A bit of a diversion from the the usual bickering about Middle East politics (should give cleveson and telegramsam's keyboards a bit of a rest)...

There's a great piece here by the Chief Rabbi in response to Hawking's claim that God did not create the universe. It's on the Times so if you want to read it it'll cost you a quid... I should ask for commission.

Rabbi Sacks is one of Britain's most enlightened and brilliant thinkers in my view, and this piece is very well written.

I have to say that some of the comments I see on the Times with regards to this issue are truly depressing. Faith in God is a very personal thing and I hate the way Atheists and other assorted non-believers hurl insults at organised religion and people with faith. Bigotry and intolerance of the worst kind mixed with a smug sense of intellectual superiority.