S. C. Hitchcock - Disbelief 101: A Young Persons Guide to Atheism

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$9.95

With Disbelief 101, S. C. Hitchcock has given the world something achingly special: a book that addresses precisely the fears and obsessions that seize young people of rock-ribbed faith when they first begin to doubt. If you know a young doubter, give her or him this book. If you are a young doubter, keep reading. And welcome home.

Tom Flynn. editor Free Inquiry magazine and A New Encyclopedia of Unbelief

What do cigarettes, Big Macs, and religions have in common? Their sellers like to snare the buyer young. S.C. Hitchcock offers no antidote to lung cancer or obesity, but his intelligent, lucid and compassionate book does offer hope and ammunition to any kid smart enough tostispect that his weekly trip to church, temple or mosque has more to do with indoctrination than truth or reason.

Matthew Chapman, author of Trials of The An Accidental Memoir and 40 Days and 40 Nights: Darwin, Intelligent Design, God, OxyContin, and Other Oddities on Trial in Pennsylvania

This breezy case for atheism fills an important niche in the increasingly popular literature on the new atheism. Most religious indoctrination begins in childhood and the author provides a good basis for the transition from blind faith and superstition to clear and free thinking.

Victor J. Stenger, Author of the New York Times bestseller, God: The Failed Hypothesis

Bold, blunt, and funny, Disbelief 101 is full of clever observations and insight. This book will open more than a few eyes.

Jennifer Michael Hecht, author of Doubt: A History and The End of the Soul

We might as well begin by picking on the Judeo-Christian god. Hes no more real than any of the other gods, but he does hold a more prominent place in the English-speaking world than those funny Eastern gods, some of whom have more than their share of arms!

All of the arguments for the existence of the Christian god are as absurd as the arguments for a Muslim god, Hindu gods, a Norse god, or Greek gods. The only thing these arguments have going for them is fear. The notion of an all-knowing, all-powerful god was forced into your mind when you were young, and the fear has stayed. Even people who arent raised in a religious home can easily pick up the idea of a god, and a fear of him, from the culture. So lets not use the term god: it conjures up fear when it should conjure up laughter. Below, youll find a typical dialogue between a non-believer and a Christian, only well replace the word god with Invisible Flying Clown. If you find the idea of an Invisible Flying Clown to be crazy, good. Rest assured that it is no crazier than the notion of a god. The evidence for the existence of both is exactly the same.

Believer: You should believe in the Invisible Flying Clown.

Nonbeliever: An Invisible Flying Clown?!

Believer: The ClownIFC for shortis an all-powerful force for good. He created the entire universe out of nothing about 6,000 years ago and watches our every move, reads our every thought, and will one day judge us for our actions.

Nonbeliever: What does the IFC want?

Believer: He only asks that we believe in Him, and believe that part of Him came to the Earth as a human/god (we havent quite worked this part out, so we call it a holymystery), was born of a virgin, walked on water, healed the sick by touching them, was crucified, and came back from the dead three days later.

Nonbeliever: What will happen if I dont believe in the IFC?

Believer: Well, he will punish you.

Nonbeliever: Okay, I dont believe in him. Why isnt he punishing me?

Believer: Not now, stupid, after youre dead. If you dont believe in him, or accept that part of him came to earth as a half-human mystery man, walked on water, was executed, and all the rest, then youll burn in a place called hell for all eternity.

Nonbeliever: What do I get for believing in the IFC?

Believer: Big rewards.

Nonbeliever: Like what? What rewards have you gotten so far?

Believer: Not now, stupid. Ill get them after Im dead. Ill go to heaven and live with the IFC in eternal bliss, singing his praises and playing with the dog I had that died when I was a kid.

Nonbeliever: How do you know the IFC exists?

Believer: Well, the book he gave us tells us so.

Nonbeliever: What else is in this book?