Agnosticism and atheism Books

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Book Synopsis50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists presents a collection of original essays drawn from an international group of prominent voices in the fields of academia, science, literature, media and politics who offer carefully considered statements of why they are atheists. Features a truly international cast of contributors, ranging from public intellectuals such as Peter Singer, Susan Blackmore, and A.C. Grayling, novelists, such as Joe Haldeman, and heavyweight philosophers of religion, including Graham Oppy and Michael Tooley Contributions range from rigorous philosophical arguments to highly personal, even whimsical, accounts of how each of these notable thinkers have come to reject religion in their lives Likely to have broad appeal given the current public fascination with religious issues and the reception of such books as The God Delusion and The End of Faith Trade Review"For students in comparative religion this volume offers ample material and powerful reasons to make them subject most if not all religious claims to a highly critical appraisal, preparing for a constructive and public debate." (Acta Comparanda, 2011) "50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists brings together many scholars and intellectuals from a variety of academic fields who explain the reasons why they do not believe in God. Russell Blackford and Udo Schüklenk's unique collection of original essays not only consists of short, digestible essays which are full of introductory presentations of both positive and negative arguments in support of atheism, but also in its candid testimonials which are more personally oriented." (Reviews in Religion, 2011) "The international cast of contributors includes many well-known names, from a diversity of fields-notably philosophy (about a third of the writers are philosophers) science, journalism, politics and science fiction. By no means do they agree on everything, but the unifying themes of rejection of conventional religions and acceptance of secular humanism shine through brightly. A descriptive list of contributors and an excellent index complement the essays, many of which are accompanied by useful endnotes and references." (Quadrant, September 2010) "It was mostly fascinating reading, in particular, those articles that abstained from using dull polemics and cynicism. Some of the articles-most notably from Nicholas Everitt, Thomas W. Clark, Michael Shermer, Peter Tatchell, Michael Tooley, and Udo Schüklenk-can indeed be used in undergraduate courses concerned with the existence of God in philosophy, ethics, and theology. I recommend this volume especially for all those who need to grasp a general and easy introduction into atheistic reasoning." (Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 2010) "I recommend this volume especially for all those who need to grasp a general and easy introduction into atheistic reasoning." (Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 2010) "The essays in this book reveal a great concern for our human plight, a concern that is the equal of religious impulses; they raise a richness of issues that are too often ignored, including the ultimate fear of the theists that perhaps in time it may well be possible to settle the question of God’s existence. The fifty voices in this book have spoken out with more than a small amount of courage. What emerges from thinking about these essays is a realization of what human reason is up against, within ourselves." (Free Inquiry, August/September 2010) "Good writing and clear thinking don't always go hand in hand. It's a pleasure, then, to find both in a recent book about going it alone -- no deus ex machina for us, please -- titled 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists. In one volume, edited by Russell Blackford and Udo Schuklenk, you'll find idiosyncratic essays by a range of atheists from science fiction authors and philosophers to scientists and activists." (Psychology Today, Creating in Flow Blog, May 2010) "Many of the pieces in this book are full of superior contempt for the intellectual inadequacy of theism. Tatchell is forthright in his criticism of religion, but he never sneers. The essays in this book are all clearly argued, and will reassure the already faithful that they are neither daft nor deluded." (Church Times, April 2010) "The contemporary relevance,and timeliness of this book is unsurpassed. It is ... an account of various well known non-believers [and] personal viewpoints, directed at a popular audience. Very approachable at all levels, containing a wide range of stories, anecdotes and personal statements about why each of the authors considers themselves to be a non believer. Overall, this book is well suited for a mainstream audience, interested in questioning the power that religion holds over our lives. It [also] has good references ... which will also serve to guide the reader if further information is wanted. Thus, I recommend this book to anyone (regardless of their views concerning religion) interested in understanding why different people hold certain views concerning religion." (Metapsychology, April 2010) "By turns witty, serious, engaging and information, it is always human and deeply honest, and immensely rewarding to read." (Times Higher Education Supplement, December 2009) "Carefully considered statements … .Contributions range from rigorous philosophical arguments to highly personal, even whimsical, accounts of how each of these notable thinkers have come to reject religion in their lives. Likely to have broad appeal." (Australian Atheist, November 2009) "I am strongly recommending it as a present for anyone who has an interest in atheism/theism from either side of the debate. It's just a great read, from great authors." (Stephen Law Blogspot, October 2009) "It's a very good book, and I recommend it for all of us godless ones — or those who are considering abjuring the divine. It’s far more than just a collection of stories about 'How I came to give up God.' Many of the writers describe the philosophical and empirical considerations that led them to atheism. Indeed, the book can be considered a kind of philosophical handbook for atheists." (Why Evolution is True Blog, October 2009) "Wow! A book about atheism and it’s not written by Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennett or Harris! So this book is welcome partly because it helps break that knee-jerk reaction. But it’s also welcome because many of its contributors advance interesting ideas. There’s plenty to choose from. And one advantage of a collection like this is that you can dip into it wherever you want. There is something for everyone. And there is the opportunity to discover new ideas." (Open Parachute, October 2009) "For many who have spent some time involved in any form of engagement in these matters, the names should appear familiar: from the great AC Grayling to the revolutionary Maryam Namazie. Finally, in one book we can hear their stories – if not about themselves, then about the aspects of religion or lack thereof they find most important. If all these contributors were speakers at a convention, it would be sold out many times over." (Butterflies and Wheels, October 2009) "In their excellent collection of essays exploring and defending the philosophical stance of atheism, Russell Blackford and Udo Schüklenk had an inclusive vision. Contributors to the book range from those with science-fiction backgrounds to modern-day philosophy." (Kirkus Reviews, October 2009) "In more than 50 brief statements organized by Blackford and philosopher Schüklenk ... contributors share views—their routes toward nonbelief and their feelings about the place of religion in the world ... including James (the Amazing) Randi, a well-known magician and debunker of spurious psychic phenomena. Considering the popularity of Richard Dawkins's The God Delusion, Christopher Hitchens's God Is Not Great, and Sam Harris's The End of Faith, [these] memoirs and observations will be of interest to disbelievers." (Library Journal, October 2009)Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction: Now More Important than Ever – Voices of Reason 1 Russell Blackford and Udo Schüklenk Unbelievable! 5 Russell Blackford My “Bye Bull” Story 10 Margaret Downey How Benevolent Is God? – An Argument from Suffering to Atheism 16 Nicholas Everitt A Deal-Breaker 23 Ophelia Benson Why Am I a Nonbeliever? – I Wonder . . . 28 J. L. Schellenberg Wicked or Dead? Reflections on the Moral Character and Existential Status of God 33 John Harris Religious Belief and Self-Deception 41 Adèle Mercier The Coming of Disbelief 48 J. J. C. Smart What I Believe 50 Graham Oppy Too Good to Be True, Too Obscure to Explain: The Cognitive Shortcomings of Belief in God 57 Thomas W. Clark How to Think About God: Theism, Atheism, and Science 65 Michael Shermer A Magician Looks at Religion 78 James Randi Confessions of a Kindergarten Leper 82 Emma Tom Beyond Disbelief 86 Philip Kitcher An Ambivalent Nonbelief 97 Taner Edis Why Not? 105 Sean M. Carroll Godless Cosmology 112 Victor J. Stenger Unanswered Prayers 118 Christine Overall Beyond Faith and Opinion 123 Damien Broderick Could It Be Pretty Obvious There’s No God? 129 Stephen Law Atheist, Obviously 139 Julian Baggini Why I am Not a Believer 145 A. C. Grayling Evil and Me 157 Gregory Benford Who’s Unhappy? 161 Lori Lipman Brown Reasons to be Faithless 165 Sheila A. M. McLean Three Stages of Disbelief 168 Julian Savulescu Born Again, Briefly 172 Greg Egan Cold Comfort 177 Ross Upshur The Accidental Exorcist 182 Austin Dacey Atheist Out of the Foxhole 187 Joe Haldeman The Unconditional Love of Reality 191 Dale McGowan Antinomies 197 Jack Dann Giving Up Ghosts and Gods 200 Susan Blackmore Some Thoughts on Why I Am an Atheist 204 Tamas Pataki No Gods, Please! 211 Laura Purdy Welcome Me Back to the World of the Thinking 220 Kelly O’Connor Kicking Religion Goodbye . . . 226 Peter Adegoke On Credenda 230 Miguel Kottow “Not Even Start to Ignore Those Questions!” A Voice of Disbelief in a Different Key 236 Frieder Otto Wolf Imagine No Religion 252 Edgar Dahl Humanism as Religion: An Indian Alternative 259 Sumitra Padmanabhan Why I Am NOT a Theist 263 Prabir Ghosh When the Hezbollah Came to My School 270 Maryam Namazie Evolutionary Noise, not Signal from Above 274 Athena Andreadis Gods Inside 279 Michael R. Rose and John P. Phelan Why Morality Doesn’t Need Religion 288 Peter Singer and Marc Hauser Doctor Who and the Legacy of Rationalism 294 Sean Williams My Nonreligious Life: A Journey From Superstition to Rationalism 300 Peter Tatchell Helping People to Think Critically About Their Religious Beliefs 310 Michael Tooley Human Self-Determination, Biomedical Progress, and God 323 Udo Schüklenk About the Contributors 332 Index 338

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Book Synopsis50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists presents a collection of original essays drawn from an international group of prominent voices in the fields of academia, science, literature, media and politics who offer carefully considered statements of why they are atheists. Features a truly international cast of contributors, ranging from public intellectuals such as Peter Singer, Susan Blackmore, and A.C. Grayling, novelists, such as Joe Haldeman, and heavyweight philosophers of religion, including Graham Oppy and Michael Tooley Contributions range from rigorous philosophical arguments to highly personal, even whimsical, accounts of how each of these notable thinkers have come to reject religion in their lives Likely to have broad appeal given the current public fascination with religious issues and the reception of such books as The God Delusion and The End of Faith Trade Review"For students in comparative religion this volume offers ample material and powerful reasons to make them subject most if not all religious claims to a highly critical appraisal, preparing for a constructive and public debate." (Acta Comparanda, 2011) "50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists brings together many scholars and intellectuals from a variety of academic fields who explain the reasons why they do not believe in God. Russell Blackford and Udo Schüklenk's unique collection of original essays not only consists of short, digestible essays which are full of introductory presentations of both positive and negative arguments in support of atheism, but also in its candid testimonials which are more personally oriented." (Reviews in Religion, 2011) "The international cast of contributors includes many well-known names, from a diversity of fields-notably philosophy (about a third of the writers are philosophers) science, journalism, politics and science fiction. By no means do they agree on everything, but the unifying themes of rejection of conventional religions and acceptance of secular humanism shine through brightly. A descriptive list of contributors and an excellent index complement the essays, many of which are accompanied by useful endnotes and references." (Quadrant, September 2010) "It was mostly fascinating reading, in particular, those articles that abstained from using dull polemics and cynicism. Some of the articles-most notably from Nicholas Everitt, Thomas W. Clark, Michael Shermer, Peter Tatchell, Michael Tooley, and Udo Schüklenk-can indeed be used in undergraduate courses concerned with the existence of God in philosophy, ethics, and theology. I recommend this volume especially for all those who need to grasp a general and easy introduction into atheistic reasoning." (Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 2010) "I recommend this volume especially for all those who need to grasp a general and easy introduction into atheistic reasoning." (Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 2010) "The essays in this book reveal a great concern for our human plight, a concern that is the equal of religious impulses; they raise a richness of issues that are too often ignored, including the ultimate fear of the theists that perhaps in time it may well be possible to settle the question of God’s existence. The fifty voices in this book have spoken out with more than a small amount of courage. What emerges from thinking about these essays is a realization of what human reason is up against, within ourselves." (Free Inquiry, August/September 2010) "Good writing and clear thinking don't always go hand in hand. It's a pleasure, then, to find both in a recent book about going it alone -- no deus ex machina for us, please -- titled 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists. In one volume, edited by Russell Blackford and Udo Schuklenk, you'll find idiosyncratic essays by a range of atheists from science fiction authors and philosophers to scientists and activists." (Psychology Today, Creating in Flow Blog, May 2010) "Many of the pieces in this book are full of superior contempt for the intellectual inadequacy of theism. Tatchell is forthright in his criticism of religion, but he never sneers. The essays in this book are all clearly argued, and will reassure the already faithful that they are neither daft nor deluded." (Church Times, April 2010) "The contemporary relevance,and timeliness of this book is unsurpassed. It is ... an account of various well known non-believers [and] personal viewpoints, directed at a popular audience. Very approachable at all levels, containing a wide range of stories, anecdotes and personal statements about why each of the authors considers themselves to be a non believer. Overall, this book is well suited for a mainstream audience, interested in questioning the power that religion holds over our lives. It [also] has good references ... which will also serve to guide the reader if further information is wanted. Thus, I recommend this book to anyone (regardless of their views concerning religion) interested in understanding why different people hold certain views concerning religion." (Metapsychology, April 2010) "By turns witty, serious, engaging and information, it is always human and deeply honest, and immensely rewarding to read." (Times Higher Education Supplement, December 2009) "Carefully considered statements … .Contributions range from rigorous philosophical arguments to highly personal, even whimsical, accounts of how each of these notable thinkers have come to reject religion in their lives. Likely to have broad appeal." (Australian Atheist, November 2009) "I am strongly recommending it as a present for anyone who has an interest in atheism/theism from either side of the debate. It's just a great read, from great authors." (Stephen Law Blogspot, October 2009) "It's a very good book, and I recommend it for all of us godless ones — or those who are considering abjuring the divine. It’s far more than just a collection of stories about 'How I came to give up God.' Many of the writers describe the philosophical and empirical considerations that led them to atheism. Indeed, the book can be considered a kind of philosophical handbook for atheists." (Why Evolution is True Blog, October 2009) "Wow! A book about atheism and it’s not written by Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennett or Harris! So this book is welcome partly because it helps break that knee-jerk reaction. But it’s also welcome because many of its contributors advance interesting ideas. There’s plenty to choose from. And one advantage of a collection like this is that you can dip into it wherever you want. There is something for everyone. And there is the opportunity to discover new ideas." (Open Parachute, October 2009) "For many who have spent some time involved in any form of engagement in these matters, the names should appear familiar: from the great AC Grayling to the revolutionary Maryam Namazie. Finally, in one book we can hear their stories – if not about themselves, then about the aspects of religion or lack thereof they find most important. If all these contributors were speakers at a convention, it would be sold out many times over." (Butterflies and Wheels, October 2009) "In their excellent collection of essays exploring and defending the philosophical stance of atheism, Russell Blackford and Udo Schüklenk had an inclusive vision. Contributors to the book range from those with science-fiction backgrounds to modern-day philosophy." (Kirkus Reviews, October 2009) "In more than 50 brief statements organized by Blackford and philosopher Schüklenk ... contributors share views—their routes toward nonbelief and their feelings about the place of religion in the world ... including James (the Amazing) Randi, a well-known magician and debunker of spurious psychic phenomena. Considering the popularity of Richard Dawkins's The God Delusion, Christopher Hitchens's God Is Not Great, and Sam Harris's The End of Faith, [these] memoirs and observations will be of interest to disbelievers." (Library Journal, October 2009)Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction: Now More Important than Ever – Voices of Reason 1 Russell Blackford and Udo Schüklenk Unbelievable! 5 Russell Blackford My “Bye Bull” Story 10 Margaret Downey How Benevolent Is God? – An Argument from Suffering to Atheism 16 Nicholas Everitt A Deal-Breaker 23 Ophelia Benson Why Am I a Nonbeliever? – I Wonder . . . 28 J. L. Schellenberg Wicked or Dead? Reflections on the Moral Character and Existential Status of God 33 John Harris Religious Belief and Self-Deception 41 Adèle Mercier The Coming of Disbelief 48 J. J. C. Smart What I Believe 50 Graham Oppy Too Good to Be True, Too Obscure to Explain: The Cognitive Shortcomings of Belief in God 57 Thomas W. Clark How to Think About God: Theism, Atheism, and Science 65 Michael Shermer A Magician Looks at Religion 78 James Randi Confessions of a Kindergarten Leper 82 Emma Tom Beyond Disbelief 86 Philip Kitcher An Ambivalent Nonbelief 97 Taner Edis Why Not? 105 Sean M. Carroll Godless Cosmology 112 Victor J. Stenger Unanswered Prayers 118 Christine Overall Beyond Faith and Opinion 123 Damien Broderick Could It Be Pretty Obvious There’s No God? 129 Stephen Law Atheist, Obviously 139 Julian Baggini Why I am Not a Believer 145 A. C. Grayling Evil and Me 157 Gregory Benford Who’s Unhappy? 161 Lori Lipman Brown Reasons to be Faithless 165 Sheila A. M. McLean Three Stages of Disbelief 168 Julian Savulescu Born Again, Briefly 172 Greg Egan Cold Comfort 177 Ross Upshur The Accidental Exorcist 182 Austin Dacey Atheist Out of the Foxhole 187 Joe Haldeman The Unconditional Love of Reality 191 Dale McGowan Antinomies 197 Jack Dann Giving Up Ghosts and Gods 200 Susan Blackmore Some Thoughts on Why I Am an Atheist 204 Tamas Pataki No Gods, Please! 211 Laura Purdy Welcome Me Back to the World of the Thinking 220 Kelly O’Connor Kicking Religion Goodbye . . . 226 Peter Adegoke On Credenda 230 Miguel Kottow “Not Even Start to Ignore Those Questions!” A Voice of Disbelief in a Different Key 236 Frieder Otto Wolf Imagine No Religion 252 Edgar Dahl Humanism as Religion: An Indian Alternative 259 Sumitra Padmanabhan Why I Am NOT a Theist 263 Prabir Ghosh When the Hezbollah Came to My School 270 Maryam Namazie Evolutionary Noise, not Signal from Above 274 Athena Andreadis Gods Inside 279 Michael R. Rose and John P. Phelan Why Morality Doesn’t Need Religion 288 Peter Singer and Marc Hauser Doctor Who and the Legacy of Rationalism 294 Sean Williams My Nonreligious Life: A Journey From Superstition to Rationalism 300 Peter Tatchell Helping People to Think Critically About Their Religious Beliefs 310 Michael Tooley Human Self-Determination, Biomedical Progress, and God 323 Udo Schüklenk About the Contributors 332 Index 338

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1987. The Origins of Agnosticism provides a reinterpretation of agnosticism and its relationship to science. Professor Lightman examines the epistemological basis of agnostics' learned ignorance, studying their core claim that God is unknowable. To address this question, he reconstructs the theory of knowledge posited by Thomas Henry Huxley and his network of agnostics. In doing so, Lightman argues that agnosticism was constructed on an epistemological foundation laid by Christian thought. In addition to undermining the continuity in the intellectual history of religious thought, Lightman exposes the religious origins of agnosticism.Table of ContentsIllustrations Acknowledgments Introduction. The Power of Modern Agnosticism Chapter 1. The Agnostic Conundrum Chapter 2. Mansel and the Kantian Tradition Chapter 3. Herbert Spencer and the Worship of the UnknowableChapter 4. Disillusionment with and Attack on Orthodoxy Chapter 5. Religion, Theology, and the Church Agnostic Chapter 6. The New Natural Theology and the Holy Trinity of AgnosticismConclusion. The Tragedy of Agnosticism Abbreviations NotesBibliography Index

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Book SynopsisChoice Outstanding Academic Title 2023A radically new way of understanding secularism which explains why being secular can seem so strangely religiousFor much of America's rapidly growing secular population, religion is an inescapable source of skepticism and discomfort. It shows up in politics and in holidays, but also in common events like weddings and funerals. In The Secular Paradox, Joseph Blankholm argues that, despite their desire to avoid religion, nonbelievers often seem religious because Christianity influences the culture around them so deeply. Relying on several years of ethnographic research among secular activists and organized nonbelievers in the United States, the volume explores how very secular people are ambivalent toward belief, community, ritual, conversion, and tradition. As they try to embrace what they share, secular people encounter, again and again, that they are becoming too religious. And as they reject religion, thTrade ReviewBy far the best work done on secular movements and secularism. Blankholm’s impressive scope of data and his attention to diversity based on ethnicity, gender, and apostates from non-Christian traditions make this a unique and exceptional contribution to the field. -- Darren Sherkat, Southern Illinois UniversityMasterfully illustrates how the organized secular movement in the US is constantly being negotiated. -- Ryan Cragun, The University of TampaSimultaneously, an incisive examination of American secularity’s paradoxical relationship to `religion,’ its constitutive other, and an expansive ethnography of how secular people live with and in that paradox. Blankholm brilliantly attends to secularity not simply as a space of absence—religion’s remainder—but as a set of ethical, epistemological, and affective commitments—a tradition. . . . A remarkable book and essential reading for those interested in debates about secularism and religion in the United States and beyond. -- Mayanthi Fernando, University of California, Santa CruzThis work enriches understanding of one of the fastest growing segments of the US population, those with no religious affiliation or identity… [T]his study merits the attention of students of American religious culture at all levels. -- C. H. Lippy (emeritus, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) * CHOICE *...Interesting, thought-provoking, well-researched – and written in a readable, engaging, and captivating style. * Religious Studies Review *Pioneering. The Secular Paradox gives voice to a diverse cast of characters who can represent the increasing diversity of secular communities in the twenty-first-century United States and help to dispel views about secularism’s inherent whiteness and maleness. A must-read for scholars of American religions... sure to influence future scholarship in the field. * American Religion *Blankholm’s writing is praiseworthy… the author clearly articulates complicated paradoxical positions and clarifies murky terms. * Reading Religion *

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Book SynopsisChoice Outstanding Academic Title 2023A radically new way of understanding secularism which explains why being secular can seem so strangely religiousFor much of America's rapidly growing secular population, religion is an inescapable source of skepticism and discomfort. It shows up in politics and in holidays, but also in common events like weddings and funerals. In The Secular Paradox, Joseph Blankholm argues that, despite their desire to avoid religion, nonbelievers often seem religious because Christianity influences the culture around them so deeply. Relying on several years of ethnographic research among secular activists and organized nonbelievers in the United States, the volume explores how very secular people are ambivalent toward belief, community, ritual, conversion, and tradition. As they try to embrace what they share, secular people encounter, again and again, that they are becoming too religious. And as they reject religion, thTrade ReviewBy far the best work done on secular movements and secularism. Blankholm’s impressive scope of data and his attention to diversity based on ethnicity, gender, and apostates from non-Christian traditions make this a unique and exceptional contribution to the field. -- Darren Sherkat, Southern Illinois UniversityMasterfully illustrates how the organized secular movement in the US is constantly being negotiated. -- Ryan Cragun, The University of TampaSimultaneously, an incisive examination of American secularity’s paradoxical relationship to `religion,’ its constitutive other, and an expansive ethnography of how secular people live with and in that paradox. Blankholm brilliantly attends to secularity not simply as a space of absence—religion’s remainder—but as a set of ethical, epistemological, and affective commitments—a tradition. . . . A remarkable book and essential reading for those interested in debates about secularism and religion in the United States and beyond. -- Mayanthi Fernando, University of California, Santa CruzThis work enriches understanding of one of the fastest growing segments of the US population, those with no religious affiliation or identity… [T]his study merits the attention of students of American religious culture at all levels. -- C. H. Lippy (emeritus, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) * CHOICE *...Interesting, thought-provoking, well-researched – and written in a readable, engaging, and captivating style. * Religious Studies Review *Pioneering. The Secular Paradox gives voice to a diverse cast of characters who can represent the increasing diversity of secular communities in the twenty-first-century United States and help to dispel views about secularism’s inherent whiteness and maleness. A must-read for scholars of American religions... sure to influence future scholarship in the field. * American Religion *Blankholm’s writing is praiseworthy… the author clearly articulates complicated paradoxical positions and clarifies murky terms. * Reading Religion *

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Book SynopsisDemonstrates definitively that the secularization thesis is correct, and religion is losing its grip on societies worldwideIn the decades since its introduction, secularization theory has been subjected to doubt and criticism from a number of leading scholars, who have variously claimed that it is wrong, flawed, or incomplete. In Beyond Doubt, Isabella Kasselstrand, Phil Zuckerman, and Ryan T. Cragun mount a strong defense for the theory, providing compelling evidence that religion is indeed declining globally as a result of modernization. Though defenses of secularization theory have been mounted in the past, we now have many years' worth of empirical data to illuminate trends, and can trace changes not just at a given point in time but over a trajectory. Drawing on extensive survey data from nations around the world, the book demonstrates that, in spite of its many detractors, there is robust empirical support for secularization theory. It also engages with the Trade ReviewSociology professors Kasselstrand, Zuckerman, and Cragun examine the rise of secularization in this edifying entry. The authors draw on rich empirical evidence and careful analysis to make their case, and the global perspective is both ambitious and rewarding. Religion students and scholars will find this illuminating. * Publishers Weekly *Emphatically argues that when empirical measures and rigorous definitions are applied, religion declines. ... The authors take aim at refuting the stances of sociologists Rodney Stark, Peter Berger, Grace Davie, Christian Smith, and others who said otherwise. They also sift through the global survey data on religious beliefs, behaviors, and belonging. From this, they posit that the rationalization and differentiation of modernism has had exactly the effect that secularization theory predicted it would: that religions will decline as societies develop. * Library Journal *Featuring multiple decades’ worth of extensive and comprehensive data, the authors defend and formalize secularization theory in a way that is compelling yet simple. Indeed, Beyond Doubt will be the defining text on the undeniable proof that secularization theory is correct and here to stay. -- Steve Bruce, author of Secularization: In Defence of an Unfashionable TheoryPresents critics’ arguments against secularization theory fairly, yet the case the authors make I think critics will find difficult to reject. This book will make a significant contribution, not just to the sociology of religion, but to anyone interested in the role of religion in society today. -- Jesse M. Smith, co-editor of Secularity and Non-religion in North America

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Book SynopsisCompares secular attitudes characterizing religious nones in the United States and CanadaAlmost a quarter of American and Canadian adults are nonreligious, while teens and young adults are even less likely to identify religiously. None of the Above explores the growing phenomenon of religious nones in North America. Who are the religious nones? Why, and where, is this population growing? While there has been increased attention on secularism in both Europe and the United States, little work to date has focused on Canada. Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme turn to survey and interview data to explore how a nonreligious identity impacts a variety of aspects of daily life in the US and Canada in sometimes similar and sometimes different ways, offering insights to illuminate societal and political trends. With numbers of nonreligious people even higher in Canada than in the US, some believe that secular currents to the north foreshadow what will happen inTrade ReviewClearly written and highly accessible, this book will make a significant contribution to the sociological study of religious nones in North America. -- Chad Seales, The University of Texas at AustinGreatly advances our knowledge about nonreligion in North America. Thiessen and Wilkins-Laflamme add a much-needed comparative perspective, provide the most in-depth analysis of nonreligion in Canada available, and expertly use mixed methods to narrate in rich detail both the long-term trends in nonreligion and the lived experiences of secular individuals. . . . Essential reading for understanding important changes to religion and society in both the U.S. and Canada. -- Joseph O. Baker, author of American Secularism: Cultural Contours of Nonreligious Belief SystemsA unique and especially welcome addition to the field. The empirical foundations of this work mark it out as superior to other books in this area. An excellent treatment of an important topic. -- David Voas, University College LondonNone of the Above will be of most interest to scholars working on issues related to secularization of the United States and Canada. Given its clearly explained methodology, useful appendices, and extensive up-to-date bibliography, it would also be a good book for graduate seminars on the sociology of religion. * Nova Religio *This book is an engaging read and important contribution to our understanding of nonreligious identity ... None of the Above is clearly written and should be appealing to scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates alike. It is especially well-suited to courses on the sociology of religion but could also enrich courses on social change, identity, and/or politics. * Social Forces *In None of the Above, Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-LaFlamme have done a great service for the field, producing a stellar overview of what we have learned to date and pointing us toward fruitful new directions for work on this topic. * Sociology of Religion *

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Book SynopsisAn updated edition showcasing the social health of the least religious nations in the worldReligious conservatives around the world often claim that a society without a strong foundation of faith would necessarily be an immoral one, bereft of ethics, values, and meaning. Indeed, the Christian Right in the United States has argued that a society without God would be hell on earth. In Society without God, Second Edition sociologist Phil Zuckerman challenges these claims. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews with more than 150 citizens of Denmark and Sweden, among the least religious countries in the world, he shows that, far from being inhumane, crime-infested, and dysfunctional, highly secular societies are healthier, safer, greener, less violent, and more democratic and egalitarian than highly religious ones. Society without God provides a rich portrait of life in a secular society, exploring how a culture without faith copes with death, grapples with the meaning of life, and remainTrade ReviewZuckerman has been at the forefront of the growing field of Secular Studies for the best part of two decades. From Society Without God, it's easy to see why: beautifully written and engaging, drawing on both deep scholarship and an insightful mind. This is classic Zuckerman. -- Stephen Bullivant, Professor of Theology and the Sociology of Religion, St Mary's University, UK

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Book SynopsisCompares secular attitudes characterizing religious nones in the United States and CanadaAlmost a quarter of American and Canadian adults are nonreligious, while teens and young adults are even less likely to identify religiously. None of the Above explores the growing phenomenon of religious nones in North America. Who are the religious nones? Why, and where, is this population growing? While there has been increased attention on secularism in both Europe and the United States, little work to date has focused on Canada. Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme turn to survey and interview data to explore how a nonreligious identity impacts a variety of aspects of daily life in the US and Canada in sometimes similar and sometimes different ways, offering insights to illuminate societal and political trends. With numbers of nonreligious people even higher in Canada than in the US, some believe that secular currents to the north foreshadow what will happen inTrade ReviewClearly written and highly accessible, this book will make a significant contribution to the sociological study of religious nones in North America. -- Chad Seales, The University of Texas at AustinGreatly advances our knowledge about nonreligion in North America. Thiessen and Wilkins-Laflamme add a much-needed comparative perspective, provide the most in-depth analysis of nonreligion in Canada available, and expertly use mixed methods to narrate in rich detail both the long-term trends in nonreligion and the lived experiences of secular individuals. . . . Essential reading for understanding important changes to religion and society in both the U.S. and Canada. -- Joseph O. Baker, author of American Secularism: Cultural Contours of Nonreligious Belief SystemsA unique and especially welcome addition to the field. The empirical foundations of this work mark it out as superior to other books in this area. An excellent treatment of an important topic. -- David Voas, University College LondonNone of the Above will be of most interest to scholars working on issues related to secularization of the United States and Canada. Given its clearly explained methodology, useful appendices, and extensive up-to-date bibliography, it would also be a good book for graduate seminars on the sociology of religion. * Nova Religio *This book is an engaging read and important contribution to our understanding of nonreligious identity ... None of the Above is clearly written and should be appealing to scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates alike. It is especially well-suited to courses on the sociology of religion but could also enrich courses on social change, identity, and/or politics. * Social Forces *In None of the Above, Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-LaFlamme have done a great service for the field, producing a stellar overview of what we have learned to date and pointing us toward fruitful new directions for work on this topic. * Sociology of Religion *

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Book SynopsisHonorable Mention, American Sociological Association Section on Religion Distinguished Book AwardA rapidly growing number of Americans are embracing life outside the bounds of organized religion. Although America has long been viewed as a fervently religious Christian nation, survey data shows that more and more Americans are identifying as not religious. There are more non-religious Americans than ever before, yet social scientists have not adequately studied or typologized secularities, and the lived reality of secular individuals in America has not been astutely analyzed. American Secularism documents how changes to American society have fueled these shifts in the non-religious landscape and examines the diverse and dynamic world of secular Americans.This volume offers a theoretical framework for understanding secularisms. It explores secular Americans' thought and practice to understand secularisms as worldviews in their own right, not just as negations oTrade ReviewFor those interested in the recent rise of secularity in the U.S, this book is indispensable. Smith and Baker's assessment of American irreligion is unbiased, soundly-supported with solid evidence, and thoughtfully-rendered. An informative, engaging, excellent analysis. -- Phil Zuckerman,author of Living the Secular LifeShatters conventional thinking about the supposed unity of secular culture. Baker and Smith artfully expose a vast diversity lurking within modern secularity. They look beyond the public scuffles between New Atheists and religious apologists to reveal an ideological landscape teeming with religions and secularisms. -- Paul Froese,author of On Purpose: A Sociology of Life’s MeaningAmid the growing social science literature on the nonreligious, [American Secularism] serves as an excellent introduction to American secularism while adding more careful, multimethod analysis than is found in other works with more dramatic titles about atheists and apostates. It should appeal to a broad audience. Students of religion will find merit in this strong piece of scholarship. * American Journal of Sociology *I have to give my approval of this book. Amid the growing social science literature on the nonreligious, it serves as an excellent introduction to American secularism while adding more careful, multimethod analysis than is found in other works with more dramatic titles about atheists and apostates. * American Journal of Sociology *This is an important book and perhaps one of the richest in insight I have read on communities and crime. There is just an amazing amount of material here on communities, criminal motivation, crime and place, hot spots of crime, history of criminology, and more. * American Journal of Sociology *Refreshingly, the authors do not condescend to seculars and dismiss & the conflation between the & religious and the & good that occurs within ethical frameworks laid out in religious and popular discourse. They note that not all seculars are necessarily atheists, many merely avowing no affiliation with a church or religion * Anthropology Database *Baker and Smith do the important work of introducing the historical context of present-day secularism in the US. They identify four secular groups in the USatheists, agnostics, non-affiliated believers, and the culturally religiousexamining their lifestyles, their statistically distinctive typologies, and the commonalities that unite them. Summing Up:Highly recommended. * Choice *American Secularismoffers an innovative framework for the study of both nonreligion and religion that will be an indispensable resource for both scholars of nonreligion as well as scholars of culture and religion who want to be better understand this new historical moment and its implications. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *American Secularismintroduces a comprehensive, groundbreaking approach to understanding the rise of secularism in the United States. * Sociology of Religion *Secular Studies is one of the most important developments in the history of the sociology of religion, andAmerican Secularismis the best attempt so far to synthesize theory, survey data, and related scholarly literature into a comprehensive description of what American secularism looks like now. * Sociological Forum *

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Book SynopsisHonorable Mention, American Sociological Association Section on Religion Distinguished Book AwardA rapidly growing number of Americans are embracing life outside the bounds of organized religion. Although America has long been viewed as a fervently religious Christian nation, survey data shows that more and more Americans are identifying as not religious. There are more non-religious Americans than ever before, yet social scientists have not adequately studied or typologized secularities, and the lived reality of secular individuals in America has not been astutely analyzed. American Secularism documents how changes to American society have fueled these shifts in the non-religious landscape and examines the diverse and dynamic world of secular Americans.This volume offers a theoretical framework for understanding secularisms. It explores secular Americans' thought and practice to understand secularisms as worldviews in their own right, not just as negations oTrade ReviewFor those interested in the recent rise of secularity in the U.S, this book is indispensable. Smith and Baker's assessment of American irreligion is unbiased, soundly-supported with solid evidence, and thoughtfully-rendered. An informative, engaging, excellent analysis. -- Phil Zuckerman,author of Living the Secular LifeShatters conventional thinking about the supposed unity of secular culture. Baker and Smith artfully expose a vast diversity lurking within modern secularity. They look beyond the public scuffles between New Atheists and religious apologists to reveal an ideological landscape teeming with religions and secularisms. -- Paul Froese,author of On Purpose: A Sociology of Life’s MeaningAmid the growing social science literature on the nonreligious, [American Secularism] serves as an excellent introduction to American secularism while adding more careful, multimethod analysis than is found in other works with more dramatic titles about atheists and apostates. It should appeal to a broad audience. Students of religion will find merit in this strong piece of scholarship. * American Journal of Sociology *I have to give my approval of this book. Amid the growing social science literature on the nonreligious, it serves as an excellent introduction to American secularism while adding more careful, multimethod analysis than is found in other works with more dramatic titles about atheists and apostates. * American Journal of Sociology *This is an important book and perhaps one of the richest in insight I have read on communities and crime. There is just an amazing amount of material here on communities, criminal motivation, crime and place, hot spots of crime, history of criminology, and more. * American Journal of Sociology *Refreshingly, the authors do not condescend to seculars and dismiss & the conflation between the & religious and the & good that occurs within ethical frameworks laid out in religious and popular discourse. They note that not all seculars are necessarily atheists, many merely avowing no affiliation with a church or religion * Anthropology Database *Baker and Smith do the important work of introducing the historical context of present-day secularism in the US. They identify four secular groups in the USatheists, agnostics, non-affiliated believers, and the culturally religiousexamining their lifestyles, their statistically distinctive typologies, and the commonalities that unite them. Summing Up:Highly recommended. * Choice *American Secularismoffers an innovative framework for the study of both nonreligion and religion that will be an indispensable resource for both scholars of nonreligion as well as scholars of culture and religion who want to be better understand this new historical moment and its implications. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *American Secularismintroduces a comprehensive, groundbreaking approach to understanding the rise of secularism in the United States. * Sociology of Religion *Secular Studies is one of the most important developments in the history of the sociology of religion, andAmerican Secularismis the best attempt so far to synthesize theory, survey data, and related scholarly literature into a comprehensive description of what American secularism looks like now. * Sociological Forum *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating exploration of the breadth of social, emotional, and spiritual experiences of atheists in America Self-identified atheists make up roughly 5 percent of the American religious landscape, comprising a larger population than Jehovah's Witnesses, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus combined. In spite of their relatively significant presence in society, atheists are one of the most stigmatized groups in the United States, frequently portrayed as immoral, unhappy, or even outright angry. Yet we know very little about what their lives are actually like as they live among their largely religious, and sometimes hostile, fellow citizens. In this book, Jerome P. Baggett listens to what atheists have to say about their own lives and viewpoints. Drawing on questionnaires and interviews with more than five hundred American atheists scattered across the country, The Varieties of Nonreligious Experience uncovers what they think about morality,Trade ReviewRarely has this reviewer read a scholarly book as humane, moving, delightful, and respectfully written as Baggett’s thoughtful survey of contemporary atheism in the US… this masterful blend of qualitative sociological study and theologically informed thinking provides a valuable portrait of real-world atheism in the US. * Choice *A superb book. As noted, the number of interviews, the careful analysis, and the sincere effort to reflect the worldview of atheists result in this being perhaps the best scholarly work on atheists in the United States to date. ... Baggett’s incisive synthesis of the four roots that lie at the heart of the atheist worldview is particularly important and will be the standard citation on these ideas for years to come. This is an excellent volume on atheists in the United States that I highly recommend * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Baggett presents an impressive and timely study of American atheists. With its strong foundation of extensive qualitative data that are systematically interpreted through a theoretical and historical lens, The Varieties of Nonreligious Experience should be of interest to an audience from multiple disciplines. I believe that it is a must-read for scholars interested in the study of secularity and nonreligion and of religion in the contemporary United States. Indeed, this book makes important and thought-provoking contributions to the scholarly conversation about what it means to be an atheist in a society that is normatively religious. * Sociology of Religion *Baggett strikes a balanced tone through the book. He strives for understanding, lets his research subjects speak for themselves, and directly dispels common stereotypes about American atheists. At the same time, he is critical of the foundational myths he detects in atheist self-understanding, including primarily the conflict between science and religion and the understanding of religious believers as irrational. The portrait that emerges is, I think, true to life in its ambivalence." * Theological Studies *The strengths of the book are the rich narratives it includes from the interviews. It becomes possible through the narratives to put faces and personalities and contexts and experiences together and in so doing to gain an understanding of atheists as individuals. The book’s strength also lies in the depth of its familiarity with the literature in religious studies and the sociology of religion. For anyone interested in the practices through which identities are constructed, this is a valuable contribution. * Contemporary Sociology *This book should find a wide audience among sociologists, anthropologists, historians, and religious studies scholars, among others. The organization and tone of the book are commendably clear, and the manner in which Baggett relays both ideas and evidence is quite engaging. The narrative of the book is particular rich and layered in two respects. One is the depth and persuasiveness of the historical context within which core arguments are located. Another is the sheer volume and quality of evidence out of which the arguments are constructed. This book will be useful both as a text in undergraduate seminars and in thematic graduate courses. Broadly, it adds intriguing insight into how we think about identity, identity change, and identity maintenance. More narrowly, the arguments presented provide a new and deeper understanding of what it means to become and to be atheist, and how this identity is understood and relayed to others. Methodologically, the book reminds us of the risks of overgeneralizing or underscrutinizing core concepts, like 'atheist' or 'religious None,' and underscores the importance of rethinking and revisiting questions that seem as if they are already relatively well understood. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *This book should expand the study of American atheism beyond token outliers — the New Atheists and secular churches. It will also offer a point of contrast for more specific studies of non-white, less overtly masculine, and non-heteronormative atheist communities, allowing scholars to better grasp the secular landscape. * Numen *Baggett offers a rich and fascinating account of how these [contemporary American atheists] live and understand their lives. * Church History *Baggett’s expertise as a thinker and writer are on full display ... A compelling and complex portrait of rank-and-file nonbelievers living meaningful lives. * Nova Religio *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating exploration of the breadth of social, emotional, and spiritual experiences of atheists in America Self-identified atheists make up roughly 5 percent of the American religious landscape, comprising a larger population than Jehovah's Witnesses, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus combined. In spite of their relatively significant presence in society, atheists are one of the most stigmatized groups in the United States, frequently portrayed as immoral, unhappy, or even outright angry. Yet we know very little about what their lives are actually like as they live among their largely religious, and sometimes hostile, fellow citizens. In this book, Jerome P. Baggett listens to what atheists have to say about their own lives and viewpoints. Drawing on questionnaires and interviews with more than five hundred American atheists scattered across the country, The Varieties of Nonreligious Experience uncovers what they think about morality,Trade ReviewRarely has this reviewer read a scholarly book as humane, moving, delightful, and respectfully written as Baggett’s thoughtful survey of contemporary atheism in the US… this masterful blend of qualitative sociological study and theologically informed thinking provides a valuable portrait of real-world atheism in the US. * Choice *A superb book. As noted, the number of interviews, the careful analysis, and the sincere effort to reflect the worldview of atheists result in this being perhaps the best scholarly work on atheists in the United States to date. ... Baggett’s incisive synthesis of the four roots that lie at the heart of the atheist worldview is particularly important and will be the standard citation on these ideas for years to come. This is an excellent volume on atheists in the United States that I highly recommend * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Baggett presents an impressive and timely study of American atheists. With its strong foundation of extensive qualitative data that are systematically interpreted through a theoretical and historical lens, The Varieties of Nonreligious Experience should be of interest to an audience from multiple disciplines. I believe that it is a must-read for scholars interested in the study of secularity and nonreligion and of religion in the contemporary United States. Indeed, this book makes important and thought-provoking contributions to the scholarly conversation about what it means to be an atheist in a society that is normatively religious. * Sociology of Religion *Baggett strikes a balanced tone through the book. He strives for understanding, lets his research subjects speak for themselves, and directly dispels common stereotypes about American atheists. At the same time, he is critical of the foundational myths he detects in atheist self-understanding, including primarily the conflict between science and religion and the understanding of religious believers as irrational. The portrait that emerges is, I think, true to life in its ambivalence." * Theological Studies *The strengths of the book are the rich narratives it includes from the interviews. It becomes possible through the narratives to put faces and personalities and contexts and experiences together and in so doing to gain an understanding of atheists as individuals. The book’s strength also lies in the depth of its familiarity with the literature in religious studies and the sociology of religion. For anyone interested in the practices through which identities are constructed, this is a valuable contribution. * Contemporary Sociology *This book should find a wide audience among sociologists, anthropologists, historians, and religious studies scholars, among others. The organization and tone of the book are commendably clear, and the manner in which Baggett relays both ideas and evidence is quite engaging. The narrative of the book is particular rich and layered in two respects. One is the depth and persuasiveness of the historical context within which core arguments are located. Another is the sheer volume and quality of evidence out of which the arguments are constructed. This book will be useful both as a text in undergraduate seminars and in thematic graduate courses. Broadly, it adds intriguing insight into how we think about identity, identity change, and identity maintenance. More narrowly, the arguments presented provide a new and deeper understanding of what it means to become and to be atheist, and how this identity is understood and relayed to others. Methodologically, the book reminds us of the risks of overgeneralizing or underscrutinizing core concepts, like 'atheist' or 'religious None,' and underscores the importance of rethinking and revisiting questions that seem as if they are already relatively well understood. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *This book should expand the study of American atheism beyond token outliers — the New Atheists and secular churches. It will also offer a point of contrast for more specific studies of non-white, less overtly masculine, and non-heteronormative atheist communities, allowing scholars to better grasp the secular landscape. * Numen *Baggett offers a rich and fascinating account of how these [contemporary American atheists] live and understand their lives. * Church History *Baggett’s expertise as a thinker and writer are on full display ... A compelling and complex portrait of rank-and-file nonbelievers living meaningful lives. * Nova Religio *

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Book SynopsisThe atheists Daniel Dennett in Breaking the Spell and Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion talk down to believers. Sam Harris in The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation insults believers outright. All three assume that believers are not very bright. Their approach is not productive of much understanding. In The Philosopher’s Enigma, Richard Watson explains to believers in temperate and readable prose why he and many others are not believers. His discussion is based on strict Augustinianism, the foundation of seriously argued Christianity. God is hidden – that is, the concept of God is unintelligible – as discussed at length by Leszek Kolakowski in his Religion If There Is No God (St. Augustine’s Press) – in the sense that there are no known rational arguments for God’s existence. Moreover, Augustine argues that finite human beings cannot understand God’s infinite perfections. Augustine concludes that God has omniscient knowledge of every human being’s behavior, which after all, is predetermined by God prior to His creation of the world. Most difficult to accept, as Calvin later stresses, is the inference that because humans do not determine their own behavior, God predetermines who is saved and who is damned with no reference to this behavior. A foundation of Christianity is that because of the Fall of Man, we are all sinners, and thus there is no reason why God should pick this person for salvation and that one for damnation. But most Christians believe that faith, God’s grace, Jesus’ sacrifice, being born again, and in particular, good works, can earn one salvation. But Augustine and later Calvin see no evidence for these views. Even if, or perhaps even because, God gives a sinner the grace to be good – a person’s good works do not assure salvation. After all, even before God created the world, God predetermined the behavior of every human being. Thus because humans cannot determine their own behavior, they cannot be saved or damned with reference to this behavior.A major difficulty in understanding and accepting the story of the Creation, then, is that even though God determines Adam’s behavior, God punishes Adam for disobedience by decreeing that all Adam’s progeny will be born sinners. Watson begins his book with the steel-trap objections made by his daughter, when she was seven years old, as he read the Bible to her. To the story of the Garden, she objected: “But God made Adam! God made Adam sin! God is not fair!” She slid off his lap, and he had to bribe her to return.In The Philosopher’s Enigma, Watson also discusses in detail the concepts of the soul, angels, ghosts, mind, and body. He argues that the classic Cartesian mind/body problem of how an immaterial mind or soul and a material body can interact will eventually be superseded by a concept of a human being according to which, even though a person’s body/mind is bound by physical laws, it still makes its own considered decisions, and to that extent a human being is free. And because the mind/body is one entity, there is no problem about two different things – a mind and a body-interacting.Watson concludes that this means there is no such thing as a disembodied mind or soul, and so no such things as angels and ghosts that could help or harm you. Basing this discussion in the context of contemporary neurophilosophy, his conclusions about the relationships of mind/soul follow those of Kolakowski in being reminiscent of Spinoza.Table of ContentsPreludeChapter 1. GodChapter 2. Free Will and the Mind-Body ProblemChapter 3. The SoulChapter 4. Angels and GhostsChapter 5. The Powers of the MindChapter 6. The Mind and the BrainEpilogueBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisHow Atheists rely on urban myths about religion to buttress their case against God. God, and the whole business of being dependent upon him, is being downgraded, downsized, downplayed, and most of all, just plain dismissed in the modern, cultured, educated parts of Europe and in academia. This process is powered and driven by a whole, growing series of interlocked urban myths about what is supposed to be involved in being a religious (and often specifically Christian) believer. This book examines and critiques those myths, showing how the Christian faith can be intelligent and supported by reason.

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Book SynopsisExamining the birth and development of early modern atheism from Spinoza’s Tractatus theologico-politicus (1670) to d’Holbach’s Système de la nature (1770), this study considers Spinoza, Hobbes, Cudworth, Bayle, Meslier, Boulainviller, Du Marsais, Fréret, Toland, Collins, Hume, Diderot, Voltaire, and d’Holbach and positions them in a general interpretive scheme, based on the idea that early modern atheism is itself an unwanted fruit of early modern metaphysics and theology. Breaking with a long-standing tradition, Descartes claimed that it was possible to have a "clear and distinct" idea of God, indeed that the idea of God was the "clearest and most distinct" of all ideas accessible to the human mind. Humans could thus obtain a scientific knowledge of God’s nature and attributes. But as soon as God became an object of science, He also became the object of a thoroughgoing scientific analysis and criticism. The effortlessness with which early modern atheists managed to turn round their adversaries’ arguments to their own favour is a sign that the new doctrines of God which emerged in the seventeenth-century, each based in its own way on principles and dogmas related to the new science of nature, were plunging headfirst towards the precipice under their own steam.

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Book SynopsisThis is an exciting book, breaking new ground and in particular the stale confrontation between atheism and religion. Calling on his experience in industry and his interest in faith and values, Geoff Crocker offers a fresh interpretation of religion as strong myth from which to create personal and social values. He argues that contemporary atheism, whilst a valid hypothesis, destroys a source of values without offering any alternative. The result is moral nihilism and a materialist self centred consumer society.This he argues is much less than a full understanding of human life and society. He starts by tracing the development of philosophy to an atheist position, arguing that metaphysical concepts, an aspect of faith, are essential to human life. He then suggests a reinterpretation of the religious texts as myth, offering a wide range of examples on themes of justice, love, the market, the role of the state, fear, resurrection and sibling rivalry. This book will appeal both to secularists who are looking for believable interpretation of faith and to Christians looking for a relevant interpretation of faith.Trade ReviewGeoff Crocker seeks to steer a pathway between traditional theistic religion and other non-rationalistic approaches whilst refusing to settle for the nihilism and amorality implicit in much postmodern culture and thought. Here is a new and clear voice in popular philosophy which deserves a hearing by religious and non-religious readers seeking to make sense of our world today. (Paul Roberts,Dean of Non-residential Training, St Michael's College, Llandaff, Cardiff) Geoff Crocker brings a fresh voice to the God debate, arguing that Biblical mythology and critical thinking need not be enemies. Eloquent and persuasive. (David Boulton, Author of The Trouble with God and Who on Earth was Jesus?)

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Book SynopsisCivilizations of the Supernatural: Witchcraft, Ritual, and Religious Experience in Late Antique, Medieval, and Renaissance Traditions brings together thirteen scholars of late-antique, medieval, and renaissance traditions who discuss magic, religious experience, ritual, and witch-beliefs with the aim of reflecting on the relationship between man and the supernatural. The content of the volume is intriguingly diverse and includes late antique traditions covering erotic love magic, Hellenistic-Egyptian astrology, apotropaic rituals, early Christian amulets, and astrological amulets; medieval traditions focusing on the relationships between magic and disbelief, pagan magic and Christian culture, as well as witchcraft and magic in Britain, Scandinavian sympathetic graphophagy, superstition in sermon literature; and finally Renaissance traditions revolving around Agrippan magic, witchcraft in Shakespeare's Macbeth, and a Biblical toponym related to the Friulan Benandanti's visionary experiences. These varied topics reflect the multifaceted ways through which men aimed to establish relationships with the supernatural in diverse cultural traditions, and for different purposes, between Late Antiquity and the Renaissance. These ways eventually contributed to shaping the civilizations of the supernatural or those peculiar patterns which helped men look at themselves through the mirror of their own amazement of being in this world.Table of Contents Notes on Contributors Foreword, Teofilo F. Ruiz Introduction, Fabrizio Conti CHAPTER 1. Naomi Janowitz, Aelian on Tortoise Sex and the Artifice of "Erotic Love Magic" CHAPTER 2. Attilio Mastrocinque, The Dodekaoros, Magical Papyri, and Magical Gems: Egyptian Astrology and Later Hellenistic Traditions CHAPTER 3. Tiana Blazevic, How to Deal With the Evil Daimones. Apotropaic Rituals of the Third and Fourth Centuries CE According to Porphyry, Iamblichus, and the Greek Magical Papyri CHAPTER 4. Joseph E. Sanzo, Prayer and Incantation on Early Christian Amulets: Authoritative Traditions, Ritual Practices, and Material Objects CHAPTER 5. Paolo Vitellozzi, Astrological Amulets in the Sacred Book of Hermes to Asclepius CHAPTER 6. Michael D. Bailey, Magic and Disbelief in Carolingian Lyon CHAPTER 7. Martina Lamberti, The Merseburg Charms: Pagan Magic and Christian Culture in Medieval Germany CHAPTER 8. Francesco Marzella, Hirsuta et cornuta cum lancea trisulcata: Three Stories of Witchcraft and Magic in Twelfth-Century Britain CHAPTER 9. Andrea Maraschi, Sympathetic Graphophagy in Late Medieval Scandinavian Leechbooks and Collections of Charms CHAPTER 10. Ewelina Kaczor, Superstitions in a Sermon of Stanis?aw of Skarbimierz (ca. 1360-1431) CHAPTER 11. Noel Putnik, Operari per fidem: The Role of Faith in Agrippan Magic CHAPTER 12. Melissa Pullara, Reasoning with Witchcraft: Moral Deliberation in Macbeth CHAPTER 13. Cora Presezzi, Envisioning the Afterlife from the "Seaport of Friuli": Conjectures on a Toponym

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Book SynopsisLudwig Feuerbach is traditionally regarded as a significant but transitional figure in the development of nineteenth-century German thought. Readings of Feuerbach's The Essence of Christianity tend to focus on those features which made it seem liberating to the Young Hegelians: namely, its criticism of reification as abstraction, and its interpretation of religion as alienation. In this book, Van Harvey claims that this is a limited and inadequate view of Feuerbach's work, especially of his critique of religion. The author argues that Feuerbach's philosophical development led him to a much more complex and interesting theory of religion which he expounded in works which have been virtually ignored hitherto. By exploring these works, Harvey gives them a significant contemporary re-statement, and brings Feuerbach into conversation with a number of modern theorists of religion.Trade Review"If this series measures up to its first volume, it will be a distinguished series indeed....a summary cannot do justice to the richness and subtlety of Harvey's analysis and interpretation of Feuerbach...." Owen C. Thomas, Anglican Theological Review"Van Harvey's study of Feuerbach offers one of the most extensive re-evaluations of Feuerbach this century. It should become a major source for refocusing upon this thinker who is germaine to the study of religion. This is a stimulating and thought-provoking book which is destined to become a classic in Feuerbach studies and essential reading for all engaged in the social-scientific study of religious belief." Thomas Hobbes, Word TradeTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; Note on the text and abbreviations; Introduction; 1. 'Projection' in The Essence of Christianity; 2. The interpretative strategy informing The Essence of Christianity; 3. The criticism of religion in The Essence of Christianity; 4. Feuerbach's intellectual development; 5. The new bipolar model of religion; 6. The new interpretative strategy; 7. Feuerbach and contemporary projection theories; 8. Feuerbach, anthropomorphism, and the need for religious illusion; Select bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisAtheism is a subject of utmost interest today, but the history of the possibility and emergence of atheism is far less studied. This book will be of major interest to students of free-thought, theology, classical and patristic scholarship, culture, the book-trade, France, early-modern Europe, and the dissemination of ideas.Trade Review'… indispensable … sure to fruitfully inspire many historians for years to come.' Jeffrey D. Burson, American Historical ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Reading Epicurus; 2. The Epicureans; 3. At the boundaries of unbelief; 4. Historians' atheists and historical atheists; Conclusion; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisIf the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects religious liberty, why doesn’t it protect atheists?Trade Review"A thorough and useful history of the legal and political status of atheists in America." -- Casey Cep - The New Yorker"This compact and thorough work is a perfect introduction to atheism in America." -- Booklist"An impassioned review of the demands of a little-considered minority." -- Kirkus Reviews"This accessible and sincere book usefully makes explicit often-unspoken currents in American political life." -- Publishers Weekly"This work provides important historical insights into a contentious contemporary issue. Highly recommended for readers interested in history, law, and political science, as well as those seeking positive approaches to expanding religious liberty." -- Library Journal"An illuminating read on an increasingly important aspect of American history and politics. With more Americans eschewing religion, such a book is both timely and warranted." -- Phil Zuckerman, author of Living the Secular Life"Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic provides exactly what we need more of from historians but so rarely get: accessible, well-written prose combined with scholarly discipline in the service of a contemporary issue badly in need of light rather than heat." -- Eric Alterman, author of Inequality and One City"R. Laurence Moore and Isaac Kramnick trace the often-shocking history of atheism in America. In a nation dedicated to the separation of church and state, we have seen furious battles over compulsory school prayer, discrimination against nonbelievers, and continuing efforts to declare this to be ‘a Christian nation.’ Moore and Kramnick bring to life a continuing struggle to make this nation what the Founders intended it to be." -- Geoffrey R. Stone, author of Sex and the Constitution"As American demographics trend increasingly secular, religious conservatives are trying harder than ever to define the nation’s law and politics in their terms. Meanwhile, seeing secularism under attack, nonbelievers are standing up and speaking out as never before. Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic provides unique and valuable insight into these culture wars." -- David Niose, author of Nonbeliever Nation: The Rise of Secular Americans

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Book SynopsisIn 2007, Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett filmed a landmark discussion about modern atheism. The video went viral. Now in print for the first time, the transcript of their conversation is illuminated by new essays from three of the original participants and an introduction by Stephen Fry. At the dawn of the new atheist movement, the thinkers who became known as “the four horsemen,” the heralds of religion's unraveling—Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett—sat down together over cocktails. What followed was a rigorous, pathbreaking, and enthralling exchange, which has been viewed millions of times since it was first posted on YouTube. This is intellectual inquiry at its best: exhilarating, funny, and unpredictable, sincere and probing, reminding us just how varied and colorful the threads of modern atheism are. Here is the transcript of that conversation, in print for the first time, augmented by material from the living participants: Dawkins, Harris, and Dennett. These new essays, introduced by Stephen Fry, mark the evolution of their thinking and highlight particularly resonant aspects of this epic exchange. Each man contends with the most fundamental questions of human existence while challenging the others to articulate their own stance on God and religion, cultural criticism, spirituality, debate with people of faith, and the components of a truly ethical life.Praise for The Four Horsemen “This bracing exchange of ideas crackles with energy. It’s fascinating to watch four first-class minds explore a rugged intellectual terrain. . . . The text affords a different, more reflective way of processing the truly vital exchange of ideas. . . . I commend the book to those seeking an honest reckoning with their religion—and those curious about how the world looks from a rigorously naturalistic and atheistic point of view.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “The full, electrifying transcript of the one and only conversation between the quartet of luminaries dubbed the ‘four horsemen’ of the New Atheism, which took place in Washington, D.C., in 2007. Among the vast range of ideas and questions they discuss: Is it ever possible to win a war of ideas? Is spirituality the preserve of the religious? And, are there any truths you would rather not know?”—The Bookseller (UK) (starred review)

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Book SynopsisUncertainty is the essence of the human condition, and nothing is more uncertain than God. Yet passions run hot when it comes to God, both among believers and non-believers. God is a Question, Not an Answer aims to unsettle readers on both sides of the issue. William Irwin argues that because belief occurs along a continuum of doubt and we can never reach full certainty, believers and non-believers can find common ground in uncertainty. Beginning with the questions of what we mean when we talk about God and faith, Irwin shows that from a philosophical perspective, the tendency to doubt is a virtue, and from a religious perspective there is no faith without doubt. Rather than avoid uncertainty as an uncomfortable state of emotional despair, we should embrace it as an ennobling part of the human condition. We do not have to agree about the existence of God, but we do need to practice intellectual humility and learn to see doubt as a gift. By engaging in civil discourse we can see those who disagree with us as not only fully human but capable of teaching us something.Trade ReviewI once saw a bumper sticker that read ‘Militant Agnostic: I don’t know and you don’t either.’ By William Irwin’s account in God Is a Question, Not an Answer, an elegant encomium for creating unity through shared doubt, if we are honest with ourselves the label would apply to both theists and atheists, for none of us knows for certain what the answer is to the question of God’s existence. -- Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of Why People Believe Weird ThingsA fresh, new, and deeply needed approach to the issue of God, directing us away from all the loudly proclaimed certainties on both sides of the modern debate, and toward an appreciation of the interrogative spirit, along with what it can accomplish. -- Tom Morris, bestselling author of If Aristotle Ran General Motors, Philosophy for Dummies, and The Oasis WithinThoughtful, elegant and gently provocative, God Is a Question, Not an Answer is a fresh contribution to an old debate. With style and humanity, Irwin uncovers the forgotten virtues of doubt. A book for our times. -- Dominic Erdozain, Historian and author of The Soul of Doubt: the Religious Roots of Unbelief from Luther to MarxIrwin’s readers should be used to surprise, humor, and serious thought. In God Is a Question he treats us to all of them, beginning with the puzzling title, for what is its meaning? That is where the fun begins. -- Jorge Gracia, Distinguished Professor, SUNY, and author of How Can We Know What God Means? The Interpretation of RevelationAn excellent curative for both the smug atheist and the dogmatic believer. A terrific read. -- Stephen Asma, Research Group in Mind, Science, and Culture at Columbia College Chicago, author of Why We Need Religion

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Book SynopsisWhat is it like to be a preacher or rabbi who no longer believes in God? In this expanded and updated edition of their groundbreaking study, Daniel C. Dennett and Linda LaScola comprehensively and sensitively expose an inconvenient truth that religious institutions face in the new transparency of the information age—the phenomenon of clergy who no longer believe what they publicly preach. In confidential interviews, clergy from across the ministerial spectrum—from liberal to literal—reveal how their lives of religious service and study have led them to a truth inimical to their professed beliefs and profession. Although their personal stories are as varied as the denominations they once represented, or continue to represent—whether Catholic, Baptist, Episcopalian, Methodist, Mormon, Pentecostal, or any of numerous others—they give voice not only to their own struggles but also to those who similarly suffer in tender and lonely silence. As this study poignantly and vividly reveals, their common journey has far-reaching implications not only for their families, their congregations, and their communities—but also for the very future of religion.Trade Review"One of the most intriguing developments in modern American religion has been the increasing numbers of those who have lost their faithnot only the person in the pew but also the person in the pulpit. Caught in the Pulpit tells the entangled stories of these conflicted leaders of the faithful, first-hand accounts that are fascinating, eye-opening, and filled with pathos. This expanded second edition is a 'must read' for anyone interested in the current state of religion and the claims of faith." Bart D. Ehrman, distinguished professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author, Misquoting Jesus"The new edition of Caught in the Pulpit extends and reinforces the message of the first: that many who preach religion do not themselves believe what they preach, for the good reason that they have more insight into its vacuity than those to whom they preach. Some are tragically trapped in this hypocrisy, some choose to keep living the lie: but knowing this adds to our sense of the lie that is religion itself. This is an important book, because it reveals an important truth." A.C. Grayling, Master of the New College of the Humanities London and author, The Good Book: A Humanist Bible"Reading Caught in the Pulpit is like listening in on intimate conversations, even confessions, of clergy who doubt the very beliefs they are paid to teach and support. Dennett and LaScola address their subjects with both skill and compassion, yielding expert philosophical and sociological analysis. A fascinating read." Mary Johnson, author, An Unquenchable Thirst"People often ask me, 'How could you become an atheist when you were a pastor?' I always answer, 'Exactly by being a pastor!' . . . This book is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the process of losing faith. Though these stories are about clergy, their feelings and experiences will resonate for anyone who has been down this road." Ryan J. Bell, former pastor and writer, Year Without God"With care and sympathy, Dennett and LaScola bring light to some darker corners of the religious life." Philip Kitcher, John Dewey Professor of Philosophy, Columbia University and author, Life After Faith: The Case for Secular Humanism"Profound, honest, and revealing. I was also going to write 'urprising,'but I am not surprised. As a former preacher myself (who has since abandoned supernatural beliefs), I know exactly what is going through the minds of the clergy who are struggling with faith and reason. What I most admire about this book is the careful, scientific approach to the topic. . . . I know I am biased, but that does not mean this is not a GREAT book!" Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and author, Life Driven Purpose: How an Atheist Finds Meaning"This book provides remarkable insight into a silently growing demographic." Hemant Mehta, editor, FriendlyAthiest.com

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Book SynopsisSo you're an atheist. Now what? The way we deal with life — with love and sex, pleasure and death, reality and making stuff up —can change dramatically when we stop believing in gods, souls, and afterlives. When we leave religion — or if we never had it in the first place—where do we go? With her unique blend of compassion and humor, thoughtfulness and snark, Greta Christina most emphatically does not propose a single path to a good atheist life. She offers questions to think about, ideas that may be useful, and encouragement to choose your own way. She addresses complex issues in an accessible, down-to-earth style, including: Why we're here, Sexual transcendence, How humanism helps with depression — except when it doesn’t, Stealing stuff from religion, and much more. Aimed at new and not-so-new atheists, questioning and curious believers, Christina shines a warm, fresh light on the only life we have.Trade Review"A glorious celebration." Dan Barker, author, Life Driven Purpose: How an Atheist Finds Meaning"Greta's hallmark insights, biting humor, and straight-talk will lead you through some of the most important issues and practices shaping what it means to be an atheist in the 21st century . . . I recommend it highly." Anthony B. Pinn, author, Writing God's Obituary: How a Good Methodist Became a Better Atheist"Another bright gem from Greta Christina -- an engaging, conversational, thoughtful, frank, funny, and ever timely exploration of life lived well without religion." Phil Zuckerman, author, Living the Secular Life"Quick-paced irresistible logic laced through with Greta Christina's humor, practical compassion, and love of life." Valerie Tarico, Ph.D., author, Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light"What I take away most is Greta Christina's nuanced, down-to-earth, around the breakfast table with a cup of coffee manner of speech . . . An easy to read book that will challenge you in the most unexpected ways, whether you are a secularist, believer or somewhere in between." Bridgett Crutchfield, President and founder, Black Nonbelievers of Detroit"If you are a newcomer to atheism in America in the twenty-first century you will be glad to spend time with Greta Christina . . . Her candor is one of the particularly strong aspects of this much-needed work." Jennifer Michael Hecht, author, Doubt: A History"This is the perfect book for anyone who has gotten a taste of skepticism and now hungers to make even more meaning out of their brief existence." Zack Ford, LGBT Editor, ThinkProgress.org

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Book SynopsisLife is short, and it can be sweet. Contemplating death is looking into a mirror that allows us to see these simple facts clearly, as if for the first time. We have every reason to believe that we have but one life to live—and no good reasons to believe otherwise—and death marks the termination of each life. Examining this reality opens doors to understanding ourselves, each other, connection, love, and life itself in an entirely new way. Life in Light of Death offers a short exploration of the sweetness and opportunity available to those who understand and embrace this fact. By looking at life as reflected by death, we can see what really matters and how best to live.Trade Review"What is the purpose of life? It isn't Jesus, Muhammad, Yahweh, or any other religious figure, self-help guru, or grand cosmic scheme to be found in the next life. As James Lindsay explains in his remarkably cogent and highly readable exposition on life and death, the meaning of life is to live, and the way to know how to live is vouchsafed to you by virtue of living. How? Read this insightful book to arrive at your own answer." Michael Shermer, Publisher, Skeptic magazine; columnist, Scientific American ; author, The Moral Arc , The Science of Good and Evil and How We Believe"James Lindsay and I are united by a deep commitment to live well right now. Love is a chief concern in that endeavor. We are divided over the answers to the big questions of life and our understandings of ultimately reality. Where there is no dispute is that Lindsay is one of the best writers I've read, bar none." Rick Henderson, Draper Campus Pastor, South Mountain Community Church, Utah" Life in Light of Death is a magnificent little book about the inevitable end to our sojourns on spaceship Earth. James is a nimble writer who does a marvelous job tackling a subject that's inherently difficult to discuss. The book is eloquent, thoughtful, and a genuine pleasure to read I highly recommend it!" Phil Torres, author, The End: What Science and Religion Tell Us About the Apocalypse ; founding Director, X-Risks Institute"Everyone we love will die and be forgotten forever, including us. Lindsay argues we can love deeper and live better once we accept this fact. Christians often say their faith leads them to love and life, but Lindsay shows another way: by accepting the truth about death. This is a very important message that should be heeded by everyone!" John W. Loftus, author, Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity

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Book SynopsisJust as intelligent design is not a legitimate branch of biology in public educational institutions, nor should the philosophy of religion be a legitimate branch of philosophy. So argues acclaimed author John W. Loftus in this forceful takedown of the very discipline in which he was trained. In his call for ending the philosophy of religion, he argues that, as it is presently being practiced, the main reason the discipline exists is to serve the faith claims of Christianity. Most of philosophy of religion has become little more than an effort to defend and rationalize preexisting Christian beliefs. If subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, and geology are all taught without reference to faith-based supernatural forces as explanations, faith-based teachings should not be acceptable in this discipline either. While the book offers a fascinating study of the fallacies and flaws on which one whole field of study rests, it speaks to something much larger in the ongoing culture wars. By highlighting the stark differences between faith-based reasoning and evidence-based reasoning, Loftus presents vital arguments and lessons about the importance of critical thinking not only in all aspects of study but also in life. His conclusions and recommendations thus resonate far beyond the ivory towers and ivy-covered walls of academic institutions.Trade Review" Unapologetic offers the philosophy of religion the swift, ugly end it has long deserved. This single book will cause the death of a discipline." Peter Boghossian, author, A Manual for Creating Atheists" Unapologetic is a wonderfully entertaining read. With masterful erudition, John Loftus presents a compelling case for why the philosophy of religion contains nothing but sophistry and illusion and should, therefore, be committed to the flames. It has no more right to exist than the philosophy of fairies, or the study of Superman. One might be skeptical of this claimas I was before starting the bookbut the arguments are so well-crafted and persuasive that I bet you'll walk away nodding your head in agreement. Of Loftus's many critiques of Christianity, this is the best yet. I highly recommend it to anyone with a fondness for great writing and the truth!" Phil Torres, author, The End: What Science and Religion Tell Us about the Apocalypse"John Loftus is philosophy of religion'sor what we would both probably prefer to call 'Christian philosophy's'worst nightmare. . . . This new book, in honor of the recent decision of British voters to secede from the European Union, we might dub his Apologexit. What parades as philosophy of religion today is a dismal and embarrassing abdication of intellectual discipline. No other scholarly field falls as short of its calling, and no one is more qualified than that turncoat Loftus to induce philosophers of religion to snap out of their dogmatic slumber or else shut the whole business down." David Eller, author, Anthropology of Religion: Culture to the Ultimate from the foreword to Unapologetic" Unapologetic is probably my favorite monograph by John Loftus. It deserves a gold medal for undertaking the Olympian task of explaining in clear and accessible prose why the area known as Philosophy of Religion should be ejected from modern academia and our intellectual life. Pretending that we have good arguments for God is about as useless as pretending we have good arguments for Zeus." Dr. Hector Avalos, Professor, Religious Studies, Iowa State University and author, The End of Biblical Studies"In Unapologetic , Loftus explains thoroughly and lucidly why it is time both atheists and secular philosophy departments step away from the discipline forever, exposing it for the religious evangelism it merely pretends not to be. Recommended for anyone who still believes in the value of the philosophy of religion, so that they can see their error." James A. Lindsay, author, Everybody Is Wrong About God"In this powerful book, former preacher and veteran scholar John Loftus demands to know why so much time and energy is still being wasted analyzing and debating fringe details of a thing no one has yet shown to be real. This passionate, hard-hitting, and important book will enlighten and inspire readers to think in new ways about an old battleground of thought. It's clear that Loftus is running out of patience when it comes to the faithful but he certainly has not run out of steam." Guy Harrison, author, 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian"As an introduction to the ever-growing frustration with so-called Christian philosophy among many secular ex-Christian authors, Unapologetic is invaluable reading material for any reader interested in the wide variety of polemical issues it deals with." Jaco Gericke, Associate Research Professor, Depart of Theology and Philosophy, North-West University

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Book SynopsisThe story of religion in the twenty-first-century West has been defined, in part, by the stories of once-zealous pastors moving beyond their faith to embrace a life of reason. But too often and too quickly ardent believers dismiss such accounts as aberrations and fail to consider the real-life implications for those who make this transition. Atheists and other skeptics, meanwhile, struggle to understand what took these individuals so long to make such a journey—and why others aren’t lining up more quickly to do the same. As a result, the questions posed by one side inevitably mirror those asked by the other. Why do believers trust in God the way they do? But what factors lead atheists to dismiss religious beliefs so easily? How can believers have faith in the face of known science and history? But what allows anyone to be so sure their beliefs are based in reality? What would it take for believers to stop believing in God? But what would it take for nonbelievers to start to believe? Drawing on the author’s own story as a former evangelical pastor powerless to stop his turn to atheism, The Rise and Fall of Faith touches on these and other questions, inviting readers into a long-overdue conversation between Christians and atheists. While the aim of the book is to initiate this much-needed discussion, the author encourages all who care about the future of humanity to carry the dialogue forward—whether in the evaluation of our own inner thoughts, in the assumptions we make about the other side, or in how we work together in the pursuit of understanding and common ground as we navigate the world’s ever-changing and increasingly challenging religious and cultural landscape.Trade Review"An extraordinary offering . . . a cinematic drama . . . an alternative to rancor and a path toward understanding." Gretta Vosper, Minister, West Hill United Church of Toronto; author, With or Without God: Why the Way We Live is More Important Than What We Believe"A deep, satisfying, and ultimately hopeful read." Katherine Ozment, author, Grace Without God: The Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Belonging in the Secular Age"A gratifying and memorable read." Dale McGowan, founder, Foundation Beyond Belief; author, In Faith and In Doubt: How Religious Believers and Non-Believers Can Create Strong Marriages and Loving Families"A wonderful journey of thought through a path strewn with valuable insights." Roy Speckhardt, executive director, American Humanist Association; author, Creating Change Through Humanism"This is a joy to read. It's written . . . with humor, sincerity, and openness." Linda LaScola, co-author, Caught in the Pulpit: Leaving Belief Behind ; co-founder, The Clergy Project"This book is for anyone looking to understand the evangelical mind." Robyn Blumner, president and CEO, Center for Inquiry; CEO, Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science"I could not put it down." Darrel Ray, founder, Recovering from Religion; author, God & Sex: How Religion Distorts Sexuality"This polarized country of ours needs more leaders like Drew Bekius." Bart Campolo, Humanist Chaplain, University of Southern California

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Book SynopsisEven for the most ardent skeptic, it’s hard not to be curious about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Maybe you've seen the hit musical comedy The Book of Mormon. Maybe you’ve read about Holocaust victims and deceased celebrities like Elvis being posthumously baptized in Mormon churches. Or maybe you’ve come across some other belief or facet of the Mormon faith and can’t help but wonder whether the religion is actually as wild as it seems. Sure, the young Mormon missionaries who knock on your door with promises of a book that will change your life are happy to speak with you about their religion and provide their own answers. But if you accept their offer, you'll likely be heavily recruited, repeatedly contacted, pressured to become a church member, and perhaps even told you’re going to be tortured in hell if you don’t accept their claims. Enter The Nonbeliever’s Guide to the Book of Mormon, which offers an easily accessible, entertaining introduction to Mormonism. For those with a curious but skeptical mind, it also provides a no-pressure, no-strings-attached way to learn about what's contained in Mormonism's sacred text, without the tedium of having to read the whole thing—or the risk of being pestered in this life (or the afterlife, for that matter).

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