Dr Paul Allen

Richard Dawkins has imploded on Twitter (Photo: Heathcliff O'Malley) Another week, another half-hilarious, half-tragic Richard Dawkins meltdown on Twitter. This time, Dawkins, who prior to becoming a jester of the Twittersphere was apparently a well respected author, used the opportunity of International Women's Day to blast the "loathsome religion" of Islam . He tweeted a photo of three Afghani women in short skirts in the 1970s next to a photo of three Afghani women cloaked in the burqa today, alongside the words: "How can anyone defend this loathsome religion?" He means Islam. He always means Islam. He has a real problem with Islam, even more than he does with Catholicism, whose teachings he once described as being worse than rape. His "loathsome religion" tweet was hotly followed by another suggesting that the ritual slaughter of animals for faith reasons – ie halal and kosher – should be banned. "Many complex considerations shou