After the episode with my youth pastor, I realized I'd forgotten most of the research I'd done and the facts I'd learned that originally led me to the realization that I don't believe in god. So, I purchased The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, to shore up my rationale for being an atheist.

So far, it's a pretty good book. He does a good job of (at least up to the point I'm at), of breaking things down into terms that a layman (or someone who doesn't have a degree in philosophy) can understand.

Favorite part so far, is a (very accurate) description of the god of the old testament. Boy was he an asshole.

[edit]

Favorite quote so far (not from the book, but he quoted it)..

On religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in A, B, C, and D. Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism'.
- Barry Goldwater
- Republican Senator, Arizona (1953�1965, 1969�1987)
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Goldwater

My mom likes to say that nothing in the Old Testament really counts because Jesus came along and was like "no guys, we're not gonna do that stuff anymore." Psh, whatever. When the testaments are compared they make God seem like he's got multiple personality disorder. Or an evil twin.
» randomjunk on 2010-11-27 09:08:53

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