Richard Dawkins reading the opening lines of his book Unweaving the Rainbow

[psycho3968]

My wife and I have this reading set down for our departures when that time comes...until then LIVE!

[playingdablues]

(First off, I fucking love RD), but did anyone else notice the grammatical error in what he read? "It is you and I in our ordinariness" should be "It is you and me in our ordinariness". He is brilliant but the editor of his book missed one there.

[123sambrose]

What a beautiful and appreciative view of the world and life that makes me so happy to be alive. I am moved to tears every time I hear it.

[mexicandruglord]

What a load of rambling nonsense LOL

[Kinin4]

@mexicandruglord

What about it was nonsense?

[TheCuteRebel]

this just makes my heart melt , so beautiful . I love him soo much I hope I meet him someday

[Bh4viSB27]

I want this to be read out at my funeral.

[reziboy100]

I'm a Christian but I'm not gonna deny how beautiful those words are...

[Whattfever]

I'd hit that.

[beccaminstrell]

Richard might save the world

[imsowazup]

Richard Dawkins could read one of Sarah Palin's speeches and it would sound intelligent and interesting.

[jessiessica]

"After sleeping through a hundred million centuries we have finally opened our eyes on a sumptuous planet, sparkling with colour, bountiful with life. Within decades we must close our eyes again. Isn't it a noble, an enlightened way of spending our brief time in the sun, to work at understanding the universe and how we have come to wake up in it? This is how I answer when I am asked -- as I am surprisingly often -- why I bother to get up in the mornings...

[jessiessica]

...To put it the other way round, isn't it sad to go to your grave without ever wondering why you were born? Who, with such a thought, would not spring from bed, eager to resume discovering the world and rejoicing to be a part of it?" - Richard Dawkins

[MrPilki02]

beautiful,quite simply.

[jazzx251]

I've always imagined this at the end of a book.

Because it deals with "the end"

I'm certainly going to make sure someone reads this at my funeral if I get the chance.

It is my favourite passage of Dawkins.

[xnogod]

it would fit nicely at the end but it really captivates the reader to continue reading the book.

having it read at your funeral is a such a good idea! i think i may have to steal your great idea.

its one of my favourite passages of Dawkins.

[jazzx251]

erm .... I stole the idea myself ..

.. from Richard Dawkins!

He's having it read at his own funeral!

[jazzx251]

... after they bring the coffin in to the strains of the march from Aida!

I first saw this passage in "Root of All Evil?" on TV (I accidentally stumbled across the show when flicking through the channels, I had no idea who he was until then - just some intelligent guy going around the world and kicking religious arse!)

But that passage was inspirational delivered from the great outdoors somewhere in America.

[anetchi]

@xnogod it's Dawkins idea too : ) He's said in multiple interviews that he wants this passage read at his funeral. It's an absolutely amazing passage. I want it read at mine too!!

[camgan1]

@xnogod That was actually Dawkins' intention

[Kinin4]

@jazzx251

Dawkins even has it earmarked for his own funeral.

Good stuff. I'm doing the same thing. :)

[anetchi]

I absolutely love this : )

Richard Dawkins is a kick ass scientist and a brilliant person....ahhhh i'm a little bit in love with him haha!

[xnogod]

ya he is fucking awesome! i love this ending to his lecture