Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One Of America's Leading Atheists
by Dan Barker and Richard Dawkins
Bland beginning; captivating de-conversion story; then pages and pages of rebuttal of Christian beliefs, sometimes written in a sarcastic, belittling tone. Most people can't help getting a little silly when discussing the ludicrous and conflicting beliefs that Christians profess. But I expected more from someone who used to be there in the middle of it.
His descriptions of debates, done post-de-conversion, are great. I wanted more, but I guess it's hard to remember enough details of an oral debate to write a complete description--blow by blow, thrust and parry, audience laughs and disapproving silence. He related a few highlights, including how a man came up after a debate and said that Mr. Barker's arguments had resulted in strengthening his faith. Mr. Barker then says,
[I paraphrase] Then I have won the debate. Faith is what you need when you don't have certainty.
Another theme that runs throughout the book--
Basic atheism is not a belief. There is a difference between not believing there is a god and believing there is no god--one is the absence of belief and the other is the presence of belief.
I was sorry he didn't use my own personal answer to the question--I don't believe in gods, but I do know that mankind has a very good imagination. And an infinite capabilility to believe in things that aren't the slightest bit true. It's hard to believe that so many people have lived and died for a delusion that feeds on the weakness of man's spirit. But how many people have died because of the color of their skin? Because of the belief that Jews poisoned the wells and bred disease? Because they were accused of practicing witchcraft?
Stupid humans.
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