Showing titles in Atheism

Life is short, and it can be sweet. Contemplating death is looking into a mirror that allows us to see these simple facts clearly, as if for the first time. We have every reason to believe that we have but one life to live - and no good reasons to believe otherwise - and death marks the termination of each life. Examining this reality opens doors to understanding ourselves, each other, connection, love, and life itself in an entirely new way.

The Fall of Lucifer or the Origin of Evil by E.T. Smets is a poem which typifies perfectly the concept of religious and philosophical freedom and a verse to rival even the the darkest works by Edgar Allen Poe. Although because of the subject matter, it was very rarely recited in public during the latter part of the 19th century or first half of the 20th century. Instead it became classed as a work of demonology and neglected by the poet societies of the time.

Humanism is "the radical idea that you can be good without a god". That's how Roy Speckhardt, the longtime executive director of the American Humanist Association, defines it. His new audiobook, Creating Change Through Humanism, lays out how and why people can lead moral and ethical lives without belief in a higher power. While surveys show that more and more Americans are giving up on religion, merely abandoning traditional religious faith is just one step on a path to a better way of thinking.

Many Christians are fearful of engaging in conversation with atheists - believing that they will be hostile to Christian beliefs and conversations about the Bible. This short book is designed to help both Christians and whole churches understand more about the questions and issues that atheists of various kinds have about Christian faith, and to reach out to them with the good news of the Gospel.

Infinity and God have been close bedfellows over the recent millennia of human thought. But this is James A. Lindsay's point. These two ideas are thought, mere concepts. Lindsay shows in a concise and readable manner that infinity is an abstraction, and shows that, in all likelihood, so is God, particularly if he has infinite properties.

A Mexican immigrant and rising star within the Christian community abandons his faith and comes out as a gay atheist in this exceptionally moving and soul-searching memoir. Fernando Alcántar recounts his incredible journey from poor Catholic boy on the dusty streets of Mexico to globetrotting missionary and high-profile Christian leader in the United States - where he eventually left his celebrated life behind to advocate for the liberating power of reason and equality.

Atticus Blake is an unsuspecting young gay boy who, early on in life, was derailed from the true admission of who he was. Having the influences of obsessive-compulsive disorder, religion, confusion, love, and obsession, he hides who he is from everyone he loves. That is, until his doubts overcame his fear of learning and led him to reason, rationality, and, most of all, acceptance of his sexuality.

Auch wenn es uns nicht immer gleich auffällt: Unser Alltag ist durchdrungen von Religion. Vom Kirchengeläut bis zum Kopftuch der Kindergärtnerin, das Religiöse behelligt auch die, die nicht an Gott glauben. Dabei sind sich heute die meisten Deutschen einig: Religion ist vor allem Privatsache. Philipp Möller zeigt, wie man sich mit Religion kritisch auseinandersetzen kann, ohne dass es mit Islamophobie zu tun hat.

I "EFTERTRO" fortæller ni mennesker med en fortid i Jehovas Vidner, Mormonkirken, Scientology, Pinsekirken og islam om deres liv i troen og rejsen ud på den anden side. Deres personlige beretninger giver læseren et indblik i, hvad det vil sige at leve i troen, hvordan man mister den, og hvilke konsekvenser det kan have at forlade den. Ela fik banket koranvers ind i hovedet som barn. Simon frygtede dommedag, som kunne komme når som helst.

Women have made great strides toward equal rights over the past 100 years, especially in the West. But when considering the ongoing fight over reproductive rights and equal pay - and the prevalence of sexual violence and domestic abuse - it is clear that a significant gap still exists. With scripture often cited as justification for the marginalization of women, it is time to acknowledge that one of the final barriers to full equality for women is religion.

From Orthodox Jewish child in postwar America to mild-mannered mathematician in academia to legendary atheist activist in the heart of today's Republican South, Herb Silverman has always been outside the mainstream of American culture, politics, and religion. From this unique vantage point, he writes about the most pressing issues of our day, including those related to war, peace, patriotism, race, gender, and church-state separation.

Even for the most ardent skeptic, it's hard not to be curious about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Maybe you've seen the hit musical comedy The Book of Mormon. Maybe you've heard about Holocaust victims and deceased celebrities like Elvis being posthumously baptized in Mormon churches. Or maybe you've come across some other belief or facet of the Mormon faith and can't help but wonder whether the religion is actually as wild as it seems.

Watch any drug commercial, and watch as the actors and actresses distract your attention toward the end of the commercial as a voice elegantly lists the horrifying side effects. This can sum up the borrowed theme - a hidden world of lies with carefully placed distractions to divide your attention. In this book, we focus not on the pretty faces you're supposed to look at. We focus on that tiny text at the bottom of the screen. We lift the hood on the car and check the engine while the salesman is trying desperately to get you fixated on the shiny paint.

Just as intelligent design is not a legitimate branch of biology in public educational institutions, nor should the philosophy of religion be a legitimate branch of philosophy. So argues acclaimed author John W. Loftus in this forceful takedown of the very discipline in which he was trained. In his call for ending the philosophy of religion, he argues that, as it is presently being practiced, the main reason the discipline exists is to serve the faith claims of Christianity.

Atheists may be among the fastest growing "religious" demographics in the world, but they are also perhaps the most misunderstood. To begin, atheists have no identifying marks, no defining habits, no obvious symbols, for all that unites them, essentially, is an absence of belief. As a result, many religious believers may not even realize they know atheists, whether as neighbors, friends, or coworkers. In addition, most major religions warn against the faithless and preach distrust of nonbelievers.

A biographical exposé of the dark side of modern corporate religion, as told by a former Evangelical fundamentalist Christian minister turned gay activist. Says Tom, "How did I ever fall for it? When I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart as my personal Lord and savior, I went all in. Years later I had to struggle to find a way to get out of both the ministry and the closet as well. I was a gay man trapped in the ranks of the Fightin' Fundies - constantly mentally recording their every word."

Atheism Explained explores the claims made both for and against the existence of God. On the pro side: that the wonders of the world can only be explained by an intelligent creator; that the universe had to start somewhere; telepathy, out-of-body experiences, and other paranormal phenomena demonstrate the existence of a spirit world; and that those who experience God directly provide evidence as real as any physical finding.

From Apostle to Apostate offers a comprehensive introduction to the Clergy Project, established in 2011 to provide a safe space where clergy who have lost their faith can connect with others facing the exact same questions - often alone and in isolation. Charting the origins, growth, and goals of the project, the book draws on the author's own experience as a founding project member and on interviews with its founders.

A Skeptic Challenges a Christian is a fictional conversation between a rigorous skeptic and a Christian. The skeptic raises numerous, demanding challenges, including, "How do you know God exists? Hasn't science disproven God and religion? Isn't the resurrection just a legend? Why would a good God allow suffering and evil?" This book is designed for the layperson. It covers a wide range of commonly asked questions posed to those who believe in God. This book is perfect for individuals and small groups.

Do you want the greatest political and societal challenges of the day to be addressed with thoughtful, reality-based solutions rather than with cherry-picked quotations from scripture? Do you want to shrink religion - especially fundamentalist religion - to the point that it plays no noticeable role in public life? Do you want right-wing religious leaders to be so unpopular that politicians avoid them rather than pander to them for endorsements? This book illustrates specific, actionable steps for facilitating fundamentalist religion's decline.