Because there are no ‘theological discoveries’. Theology, unique among academic disciplines, has failed to make the faintest trace of progress in the entirety of its existence. And if you doubt that, go ask a theologist what god is. The entire discipline is somehow devoted to studying a concept that remains undefined and unevidenced. And despite its perfect rate of failure, for many people the proclamations of religion outweigh the proclamations of science. This cultural preference for wishful thinking over sound methodology has consequences ranging from amusing to dire, and as our world grows ever more dependant on technology, the consequences of scientific ignorance (willful or otherwise) grow ever more dangerous. As the host of The Scathing Atheist, one of the world’s most popular atheist podcasts, Noah Lugeons channels the frustration of atheists through a combination of wit, rage, and vulgarity in his weekly diatribes. From the trivial frustration to the critical threats, Noah tackles every aspect of religion with the same acerbic humor; because atheists need catharsis, and the future needs atheists.

    Science in the Soul brings together forty-two essays, polemics, and paeans--all written with Dawkins's characteristic erudition, remorseless wit, and unjaded awe of the natural world.Though it spans three decades, this book couldn't be more timely or more urgent. Elected officials have opened the floodgates to prejudices that have for half a century been unacceptable or at least undercover. In a passionate introduction, Dawkins calls on us to insist that reason take center stage and that gut feelings, even when they don't represent the stirred dark waters of xenophobia, misogyny, or other blind prejudice, should stay out of the voting booth. And in the essays themselves, newly annotated by the author, he investigates a number of issues, including the importance of empirical evidence, and decries bad science, religion in the schools, and climate-change deniers.Dawkins has equal ardor for "the sacred truth of nature" and renders here with typical virtuosity the glories and complexities of the natural world. Woven into an exploration of the vastness of geological time, for instance, is the peculiar history of the giant tortoises and the sea turtles--whose journeys between water and land tell us a deeper story about evolution. At this moment, when so many highly placed people still question the fact of evolution, Dawkins asks what Darwin would make of his own legacy--"a mixture of exhilaration and exasperation"--and celebrates science as possessing many of religion's virtues--"explanation, consolation, and uplift"--without its detriments of superstition and prejudice.In a world grown irrational and hostile to facts, Science in the Soul is an essential collection by an indispensable author.Praise for Science in the Soul"Compelling . . . rendered in gloriously spiky and opinionated prose . . . [Dawkins is] one of the great science popularizers of the last half-century."--The Christian Science Monitor "Dawkins is a ferocious polemicist, a defender of reason and enemy of superstition."--John Horgan, Scientific American

    While there are similarities, the differences cannot be ignored. This book is about how those two worlds overlap more than you might think, how religious believers can be both an obstacle and a path forward for true equality, and why atheists specifically should care about these issues. It examines all of these issues in extraordinary depth. More importantly, there are non-believers who believe their support for LGBTQ rights shouldn't be assumed because the definition of atheism begins and ends with a disbelief in God's existence. That's too simplistic. This book makes the case for why atheists should be among the most vocal supporters of LGBTQ rights.It's not enough just to agree that LGBTQ people should have equal rights; atheists must advocate for them. This should not be an extension of atheists' beliefs; their cause must be atheists' cause, too.

    With insightful commentary concerning frequent rebuttals used by apologists, it makes a solid case against evangelical claims to inerrancy. This 2nd edition has a much improved third chapter, providing several more examples of scribal changes to the New Testament, as well as a completely new section on textual differences in Greek manuscripts. The format of the paperback version has been adjusted in order to keep sale cost as low as possible.

    

    Some people believe, but you don’t. And that’s OK. Other atheists, however, find themselves constantly being asked to justify why they don’t believe in God, to explain how they can possibly have morals without believing in God, to respond to various arguments that supposedly prove the existence of God, to acknowledge that America was founded as a “Christian” nation, etc. And if you don’t have a background in philosophy, formal logic, comparative religions, ancient history, and various scientific fields, it can be a bit daunting to attempt to respond to questions and assertions like these. Well, fear not! “Common Sense Atheism” is a collection of original essays that address these issues and many others in clear and easy to understand language, with just a dollop of humor to make it all go down smoothly. These essays will help you understand and explain to others why a lack of belief in God really is the only rational choice. After all, you shouldn’t need a PhD to defend your lack of belief.

    National borders and traditional religions cannot keep people in tidy boxes as political struggles, doctrinal divergences, and demographic trends are sweeping across regions and entire continents. And secularity is increasing in society, with a growing number of people in many regions having no religious affiliation or lacking interest in religion. Simultaneously, there is a resurgence of religious participation in the politics of many countries. How might these diverse phenomena be better understood? Long-reigning theories about the pace of secularization and ideal church-state relations are under invigorated scrutiny by scholars studying secularism with new questions, better data, and fresh perspectives.The Oxford Handbook of Secularism offers a wide-ranging and in-depth examination of this global conversation, bringing together the views of an international collection of prominent experts in their respective fields. This is the essential volume for comprehending the core issues and methodological approaches to the demographics and sociology of secularity; the history and variety of political secularisms; the comparison of constitutional secularisms across many countries from America to Asia; the key problems now convulsing church-state relations; the intersections of liberalism, multiculturalism, and religion; the latest psychological research into secular lives and lifestyles; and the naturalistic and humanistic worldviews available to nonreligious people.