i did a search and couldn't find a thread about the book itself.

i'm about 2/3rd's through, and i think dawkins presents some very good arguments. i know it's the main point of the author to completely disqualify any kind of religion and disprove the existence of god, but no matter if you're a believer or not, you can still read this book and learn a ton. so many perspectives from which to look at religion: biological, psychological, social, historic. to say it's interesting is the least you can say about this book.


anyone else read it?

I've been meaning to, but I read that it was a tough read. Stephen Merchant, the guy who wrote The Office and Extras with Ricky Gervais, praised it too in a mag I read.

There's a couple of chapters that I would say are a "tough read", but overall it's immensely readable.

Dawkins is a total prick, and he's not "heavy reading" by most stretches of the word. That being said, good arguements.

if by "heavy read" it's meant that he presents complex arguments, or something to that extent, i really disagree. it's well written and in plain language. although when he presents certain concepts/ideas from other authors/scientists, it kinda helps if you've read/heard about them before.

but i don't think it's essential to know a whole lot about science to understand what he's trying to say.

Exactly, I think he realized that the majority of the readers will not have such a rich educational background, as he should. If he wants to make a rational argument to the devout religious, who are mostly people with lower education levels, he can't get into such "heavy" material.

I got through about 210 pages of the book in 2-3 days then picked up the Gladwell books and haven't gotten back to finish TGD. I will finish it when I get some time.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I like the fact that Dawkins touches on the fact that people are afraid to "come out" as athiests. Being one myself, I find it really disturbing how people react to me telling them. My favorite is how many people think being athiest is "devil worshiping". Always cracks me up. If I don't believe in God and religion why the hell would I believe in satan? it makes no sense.

yeah, that part is really interesting too. it's like "if you're not one of us, you're against us". there's so little tolerance in that way.


also, the part when he talks about all the "get out of jail free" cards that religion gets, it's very disturbing too

Really liked the bits where he printed the abusive letters written to him.

This was not heavy reading at all.

That's because Dawkins isn't a very scientific man, at lesat not in regards to man. He's a zoooligist.

You realize that humans are animals, don't you?

You can read a ton more of these hilarious letters on his website http://www.richarddawkins.net/theUgly

An amazing book because someone needed to write it. Read it together with Sam Harris (The End of Faith, Letter to a christian nation) or Daniel Dennett (Breaking the Spell) or anything else by E. O. Wilson or Steven Pinker.

Dawkins is a brilliant man who has inspired thousands to follow the beauty of science and reality. I'm just lucky that I have a copy of TGD that I personally handed to him to sign

i don't think i understand what you mean by that. i got the impression that the main reason for dawkins being atheist and the main arguments he gives in his book against religion/theism are based 100% on science. what do you mean he's "not a very scientific man"? i mean, sure, he presents arguments in a plain way, and he's not the definitive authority in each field (there's no way he could be), but but it seems to me he definitely knows what he's talking about

wow...

I've been meaning to pick this up since I saw Dawkins do an interview on The Hour the other day. Seems like we have the same views, can't wait to read it.

that's the reason i decided to give it a try too

He actually gave a pretty lengthy interview on TV Ontario the next day. I think it is still on their website. He is so affable in interviews.

Jesus. If God exists, he's got the worst fans.

I think my favorite argument that Dawkins put forward is the one saying, just because science doesn't know the answer to something, that doesn't mean that we can just give up and automatically attribute it to a supernatural power.

Also, I've seen a few interviews of his on YouTube, and compared to some other atheists, he doesn't come off nearly as condescending as you might think.