In an interview on Revelation TV (UK Christian satellite channel) on 10 March 2011, retired biology professor and atheist Richard Dawkins attacked a central Christian teaching arguing “...that a sin by somebody else has to be paid for by a different person, which is a horrible idea. Everything about it is an obnoxious doctrine.” He must think this is an unanswerable argument because he repeated it on BBC1’s The Big Questions (8 May) which was debating the question, “Is the Bible still relevant today?” When asked about the morality of the Old Testament, Dawkins responded by questioning the God of the New Testament asking, “Why was it necessary to have a human sacrifice?” He went on to add, “Is that not the most disgusting idea you have ever heard? Why didn’t He just forgive the sins?” 
In response, Michael Nazir-Ali, until recently Bishop of Rochester, pointed out “Professor Dawkins has a view of cheap grace. Real forgiveness comes from restitution…” Whilst he could not expand on this fully in the setting of a live show, the Bishop did provide an important insight into how this question reveals Dawkins’ ignorance rather than the Creator’s lack of morality. 
Read the full reply here from Randall Hardy: http://www.askjohnmackay.com/questions/answer/dawkins-if-god-is-all-powerful-why-doesnt-he-just-forgive-people
