Showing titles in Atheism

Just as intelligent design is not a legitimate branch of biology in public educational institutions, nor should the philosophy of religion be a legitimate branch of philosophy. So argues acclaimed author John W. Loftus in this forceful takedown of the very discipline in which he was trained. In his call for ending the philosophy of religion, he argues that, as it is presently being practiced, the main reason the discipline exists is to serve the faith claims of Christianity.

The United States is in the midst of a religious revolution. Or, perhaps it is better to say a non-religious revolution. Around a quarter of US adults now say they have no religion. The great majority of these religious "nones" also say that they used to belong to a religion but no longer do. These are the nonverts: think "converts," but from having religion to having none. There are currently about fifty-nine million of them in the United States.

In this collection of essays skeptical scholar Joseph McCabe examines three contentious issues related to the assertions of the apostle: The historicity of the Resurrection; The historicity of Jesus; The rapid spread of Christianity. Using the tools of historical analysis, McCabe concludes that the claims about both the identity and resurrection of Jesus rest on shaky ground, and that myths about dying and rising gods occur frequently in pre-Christian history.

I Sold My Soul on eBay tells the story of how and why Hemant Mehta, the nonbeliever who auctioned off the opportunity to send him to church, became an atheist and went on to attend a wide variety of church services. It also features his insightful critiques and observations of the churches he visited, including accounts of his visits to some of the best-known churches in the country.

With respect for the beliefs of all, It's Only Natural challenges the concept of human exceptionalism, explaining the biological and cultural origins of theistic beliefs. From that starting point, McNamara encourages listeners to embrace science as the foundation for comprehending our world and our place within it.

In this provocative and newly expanded edition, Joachim Kahl challenges the very foundations of Christianity, arguing that the religion has failed to live up to the ideals of its founder. Kahl contends that the gospel of Christ, far from being a message of love and compassion, has instead been used to justify the persecution of Jews, the suppression of women and sexuality, and a cynical indifference to social reform.

Nothing is new or original in Christianity. That is the important thesis demonstrated in Christianity Before Christ. The least important features, as well as the most important components, were all well developed in cultures that flourished before the time that Christ is alleged to have walked the parched paths of Roman Palestine.

 In this personal, witty, and timely book, New York Times best-selling author Thomas Cathcart takes listeners on a journey into belief and unbelief and leads them through to the other side. Drawing from deep philosophical and theological wells, There Is No God and Mary Is His Mother demonstrates the meaningfulness of being a Christian in a secular age.

Humanism is "the radical idea that you can be good without a god". That's how Roy Speckhardt, the longtime executive director of the American Humanist Association, defines it. His new audiobook, Creating Change Through Humanism, lays out how and why people can lead moral and ethical lives without belief in a higher power. While surveys show that more and more Americans are giving up on religion, merely abandoning traditional religious faith is just one step on a path to a better way of thinking.

Positive humanism is an applied secular humanistic philosophy based on the scientific findings of positive psychology that focuses on personal, professional, and societal flourishing. As an applied philosophy its focus is on ideas that lead to increased well-being. As a secular humanistic philosophy, there are no appeals to the supernatural, the magical, or the mystical. The philosophy is founded on reason and critical thinking.

From Apostle to Apostate offers a comprehensive introduction to the Clergy Project, established in 2011 to provide a safe space where clergy who have lost their faith can connect with others facing the exact same questions - often alone and in isolation. Charting the origins, growth, and goals of the project, the book draws on the author's own experience as a founding project member and on interviews with its founders.

«Esta es la cuestión acerca de mis ideas y de quienes piensan como yo. Nuestra creencia no es una creencia. Nuestros principios no son una fe. No sostenemos nuestras convicciones dogmáticamente. Creemos firmemente que se puede vivir una vida ética sin religión. Y de hecho sabemos que el reverso es cierto: que la religión ha hecho que muchas personas no solo no se comporten mejor que otras, sino que consideren aceptable comportarse en modos que harían que el gerente de un burdel o un genocida torcieran el gesto».

A six-month debate at work with a religious fundamentalist led to years of research and contemplation resulting in the author's journey towards Atheism. The three great monotheisms are picked apart, exposing their shortfalls via their own texts, world history, philosophy, and thought-provoking hypotheticals. If your brilliant logical brain is ready to be freed, you have come to the right place. This book will help you quell the doubt and fear associated with leaving the credulous herd.

Drawing from years of experience as a priest and a teacher of philosophy, Fr. Younan presents the fallacies that often accompany thinking about a concept as difficult as God. With clarity and humor, he presents the "Five Ways" of Aquinas, discusses the big bang and evolution, the problem of evil, morality, and the complexities and abuses of religion.

From Orthodox Jewish child in postwar America to mild-mannered mathematician in academia to legendary atheist activist in the heart of today's Republican South, Herb Silverman has always been outside the mainstream of American culture, politics, and religion. From this unique vantage point, he writes about the most pressing issues of our day, including those related to war, peace, patriotism, race, gender, and church-state separation.

The stunning popularity of the “New Atheist” movement - whose most famous spokesmen include Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens - speaks to both the growing ranks of atheists and the widespread, vehement disdain for religion among many of them. In Faitheist, Chris Stedman tells his own story to challenge the orthodoxies of this movement and make a passionate argument that atheists should engage religious diversity respectfully.

Are we on the brink of sacrificing science and history on the altar of fundamentalist ideology? Navigating the chasm between unyielding faith and empirical science, this memoir reveals a deeply personal struggle with Young Earth Creationism and religious fundamentalism. Indoctrinated at age six into a fundamentalist sect, the author is confronted with the undeniable evidence of science while simultaneously being torn by his church's warnings of eternal damnation for simply acknowledging reality.

Throughout human history religions have been a staggeringly powerful force in the hearts and minds of their adherents and in society as a whole. They have moved men and women to inspiring acts of bravery and spurred the creation of some of the most sublime works of art, and arguably have been pivotal in the creation of stable societies and the social order we see today. At the same time, though, they have also been responsible for some of the most heinous atrocities ever committed.

Inside, you'll discover three controversial discussions: "Religion Is a Dangerous Addiction", "Is Religion a Genetic Flaw?", and "Coming Out of the Atheist Closet".

C.S. Lewis' apologetic classic The Screwtape Letters is full of keen wit and wise counsel—if one is a Christian believer. Such a reader will find much to ponder in its pages. But instead of a wily senior devil who offers advice to a mentee nephew on how to secure the damnation of humans, what if the letter writer were a clever angel who instructs his underling how to keep humans firmly fixed in their Christian faith?