Books explaining religion

bernt · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 3:31 pm Post subject: Books explaining religion

My latest hobby? is to read books explaining or explaining away religious faith, my latest read is

"In Gods We Trust" by Scott Atran,
"Religion Explained" by Pascal Boyer, "How We Believe" by Michael Shermer and many others.

Which book on this topic made it for you? Which one will be the most likely to stand the test of time?

Bernt

Kostya · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 9:45 pm Post subject: Re: Books explaining religion

I’ve seen at least some of these books mentioned before and some looks like they would be very interesting to read, but I did not get to any of them yet. Maybe, once I am done reading all the books that are piled up in my “to read list” I will be able to pick up one of these. Which ones do you recommend out of your list?

Thank you.

P.S. I’ve read someone on one of the forums said, “People believe religious nonsense because if you pray for rain long enough it will rain.” I thought it was a funny way of thinking about it.

bernt · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:00 am Post subject: Re: Books explaining religion

Michael Shermer's book is valuble cause its a kind of survey and in that way try to be scientific. In Gods We Trust" by Scott Atran, is scientific too and Pascal Boyer says he is too.

Atran is interesting cause he bragg that he outperform all the others and why not. He is good at it. If one start with him it gives a kind of summary of the others from his perspective?

Bernt

PS I borrowed for free from our joint library service.

Chris OConnor · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 12:17 am Post subject: Re: Books explaining religion

Bernt

We will eventually have Shermer in our chat room as our guest. In April I met him at the Atheist Alliance International Convention and he agreed to this.

Chris

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward,for there you have been, and there you will always want to be." -- Leonardo da Vinci

tarav · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: Books explaining religion

I'd like to read a Shermer book. He's been mentioned several times. Why don't we read a book by Shermer for Nov./Dec.? Someone who knows more about his books should post it in the recommendation thread. I'd probably vote for it!

Jeremy1952 · Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:09 pm Post subject: Re: Books explaining religion

Wings of Illusion: The Origin, Nature and Future of Paranormal Belief by John F. Schumaker (Hardcover - September 1990); and of course the still-unbeatable classic, The Future of an Illusion by Sigmund Freud

Dissident Heart · Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:32 pm Post subject: Re: Books explaining religion

I've yet to encounter the authors and works you mention above that attempt to explain, or explain away Religious Faith. Having thoroughly enjoyed three years of Seminary at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, studying Philosophy at UC Berkeley next door, I can tell you there is a great deal of work done, and to be done on this subject.

I would suggest a couple of books:

Idolatry by Moshe Halbertal and Avishai Margalit is a terribly delicious struggle with making sense of the term "Idolatry" and seeing the ways it has been employed in Judeo-Christianity and Islam as a way of drawing the boundaries between correct and incorrect worship to the right or wrong God with the appropriate or inappropriate intentions. What you will soon discover is the profoundly complex ways in which people develop their values, agendas, goals, and borders in shaping the tools of faith and worship in their lives. They show how the idea of "Idolatry" has shaped the course of western thought and culture, and left its influence on the intellectual and moral conscience of literally billions of people.

Easter In Ordinary: Reflections on Human Experience and the Knowledge of God by Nicholas Nash is a complicated trek through the meaning of the term "Religious Experience" beginning first with a sympathetic but decisive critique of William James, using the help of Friedrich Schleirmacher, Martin Buber, Karl Rahner and John Henry Newman. Nash's interests are theological, and he wants to understand the senses in which our common human experiences, from a Christian perspective, can furnish us with experience and knowledge of the mystery of God, as well as to indicate what doctrine of God is implied in his attempt.

A Start.

Cheers!

Edited by: Dissident Heart at: 9/21/03 10:33 pm


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