God, Hawking and the Universe

Hawking is a charlatan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlatan

I would like to hear your opinion why he is -not- a charlatan.

I reason like this. Hawking writes ''God did not create the Universe'' because he claims that the laws of physics as interpreted by him says so. To invoke god as supporting one's own scientific opinion is the oldest form of charlatanism.

If you happen to read a Jane Doe who is a rational layman who is not a doctor of physics write ''God did not create the Universe'' you would ignore her. Because anyone can make this statement.

But when Hawking makes this statement he pretends to support it because he is a doctor of philosopy. Somehow we must believe him because he obtained a doctor of philosopy degree in physics.

I would appreciate your comments why we need to believe him rather than Jane Doe who makes the same statement.

The only reason that I can think of is that Stephen Hawking has the full power of the marketing department of Random House to support his declarations.