The God Delusion

Richard Dawkins

Jan 2011 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

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

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

Ratings and reviews

dissapointed, April 24, 2007 I bought this book thinking that there may be a few good arguments refuting Religion. Man was I disappointed! If I could sum up the book in two words they would be; lies and deceit. I don't think that a page went by without Dawkins relying on either lies or deceit to advance his ideas, some concepts have been long abandoned by philosophers, and for good reasons (though that doesn't stop Dawkins!). Dawkins seems to rely solely on the reader's ignorance for his ideas to succeed, and unfortunately many people are very ignorant of the Bible, philosophy and religion. Almost every concept that he proposed I could refute instantly, or simply tried banging my head against the densest object that I could find in frustration, such is the fallacious content of the book. He consistently makes assertions that are entirely misleading or are just downright false. I have read many comments from professors of philosophy on this book and it is alarming! Though I shouldn't be surprised that so many philosophers find Dawkins work appalling, after all Dawkins is only a biologist! Don't think that I am a `Dawkins hater' though, this is not the case. I find all his other works eloquently written and based on empirical evidence. But as many people believe, his latest work is far removed from his past glory! If you think I am just bluffing then I suggest purchasing "The Dawkins Delusion" by Alister McGrath for a concise and authoritative refutation of Dawkins latest work (by a highly esteemed philosopher). If you are interested in justifying your atheism DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!!! I'm sure there are better ones out there. Such is the poor philosophical and theological content of this book.

The emergence of Richard Dawkins on the scientific scene has revived an old controversy whether Darwinism is essentially atheistic in its tenets and in its conclusions. That is shown in the writings of those scientists who do not accept Dawkins' atheism, but find it difficult to extricate themselves from it. It is not enough to say that science and religion face two different kinds of reality, that of facts and meaning, for it is also a fact that most evolutionary biologists, if they are not atheists, are agnositics. Books on Darwinian biology by such stellar names as Kenneth R. Miller, Fransisco Ayala and others separate themselves from Dawkins' atheism, but the taint of that atheism still remains, for they seem to be living in two different, almost incompatible worlds. So the question has to be asked: what is there about Darwinian biology that either attracts or produces atheists? It is well-known that Darwinian atheists like Dawkins looks upon his colleagues who are not atheists as not bona fide Darwinians or as traitors to the Darwinian cause. And many of those same minds find it difficult to debate Dawkins on his own ground. If Darwinian evolution is atheism of its very nature, what is there about it that makes it so? Is it materialism masquerading as science? Is it a true explanation of the origin and development of life forms? Is there an error in Darwin's "Origin of the Species"? Is Natural Selection, Descent with Modification and Survival of the Fittest really the mechanisms by which life on earth developed into its amazing variety and complexity? And if these mechanisms are genuine science, if Darwinian evolution is true, is there a place for God in the evolutionary process? Until these questions are answered, debates on the subject are unproductive. Father Clifford Stevens Boys Town, Nebraska Author of: Astrotheology: for the Cosmic Adventure.

One of those books that’s been on my reading list for an annoyingly long period of time, partly due to the notion that I’m embarking on what will turn out to be a one sided rant, and in some ways it is, although not without providing some entertaining reading. Dawkins opens with his sights of illumination firmly set on the idea of a God as a personal, omnipotent consciousness, intervening in the world as he sees fit by performing the odd miracle. The God who watches over each and every one of us, rewards our good deeds and punishes our deviations from the straight and narrow. How likely is this God to exist? The book also looks at the hard line creationist theory of “intelligent design” and puts some of the arguments from theologians up against Darwinist conceptions, as well as a look at claims that the bible is an essential guide for moral values in society. The focus is steadily on the hard line, conservative take on religion and this is a point which should be kept in mind while reading. Dawkins goes to lengths to preempt the inevitable counter from the world of faith along the lines of “yes-we-know-it’s-not-entirely-true-but-you’re-not-supposed-to-take-it-literally-you-know” not to mention the fact that you just don’t question religious beliefs because it’s disrespectful and downright mean. The main grating point in places is Richard Dawkins’ endless self-quoting and almost smug “I’ve had my consciousness raised by Darwin” theme he employs. It’s a scathing yet refreshing and somewhat reassuring read in an area I’d not normally stray into, although worth it if only for the hilarious examination of the old testament, as well as the “prayer experiment” conducted on hospital patients, and a vegetable patch.

About the author

RICHARD DAWKINS is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford and was the University of Oxford's Professor for Public Understanding of Science from 1995 until 2008. He is the author of 15 books includingUnweaving the Rainbow, A Devil’s Chaplain, and The God Delusion.Dawkins lives in Oxford.,