God Delusion

Paperback

Published May 14, 2001 by RANDOM, imusti.

ISBN:
978-1-78416-192-7
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4 stars (15 reviews)

Publication Date: January 16, 2008 A preeminent scientist—and the world's most prominent atheist—asserts the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11.

With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. The God Delusion makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong but potentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight into the advantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the least of which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe's wonders than any …

26 editions

The best of Dawkins is in this valuable book

4 stars

As a teenage atheist in Catholic school, I would rebelliously read "Why I Am Not a Christian" by Bertrand Russell. "The God Delusion" is like a modern version of that book. It's a neat summary of atheistic ideas to help people clarify their own non-belief and shake off any childhood brainwashing.

It's also a book to cherish. Simply having it in your possession could be a good way to "come out" to religious people who might resent your right to believe or not. But be careful! A teenager in Kurdistan who was caught championing the book was reported by his father to the police, who detained him for days and subjected the lad to torture.

Dawkins' arguments remain strong. The book was written when the memory of the religiously-inspired 9/11 attacks was still raw. In the years since, we have seen the rise of the terrorist threat of Christian extremists. …

Review of 'God Delusion' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I’ve been meaning to read this for a long time, as it often gets referred to in discourse about religion and belief. I don’t have any particular insight to share, but if I had to sum this up I would say that Dawkins has done the research to back up his arguments, but does come across as a bit ‘all religious people are wrong and foolish’, which I think is a bit harsh (regardless of whether there is a god, lots of people do gain life satisfaction from their faith, and the majority do so without impinging on atheists or agnostics).