How many of you have read "The God Delusion" - what do you think?

Question

Here is a little extract...

Dawkins writes that The God Delusion contains four "consciousness-raising" messages:

Atheists can be happy, balanced, moral, and intellectually fulfilled.

Natural selection and similar scientific theories are superior to a "God hypothesis" — the illusion of intelligent design — in explaining the living world and the cosmos.

Children should not be labelled by their parents' religion. Terms like "Catholic child" or "Muslim child" should make people flinch.

Atheists should be proud, not apologetic, because atheism is evidence of a healthy, independent mind.

I also recommend people to read this link too...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_God_Delusion

amecake83...I don't entirely see your arguement here...but I assume you refer to athiest delusion in the following sense?

http://atheistdelusion.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

That link will take you through to an unsubstantial "typical" christian reponse to anything that questions their religion.

As for me...yes I am an athiest...but I'm certainly not ignorant.

I travelled last year to Africa with a church group and was surrounded by their praying daily etc and my ex boyfriend is a fairly fanatical christian. Were they the only people in Africa who cared about the kids at the Orphanage then? No..I think not!

I went because I was interested in helping orphanage children and seeing the African culture (whereas a large number of the christians were trying their upmost to get them to sing religious songs, stories etc moreover than spending time making the children happy!)

Answer 1

I bought it, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet (I moved recently, and I have lots of books - I can't find it). And, no, I'm not an atheist.

I agree with what you point out above. I have known several atheists who were moral and happy, more so than many Christians I have also known.

Answer 2

I am currently reading tho I still have a long way to go before I finish. My boyfriend who is also atheist pointed me to it. Frankly I think we are both relieved to finally see someone right what we feel everyday.

I totally agree with the idea that children should not be labeled by their parents' religion. When I first started questioning religion and why I was Christian. It occurred to me that I was only attending "my" church and Christian cause that is what I was raised to believe. Works the same way with racism.

Also, embracing being atheist hasn't made my life any less meaningful or sad. Quite to the contrary, I am more happy than I have ever been. I am still a good person despite my non-religious beliefs.

Dawkins makes a lot of good points in his book and I think that people should really give it a chance.

Answer 3

Actually I just ordered the Dawkins delusion. Which step by step disassembles Dawkins arguments. Science writer Michael Ruse says it makes Dawkins book embarrassing to be an atheist. I wonder what terms Dawkins uses to describe the communists who tried to assert their faith on their own countrymen and the rest of the world. Seems that aspect of militant atheism is always conveniantly ignored.

Answer 4

A very good book, (notice no upper case) well written, thought out and presented.

I bought the book in Townsville Airport then was accused of ignoring my wife on a 22 hour trip back to London as I could not put the book down.

He makes one point though which I agree with but that which troubles me.

It concerns whether we (Atheists that is) should be more assertive about our beliefs. He argues that for a long time religion, particularly in the West has been put on the 'back-burner' i.e. we went to church on Sunday but for the rest of the week got on with our jobs.

Now, he argues, there is a rise in fundamentalist religiosity which results, for example, in a creationist museum, the growth of TV evangelism, faith schools, all if which are trying to place religion at the forefront of our lives. Just by the by, some Bishops in the UK have declared that the recent flooding was Gods punishment for a decadent society.

This backlash of fundamentalism both in the West and within Islam.is harmful and is responsible for giving deluded people the feeling that they have the right to kill. And I am not just talking Islamist terror here, doctors have been murdered in the USA by Christians opposed to abortion, and Bush is notoriously Christan, going down on his knees to validate the invasion of Iraq.

Dawkins argues from this that we should argue our case more forcefully, not accept the bland assumptions of Christian morality, even from the less aggressive religious members of society. It is, he argues, the fact of there being this complacent background which is the 'seed-bed' of the extremists.

And I suppose he is right. But I have dear friends who are deeply committed Christians, one family even sings Happy Birthday dear Jesus on Christmas Day as they stand hand in hand, in a circle around a crib. (they are all adults by the way) But if I could (and it is unlikely) by force of argument turn them away from the absurdities of their faith, would I have made the world any happier?

I became Atheist, I suspect, before Dawkins was born and I am comfortable with it.

I am not sure though, about trying to spread my belief to people who really seem to need theirs

I see his logic, but I am troubled at the thought of forcing my disbeliefs on others.

Answer 5

I did read it. It was a little tedious at times but I liked that it attacked Christianity from all angles. I think he made his case well.

edit: BTW did you know there was another scientist who wrote a counterargument to that book called The Dawkins Delusion? I saw it at the bookstore last night

Answer 6

I am in chapter one.

Just finished "Letter to a Christian Nation" by Sam Harris, whcih helped teach me why atheism is correct.

I also love that child part, where you shouldnt label a child by his/her parent's religion.

I watched the documentary "Root of all evil?: the virus of faith"

That film was about Richard's views, I really liked it. Maybe you should check it out. Just do a search on it.

Answer 7

I read it and thought it was very well writtena dn made good points of which I already knew and agreed with. The one thing i iked was that it wa aimed at all religions although christianity was the main focus.

It makes you think of your children and the world that are or will grow up in, where people don't think for themselves.

Answer 8

I've been hearing about it, I'll read it when I'm done with Harry Potter. (xD Comic, very, but I'm doing research for a pastime of mine.)

I /especially/ agree with the third message about children. These children are individuals, not copies of you! It's wrong to force beliefs on anyone, especially if they're so impressionable. Of course you want to teach your beliefs but it's only right to leave them to make their own decisions.

Answer 9

To people who are struggling to get through it, just get the audio book, that's what I did!

I found it very interesting and eye-opening. Had been drifting away from Christianity anyway and I think this along with my science subjects gave me the final push. It just made me aware of so much.

Answer 10

I have read it and he is 100% right, I will say I have thought exactly the same all my life so I learned nothing but it was a good book