2007-07-13 07:03:39 · 13 answers · asked by Wise@ss 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"Atheism" by George H. Smith.
2007-07-13 07:07:00 · answer #1 · answered by Eleventy 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Hitchens and Dawkis are great authors in this regard but many people find them dogmatic
For me, my favorite is The Secret Origins of the Bible (awful title but amzing book) by Tim Callaghan which treats the bible as any other mythos would be treated - like robert Graves' analysis of the greek myths - and is a great overview as to the anthropological and archeological studies into the biblical mythos.
Misquoting Jesus is another awesome book regarding the vagarities which occurred in the translation of the bible
All the above make for great reading. Enjoy!
2007-07-13 07:10:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dawkins, The God Delusion--nice start, but does not finish the argument. Polemic, no attempt to be fair to religion.
Collins, The Happiest Beings are Nihilists, Part I--starts and finishes the argument. Atheism terminates in nihilism.
Collins, Mrs. Darwin's Dilemma, argues that faith is a red herring. What matters most to society is how we behave. What we say we believe is only tangentially related to our behavior, as the fictional Mrs. Darwin learns. With few exceptions, in this book's fictional crisis, the atheists behaved much better than the theists, who were more concerned with protecting their faith in dogmas than in following the golden rule.
Collins, The Gospel of Jesus and Mary--rewrite of the New Testament with a more inspiring, atheistic Jesus, who again focuses on behaviors and eschews dogmas as divisive red herrings. Once one introduces god, one divides people into hostile camps, warring over who is god's chosen people, who owns the holy land, who are god's most sacred prophets, etc. Ironically, religion de-energizes attempts to improve behavior and in the worst cases inspires atrocious behaviors.
2007-07-14 16:00:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
See sources.
N.B. Dawkins may sound dogmatic on TV and video, but if you read his books, you'll see that he has solid backing for his assertions.
Hitchens, i can't explain. Probably needs more bran in his diet.
@Sisterzeal - The case for design was made 200 years ago by Paley, and Dawkins is well familiar with it. It's where he got the title of his book. Dawkins's point is that natural selection can create the illusion of design, rendering a god unnecesary. If you got the impression that he made a case for God, then you have TOTALLY misunderstood his argument. (I'm not saying that you have to believe him; i'm just saying that you misunderstood him.)
I don't know if Dawkins made this point in _The Blind Watchmaker_, but he has made the case elsewhere that, although God is not disproved, God is very, very, very improbable. Dawkins has explained how "design" can arise without a designer. What he lacks is how a *god* can arise without a designer, and like most western atheists, he will not accept the usual exemptions for your god.
2007-07-13 07:12:21 · answer #4 · answered by RickySTT, EAC 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Atheism with the aid of Baggini (A classic) God's situation with the aid of Ehrman (New -- I merely complete examining -- Theological) transportable Atheist with the aid of Hitchens (Hardcore advise) Buddhism with out ideals with the aid of Batchelor (own perception) the super Transformation with the aid of Armstrong (historic previous/respectful learn. Karen Armstrong has many good books on the subject material)
2016-10-01 13:05:20 · answer #5 · answered by centner 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good news everyone!
Latest reports say that an ancient text, known as the Bible in the 21st century, is the biggest reason people had switched to Atheism.
2007-07-13 07:08:24 · answer #6 · answered by Professor Farnsworth 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The End of Faith by Sam Harris is a good one, also letter to a christian nation also by Sam Harris. A funny yet succinct book is Ken's Guide to the Bible by Ken Smith.
2007-07-14 12:38:36 · answer #7 · answered by notadolphin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I recommend this 2 books:
1.Hitchens's book "God is not great"
2." The bible unearthed",which is actually a book of archelogical evidence that disprove MANY stories of the bible.(there is also a video on you tube about this book).
EDIT: also the books that the person before me has mentioned.
2007-07-13 07:13:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
But seriously...
The God Delusion
Letter to a Christian Nation
God is Not Great
God - the Failed Hypothesis
The Atheist Universe
(I've only read the first two myself, so the names may be a little wrong)
2007-07-13 07:08:49 · answer #9 · answered by Dreamstuff Entity 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Guns Germs and Steel
Jared Diamond
2007-07-13 07:07:17 · answer #10 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"A History of God" by Karen Armstrong
"Why We Believe What We Believe," by Andrew Newberg
"Language, Truth and Logic" by Alfred Jules Ayer.
"The Bible Unearthed" by Finkelstein and Silberman.
2007-07-13 07:09:18 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋