26 Great eBooks ! ! ! (eBook Compilation) ! ! !

( grizzlyrich & itbg & burtlancast you asked me and quoted me on my check this version of history out full version text torrent,this compilation should provide you with enough material with my answers)

1. The Bible Unmasked - Joseph Lewis

This book is dedicated in all seriousness to rabbis, priests and ministers, in the hope that it may bring them to realize the fraud they are perpetrating by preaching the Bible as the Word of God, and as a moral and intellectual guide for the human race." Joseph Lewis.

Joseph Lewis, founder of the Freethought Press Association, criticizes and reveals the truth behind the Bible according to the verses and passages in this enlightening work.

2. Consciousness Explained - Daniel C. Dennett

Maybe not explained. But explored, analyzed, examined from an extraordinarily rich perspective. Here, as in other philosophical work (Elbow Room, 1984, etc.), the Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Univ. states that he aims to dethrone the ``Cartesian Theater'' of the mind--that central screen with its implied ``Central Meaner'' who attends to the ``contents of consciousness'': the ghost in the machine with all its implied infinite regress and mind/brain dichotomy. Instead, Dennett posits ``multiple drafts'' of the real world, the product of parallel processing of perceptual and cognitive subsystems compiled by independent ``demons'' vying with each other, with now one or another gaining ascendancy--the whole a form of ``pandemonium'' that results in consciousness. In arriving at this model, Dennett reviews the extensive literature of neuroscience, artificial intelligence
, neurology, cognitive psychology, speech and language studies, thought experiments, and the philosophical tradition itself. This discourse is well worth the price of admission to Dennett's own theater of the brain: He is a gifted expositor with a marvelous sense of humor, and, typical of philosophers, ever eager to persuade, answer the reader's objectives, and strike down rival theories. Does he succeed? Not completely. One suspects that metaphors based on artificial intelligence, ``virtual'' machines, and computer technology are just this culture's mind-set at this time. Dennett also pays scant attention to the role of emotions (in comparison to Robert Ornstein, see below), nor for that matter to the emerging concept that the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems should be considered in any schema of consciousness. Nevertheless, Dennett's analysis is so often brilliant, so witty, and so informed by contemporary culture as to make pleasurable the reading
of what is truly a complex and demanding text.

3. Atheism: The Case Against God - George H. Smith

This book is a hard hitting attack against belief in the Christian God as well as all other supernatural beings (called 'gods' in the book). Intended primarily for laymen and consequently relatively free from technical philosophical argument and jargon, this book might well be used in a beginning course in the philosophy of religion as a fair representation of contemporary atheistic thought. Students would, I believe, find it more provocative and challenging, than some other treatment that may be technically more sophisticated. The author's direct and forceful way of making his points has great appeal; clearly, it is a book written with deep intellectual passion.

4. God: The Failed Hypothesis - Victor Stenger

Given how much science has had to say about nearly everything else in our lives and how successful science has been in transforming nearly every aspect of them, it is at the very least initially implausible that science can and should be excluded from debates about the existence of gods. Then there is the fact that theists themselves frequently trot out arguments that rely upon scientific data — or at least misrepresentations of scientific data — in order to bolster their positions. Finally, we must face the fact that any alleged god that matters will have some sort of impact on our lives, our planet, and our universe.
Only a completely irrelevant god could leave no trace or imprint whatsoever, so if there is a god and it does matter, then it should be detectable even by a science that is completely limited to observations about the natural, material world. Indeed, most believers — and especially adherents of the three prominent monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — posit precisely such a god that is active, detectable, and relevant to our material universe.
Given all this, it's not feasible to pretend that science can have nothing to say; according to Victor J. Stenger, science does in fact have a great deal to say — and none of it will be comforting to the average believer. According to Stenger, science may not know everything, but it knows enough and has advanced far enough to provide substantial empirical evidence against the existence of the god which most people tend to believe in.

5. Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why - Bart Ehrman

When world-class Biblical scholar Bart Ehrman first began to study the texts of the Bible in their original languages he was startled to discover the multitude of mistakes and intentional alterations that had been made by earlier translators. In Misquoting Jesus, Ehrman tells the story behind the mistakes and changes that ancient scribes made to the New Testament and shows the great impact the had upon the Bible we use today. He frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultraconservative views of the Bible

6. A Handbook of Ancient Religions - John R. Hinnell

Ancient civilisations exercise an intense fascination for people the world over. This Handbook provides a vivid, scholarly, and eminently readable account of ancient cultures around the world, from China to India, the Middle East, Egypt, Europe, and the Americas. It examines the development of religious belief from the time of the Palaeolithic cave paintings to the Aztecs and Incas. Covering the whole of society not just the elite, the Handbook outlines the history of the different societies so that their religion and culture can be understood in context. Each chapter includes discussion of the broad field of relevant studies alerting the reader to wider debates on each subject. An international team of scholars convey their own deep enthusiasm for their subject and provide a unique study of both popular and 'official' religion in the ancient world.

7. The Age of American Unreason - by Susan Jacoby

Combining historical analysis with far-reaching contemporary observation, Susan Jacoby dissects a modern America at odds with its heritage of Enlightenment reason and with 21st century knowledge and science. With mordant wit, the author offers an unsparing indictment of the ways in which dumbness and junk thought have permeated throughout American society both on the political right and the left. Much of Jacoby s diagnosis of the ills of contemporary American culture is acutely relevant in the UK, but she also presents a fascinating and persuasive account of many aspects of American society that baffle British observers. Why, for instance, uniquely among western democracies, are Darwin's theories still controversial in the United States? What is driving the current resurgence of American Christian fundamentalism? Jacoby's witty, impassioned book is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in the most powerful country in the world.

8. Modes of Faith: Secular Surrogates for Lost Religious Belief

In the decades surrounding World War I, religious belief receded in the face of radical new ideas such as Marxism, modern science, Nietzschean philosophy, and critical theology. Modes of Faith addresses both this decline of religious belief and the new modes of secular faith that took religion’s place in the minds of many writers and poets.

Theodore Ziolkowski here examines the motives for this embrace of the secular, locating new modes of faith in art, escapist travel, socialism, politicized myth, and utopian visions. James Joyce, he reveals, turned to art as an escape while Hermann Hesse made a pilgrimage to India in search of enlightenment. Other writers, such as Roger Martin du Gard and Thomas Mann, sought temporary solace in communism or myth. And H. G. Wells, Ziolkowski argues, took refuge in utopian dreams projected in another dimension altogether.

Rooted in innovative and careful comparative reading of the work of writers from France, England, Germany, Italy, and Russia, Modes of Faith is a critical masterpiece by a distinguished literary scholar that offers an abundance of insight to anyone interested in the human compulsion to believe in forces that transcend the individual.

9. Mormon America - Revised and Updated Edition: The Power and the Promise

Who Are the Mormons?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

Has over 12.5 million members worldwide and is one of the fastest-growing and most centrally controlled U.S.-based religions

Is by far the richest religion in the United States per capita, with $25 to $30 billion in estimated assets and $5 to $6 billion more in estimated annual income

Boasts such influential members as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and presidential candidate Mitt Romney

Mormon America: The Power and The Promise by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling, grew out of a 1997 Time magazine cover story called "Mormon's Inc." One of the reporters on that story, Richard Ostling, became so fascinated by Mormonism that he set out to write "a candid but non-polemical" overview of the Church, beginning with its founding by Joseph Smith Jr. in 1830 and continuing to the present day. The resulting book is a marvel of clarity, organization, and analysis.

For statistical reasons alone, the Mormon Church demands a reader's attention: in just 170 years, the Church has grown from six members to more than 10 million; if current rates of growth continue, membership could hit 265 million by 2080, which would make it the most important world religion to emerge since the rise of Islam. Mormon America clarifies the reasons for the religion's rapid growth: "It was from the beginning optimistic and upbeat, a reaction against the establishment New England Calvinism.... It was a religious version of the American dream: Everyman presented with unlimited potential." The book also investigates the Mormons' immense wealth (relative to size, this is "America's richest church, with an estimated $30 billion in assets and something like $6 billion in annual income, mostly from members' tithes.") It anatomizes the minutiae of Church governance (Mormonism is ruled by a self-perpetuating, all-male hierarchy, headed by a "President, Prophet, Seer, and Revelator"), details the many rules that govern the Mormon lifestyle (famously, they avoid caffeine and alcohol; the Church's mandates extend even to the proper technique for "dispos[ing] of worn-out holy underwear"), and summarizes the Mormon scriptures. Mormon America is a compulsively readable book.

10. Did My Genes Make Me Do It - Avrum Stroll

On this fascinating Journey, navigating the borders where science and philosophy meet, Avrum Stroll addresses the major dilemmas that have perplexed humanity since the dawn of reason. His persuasive narrative explores the marvels of modern research, from organ transplants to string theory, explaining why neither science, nor philosophy, nor even religions, can provide the answers to life's greatest question. World-renowned philosopher Avrum Stroll argues that there are some problems that neither scientists, theologians nor philosophers will ever be able to solve. To prove this, he tackles the key questions that have perplexed humanity for centuries, unravelling them to get to the heart of the matter. Examining the contributions from figures such as Aristotle, Einstein, Newton, and St. Augustine, the reader is taken on an enthralling journey through the realms of science, religion, ethics, and philosophy in order to explore the most fundamental questions of human existence.

11. The Origins of Violence: Religion, History and Genocide - John Docker

Genocide is commonly understood to be a terrible aberration in human behaviour, performed by evil, murderous regimes such as the Nazis and dictators like Suharto and Pinochet. John Docker argues that the roots of genocide go far deeper into human nature than most people realise. Genocide features widely in the Bible, the literature of ancient Greece and Rome, and debates about the Enlightenment. These texts are studied in depth to trace the origins of violence through time and across civilisations. Developing the groundbreaking work of Raphaël Lemkin, who invented the term 'genocide', Docker guides us from the dawn of agricultural society, through classical civilisation to the present, showing that violence between groups has been integral to all periods of history. This revealing book will be of great interest to those wishing to understand the roots of genocide and why it persists in the modern age.

12. Dream Catchers - Philip Jenkins

In books such as Mystics and Messiahs, Hidden Gospels, and The Next Christendom, Philip Jenkins has established himself as a leading commentator on religion and society. Now, in Dream Catchers, Jenkins offers a brilliant account of the changing mainstream attitudes towards Native American spirituality, once seen as degraded spectacle, now hailed as New Age salvation. While early Americans had nothing but contempt for Indian religions, deploring them as loathsome devil worship and snake dancing, white Americans today respect and admire Native spirituality. In this book, Jenkins charts this remarkable change, highlighting the complex history of white American attitudes towards Native religions from colonial times to the present.

13. The Atheist's Bible - Joan Konner

All thinking men are atheists," Ernest Hemingway famously wrote. True? Here are quips, quotes, and questions from a distinguished assortment of geniuses and jokers, giving readers a chance to decide for themselves....

When I think of all the harm [the bible] has done, I despair of ever writing anything to equal it.
-Oscar Wilde

SAINT, n. A dead sinner revised and edited.
-Ambrose Bierce

There ain't no answer. There ain't going to be any answer. There never has been an answer. That's the answer.
-Gertrude Stein

Do not let yourself be deceived: great intellects are skeptical.
-Friedrich Nietzsche

Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
-Susan Ertz

God is love, but get it in writing.
-Gypsy Rose Lee

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of our own mind.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.
-George Bernard Shaw

14. Carl Sagan - The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

Dr. Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid and startling insight into the brain of man and beast, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends--and their amazing links to recent discoveries

15. Life Evolving: Molecules, Mind, and Meaning: Molecules, Mind and Meaning - Christian de Duve

In just a half century, humanity has made an astounding leap in its understanding of life. Now, one of the giants of biological science, Christian de Duve, discusses what we've learned in this half century, ranging from the tiniest cells to the future of our species and of life itself. With wide-ranging erudition, de Duve takes us on a dazzling tour of the biological world, beginning with the invisible workings of the cell, the area in which he won his Nobel Prize. He describes how the first cells may have arisen and suggests that they may have been like the organisms that exist today near deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Contrary to many other scientists, he argues that life was bound to arise and that it probably only took millennia--maybe tens of thousands of years--to move from rough building blocks to the first organisms possessing the basic properties of life. With equal authority, De Duve examines topics such as the evolution of humans, the origins of consciousness, the development of language, the birth of science, and the origin of emotion, morality, altruism, and love. He concludes with his conjectures on the future of humanity--for instance, we may evolve, perhaps via genetic engineering, into a new species--and he shares his personal thoughts about God and immortality. In Life Evolving, one of our most eminent scientists sums up what he has learned about the nature of life and our place in the universe. An extraordinarily wise and humane volume, it will fascinate readers curio

16. Modern Paganism

The most comprehensive study available of Neopagan religious movements in North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Thor and Odin, Dievs, Diana, fairies-these old gods find new life in the Neopagan movement. In North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe people increasingly turn to ancestral religions, not as amusement or matters of passing interest, but in an effort to practice those religions as they were before the advent of Christianity. Modern Paganism in World Cultures collects the work of specialists in religion, folklore, and related fields to provide a comprehensive treatment of the movement to reestablish pre-Christian religions. Detailed accounts of the belief systems and rituals of each religion, along with analysis of the cultural, social, and political factors fueling the return to ancestral religious practice, make this a rich, singular resource. Scandinavian Asatru, Latvian Dievturi, American Wicca-long-dormant religions are taking on new life as people seek connection with their heritage and look for more satisfying approaches to the pressures of postmodernism. The Neopagan movement is a small but growing influence in Western culture. This book provides a map to these resurgent religions, and an examination of the origins of the Neopagan movement.

17. Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam - Michel Onfray

This tightly argued, hugely controversial work convincingly demonstrates how the world's three major monotheistic religions-Christianity, Judaism, and Islam-have attempted to suppress knowledge, science, pleasure, and desire, often condemning nonbelievers to death. If Nietzsche proclaimed the "Death of God," Onfray starts from the premise that not only is God still very much alive, but increasingly controlled by fundamentalists who pose a danger to the human race. Documenting the ravages from religious intolerance over the centuries, the author makes a strong case against the three religions for demanding faith, belief, obedience and submission, and for extolling the "next life" at the expense of the here and now. Not since Nietzsche has a work so groundbreaking and explosive appeared to question the role of the world's dominant religions.

18. Atheist Universe: Why God Didn't Have A Thing To Do With It - David Mills

Is there really a God? Or does God exist only in our heads? Is the Bible truly God’s Word, or a jumble of fanciful myths? THE WORLD'S BEST-SELLING BOOK ON ATHEISM is your front-row ticket to mankind’s most enthralling debate. An atheist for thirty years, David Mills argues that God is unnecessary to explain the universe and life’s diversity, organization and beauty.

This unique and captivating book rebuts every argument ever offered to "prove" God’s existence and the Bible’s credibility — arguments from logic, common sense, Christian apologetics, philosophy, ethics, history, and up-to-the-minute science.

Among the intriguing questions addressed in this all-inclusive volume:

* What, precisely, is atheism, and why is it misunderstood so thoroughly?

* If God is a myth, then did the universe appear from nothing?

* Does the meticulous clockwork of planetary motion result from mindless random forces?

* Do atheists believe that human beings evolved through blind accident from lifeless matter?

* Do the splendor and intricacy of life on Earth reveal evidence of intelligent design by a supernatural Creator?

* Can atheists prove that God does NOT exist?

* What about Creation Science, and the popular new movement to reconcile Scripture and science?

* Have recent scientific discoveries pointed to God’s governance of the cosmos?

* Did Albert Einstein believe in God?

* Does the fact that energy cannot be destroyed lend credibility to a belief in eternal life?

* Without God, can there be a valid system of ethics or an objective "right" and "wrong"?

* Does religion encourage moral conduct and civilized behavior? Is the Golden Rule really such a bad idea?

* What is the meaning of life without God?

* When we die, are we simply dead like dogs?

* Did atheists suffer a trauma in childhood that warped them into blasphemous rebellion?

* Because of ubiquitous injustice on Earth, is an afterlife required to redress the imbalance, where evil is ultimately punished and virtue rewarded?

* Is atheism just another crackpot religion?

* What’s the harm in a person’s private spirituality? Does humanity have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, through belief in God (even if He’s only imaginary)?

* Apart from the Bible, is there secular historical evidence of Jesus’ miracles and resurrection?

* How do atheists explain "near death" experiences and medical miracles which amaze even skeptical doctors?

* Why should a tiny minority of atheists be able to force their opinions on everyone else by banning prayer in public schools?

* Since "there are no atheists in foxholes," have famous nonbelievers recanted on their deathbeds?

* Did Old and New Testament prophecies correctly predict events which actually unfolded during our own lifetimes?

* What about the Shroud of Turin and the discovery of wood fragments from Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat in Turkey?

* Does the Law of Entropy (or the "running down" of the universe) contradict evolutionary theory, which asserts that Nature’s complexity is increasing?

* Is there absolute proof that man evolved from a lower form of life?

* Even if you believe that all life evolved from a single cell, how could complex cellular life originate without a Creator?

* Is atheism a totally negative philosophy, leading only to cynicism and despair?

* Does communism’s past embrace of atheism prove that atheism is an evil and failed philosophy?

* Was America really founded upon Christian principles by Christian believers?

* What is the true, behind-the-scenes relationship between politics and religion in 21st-century America?

19. God Wants You Dead - Sean Hastings, Paul Rosenberg

Not everyone who will read this book will have enough scope in history, religion, politics, psychology and anthropology to really accept the contents of the book.

Warning! This book contains dangerous ideas! Please use all proper caution and safety equipment while reading. We cannot be held responsible for damage to your mind, or the contents thereof. This book is about the past, present and future evolution of human ideas. Its primary emphasis is on parasitic collectivist ideologies. It examines where they come from, how they harm us and how we can remove them from our own minds and from the culture around us. Finally, it tells us the amazing things that will become possible for humanity when they are gone. Not only religions, but also nation states, racial groups, corporations and other collectives are targeted for clear minded observation and criticism.

20. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason - Sam Harris

Sam Harris cranks out blunt, hard-hitting chapters to make his case for why faith itself is the most dangerous element of modern life. And if the devil's in the details, then you'll find Satan waiting at the back of the book in the very substantial notes section where Harris saves his more esoteric discussions to avoid sidetracking the urgency of his message.

Interestingly, Harris is not just focused on debunking religious faith, though he makes his compelling arguments with verve and intellectual clarity. The End of Faith is also a bit of a philosophical Swiss Army knife. Once he has presented his arguments on why, in an age of Weapons of Mass Destruction, belief is now a hazard of great proportions, he focuses on proposing alternate approaches to the mysteries of life. Harris recognizes the truth of the human condition, that we fear death, and we often crave "something more" we cannot easily define, and which is not met by accumulating more material possessions. But by attempting to provide the cure for the ills it defines, the book bites off a bit more than it can comfortably chew in its modest page count (however the rich Bibliography provides more than enough background for an intrigued reader to follow up for months on any particular strand of the author' musings.)

Harris' heart is not as much in the latter chapters, though, but in presenting his main premise. Simply stated, any belief system that speaks with assurance about the hereafter has the potential to place far less value on the here and now. And thus the corollary -- when death is simply a door translating us from one existence to another, it loses its sting and finality. Harris pointedly asks us to consider that those who do not fear death for themselves, and who also revere ancient scriptures instructing them to mete it out generously to others, may soon have these weapons in their own hands. If thoughts along the same line haunt you, this is your book

21. Tower of Babel: The Evidence against the New Creationism - Robert Pennock

The face of creationism has been through some major plastic surgery in the past decade or so. The leading proponents of "intelligent design theory" have left the ranting flat-earth types behind and found respected positions in the academic world from which to launch attacks on mainstream science. Philosopher of science Robert T. Pennock has explored all sides of the ongoing debate, which remains (despite the protestations of many creationists) more about biblical inerrancy than scientific evidence. His book Tower of Babel examines the new directions antievolutionists have taken lately, but goes beyond a mere recounting of recent history by proposing a new avenue of counterattack: linguistics.

The parallels are striking once we look closely: Genesis proclaims that God created all human languages at one stroke, while modern scientific thought proposes linguistic evolution similar in form to genetics. Best of all for scientists, though, linguistic change is much more rapid than biological change, and we have actually observed what might be called "speciation events" to have occurred historically in languages. While not meant to supplant traditional arguments against creationism, Pennock's ideas certainly supplement them and will be useful to educators and researchers alike. His sense of urgency is compelling; he sees the future of scientific education and freedom at stake and argues strongly for a separation between private beliefs and public knowledge.

22. Superstition in All Ages: Common Sense - by Jean Meslier

"First of all, this work was not written by Jean Meslier, and the real title is not 'Superstition In All Ages.' In reality, this work is Baron d'Holbach's masterpiece, 'Good' or 'Common Sense.' Due to the severe restrictions on the press in the 18th century, d'Holbach published virtually all of his work under the names of famous dead people. Amazingly, the only edition of this fine work that is still in print does not even credit the real author of the work! Nevertheless, the substance of the book is the same. To be honest, this is one of the best atheist tracts ever written. It is a more cogent presentation of the ideas that Holbach set forth in his famous 'System of Nature.' He completely destroys any rationale for 'God,' or anything else of the supernatural bent. He relentlessly attacks Christian dogma, revealing just how truly absurd it is. Moreover, he also demonstrates how harmful religion has been to individuals and to societies, and why it is a highly immoral force. Overall, this is still a devastating and profound exposition of atheist ideas. Although I agree with most of his ideas, I must admit that I am not inclined to follow his materialism or determinism/fatalism. Beyond this, I would recommend this work to both atheists and theists alike. The former will be exposed to some refreshing ideas, and the latter will surely be in for quite the shock, as their superstitions will be thoroughly undermined, if of course, they make use of their rational faculites."

23. Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon - by Daniel C. Dennett

If nowhere else, the dead live on in our brain cells, not just as memories but as programs— computerlike models compiled over the years capturing how the dearly departed behaved when they were alive. These simulations can be remarkably faithful. In even the craziest dreams the people we know may remain eerily in character, acting as we would expect them to in the real world. Even after the simulation outlasts the simulated, we continue to sense the strong presence of a living being. Sitting beside a gravestone, we might speak and think for a moment that we hear a reply. In the 21st century, cybernetic metaphors provide a rational grip on what prehistoric people had every reason to think of as ghosts, voices of the dead. And that may have been the beginning of religion. If the deceased was a father or a village elder, it would have been natural to ask for advice—which way to go to find water or the best trails for a hunt. If the answers were not forthcoming, the guiding spirits could be summoned by a shaman. Drop a bundle of sticks onto the ground or heat a clay pot until it cracks: the patterns form a map, a communication from the other side. These random walks the gods prescribed may indeed have formed a sensible strategy. The shamans would gain in stature, the rituals would become liturgies, and centuries later people would fill mosques, cathedrals and synagogues, not really knowing how they got there. With speculations like these, scientists try to understand what for most of the world’s population needs no explanation: why there is this powerful force called religion. It is possible, of course, that the world’s faiths are triangulating in on the one true God. But if you forgo that leap, other possibilities arise: Does banding together in groups and acting out certain behaviors confer a reproductive advantage, spreading genes favorable to belief? Or are the seeds of religion more likely to be found among the memes—ideas so powerful that they leap from mind to mind? In Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, Daniel Dennett, director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University, has embarked on another of his seemingly impossible quests. His provocatively titled book Consciousness Explained made a persuasive effort to do just that. More recently, in Freedom Evolves, he took on free will from a Darwinian perspective. This time he may have assumed the hardest task of all—and not just because of the subject matter. Dennett hopes that this book will be read not just by atheists and agnostics but by the religiously faithful—and that they will come to see the wisdom of analyzing their deepest beliefs scientifically, weeding out the harmful from the good. The spell he hopes to break, he suggests, is not religious belief itself but the conviction that its details are off-limits to scientific inquiry, taboo. "I appreciate that many readers will be profoundly distrustful of the tack I am taking here," he writes. "They will see me as just another liberal professor trying to cajole them out of some of their convictions, and they are dead right about that—that’s what I am, and that’s exactly what I am trying to do." This warning comes at the end of a long, two-chapter overture in which Dennett defends the idea that religion is a fit subject for scrutiny. The question is how many of the faithful will follow him that far. For those who do not need to be persuaded, the main draw here is a sharp synthesis of a library of evolutionary, anthropological and psychological research on the origin and spread of religion. Drawing on thinkers such as Pascal Boyer (whose own book is called Religion Explained) and giving their work his own spin, Dennett speculates how a primitive belief in ghosts might have given rise to wind spirits and rain gods, wood nymphs and leprechauns. The world is a scary place. What else to blame for the unexpected than humanlike beings lurking behind the scenes? The result would be a cacophony of superstitions— memes vying with memes—some more likely to proliferate than others. In a world where agriculture was drawing people to aggregate in larger and larger settlements, it would be beneficial to believe you had been commanded by a stern god to honor and protect your neighbors, those who share your beliefs instead of your DNA. Casting this god as a father figure also seems like a natural. Parents have a genetic stake in giving their children advice that improves their odds for survival. You’d have less reason to put your trust in a Flying Spaghetti Monster. At first this winnowing of ghost stories would be unconscious, but as language and self-awareness developed, some ideas would be groomed and domesticated. Folk religion would develop into organized religion, Dennett suggests, somewhat the way folk music bloomed into the music of today. The metaphor is hard to resist. "Every minister in every faith is like a jazz musician," he writes, "keeping traditions alive by playing the beloved standards the way they are supposed to be played, but also incessantly gauging and deciding, slowing the pace or speeding up, deleting or adding another phrase to a prayer, mixing familiarity and novelty in just the right proportions to grab the minds and hearts of the listeners in attendance." Like biological parasites, memes are not necessarily dependent on the welfare of their hosts. One of the most powerful fixations, and one that may have Dennett flummoxed, is that it is sacrilegious to question your own beliefs and an insult for anyone else to try. "What a fine protective screen this virus provides," he observes, "permitting it to shed the antibodies of skepticism effortlessly!" Asides like this seem aimed more at fellow skeptics than at the true believers Dennett hopes to unconvert. A better tack might be for him to start his own religion. Meanwhile his usual readers can deepen their understanding with another of his penetrating books.

24. Letter to a Christian Nation - Sam Harris

“Sam Harris’s elegant little book is most refreshing and a wonderful source of ammunition for those who, like me, hold to no religious doctrine. Yet I have some sympathy also with those who might be worried by his uncompromising stance. Read it and form your own view, but do not ignore its message.”
–Sir Roger Penrose, emeritus professor of mathematics, Oxford University,
author of The Road to Reality

“Reading Harris’ Letter to a Christian Nation was like sitting ring side, cheering the champion, yelling ‘Yes!’ at every jab. For those of us who feel depressed by this country’s ever increasing unification of church and state, and the ever decreasing support for the sciences that deliver knowledge and reduce ignorance, this little book is a welcome hit of adrenalin.”
–Marc Hauser, Harvard College Professor, author of Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Sense of Right and Wrong

“I can’t sign my name to this blurb. As a New York Times best selling author of books about business, my career will evaporate if I endorse a book that challenges the deeply held superstitions and bigotry of the masses. That’s exactly why you should (no, you must) read this angry and honest book right away. As long as science and rational thought are under attack by the misguided yet pious majority, our nation is in jeopardy. I’m scared. You should be too. Please buy two, one for you and one for a friend you care about.”
–Unsigned, New York Times best selling author

“It’s a shame that not everyone in this country will read Sam Harris’ marvelous little book Letter to a Christian Nation. They won’t but they should.”
–Leonard Susskind, Felix Bloch Professor in theoretical physics, Stanford University, author of The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design

“We all know about good things that have been derived from bad ideas. Modern religions serve many social goods such as health care for the poor. The problem is that is also services many reprehensible ideas. Harris blows the whistle, pointing out the religions of the world are based on human generated vengeful stories. Read this book and you decide your stance for the future.”
–Michael S. Gazzaniga, Director of the Sage Center for the Study of Mind, University of California, Santa Barbara, author of The Ethical Brain

“Sam Harris fearlessly describes a moral and intellectual emergency precipitated by religious fantasies–misguided beliefs that create suffering, that rationalize violence, that have endangered our nation and our future. His argument for the morality, the honesty, and the humility of atheism is galvanizing. It is a relief that someone has spoken so frankly, with such passion yet such rationality. Now when the subject arises, as it inevitably does, I can simply say: Read Sam Harris’ Letter to a Christian Nation.”

25. The Cambridge Companion to Atheism - Michael Martin

In this volume, eighteen of the world's leading scholars present original essays on various aspects of atheism: its history, both ancient and modern, defense and implications. The topic is examined in terms of its implications for a wide range of disciplines including philosophy, religion, feminism, postmodernism, sociology and psychology. In its defense, both classical and contemporary theistic arguments are criticized, and, the argument from evil, and impossibility arguments, along with a non religious basis for morality are defended. These essays give a broad understanding of atheism and a lucid introduction to this controversial topic.

26. Mind Control Language Patterns - Dantalion Jones

Do you think you could have more power, love, money and security if you learned how to use language to control peoples thoughts and actions? Mind Control Language Patterns are spoken phrases that can act as "triggers" to the people who hear them. In short, they influence and control how we respond and cause us to be influenced to do things without our knowing. These language patterns are not fantasies but are based on documented uses that come from, psychology, hypnosis, Neuro Linguistic Programming and studies of human behavior. Mind Control Language Patterns can be used to help and hurt. One can use Mind Control Language Patterns to create positive and lasting change in people, as well as feelings of trust, love and affections. They can also be used to induce amnesia, fear, insecurity and doubt. These types of patterns are what we call "dark" pattern. The sad fact is that there are some people who know these skills and would use them on anyone regardless of the possible negative effect it might cause. Some people have referred to these as "Dark Side" NLP skills and they do exist! The only way to protect yourself from any of these malicious Mind Control Language Patterns is to know about them. Yes, knowledge is your only defense against the most wicked people who would even think to use them. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. About the Author Dantalion Jones is the author and lecturer specializing on the topics of the mind, hypnosis, NLP and mind control. His other books include Mind Control 101, The Forbidden Book Of Getting What You Want and Perfected Mind Control

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