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Fairy tales and believing in Father Christmas could cause children 'great harm'.

This is according to controversial biologist Richard Dawkins who warned an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival about the dangers of make-believe. 

In typically incendiary style, Dawkins suggested it was 'pernicious to instil in a child the view that the world is shaped by supernaturalism.'

Fairy tales and believing in Father Christmas could cause children 'great harm'.This is according to controversial biologist Richard Dawkins (pictured) who warned an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival about the dangers of make-believe

The 73-year-old acknowledged that the appeal of fairytales lay in their magic but believes they may be causing more harm than we think.

He also questioned whether we should let children believe in the myth of Father Christmas at all.

'Is it a good thing to go along with the fantasy of childhood?,' he said. 'Or should we be fostering a spirit of scepticism?.'

Speaking about his autobiography 'An Appetite for Wonder', childhood formed a large part of the talk as he recalled his first eight years growing up in Africa.

Richard Dawkins acknowledged that the appeal of fairytales lay in their magic but believes they may be causing more harm than we think. He also questioned whether we should let children believe in Father Christmas at all

He was asked whether parents who instil in their children a belief in God are subjecting them to a form of child abuse.

Dawkins wouldn't be drawn - he wouldn't go that far.

'To call it testament to child abuse would be a bit strong, but when you tell a child to mind their Ps and Qs otherwise they'll roast in hell then that is tantamount to child abuse,' he said.

However, last year Dawkins made the comparison of teaching religion without questioning was the same as child abuse.

He said he was against the 'indoctrination of religion' and teaching it as fact. 

Professor Dawkins, a biologist who revolutionised the theory of evolution with his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, added that he thought it was still important to teach children about different faiths.

During his talk at the Cheltenham Science festival, he also shared memories from his prep school years which were dominated by bullying, cold showers and bruises.

He revealed that a master at the school once 'put a hand down his shorts.'

The atheist writer and intellectual has previously sparked fury by suggesting the recent spate of child sex abuse scandals has been overblown.

The 'God Delusion' author said that such incidents should not be judged by modern standards.

'I got quite a bit of stick for saying that it did not have a big impact but to say that it did would be an indecency to those people whose lives have been ruined by experiences that have been much worse,' he said.

He admitted that an early age he had a 'flirtation' with religion but it didn't last long.

'I grew up,' he says. 'I put away childish things.'

His views as a 'militant atheist' have been well documented and have certainly caused a stir.

He admits that they may have overshadowed his reputation as scientist and yet they're unlikely to change.

'I think the scientific view is so marvellous that anything else is a second rate explanation of existence,' he says.

Atheist writer and intellectual Richard Dawkins has previously sparked fury by suggesting the recent spate of child sex abuse scandals has been overblown.The 'God Delusion' author said that such incidents should not be judged by modern standards