Richard Dawkins in bitter web censorship row with fellow atheists

By Heidi Blake Published: 9:25AM GMT twenty-six February 2010

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Richard Dawkins Photo: GETTY

The distinguished non-believer faced a swell of abuse from angry fans after he voiced that all serve postings to the contention forum on his website would be firmly moderated to sentinel off what he called "something rotten" in internet culture.

"Imagine saying your face described by an unknown print as a slack-jawed turd-in-the-mouth mug," he wrote in a blog patrician "Outrage" on RichardDawkins.net.

"Surely there has to be something wrong with people who can review to such over-the-top language, overreacting so spectacularly to something so trivial."

He pronounced tighter mediation would urge the effort of contention on the website. "The forum is going to be some-more firmly tranquil and will be underneath some-more executive control. So it wouldnt be accessible for any one who wants to receptive to advice off freely."

Prof Dawkins had additionally been described as "a suppurating rats rectum inside a passed skunk", he said. Another user had voiced "a remarkable urge to impel a fistful of nails" down his throat.

The disguise of anonymity underneath that most users contributed to discussions had authorised a enlightenment of abuse and tainted denunciation to rise that would not be probable if they identified themselves, he said.

The contention territory is one of the internets busiest non-believer forums, attracting 3,000 postings per day on subjects together with science, sacrament and ethics.

But Prof Dawkins right away faces a recoil from fans who are reluctant to be silenced.

"A lot of people have lost apply oneself for Dawkins after this, nonetheless I do still await the work that he does," Peter Harrison, a former judge of the website, told The Times.

"Thousands of loyal, intelligent, receptive forum members have been skewed as a garland of foul-mouthed, sarcastic thugs by the man who so desirous them."

Another former fan said: "It might receptive to advice silly to those not concerned with online communities, but I feel harm and displaced. It was similar to entrance home to find the thatch have been changed. My apply oneself for Richards work is still total but my apply oneself for him as a chairman is in tatters."

Christian groups have seized on the row as justification that the Dawkins village is not as free-thinking as it creates out.