 |
GetTextbooks.co.uk
Compare Prices & Save up to 90% |
|
|
|
| Login | Sign up | Settings | My Wish List |
 | | 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God by Guy P. Harrison ISBN-10: 9781591025672 ISBN-10: 1-59102-567-2 ISBN-13: 9781591025672 ISBN-13: 978-1-59102-567-2 Paperback 2008-06-05 Prometheus Books Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description Many books that challenge religious belief from a skeptical point of view take a combative tone that is almost guaranteed to alienate believers, or they present complex philosophical or scientific arguments that fail to reach the average reader. Guy P. Harrison argues that this is an ineffective way of trying to encourage people to develop critical thinking about religion. In this unique approach, Harrison concisely presents fifty commonly heard reasons that people often give for believing in a god. Then he raises legitimate questions regarding these reasons, showing in each case that there is much room for doubt. From religion as the foundation of morality to the authority of sacred books, the compelling religious testimony of influential people, near-death experiences, theories from intelligent design, and much more, Harrison respectfully describes each rationale for belief and then politely shows the deficiencies that any good skeptic would point out. He also offers something in return--a hopeful and optimistic view of science, the universe, and humanity without the divisiveness, prejudice, and hatred caused by conflicting religious doctrines. Drawing on his experiences as a nonbeliever and his extensive travels around the world, Harrison makes poignant arguments that are sure to inspire thought-provoking discussions. Whether you're a believer, a complete skeptic, or somewhere in between, you'll find his review of traditional and more recent arguments for the existence of gods refreshing, approachable, and enlightening. | ||
Reviews | ||
50 silly reasons This book adds to our increasing our lack of belief to believers. It is excellent as a beginning book. One shoud read it with Peter A.Angeles "The Problem of God: a Short Introduction" from the same great publisher,who has more atheist books. It is an easy read and answers those fifty notions well. May the writer write more such books! | ||
Just another Atheist I bought "50 reasons people give for believing in a god," by Guy Harrison, hoping that the author would honestly treat those reasons with respect. No such luck. Mr. Harrison is just another atheist. I do give the book two stars for half-way decent writing. However, I was disappointed by the book. Perhaps I am prejudiced. I am a retired scientist who did more than 35 years of scientific research. However, I also believe, very strongly, in God. Also, I met hundreds of other scientists during my career and the vast majority also believed strongly in God. So, perhaps the atheists miss something when they claim that belief in a god is due to some sort of irrationality. Actually, Mr. Harrison is as prejudiced as am I. He seems to believe that religions are the ultimate source of most hate and killing from the start of the human race. I tend to believe the folks like Hitler who said that (roughly rendered) his people needed more space to live better lives. I doubt if atheists can take any special credit for peacefulness as I remember the atheist, Stalin, who was responsible for millions of deaths of the citizens of the USSR, because they resisted his orders. Also, Mao (arguably) may have responsibility for the deaths of more than 50 million Chinese in the name of atheistic communism. In fact, it does appear as if the current crop of atheistic Chinese Commissars is still killing those who wish to worship their god(s). Do you remember Pol Pot, issuing orders to kill his fellow Cambodians because they refused to believe in atheistic communism? The author claims his book is respectful of the people who shared their beliefs. I did not find this to be true. Mr. Harrison uses the different views of different religions to say that none of them can possibly be true because they disprove each other. However, a respectful reading of the various scriptures shows a remarkable agreement on some ideas and a reinforcement of the notion that there is a god (or many gods). I found Mr. Harrison to be quite dishonest in his approach. I think he disrespects the beliefs of the good people who were so patient with him. Mr. Harrison also fails to point out that many, repeat many, atheists choose to return to a belief in a god, later in life. So, perhaps there is more sublety and sophistication in theisic belief than in atheism. However, I don't wish to do any direct arguing here. I will close only by pointing out that there are written works by several well-known scientists, declaring their own beliefs about God and that they make much better reading. | ||
Great book for those who care about the 'God issue' It took me a little less than a day and a half to read this book. It was a fabulous read, and after reading all of the "New Atheists" books, I found this one to be a breath of fresh air. In a professional, well-written, and easy to understand manner, Harrison offers up all of the arguments for belief, looking at them without bias, and is able to still show that there is not enough empirical evidence for belief in God. It truly is great to see a writer who has the ability to debunk faith claims without offensive or controversial language, and I hope that many more writers read this book. It will open your mind in truly magnificent ways. | ||
Fifty ways to leave your savior? In 2007 I left evangelical Christianity after twenty-four years of deep involvement. Early that year I'd read a number of the "new atheist" books on the market with the intent of challenging and strengthening my walk with God. Instead, I ended up realizing I was on the wrong track, that what I'd heard and saw in church all those years didn't gel with my experiences away from the pulpit. Many of the reasons why I parted from my faith are in this excellent and necessary book. "50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God" is exactly that. Each chapter's title is a common statement made by a religious person to justify his or her belief, such as "I want eternal life," "some very smart people believe in God," and "atheism is a negative and empty philosophy." The author responds to these and forty-seven other faith-based pronouncements in a reasonable, logical, and easy-to-read manner. The chapters are fairly short, so you won't be overwhelmed by minutiae, and they end with a bibliography and recommended reading list that enables further topical exploration. Many folks are turned off by the polemic tone displayed by atheist authors such as Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris. I think that their books should be read by everyone, but they are probably too harsh for most people of faith to start with. Guy Harrison rebuts religion and makes his case for atheism in a much more gentle and respectful fashion. Yes, one can tell that Mr. Harrison prefers rationality over faith, and sometimes his frustration with the latter shows. But on the whole his attitude is much easier to swallow than the aforementioned trio, so believers or people on the fence should feel more comfortable exploring atheist thought with this book. If you've put off reading the "new atheist" books because you didn't want to feel patronized or insulted, then I recommend checking out "50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God." You'll find much food for thought within its pages, and be better prepared to tackle the harder atheist tomes if you so desire. Even so, the material here may still be a bitter pill to swallow, and it may lead you down some difficult trails. But it's a necessary dosage for anyone seeking to understand the fundamentals of atheism or evaluate their current belief system. | ||
An amicable, common sense discussion Harrison, trained as an historian and a cultural anthropologist, discusses and gently rebuts the top 50 reasons that people have personally explained to him as to why they believe in their god. These reasons, like Harrison's extensive traveling, cut across geographical distances, as well as educational and cultural differences; dropping the obscure language, symbolism, and definitions of god that theologians often use to support their obtuse arguments in favor of common conceptions of god and universal reasons for belief. Some of these reasons include: "I want eternal life", "I don't want to go to hell", "My god answers prayers", "Evolution is bad", "My religion is so old, it must be true" and "Faith is a good thing". While these are not necessarily intellectual or academic reasons, they do speak for the majority of believers including our parents and grandparents, our friends, and our co-workers, neighbors, barbers, and doctors. Harrison frames his arguments in amicable, conversational language far removed from that of the latest Dawkins or Hitchens best-seller, and he approaches each chapter with an understanding and honesty that would make this book more readily acceptable to believers than most other religiously skeptical books I have read. For the non-believer Harrison's book provides dozens of compact, easily understandable and usable arguments, most often in the form of light-hearted examples and anecdotes, to use should you ever be presented with any of these reasons in a discussion or debate. In what I've read thus far I've already found his chapters on evolution and creation, "Evolution is bad" and "My god created the universe", to be incredibly useful. Harrison places brainy topics like the big bang into an easily explainable framework, admitting the gaps and the apparent fantasy inherent in the idea but explaining that "There is something very different about the big bang (that differentiates it from other creation myths). This story, unlike all the others, comes from science and that means it must be supported by evidence." It is a simple concept to communicate to those who dismiss the scientific explanation as an "atheist creation story". The hard science can come later, but communicating the very basic framework of science, what science truly is, is the key to bringing a person to an understanding of the rational mindset. I would recommend this book both for believers and ardent non-belivers alike, as it offers much to be learned for either position! | ||