God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
by Christopher Hitchens
Our Price: $49.99
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.85 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Christopher HitchensEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-05-01
ISBN: 0446579807
Number of pages: 307
Publisher: Twelve Books, Hachette Book Group
Book Reviews of God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
Book Review: The New Antithesis: Atheism
Summary: 5 Stars
In the Human Mind:
Developing the New Antithesis for a Global Reality Check
I, like Christopher Hitchens, am deeply unnerved by our current state of affairs in our world today, and I am therefore inclined to use this platform to write about it here. Recently, Al Gore has written a book entitled "The Assault on Reason," which has heavily influenced my thinking in this paper. His book has allowed me to take a look back at the Bush Administration and notice all of the failures and inefficiencies wrapped up in a global conspiracy centered on an energy crisis. American hegemony is perpetuated by a greedy need for energy resources, and how we will do anything to secure a foothold to ensure a stake of energy deposits to perpetuate that hegemony, all translates to neo-colonialist endeavors and the illicit fabrication of wars. This mentality absolutely frightens me for the future of our human species, and every other living thing on this planet, and this mentality must stop. I am also writing from the perspective shared by Christopher Hitchens' book entitled "God is Not Great," which is an introductory book that alludes to the naïve necessity for religious dogma in our contemporary world affairs. In this paper, I endeavor to suggest that religion has a stake in the matter for our current dilemma that we now face as a nation, and that religion is no longer necessary in a world dominated by economies, which creates the current religious defacto dichotomy between the industrialized Western nations and the Sharia law dependent Middle Eastern ones. My atheistic stance is an enlightened one, and only the power of reason can guide us through to a brighter future for all of humankind.
I fear the direction that we have built for ourselves is bleak. The path that we humans are on is a path of destruction, bloodshed, and death. There are only moments that we do not know of war to create an illusion that we are not warlike, although hatred perpetually exists in the minds of men and women only to be exacerbated and explode at any moment. The current path that we are on is not a good one, and I fear that we will not see peace before we eradicate ourselves, and every living thing on this planet. When one stops to think about it, we not really that much different than the other animals of our Animal Kingdom, where the weak are eaten, and only the strong survive. Societies have a way of emulating this fundamental natural phenomenon, and it is difficult to live in a world where societies who emulate nature depend so whole-heartedly upon faiths. Al Gore summarizes the bleak direction that America is heading in, unless we as Americans speak up, or in my case write up. I believe that American morals were stolen from us and are currently being misrepresented across the world as tyrannical, and this must be changed in order for a healthier environment to prevail.
In order to fully deconstruct the reality of religion and its necessity in contemporary societies, we must first strive to understand its origins. For starters, we can begin with the question, why is it that we are willing to place all of our faith within the original founders of them that were unequivocally less advanced in the past, to perpetuate belief systems that were begun under most often oppressive circumstances?
The worst thing that has ever happened to our planets' various ecosystems is the progressive advancement of the human species. Ingenuity born in the minds of men and women has created an evolutionary imbalance between us and the other species that we coexist with in our respective biodiversities. The quicker we became at adapting to situations, as in modifying our surroundings to suit our needs (i.e. the modification of chipped-stone tools and acquisition of fire), which were then passed on through cultural memes, allowed for the displacement of a more dominant species within our respective ecosystems.
Since the dawn of the human species, out on the African Savannahs, as we scavenged for food to survive amongst our counterparts in the Animal Kingdom to fulfill our roles and niches in an evolving ecosystem becoming slowly more dominated by humans, we have become adept at learning newer skills at coping with the challenges posed by our environment. Finding out the capabilities of fractured stone as holding a sharp edge may not seem like much from our current perspectives, but it literally meant survival for our early ancestors out on the early African Savannahs. Our Paleolithic ancestors' ability to harness fire and use it to their advantage was equally impressive for their time. This enabled them to evolve larger brains, as more time to use them suddenly became possible as the caves and dwellings were no longer dark after the sun set. These are just two examples of the way our ancestors have been able to overcome nature by cheating our counterparts in the Animal Kingdom out of a niche in the food chain. Some animals have adapted to our advancement in technology, as they became more elusive prey, however most did not. So history is written as the many mega-fauna as falling victim to the technological innovations of humans, providing us as a human species to evolve even greater capacities to take on even more challenges found in our environment.
Sometime during the Mesolithic Period, we became less dependent upon nomadism, and we became more sedentary, as advancements in agricultural technology allowed us to stay in places for much longer periods of time. This time period is known as the Neolithic Period. Surplus foodstuffs supplemented the need for high caloric meat intake from the more elusive game tracked down by nomadic hunters and gatherers. A stable staple replaced the need to move more often, and became the reliable food source necessary to create a more diverse diet for our ancestors. During this time, hunting and gathering still continued, although at a less intensive rate, which enabled for a larger concentration of more people at one place as opposed to the traveling bands of 15 to 30 people of hunting and gathering groups. Usually, people who relied upon agriculture as a staple were already in agriculturally conducive areas along navigable waterways and in rich soil floodplains. This enabled people to drink from the waters that provided them constant nourishment and sustenance necessary to a growing labor intensive ways of life. Situations of labor intensive isolation creates the need for power in the hands of a delegated few, and so formed the fundamental chiefdoms so common in early historic accounts in cuneiform, hieroglyphics, and other ancient forms of written texts. Somewhere around this time, our earliest accounts of human intellectual development provide us clues to the formation of religion, and so during this time religion formed. The transition into a literate society is otherwise known as the transition of prehistory into history. Our term for history delineates this most common technological revolution in human progressive advancement. Our current knowledge suggests that this as some 6,000 years ago in places like Ur in Mesopotamia, along the Nile Delta in Egypt, and in the Indus Valley in South Asia, to name a few. Technology grew and expanded, creating the possibility of leadership, responsibility, and coercion and control, which all equaled power in the hands of a few, and the exploitation of many. Deities formed in the minds of men and women to explain the mysteries of the universe, and the natural phenomenon they witnessed on Earth. These deities differed from culture to culture, as the father sun and the mother moon resonated in the collective consciences as plausible for making things on Earth grow for them at certain times of the year. There was no possible way that the reason for the perpetuation of sustaining large capacities of people was a result of an undocumented and otherwise unnoticeable advancement in technology since the dawn of humankind, because there was no history provided to them to make such assumptions. Therefore, everything that existed was undeniably a result of the Gods.
As we now know, because of our accumulated knowledge of human history, human behavior can be patterned, and the patterning of the need for religious dogma is no exception. Once in ancient times, it was easier to explain why we exist here on this planet, but as we now learn from the past, the mysteries of the universe only become more convoluted over time and are not as easily explainable as they once were. Philosophical reasoning takes precedence over the epistemic leaps to judgments and adherence to plausibility of the irrational. In short, belief is more untenable than the testing of laws and hypotheses. Due to an accumulation of history and knowledge, we are better suited to make decisions about our common human origins, which is unarguably a better position than our ancestors who had no historical knowledge. We are thus, better able to recognize the reasons for our existence on this planet, and are in a better position to argue, reason, and contemplate the mysteries of our universe than our Neolithic forefathers were. But yet, most people still today, choose to overlook one basic thing, which is to rely wholeheartedly upon the same religions that our ancestors had begun. Were they truly in a better position to make assumptions of naturally occurring phenomenon than we are today? I argue that the Gods that were in control of their world back then, and certainly not in control of our world now. Religion is a mere manifestation in the minds of men and women, and is no longer necessary in a world filled with dichotomous opposition. Were our Neolithic ancestors some 6, 000 years ago truly in a better position to know the Gods and religions that we still adhere to and perpetuate today? Are we beyond religion yet? In order to move toward a global peace effort to restore our world's environment, collapsing ozone atmosphere, and human cooperation and coexistence, we must strive to limit the powers of religion in the minds of men and women. The grand illusion in our minds is working against the cause toward global peace. Do we truly need religion in order to be kind to thy neighbor? No, we do not. I can function as a completely sane, honest, freethinking, kind individual in society, and not have any religious affiliation whatsoever. I abide by the ancient doctrine: do unto others as other would do unto you, which makes religion is no longer necessary.
I do not speak from an entirely irrational, biased atheist advocate perspective. Rather, I believe that our Creator is beyond our worldly comprehension and out of the reach of our current human cognitive and intellectual capabilities, and to suggest otherwise is a practice of futile hubris. We tend to forget that we are a part of our Animal Kingdom, one in which we as humans have become dominant. A good question is then, are we more spiritually advanced than any other members of the Animal Kingdom, and how do we know that we are? Religious discourses are only facilitated between those who can communicate them, hence the grand illusion in the minds of men and women made possible through human language. To entrust our whole lives and beliefs into what could quite possibly be false Gods could be nothing more than a grand waste of time and grandiose naiveté. Who is right to say that their particular brand of God is better than any other? I know that I am not ready to make that epistemic leap, for fear of perpetuating the very thing that I am deriding against. There is no question that religion has done nothing more than bring bloodshed and tyranny as we as humans perpetually jockey for position of global dominance and hegemony, in a world dictated by economies and advancement where the strong get stronger by preying upon the weak.
Although it may seem that I reason and argue against religion, I realize that a vitriolic condemnation of it all together is counterproductive and untenable. However, a greater awareness of the things around us and why they exist is what is essential to my message. I envision a future where science and the freedom to practice faiths coexist, as long as there is an awareness of this grand illusion enough to create commensurability between both religion and science. The practice of religion should not be criticized, but it should be recognized that history shows us that it is the root of all tyranny. The time has come for a checks and balance system to be put in place to guard against our human vulnerabilities of succumbing to religious dogma. Once we can recognize this grand illusion, we can begin to work together through the power of reason to move beyond our religious confinement embodied in the minds of men and women and finally strive to understand the mysteries of our universe. Why is it that humans are the only creatures on this planet that get to have a God? Are farmers Gods to the plants that they provide life? Are mothers and fathers Gods to their children that they give life? Do insects have Gods, or are they simply life-sustaining entities that make them pesky little creatures? Why are humans the only arrogant creatures to suggest that they even know what a God is? God is merely a word, a word in the minds of men and women strong enough to make people die for it.
In order to unlock the religious truths that some already proclaim to know, we must learn to work together through the form of reason to cooperate in a one-world unification where all people of all cultures coexist without the tyranny of our fellow brothers and sisters - one-world, one human species. We should strive to protect our Mother Earth, before we humans make the mistake of destroying not only our human species, but also everything else on this planet, mainly due to the misrecognition of our potential to do so. Now that we are here, on top of the world, dominating every living thing upon it, as well as ourselves, we cannot deny the fact that we are clearly headed in the direction of a steady decline with dire consequences. Unless we the people who have the power to do such drastic alterations to our planets environments strive to undo the effects that we have perpetuated, we will continue along our path of destruction until we no longer exist. We are our worst enemies, and it amazes me that we have the audacity to call ourselves intellectuals when we cannot even recognize this fundamental fact. Unless we work together to prolong our temporary stay on this rock we call planet Earth, then our temporary stay will be quickened in a global holocaust. Unless we strive to recognize and understand our human impact on this planet over the course of our human history on it, then we will have no foundation upon which to build any form of effort to counteract its decline. We must become aware that religion is only within our own consciences, and it is the only thing that keeps us from truly loving our global neighbors, something that I, someone with no religious burden, have no problem doing.
Summary of God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris's recent bestseller, The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate caseagainst religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and
reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope's awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry
of the double helix.
History Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in History Books
The Bad Guys Won! A Season of Brawling, Boozing, Bimbo-chasing, and Championship Baseball with Straw, Doc, Mookie, Nails, The Kid, and the Rest of the 1986 Mets, the Rowdiest Team Ever to Put on a New York Uniform--and Maybe the Bestby Jeff Pearlman
Harper; Published: 2004; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $28.89
The Path to Powerby Margaret Thatcher
Harpercollins; Published: 1995-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
Bodyguard of Liesby Anthony Cave Brown
Harpercollins; Published: 1975-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $70.00
Disaster! The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906by Dan Kurzman
Harper Perennial; Published: 2002-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.00
General Patton: A Soldier's Lifeby Stanley Hirshson
Harper; Published: 2002-08-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.14
Price in other shops:
Founding Mothers CDby Cokie Roberts
HarperAudio; Published: 2004-04-13; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $50.98
Born for Liberty: A History of Women in Americaby Sara M. Evans
Free Pr; Published: 1989-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.75
Price in other shops:
The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to the Crusadesby Paul Williams, Paul L. Williams
Alpha; Published: 2001-10-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.55
Price in other shops:
The CAGEby Ruth Minsky Sender
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; Published: 1986-10-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $50.00
The Transfer Agreement: The Untold Story of the Secret Pact Between the Third Reich & Jewish Palestineby Edwin Black
Scribner; Published: 1984-05-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $52.83
Similar Books and other products
The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolutionby Richard Dawkins
Free Press; Published: 2009-09-22; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.69
Price in other shops:
The Quotable Hitchens: From Alcohol to Zionism--The Very Best of Christopher HitchensDa Capo Press; Published: 2011-05-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.93
Price in other shops:
Love, Poverty, and War : Journeys and Essaysby Christopher Hitchens
Nation Books; Published: 2004-11-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.87
Price in other shops:
Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (Eminent Lives)by Christopher Hitchens
Eminent Lives; Published: 2005-05-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.45
Price in other shops:
Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchensby Christopher Hitchens
Twelve; Published: 2011-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.97
Price in other shops:
Letter to a Christian Nationby Sam Harris
Knopf; Published: 2006-09-19; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reasonby Sam Harris
W.W. Norton & Company; Published: 2004-08; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.59
Price in other shops:
Hitch-22: A Memoirby Christopher Hitchens
Twelve; Published: 2010-06-02; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.98
Price in other shops:
The God Delusionby Richard Dawkins
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2006-09-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops:
The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbelieverby Christopher Hitchens
Da Capo Press; Published: 2007-11-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.14
Price in other shops: