God Delusion

A very important book, especially in these times¿a magnificent book, l ucid and wise, truly magisterial Ian McEwan RRP £20.00Hardback Richard Dawkins was recently voted one of the world¿s top three in tellectuals (alongside Umberto Eco and Noam Chomsky) by Prospect magaz ine. As the author of many, now famous, classic works on science and p hilosophy, he has always asserted the irrationality of belief in God a nd the grievous harm it has inflicted on society. He now turns his fie rce intellect exclusively on this subject, denouncing its faulty logic and the suffering it causes.While Europe is becoming increasingly sec ularized, the rise of religious fundamentalism, whether in the Middle East or Middle America, is dramatically and dangerously dividing opini on around the world. In America, and elsewhere, a vigorous dispute bet ween `intelligent design¿ and Darwinism is seriously undermining and r estricting the teaching of science. In many countries religious dogma from medieval times still serves to abuse basic human rights such as w omen¿s and gay rights. And all from a belief in a God whose existence lacks evidence of any kind.Dawkins attacks God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed, cruel tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign , but still illogical, Celestial Watchmaker favoured by some Enlighten ment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and dem onstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how r eligion fuels war, foments bigotry and abuses children.In The God Delu sion Dawkins presents a hard-hitting, impassioned rebuttal of religion of all types and does so in the lucid, witty and powerful language fo r which he is renowned. It is a brilliantly argued, fascinating polemi c that will be required reading for anyone interested in this most emo tional and important subject.