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God Is Not Great
God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything | Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens, described in the London Observer as one of the most prolific, as well as brilliant, journalists of our time takes on his biggest subject yetthe increasingly dangerous role of religion in the world. In the tradition of Bertrand Russells Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harriss recent bestseller, The End Of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against 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 Telescopes awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry of the double helix. From the Hardcover edition.
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GingerAntics
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Pickpick

I greatly enjoyed this book. Some of this information was absolutely revolutionary to me. Some of it I already knew, but he took those a step or more - further than I dared take them previously - to their logical end. There is nothing shocking about this book, honestly.
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics If one has thought critically about all the stories one has been told as a child and compared them with the actions of the story tellers, this falls right in line with what you already know, but adds more to broaden that understanding. I can definitely see this as a conversation starter for the open minded, and would gladly read it again with a good group. 2mo
10 likes2 comments
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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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And yet, those with the greatest faith never realise they are NOT part of any group reasonably and logically referred to as “men and women of real conscience.”
#GodIsNotGreat #ChristopherHitchens #conscience #faith #religion #philosophy #humanism

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GingerAntics
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TheBookHippie Yes!!!! 2mo
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie this was such a great read. History, philosophy, religion, no holds barred. We could have so much fun with this book! 2mo
TheBookHippie Must read. 2mo
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GingerAntics @TheBookHippie would LOVE to do this as a buddy read. Maybe this is how we should kick off 2024 in the dead philosophers society! 2mo
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics yes. I‘m in 2mo
kspenmoll Sounds good! I think my hubby has it. 2mo
GingerAntics @kspenmoll I had a feeling you might be on board! I‘ll put a post up today see who else wants to read this one. There is another book that just came out late last year about free will that might be right up our alley, too. 2mo
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GingerAntics
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This is, of course, assuming organized religion HAS a conscience, which we all know they do not.
#GodIsNotGreat #ChristopherHitchens #religion #conscience #women #children #criticalthinking #freeinquiry #tribalism #racism #bigotry #ignorance #contempt #coercive

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GingerAntics
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Is there ANY religion that protects children?!
#ChristopherHitchens #GodIsNotGreat #religion #children #logic #ethics

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Xoxopawpaw

“We do not believe in heaven or hell, yet no statistic will ever find that without these blandishments and threats we commit more crimes of greed or violence than the faithful. (In fact, if a proper statistical inquiry could ever be made, I am sure the evidence would be the other way).”

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jpj7474

Excellent & thought-provoking. As a very low intensity Christian it was interesting get this atheist perspective. Hitchens was really talented. Gone too soon.

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Kempfme
Mehso-so

My husband has been on me to read this book. It has interesting facts, but the agnostic in me still has some hope is something else is there.

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JulietReads
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JenniferEgnor
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Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it.

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britt_brooke
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Panpan

“What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.”

I don‘t need to be convinced that “religion is man-made” - I‘m the target audience. But I can‘t think many Christians would pick this up and have some revelation. The sensationalized title alone is enough to turn folks off. Hitchens quickly shows that he‘s an angry atheist and that‘s just not who I am. I‘m glad I read it (I guess), but glad it‘s over.

KathyWheeler I‘m Christian and I started to read this, but I quit. Not because I was offended — I wasn‘t— but because I was bored. Hitchens just seemed condescending and full of himself to me. 6y
britt_brooke @KathyWheeler Very boring! I fell asleep while reading it more than once. 💤 And I agree with your assessment of Hitchens. 6y
KathyWheeler @britt_brooke I‘ve found him to be that way when I‘ve seen him interviewed, so I have no idea why I expected the book to be any different, but I did. 6y
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britt_brooke @KathyWheeler I had never read any of writing before this and had never seen any interviews. I didn‘t like his tone at all. In fact, the more I think about it, this is a “pan” rather than “so-so,” So I‘m changing it! 6y
KathyWheeler @britt_brooke 😄 Bill Maher used to have him on a lot and they‘d be condescending jerks together. I will listen to and be interested in anyone‘s religious beliefs (or lack of) as long as they don‘t condescend to me. Maher and Hitchens are both jerks to people of faith. (edited) 6y
britt_brooke @KathyWheeler I‘m with you. I don‘t have time for people who can‘t respect other people‘s beliefs. There‘s plenty of room in the world for all of us and it‘s not hard to be kind to each other. 6y
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BacklistB__ch
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Pickpick

Although I do not completely agree with Mr Hitchens, this book is worth reading. I only completed two books this weekend; Hitch 22 and god is not Great. I highly recommend both even if you are not of the same mindset. Expanding the mind is always a good thing. Hitch has given me much to ponder. I‘ve finished the challenge, now for sleep. #24in48

GypsyKat Congratulations!!!🍾🎉 📚⏱ 6y
BacklistB__ch Thanks GypsyKat!! 6y
11 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BacklistB__ch
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So close to finishing!!! Spending the weekend with Hitch. #24in48

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britt_brooke
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Trashcanman That's a great book. Hitchens was awesome. 6y
britt_brooke @Trashcanman I‘ve always put off reading his books because I didn‘t think he was my kind of atheist. I thought he was one of these angry people, but it‘s not coming across that way at all. I‘m enjoying it. 6y
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Krisjericho
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Pickpick

Hitchens is at his most charmingly arrogant here, & damn it all if he doesn‘t make sense. He insults every religion with equal fervor, & that is my favorite thing about him. He‘s an equal opportunity offender. I am growing to like his stuff more than Sam Harris‘s - Harris has a laser focus on the harm that Islam causes, & it feels racist. Hitchens can see the harm in all dogma, & hell if he doesn‘t call it out. I kind of like the old bastard.

AceOnRoam Love it. Thanks, I think I will have to check this one out! 6y
britt_brooke You‘ve motivated me to finally read this one. Just grabbed it from Overdrive. 6y
42 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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OddBookishBee
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rather_be_reading love it! 6y
Bronte_Chintz Welcome to Litsy! Hope you love it here! 6y
Vertabrain Welcome! 6y
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Briget66 Welcome to Litsy,,🙋🏻‍♀️ (edited) 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy!!! 6y
Wife Welcome to Litsy!🌹 6y
asiriusreader Welcome to Litsy!! 6y
21 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Wilkie
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A brutal title for a good book. #Dontbelieveanymore #marchintooz

laurieluna I struggle with the concept of having faith in a higher being when I can't even find the ability to have faith in a lot of human beings, primarily our leaders. 6y
Wilkie @miralunasbooknook I agree, except I don‘t struggle with not having faith in a higher being. I don‘t believe in any Gods, therefore I have no struggle😊. 6y
laurieluna @Wilkie very true. Maybe for me it's a struggle to understand why others do. I understand that faith can be a comfort, but when there is so much bad in the world and so little being done, I doubt the existance of a God, never mind one that would have time to listen to me over the other billions of voices. 6y
Reviewsbylola I love your nun statue. 6y
Wilkie @Reviewsbylola Thanks! She disapproves of my book choice😬 6y
38 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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unproductivemale

Started reading God is not Great on the same weekend my wee girl fell and broke her arm. Back to work and my colleague has broken up with his girlfriend, and is now on a Smiths bender.....

🥃🥃🥃🥃

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ShannonOffDuty
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Pickpick

Hitchens is such a necessary voice for our world. Religion needs to hold up to some questioning and it often refuses to. Though I hardly agree with 100% of Hitchens writings (that's what it means to be a free thinker, I'm sure he'd agree) his inquiries and thesis are thought provoking. Largely, he makes a lot of sense..Why tolerate oppression just because it's tradition?

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ramyasbookshelf
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For today's #thoughtprovoking tag, I've decided to go with the most controversial book on my bookshelf. In this book, Hitchens is at his argumentative best - against religion. And describes his own experiences and his 'intellectual journey toward a secular view of life'. This book was clearly out of my comfort zone but it was one of the most thought provoking books I've read! #aprilbookshowers

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MattSessions

"What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence."

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keithmalek

In dark ages, people are best guided by religion, as in a pitch-black night a blind man is the best guide; he knows the roads and paths better than a man who can see. When daylight comes, however, it is foolish to use blind old men as guides.
--Henrich Heine

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keithmalek

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

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MattSessions

"The Bible may, indeed does, contain a warrant for trafficking in humans, for ethnic cleansing, for slavery, for bride-price, and for indiscriminate massacre, but we are not bound by any of it because it was put together by crude, uncultured human mammals."

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cristij78
Pickpick

An interesting book. Challenged me to think about faith and mortality in a new way. I like questions, especially existential ones. If you do too, you should read this.