Reading Books Written By Atheists

[naomi24]

Ratter’s thread got me wondering. Many of the atheists here read religious tomes, but who among the religious reads books on the subject of religion written by atheists? If you do, which ones have you read and what were your impressions?

[FrogNog]

Grasscarp you have said you don't read religious books or books about religion, so where does your faith come from? You haven't answered that.

[naomi24]

Grasscarp, I don't know what you're talking about.

[andy-hughes]

I do not read religious books as a rule, but I would not rule a book in or out on the basis of its author’s religious orientation. I would read it if I thought it was interested, not if not. But since to me atheism is rooted in a huge indifference to religion, then the chance of any such book grabbing my attention is remote.

[grasscarp]

Oh I cant contribute Naomi? I can if I like. I think you take yourself way too seriously. This is an Internet open to all website.

[FrogNog]

I dunno Andy, I love the Gospel according to Bobby Henderson.

[grasscarp]

Frognog I did NOT say I never read religious books!

[SirOracle]

I normally don't get involved in the plethora of postings by atheists,but I can certainly see your point grasscarp.

"Religous books written by atheists",surely what is meant is" anti religious books" written by atheists.I don't see how an atheist can write religious books.

Oxymoron springs to mind here.

[grasscarp]

Frognog I think you are picking up on
"no need to read books"
I was talking about things written by atheists if you carry on reading.
To be honest I never came across a book I wanted to read about religion that was (to my knowledge) written by an atheist.

[naomi24]

andy-hughes, not a student of religion, its history, and the psychology involved, then.

Grasscarp, you can contribute if you like - I've already said anyone is welcome to contribute - but since you've never read any of the books I'm referring to I can't imagine what you can contribute that is relevant to the question.

SirOracle, you're right. Atheists don’t write religious books, but some of them write on the subject of religion.

[grasscarp]

Precisely SirOracle. Why would an atheist want to write a religious book?

[naomi24]

See my answer to SirOracle above.

[andy-hughes]

Naomi – “andy-hughes, not a student of religion, its history, and the psychology involved, then.”

No, not especially, although I do attend a Catholic Mass every Sunday my wife is home because she is Catholic. On those occasions, I enjoy the inclusion of the atmosphere, but I do not believe in God, or the message of God’s love. I find it seriously overshadowed by the damage that the church can do, and continues to do, which to my mind outweighs any goodness that may be derived from its teachings.

[naomi24]

I know - you've said that before. Simply attempting to illustrate the difference between you, as an example, and those for whom religion is serious study.

[andy-hughes]

Naomi - "Simply attempting to illustrate the difference between you, as an example, and those for whom religion is serious study."

Fair enough - thanks for clarifying.

[ll_billym]

I read this one recently, quite interesting. It pretty much affirmed my opinion, that some religions have good ideas about community and philosophy of what is truly important in life, but religions just let themselves down by tying themselves to the past, and believing in the supernatural.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0141046317

[keyplus90]

I have read the atheist's Bible, The God Delusion. But it only made me laugh and nothing more.

[vulcan42]

There's the difference keyplus, when I read religious books I almost cry and despair at the stupidity of humans.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, you reneged on the agreement we made years ago to read each other’s suggested books – and it’s my guess you still haven’t read ‘The God Delusion’. If you had you wouldn’t be laughing.

[keyplus90]

Perhaps I should ask you to read it to me a bit by bit at night before I go to bed and only then would you accept that I did read it.

[mibn2cweus]

Dream on . . . cacheton.