"The creationists’ fondness for “gaps” in the fossil record is a metaphor for their love of gaps in knowledge generally. Gaps, by default, are filled by God. You don’t know how the nerve impulse works? Good! You don’t understand how memories are laid down in the brain? Excellent! Is photosynthesis a bafflingly complex process? Wonderful! Please don’t go to work on the problem, just give up, and appeal to God. Dear scientist, don’t work on your mysteries. Bring us your mysteries for we can use them. Don’t squander precious ignorance by researching it away. Ignorance is God’s gift to Kansas."
It seems to me that Dawkins is attacking the invocation of God as a substitute for, and an excuse not to engage in, rational scientific inquiry and analysis. His crack about God's gift to Kansas was a sarcastic jibe at this mindset. I don't see anything in his screed that is anti religion, or anti God. Are you giving him a bum rap, or am I missing something?
It seems to me that Dawkins is attacking the invocation of God as a substitute for, and an excuse not to engage in, rational scientific inquiry and analysis. His crack about God's gift to Kansas was a sarcastic jibe at this mindset. I don't see anything in his screed that is anti religion, or anti God. I would classify the attitude you (accurately) describe in the first sentence as superstition, not religion. It reduces the transcendant God of true religion to the level of a primitive tribal sun/thunder/fertility/whatever god.