|
God's Brothel
Andrea Moore-Emmett
on polygamy |
The
Extortion of Sex for Salvation in Contemporary
Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist Polygamy and
the Stories of 18 Women Who Escaped.
~ Pick up a copy for a friend! ~
LINKS:
About
the nature TIME: Is time real? |
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Ayaan's blog
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Customers
who ordered items from this website also purchased...
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Breaking the Spell:
Religion as a Natural
Phenomenon
by Daniel C. Dennett
|
"Dan Dennett is our best
current philosopher. He is the next Bertrand Russell. Unlike
traditional philosophers, Dan is a student of neuroscience, linguistics,
artificial intelligence, computer science, and psychology. He's redefining
and reforming the role of the philosopher. Of course, Dan doesn't understand
my society-of-mind theory, but nobody's perfect."
—
Marvin Minsky |
 |
God Is Not
Great:
How Religion
Poisons
Everything
by Christopher Hitchens
Hardcover
|
A page from this book -- on
Masturbation, Islamic style
Christopher
Hitchens, the noted British-American author, journalist and literary critic,
has been a columnist at Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, The Nation, Slate, and a
variety of other publications. Hitchens is also an outspoken atheist and
antitheist. His bestselling book, God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons
Everything explores how religion has impacted and influenced the world in a
negative way. Writes Booknotes:
“Hence, he (Hitchens)
believes that religion is manmade, and an ethical life can be lived without
its stamp of approval.”
--
Booknotes |
 |
The God Delusion
by Richard Dawkins
Hardcover |
~ Pick up a copy for
a friend! ~ |
The Golden Compass |
His Dark Materials
Trilogy:
The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
by
Philip Pullman |
For kids and
young teens !
For kids and young
teens ! Philip Pullman unlocks the door to worlds parallel to our own.
Dæmons and winged creatures live side by side with humans,and a mysterious
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published as mass-market paperbacks with new covers, are united ere in one
boxed set that includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber
Spyglass. Join Lyra, Pantalaimon, Will, and the rest as they embark on the
most breathtaking, heartbreaking adventure of their lives. The fate of the
universe is in their hands.
(Ages 13 and older).
[BOX SET]
~ Pick up a copy for a child ! ~
LINK -
Foxnews.com:
"Christian Groups Claim Pro-Atheist 'Stealth Campaign'
in Nicole Kidman Fantasy Film The Golden Compass" |
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Featured: Pulitzer
Prize Winner!
Guns, Germs, and Steel:
The Fates of Human Societies
by Jared Diamond
Hardcover
Also... The Audio Book
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amazon.com
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Hold on to your hats!
The Life of the Cosmos
by Lee Smolin
Lee Smolin, a professor at the Center for Gravitational
Physics and Geometry at
Pennsylvania State University,
is about to take you on...
The ride of your life!
~ Pick up a copy for a friend! ~ |
1. Holy Horrors: An Illustrated History of
Religious Murder and Madness, by James A. Haught
"
Chronicles the grim spectrum of religious persecution from ancient times to
the present."
2. Ken's Guide to the Bible, by Ken Smith
"The
world's most complete compendium of the Bible's most embarrassing
passages.
With
hammerhead precision and pig-iron wit, this compact volume
lays bare all the
sex,
gore, and lunacy that the Bible has to offer."
R E C O M M E N D E D:
Pick one up for a friend!
 |
Just six numbers govern the shape, size, and
texture of our universe. If their values were only fractionally
different, we would not exist: nor, in many cases, would matter have
had a chance to form. If the numbers that govern our universe were
elegant--1, say, or pi, or the Golden Mean--we would simply shrug
and say that the universe was an elegant mathematical puzzle. But
the numbers Martin Rees discusses are far from tidy. Was the
universe "tweaked" or is it one of many universes, all run by
slightly different, but equally messy, rules?
Highly recommended ~ Pick
one up for a friend ~
Science Library |
 |
Featured:
Natioanl Gepgraphic
The Gospel
of
Judas
|
by
Bart D. Ehrman
(Commentary) Rodolphe Kasser, Marvin Meyer, Gregor Wurst (Editors)
During the first centuries
A.D. Christianity grew from humble origins
to become the official religion of the
Roman Empire. The newly discovered Gospel of
Judas gives a
different view of the relationship between
Jesus and Judas, offering new insights into
the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Unlike the
accounts in the canonical Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in which
Judas is portrayed as a reviled traitor,
this newly discovered Gospel portrays Judas
as acting at Jesus' request when he hands
Jesus over to the authorities.
|
 |
The
Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown
Get the movie |
With The Da Vinci Code, Dan
Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent
and lucid thriller that marries the gusto
of an international murder mystery with a
collection of fascinating esoterica culled
from 2,000 years of Western history.
A murder in the silent after-hour halls of
the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot
to uncover a secret that has been protected
by a clandestine society since the days of
Christ.
The
victim is a high-ranking agent... |
Napoleon's March on Moscow
 |
The
Jesus Mysteries
by
Timothy Freke, Peter Gandy |
Was the 'Original Jesus' a Pagan God? |
amazon
God's Debris
by
Scott Adams |
|
Synopsis
Imagine
that you meet a very old man who — you eventually realize — knows
literally everything. Imagine that he explains for you the great
mysteries of life — quantum physics, evolution, God, gravity, light,
psychic phenomenon, and probability — in a way so simple, so
novel, and so compelling that it all fits together and makes perfect
sense. What does it feel like to suddenly understand everything? God's
Debris isn’t the final answer to the Big Questions. But it might be the
most compelling vision of reality you will ever read. The thought
experiment is this: Try to figure out what’s wrong with the old
man’s explanation of reality. Share the book with your smart
friends for FREE, then discuss it later while enjoying a beverage.
Still,
God's Debris is emphatically not for everyone. Although there’s
no sex or violence, I don’t recommend it for readers under fourteen
unless a parent has screened it. And if you don’t like to have your
perceptions challenged, this book isn’t for you. However, if you like a
good book-induced buzz now and then, I think you’ll agree that the price
was right.
Also:
The Religion War by Scott Adams
|
|
Amazon.com |
 |
Why
the Religious Right Is Wrong:
About
Separation of Church & State
Robert Boston, Barry W. Lynn
A journalist's account of how the religious right is
using the political arena to wage war against the governing principle
of separation of church and state to promote their ultraconservative
agenda. The dangers of the Religious Right movement - Rob Boston
presents an intelligent, well written argument against the threat of the
Religious Right movement in America. He traces church-state relations
from several hundred years ago to the present day and confronts the
non-Separationists with zeal and passion. |
3. Who Wrote the New
Testament? The Making of Christian Myth, by Burton L. Mack
"I am very selective
about books I choose to buy and display; I prefer
those that can
really make a difference or illustrate a method or a new
perspective.
Mack's book does an excellent job of debunking and
explaining the
Christian myth and deserves widespread reading. If
superstition and
myth can be recognized and understood as such,
society will be
strengthened and enriched.It is like the Emperor's
New Clothes -
someone has pointed at the Emperor and written an
accessible and
enlightening book on the subject."
4. The Dark Side of
Christian History, by Helen Ellerbe
"Over a period of
nearly two millennia, the Christian Church has
oppressed and
brutalized millions of individuals. Meticulously
researched and
courageously written, this book examines the
Church's
devastating impact upon human freedom, dignity and
spirituality."
5. Why I Am Not a Christian, and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects,
by Bertrand
Arthur Russell
"Great book, solid
arguments, a challenge to believers. Russell's
easy-to-understand
logic dominates the work, presenting an almost
watertight case
against contemporary mythology. Christians of the
world beware: this
book will change your life forever."
"You find as you look around the world that every single bit of progress in humane feeling, every improvement in the criminal law, every step toward the
diminution of war, every step toward better treatment of the colored races, or every mitigation of slavery, every moral progress that there has been in the world, has
been consistently opposed by the organized churches of the world. I say quite deliberately that the Christian religion, as organized in its churches, has been and still
is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world." --
Bertrand
Russell, "Why I'm Not a Christian"
Read it here.
Another opinion:
A reader from
State College, PA
, March 12, 1999:
Poor logic, sophistic arguments. The title of this book should be "Why I Am Not Better Known" since the poor logic and sophistic arguments show only too well why philosophy students skip right over Russell and read more influential authors. Any dogmatist will embrace a well constructed argument
against his position, but this is not one.
[ED: Bertrand
Russell and Alfred Whitehead also wrote the definitive Principia Mathematica]
6. Problems of
Philosophy, by Bertrand Arthur Russell
"Bertrand Russell at his
best. He is discussing different aspects of
philosophy and
why you need philosophy. This is a very good starting
point for further
philosophical readings. This book is a must in every
human beings
bookshelf who are interested in the way we people think."
7. 2000 Years of
Disbelief: Famous People With the Courage to Doubt, by James A. Haught
"The English
speaking world rarely acknowledges the many and varied gifts that
'disbelievers' have bestowed upon humanity. Churchmen generally contend that
great figures in history, such as America's founders, were conventional
believers. But author James A. Haught demonstrates that this just isn't
true."
8. The Jesus Legend, by G.A. Wells
"In this
forcefully argued book, Wells presents evidence for the thesis that the New
Testament writings form a part of a developing legendary tradition concerning
the earthly life of Jesus. Wells engages incisively the works of the most
ardent critics of the mythicist view of Jesus. . .his critical treatment is
nothing less than exemplary."
10. The Case Against
Christianity, by Michael Martin
A logical examination of Christianity by a professional philosopher - "This
book is logically thorough and destroys Christianity on all important
evidential and rational grounds, although I doubt that any whose
faith has been sufficient thus far will be led to de-convert. It will
however expose them to the fact that they have no rational grounds for their
belief."
11. Age of Reason,
by Thomas Paine
12. The Dead Sea
Scrolls Deception, by Michael Baigent-Richard Leigh
"Through a
careful study of the scrolls, historical analysis, and interviews with
scholars, the authors establish a view of Christianity that challenges the
Church's adamantly defended 'facts'. Investigates why the contents of the
earliest biblical manuscripts, found forty years ago, are still being withheld
from the general public and studies unpublished materials that provide some
startling new views about the early Christians. Not for the theologically faint
of heart."
13. Dead Sea
Scrolls, The Complete Story, by Dr. Jonathan G. Campbell
"Campbell is
particularly good on the Scrolls' historical setting and builds up a convincing
picture of the development of different strands of religious thought, belief
and practice within second temple period Judaism. If you approach this book
without prejudice, as Campbell does the available facts, you will come to
understand the origins of modern Judaism and Christianity."
14. The Psychological Origins of the Resurrection Myth,
by Jack A. Kent
Reviewer: Edward Tuddenham from London October 29, 1999
"Although Hugh Schoenfield's Passover plot went some way towards explaining the events of Ca. 30 CE and other authors have exposed the huge discrepancies of the gospel
accounts there has always been something missing in these revisions; namely an explanation for the core experiences which led to belief in a physical
resurrection of Jesus. Jack Kent's book triumphantly fills that gap by showing that the pattern and timing of those first Easter experiences exactly fits the pattern of modern day bereavement hallucinations. Did you know that 50% of the bereaved report some kind of hallucination of the lost loved one? Including all the types of 'appearance reported in the Gospels and Acts. Paul of Tarsus' Damascus road experience was a prototypical conversion reaction. So after 2000 years of an illusion we finally get the real answer. Well done Jack!
"
15. The Dead Sea
Scrolls Uncovered: The First Complete Translation and Interpretation of 50
Key Documents Withheld for over 35 Years, by Robert by H. Eisenman, Michael
O. Wise
"This
groundbreaking volume features revelatory material--available primarily for the
first time. These 50 documents cast a startling light on events in Palestine at
the dawn of Christianity, alluding not only to doctrines we now recognize as
Christian, but also to the precursors of Islam and Jewish Kabbalism."
16. Holy Blood, Holy
Grail, by Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln, Richard Leigh
"A brilliant
read, see how history was changed and manipulated by the church. See how a poor
French monk thumbed his nose
at the pope, and because he discovered the
"real truth". The church was terrified of him. The more you
read of this book the more
you become disgusted of religion."
17. The Messianic
Legacy, by Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln, Richard Leigh
"Don't read it
if you have a weak stomach or your not able to think for yourself other than
what the priesthood tells you. It's another
eye-opener!!! The authors further
dissect elements of the life and times of Jesus and go on to discuss the
development of the
schism between Jesus's followers lead by his family members
and the group of so-called "christians" lead by Paul. The method
of
these historians is breathtaking in its scope and elegance."
18. The Fallen Star or the History of a False Religion and a Dissertation on the
Origin of Evil, by E.L. Bulwer, Lord Brougham
"The author has
shown how easily religions' votaries were ensnared, deceived, and mentally
bound in a labyrinth of falsehood and
error. The history of the origin of one
religion will, with slight alterations, serve to describe them all. Their claim
to credence rests
on the exhibition of miracles which are a violation of the
laws of nature. If religions were founded on the demonstrated truths of
science, there would be no mystery, no supernaturalism, no miracles, no
skepticism, no false religion. We would have only verified
truths and
demonstrated facts for the basis of our belief."
19. Pagan and
Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning, by Edward Carpenter
"A very level-headed approach, doesn't go after Christianity to attack it,
merely compares
and contrasts it with the Pagan world and explores
similarities and
hidden meanings still present in the religion today.
Incredible
implications."
20. Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven: Women, Sexuality, and the Catholic
Church, by Uta
Ranke-Heinemann
"This scholarly
but accessible book details the way in which a deep mistrust of pleasure, and
therefore women, came to be a
defining characteristic of the Christian church.
Focusing particularly on Roman Catholicism, Ranke- Heinemann shows that
marginalization of women and sexual repression are not inherent in Catholic
belief, but have taken center stage over centuries of
interpretation by celibate
men."
21. The Great
Infidels, by Robert Green Ingersoll
"The master orator eloquently eulogizes a few of the world's greatest
freethinkers (Bruno,
Voltaire, Paine, etc.). He boldly states what their
honest and courageous
minds endowed to humanity. He also dispenses
with the clergy who
so ravenously attack the character of these brilliant
lovers of Liberty and
Reason."
22. Atheism: The
Case Against God, by George H. Smith
"I
find it hard to imagine that an open-minded theist could read this book
without coming away
with serious doubts about the validity of the concept
of a god. While
scholarly, it remains approachable in its disassembly of the
validity of faith,
revelation, and the standard attributes of supreme
beings. A must for
any infidel's bookshelf, and a great challenge to theists who are
open-minded enough to
read opposing viewpoints."
."
23. The Big Domino
in the Sky and Other Atheistic Tales, by Michael Martin
"Incorporating material from his acclaimed technical works, Michael Martin
demonstrates that well-reasoned skeptical
positions don't need to be
presented in dry, philosophical prose.
Instead, this defense of atheism is written in
the form of science fiction, historical
fiction, and fantasy that will arouse,
provoke, and inspire the reader. The
stories reveal the fallacies of traditional
arguments for the existence of God and
the improbability of God's existence given the
evil in the universe."
24. Atheism: A
Philosophical Justification, by Michael Martin
"Thousands of
philosophers--from the ancient Greeks to modern
thinkers--have
defended atheism, but none more comprehensively than
Martin. . . .
Atheists should read it to bolster their creed, and theists
should read it to
test their faith against the deadly force of Martin's
attack."
25. A History of
God: The 4000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, by Karen
Armstrong
"Superb
kaleidoscopic history of religion, from an English nun-turned-scholar. Armstrong
was a nun in the early 1960's but left her convent in 1969 as part of the great
wave that defected from religious life at that time. Although her faith
grew progressively weaker, her fascination with
religion didn't abate, and, even as a nonbeliever, she continues to pursue
theological studies. Here, her basic message is that religion is highly
pragmatic. We shall see that it is far more
important for a particular idea of God to work than for it to be logically
or scientifically sound.''
26. Asimov's Guide
to the Bible: The Old and New Testaments/Two Volumes in One, by
Isaac Asimov
"If you are
really interested in a critical and accurate review of the most misused book in
history, the bible, the work and writing of Asimov, in these volumes as
well as in his other science materials is a must. If you fear a challenge or
need the comfort of myth, legend and superstition, don't read this
book, or Sagan, they may make you think."
27. Critiques of
God: Making the Case Against Belief in God, by Peter A. Angeles (Editor)
"Peter Angeles
sets out to assemble an anthology--"of value to undergraduate philosophy classes
as well as to the general public" --that presents the case against God."
28. Who Wrote the
Bible?, by Richard Elliott Friedman
"Focusing on
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, Friedman draws upon
biblical and archaeological evidence to make a convincing argument
for the identities of their authors."
29. Leaving the
Fold, by Marlene, Ph.D. Winell
"As a former
fundamentalist, I have worked over the past ten years with individuals and
small groups focusing on recovery from religious dysfunction and addiction.
Although there are several other excellent resources on this topic, Winell's book
is essential for understanding how Christian funda- mentalism and
conventional Christian religion can foster dependency in its adherents."
30. Leaving the Fold: Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists, by
Edward T. Babinski (Editor)
"This riveting new collection offers testimonies of former
fundamentalists
who became disillusioned with their
churches and left. Presenting more than two
dozen personal journeys, this book
gives a clear picture of what attracts a
person to the fundamentalist faith
and what can drive believers away from
their religion."
31. Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist, by Dan
Barker
"About half of the book is Barker's story of his conversion and
deconversion. The other half are a
collection of essays Barker has put together about
biblical errancy, his TV appearances
and debates, and his experiences in the Atheist
community. A modern classic of
freethought literature."
32. Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong: A Guide for
Young Thinkers, by Dan Barker, Brian Strassburg (Illustrator)
"Discusses learning right from wrong, stressing such aspects as the
difference between rules and
principles and the importance of an individual's rights."
33. Maybe Yes, Maybe No: A Guide for Young Skeptics, by Dan
Barker, Brian Strassburg (Illustrator)
"Excellent non-pushy kid's introduction to skepticism. I read this book
to
my kids, ages 8 and 10, and they absolutely
loved it. One took it to bed
that night to re-read and the other
took it to school the next day. I've never
seen such a strong positive reaction
to a book from them. Yes, it's simplistic,
but it's a kid's book; it has to be.
As a parent, what i liked the most
about it is the gentle manner in
which difficult questions are introduced. We had
to pause many times for thoughtful
discussion. Kudos to Mr. Barker for
an excellent book encouraging
children to question the world around them
and to try to apply scientific
methods to understand it."
34. How Do You Know It's True? Discovering the Difference Between Science
and Superstition, by Hyman Ruchlis, Hy Ruchlis
"Far
and away the best of the best of new releases for teaching critical
thinking to young people. Actually,
this is for anybody, young or old,
who still has a tendency to flirt
with any form of superstition or
fairy-tale thinking or is curious why
other people do so."
35. Why I Am an Agnostic and Other Essays (The Freethought Library), by
Clarence Darrow
"The renowned lawyer Clarence Darrow (1857-1938) was also an impassioned
defender of intellectual freedom,
individual liberties, and social
injustice. In these wide-ranging
essays, Darrow attacks beliefs in the inerrancy of the Bible, the
immortality of the soul, miracles, and heaven as being completely at odds
with human experience and science."
36. God and Evil: An Introduction to the Issues, by Michael
Peterson
"This concise survey examines the problem of evil in the context of the
philosophy of religion. The main
problem of evil consists in reconciling
belief in a just and loving God with
evil and suffering in the world."
37.
Nonbelief & Evil: Two Arguments for the Nonexistence of God, by Theodore M.
Drange
"Drange's book, with more clarity and meticulous attention to detail
than
perhaps any other on the subject, demolishes
traditional beliefs with two
simple arguments. The existence of
nonbelief (in God) and evil (premature
death and suffering), as Drange
persuasively demonstrates, may very well
constitute an insurmountable
challenge to theists, especially evangelical
Christians."
38. What Is Atheism? A Short Introduction, by Douglas E. Krueger
"This
book is extremely well written, easy to understand and makes a great
companion book for Atheists and
theists alike. Unsure what Atheism is?
Douglas' book will explain it in
concise and easy to read terms but he
doesn't 'dumb it down'. I can't say
enough good things about this book
other than to say Buy it, read it,
absorb it, live it!"
39. Divine Hiddeness and Human Reason (Cornell Studies in the Philosophy of
Religion), by J.L. Schellenberg
"In this clearly written and tightly argued book, J. L. Schellenberg
addresses a fundamental yet neglected
religious problem. If there is a God, he asks,
why is his existence not more
obvious? Traditionally, theists have claimed that
God is hidden in order to account for
the fact that the evidence of his
existence is as weak as it is.
Schellenberg maintains that, given the understanding of
God's moral character to which
theists are committed, this claim runs into serious
difficulty."
40. Arguing for Atheism: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, by
Robin Le Poidevin
"The arguments are accessible to the non-philosopher, all terminology
is
carefully explained when introduced. this
book is rewarding for the
intellectual exercise provided by the
rigorous logic and for the insights that deep
analysis of personally significant
beliefs can reveal. You do not have to be an
Atheist to enjoy this concise and
fair set of arguments in defense of Atheism and of embracing
religion as useful fiction."
41. The Godless Constitution: The Case Against Religious Correctness, by
Isaac Kramnick, R. Laurence Moore, Laurence Moore (Contributor)
"Concise Defense of the Separation of Church and State - This book
examines American History to discover
the original intent of the First
Amendment. America is not, nor has it
ever been an instrument for
religion. It was purposely founded on
secular ideals to avoid the
oppression which all to often plagued
governments where church
and state were not separated. The
American form of government is
founded on ideals which were
formulated in the mind of man."
Carl Sagen's Baloney Detection Kit...
42. Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church & State, by
Rob Boston, Robert Boston, Barry W. Lynn (Introduction)
"A
journalist's account of how the religious right is using the political
arena to wage war against the
governing principle of separation of church and
state to promote their
ultraconservative agenda. The dangers of the
Religious Right movement - Rob Boston
presents an intelligent, well written argument
against the threat of the Religious
Right movement in America. He traces
church-state relations from several
hundred years ago to the present day
and confronts the non-seperationists
with zeal and passion."
43. The Most Dangerous Man in America? Pat
Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition, by Rob
Boston, Robert Boston
"Despite televangelist Pat Robertson's high ranking in the powerful
Christian Coalition, many Americans
are unaware of his extreme political views or his goals for the
United States. This book examines the role Robertson plays in
contemporary politics and his efforts
to influence American society through
his various political organizations,
businesses, and broadcast empire."
44. Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between
Theocracy and Democracy, by Frederick Clarkson
"What is behind the violence against
abortion clinics, attacks on gays and
lesbians and the growing power of the
religious right? Frederick Clarkson
makes it clear that beyond the
bombers and assassins who sometimes make
news, is a growing, if not well
understood, movement that encompasses Pat
Robertson's Christian Coalition, the
Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon
and the Promise Keepers--the lead
agency of the so-called Christian men's
movement.
45. Not by Politics Alone: The Enduring
Influence of the Christian Right, by Sara Diamond
"The Christian right is many things. Its a political coalition with
strong
ties to and influence on the Republican
Party, but its also a subculture
that provides, as she puts it, ``a
safe haven when political success is not
forthcoming. Through the media,
church and community organizations,
and other avenues, the right creates
a strong ideology. The ideology
propagates the notion that this is a
persecuted group battling immoral
enemies (e.g., abortion doctors, gay
employees) in an eternal struggle
between good and evil. In such a
context, momentary political travails
are of little consequence."
46. Wrath of Angels: The American Abortion War, by Jim Risen,
Judy Thomas, James Risen
"Wrath of Angels is hard-hitting, objective, scary. From governmental
agencies more concerned about their egos than solving clinic bombings, to
the terrorist praising God in prayer and song while driving from a clinic
she just torched, it is not only scary; it is sickening. Whether Catholic or
fundamentalist, from the left or the right, blockades or bombings or
shootings, these are people who believe they have some message from God to
deny women the ability to make personal, medical decisions about their
reproductive lives. Each part of the story is told in a way that gives
readers the opportunity to make up their own minds and judge for themselves
the appropriateness of these actions."
47. The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements,
by Eric Hoffer
"As we try to make sense of our world, it helps to explore the wisdom of
people like Eric Hoffer. Known as the longshoreman philosopher, Hoffer had
virtually no formal education, yet his awareness of the human condition was
exceptional. In 1951 his first book, The True Believer was published.
Subtitled Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, it offers insights still
helpful today. Here are just a few of Eric Hoffer's observations: 'The less
justified a man is in claiming excellence for his own self, the more ready
he is to claim all excellence for his nation, his religion, his race or his
holy cause.' 'A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth
minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs
by minding other people's business.'"
48. Deceptions and Myths of the Bible, by Lloyd M. Graham
A "must read" for every seeker of the truth. Lloyd Graham, whoever he is,
has made me a non-believer! After reading "The History of the World", I
started seeking information of the historical validity of Christ, and have
came to the conclusion, as Mr. Graham demonstrates, there just isn't any. I
would like to see more from this author, but, there may be no need for it!"
49. Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality, by Steve
Allen, Martin Gardner
"This
is an excellent layperson analysis of the Holy Bible. Steve Allen makes no
pretension to biblical scholarship. Indeed, must one have such credentials
to understand and appreciate the alleged word of God? I think not and
neither does Allen as he rips through dozens of topics revealing the blatant
flaws and fallacies of the "good book". He does stop to smell the proverbial
flowers, which are the few and far between edifying passages. I must say
that it is truly incredible that those of the Western culture either do not
see or do not know how much of the Holy Bible is not well suited to
children's bedtime stories."
50. More Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, & Morality/Book II,
by Steve Allen "Steve Allen is the rarest of treasures-a comic genius
and a deeply profound thinker. As Allen says in this book, and in its
prequel, many of us have been guilty of reading the Bible for years without
truly considering the impact of the moral values it expounds. Written in a
"dictionary topical" style, most readers will not likely read it cover to
cover in one sitting (though I did) . Those who take the time to read its
contents, however, will be unable to avoid rethinking and reconsidering
their long-held assumptions concerning the teachings of scripture and its
impact on Western culture's view of morality."
|
"And religious
scholars said some people who believe in God are also buying books
written by atheists to see how the other side thinks..."
|
Atheists Are An Increasingly
Outspoken Minority
Reporting: J i m W i l l i a m s
CHICAGO (CBS) In this presidential campaign season, Democrats
and Republicans alike have declared their religious faith. They do
it, in part, because they believe it wins political points. After
all, the latest Harris polls show somewhere between 73 and 80
percent of Americans believe in God. But what about the rest?
Agnostics say they just don't know; others say they are firm
non-believers. Whichever is the case, non-believers a re
increasingly outspoken in modern America.
By all appearances, the Lows are a tight-knit, loving family. Ron
and Alice are devoted parents. Daughters Morgen and Maddy are good
students involved in wholesome activities. |
|
 call the "magic" of religion.
"I do feel like it's really important the whole world think
rationally," Ron Low said. "I think a lot can go wrong when
people make decisions based on things they don't really have
evidence for."
Some atheists, like the Lows, lead quiet lives. But others are
famous, including Lance Armstrong and Jodie Foster.
The numbers might surprise you in country with such a strong
religious tradition.
"If you look at polls and scan them carefully, you can easily
surmise atheists comprise somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of the
population," said S. Van Maren of American Atheists.
Today, atheism is mainstream. Authors who don't believe in God find
their works prominently displayed in bookstores and topping the
bestsellers list.
Why are atheists today so open? Non-believers and believers alike
agree on one point: Different views are more tolerated in a country
that is more diverse than ever.
"I don't know whether there are more atheists or we've created a
culture where it's safer for people who have struggled with faith,
or don't believe in God to be more forthright and honest about
that," said Bishop Mark Hanson.
North Park College Professor Scott McKnight, himself a Christian,
offers another reason for what he calls the new atheism. Atheists,
he says, are vigorously responding to outspoken Christians who are
involved in politics – the so-called religious right.
"There are people who say, 'I don't have any religious persuasion.
I'm an atheist. Which party is there for me?'" McKnight said. "And I
think that is part of the reason they've begun to lash out."
And statistics show there are more young atheists than older ones.
At the University of Illinois at Chicago a group called the
Rationalists and Free Thinkers includes students who don't believe
in God, though some grew up in religious homes.
Source:
http://cbs2chicago.com/specialreports/atheist.next.door.2.656500.html |
The 101+ Book Atheism Library
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