Okay, here`s probably the first barrage. The man was a ADMITTED atheist. There is NO judgement of that on anyone's part here. I doubt anyone who is a closet christian would claim to being a atheist. Kind of like me saying here after all my posts, "I fooled all of you! I really have been a democrat all along!"
Yes, all us Christians live by faith. I believe it`s the first requirement of salvation. You either believe or you don't. Now if I claim Christianity and live by it`s rules, die and find out I was wrong and there is no God or afterlife, what have I lost? But if I am right and Hawking and/or other atheists`s die, and too late find out they were/are wrong, big difference!
Whether some, none or all of Hawkings theory's are right OR wrong, what real difference has all his knowledge changed ANYONE`S life on this planet? Christians living by christian principals I believe has changed most things in this world and likely life would be lived under the rule of demon possessed dictators such as like Hitler and other despots. The entire world would be like it is now in North Korea or in the Mideast where Christianity isn't permitted.