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!
The only book I ever needed to read to become an atheist was The Holy Bible.
One that comes to mind is “Religion for Atheists”. It is a great book that highlights the non-spiritual functions of religion in society. The idea is by identifying what function you got out of religion in the past, you may find ways to replace it without getting involved in the collective delusion of pretending to know the unknowable.
If you’re stepping away from the god of Abraham, you could always read Nietzsche’s “The Antichrist” but i dont really recommend most people read Nietzsche without some solid footing in philosophy and some helpful context, since he can lead people to some straight up Nazi shit which he elsewhere explicitly warned against. Context important with him. But it’s a scathing criticism of the role of dogma in society.
If you feel a need for a spiritual drink without relapsing on god, I recommend exploring the Dao De Jing. It’s another one that benefits from context, rereading, and meditation, but it can explain the world quite nicely without need of an invested anthropomorphic god.
Finally, you might want to pick up some existentialist literature if you feel like life has no meaning and you’re lost. Sartre or Frankl come to mind.
Just read r/atheism if you want to become the final atheist form!
Kant and other Philosophiphers of the enlightenment
ugh how could you recommend Kant 😴
I Sold My Soul On EBay - Hemant Mehta
Good humor, seems like a genuinely nice and smart Guy.
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…
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.
🙋♀️ 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
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
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Basically sums up Christianity.
Good point.
And plus, if you can figure out what “the Lord your God” is supposed to mean, then I think the message in the bible becomes pretty clear.
Problem is Lord your God can really mean a lot of things.
God could be everything and everyone to one person and hating gays to another.
You’re right about that. I like how a prime focus on most foss-platforms is the intolerance to hate.
