readings on atheism?

[Ospreymaven]

I would like to explore atheism through reading and am looking for book suggestions. I'd specifically like to explore others' opinions about the harm that can come of religion, and also what brings people to practice religion.

[Panoramic]

I just purchased a used copy of the Portable Atheist by Christopher Hitchens. It is basically a nice collection of writings from various people, such as Hobbes, Hume, Darwin, Mark Twain, Carl Sagan and a few women mixed in.So far I have been enjoying it. Don't agree with everything I read but good to hear some interesting viewpoints from people who can eloquently express them.

[readermaid]

I am currently reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.

Another book you might be interested in is Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris. It's really short, but it is a pretty strong indictment of fundamentalism in America and all the harm it has done.

Happy reading

[Adele_Mommy]

You could check out this web site: Positive Atheism.

It has a short book list containing mostly older books: Book List

There is a web site called Leaving Christianity that is one person's journey. It includes a list of books that were influential to the website creator peronally, and a longer list of resources.

On the above page I found a link to the Internet Infidels Bookstore. A whole online bookstore for atheists and naturalists! Here are their books in the atheism category

HTH

Adele

[lolar2]

I can find some reccos but when you say "religion" are you specifically referring to western religion, or to all major world religions? That will affect what I suggest.

[anniegirl]

I enjoyed a book called "Philosophers Without Gods", it is a collection of essays.

[Sailor]

There's a good little book titled "Spiritual Atheism" ... that may sound like any oxymoron, but the book does a really good job explaining everything.

[JacqNS]

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens (this one, in particular, is all about the harm caused by religion)

The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever by Christopher Hitchens

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam by Michel Onfray

God: The Failed Hypothesis. How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist by Victor J. Stenger and Christopher Hitchens

[ma2maya]

Richard Dawkin's website has quite a few book suggestions(not just his) and there is also a forum that has some good info and can point you in the direction of more resources.

This is to the books page.

[kangamitroo]

Emma Goldman is so eloquent that she almost makes me wish I were an atheist her essays are very interesting, grounded in her anarchist political views. (not wanting to get off on an anarchism tangent, but it is interesting to read Goldman and then a christian anarchist such as Jacques Ellul for comparison.)

Bertrand Russell also is terrific, very articulate. (And to me humorous and less abrasive than say, Hitchens, can be.)

they are both on the positive atheism website which was mentioned in a post above.

[caitlinlea]

The God Delusion (Dawkins) & God is Not Great (Hitchens) are both good - very sharply written, occasionally abrasive (especially for religious readers, I can imagine). I personally love The Age of Reason (Thomas Paine) - Paine was a deist but his critique of the Bible still stands as one of the best arguments ever presented. I also love The Atheist's Way by Eric Maisel, which discusses living a rich, personal, fulfilling life without gods/religion. Letter to a Christian Nation (Harris) is a quick, easy read - very concisely written. Someone mentioned Bertrand Russell - also great. Robert Ingersoll is also well worth checking out.

Hope that helps!

[Adele_Mommy]

I follow The Meming of Life Parenting Beyond Belief blog, and the author, Dale McGowan, has an essay in a new book called 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists. You can read Dale's chapter from the book online here.

[beansmama]

The one that made me realize I was no longer a Christian was "losing faith in faith". After that I read "Born again skeptics guide to the Bible".

The God Delusion...I've read part of it...but unless you are like, "YAY! SCIENCE!" I'd nix it for now. Dh and I are both atheists and he's a huge fan of Richard Dawkins - as am I...but only when dh gives me the "cliff notes" version of what he says.

I'm not stupid...I'm just not into that kind of book.

Letter to a Christian Nation was short and simple. It did make me think, but wouldn't be my first recommend.

[philomom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaOVPaYf780

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdVuc...eature=related

Try these videos.

I know you asked for a book, I'm not at my home just now... I'll try to come up with a good one for you.

[marimara]

Originally Posted by Adele_Mommy

I follow The Meming of Life Parenting Beyond Belief blog, and the author, Dale McGowan, has an essay in a new book called 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists. You can read Dale's chapter from the book online here.

I just Dale's chapter and it hit home on so many levels to me. I remember thinking those same thoughts when I was a child and everyone telling me nonsensical answers. I remember the first time I heard about evolution, I thought, now THAT makes sense..and I was like 11 or something. I really want to read the rest of that book now.