Hello Everyone,
As someone who’s religious beliefs are on a shaky ground, what books on atheism can you recommend me to read?
I’m looking for something for beginners / down-to-earth.
You seem to think atheism is some alternative belief you need to study. it’s not, It’s just no longer believing in the idea of God and instead just focusing on living your life the best you can. Just ask questions, be curious and don’t take anything at face value.
The best thing about being free of religion, is being free of religion.
Go pick up a book on microprocessor architecture, that is neat stuff.
Hahahahaha what a great answer!
You’re absolutely right
This.
Unironically, read the Qur’an and the Bible (the novel), if you’re feeling adventurous educate yourself on Buddhism.
Atheism isn’t a religion, so there isn’t “must read books” nor mandatory workshops. Do what you please.
While others are right that there are no must-read books, deprogramming yourself from religion would be worth while, and reading atheist recommended books will help you do that.
- the demon haunted world
- the god delusion
- waking up: a guide to spirituality without religion
- letter to a Christian nation
**Ishmael by Daniel Quinn ** Not exactly about religion but a turning point for me.
Ishmael is a half ton silverback gorilla. He is a student of ecology, life, freedom, and the human condition. He is also a teacher. He teaches that which all humans need to learn — must learn — if our species, and the rest of life on Earth as we know it, is to survive.
The book opens with a deceptively ordinary personals ad: “Teacher seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world.” Seeking a direction for his life, a young man answers the ad and is startled to find that the teacher is a lowland gorilla named Ishmael, a creature uniquely placed to vision anew the human story.
yep. reading this had a profound effect on my worldview. I also find it’s fascinating to introduce it to other people and see how they react. I’ve seen the gamut, from people who thought it was interesting to people reacting almost violently to reject it’s premise. great book.
Lord of the rings is a great book series.
I’m very fond of scifi, the old man war series is a very fun and smooth series to read. I like to recommend it to ppl that want to read a longer, but easy to digest series.
If you like scifi in general, you can’t go wrong by picking any random nebula award winner. It’s what I’ve done these past few years. Can’t say I’ve regretted it this far.
You’ll have plenty time to read amazing books now that you don’t have to waste your time in church, reading the Bible and thinking about skydaddy. Welcome to freedom!
Just read r/atheism if you want to become the final atheist form!
atheism is anything goes - no manual required - The epitome of simplicity -
If you’re shopping for explanations/justification, you don’t truly believe atheism
Good luck figuring out how to survive this wack world…
Kant and other Philosophiphers of the enlightenment
I Sold My Soul On EBay - Hemant Mehta
Good humor, seems like a genuinely nice and smart Guy.
This book is essentially a parody of religious texts.
From what I hear, reading The Bible is a lot of people’s first steps towards atheism.
Reading bible, understanding what the real teachings of all religionse are at its core (be nice to each other, dont kill, help the poor, dont steal aso) and then have a look how many religiouse organisations work and how they go against their own core beliefs
🙋♀️ grew up with a religious mother, went to church every Sunday, did bible study and got baptized as a teenager. Then I went to college and continued reading the Bible on my own. Without anyone else shaping/interpreting what I read, I quickly disagreed with the text. It was interesting to see how much the church’s interpretation can differ from your own when reading the same text
Come to think of it, I wouldn’t really recommend any books on atheism. Atheism is not really its own thing, it’s just the result of not being persuaded by the claims of theism.
For me personally, I actually became an atheist via reading various religious texts, as well as various acclaimed spiritual novels. So sort of the opposite of what you’re asking for haha.
Recommendations based on science and humanism are okay, since that gives you a place to start looking through the secular stance on the mysteries religions claim to have all the answers for. But that also isn’t quite what you’re asking for. Many scientists and philosophers are religious themselves, after all.
Yet a third thing you aren’t asking for: I would check out Matt Dillahunty. He used to do a call-in show in Austin. Mostly just regular religious people calling in, going through their thought process on why they believed, then getting an atheist’s perspective in response. Looks like he’s still very active on youtube these days
I haven’t listened in years, and if I recall some of the most viewed clips were basically just angry arguments lol. But sitting and listening through full episodes is about as down-to-earth of atheist content as I can think of. Just addressing religious claims one at a time
The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan
