The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (2006, Hardcover)

Great book. Dawkins uses persuasive arguments and logic to make his points. Interesting to read and well-written. Recommend to anyone.

This book peocws to be very thought provoking and informative. It presented a different aspect of Christian, and any other, religion and opened my eyes to "another angle" of God and current religious thinking. Rather than accept what is told to all of us by our ministers and priests, this gives one a chance to think for oneself regarding God and the universe. It comes at you like a breath of fresh air.

Finally someone who puts into words the line of thought I have slowly acquired after looking at the damage done by so called "fundamentalists" like
George W.Bush and the religious organizations who voted for him.
My line of thought has been for years that if there was a God who created the earth and everything on it; why did He create so many animals that live only by killing other animals. Why not create peaceful plant eaters from the smallest creature in the oceans to the largest predators.
All could have been, God willing, peaceful plant eaters living side by side in paradise. I could also never understand how all human beings stem from Adam and Eve; in other words God allowed incest how else could we have multiplied.
All religions claim to be the One religion to be the true one; how can that be ?
Why would we think that only Christians know the true God ?
Sadly this whole story we know as the old testament is nothing but the phantasies of old men with long beards and the new testament is wishful thinking of a better world through a higher Being.
People are so blinded by their religion that they cannot see the wonders of nature striving to built a better world and having succeeded beyond all measure.
I stand in awe in front of a sequoia tree in sequoia park and look at an example of nature at its best. Older than any church built without the help of any human being. Many times over a period of two thousand years have flames consumed all surrounding vegetation but the sequoia is protected by its bark that will not burn.
I pity those readers who see the work of "Satan" in Dawkins writing and Just smile at the naive person who offers a prayer to something that does not exist.
I pity them those who shrink away in horror from the thought that there is no higher Being. nature is my "Church" and I am crateful that nature has created me and given me a brain to think. What a waste to use this marvel that took nature millions of years to perfect on delusions of a God.

Came within two weeks, very clean copy as new and similar to sellers described. very happy with deal

Written in a pure and simple manner, providing an item by item arguement and and point of view that only those who refuse to listen to logic will turn away from. He will, by the way, delightfully explain how and why the closed minded almost cannot help but act so.

While educational it is not a text book and is thankfully void of graphs, charts, and professorial jargon. An exceptional work that is actually a book you will enjoy reading.

Awesome book. More people, to me, need to read books like these. They make sense. This book puts the illogical into logical and makes sense of religion, faith, hope, etc.. Many people wonder why and why and why some more. I think more people need to wonder how. This book definately makes you see a different light. I would highly recommend this book to anyone - especially religious leaders and their flock.

Obviously this writer is trapped in a midset that God doesn't exsist to feel good about the way he lives his personal life. It's easy to get into debate and pursue the logics of life and "higher being" but it's harder to look at oneself and analyze the void and anger stored inside a heart that is in pain and agony day by day. An emptiness that only getting to know God Himself can fill. You can start a relationship with God by praying this very simple prayer: Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Forgive me for i have wronged you by the way I live. I want to make You my Lord and Savior. After you have prayed this special prayer, get into your Bible, read it for yourself, and stop listening to what other people say about it. Judge for YOURSELF. Welcome to the FAMILY!!!! I feel the joy and genuine happiness AT LAST!!!!!

They should rename this book 'The Richard Dawkins Delusion'. This man is so lost in left field it isn't funny. He is nothing more than an atheist with a one way ticket to hell. He has bought into satan's lie and there's a reservation for him in hell unless he gives his life to Jesus Christ. I assure you, the Bible reveals 'every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord'... yes, this includes Mr. Dawkins.

I bought this book while looking into Richard Dawkins. This book is awesome. I have never seen this viewpoint laid down with such completeness. I really enjoyed the read. It is rare thoughtful viewpoint that is unaffiliated with any religion.

If you're looking into the reviews, than you might be considering reading this book. If you have come that far in your interest, you will find yourself well rewarded with a very nice read.

Remember to think for yourself and enjoy the tour of the Richard Dawkins perspective on God. The cover is very shiny and that's nice too.

This IS THE book to read if there is an question about the existence of the bearded man in the clouds!! Mr. Dawkins has nailed the topic down even to the molecular level. His writing may or may not go over the reader's head, but you'll be enlightened very shortly.

This is the type of literature that breathes life into the hope that human-kind hasn't completely gone crazy.

For a hungry, desperate reader in the UNgodly grip of the southern bible-belt, this book has re-charged my strength to proudly profess the obvious.

Thank-you sooooo much, Mr. Dawkins !!! May YOUR banner wave for years to come !

David Hamm
Prosperity, SC USA
(United States of the religiously offended!)

The only value this book has is providing a glimpse into the reasoning process of an atheist. He's not even a full atheist because, in what seems like a fear of consequences, he leaves just enough room for the possibility of God's existence to "cover" himself somehow if he were ever to meet God and be held accountable for all of the nasty things he has said about him. This guy goes to the trouble to write over three hundred pages dedicated to convincing people of God's non-existence, yet has not even committed himself to that conclusion first!

Dawkins gives a poor defense of his atheism throughout the book due to numerous inconsistencies and contradictions. I made note of over two dozen examples while reading it before concluding that they represent fundamental flaws in his thinking rather than casual lapses in reasoning easily fixed by a few more seconds of thought.

Here are some of the greatest problems in his reasoning:
1)Fails to comprehend the concept of "supernatural." Supernatural means "beyond nature."
2)Assumes that God, who is beyond nature, can be explained in natural terms and must be subject to nature (something which is the result of him. The servant is not greater than the master, just like the creation is not greater than the creator.)
3)Assumes that all things can be explained through natural processes. This leaves no room for ever coming to the conclusion of the existence of a supernatural being because no matter how "stuck" he is at explaining something in natural terms he will continue search for a natural explanation since he has faith that it can be explained naturally and that the explanation just hasn't been found yet.
4)Fails to comprehend the built-in "safety measures" which prevent fossils from ever being recognized as "out of order" - something he confesses would totally destroy the concept of evolution. For example, an evolutionist finds a mammal fossil in what he initially thought was Cambrian limestone. Since he "knows" that mammals didn't live during the "Cambrian Period" (according to evolution) he concludes one of three things must be true a) The fossil is an intrusion or b) The limestone is not Cambrian or c) the fossil wasn't mammalian after all. Either way the pesky "fact" which would otherwise have demolished the evolutionist's worldview can now be safely digested by the theory after
being "pasteurized."
5)Wishes to define absolute concepts such as "good," "evil," "right," and "wrong" with arbitrary human reasoning and popular opinion; then tries to use those words as condemnation for the only possible source of absolute meaning - God. Just asserts what's good and evil without any absolute foundation for his meanings.
6)Conveniently excludes atheism from his definition of religion in order
to protect it from the disdain he heaps upon religion throughout his book.
7)Fails to comprehend that "faith" is not exclusively theistic. All atheists
must have faith that there is no God - they can't know it. In order to know something doesn't exist you must be at all places at all times, ironically
something only God can do.
8)Fails to comprehend that cause & effects are natural processes and as such have no authority over the existence of God - a supremely complex and improbable SUPERNATURAL entity - therefore breaking the "cycle" of ever greater explanations Dawkins seeks in order to accept God's existence because there is no cycle to begin with. Tries to solve a non-existent problem.

I always find Dr. Dawkins' works inspiring but this one is rather philosophic and sure enough different considering his pervious books on science. It's very informative indeed!
I think it helps one who does hold agnostic beliefs as well as a strong skeptic in terms of believing in deities and understanding atheism. It'd certainly work for these 2–kind in order to be a knowing Atheist.

I liked this book, although it at times is pretty technical. Dawkins, like most atheists, seems to miss the point of religion; to help people feel good about life. Since he misses the basic assumption some of his logic is faulty. He does address this later on, but only intellectually.

Still, his examples as to why there does not need to be a God are excellent and I learned a lot from this book.

I heard about this book when Dawkins appeared on the Bill Maher Show on HBO. To tell the truth, I didn't realize that there are actually books about atheism, and being struck by his wit and intellect, I was eager to find and read the God Delusion.
As far as the book itself, Dawkins makes his arguments in clear and relatively easy to understand language. He uses anecdotes and quotes from some of the greatest thinkers of all times, and points out the inaccuracies, bias and sometimes complete fabrications within the Bible and other religious texts.
Of course, nothing in this book is going to shake the true believer from his faith. And that is too bad. The God Delusion intelligently makes the case that, while God is a mathematical possibility, His existence is so extraordinarily unlikely that we should probably live our lives as though God doesn't exist at all. And Dawkins intercepts every argument proposed to justify following God.
If you have ever wanted to offer rebuttal to your religious friends when they start talking about gaps in the fossil record or the intelligent design theory of creation or the kindness and comfort that their God has bestowed upon them while He smites the people not like them, this book is a great place to start.
I recommend reading it with a highlighter nearby. There is an abundance of quotes that you will want to put on your wall.
Do NOT buy this book if you are unable to get past the mythology of your upbringing. But do consider the most salient point I got out of the book: your religion and the God you pray to is primarily a result of where you were born and who were your parents. You think God chose to make all those Chinese and Japanese and Hindus and Tongans and Eskimos, when he knows that the vast majority of them will not follow Jesus or Mohammed into heaven? That is just racist, and you know it.
I LOVED THIS BOOK.

This book is an indictment of religion. It is well researched and well presented.
If you are taking the time to read my review, I ask that you please read the rest of the reviews of this book. There are a couple that rated this book poorly. I especially encourage you to read those reviews. They contain the exact sort of misguided logic that this book exposes. Mankind is a race of silly little monkeys that will believe(funny word eh?) almost anything we are told.
*my opinion - We are still living the the dark ages. Humanity is still a lost race. Our indoctrination of children into religions has got to stop. If mankind is to achieve any level of enlightenment, we must learn to think critically.
I was raised in the Catholic faith, and there were times when I found myself surprised at the willingness of Dawkins to stand in judgment of Yahweh. In retrospect, those feelings come from my childhood indoctrination into the Catholic faith. It's a little funny though (and a bit hypocritical I must admit) that I was not at all offended when the crimes of Islam are pointed out. This is as a result of the same indoctrination.
I enjoyed this book, and hold it in high regard.

I rated the book highly because the intellect of Mr. Dawkins gives new insights and perspectives in the writings of the gospels. Everyone knows there are discrepancies throughout the bible - but Mr. Dawkins illustrates how absurd many of the discrepancies actually are - to the point of asking the question, "Do any of those people ever actually open the book upon which their spiritual beliefs are based?" (not quoted verbatum)

I think it is an important book for a well rounded open mind regarding the truth about our origin and destiny. Still Searching for some common sense and truth, MLH

While some scientist believe in God, and others don't, Richard Dawkins is among the later. So many little men, puffing themselves up with their so-called knowledge.

The fool in his heart has said there is no God. God is so big, mere men can't wrap their minds around the concept. Just because you don't understand God, doesn't mean He doesn't exist.

While I acknowledge that some evil has been done in the name of religion, much good has been done also. The things that were evil were not truly of God, He just gets blamed for them. The devil is the true source of evil (yeah, I know most of you are probably laughing, but it is true and the devil is sooooo glad you don't believe in him.)

God gives us free choice, to either believe in Him and follow His ways of love, to either believe in Him, but choose to follow our own selfish ways, or to disbelieve in Him. In the end God's love will prevail.

There is a spiritual war going on, and just because Richard is blind and can't see it, he are on the loosing side. Just see how much his intellect helps him when he is dead. God gives amply proof of his existence and a person can see that just by observing all creation. However some people choose to close their eyes to the wonders of life and science and the universe that God has created.

This is a great book and very well formatted. It takes a very scientific approach to answering any lingering doubts a reader would have if they are torn between religion and atheism. Still, I would expect no less from Author Richard Dawkins. He has written the book in such a manner it almost reads like a text book and the next time you are being harangued by your fanatical religious friends you have something they don't to fire back with. Real facts.

GREAT BOOK! DAWKINS IS THE GREATEST LEADER OF ALL ATHEISTS..HE HAS CONVERTED MANY CHRISTIANS TO ATHEISM
GOD BLESS RICHARD DAWKINS LOL!

This is one of the most intelligent, well written, amazing book I have ever read. You will not want to put it down, and when you finally do finish reading it, it will leave you wanting much, much, much more from Mr. Dawkins.

Richard Dawkins sincerely spits in the face of ignorance, with pride. I don't care whether your christian, muslim, hindu, etc... you MUST read this book. Don't lie to yourself and call yourself open-minded until you've TRULY heard the other side of the arugment. Richard Dawkins delivers excellent arguments.

I HIGHLY recommend this book if your are a christian. If you think out of the box for a minute, you'll have a different perspective on life. Nothing wrong with hearing the other side for once. Love Dawkins' lack of politeness.. most authors try to sucker up to christians with soft, nice ways. Dawkins comes right to your face and tells you like it is. No b/s-ing.

This seems to be a well written existential argument against the existence of a god. I decided to buy it because the author Richard Dawkins is an acclaimed scientist and atheist. I am an open-minded Christian and I thought this book would be a strong representation for the argument that I am wrong.