Evolutionary biologist and writer Richard Dawkins, well known for his criticism of creationism and intelligent design, became the butt of jokes after the hashtag #RIPRichardDawkins gained traction on Twitter.
For the record Richard Dawkins is alive and is still an atheist. However, hundreds of online Twitter users still continue to post their eulogy under the parody hashtag RIPRichardDawkins.
While there is no real explanation as to what really triggered the viral #RIPRichardDawkins hashtag, Salon citing one of the two Twitter users, who are believed to have started the trend, stated that he put up the hashtag out of complete 'boredom.'
"There seems to be a misconception that this was done as a political statement of some sort," @famoushorse wrote in an email to Salon.
"This is, of course, not the case. Sure, [Dawkins is] one of the most impressive old racist men but this was pure boredom with the hope of eliciting a public freak out from Dawkins. I mean, there's still hope for that. The day is young."
Twitter Memes and Comments on #RIPRichardDawkins
Goodbye, @richard_dawkins .you may be dead but you'll live forever in memes #RIPRichardDawkins pic.twitter.com/SOU8XZSRLI
— HORSE WHOM (@famoushorse) March 10, 2015
Richard Dawkins Is Not Dead, But #RIPRichardDawkins Is A Living Meme Now http://t.co/1cNBITWZX7 pic.twitter.com/KS05OG7ZfE — Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 10, 2015
#RIPRichardDawkins He died doing what he loved pic.twitter.com/fYm0LNtINa
— SuperNESChalmers (@UnseenPerfidy) March 10, 2015
Mr. Dana Lazaro @cold4thetweets
If Richard Dawkins is still alive, why won't moderate Muslims come out and confirm it? #RIPRichardDawkins
Miguelito @ihatemmorpgs
The #RIPRichardDawkins meme serves as circumstantial evidence that Richard Dawkins is dead. That should be enough for most people.
Musky Lozenge @LostCatDog
#RIPRichardDawkins he was a great thinker and the best "Family Feud" host ever
HORSE WHOM @famoushorse
Richard Dawkins will be remembered for contribution to contemporary Islam and the invention of meme machine #RIPRichardDawkins
christian mccrea @christianmccrea
#RIPRichardDawkins leaving behind a legacy of yelling at feminists that will be taken up, begrudgingly, by thousands of identical men
yung unit testa @dannolan
#RIPRichardDawkins who was alive when the hashtag started trending but so deeply believed in logic he killed himself to make it true
Andrew Galvin @andrew_galvin
#RIPRichardDawkins Atheism's first pope has transitioned to his heavenly reward
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