"Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists" by Dan Barker

Publisher:  Berkeley, Calif. : Ulysses Press, [2008]
Copyright Date:  ©2008
ISBN:  9781569756775
Characteristics: xv, 376 pages ;,22 cm

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed Dan Barker's book "God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction" in which he mentioned briefly how he chose to give up a religious outlook on life. This book "Godless" which was written earlier goes into great detail with regard to Mr. Barker's choice to pursue a secular life.

Part one, the first four chapters of this book take us from when he was 15 years old, and felt that he had received a calling to be an evangelical preacher, which he was for 19 years. It then goes on to detail how he lost his faith and what came into his life to replace it.

The five chapters in part two explain why Mr. Barker is now an atheist. He does this in a very logical manner with excellent examples, and a lot of humor.

In the third part which is seven chapters long Mr. Barker gives a generalized overview of what is actually wrong with Christianity. He deals with such topics as the Bible and morality, murder, goodness, the biblical contradictions, the various discrepancies within the Bible, whether Jesus actually existed, and finally whether he actually arose from the dead.

The final three chapters, which constitutes part four, deals with his work with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and some of the encounters he's had over the years with other atheists, religious figures, etc.

I found this to be an excellent book, that belongs in the collection of anybody who has even the slightest doubt about Christianity, or religion in general for that matter.

I think it would be wonderful to finda comparable version of this book that explains in the same detail the religions of Islam, Judaism, Buddhism etc. As I feel if we had reference material such as this there'll be much less conflict in the world, and I'm sure that would benefit everyone.