The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

by Richard Dawkins
Hardcover
406 pages

Discover recently called Richard Dawkins "Darwin's Rottweiler" for his ferocious and effective defense of evolution. The world's foremost atheist and a world-renowned biologist, he is also brave enough to challenge the very premise of all religion. Dawkins's critics call him hostile and confrontational, and many people wonder, What is he so angry about? Has religion, specifically Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, really done so much harm that we should actively oppose it? Well, yes. In his new book, The God Delusion, Dawkins examines, with wit, reason, and historical and contemporary evidence: How religion fuels and justifies war, How religion encourages bigotry and xenophobia, and How religion damages children's intellectual development.

Dawkins makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just irrational but incredibly harmful. In the past five years, we have witnessed the evils that men do in the name of God. Still, many religious people find it hard to imagine how, without religion, one can be good. Dawkins argues that our moral sense has a Darwinian origin, and he answers, "Do you really mean to tell me the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward or to avoid his disapproval and punishment? That's not morality, that's just sucking up." Further, and more seriously, Dawkins says, "Those who literally wish to base their morality on the Bible have either not read it or have not understood it."

But the details of the Bible aside, most people believe in God, don't they? Are they all wrong? A preeminent scientist, Dawkins respectfully deconstructs the arguments for God's existence. He examines the roots of religion as well, showing how belief in God and religious cults spring up and spread. In The God Delusion, Dawkins illuminates how Godlessness, rather than motivating meaninglessness, is inspirational. If all we have is now, we should be living life, every second of it, with a sense of joy and wonder. John Lennon once said, "Imagine a world with no religion," and in The God Delusion, Dawkins explains why it is essential that we do that, if we want to imagine all the world's people living in peace, anyway.

User reviews

I Found Clarity in The God Delusion

By Robert Smithberg, Hartford, CT

Religious for most of my life, I can still remember the first time I picked up Richard Dawkins The God Delusion. This truly is the quintessential guide for any atheist looking to articulate their beliefs. Dawkins challenges religion with such sound arguments and clarity. I was surprised by how well the author has managed to remain sensitive to the non-theoretical reasons people embrace religion. It is this sensitivity which grants the book an immense explanatory power to anyone with strict religious beliefs. I can say, as someone who was still very religious at the time I first read this book, I was truly inspired by Dawkins argument that those who cling to faith are essentially admitting that they have run out evidence of a god. It's a myth that Atheist believe we are all alone in the Universe and Dawkins presents a great argument for why our disbelief in god should allow us to come together as a whole human race. I ordered this book along with my copy of The Atheist Bible.