The God Delusion

Summary

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. Dawkins responds to some of the controversies the book has incited. This brilliantly argued, provocative book challenges all of us to examine our beliefs, not what beliefs we hold.

Everyone should read it!

Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion  (New York: First Mariner Books, 2008) 420 pages.

Personal Opinion

This is an excellent presentation of intelligent and powerful arguments based on science that dispute the existence of a supreme being.  It also a clear exposé of the damage that religion has caused so far as well as the potential for more devastation at the hands of fundamentalists of all faiths.  Perhaps it is pointless to preach to the "converted", and almost impossible to change the minds of the faithful. Most likely, we will never reach a consensus. However, we should all read Mr. Dawkins’ book. It is a good reminder to never be afraid of exercising our right to think, to look at the evidence and to draw our own conclusions. There is no condemnation for those who seek refuge, meaning and consolation in religion or for those who seek enlightenment or answers elsewhere. Respect and consideration should be given to all who agree or don't agree with the status quo. There is no need to hide or apologize for dissenting  or for coming to a new realization. However, it is imperative to speak up against those who willingly or blindly recruit, subdue and indoctrinate the young and the vulnerable to subscribe to a set of beliefs.  More often than not, this is achieved through fear, intimidation and empty promises. Shamelessly, this has been the case for way too long.  

In the words of the author, “Our life is as meaningful, and as full and wonderful as we choose to make it.” Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, no manuals, and no answers to all of our questions. The God Delusion presents coherent arguments, it is engaging, irreverent, honest, passionate and often funny.  It is a good opportunity to test your own beliefs or to reinforce what perhaps you have been thinking all along. Don’t believe what others say about it, read it and make up your own mind. 

My score (1-5):

About the Author:

Clinton Richard Dawkins (born 26 March 1941) is an English ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and author. He 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.

Dawkins came to prominence with his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, which popularized the gene-centred view of evolution and introduced the term meme. In 1982, he introduced into evolutionary biology the influential concept that the phenotypic effects of a gene are not necessarily limited to an organism's body, but can stretch far into the environment, including the bodies of other organisms; this concept is presented in his book The Extended Phenotype.

Dawkins is an atheist, a vice president of the British Humanist Association, and a supporter of the Brights movement. He is well known for his criticism of creationism and intelligent design. In his 1986 book The Blind Watchmaker, he argues against the watchmaker analogy, an argument for the existence of a supernatural creator based upon the complexity of living organisms. Instead, he describes evolutionary processes as analogous to a blind watchmaker.

He has since written several popular science books, and makes regular television and radio appearances, predominantly discussing these topics. In his 2006 book The God Delusion, Dawkins contends that a supernatural creator almost certainly does not exist and that religious faith is a delusion—"a fixed false belief": As of January 2010, the English-language version had sold more than two million copies and had been translated into 31 languages.

Source: Wikipedia