Outgrowing God
A Beginner’s Guide
-
-
4.4 • 14 Ratings
-
-
- $16.99
Publisher Description
Should we believe in God? In this new book, written for a new generation, the brilliant science writer and author of The God Delusion, explains why we shouldn't.
Should we believe in God? Do we need God in order to explain the existence of the universe? Do we need God in order to be good? In twelve chapters that address some of the most profound questions human beings confront, Dawkins marshals science, philosophy and comparative religion to interrogate the hypocrisies of all the religious systems and explain to readers of all ages how life emerged without a Creator, how evolution works and how our world came into being.
For anyone hoping to grapple with the meaning of life and what to believe, Outgrowing God is a challenging, thrilling and revelatory read.
--------------------------------
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Dawkins (The God Delusion) purports to guide his readers through letting go of belief in God in this underwhelming repackaging of ideas from his previous works. For the first half of the book, Dawkins argues that the Bible is a faulty foundation for belief that lacks any basis in historical reality and advances a cruel, inconsistent set of values. He then proceeds with a thorough explanation of evolution and critique of intelligent design. As this progression makes clear, the book primarily concerns itself with Bible-based Protestantism. Dawkins avoids seriously considering non-Western religions, Judaism, Islam, and Roman Catholicism; they appear when they bolster his claims, and are curiously absent when they might undermine them (for instance, he frames religious opposition to abortion as a conflict between "absolutists and consequentialists" without mentioning religions that don't fit his paradigm, such as Judaism). Dawkins's glib analysis is paralleled by his slipshod engagement with the ideas and methods of the humanities. Historical evidence from the times of the Bible's creation, for instance, is deemed wholly unreliable unless it undermines biblical narratives. By starting with the assumption that religious belief is too ridiculous for serious and sustained engagement, Dawkins is preaching to the converted. Readers interested in the rationale for atheism will be disappointed in this underdeveloped argument that never takes spiritual belief seriously.
Customer Reviews
Life changing
Provides confidence and courage for those who seek an evidence based view of the world
Missed oportunity
Dawkins is a very intelligent man who knows how to make a strong argument. Unfortunately those looking to reap from his intellect will be sorely disappointed here.
This book is really just a list of what I would call ‘what-about-ism’. What about the fact we don’t know the origin of the genesis story? What about the fact that the gospels were written well after Jesus lived? What about you ignore that while I say Jesus probably didn’t live anyway? This is all in the first few chapters alone.
Any of these could be the foundations of serious arguments which I’m sure could be strongly made. Unfortunately his glib condescension of Christianity is the focus, with other religions frequently mentioned usually only in reference to how ridiculous he purports Christianity to be. Whatever bitter experience he had as a child in the Anglican Church seems to be coming through, as to me he seems personally slighted by the faith as a whole.
To outgrow God implies that you currently believe in him. Yet apparently because half of Americans are christians their scientific achievements have been crippled vs the intelligent evolved scientific people. I find it hard to believe that the country that first put humans on the moon, developed the internet and created the first mass produced car had no christians working on any of these endeavours? I doubt anybody will be converted to atheism here from any religion given Dawkin’s contempt for their tiny intellect.
It would take a leap of faith to base a personal conversion to atheism on this work. There is a great deal of material argument which strongly supports the conclusion Dawkins would wish you to have and disown religion forever. It’s a shame that he didn’t put any of it in his book.