"Living The Secular Life: New Answers to Old Questions" by Dr. Phil Zuckerman

Publisher: Penguin Press
ISBN: 9781594205088
Copyright: 2014

This book is essentially a review of what it means to be secular, but it also juxtaposes this with what many people seem to think a secular person is. The book itself is oriented with a very American focus, which is understandable both because the author is American, but also due to America promoting itself as a christian nation, even though there is a large number of people with no religious affiliation down there.

Other countries are mentioned in contrast to America, such as Canada, Norway, Finland, and many more who are very secular and have crime rates that are essentially nonexistent, while the United States and numerous other religious nations have ridiculously high crime rates.

Dr. Zuckerman gained a lot of the material in this book from interviewing both secular and religious people and this gives the reader a very good overview of how people see those who are secular.

These interviews also give the reader into other areas that show how secular people deal with such topics as Morality, Society, The Rise of the Non-religious, Raising Secular Children, Creating Communities, Dealing with Hardship, and Death.

A very good book, that I think all should read.

"The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of reason" by Sam Harris

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Copyright: 2004

ISBN: 9780743268097

This book was an extremely interesting one to read, not only because of the information provided but because of the stance that the author takes on the subject of religion and especially faith and what it can make normally rational people do in its name.

The opening chapter briefly recounts the events leading up to when a suicide bomber sets off his charge in a bus. And then goes on to examine how this one act is influenced pretty much solely by what the person has been told about their religion.

Now, before you think that Mr. Harris focuses solely on terrorism that is perpetrated by Muslims, he doesn't. He also goes after the other Abrahamic Religions (Christianity and Judaism - Yes, in case you were wondering all three have the same roots). He also exposes the atrocities performed by Christians, e.g., The Inquisition, Witch burnings, and much more. He also points out a rarely admitted / known fact that the Catholic Church was culpable in their condemnation of the Jews, and their support of Adolf Hitler and his cronies. 

Mr. Harris does a wonderful job of telling the facts as they are, and with the addition of footnotes, and a fantastic bibliography to back up his claims he proves without a doubt that faith it's simply a very dangerous thing to have. He does tend to get somewhat philosophical towards the end of the book, but considering the topic I think this is quite acceptable, as it tends to calm readers down after reading the first parts and finding out how inhumane, humans can be to each other when certain philosophies are followed without the person first thinking. 

Highly recommended, especially for those who are on the fence about religion. Any religion.

"Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World" by Tim Whitmarsh

Publisher:New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2015.
Edition:First edition.
ISBN: 9780307958327
Characteristics: viii, 290 pages

This is a scholarly publication that looks in depth at the relationship of what we refer to as religion and Greek mythology. 

It examines the philosophies and writings of a number of different Greek philosophers who wrote on the subjects of atheism or at the very least the concepts that the gods may not exist. I say it this way, as in many context now-a-days atheism is automatically thought to be the non-belief in one of Abrahamic religions. However this took place many hundreds of year before any of that was thought up.

For the most the book it concerns itself that what is commonly referred to as Greek mythology but is in actual fact more of a system of folklore and folktales rather than an actual religion. The reason for this is because for the most part the religious figures that were present in Greece at the time we're not comparable in anyway to what we currently see as priests and clerics as they were more there to aid the populace and provide comfort as opposed to guiding them towards certain  deities.

This book is an excellent read however some readers may find it somewhat daunting due to the number of references made to the various Greek historical figures, playwrights and philosophers. I think it would make an excellent text for a class in comparative religions, classics, or cultural anthropology. 

"Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon" by Daniel C. Dennett

Published: New York: Penguin
Year: 2007, c2006.
Physical Details: xvi, 448 p. ; 23 cm
ISBN: 9780143038337

This books an extremely interesting read that examines the concept of religion essentially from the ground up. Dennett investigates the various controversial subjects of religion, such as why do we believe in a god or gods, how these beliefs frame and control our lives, how our societies are effected by the beliefs, and much more. Many people allow their lives to be controlled by these phenomena, and have for hundreds if not thousands of years. It affects how people see other cultures, how they raise their children, treat their elders, interact with a community, and many more aspects of human life.

The big question in this book is why do we have religion. Why do people from totally different cultures that have never met feel a bond when they meet based on these beliefs? On the other hand why do the beliefs of certain groups cause them to go to war?

The discussion ranges through the fields of anthropology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and many more ologies.

While I found this book extremely interesting it did read quite slowly at times, but once you began to think about what was said, then you realised that this was essentially the only way that the concept could be explained. This is definitely a book that every humanist, anthropologist, and philosopher should have on their shelf (hopefully after they've read it), as it provides many insights into human culture and belief.

"An Atheist's Guide to Christmas" edited by Robin Harvie and Stephanie Meyers

Publisher:New York : Harper Perennial, 2010.
Edition:First U.S. edition.
ISBN: 9780061997976
Characteristics: xi, 307 pages :,illustrations

"An Atheist's Guide to Christmas" is a collection of essays from noted skeptics, atheists, and others that give the reader an interesting, and refreshingly different outlook on the subject of christmas.

It is likely that many people when they consider christmas and atheism that the first thing that's comes to mind is Charles Dickens' short novel "A Christmas Carol" in which Ebenezer Scrooge is portrayed as an atheist, even though it is not stated as such. Many feel, or at least seem to feel that atheism automatically makes you a bad person, and therefore a threat to them somehow. I'm not sure exactly how they come by this rather odd deduction, but it exists.

These essays however show that the exact opposite is true, and that even if you do not subscribe to the christian version of christmas you can still celebrate the season with your friends and family as it was intended.

Some of the twenty plus authors included in this book are Richard Dawkins, Phil Plait (who runs bad astronomy.com), Neal Pollack, Simon Le Bon (of the band Duran Duran), Simon Singh to name but a few. All of the essays, and stories are insightful, and informative, and some quite humorous as well.

A great read, and highly recommended especially to those people who are unsure as to exactly where they sit on the religious vs. non-religious fence.

"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.

"God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction" by Dan Barker

Publisher:New York : Sterling
Copyright Date:©2016
ISBN: 9781454918325

The impetus for this book and its title comes from a quote from Richard Dawkins' book "The God Delusion" in which he says (in the opening of chapter 2): "The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction."

Dan Barker a former minister takes this thought and runs with it. This book contains verses from all 39 books of the Old Testament, and each of the 28 chapters begins with a commentary on one or two biblical stories that Barker has chosen. He goes on then to quote a number of selected versus along with commentary to prove his thesis. The final chapter also extends this commentary into the New Testament, which proves to be equally if not more  horrific as Jesus is typically portrayed as a honourable and compassionate person.

Because of Mr. Barker's previous occupation he is well-suited to be able to write a book such as this, his time as a minister gives him the experience and authority to give credit to his writing.

This book is unlikely to actually convert a true believer away from a religious point of view. But it should easily allow a person to strengthen their non-belief by giving them examples and information they can use to support and explain their choices. In addition, this book would be a fantastic resource for anyone who is actively questioning religion, or looking for evidence and reasons to support their choice to give up on religion.

I'm unaware of any books of this type that discuss other mainstream religions, but I would love to review them to see how they compare.

"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins

Publisher:Boston : Houghton Mifflin Co., 2006.

ISBN: 9780618680009 

Characteristics: 406 pages ;,24 cm

This is the first book of Richard Dawkins' that I've read, and I found it to be very well written, and informative. Dr. Dawkins poses his arguments logically, and follow them through to their logical conclusions. He does tend to goober things a number of times, but when you consider how ingrained some of the beliefs in religion are this is likely a good technique as not all people will see the relevance with only one example.

I have read other authors on the subject of atheism, and the vast majority follow the same general format, however Dr. Dawkins goes into much greater detail and gives more examples of why certain beliefs may have arisen, why they are regarded as unchallengeable truths, and what non-believers can do to attempt to understand where proponents of the beliefs in question come from.

I believe this is a good book for the general reader, and would also make a good addition to most anthropology, sociology and possibly even history courses.

"Everyone is African: How Science Explodes the Myth of Race" by Daniel J. Fairbanks

Publisher:Amherst, New York : Prometheus Books, 2015.
ISBN: 9781633880184
Characteristics: 191 pages : ,illustrations ;,23 cm

Having taken quite a number of anthropology and biology courses during my university training, I already knew that racism as a constructed concept that was based on the supposed superiority of certain groups of people. Dr. Fairbanks however was not writing his book for me, but was doing so for the rather large percentage of the population that hasn't already grasped this concept.

Dr. Fairbanks goes into great detail, but in a very readable way that explores the genetic, historical, and various other aspects of racism and hopefully puts them to bed for good. His discussion of topics such as: What is Race, African Origins, Ancestry versus Race, Skin Colour, Diversity and Health and Intelligence, and finally the Perception of Race covers this topic in a thorough manner that really should convince even the diehards, and leave everyone more enlightened.

Unfortunately, as is typically the case when dealing with humans there will always be certain factions (primarily religious, or other insular group) that will refute his explanations. There is likely nothing that intelligent individuals can do about these types of people except pity them in their ignorance, and help them as best we can in doing simple tasks like wiping their noses.

Yes, I know the above sounds very condescending - it was meant to be. I have no tolerance for racism, and even though I was exposed to it rather frequently as a child, I try to combat it as best I can in my daily life. Hopefully I'm succeeding.

"God is Not Great" by Christopher Hitchens

Publisher:Toronto, Ont. : McClelland & Steward, [2007]
Copyright Date:©2007
ISBN: 9780771041433
Characteristics: 307 pages ;,25 cm

This book was extremely well written and researched, but when you consider that Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) was an award winning journalist then this is to be expected. In this book he took on the subject of religion, and defends the secular viewpoint with well chosen arguments, numerous facts that support his viewpoints with clarity and that are historically accurate.

Mr. Hitchens gives numerous example of how one religion has borrowed from another, and that one borrowed from earlier ones simply to perpetuate the belief system that they wanted people to subscribe to. He does not pull any punches, and this in itself makes the book worth reading.

With examples from history of how the Catholic church supported fascism, and assisted in smuggling members of the Nazi party out of Germany to South America (as well as supporting them in other ways, including such things as celebrating Hitler's birthday). He also goes into a lot of detail that looks at historical reports that expose the Islam, Judism, as well as others.

It doesn't matter whether you consider yourself to be religious or not. I believe that this book is one that everyone should read.

"Every Day is an Atheist Holiday!" by Penn Jillette

Publisher:New York : Blue Rider Press, [2012]
Copyright Date:©2012
ISBN:9780399161568
Characteristics: 285 pages :,illustrations, portraits ;,24 cm

This is Penn Jillettes second book dealing with atheism, and it's even better than "God, No!" which I wrote about couple of weeks ago. In this book he isn't constrained by the idea of rewriting the christian ten commandments, and instead follows the idea of the various christian holidays. What results is a free-flow of stories from throughout his life that both confirms his atheism, and gives a compelling case for it to be accepted throughout the world. One thing that struck me while reading both this book and his previous one is the extent to which Mr. Jillette's moral character has been aptly demonstrated pretty much throughout his life.

As you can tell by the publication date, this was written prior to the election of Donald Trump as president of the US. It is fairly safe to say that Mr. Jillette, has no use for Donald Trump and he gives good example of way as he was once a contestant on Trump's Celebrity Apprentice pseudo-reality show.

I would recommend that everyone read this book (but read God, No! first) and make up your own opinion. Mr. Jillette is a very talented writers, very funny, and has had a lot of strange things happen to him during his life, but they have all contributed to making him the man he is.

"God, No!" by Penn Jillette

Publisher:New York : Simon & Schuster, 2011.
Edition:First Simon & Schuster hc edition.
ISBN:9781451610369
Characteristics: xix, 231 pages ;,25 cm

I don't really remember my first introduction to the duo of Penn & Teller, but sometime after this I stumbled across their show "Penn & Teller: Bullshit" which is a good introduction for pretty much anybody to the skeptics view of the world as it is and how the worlds scam artists pull the wool over the eyes of the willing public by telling them what they want.

This book while it mentions their show and a other things that the duo has done over the years, is primarily focused on the opinions and life of Penn Jillette. I found the book itself to very interesting, not only has Mr. Jillette led an interesting life, but his outlook on that life is very concise and well thought out.

The book itself is based on a reworking of the christian ten commandments, and how they could be interpreted by an atheist. Mr. Teller's sense of humour is outstanding, and entertaining. Mr. Jillette is a confirmed family man, and as both this book and the show mentioned above demonstrate a defender of common sense. In the world as it is today the one thing that everybody needs is common sense, we have been living under an umbrella of superstition and pseudoscience for centuries, and it is time for all people in the world to give their collective heads a shake and open their eyes to what's really going on in this world.