Cowardice

The Oxford University Professor Daniel Came wrote to the agnostic and evolutionist Richard Dawkins:: "The absence of a debate with the foremost apologist for Christian theism is a glaring omission on your CV and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."

Cowardice is lack of resolve, fortitude, or bravery. A coward is typically seen as being intrinsically weak. Cowardice is not the same as fear, as a complete lack of fear is rather stupidity than bravery; a coward simply does not know how to deal with their fear like a whole, complete, regular adult person. Such inability to deal with challenging situations leads to a variety of coping mechanisms. A coward will typically show a lot of false courage and braggadocio, but when confronted will respond first with dishonesty and then slink away. A coward will often invent excuses for avoiding conflict, a wide open schedule will suddenly become full, an acceptable medium for communication will suddenly become unacceptable, an acceptable opponent will become untouchable for some minor reason.

In most English-speaking countries, the animal most associated with cowardice is the chicken.

See also

• Atheism and cowardice
• Atheist fear of conservative Christians