended" to attend church this morning and to join in the hymns "with gusto". When asked if he intended to be baptised, Professor Dawkins confirmed that this was something he was "looking into".
Oswald Kleinmeister, pastor of the Protestant Church in Narr, received the news that a new convert would be attending with "great pleasure." He added, "It's always good to receive new members into the family of Jesus, especially when those who have strayed and erred so far from the path of righteousness in the past. I hope the Professor will be very happy now he is on the path set down by God."
Lalla Ward, Professor Dawkins's wife, was this morning unavailable for comment, although it is believed that she is in Paris with an "old friend".