The Delusion Of Disbelief

The last few years have seen a great assault upon faith in the publishing world, with an influx of books denouncing religious belief. While attacks on faith are not new, what is notable about these books—several of which have hit the bestseller charts—is their contention that belief in God is not only deluded, but dangerous to society. In The Delusion of Disbelief, former Time senior correspondent and bestselling author David Aikman offers an articulate, reasoned response to four writers at the forefront of today's anti-faith movement: Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens. Aikman shines a light on the arguments of these “evangelists of atheism,” skillfully exposing their errors and inconsistencies. He explains what appears to motivate atheists and their followers; encourages Christians to look closely at what they believe; arms readers with powerful arguments in response to critics of faith; and exposes the social problems that atheism has caused throughout the world. Aikman also takes on one of the most controversial questions of our time: Can American liberties survive in the absence of widespread belief in God on the part of the nation's people? The answer to that question, says Aikman, is critically important to your future. The Delusion of Disbelief is a thoughtful, intelligent resource for anyone concerned about the increasingly strident and aggressive new attacks on religious belief. It is the book that every person of faith should read—and give away.

50 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

Does God exist? This straightforward question has spawned endless debate, ranging from apologists’ supposed proofs of God’s existence to New Atheist manifestos declaring belief in God a harmful delusion. In Disbelief, Will M. Gervais, Phd., a global leader in the psychological study of atheism, shows that the ubiquity of religious belief and the peculiarities of atheism are connected pieces in the puzzle of human nature. It’s undeniable that religion is a core tenet of human nature. It is also true that our overwhelmingly religious species is also as atheistic as it’s ever been. Yet, no scientific understanding of religion is complete without accounting for those who actively do not believe. In this refreshing and revelatory book, Gervais argues that religion is not an evolutionary puzzle so much as two evolutionary puzzles that can only be solved together. First is the Puzzle of Faith: the puzzle of how Homo sapiens – and Homo sapiens alone – came to be a religious species. Second is the Puzzle of Atheism: how disbelief in gods can exist within our uniquely religious species. The result is a radically cohesive theory of both faith and atheism, showing how we became a uniquely religious species, and why many are now abandoning their belief. Through a firsthand account of breakthroughs in the scientific study of atheism, including key findings from cognitive science, cultural evolution, and evolutionary psychology, Disbelief forces a rethinking of the prevailing theories of religion and reminds both believers and atheists of the shared psychologies that set them on their distinct religious trajectories. In casual prose and with compelling examples, Gervais explains how we became religious, why we’re leaving faith behind, and how we can get along with others across the religious divides we’ve culturally evolved.

Alister McGrath and Joanna Collicutt McGrath present a reliable assessment of The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, famed atheist and scientist, and the many questions this book raises--including, above all, the relevance of faith and the quest for meaning.

A criticism of Christianity from the secularist point of view.

Deep down, everyone, with very few exceptions, badly wants and needs clarity and assurance, especially when it comes to the deepest most profound existential questions of life—where did we come from (origin)? Why are we here (purpose)? What are we meant to do (morality)? And where are we going (destiny)? Much more, do heaven and hell exist? Is death the end of everything, or is there life in the hereafter? Thousands of Christians, at some point in their lives, admit being in doubt of their faith, especially when confronted with pressing questions on the Bible, God, Jesus, evil, death, suffering, science, evolution, etc. This book was painstakingly written to hopefully help provide philosophical and theological clarity and for them to be academically informed and be better assured of their Christian faith. As for the religious skeptics, and downright anti-theists, they similarly at some point may have been confronted with the same nagging question from the believers—What if you’re wrong? This book is also written to enjoin them to assess the bases of their objections and justifications of their disbelief, inspire them to reconsider their positions, and keep an open-minded attitude to the gospel of Christ.

João de Deus Brasil's book comprises two independent but related works: Why I Believe in God and Atheism: a Self-Delusion. In Why I Believe in God, the author reveals the origins of his faith whereas in Atheism: a Self-Delusion he refutes atheists' arguments expressed by their current world leader, Richard Dawkins, in his best-seller God, a Delusion. Regarding the renowned biologist's ideas, João de Deus states: - In his book, Richard Dawkins does not provide any theory capable of scientifically justifying his negation of God's existence. And besides, he does not put forward any evidence whatsoever, either scientific or empirical, in support of that nonexistence. - Between the lines of his own words, one can clearly see his subconscious knowledge about the life of the spirit, anterior and posterior to material life. - By analyzing his quotations of other wise, monistic men, without even excluding the magnificent Albert Einstein, one can clearly perceive that they themselves have this subconscious knowledge, and they reveal it as they express their thoughts. - Materialism is, therefore, a delusion. The true monist does not exist, for all of us have subconscious knowledge of our spiritual existence before, during, and after our material lives. We express ourselves according to this knowledge, whoever we are: believers or skeptics, intellectuals, scientists, or illiterate peasants. - In the same way, we are also aware of the existence of God, and that's why faith is revealed in children. For the same reason, among many others as we have seen, faith is revealed in all peoples and cultures, with no exception. - These realities, perfectly clear for those who want to see, provide irrefutable, absolute proof that atheism, like materialism and monism, is a self-delusion.