Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    The God Delusion
    Unavailable
    The God Delusion
    Unavailable
    The God Delusion
    Audiobook13 hours

    The God Delusion

    Published by Tantor Audio

    Narrated by Lalla Ward

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    Read the ebook instead

    About this audiobook

    Discover magazine recently called Richard Dawkins "Darwin's Rottweiler" for his fierce and effective defense of evolution.



    Prospect magazine voted him among the top three public intellectuals in the world (along with Umberto Eco and Noam Chomsky). Now Dawkins turns his considerable intellect on religion, denouncing its faulty logic and the suffering it causes.



    He critiques God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. In so doing, he makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just irrational, but potentially deadly.



    Dawkins has fashioned an impassioned, rigorous rebuttal to religion, to be embraced by anyone who sputters at the inconsistencies and cruelties that riddle the Bible, bristles at the inanity of "intelligent design," or agonizes over fundamentalism in the Middle East-or Middle America.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Audio
    Release dateJan 19, 2007
    ISBN9781400173785

    Related to The God Delusion

    Related audiobooks

    Atheism For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      How To Disagree Well

      Jan 27, 2022

      IT WAS ON CHRISTMAS EVE that I realised I’d been subjected to a social media drive-by shooting. That pinnacle of modern ecclesiastical power, the president of Humanists UK, Professor Alice Roberts had deduced from the headline of an interview I gave

      3 min read

    • Article

      Spiritual Or Atheist? More Nonbelievers Are Saying ‘Both.’

      Mar 11, 2019

      In a letter up for auction, Albert Einstein talked about admiring “in humility the beautiful harmony of the structure of the world.” More nonbelievers say they are seeking a sense of awe and reverence in their own lives.

      6 min read

    • Article

      Evolution The Big Liee

      Oct 2, 2020

      Evolution The Big Liee
      4 min read

    • Article

      I Reserve The Right To Upset You

      Sep 29, 2022

      WHEN I WAS A child there were seven educational and pedagogic establishments in Salisbury Cathedral Close, all of them contaminated by Anglicanism which was in those days bellicose, harsh, punitive. As I dawdled on my way to school I would pass ordin

      3 min read

    • Article

      What Is The Narnia-inspired Caldron Pool And Is It Fomenting ‘Christian Nationalism’ In Australia?

      Sep 21, 2021

      On a Narnia-inspired website, amid anti-vaccination, anti-mask and anti-abortion posts, sit two petitions named for Hebrew prophets. The website, Caldron Pool, has become a locus for conservative Christian opposition to some of the measures taken by

      6 min read

    • Article

      Cal Thomas: Theology, Politics And Abortion

      May 24, 2022

      The archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, has announced he will no longer allow Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion because of her refusal to adhere to Catholic doctrine on unborn human life. This continues a battle between Catholi

      2 min read

    • Article

      Uncommon Decency

      Mar 14, 2021

      In a world in which toxic exchanges grab global headlines, two unlikely ancient adversaries have shone a light on the alternative approach: mutual tolerance and continued dialogue. Catholicism’s leader, Pope Francis, has risked his life, not least fr

      3 min read

    • Article

      Science on Trial

      Jul 1, 2020

      Science on Trial
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Return Of The Pagans

      Dec 25, 2023

      The Return Of The Pagans
      7 min read

    • Article

      Nikola Tesla’s legacy

      Oct 23, 2022

      Nikola Tesla (“Beam me up”, October 15) is most remembered for two inventions: the transformer and the three-phase induction motor. These, along with synchronous generators, have formed the backbone of the worldwide AC electric power system that is a

      6 min read

    • Article

      Grappling With Evil

      Oct 28, 2021

      Grappling With Evil
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Best Panaceas for Heartaches

      Sep 22, 2017

      The Best Panaceas for Heartaches
      17 min read

    • Article

      On The Origin Of Species Had Been Banned?

      Nov 4, 2021

      John is a retired science research leader at the Natural History Museum, London in marine biodiversity, ecology and evolution, and regent’s lecturer at the University of California. His book, The Fall Of Roman Britain And Why We Speak English, will b

      5 min read

    • Article

      Varieties of Experience

      Sep 1, 2020

      THERE IS A PUZZLE at the heart of my academic work. I am an anthropologist, and among other things, I study the voices (or auditory hallucinations) of people in different countries who have schizophrenia. Their voices are clearly shaped by local cult

      4 min read

    • Article

      Deconstructing The Decolonisers

      Jul 27, 2023

      TO DECOLONISE THE CURRICULUM or not to decolonise the curriculum, that is the question. In his latest book, Against Decolonisation: Campus Culture Wars and the Decline of the West, Doug Stokes turns his analytical eye for international affairs inward

      4 min read

    • Article

      Cult Country

      Apr 22, 2021

      Cult Country
      24 min read

    • Article

      Culture Clash

      Jan 12, 2021

      Culture Clash
      4 min read

    • Article

      Angry Students Called This Professor ‘Disgusting.’ He’s Still An Optimist.

      Apr 2, 2019

      Yale Prof. Nicholas Christakis’ new book, “Blueprint,” looks at how humans have evolved into a species that is fundamentally good.

      6 min read

    • Article

      'Enlightenment Now' Says Human Progress Is Real, Remarkable, And Yet Often Unacknowledged

      Feb 27, 2018

      Steven Pinker marshals data from detailed studies that show the stirring extent of progress human beings have achieved since the 18th century.

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Beauty Of Science

      Jan 29, 2023

      The Beauty Of Science
      9 min read

    Reviews for The God Delusion

    4/5

    334 ratings198 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Religion and Science The case against religion or religious beliefs is not an easy one. Richard Dawkins exposes it comparing religion with science. He also devotes some pages to elaborate on philosophical arguments about the existence of God, pretending to demonstrate their failures. At the end, the promise he makes in the book’s introduction - to guide the reader to an emancipation of religious beliefs - is not fulfilled. Williams James - The Varieties of Religious Experiences - knows better.
    • 4/5
      A really interesting read, although he does tend to go on a bit. Even as someone who shares his views on god I was starting to get fed up towards the end.
    • 4/5
      Makes you think.
    • 4/5
      Compelling argument for atheism though find Dawkin's tone off putting at times.
    • 4/5
      Having read his books and heard him speak he reads a lot more passionately than he speaks. I appreciate his approach, learned some along the way in a repackaging of many of the standard arguments with new ideas thrown in, and thoroughly agree with most of what he has to say. I was interested to learn that they have creationist controversy in England. And I got a kick out of the characterization of fundamentalist Christianity in the US as the American Taliban.
    • 5/5
      Everyone must read it!
    • 5/5
      An awesome tour de force for the devil's chaplain. Dawkins is at his best in this refutation of Christianity. Though often criticized as not dealing with the sophisticated theological arguments, this book was not intended to be a stand-alone refutation of all possible things to all people, but instead was intended to address Christian thought where most people live. In this, it succeeds.
    • 4/5
      I've read some of Dawkins work in the past and also skim through his Twitter page once in a while. It's very clear the stance he has taken on religion and it's purpose in society but I thought I would take a stab at his book The God Delusion since I've heard it referenced frequently over the years. Overall I was impressed with his arguments and the way the book was structured. I admit that I come from a background of little religion and work in a career related to science and fact, so perhaps I am biased from the outset but I find that it's extremely hard to argue much of what is written in this book by fact alone. I enjoyed the facts and arguments that Dawkins presents in this book and also note that Dawkins still makes reference to religious texts as being an important source of literary history. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
    • 3/5
      A well written passionate, and engaging book, that makes extremely intelligent and rational arguments against the superstition and dogma of perceived belief.
    • 4/5
      It took a bit to slog through it at times, but in the end I'm glad I took the time to read it.
    • 5/5
      For me, it was a life-changing book. While I've almost always considered myself agnostic, it's primarily been out of a lack of caring about religion in general. But Dawkins proved to me that there is no god, and how beautiful life is because of that.
    • 5/5
      I love me some Richard Dawkins, and not only because he's the only person who's ever asked me for a photo of my Darwin fish tattoo. Beyond being one of the most attractive and charming evolutionary biologists on the face of this planet, he's darned intelligent, too. And I adore pretty much anything he's ever written, which I suppose is more the point of a review here than raving about his charm.
    • 4/5
      Dawkins' writing is eloquent, funny, and continuously on-point. He is unapologetic as he lays out his argument for the nonexistence of god and the lack of a necessity for religion. The book works like an extended academic paper, with each chapter representing a section of his overall argument. He carefully takes the time to evaluate the arguments in favor of religion and then scientifically debunks all of them. "The God Delusion" represents a cry for reason and science in a world increasingly anti-science.
    • 4/5
      This is one of those books that just got away from me. I was probably 70% of the way through it when I got distracted by other books (so many books, so little time) and set it aside. When I went to renew it from the library so I could finish it, someone else had placed a hold on it. So I returned it.But it was an interesting read. Or at least the portion that I read interested me.Dawkins is pretty much the poster child for what I think of as evangelical atheism. While I disagree with his fundamental premise, I wanted to see what he had to say. And one he got past his bashing of creationists and others who insist on a fundamentalist reading of the Bible, he raised some interesting points.Trained as an evolutionary biologist, he takes a scientific approach toward the question of whether or not some sort of supernatural higher power exists. And I appreciated that approach.His exploration of what Darwinian survival value the concept of religion provides was particularly intriguing. But that's when I permitted my attention to be diverted to different books.
    • 4/5
      This took me a while to get through, not because it was bad, but because there is a lot of information and material to get through and understand (and I had to take multiple breaks to get away from the realistic, logical arguments and read something fun).Overall, I think this was very well written. As an atheist there are a lot of arguments I can get behind. At times I felt that Dawkins' language was a little too strong and often he came off as demeaning and mean. And while it was in no way his intention to be nice regarding religion, I think his rude attitude didn't help persuade people (an unfortunate example of the privilege of religion that Dawkins points out in the book, but is no less true).This is quite a heavy, dense book, however, so as the only other book I have read by Dawkins is The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, I wasn't prepared for this book. It is a good book to read if you actually have time to sit down and think about the material.I really enjoyed some of the later chapters, especially the chapters on morality and possible origins of religion.This is a good book for people looking for a powerful perspective on the unnecessary existence of religion.
    • 5/5
      Wouldn't want to argue the other side with him. Could also be called the Human Delusion or the delusion of humans.
    • 5/5
      I think this book should be required reading for everyone. Although Dawkins can be slightly condescending in his writing, his arguments are extremely well put together and bring up a lot of issues that you've probably never thought about. Religion is certainly a touchy subject, but it's one that needs to be discussed, and this book has a lot of fascinating things to say about it.

      It's actually remarkable just how much is covered in this relatively quick read: evolution, natural selection, upbringing of children, the atheist lifestyle, morality without religion, the God Hypothesis, religious moderates and fundamentalists, religious history, influence of religion on our language and more. No, you don't have to agree with everything (or anything) Dawkins says to appreciate the book. Just reading his opinions, even if you completely disagree with them, will at least get you to think about the issue of religion in ways you probably haven't before.
    • 5/5
      Not half as dogmatic as everyone makes out and about twice as smart and clearly laid-out as most. Recommend (and will reread before forming an actual opinion).
    • 5/5
      The title alone won't make the religious happy, but (agree with him or disagree with him) is the search for truth supposed to make people happy? That's not the aim of the truth or its discovery, no. This is one of the first so-called "New Atheist" books I've read, and it's one of two that I'd recommend at a minimum for anyone wanting to understand the Atheist's point-of-view.
    • 4/5
      WOW! Not sure where to begin. In my circles this book has been dissed but my feeling is that they dissed the book without reading it. I think this book was very well written and uses plenty of references to support his overall thesis.I would recommend this book to anyone that is open-minded, believer and non-believer alike.
    • 5/5
      I've read Richard Dawkins books and watched his videos for many years. The God Delusion was an excellent book on religion and philosophy.
    • 5/5
      This book makes you think about quite a few things about religion. It helps to look at the world in a more liberal way.
    • 5/5
      Simply awesome. This book should be a "must" for all religious believers to put their "faith" to test. Absolutely delicious and good help for isolated atheists across the world. Thanks Mister Dawkins, thanks a lot.
    • 3/5
      Argh, accidentally removed this book from my shelf. I can't remember what I said about it to begin with: something about the value of taking a moment to consider what you believe from an outsiders' point of view, and probably some idea about Richard Dawkins' non-belief in God seeming rather like a belief to me.

      I know that view irritates many atheists a lot. I am a member of a faith which also welcomes atheists, although I don't know any UU atheists personally. I'll have to ask how they feel about it. It just seems silly to me to claim, when you have strong opinions like Dawkins, that you don't believe in anything -- you clearly do. Faith is the wrong word because of the connotations of religion, I'll agree that, but Dawkins definitely has a belief system, which he is more evangelistic about than any religious believer I know.

      Another thing my faith welcomes is doubt. Reading The God Delusion, back in 2007 or so, was interesting in that sense, because for me it's okay to challenge my faith. I think Dawkins comes across as quite arrogant, in this book, and very confrontational, but it's worth listening to him rather than dismissing him on the basis of a tone argument.
    • 5/5
      Masterful. Just terrific. Humorous and deadly serious, all at the same time. Dawkins is calling on the atheists to stand up and be counted with this one. Count me in! As one would expect from 'Darwin's Rottweiler', there were countless interesting insights regarding natural selection and religion. I especially liked his point-by-point refutation of the most common arguments for a supreme being. The recitation of scary, evil, immoral things done by God (as described in the Bible) was hilarious, too. There were plenty of easy potshots at religion, some of which made me laugh so hard I wept. "There are all sorts of things that would be comforting. I expect an injection of morphine would be comforting... But to say that something is comforting is not to say that it's true." Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Dawkins is quite convincing in revealing the hypocrisies and idiocies of organized religion, but not so much when it comes to arguing against the existence God. You cannot reasoably argue against the existence of God. You either believe or you don't. That's why it's called faith. Dawkins has a great wit and the book is quite insightful and entertaining.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed reading this. Sometimes I wanted to argue with him, sometimes I thought he made fascinating and relevant points. I love a book that pisses me off and makes me think! I did enjoy reading an atheist's point of view (this was the first of the new Atheism is Trendy! books I've read lately) though.
    • 4/5
      Dawkins unfortunately can't turn down his snarky tone until the middle of the book, when his very interesting arguments about the biological roots of religious belief begin. While I am already predisposed to his argument, the people he wants to reach aren't going to make it very far into the text thanks to his dismissive prose.

      I do agree, though, with his defense that researching religion in the depth that his critics seem to demand is unnecessary considering his approach. He does a good job pointing out the logical inconsistencies of religious arguments (and arguments for God); he does a decent job summarizing the problems with Judeo-Christian morality as presented in the holy books. Then again, isn't Dawkins equally upset with Creationists & ID people who fail to study Darwin before making their critiques? I suspect his defense would be that at least he's using reason to determine why god and religion are faulty. Reason without intense research, that is.

      I'm not sure Dawkins wants this book to stand by itself. He continually references other works that deal with ideas he admits are tangential. It seems that readers and critics believe Dawkins should be handling everything himself, but he's part of the scientific community, which bases much of it's research on collaborative efforts. Perhaps with that in mind, his research-shortcomings make more sense.

      In the end, the book makes compelling arguments against the necessity of religion and bolsters, in my view, the idea that humans are moral beings without outdated texts to guide them. That, if anything, is the most important topic of discussion and not whether there really is a flying spaghetti monster.
    • 5/5
      This is an excellent book. Richard is articulate and his arguments are well thought out. I agree with Richard's analysis and am embarrassed that was duped by religion for a significant period of my life. I also commend his courage to state his opinion in the face of a largely religious population, who take offense to such information. Unfortunately, the religious tend to be some of the most militant people when it comes to a critical view of their beliefs. I strongly recommend this book. It is a shame that most people will not read the book and come to a more logical approach to religion.
    • 5/5
      I have to admit that after reading advertisement on Mr. Dawkins' site that I had a feeling this book will be full of "wisdoms" like science gives you answers to everything - basically book about swapping one dogma for another.Oh boy was I wrong (and I am glad that was the case).This book is basically a harsh critique of religious fundamentalism (better yet any single-minded approach to anything) and the way it is affecting life of normal people (by creating division and forcing people to accept some things as they are (as it is case in almost every religious dogma)) and science itself (especially in N. America and UK - this was part of book that was most terrifying). Why is any critique on behalf of religion and/or religious leaders always so difficult to accept [to say the least] and why people always feel they have to defend their religion (even if they are not religious at all but their family belongs to certain tradition)? These are the questions Richard Dawkins tries to answer and in my opinion succeeds in answering most of them (questions of pure religious nature like how many angels can be found on a tip of a needle are just beyond science itself - not because science is not suitable to answer these questions but because we do not know enough about the very planet we live on let alone space that surrounds us [but that does not mean that we have to accept things as they are - we have to try to understand things not just accept them]).All things described in the book are pure common-sense. Author tries to explain to the people that while religion can help in many ways it must not substitute critical way of thinking (actually, Dawkins goes farther and says that we have to discard religion completely - I do not agree with this because people will seek replacement for it - it is simply the way human nature is, some things just keep on living). Accepting things because "they are that way and can be no other" is the craziest thing any men/women can do - we have to think with our heads (although, from my own experience, people tend to minimize the effort spent on thinking because it simply "hurts").As one review critic said - you may not accept everything author says but you'll end up accepting most of it.Highly recommended.