16.8.12

Daylight Atheism (9781478222675): Adam Lee: Books

Amazon.com: Daylight Atheism (9781478222675): Adam Lee: Books

Book Description

Publication Date: August 9, 2012

"Adam Lee's writing has made him one of the most widely-read atheist bloggers - and rightfully so. This effort should secure him a place amongst atheism's most informative and relatable authors." --J.T. Eberhard, blogger at Freethought Blogs, campus organizing coordinator for the Secular Student Alliance To a believer, atheism can seem dark, cold, and frightening. Adam Lee opens the shutters and lets the sunlight in. Daylight Atheism speaks clearly and passionately of the joy of living a reality-based existence guided by respect for each human person. Highly recommended. --Mary Johnson, author of An Unquenchable Thirst: A Memoir Daylight Atheism sums up the freethinking beliefs held by Adam Lee, known for his popular blog of the same name. Says Adam Lee: "Even without gods, existence is overflowing with possibility. This life offers so much transcendent beauty, so many deep and beckoning mysteries, and so many opportunities for happiness that there's no reason to ever be a nihilist. . . atheism is nothing less than a resounding affirmation of this life."

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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for believers who struggle with doubt. June 30, 2012

By Jack Wathey

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Daylight Atheism shines the bright, disinfecting sunlight of reason onto dark and moldy religious stereotypes about atheists and atheism. It's a pleasure to read Lee's fluid prose as he methodically tears down centuries-old castles of religious obfuscation. But Daylight Atheism is not just another rant about how much religion sucks and why it is mistaken. It is mainly a passionately argued case for atheism -- broadly defined as encompassing a skeptical, empirical and humanist worldview -- as a positive and uplifting way of life. For me this aspect of the book reaches its zenith in chapter 9, Stardust, which is nearly poetical. Another personal favorite for me is chapter 3, All Possible Worlds, which is possibly the most lucid discussion of the Problem of Evil I have ever read. Chapters 2 and 8 attack from opposite directions that most vicious of stereotypes about atheists: that they can have no morality.

Although atheists will love this book, it's clear from the final chapter, Into the Clear Air, that Lee is really trying to reach believers who struggle with doubt. If you are one of those folks, this book will show you an alternative based in reality. You owe it to yourself to read this book.

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful read July 1, 2012

By Prof.V.N.K.Kumar

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Many times you read a book of 300 pages and end up with a feeling that the author could have said what he said in less than 30 pages. But Adam's book is not like that. It has the length which it needs. The logic of his arguments is simply superb. He tries to cogently carry the readers with him and never tries to flaunt his erudition on them.

I am an Ex-Management consultant from India, am running 75 and for the past 60 years I am an atheist. Reading this book reinforced some of my earlier convictions and also has given me enough reasons to be proud of my non-theistic leaning.

While all the ten chapters are written beautifully, My favorites were ch.1 on 'Fossil Fuels', ch.5 on 'The cosmic shell Game', Ch.6 on 'Life w/o superstition', & ch.9 on 'Stardust'. I am expecting a sequel to this from this author.

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars As clear a description of the Atheist/Humanist position as you'll find anywhere July 2, 2012

By Andrew Reid

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an excellent collection of writing on various topics in atheism and religion: How to construct a coherent secular morality, why atheism needn't be nihilistic, why the problem of evil and divine hiddenness make the existence of God unlikely, the dubious morality of the Bible and the dangers of theocracy.

This book appears to be based on many of the online essays previously published on the author's Ebon Musings pages, though obviously expanded for this edition.

I've always admired the clarity of Adam's writing on these topics. He shares Sam Harris' knack for making points effectively without descending into the rabbit-hole of too much philosophical terminology.

To the theist considering reading this book I would offer the following advice: Adam's tone can be quite angry and, while I believe he is justified, I can also appreciate that this might make it more of a struggle to get through the early chapters. Try not to take this personally as there are important points to be made and they are being made here as well as anywhere. Perhaps start with the last Chapter and then go back and read the rest.

Knocking off a star for some technical issues: Though the book has a table of contents, the Kindle doesn't recognise it as such. Also, the footnotes are not hyperlinks, which is very annoying.

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Reasons To Believe : About : Mission & Beliefs

Our Mission: Engage & Equip

RTB's mission is to spread the Christian Gospel by demonstrating that sound reason and scientific research—including the very latest discoveries—consistently support, rather than erode, confidence in the truth of the Bible and faith in the personal, transcendent God revealed in both Scripture and nature.

Reasons To Believe spokespersons do not attack ideas but rather aim to present research and start a conversation—because people deserve respect and a safe forum for discussing their views.

Scripture

We believe the Bible (the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments) is the Word of God, written. As a "God-breathed" revelation, it is thus verbally inspired and completely without error (historically, scientifically, morally, and spiritually) in its original writings. While God the Holy Spirit supernaturally superintended the writing of the Bible, that writing nevertheless reflects the words and literary styles of its individual human authors. Scripture reveals the being, nature, and character of God, the nature of God's creation, and especially His will for the salvation of human beings through Jesus Christ. The Bible is therefore our supreme and final authority in all matters that it addresses.

Creation

We believe that the physical universe, the realm of nature, is the visible creation of God. It declares God's existence and gives a trustworthy revelation of God's character and purpose. In Scripture, God declares that through His creation all humanity recognizes His existence, power, glory, and wisdom. An honest study of nature - its physical, biological, and social aspects - can prove useful in a person's search for truth. Properly understood, God's Word (Scripture) and God's world (nature), as two revelations (one verbal, one physical) from the same God, will never contradict each other.

God

We believe in one infinitely perfect, eternal and personal God, the transcendent Creator and sovereign Sustainer of the universe. This one God is Triune, existing eternally and simultaneously as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three persons in the Godhead share equally and completely the one divine nature, and are therefore the same God, coequal in power, nature, and glory.

Person of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is both true God (the second Person of the Trinity) and true man (the Incarnate Son of God). We also believe in the great events surrounding Jesus Christ's life and ministry, including: His eternal preexistence, His virgin birth, His attesting miracles, His sinless life, His sacrificial death on the cross, His glorious bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and His present work in heaven as High Priest and Advocate. He will return in glory to resurrect and judge all mankind.

Person of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is indeed a Divine Person, coequal with the Father and the Son. We also believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in salvation, a ministry which includes anointing and glorifying Christ, convicting men of their sin, bringing about the regeneration of lost sinners, and indwelling believers and empowering them for godly living and spiritual service.

Mankind

We believe God created mankind in His image and likeness (having rational, moral, relational, and spiritual capacities) to fellowship with Him and give Him glory. Human beings are therefore the crown of God's creation (possessing inherent dignity and moral worth), and thus distinct in kind from all other life on earth. Adam and Eve, the first human beings, chose to rebel against God and go their own autonomous way. As a result, all of mankind became separated from God, the image of God in man distorted, and the sinful nature passed on to all their progeny. Because of original sin (which includes both corruption and guilt), unregenerate human beings are incapable of pleasing or commending themselves to God. The only remedy for mankind's pitiful predicament is redemption through faith in Jesus Christ.

Redemption

We believe God has acted sovereignly to bridge the gap that separates people from Himself. He sent His Son, born of a virgin, attested by miracles and by a sinless life, to bear the full penalty for humanity's sin. Jesus Christ suffered and died in the place of sinners, thus satisfying the Father's just wrath against human sin, and effecting true reconciliation between God and mankind for those who believe. In the atoning death of Christ, both God's love and God's justice are fully manifested. The righteousness of Jesus Christ in perfectly fulfilling the law of God has been graciously credited to all believers. Redemption is solely a work of God's grace, received exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ, and never by works of human merit.

Justification

We believe justification is a judicial act of God's grace wherein He acquits a person of all sin and accepts that person as righteous in His sight because of the imputed righteousness of Christ. Justification is strictly a work of God's grace, apprehended through faith alone, and solely on the account of Christ.

Resurrection

We believe Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead, conquering sin, death, and all the powers of Satan. The resurrection is God's historical affirmation and vindication of Jesus Christ's unique identity, mission, and message. Historical evidence of the resurrection is manifest in Christ's empty tomb, His many resurrection appearances, and in the emergence of the Christian church. Jesus Christ now resides at the right hand of the Father, and lives to indwell all who recognize their sinfulness, who repent, and who turn their lives over to His authority.

The Church

We believe the church is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ (its Founder, Head, and Shepherd) and that it encompasses all true believers at all times and places. The function of the church is to carry out the Lord's expressed will through the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the central purposes of the church is to preach the Gospel (in both word and life), the good news that humankind can find salvation from sin through faith in Jesus Christ. All people who have placed their faith (confident trust) in Jesus Christ for salvation belong to the church and are, thus, the people of God. This community of believers is made up of people who are neither perfect nor sinless, but by grace their lives are coming more and more under the control of the Holy Spirit, expressing His love, joy, peace, and other Christ-like qualities.

Future Things

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth, personally, bodily, and visibly to establish his glorious reign in a kingdom that will never end. As the sovereign Lord, He will resurrect and judge all humanity. Those who have received His offer of life through the Gospel will go to eternal blessings in heaven; those who have rejected it, to eternal conscious torment in hell. We look forward to the blessed hope, Christ's Second Coming in glory.

The Great Commission

We believe Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. And since Christ has commissioned His people, the church, to go into all the world to disciple, to baptize, and to teach everyone everywhere to obey His Word, we desire, by His grace, to play our part in reaching the world with the Gospel of Christ.

7.8.12

Mark Twain - on Religion (Wikipedia)

Mark Twain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mark Twain
Mark Twain, detail of photo by Mathew Brady, February 7, 1871
Born	Samuel Langhorne Clemens November 30, 1835 Florida, Missouri, U.S.
Died	April 21, 1910 (aged 74) Redding, Connecticut, U.S.
Pen name	Mark Twain
Occupation	Writer, lecturer
Nationality	American
Genres	Fiction, historical fiction, children's literature, non-fiction, travel literature, satire, essay, philosophical literature, social commentary, literary criticism
Notable work(s)	Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Spouse(s)	Olivia Langdon Clemens (m. 1870 – 1904)
Children	Langdon, Susy, Clara, Jean

Signature

Religion

Although Twain was a Presbyterian, he was sometimes critical of organized religion and certain elements of Christianity through his later life. He wrote, for example, "Faith is believing what you know ain't so," and "If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be – a Christian."^[87] Nonetheless, as a mature adult he engaged in religious discussions and attended services, his theology developing as he wrestled with the deaths of loved ones and his own mortality.^[88] His own experiences and suffering of his family made him particularly critical of "faith healing," such as espoused by Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. His more inflammatory works on religion require a nuanced understanding of his theological arguments and criticism.^[88]

Twain generally avoided publishing his most heretical opinions on religion in his lifetime, and they are known from essays and stories that were published later. In the essay Three Statements of the Eighties in the 1880s, Twain stated that he believed in an almighty God, but not in any messages, revelations, holy scriptures such as the Bible, Providence, or retribution in the afterlife. He did state that "the goodness, the justice, and the mercy of God are manifested in His works," but also that "the universe is governed by strict and immutable laws," which determine "small matters," such as who dies in a pestilence.^[89] At other times he wrote or spoke in ways that contradicted a strict deist view, for example, plainly professing a belief in Providence.^[90] In some later writings in the 1890s, he was less optimistic about the goodness of God, observing that "if our Maker is all-powerful for good or evil, He is not in His right mind." At other times, he conjectured sardonically that perhaps God had created the world with all its tortures for some purpose of His own, but was otherwise indifferent to humanity, which was too petty and insignificant to deserve His attention anyway.^[91]

Main article: Twain-Ament Indemnities Controversy

In 1901 Twain criticized the actions of missionary Dr. William Scott Ament (1851–1909) because Ament and other missionaries had collected indemnities from Chinese subjects in the aftermath of the Boxer Uprising of 1900. Twain's response to hearing of Ament's methods was published in the North American Review in February 1901: To the Person Sitting in Darkness, and deals with examples of imperialism in China, South Africa, and with the U.S. occupation of the Philippines.^[92] A subsequent article, "To My Missionary Critics" published in The North American Review in April 1901, unapologetically continues his attack, but with the focus shifted from Ament to his missionary superiors, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.^[93]

After his death, Twain's family suppressed some of his work that was especially irreverent toward conventional religion, notably Letters from the Earth, which was not published until his daughter Clara reversed her position in 1962 in response to Soviet propaganda about the withholding.^[94] The anti-religious The Mysterious Stranger was published in 1916. Little Bessie, a story ridiculing Christianity, was first published in the 1972 collection Mark Twain's Fables of Man.^[95]

Despite these views, he raised money to build a Presbyterian Church in Nevada in 1864, although it has been argued that it was only by his association with his Presbyterian brother that he did that.^[96]

Twain created a reverent portrayal of Joan of Arc, a subject over which he had obsessed for forty years, studied for a dozen years and spent two years writing.^[97] In 1900 and again in 1908, he stated, "I like Joan of Arc best of all my books, it is the best." ^[97]^[98]

Those who knew Twain well late in life recount that he dwelt on the subject of the afterlife, his daughter Clara saying: "Sometimes he believed death ended everything, but most of the time he felt sure of a life beyond."^[99]

Mark Twain's frankest views on religion appeared in his final Autobiography, which was published 100 years after his death, in November 2010. In it, he said,^[100]

There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money-grabbing, and predatory as it is--in our country particularly and in all other Christian countries in a somewhat modified degree--it is still a hundred times better than the Christianity of the Bible, with its prodigious crime--the invention of Hell. Measured by our Christianity of to-day, bad as it is, hypocritical as it is, empty and hollow as it is, neither the Deity nor his Son is a Christian, nor qualified for that moderately high place. Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled.

Twain was a Freemason.^[101]^[102] He belonged to Polar Star Lodge No. 79 A.F.&A.M., based in St. Louis. He was initiated an Entered Apprentice on May 22, 1861, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft on June 12, and raised to the degree of Master Mason on July 10.

British banker becomes expat witch doctor | Which Offshore

British banker becomes expat witch doctor

A successful British banking consultant has traded in his life in the UK for that of an expat role in South Africa- as a witch doctor.

Berkshire born Thomas Heathfield, 32, left the UK months ago to complete an arduous initiation process in the South African wilderness. After partaking in the three month training, last week he finally completed the course and was sworn in as a “sangoma.”
The final act of his training involved a tribal dance and the vomiting up of goat’s blood. Upon completion he was given a new name, Gogo Mndawe.

He first became interested in the ‘sangoma’ a few years ago, and after a lot of research he decided to give up his banking consultancy job and ventured to South Africa. Speaking to The Telegraph, Heathfield, or Gogo Mndawe, described why he made his decision: “It's not something you just decide to do – it chooses you rather than the other way round and it's such a massive process that you don't enter into it lightly. Some people might see this as a weird decision because I had a successful job in the UK and quite a nice life.”

However, such a drastic upheaval will undoubtedly create certain holes in one’s life, and Gogo conceded that he will “really miss Starbucks coffee.”

Religion and poverty

Feb 4, 2012

There’s no secret that religion is positively correlated to poverty. And here’s an interesting graph
via Ritholtz

More on same topic via Gallup: Religiosity Highest in World’s Poorest Nations

August 31, 2010

Religiosity Highest in World's Poorest Nations

United States is among the rich countries that buck the trend

by Steve Crabtree

1 2>

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gallup surveys in 114 countries in 2009 show that religion continues to play an important role in many people's lives worldwide. The global median proportion of adults who say religion is an important part of their daily lives is 84%, unchanged from what Gallup has found in other years. In 10 countries and areas, at least 98% say religion is important in their daily lives.

Each of the most religious countries is relatively poor, with a per-capita GDP below $5,000. This reflects the strong relationship between a country's socioeconomic status and the religiosity of its residents. In the world's poorest countries -- those with average per-capita incomes of $2,000 or lower -- the median proportion who say religion is important in their daily lives is 95%. In contrast, the median for the richest countries -- those with average per-capita incomes higher than $25,000 -- is 47%.

The United States is one of the rich countries that bucks the trend. About two-thirds of Americans -- 65% -- say religion is important in their daily lives. Among high-income countries, only Italians, Greeks, Singaporeans, and residents of the oil-rich Persian Gulf states are more likely to say religion is important.

Most high-income countries are further down the religiosity spectrum. In 10 countries, no more than 34% of residents say religion is an important part of their daily lives. Six of those are developed countries in Europe and Asia with per-capita incomes greater than $25,000.
In three of the four lower income countries on the list -- Estonia, Russia, and Belarus -- the Soviet government restricted religious expression for decades until the U.S.S.R.'s collapse in 1991. The final country is Vietnam, where the government also has a history of limiting religious practice.

Implications

Social scientists have put forth numerous possible explanations for the relationship between the religiosity of a population and its average income level. One theory is that religion plays a more functional role in the world's poorest countries, helping many residents cope with a daily struggle to provide for themselves and their families. A previous Gallup analysis supports this idea, revealing that the relationship between religiosity and emotional wellbeing is stronger among poor countries than among those in the developed world.

Visit Real Clear World's Top 5s feature to learn more about the countries with the highest religiosity.

For complete data sets or custom research from the more than 150 countries Gallup continually surveys, please contact SocialandEconomicAnalysis@gallup.com or call 202.715.3030.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone and face-to-face interviews conducted in 2009 with approximately 1,000 adults in each country. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error ranges from ±5.3 percentage points in Lithuania to ±2.6 percentage points in India. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

30.7.12

RD Extra: Polyatheism – Modern Lessons From Ancient Myths | Reasonable Doubts

RD Extra: Polyatheism – Modern Lessons From Ancient Myths

July 20, 2012 at 6:53 pm

reasonabledoubts

This RD Extra features a lecture by David Fletcher, delivered to CFI Michigan on July 11th 2012

Lecture Description:
There are many lessons we can learn from the myths of ancient and modern cultures, ranging from the profound to the absurd. In this presentation we will explore the mythologies of various cultures around the world and get to know some of the many gods and goddesses worth not believing in.

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25.7.12

War in the name of atheism - The Oatmeal

Comics: Random Most Popular All Cats Grammar Food Animals Tech

*Note from the author:*
I wrote this as a retort to the feedback I received about yesterday's comic, but also because I wanted an excuse to draw the Nazis going to war in the name of math and facial hair.

*Another note from the author:*
Hitler's religion is apparently something that's still under debate, although evidence suggests that he was most likely all aboard the Jesus train. Regardless of Hitler's religion, the point of this comic still rings true: wars aren't fought in the name of atheism, mustaches, or math.
THAT WOULD BE IRRATIONAL! *ba-dum-kshh*