The Justified Contempt for Adults Who Worship Fairytales
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
Christoper Hitchens
As someone who has always been an atheist, I knew I’d like this book before even picking it up. Sometimes the logic flow of the argument isn’t always clear, but perhaps that is because it is a personal polemic with many asides. Similarly, the chapter structure is a bit like a collection of loosely ordered short essays. But none of this detracts from making it a thoroughly enjoyable read. Hitchens puts things exactly how I would put it myself if I had the talent. He really nails it at times and pulls no punches. It’s also refreshing to read someone who’s not afraid to announce and denounce the lies and stupidities and Isalm and Muslims along with all the other cult movements based on illusions, delusions and peasant ignorance. Good on you, Hitchens! I’m probably going to read this again shortly–this time underlining and taking notes.
Richard Dawkins
This was great. Dawkins is a “man after my own heart,” to borrow that excellent phrase from the King James Bible. There needs to be more people like Dawkins in the world. I could not disagree with anything in this book. And what was new were some of the current flash points of the religion vs. science debate. The book gives a rundown of them. Dawkins takes the arguments that are invariably touted and lays out some standard responses to them. Actually, it wouldn’t be bad having something like that in handbook form!
One added dimension to this book is the mention of Paster Ted, who had not fallen from grace at the time of this books first publication. You can see Paster Ted in action in Dawkins’ Root of all Evil documentaries, and he also appears in the horrifying Jesus Camp documentary. He is in top form in both films. It’s hilarious to know that after these appearances and his mention in this book, he was busted for gay sex and a meth habit. I do hope Dawkins updates this book one day with mention of Paster Ted’s current spiritual progress.
