In a tweet that upset many people, the prominent atheist Richard Dawkins declared that he loved listening to the bells of Winchester Cathedral, which were “so much nicer than the aggressive-sounding Allahu Akbar” calling Muslims to prayer. My brother lived in an Islamic country for 20 years, where the call to prayer would be announced from minarets and across offices five times each day.
I agree with Prof Dawkins that the sound of church bells is “so much nicer”, but disagree with his conclusion that it is because I am culturally conditioned to think so. Instinctively we are drawn to truth, goodness and beauty. We try to do good and avoid evil, and church bells have a role in warding off the latter.
