Famed atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins recently admitted that there may still be something for him to learn about religion.

Dawkins acknowledges that his friend Ayaan Hirsi Ali has recently become a Christian. Ali is a Dutch American writer and activist, who was previously named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

She used to be one of the “New Atheists,” alongside Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett, who argue for the elimination of religion. In fact, Hitchens once described Ali as “the most important public intellectual probably ever to come out of Africa.”

But in 2023, Ali announced her conversion to Christianity. As a result, Dawkins and Ali will be discussing her conversion at the upcoming Dissident Dialogues festival in New York City in May.

Dawkins’ admission that there may be something for him to learn about religion is uncharacteristically humble. So, what can an atheist like Richard Dawkins learn from Christianity? To start, consider these three points.

The Reason for Objective Moral Values and Duties

Without God, there is no sound basis for the existence of objective moral values and duties. Absent God, there is no reason to affirm a universal moral code to which all humanity is bound.

A go-to line from secularists and critics of Christianity and faith is that science is where it’s at in terms of getting real answers to the biggest questions about life and existence in the universe.

They maintain that science is able to accurately tell us all we need to know about life’s biggest questions, while religion is just gussied up superstition.

But is this really true? Can science actually provide us with the answer to everything?

The confidence of those who assert it is as large as it is wrong. This outsized belief in the ability of science is called scientism and it is important we all understand its limits.

Late last month, professor Marcelo Gleiser, a theoretical physicist at Dartmouth College, published a brief and important essay explaining the practical limits of science in answering some of humanity’s largest questions about life, reality, and existence.

His piece is as interesting as it is humble.

What Is the Universe Made Of?

Right out of the gate, Gleiser explains that science still has far more questions than answers about the fundamental nature of the universe itself.

The professor explains that for all the remarkable progress science has made of late, “we know only 5% of the composition of the Universe.”

He adds, “The mystery is the other 95%, composed of dark matter (roughly 27%) and dark energy (roughly 68%).”

Dick Van Dyke turned 98 years-old just before Christmas, a remarkable run for an actor who has been a household name for generations.

Perhaps best known for his Emmy Award winning television program, aptly named The Dick Van Dyke Show the seemingly eternally spry entertainer is also beloved for his starring roles in the classic family movies, Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Born in Missouri and growing up in Illinois, Van Dyke was bitten by the entertainment bug in high school. He dropped out to join World War II.

Disqualified to fly due to his low weight, the teenager served as a radio announcer for the Special Services, an entertainment division of the military.

Discharged in 1946, Van Dyke’s earliest pursuits centered on radio and the stage.

Fame and stardom didn’t really come until his Broadway work on “Bye Bye Birdie” eventually led him to the television show bearing his name.

By then he was married with four children. After reading and studying the Bible, he was determined to walk the narrow and moral road.

Writing in his memoir, My Lucky Life, In and Out of Show Business, he recalls a key turning point in his career and conversation with his agent:

“What kind of films did I want to make? Where did I see myself going in terms of movies? What sort of scripts should he look for?”

Senators Tim Scott and James Lankford introduced the “Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act” (FRRA), legislation to protect “the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of their children.”

Pro-family groups applauded FRRA, which was introduced in the Senate on January 10, while Representative Virginia Foxx is introducing the measure in the House.

The proposed legislation says:

“The nature of the parent child relationship endows parents with the primary responsibility and obligation to care for their child. From these responsibilities and obligations comes the pre-political, natural right of parents to care for their children.”

FRRA points to numerous Supreme Court decisions that have “consistently recognized the primary role of parents in caring for children.”

The measure goes on to explain that federal courts and government agencies have encroached on parents’ rights.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel Matt Sharp said in a statement supporting the act:

“Parents love and know their child best, and they have the right and duty to direct the upbringing and care of their children. Yet parental rights have been eroded by government actions that view children as the property of the state … ”