Richard Carrier Reviews Our Book, "The Christian Delusion"

John and I wanted this book to be conclusive, every chapter its own tour de force on each topic. And we achieved that goal. The book is superb. Every chapter is fantastic, some more than others, but all are great. It doesn't cover every subject it could have, but the subjects it does cover, it covers thoroughly, leaving nowhere left to run. It's all readable (nothing will be above anyone's head). Much of it will even be fresh and new to you (and that's saying something).

Most of all, taken together, its fifteen chapters are sufficient to establish that Christianity is a delusion. The Christian religion is so manifestly contrary to the facts, belief in it can only be held with the most delusional gerrymandering imaginable. That's a bold statement. I wouldn't have made it myself before reading this book, but now that I have seen it all in one place, I am forced to agree.
To read his whole review click here.

29 comments:

Double A said...

calling your own work a tour de force. Classy.

DL said...

[calling your own work a tour de force. Classy.]

Maybe if he wrote the whole book you'd have a point. But he didn't -- so you don't.

Ken Pulliam said...

John,

I read your chapter in the book, The Darwinian Problem of Evil, last night. Its an excellent treatment of the problem of animal suffering. I don't see any way that Christians can reconcile this suffering with their concept of a perfectly good God.

That chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

Lazarus said...

Nice, AA.

I sense that the criticism of this book won't be raising its standards much from here on.

Oh, and if you want to see "classy", by your definition, have a look at how Craig / Moreland calls the 'Blackwells Guide to Natural Theology" (also an anthology, of which they are the editors and contributors) "representative of the best work being done in the field today." and "The resulting volume is a compendium of theistic arguments on the edge of philosophical discussion."

Your apology is in order, I think.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Ken! What's interesting to me is that same thing is being said of several of the chapters in this book. That's probably why Carrier describes it as a tour de force, because there are so many of them in this book.

Samphire said...

I don't see any way that Christians can reconcile this suffering with their concept of a perfectly good God.

Then you haven't studied Hovindism. Kent has this incontravertible hypothesis that entropy didn't start happening until after Adam sinned (about 3904 BC). Hence, before this event, animals didn't need to eat each other and lived forever. It was man's sin which caused evil to enter the world and started spiders spinning cobwebs and gave dung beetles something to do in life.

I can find no weakness in the idea which I understand was first suggested by the same person who gave Kent his unique understanding of American tax law.

Ken Pulliam said...

John,

It is excellent. A chapter on the atonement and it would indeed be a tour de force!

Anonymous said...

Yes, Ken, where were YOU when I first put this book together?

Most skeptical books I know of that critique Christianity do not have a chapter on the atonement. But they should. I look forward to having yours in the next book we're planning to put out.

Steven Carr said...

I've bought 2 copies. One is for the local library.

Isn't 2000 years of delusion enough?

jaydeecrawson said...

I just finished Chapter 3 and it was very strong. My favorite so far! Great book!

Breckmin said...

As Christians we are still looking for a presentation of the Atonement that is actually presented "correctly."

Incorrect presentation of Christianity will always fail to address the beauty of God's Self-Sacrificing Love as well as a correct understanding of the Father/Son relationship.

It is inevitable. (It is the blind leading the blind - trying to describe the Light with no correct frame of reference. Question everything).

Samphire said...

Over here in England Amazon is out of stock.

Jason Long said...

bulejaggers, chapter three is mine so there must be some mistake.

John Danaher said...

Hey John,

Do you have the details on the British release date? I preordered it back in january and was told it would be released at the end of April.

But Amazon is now citing 15th August as the release date.

Not sure if I can wait that long...

Anonymous said...

John D, I'll check into this.

busterggi said...

So Breckmin, is Jesus really dead according to your belief?

If the answer is yes then there was no ressurection & Jesus was not god.

If the answer is no then there really wasn't any sacrifice.

ismellarat said...

I wonder what you get with the one selling for $888. Maybe an indulgence? ;-)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1616141689/sr=8-1/qid=1271251529/ref=olp_tab_new?ie=UTF8&coliid=&me=&qid=1271251529&sr=8-1&seller=&colid=&condition=new

brenda said...

"[calling your own work a tour de force. Classy.]

Maybe if he wrote the whole book you'd have a point. But he didn't -- so you don't."

The point is still valid. Heaping praise for something that you created, singly or in collaboration, is really in poor taste.

"I don't see any way that Christians can reconcile this suffering with their concept of a perfectly good God."

I'm unfamiliar with the book but I'll look into it. In the meantime the obvious answer is that suffering is necessary in a material world like ours. People and animals with no pain receptors live short lives.

Anonymous said...

Brenda, or whoever you are, if Richard wasn't very excited about this book then why should anyone else be? I too am very excited about this book. Write a book and see how you feel about it. Trust me. Authors treat their new books like a new babies and Mothers are extremely excited about their babies.

Gandolf said...

Brenda said...
"[calling your own work a tour de force. Classy.]

Maybe if he wrote the whole book you'd have a point. But he didn't -- so you don't."

The point is still valid. Heaping praise for something that you created, singly or in collaboration, is really in poor taste."

....................

Brenda dear ...pray tell... what weird planet do you live on?.

Tell me are you also against people entering their newest paintings into paint gallerys?....Damm poor taste artists! must be proud of their damm painting ! ....Really poor taste that they should be looking to try and promote it ! ....How dare the bastards be taking any pride in their own work, they actually happened to spend so much time working on !.

Should all leave their paintings at home,and all decent artists should claim their own painting dont make the grade ...Thats your take on good taste ...right Brenda?

Oh and all those people promoting themselves as possiblitys for being our leaders of our countries prior to our votes in elections,how dare they ! ...What disgusting poor taste peope they all must be !...Right Brendy dear??

They should always be all meek and mild and say nothing, yet still expect the job and promotion etc.... will simply (fall right in their lap) ...right Brenda ??

Oh and have you ever built your own house Brenda ....are you allowed alittle pride in your work? ...or is it considdered poor taste unless you suggest your house you spent much time building is not to your liking ...downgrade it ! ..Call it crap,even if you feel proud about it .....ACT FALSE/CHRISTIAN ...and try and PRETEND you think it sucks

And Brenda make sure you remeber to tell everyone what a bloody horrible cake you always bake,and how you are hopeless at cooking etc

Otherwise it would always simply be in very poor taste ...right?


For f**k sake,you need to get real Brenda !! .

What so bloody wrong with people having some pride in things they happened to put lots of energy into?.

Really you know its actually quite ok dont you Brenda ....Its even fine and totally normal practice if say the likes of Ford or BMW or Holden etc, happens to maybe suggest their lastest car they created is maybe the best eva...Is it Brenda ?? ...Quite normal right.. yes ??

Yes of course it is.Of course we should be allowed to have a little proud of things we spend much time on ....Or why bother with them?

Your honest problem is maybe more you have a UGLY faith bias ,and your honest problem is more likely you also have a PERSONAL dislike of John Loftus because he so happens to be not such a faithful type person ...unlike you

But hey ....

Dont many of you f**king faithful folk often like chirping on about how extra good your church charity supposedly is Brenda ??? ....Got a small dose of the double standards for Jebus bug do we hmmmm??.

And ohh how dare you poor taste christians suggest your Jebus is maybe any better than Muhammad ...Thats just damm stinking to high heaven! of being "really in poor taste " !! ...right Brenda??

Benda said ....."I'm unfamiliar with the book but I'll look into it"

Why bother ....We dont need or want ideas from IGNORANT faithful folk packing such very obvious double standards.

.........................


John Loftus dont let these IGNORANT folks of faith get to you.Thats what they hope to achieve.

They want non faithful to stop writing.

Their bible cant stand alone on its honesty.Its a dishonest book,and the faithful know it


So faithful folks like the feeble Brenda,need to revert to exposing their double standards ...Stupidly suggesting there is maybe something wrong in people having pride in their work.

Hopeing it will some how have the effect of disheartening you and ending your writing.

Dont let these tactic of the faithful work...Just laugh at these idiots John.

Turn their ignorance instead into fuel! that helps fire you up more! and keep you going.

Anthony said...

Brenda, in one of the other blog posts you claimed to be agnostic, yet in nearly every comment that I've seen from you, you seem to be going against the atheists or at least siding with the theist. What gives? I know that not all atheists are rational, that's a given. Or, is your claim just a ruse to hide that you are in actually a theist.

Emanuel Goldstein said...

Hey, John, looks like your books ratings are dropping!

Darn, lets hope no more one and three star reviews hit!

You don't think more are on the way, do you?

Emanuel Goldstein said...

On a serious note, John, remember how you felt galvanized for action when you thought you were treated poorly at the theology web?

Well, I feel the same way. When I came on here long ago, you trashed me mercilessly.

Now, you provide me daily inspiration, to continue my education and attain the goal of someday publishing my own take on the events that you have initiated.

Every time you and your stooges try to smear me, I get stronger!

Bahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Winston, you are filled with delusion hate which causes you to defame and slander me with false accusations at every opportunity because I threaten your faith. I would very much welcome the fact that you wish to become educated. Do so. Then confront me with good arguments, which, if good, I'll respond to.

Otherwise, provide evidence I did to you what you claim. You go by so many names I can't keep them straight. Give us a link with the proper context if you could.

Emanuel Goldstein said...

That would be hard to do, John, since you delete many comments!

And, of course, there is no disputing you faked the Holding blog.

There is no "slander", John, because everything I have said is true, and you know it.

But keep it up! Every time you try to smear me, I get stronger!

Anonymous said...

Yes, Winston (Andrew, Frank Walton, Bertrom, etc, etc), I've deleted many of your comments because all you do is slander me. But I have emphatically NOT deleted any comments that abided by my reasonable comment policy. So if I have deleted any of your comments then it is you who violated my comment policy. All you have is mere assertion without evidence. I deny your assertion.

Emanuel Goldstein said...

Of course you deny it!

But we both know what happened.

Do you also deny you made a fake blog about Holding?

Anonymous said...

Nope. If that's all ya got then I come out smelling like a rose compared to you.

Do you deny that you knowingly accuse me of things I never did? Do you deny that you come here using different Blogger accounts to malign me? Do you deny that you are a blog terrorist for Jesus? Do you deny that you are Frank Walton in disguise? Do you deny that your purpose here is to harass me and waste my time? Do you deny that you seek to poison the well against me because you're afraid of my Blog and books?

Why do this if I'm wrong? If I'm wrong show me where. That's the civil thing to do. Does Christianity make for civilized people, or not?

Gandolf said...

John W. Loftus said..."Yes, Winston (Andrew, Frank Walton, Bertrom, etc, etc),"

Yeah the weird Andrew,Frank Walton,Winston Smith etc who use to come here often packing some very strange smell fetish....Weird Andrew,likely some sexually frustrated theist closet undie sniffer!!,strangely displaying his weird concern at the smell of (other peoples) clothing, such as smell of their hats etc.

Winston Smith said...."Every time you and your stooges try to smear me, I get stronger!"

What?? us bothing taking the time to smear you ?? ...No, we have no need to Winston

You usually do a good enough job yourself of making yourself look like a complete tossa.