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Well, I picked it up - it's my fiance's book. I haven't read all of it, so take what I say with a grain of salt
No matter what your beliefs or non-beliefs (I was raised Catholic, don't practice any one religion, and struggle with the idea of a God...but I certainly respect and listen to whatever anyone else might think), don't attack believers as thought they're children - that's kind of what I wanted to say to Dawkins.
I get angry towards fanatics (on either side), because really, no one knows what this (our world, how we were made, how we should live) is all about. We believe theories and books, but no one really knows.
All that being said, I just felt like Dawkins attacked any readers, looking for a different opinion or point of view or a learning experience, who might believe in something divine. If he wants to convince people of a point of view, he could've been a little more diplomatic.
Of course, the title itself kind of suggests that he's not going to take it easy on those beliefs - he's calling them delusional.
Unfortunately for Dawkins, this reader put the book down, because there's only so much negativity that I can take, despite the fact that he seemed to make some really interesting points!
I really liked it but then again it was nothing new. It was like his 2 cents of every argument I've ever had with anyone on a forum or in college but written with more depth and(this is a big plus for me) lots of in depth sources to back his points up. Things like "you need to be religious to be moral", "prayer heals" and "but dictator X was an atheist" which are arguments I almost hear on a daily basis.
At one point late in the book i felt like i was reading "the blind watchmaker" because his biology mind takes the book on a evolutionary psychology type of route before he comes back down to arguing against organized religion.
It has been a few years, but as best I can remember he was right on. I see some have reflected on his hard line on religion, but a large number of the non religious feel if religion continues unabated, they will be the trigger for the end of our species. I am one of that group. He documented the damage religion inflicted on humanity in the past, covered morality and the non religious, and in general did a bang up job. I think I will go reread it. Thanks for dusting off the cob webs.
There is a thread here somewhere on the "God Delusion" ..Several of us read it last summer along with a book called "I Don't Have enough Faith to br an Athiest" It was a very good discussion and both believers and non believers..
Even Dawkins himself confessed in the movie EXPELLED that there has to be some intelligence behind what we have here on earth, but he gave the accolaides to Aliens in outer space. NO ONE can possibly (and honestly) deny a personal Creator / Designer for the 250 razor edge precise Physics Constants , all fully functioning from the start and needed simultaneously, for our universe to be sustained so earth can be here so we can live on it. It requires way too much FAITH to think it happened unwilled without intelligence ...chalked up to blind random accidents via non intelligent Materials. Not even Dawkins has that much faith. Same for atheist CoDiscoverer of the DNA structure, Dr. Francis Crick who personally calculated the chances at 10 to the 40,000 th power. Thats a whole lot of misplaced rebellious FAITH since he estimates there are only 10 to the 80th power Electrons in the entire Universe.
I thought the God Delusion was a great book and as Blue mentioned we had a book discussion thread on it quite awhile ago along with I Don't Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist which was interesting although no one was converted from one side to the other which is what I expected. I would also recommend Why I'm Not A Christian by Bertrand Russell which is one of the classics about atheism written by my favorite philosopher.
thanks everyone, im definitely enjoying the book, but it definitely is a little harsh on those who have religion engrained as a support system in their lives.
thanks everyone, im definitely enjoying the book, but it definitely is a little harsh on those who have religion engrained as a support system in their lives.
It seems a little harsh 'because' people have engrained this fantasy stuff as a support system in their lives.
The book is OK, but not a touch on Hitchens, who is far more my kinda guy.
There is a great little DVD out now called 'The Four Horseman' available on Dawkins website and on YouTube. Its Hithchens, Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett sitting around a table discussing religion. Great stuff.
I suppose I'll try and get through more of the book. I have my cynical days, too. When decent people such as yourselves recommend it, I don't think I should overlook so many good points.
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