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Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion - Alain De Botton
Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion
by: (author)
3.14 35
What if religions are neither all true nor all nonsense? The long-running and often boring debate between fundamentalist believers and non-believers is finally moved forward by Alain de Botton’s inspiring new book, which boldly argues that the supernatural claims of religion are entirely... show more
What if religions are neither all true nor all nonsense? The long-running and often boring debate between fundamentalist believers and non-believers is finally moved forward by Alain de Botton’s inspiring new book, which boldly argues that the supernatural claims of religion are entirely false—but that it still has some very important things to teach the secular world. Religion for Atheists suggests that rather than mocking religion, agnostics and atheists should instead steal from it—because the world’s religions are packed with good ideas on how we might live and arrange our societies. Blending deep respect with total impiety, de Botton (a non-believer himself) proposes that we look to religion for insights into how to, among other concerns, build a sense of community, make our relationships last, overcome feelings of envy and inadequacy, inspire travel and reconnect with the natural world. For too long non-believers have faced a stark choice between either swallowing some peculiar doctrines or doing away with a range of consoling and beautiful rituals and ideas. At last, in Religion for Atheists, Alain de Botton has fashioned a far more interesting and truly helpful alternative.
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Format: hardcover
ISBN: 9780307379108 (0307379108)
ASIN: 0307379108
Publisher: Pantheon
Pages no: 320
Edition language: English
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Community Reviews
Clif's Book World
Clif's Book World rated it
3.0
This book is written by an atheist for atheists. The author bases his comments on the premise that supernatural claims of religion are false, but that religion still has many things to teach the secular world. The author, de Botton, in the book’s introduction recounts that he grew up in a atheistic ...
localcharacter
localcharacter rated it
3.0 Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion
Religion for Atheists suggests that there is cultural value to some things that religions do, even for people who don't practice or believe any religion. But the problem with the book is apparent from its title: like the word "atheist" ("without-god") itself, it defines us by an absence. When the "m...
ramblings
ramblings rated it
3.0 Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion
I love the author, but this book didn't work for me. It tries to extract certain good things about several religions, and apply it in real (secular) life. The argument isn't exactly solid (why do we have to look into religion? Why not just point out social ills and correct them?); it's more of an ap...
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