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A clear-minded and considerate presentation

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Smith notes in the introduction that "... this book is intended for laymen..." and indeed it seemed a great deal more readable to me than Smith's "Why Atheism?". In both books, Smith seems to have done a lot of homework. Personally I don't care much for philosophical argumentation about God. The presentatons of God match so closely what humans are able to wish for and imagine that the issue seems more one of psychology than philosophy. As Smith writes after examining the Bible: "it is obviously the product of superstitious men, who, at times, were willing to deceive if it would further their doctrines". Let he who has eyes to see, see! It is fun to see ideas of God and Christianity so capably unraveled, as Smith has been able to do with apparent ease. Smith observes the extent to which Christianity has relied on threats and punishments: not something in itself that discounts a God that might be misunderstood by its followers, but something which so many have had to be mindful of. Smith notes how authoritarian religous morality tends to be. He even tackles the issue of the ethics of Jesus, pointing out astutely how the teaching of Jesus that "certain feelings and desires are sinful" is morally reprensible "because it erases the crucial distinction between intent and action." I admittedly didn't spend much time with the chapter on cosmological arguments, but most of the book engaged me. Smith skewers such central Christian elements as the Bible, the design argument, and revelation: all simply by shining rationality on them. And he addresses well the problem with abandonning rationality (e.g. byappeals to "faith"). This is a book worth returning to. It is well-thought, well-organized, and well-written. I'd especially recommend it to any Christian who already has doubts as well as any atheist who still feels uncertain about how strongly atheism is grounded.

This book is brilliant

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I am already of the opinion that all organised religions are anti-human and George Smith explains clearly why this is so. In a simple and straightforward style the author describes the tricks of religious arguments and exposes its supporters for what they are - anti-human advocates of irrationality. If you have ever questioned why you feel uncomfortable about religion this author is an excellent resource George H Smith's book 'Ayn Rand And Other Heresies' is also excellent reading.

A comprehensive assault on theism

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Having read `Atheist Universe' I thought that this book would be another light and enjoyable read. What I didn't expect was a philosophy book! It is a carefully reasoned book but, at times, it can be rather heavy going. It is a credit to the author that I could (generally) follow his arguments. The book starts by defining terms such as `atheist' and `agnostic.' For me, the book was worth purchasing just for the clarification it offered here. No longer will I see agnosticism as a way of sitting on the fence. One must still fall into the `theist' or `atheist' camp - there is no third way. A lengthy section of the book deals with the conception of god and, particularly, with the Christian `God.' This is tackled from the perspective of a reasoned approach to the matter. The author then turns his attention to faith. Much of this is motivated by closing the door on theological arguments which will, in the final resort, fall back on an appeal to faith. By the time he has given thorough consideration to faith, revelation and miracles there isn't even a fig leaf for the theist to hide behind. In this connection, there is a whole section which deals with `Faith as Authoritative Trust.' This explains in some detail how religious faith differs from the faith one might have in one's doctor or a scientist. It is not adequate to say that all of us rely on faith on a day to day basis because it really isn't the same beast we are talking about. The third part of the book concerns Natural Theology and any attempt to infer the existence of a supernatural being from natural phenomena. Both cosmological and design arguments are dealt with at some length and, when the arguments become too technical, the author refers the reader to other sources. For me, the fourth section on the practical implications of theism was the least interesting. Much of the earlier material could be applied to any theistic religion but the final section deals more with the biblical figure of Jesus and his teachings and also with the harmful psychological repercussions of Christian faith and the concept of sin. Reason or Faith - it really doesn't matter - whichever underpins a theist's belief then George H. Smith has it covered.

Atheism: The Case Against God

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In "Atheism: The Case Against God", Smith makes a very good case against God and for atheism. He also shows that many of those who call themselves agnostics really are atheists. He points out many inconsistencies in the Christian god and shows that it can not possibly exist, and also gives many good arguments against gods in general. He makes a good case against faith as an alternative method to reason of acquiring knowledge. The book almost deserves five stars, but it tends to get a bit repetitive at times and some parts are a bit heavy handed. Anyway, this is definately a book that everyone interested in religion or atheism should read.

Rationality versus superstition: towards a better morality

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The September 11 attack on the twin towers and subsequent terrorist attacks in Madrid and London were a stark reminder of the moral depravity that can arise out of the naive belief that we are pathetically subservient to some all-seeing, all-knowing deity who will reward us for acts that any rational person can see are wholly wicked, and who will punish us for disobedience. Yet those who claim to believe in a loving, forgiving, redeeming deity seem unable to see that their beliefs are no less naive and irrational. And because they have no way to really understand what their unknowable god may want from them, they each interpret his will according to their own prejudices, often leading to argument and dissension amongst them which may even turn to violence and hatred (try to find any Christian compassion or forgiveness in the ranting of the Reverend Ian Paisley talking about the Catholics in Northern Ireland!). For thousands of years, those who dared doubt the existence of a deity were persecuted and condemned. Yet the last few hundred years has seen a big change in many enlightened countries, with the findings of science striking at the very heart of scriptural certainties. But there still remain many who prefer to cling to the comfort-blanket of belief than to grow up and think for themselves. Nowhere is this more true than in the sphere of morality, where believers turn to the absolute certainty of ancient texts rather than countenance accepting a more flexible humanist perspective based on simple principles that have ensured our outstanding success as social animals. For many atheists, the persistence of irrational belief and the holier-than-thou attitude of those who profess a monopoly on truth is a scourge that brings little that is positive to the world. They simply cannot see any basis to surrender their rationality and accept that there is anything behind the notion of God other than wishful thinking or neuroticism. In his powerful book, George H. Smith provides a clear and concise analysis of the claims of those who believe and shows how none of them make any kind of sense. He also looks at the moral implications of belief. He has thrown down a challenge to those who believe: let them now provide a convincing refutation of his arguments or forever hold their peace!