I recently checked out "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins from the library. How many of you have read it, and what are thoughts and opinions on it?
2007-09-07 13:30:58 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
SuperAtheist: Your right! I've been a horrible backsliding Atheist! LOL.
2007-09-07 13:40:54 · update #1
wakar: You almost had me until the last line: "you'll regret it if you don't". Either your open-minded or you're not; you can not have it both ways.
2007-09-07 14:33:32 · update #2
I have read it, but to be honest, it was not a 'revelation' to me, as most of the arguments were somewhat old hat to me.
It is a bit like Harry Potter, the stories are well established and lifted from some very fine sources, but you have to admire the neat way that it is put together, and know that it will be the opening point for a lot of young readers...
What worries me, is that Harry Potter will be the next great philosophical work, not the 'the god delusion' - simply because you have a generation who will have only read that one book, oh well its better tha the Bible I suppose, teaches less racism and hatred!
2007-09-07 20:15:46 · answer #1 · answered by DAVID C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dawkins is fine and the book is fairly well written, but I really don't like how he's become the Elvis of the atheist world.
Yes, he is a smart man.
Yes, he is a good scientist.
No, you should not just blindly listen to every word that comes out of his mouth.
I think I'm more annoyed with the cult of personality that surrounds him than the man himself.
Though, with the God Delusion (which he says is for believers who are wavering) I think he comes across as a bit of a dick and a bit of a know it all. I highly doubt there are many theists who have stopped believing in the supernatural because of it.
It's more like he's preaching to the atheist choir, which is just pointless as far as I can see.
Go on fellow atheists, I can feel you want to give me a thumbs down so just do it already.
2007-09-07 13:39:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I've never read it, but I'm willing to bet it doesn't present any new information. The excerpts that I read were nothing I haven't seen before.
Dawkins is a brilliant biologist, but he's also a pretentious jackass. I am not the only atheist who wishes he would shut the hell up.
EDIT
@NECRONOMICON:
No thumbs-down from this direction. I agree completely. Dawkins strikes me more as a cheerleader than an educator. The way he presents his information, the only people listening are the people who already agree. He gets lots of high-fives and gets to feel smart (which he is), but he hasn't actually changed anyone's mind. It's nothing but intellectual masturbation, and it hurts the efforts of those of us who genuinely try educate and influence.
2007-09-07 13:38:58 · answer #3 · answered by marbledog 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Bought it based on an interview with Dawkins I heard on PBS awhile back. Haven't read it yet but looking forward to it. Currently reading "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" by Christopher Hitchens. Highly recommend.
2007-09-07 13:36:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Dawkins definitely has the gift of gab. The depth is sometimes somewhat lacking and he sometimes jumps from subject to subject but in general it is a good introductory read. If some people accuse him of not being original they are probably right, his real strength is in evolutionary biology. But he presents the arguments well. I wish he would have chosen a less-confronting title; few theists would ever pick this book up. I mean even fewer.
2007-09-07 13:40:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
I haven't read it because...well, I'm already an Atheist. I don't really need to feel a part of...something. It's nice that Atheists are coming out of the closet and being vocal, but I don't really need the rah-rah cheering squad for myself. Let the fundies read it. They need it more than I do and I think the book was actually written for them, wasn't it?
My podunk library probably doesn't even have ANY Atheist books, LOL
2007-09-07 13:39:31 · answer #6 · answered by claudiagiraffe 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I've read most of it, mainly in snippets here and there. I think he's a good writer, but I don't always agree with his points. I think that calling religion a "disease" may be needlessly inflammatory, although when used as hyperbole it might be effective.
I do think that the Dawkins-adoration of some atheists borders on a little odd, though...sorry to any and all Dawkins-adorers :-).
2007-09-07 13:36:07 · answer #7 · answered by N 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I finally checked it out from the library to see what everyone on here was talking about. Sorry to say, I couldn't stick with it, to dry and boring. I'd already come to my conclusions the hard way so it wasn't telling me anything new. That's why I like the library, nothing gained nothing lost. I think most books are way overpriced.
2007-09-07 13:55:16 · answer #8 · answered by Lukusmcain// 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hey im no atheist. im just a very devout muslim and i know this doesnt have anything to do with ur question but since ur readin books like this, maybe look in some books about islam. this is for all of u atheists, jus give it a chance and see what u think. u dont have to go straight to the Qu'ran or hadith or sunnah, jus do some research on some positive books on islam. just think about it and give it a try or you'll really regret when judgement day comes.
2007-09-07 14:00:12 · answer #9 · answered by wakar 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I finished reading it about a month ago. I enjoyed it very much. I will admit I had to go to my dictionary a couple of times. (Being a Scientist, his vocabulary is superior by far.) He brought out many things I was aware of, but he put in the detail and supported all of his arguments with fact. I was glued to the book for two nights.
2007-09-07 13:41:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋