A Free Church minister has called on the people of Lewis to give the world-famous atheist Professor Richard Dawkins a warm welcome when he arrives to speak at a sell-out audience at a book festival on the island.
The Reverend Iver Martin of Stornoway Free Church of Scotland, which has one of the largest congregations in the land, was responding to news that all 220 tickets to attend the talk to be given by Mr Dawkins had sold out within hours, and there is now a waiting list.
Mr Dawkins is one of the headline guests who will appear in November at Faclan, the Hebridean Book Festival, in Lewis where he is scheduled to talk about his book the God Delusion.
There was a call from a member of the Lord's Day Observance Society for islanders to boycott his appearance on the traditionally Presbyterian island.
But Mr Martin and another Free Church minister offered to debate with him in public instead, which Mr Dawkins has declined.
Faclan director Roddy Murray said the festival was about more than just Richard Dawkins, but he was delighted that "one of the greatest scientists and thinkers of our time" would headline the event.
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