MARY MacKillop's canonisation by ''Pope Nazi'' was ''pure Monty Python'', the world's most famous atheist told the world's first global atheist conference in Melbourne yesterday.

And Family First Senator Steve Fielding was less intelligent that an earthworm, according to biologist Richard Dawkins.

After a public lecture, Professor Dawkins was asked whether ''credulous'' media reporting and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's welcoming of last month's canonisation of Mary MacKillop as Australia's first Catholic saint were discouraging. Professor Dawkins replied that he did find it discouraging.

''The whole idea of creating saints, it's pure Monty Python,'' he said. ''They have to clock up two miracles. These are people we are supposed to take seriously.