An Answer to the Eternal Question
NEIRAD enilno edition
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Richard Dawkins gives the other side of religion in the compelling pro-atheism international best seller The God Delusion. The preeminent scientist and outspoken atheist delivers a clear and intelligently written argument against organized religion. It may not be “religious” in the conventional sense of the word, but it’s still hilarious. The God Delusion outlines all of the popular arguments against the existence of God along with a few fun and fresh ones.
Dawkins is also known for his previous works, The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker. Throughout this latest novel, Dawkins moves into new territory by delving into controversial subject matter such as natural selection and the roots of Christianity. He relates these aspects to the history of the church and through many sources of theologians arguing against the existence of God.
Of course, the topic of atheism is highly controversial to begin with in today’s society and Dawkins tries to show the brighter side of a belief, or lack thereof, that can be darkly cast in Christian dominated England and the United States. He relates his ideas in four "consciousness-raising" ideas.
- Atheists can be happy, balanced, moral, and intellectually fulfilled.
- Natural selection and similar scientific theories are superior to a “God hypothesis” — the illusion of intelligent design— in explaining the living world and the cosmos.
- Children should not be labeled by their parents’ religion. Terms like “Catholic child” or “Muslim child” should make people flinch.
- Atheists should be proud, not apologetic, because atheism is evidence of a healthy, independent mind.
Having said that, to be honest, I thought The God Delusion was extremely boring at times. It was written in a dry English tone that was funny at first but got old after the first 100 pages or so. The book reads very slowly with all of the complex language included and all of the complex scientific theories involved such as natural selection vs. a designer or Dawkins’ four “consciousness-raising messages”. The God Delusion is quite the jump from our childhood favorite Louis Sachar’s Holes. It all makes sense and in no way am I insulting the writing of Mr. Dawkins but it is not a very friendly book to a teenager with terrible ADD. Despite these faults the book is still highly interesting because of how intelligently written it is and how unique it is in comparison to the usual type of book I open.
In the end, I highly recommend The God Delusion for anyone wanting to find their stance on atheism and one of its biggest supporters. Dawkins argues his points in an organized fashion that puts logic before getting too heated. The intelligent humor that is woven into the book is very relieving. The book is also great for quoting and for looking like a complete smart-ass; it’s definitely a great buy for the ego.
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