Thinking of buying The God Delusion

The Mad Hatter · 08-08-2009 08:39PM #1

I'm thinking of picking up TGD as an audiobook but just wondering if it's worth my while?

Is it really mainly for people who are religious? Will it just tell me stuff I already know?

Prenderb · 08-08-2009 08:43PM

It depends on what you already know!

I read it a year or so ago. It's an evolutionary biologist's strongly expressed scientific views, well written. It gives you his science behind atheism. Not sure if it would work as an audiobook though.

Zombrex · 08-08-2009 08:45PM

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Is it really mainly for people who are religious? Will it just tell me stuff I already know?

No, Yes

Despite a general misconception TGD is not a book for converting religious people to atheism. It is a book, according to the book itself, for what Dawkins terms closet atheists, people who are atheists but who lacked the confidence in that position to express it. It is really a book designed to support them in articulating why religion is nonsense and feeling ok with believing that.

You don't strike me as in the closet

so you probably won't find much in the book you don't already know or think. It is still worth a read (or listen).

ShoulderChip · 08-08-2009 08:45PM

if you haven't lsitened to the Harry Potter's they are great on audiobook,

get Jim Dales' version not Stephen Fry's believe it or not he is better.

Turtwig · 08-08-2009 08:46PM

Umm, that's a toughie.

Why got get in paperback anyways?:)

Dawkins argues against the hypothesis of a deity from a pure rationlist point of view - he discounts theology as a subject.

It is humourous, it is well written, but if it's necessary depends on what other books you've planned reading.

I myself read it as a sideline to other books (something by Daniel Goldman, I think)

Either way it's a worthy read, but as an audiobook - I really do not know, Dawkins argument, I think, just need to be read.

Daftendirekt · 08-08-2009 09:04PM

Yeah, go for it. You probably won't learn a whole lot from it, particularly if you're already an atheist; that said, there's a chapter in it called something like "The Poverty of Agnosticism" which convinced me to stop referring to myself as agnostic and change to atheist. Apart from that, it's a relatively entertaining and well written book, worth a read.

Why audiobook though?

The Mad Hatter · 08-08-2009 09:26PM

Thanks everyone.

For those who asked, audiobook because I can't read non-fiction - I get bored and read something else - but I quite like listening to it.

Wicknight - I appreciate the suggestion, but very few people who know me irl know I'm an atheist. Does that count as "in the closet"?

ShoulderChip - I've heard a couple of Fry's recordings of HP and I've heard that the Dales version is very good but, er, I'm talking about The God Delusion...

Turtwig · 08-08-2009 09:26PM

Daftendirekt wrote: »

Why audiobook though?

Ummm OP, you're not a bus/rail driver are you?:)

there's a chapter in it called something like "The Poverty of Agnosticism" which convinced me to stop referring to myself as agnostic and change to atheist.

Ditto, forgot that.

Coriolanus · 08-08-2009 09:33PM

Well, you sound kind of in the closet then. I wouldn't credit GD with it entirely, but it certainly did give me a lot more confidence in understanding my own suspicions about why religion was stupid. Ie: Knowing family and friends likely reaction was going to anti-atheist, I felt better equipped to "come out" having read it.

So, I say go for it.

I can't stand audio books.

They make me sleepy. :pac:

ShoulderChip · 08-08-2009 09:38PM

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Thanks everyone.

ShoulderChip - I've heard a couple of Fry's recordings of HP and I've heard that the Dales version is very good but, er, I'm talking about The God Delusion...

sorry,

I just saw that you were considering buying an audiobook but were unsure of it, so I recommended a different one,

nevermind.

The Mad Hatter · 08-08-2009 09:43PM

Ah right, ShoulderChip, np thanks.

Come to think of it, most of my close friends and immediate family know I'm an atheist, as far as I'm aware. Sort of typed without thinking I guess...

Húrin · 08-08-2009 11:53PM

get it in the library, tis cheaper

Coriolanus · 08-08-2009 11:58PM

Húrin wrote: »

get it in the library, tis cheaper

Yes, but you can't use the book as a physical weapon against a recalcitrant theist if you're just carrying around a loaner.

dvpower · 09-08-2009 12:48AM

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

I'm thinking of picking up TGD as an audiobook but just wondering if it's worth my while?

Is it really mainly for people who are religious? Will it just tell me stuff I already know?

Its an OK read. There's nothing new in it (at least nothing that will be new to you), but I guess that any book that gets labelled as a bible for atheists (sometimes even by atheists) is worth a read.

On the question of getting it as an audiobook; I don't know - does Dawkins narrate it?

Tyler MacDurden · 09-08-2009 01:17AM

dvpower wrote: »

On the question of getting it as an audiobook; I don't know - does Dawkins narrate it?

As far as I know, Dawkins and his wife, Lalla Ward, narrate it. Reputed to be quite good as audiobooks go.

Overblood · 09-08-2009 02:08AM

By Jove 'tis a mighty book.

I'm reading it for the second time. This time I have a highlighter. It's a very clear and concise book. It may seem to drag a bit but that's only because you've heard a lot of it before. Don't be fooled though, you will learn from this book.

The only problem with it is that, as another poster already mentioned, it's really for the closet atheist who wants their gut feelings confirmed and bolstered. This isn't for the average Joe Christian. And it won't convert the average Joe Christian even if they read it, which they probably won't. Just as you wouldn't buy a book titled "The Lovely Power of God within Your Beautiful Spirit", a regular christian wouldn't buy this.

Anyway, buy it. Tesco have it and they're open 24/7. Go now.

bigeasyeah · 09-08-2009 02:13AM

Sounds interesting, I may pick up a copy.
I dont care either way so it ll be good for thinking material.

Dave! · 09-08-2009 04:12AM

Good book. Nothing new though, no. Worth buying though. If only to give to a friend.

stevejazzx · 09-08-2009 11:49AM

It's middling book to be honest. I love Dawkins but his earlier were better by a country mile.

Valmont · 09-08-2009 12:04PM

Overblood wrote: »

Just as you wouldn't buy a book titled "The Lovely Power of God within Your Beautiful Spirit", a regular christian wouldn't buy this.

LOL
Hey, that's a great book.

Hivemind187 · 09-08-2009 01:51PM

I have it on audiobook. It is well produced, beautifully read (Dawkins is a particularly calm and well spoken man) and the content, while for many is either heresey or simply nothing new, is a brilliantly laid out argument incorporating much of the best positions and points of many other atheists as well has is own.

It is certainly worth it.

To be honest a lot of criticisms of the book revolve around either

1) We've heard this before/ it isn't new. (atheists and agnostics who have been at this a while).

2) Isnt as good as his earlier works (atheists and scientists).

3) It intellectually dishonest/shrill/heresey/close minded etc etc (theists who have no ability to refute its contents).

The truth is the book isnt geared towards these people. its meant for, as wicknight put it (paraphrazing the man himself), "closet atheists". Its aslso meant for those individuals who havent yet got the fundamental intellectual basis for their non-belief - people who have strong but poorly formed ideas of why they dont believe. This book provides a kind of "crash course" in the atheists position.

It was also, I have to admit, the first place I had come across "russles teapot".

Sam Vimes · 09-08-2009 03:28PM

Hivemind187 wrote: »

3) It intellectually dishonest/shrill/heresey/close minded etc etc (theists who have no ability to refute its contents).

Or feeble and not well written, as described by someone who it later turned out had not actually read the book, because I mentioned a story from it and he demanded to know where I'd got my information from :P

Galvasean · 09-08-2009 03:58PM

I must say TGD helped me articulate my beliefs. The examples and phrasing used are easily grasped and easy to remember. After reading it I am more comfortable discussing said beliefs in person. It just flows more easily for me.

kenon · 09-08-2009 04:10PM

Hivemind187 wrote: »

I have it on audiobook. It is well produced, beautifully read (Dawkins is a particularly calm and well spoken man)

First audiobook I ever got and listened to it going to college. Excellent to listen to for the reasons quoted.

I found it hard to take everything in though and I'd say it would be easier to take in the content if you read it.

ChocolateSauce · 09-08-2009 06:18PM

I honestly didn't like it. I wasn't as hard hitting as I thought he could have managed and it wasn't as interesting as, say, God Is Not Great. He uses too many scientific arguments in favour of atheism.

Coriolanus · 09-08-2009 06:31PM

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

I honestly didn't like it. I wasn't as hard hitting as I thought he could have managed and it wasn't as interesting as, say, God Is Not Great. He uses too many scientific arguments in favour of atheism.

Burn the heretic! :pac:

ChocolateSauce · 09-08-2009 07:08PM

Nevore wrote: »

Burn the heretic! :pac:

The only thing one needs to discount the gods of men is logic. Science just helps.

Flamed Diving · 09-08-2009 07:14PM

Read 'God is not Great' by Hitchens. Much better.

JamesTaylorfan · 09-08-2009 07:16PM

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

I'm thinking of picking up TGD as an audiobook but just wondering if it's worth my while?

Is it really mainly for people who are religious? Will it just tell me stuff I already know?

I'd be very surprised if you did'nt feel enriched after reading it.

Coriolanus · 09-08-2009 07:19PM

True. If anything, if one was looking at the book as an arsenal of ideas, then people are more used, and more responsive to, arguements from some form of logic rather than from science.

Galvasean · 09-08-2009 07:24PM

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

The only thing one needs to discount the gods of men is logic. Science just helps.

Science is logic.
Logic is science.
Your logic is faulty.
Ergo, you are faulty.
Exterminate!

Thinking of buying The God Delusion

Comments