The Atheist Blogger

A man by the name of Gerry Rzeppa has issued a challenge to Richard Dawkins. If Dawkins will stand with him in front of a live audience whilst Rzeppa reads aloud his new childrens book, and asks Dawkins a single question (to which Dawkins must respond), he will be given $64,000.

Seems fair enough, so why the title? Well go take a look at the chosen font used on the “author’s” website, and the one used in the very same book he wants to read to Dawkins. Honestly, it’s enough to give anyone with even bad vision a headache. The horrible scrawl makes every word a pain to decipher, but I’ve given it my best shot (to save you from straining your eyes). I’ve marked all words I’m unsure about with a (?) and given them my best shot based on the context they are in.

Hello,

My name is Gerry Rzeppa and I’ve written a short children’s book in answer to the works of Richard Dawkins. Unlike his ponderous(?) tomes, however, mine has lots of pictures, rhymes, and can be read, cover to cover, in ten minutes.

The $64,000 Question

I’m offering the doctor $64,000 of my very own money if he will join me before a live audience to answer a single question about my little poem. I’ll read the story aloud and pose the mystery query. He’ll answer and walk away with the loot. Simple as that.

Curious?

Me too. I’ll let you know if and when the challenge is accepted. In the meantime, you can read my story, for free, by clicking right here.

Let’s break some of this down. Firstly, his claim that “mine has lots of pictures” is pretty loosely termed. The pictures in question are in fact a load of simple silhouettes, and although they are shown on each page, they don’t really contribute much to the story, and ruin what could otherwise be an interesting symbolic stance on the entire work. I guess he wanted everyone to know exactly what he was on about.

10 minutes is perhaps his current record at reading it, but he has probably committed it to memory. The sheer unreadability of the text, along with the awful rhymes the poet has used (referred to as “Vogon Poetry” by PZ Myers) means the entire thing can be read in about 20 minutes, minimum. You may have to read each page twice before actually understanding what the rhyme is talking about.

I doubt Dawkins will rise to the challenge. He has more than enough money to keep himself happy and many more important places to travel to that some small poetry reading. The question will evidently be something about God / religion, and I’m sure Dawkins will use a standard witty reply we have heard so many times from him.

If anything, this “challenge” is just a way for the author to get more press coverage of the book, and ironically will probably help pay off the $64,000 he would have incurred (assuming he actually has that kind of money).

Linked from Pharyngula.

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