In what might be one of the strangest lawsuits of the year, author and creationist Karl L. Dahlstrom, is suing evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins for $58 million in damages claiming that in 1989 Dawkins called him “stupid” for not believing in evolution.

As reported by Friendly Atheist, the source of the complaint comes from a 1989 book review Dawkins wrote for the New York Times in which he said that “It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane (or wicked, but I’d rather not consider that).”

Dahlstrom believes that the “somebody” in question is him specifically.

His lawsuit claims that:

Dahlstrom not only does not believe in Evolution, but he is the only individual on earth in the history of man that has scientifically disproven Evolution. This makes Karl L. Dahlstrom the number one candidate for Richard Dawkins attack, even though Karl L. Dahlstrom, i.e., the “somebody”, could not be ignorant, stupid, or insane or wicked as scientifically proven by the book, The Organized Universe by Karl L. Dahlstrom with C. Phillip Clegg.

It is well worth noting that Dahlstrom’s book came out 24 years after Dawkins’s New York Times review. But this has not stopped Dahlstrom from believing that those statements cause him a great financial loss.

Richard Dawkins has caused millions of persons to be prejudiced and biased against Karl L. Dahlstrom and injured his reputation and subjected him to hatred, contempt, ridicule and financial injury from persons not exposed to the truth about Darwinian Evolution and the position Plaintiff Karl L. Dahlstrom has taken on this issue.

It is safe to assume that any judge who picks up this case will rip it in half and most likely call Dahlstrom and his lawyer stupid for even thinking he has a case to begin with.

Regardless of the absurdity of this case, Dawkins legally must respond, and respond his lawyers did.

The statement here, that someone who does not believe in evolution is ignorant, stupid, insane, or wicked, is the equivalent of a financial advisor writing that anyone who buys a car instead of leasing is an idiot. It is hyperbole meant to make a point. It does not rise to a level beyond what is decent and tolerable in a civilized society.

Dawkins lawyers also asked that the case simply be dismissed because the claims are obviously frivolous.

It sounds like Dahlstrom is upset that no one has bought his books or believes his claims that he can disprove evolution and that this suit may be nothing more than a publicity stunt in an effort to gain notoriety.

Attacking well-known atheists has become a rather big business these days, and Dahlstrom is jumping on the gravy train.

Unfortunately for him, this suit just makes him look even crazier than the quotes from Dawkins in question.

Hopefully, this case is tossed out, and Dawkins and his lawyers are not forced to spend any more time with this guy.

[Image: James Willamor / Creative Commons]