Why are atheists angry? Is it because they're selfish, joyless, lacking in meaning, and alienated from God? Or is it because they have legitimate reasons to be angry - and are ready to do something about it? Armed with passionate outrage, absurdist humor, and calm intelligence, popular blogger Greta Christina makes a powerful case for outspoken atheist activism, and explains the empathy and justice that drive it. This accessible, personal, down-to-earth book speaks not only to atheists, but also to believers who want to understand the so-called new atheism.
Why Are You Atheists So Angry? drops a bombshell on the destructive force of religious faith - and gives a voice to millions of angry atheists.
Download the accompanying reference guide.
©2012 Greta Christina (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
"I found this book informative and enraging! Leave it to Greta to inform and elucidate like no other. I highly recommend this book to everyone, everywhere. And I hope never to get Greta angry at me. :)" (David Silverman, President, American Atheists)
"Greta Christina’s analysis of religion is acute and witty, and at the same time fair and compassionate. And I'm jealous: I sure wish I could write as well as she does." (Alan Sokal, Professor of Physics, New York University)
Audible has changed my life! Dry , itchy eyes were destroying one of my greatest pleasures - reading. Now I am experiencing books again!
"Not An Angry Book, but an Honest One"
I wish everyone, atheist or non, would listen to at least the 3rd and 4th chapters of this book. We're all aware of the reasons why anger is sometimes an appropriate reaction to organized religion, but the book, to me, was not primarily about that. It's about reason and justice and whether or not human beings are really willing to offer more than lip service to these ideals which we claim to revere.
I would argue that those who consider themselves religious will not be particularly offended by this book, despite its "angry" title. You don't have to agree with Greta Christina to gain something from listening and to realize (and hopefully admit) that she makes some valid points here.
The author reads her book well and with conviction and humor - happily, not with anger. It's bound to make the listener look at religion in new ways.
Old soldier. Gentleman farmer. Ex-northerner, I hate snow. Ubuntu user. Democrat, but only because the other party is marginally worse.
"I am an atheist and I am pissed off!"
Until Richard Dawkins came along and so elegantly skewered religion with his razor sharp intellect, I did not self-identify as an atheist but as just another former catholic. And then I was hit by the triple whammy in quick succession: Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late and truly lamented Christopher Hitchens. I have never looked back. Yet, as good as their arguments are, they did not prepare me for the barrage of vitriol that most atheists face when they come out. And that, in a nutshell, is what Greta Christina's book is all about. Religions, she argues, exist on the continuum between good and evil. Some religions may be less evil than others right now, but the trend over time for all religions is toward evil. A few religions are explicitly evil, but the majority that are not lend credibility to those that are and thus they aid and abet evil.
Dawkins et al provide the intellectual arguments against belief in the supernatural, but Greta provides nuts and bolts arguments that I can put in my back pocket for the next time someone tells me that I'm no different from the believers . She is angry, it is true, but her arguments are reasoned, not shrill, and her anger fuels the impulse to try to make things better. I am angry right along with her because, for example, I loved the Boy Scouts but can no longer suppress my revulsion. Hitchens liked to say that religion as a way of understanding the universe belongs to the childhood of our species. This book is a step along the way toward leaving our imaginary friends behind, growing up, and taking responsibility for ourselves in the one and only life we get.
"LOVE THIS!"
Honest, Surprising, Insightful, Revelation
It kept me thinking through the whole book.
I'm glad she read her own audio book. I like hearing it in the author's own voice and inflection.
I know this sounds trite but the whole book moved me. I have been the black sheep of my family all of my life. At times I felt guilty for being godless. My mother used to say "you are an athiest" but meant it in a bad way. The book made me finally, at 49, feel comfortable with my thoughts and being godless.
I kept saying to myself..."that's what I think!"
"Englightening. Excellent."
Usually I hate books where the author chooses to be narrator, rather than hiring a professional narrator. But in this instance, the author narrates well; probably because she is also a public speaker.
The book sets forth a persuasive case for atheism by using logic and reason and does so without being inflammatory or contentious. It is a book that teaches.
"A very fast introduction to Atheism."
For somebody who never heard of Atheism before it will be a nice introduction
N/A
Very Good
No
No
"A nice compilation of reasons to dislike religion"
Perhaps not destined to receive any literary prizes, but a fun read for atheists. Considering the number of books that I wasn't able to finish, or had to struggle to finish, I would have to rate this book in about the 80th percentile.
The fact that it listed all of the diverse reasons that religion has been a bad influence in human society as well as being unsupportable as being true.
She managed not to make it sound like a rant. Her diction was clear and appropriately paced, with just enough emotion to emphasize her points.
Finally, an objective discussion of religion!
Most of the arguments and facts that she presented were already known to me, but she put them all together into a clear and compelling book.
"A Reasonable Discourse Concerning Atheist Anger"
I'm new to audiobooks, so the fact that it ranks in my top ten is meaningless, but I would listen to this title again.
I thought the arguments were laid out well and I liked the author's conversational tone (and performance), the lightness of the humor and that the message was delivered, but not in such a way that it seemed like a lecture.
I really appreciated her "vocal performance." She wrote the book in her first person voice and it seemed so natural and clear to hear her read her words in a conversational tone. It was like having coffee with her. I would love to have coffee with her because of this reading.
Yes. This is book was short and intruiging to me. While I was unable to listen to the whole thing in one sitting, it might get a repeat play in one sitting in the near future.
"Brilliant! This will be a Classic"
Slick Arguments from atheist activists, title is deceptively brilliant as I got the intent wrong the first time I saw it. The content is profoundly economized to make the point. I would recommend this to anyone disturbed or a scholar of things about theism and atheism.
"Try it - Regardless of your theistic stand"
This book raised many critical questions that both theist and atheist should listen too. Whilst being more prescriptive on the atheist side (understandable given the title and intent), this book also has a elements of science which is neutral. The narrator / author sometimes maximises intonation it almost feels like a conversation (one sided of course - given it s an audio-book).
"Good summary of how to debunk absurd beliefs"
Not really,it's a little repetitive, but that's normal in this kind of book and subject.
The 99 initial reasons.
It's consistent and helps to organize thoughts better.
I suppose there can be many dealing with different concrete problems.
It's a good book for everybody, clear and to the point. Greta Christina reads it very well-