Product Description

In his sensational international bestseller, the preeminent scientist and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins delivers a hard-hitting, impassioned, but humorous rebuttal of religious belief. With rigor and wit, Dawkins eviscerates the arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of the existence of a supreme being. He makes a compelling case that faith is not just irrational, but potentially deadly. In a preface written for the paperback edition, Dawkins responds to some of the controversies the book has incited. This brilliantly argued, provocative book challenges all of us to test our beliefs, no matter what beliefs we hold.

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Excellent literary writing        Rating:

Richard Dawkins and his book, The God Dilution, attempts to test people's faith. I think it is impossible to analyze The Almighty One the same way you would any other scientific theory. It's like comparing apples and oranges. There will always be those people who are faithful, those who are atheists, and those who are on the fence as agnostics. It will all be made clear in the end. I had to give him four stars for his excellent literary writing and continuing the great debate.
I see from reading the reviews on this site some people have recommend my book, "The Enlightenment, What God Told Me After One Million Prayers: A Message for Everyone," and again I just want them to know how much I appreciate their recommendation, especially at such a excellent site. I wrote this book out of love and for the glory of God and Jesus, not for my own fame or fortune. I welcome people to read my book, I'm sure you'll find this non-fiction account of a loving God positive and inspiring

Another angle.......        Rating:

'The God Delusion' is an interesting, sometimes fun, occasionally irritating, and mostly antagonistic writing. As a practicing biologist, I find myself reading and reviewing from within the framework of evolutionary theory. But from the concern that this could be too myopic, I consider the likes of Vine Deloria Jr.'s "Evolution, Creationism and other Modern Myths" to be a worthy companion and recommend this to other readers.

I found 'Delusion' to be somewhat scattered at times in what it was either attacking or supporting. Sometimes it was sticking to 'God', but often drifting to religion at large without re-defining the breadth of this term. More accurate clarification of definitions and sticking within these confines would have helped Dawkin's arguments.

The focus in one of the chapters on Adolf Hitler's Catholicism as potentially motivating his efforts was, to me, not as convincing as psychobiographical literature that present an alternative hypothesis. The Swiss psychoanalyst Alice Miller and the psychobiographer Lloyd DeMause, to name just two, have written on the psychology of abuse in childhood and how it impacted the adult lives of many murderous dictators, including Hitler.

In fact, in comparing religion per se versus past child abuse and neglect (a strict and oppressive religious up-bringing can constitute child abuse) as a source of violent motivations in individuals or groups, I would wager that sustained abuse during childhood is more than just the spark that sets individuals down the road to violence. Detrimentally, some religions both promote and exploit the fear that becomes integrated into the child mind which can subsequently be fanned during adolescence and adulthood into the flames of interpopulation conflict. As any psychologist will tell you, these are not motivations which readily can be "argued away" using reason. It would be quite interesting were Dawkins to immerse himself in works following the psychobiological lineage initiated by Ian D. Suttie ("The Origins of Love and Hate") and developed into attachment theory by John Bowlby (the Attachment Trilogy books) and colleagues before addressing this topic anew.

Thoughtful writings that address not only the religious roots of violence to other humans but also to the planet in general that may be of interest to other readers are Paul Shepard's "Nature and Madness" and David Abram's "The Spell of the Sensuous".

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