The Scarlet Letter

So, I recently discovered this clever little literary reference when scanning www.richarddawkins.net. Inspired by his documentaries and books, particularly The God Delusion, I was browsing the online shop, when I stumbled upon this cool t shirt:




Does it remind you of anything?

I immediately called this to mind:





The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Where the protagonist, Hester Prynne, has conceived a daughter through an adulturous affair, and is forced to wear a scarlet "A" for "Adulterer" on her clothes at all times. Of course, Puritan society is not very forgiving. Incidentally, neither are the current religious. (Irony impaired, much?). So Dawkin's scarlet letter for "Athiest" is a genius idea, in my opinion, and a badge I am proud to wear.