Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists

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Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists

by Dan Barker, Richard Dawkins (Goodreads Author) (Foreword)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 1,711 ratings · 122 reviews

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR GODLESS

�Valuable in the human story are the reflections of intelligent and ethical people who listen to the voice of reason and who allow it to vanquish bigotry and superstition. This book is a classic example.”
—CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS author of God is Not Great

�The most eloquent witness of internal delusion that I know—a triumphantly smiling refugee from t...more

Paperback, 392 pages

Published September 1st 2008 by Ulysses Press

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God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens

Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris

Notable Atheist Books

27th out of 225 books — 542 voters

What is Atheism About?

11th out of 40 books — 18 voters

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Dec 13, 2008 Curtis rated it 4 of 5 stars

A lot of the book is the pretty typical "arguments for the nonexistance of God" stuff, but I thought the biographical section to be the most interesting. Barker does a great job of describing exactly what was going on in his head when he began to question his Christianity.

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May 11, 2010 A.J. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: religion-philosophy

I'm closing in on having read all the major atheist books in existence, I think. Out of all of them, this is the only one so far offering an inside look at the evolutionary process of a fundamentalist evangelical Christian into a hardened atheist who eats children and celebrates Halloween twice a year. Deconversion stories all seem to share a common narrative arch––the most important aspect of which is a period of glaring ignorance and indoctrination followed by an awakening of the mind to other...more I'm closing in on having read all the major atheist books in existence, I think. Out of all of them, this is the only one so far offering an inside look at the evolutionary process of a fundamentalist evangelical Christian into a hardened atheist who eats children and celebrates Halloween twice a year. Deconversion stories all seem to share a common narrative arch––the most important aspect of which is a period of glaring ignorance and indoctrination followed by an awakening of the mind to other viewpoints and shortcomings of the believer's sacred text. Dan Barker narrates this very well. You know the story is honest because it lacks a climax, a rooftop shootout, a falling bridge, a last stand. The process of losing faith in faith is known to be a long one, or a journey of a thousand small steps. Barker's took him from fundamentalism to liberalism to atheism; from preacher to apostate.

Full disclosure: I skipped or skimmed some of the middle part of the book. I'm sorry, but there's just no way I can sit through the Kalaam Cosmological Argument again. Five hundred times is enough, and it's as flaccid and stupid as it was the first time I heard it. I also skipped the rants against biblical genocide. I've read the Old Testament. I know what's there.

Perhaps the strongest part of the book were the lists of biblical contradictions. The attempts to put together a coherent resurrection account was particularly concise and effective. Barker did a fine job demonstrating the evidence (or rather lack of it) for a historical Jesus, and painted a nice picture of the primary sources available from the time period. He wisely employed a number of apt metaphors to give a modern reader an understanding of the situation. Bart Ehrman outclasses him in his books, sure, but he's a professional historian. Barker's joining a pickup game well in progress, but he holds his own.

Ideally a number of sections could have been shortened. I don't bitch about overall length much when it comes to books. That's all relative anyway to what is needed. But 350 pages was a bit steep. He could have not listed every preacher he ever knew who was a closet atheist, or spend so many pages detailing his foundation's social efforts. I can't complain too much because I skimmed a lot of it, however for a book to get the holy grail of five stars, it needs to be aware of a reader––especially a religious one––who picked this up for a purpose other than finding out the modern history of the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

All told, four stars. The deconversion story is a different species of the same genus, yet the overall effect is different than reading, say, Christopher Hitchens, who was born with a bottle of whisky in one hand and the other hoisting a finger at religion. (less)

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Jan 09, 2011 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a phenomenal read. Barker is articulate, intelligent, witty and immensely likable. His deconversion from fundamentalist preacher to staunch atheist comes across as honest (not to mention the only logical conclusion when someone is sincerely seeking truth). I have nothing but admiration for someone who is able to let go of a fallacious belief when faced with overwhelming evidence that it is wrong. I wish more people would have the courage to ask questions and seek out a similar path for...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Jarkko Laine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: religion

Now, here's a book that's very hard to rate objectively. I liked a lot of it, mostly the parts where Barker told about his own life: the struggles with Christianity, becoming atheist, and then living as an atheist.

When he criticizes Christianity, things get a bit more complicated. I agree with a lot, maybe even most of his arguments, but it's all about a fundamentalist approach to Bible and other Christian doctrines. In fact a lot of his reasoning is exactly the same as what has been said by "li...more

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Nov 05, 2010 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction

I found this book fascinating for the simple reason that the author's experience mimicked so much my own. I may not have been an evangelical preacher, as the author was, but I was about as devout a Mormon as one could be when, in the '80s (and I in my 30s and a mother of six), I came to the painful realization that I did not really believe it all and left my church. It was, without equal, the most painful episode of my life; and in time, I believe, the most liberating for myself and my family. A...more

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Jan 14, 2009 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

This is partly an autobiography, and partly a philosophical treatise.
As autobiography, Godless is very interesting, as Barker admits he's had "religious experiences" and what believers would call a "personal relationship with God" but Barker is able to give a coherent and convincing account of how these experiences are natural, rather than supernatural.
As a treatise, Barker does a great job summarizing a large number of arguments for the existence of God and exposing the logical they rest on....more

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Apr 05, 2013 Jason M. Wester rated it 5 of 5 stars

The power of Barker’s Godless is in its behind-the-scenes focus on what happens when an honest preacher figures out that his sermons are dishonest. As Barker puts it, Godless shows what happens when a believer loses faith in faith.

Barker began his career as an evangelical minister when he was fifteen years old. He attended a Bible college, married a Christian woman, and spawned four children, all the while figuring out ways to scrape out a living by freelance preaching and composing songs of wor...more The power of Barker’s Godless is in its behind-the-scenes focus on what happens when an honest preacher figures out that his sermons are dishonest. As Barker puts it, Godless shows what happens when a believer loses faith in faith.

Barker began his career as an evangelical minister when he was fifteen years old. He attended a Bible college, married a Christian woman, and spawned four children, all the while figuring out ways to scrape out a living by freelance preaching and composing songs of worship. I was struck by how he earned his living as a preacher, like some sort of freelance performance artist. He’d go to whichever church invited him, give the sermon or conduct the music, grab a check, and move on to the next gig. At heart, he was an evangelical, one who spreads the “good news”, does the work of God. He would have done so if no money were involved.

A highly intelligent man, doubt entered his thinking. It was a gradual process that took five or six years. During that time, he read everything he could get his hands on, from history to philosophy, from science to apologetics, and then it happened. One day, he woke up and something was different. He admitted to himself that he no longer had faith in Christianity. He admitted to himself that he had become and atheist.

My path to atheism mirrors Barker’s in many respects. My guess is that most Christians-turned-atheists come to atheism via an intellectual process of fits and starts. I read and pondered, and much like Barker, one day I woke up and I could no longer deny that I was an atheist. The admission, the coming clean with myself and my family, was a weight lifted off my shoulders.

Barker then did what I think is an honest and ethical move. He wrote to all of his Christian associates and friends and revealed his atheism. He lost friends and he gained friends. His coming out revealed his true friends. And thus began his life as an atheism evangelist, meaning his passions were now devoted to reason, not faith, to knowledge, not ignorance, and he used his talents for speaking and composing to debate and spread the word about the good life without religion.

The book is valuable for the look it gives to the gradual process that one goes through when he or she de-converts from Christianity. Many Christians, he writes, do not understand how this happens. In frustration, they trot out lines such as:

You are angry with God (Atheists are often painted with the brush of anger by Christians).
You are deeply troubled.
You are full of pride and are putting yourself above God.

And others. But the point is, atheists do not come to disbelieve in gods via emotion, but via intellect. They come to it from close analysis and deep reflection. Further, very little choice is involved aside from the choice to read and ask questions. The disbelief part comes rather naturally.

The book can be divided in half. The first half is his telling of his de-conversion tale. The second half lays out the case against Christianity by means of a detailed analysis of the utter failure of Christians to prove their god, or any god, exists. Barker then provides as good a summary of the lack of evidence for a historical Jesus that I’ve seen, concluding that the Jesus of the bible is more myth than man. The book concludes by showing how his life has improved since he scuttled superstition for evidence-based living.

This is usually cited as one of the essential tomes on the atheist’s bookshelf, and I agree. This one is not to be missed.

Highly recommended.(less)

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Mar 18, 2013 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dan Barker is a likable author with a fascinating story to tell, as a former evangelical pastor turned non-theist/agnostic.

In telling his journey, Barker presents arguments that are well stated, well researched, clear, and very thought provoking. His writing style invokes sincerity and humor into an often emotionally charged topic.

A recommended read for anyone questioning their faith in a god, who wants to fairly look at the many sides of the question in light of facts rather than emotion, ad ho...more

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Oct 12, 2012 James Rye rated it 3 of 5 stars

My holiday reading was Godless: How An Evangelical Preacher Became One of America’s Leading Atheists by Dan Barker. I had travelled a similar journey (albeit in a less publicised way). Having made the change from being an evangelical leader, preacher, counsellor, and author (for over 30 years) to an unashamed, blogging atheist, I thought it would be interesting to read the human story. I wondered how far Barker’s experience would parallel my own, and if his analysis of his change would help me s...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Eden rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I started reading this out of curiosity because I'm very interested in how people view the world. I expected this to be a bit more...open to ideas? Maybe that was ignorant of me, after all, it is a book about firmly believing in the nonexistence of God. And I don't have anything against atheists, I'm not so sure what I believe myself. But I will say this: full blown atheism is just as extreme, even if it is at the opposite end of the spectrum, as fundamentalist Christians, Muslims, etc. I just c...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Ensiform rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

The subtitle is rather misleading, as the "how" can basically be boiled down to "I started reading things other than the Bible," while the rest of the book’s 360 pages is devoted to attacks on theism. Using logical arguments (pointing out discrepancies and contradictions in Biblical teaching; arguing that by definition God cannot be timeless, nor can a god be both infinitely merciful and infinitely powerful), moral arguments (citing the many barbarous acts the Bible condones), and linguistic arg...more The subtitle is rather misleading, as the "how" can basically be boiled down to "I started reading things other than the Bible," while the rest of the book’s 360 pages is devoted to attacks on theism. Using logical arguments (pointing out discrepancies and contradictions in Biblical teaching; arguing that by definition God cannot be timeless, nor can a god be both infinitely merciful and infinitely powerful), moral arguments (citing the many barbarous acts the Bible condones), and linguistic arguments (citing arguments over translations of the Bible), among others, Barker attempts to dismantle the idea of an inerrant Bible and a moral Christian God.

He’s rather successful in his arguments --- as he notes, God being the arbiter of both sin and salvation can rather be likened to a "doctor who cuts you to sell you a bandage" --- though as a zealot himself, he often goes overboard, getting bogged down in minutiae that don’t really matter, such as the exact shade of meaning of a Hebrew verb for "to kill," or dismissing Christ’s Golden Rule (it would bolster his claim to be a true freethinker if he admitted that there are some moral ideals worth emulating in the Bible). He comes across too often as smug because of this. Since it’s demonstrably true that, for example, prayer doesn’t work, and that good people are not always rewarded in life, Barker would be better off isolating those bigger issues instead of allowing himself and the reader to get distracted by minutiae that require more erudition than he has in any case to fully explain. At times the book reads like a collection of magazine articles, all dealing with theism, to be sure, but clearly cobbled together from a few decades of research and debate rather than proceeding organically from one another. He concludes his various jeremiads with the hope that real salvation is not found in some fantasy afterlife, but by working together for a better real world here and now, for the living. On the whole, it’s a worthy addition to the freethinker’s library, if flawed by what is really Barker’s hubris. (less)

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Aug 14, 2009 Stan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am agnostic at best, but I don't think I would like Dan Barker very much in real life. He seems to be one of those people who always think that what they think is right and brilliant, and they need to tell you all about it, and try to convince you to believe it too. His journey -- which sounds far but maybe was not so much -- was from being an evangelistic Christian preacher to being an evangelistic atheist, aggressively promoting his beliefs in either guise. He delights in describing how succ...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Jesse rated it 1 of 5 stars

Awful. Complete drivel. Do not read. I have no idea why this is so popular.

For being the president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Dan Barker is an incredibly poor writer. I hope, for everyone's sake, he is a better orator.

This book chronicles, as the title implies, the transition of an evangelical minister from fundamentalist Christianity to outspoken atheism. As he tells it in this book, the story went like this:
1) Was raised fundamentalist Christian. Father was a pastor. Did mission...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Marvin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.

First of all, what is a leading atheist? I never knew we had a vote. Since I'm more of an agnostic dabbling in the philosophical side of Buddhism, I may not have been eligible to vote. Being a leading freethinker makes sense since it implies an interest in freedom of speech and fighting for the choice to think for oneself, which Barker does admirably. But a leading atheist? That sounds a little forced to me, not to mention egotistical.

Second, Dan B...more

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Sep 21, 2009 Pinkie99 rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found myself identifying heavily with Mr. Barker and appreciating what he had to say about the difficult struggle of losing one's faith and becoming atheist. Barker manages to keep the tone hopeful and presents a compelling case for atheism both from a rationalist standpoint as well as a moral one. The weakest part for me was the chapter where he spends a long time arguing on why there could not be a god who is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent all at once. That kind of e...more

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May 21, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: atheism-humanism, non-fiction

a must read for anyone who is curious, questioning, or just looking for a different perspective about god! really one of the best, most informative books i've ever read! barker comes at the subject from such a unique angle - for most of his life, he was a true believer, an evangelical preacher who traveled the world preaching the gospel and trying to convert people to christianity. he started at just 15 years old. but in his early 30's, he started meeting people that had slightly more liberal (t...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Steve Van Slyke rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Deconversion fans and Bible debaters

Recommended to Steve by: Amazon

Shelves: skepticism, kindle

This could have easily been divided (and expanded) into two books, and that would have been an improvement for me. One “book”, or theme, was of the author's amazing journey from fundamentalist, evangelistic, Christian preacher, to evangelistic atheist. The other theme/book was about the Bible, it's discrepancies, errors and contradictions, and the historical status of Jesus. Of course the two are related and intertwined, and both themes would be touched on in either book. However, I felt that at...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Steve rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

I have mixed feelings about this book. Part 1 of the book entitled "Rejecting God" is the most interesting as it is the author's personal story of his journey from fundamentalist Christianity to atheism.

Part 2, "Why I am an atheist" is very dense and philosophical - and I appreciated some of Baker's arguments and critiques regarding God and the various arguments often offered for God's existence by Christian apologists - some of which are clearly wanting.

Part 3, "What's wrong with Christianity?"...more I have mixed feelings about this book. Part 1 of the book entitled "Rejecting God" is the most interesting as it is the author's personal story of his journey from fundamentalist Christianity to atheism.

Part 2, "Why I am an atheist" is very dense and philosophical - and I appreciated some of Baker's arguments and critiques regarding God and the various arguments often offered for God's existence by Christian apologists - some of which are clearly wanting.

Part 3, "What's wrong with Christianity?", was the worst part of the book. It consists of a hurried survey through the Bible intended to prove that inerrantism is unsustainable (I agree that it isn't sustainable). But in this section Baker proof texts in much the same way as many fundamentalist Christians do - he gives almost no consideration to context (cultural, historical, or textual) unless it serves his purpose. For example, he criticises what he sees as the moral commands of the Beatitudes and doesn't realise that these are not moral commands. The context is Jesus blessing the marginalised oppressed group of people in front of him who were going through the experiences he was describing in each of the Beatitudes. While some Christians see the Beatitudes as a moral code, this is not the only way of reading the text. Baker's book fails in genuinely engaging with the text and sharing alternative perspectives with the reader. It is highly biased towards Baker's conclusions (which may not be wrong but are not offered fairmindedly).

Because Baker came from a fundamentalist background, he falls into the trap of treating the text of the Bible as a flat set of propositions. Apart from the fundamentalist, few educated Christians would take it that way. So this whole section of the book, in my opinion, would have been better left to another, more scholarly book, rather than plonked into this book in the way it is.

Part 4, "Life is Good!" becomes a boring listing of all the people Baker has met that he deems important to the atheist/humanist cause (it is hard to avoid thinking he is engaging in name-dropping) and events he has participated in. There are a few autobiographical stories that are of interest. His brief discussion on the scientific hypotheses for the origin of religion and his discussion of the basis of meaning and morality without God are worth reading but are overshadowed by the interminable minutiae of the rest of it.

In summary, Part 1 is worth reading to gain an insight into Baker's journey and what was going on inside his head as he struggled with the loss of his faith. I think there are other books that do a better job of the material in the other parts of the book. Baker needed a good editor to make this book shorter and more powerful.(less)

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Aug 09, 2010 Anthony rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was pretty darn good. The reason it gets four instead of five stars is that he sort of glosses over a few arguments in the later chapters that he either could have omitted altogether or expounded upon. As it stands, a few of the things of which he does not go into very much depth felt understated and brought the pace and academic tone a little down. If he'd gone deeper, the book would have been more consistent. If he'd skipped them, the book would not have suffered, since the book is h...more This book was pretty darn good. The reason it gets four instead of five stars is that he sort of glosses over a few arguments in the later chapters that he either could have omitted altogether or expounded upon. As it stands, a few of the things of which he does not go into very much depth felt understated and brought the pace and academic tone a little down. If he'd gone deeper, the book would have been more consistent. If he'd skipped them, the book would not have suffered, since the book is half autobiographical anyway. It doesn't need to have every argument to be compelling.

The arguments he does delve in to are very well documented and sourced. He is a scholar, and he cuts no corners in those chapters that are devoted to specific arguments and/or exegesis. His understanding of New Testament Greek is staggering.

Also, the beginning of the book feels a little braggadocios, in that he lists his enumerable credentials and experiences while a believer. But, it certainly serves to set the tone for the rest of the book. If he wasn't a believer, given his track record and zeal and thirst for both knowledge and experience, then no one is (or was?).

But his arguments against the best apologetics out there are fantastic. I can't cover them here, just read the book. He simply blows them away with logic, reason, and points out how others are no more than word games, simple bad grammar, or flat out logic fallacies.

His (painfully abbreviated) list of bible contradictions is illuminating. I asked many of the same questions in bible college and got trite, vapid answers at best. And he lists many things I never noticed but when I open my bible now, there they are, staring me in the face, almost laughing at how simple it is to show the illogic behind belief in this version of god. (Theology, in my mind, amounts to word games that make the otherwise completely nonsensical or illogical somehow seem deep and "nuanced" or "mysterious".)

Overall, I give this book four stars because I relate to it so much. I used to be a music pastor myself. I know exactly what he's talking about, and I know exactly where he's finding those cognitive dissonances that have plagued me as well. I find my departure from Christianity to be very similar to his, not because I feel cheated or wronged or hurt (although each of these have certainly been the case, at times, as well); but because I feel lied to and manipulated by men with respect titles they don't deserve, men with degrees in things they can't possibly know.

I will read this book again, if only to undo the years of indoctrination. I need to set things straight and put Reason where it belongs in my life. I think this book will help with that goal.(less)

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Sep 03, 2012 J.P. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good book! Dan Barker's experiences as a former evangelical preacher turned atheist are very eye-opening. It is definitely interesting to see what he & possibly other preachers/former preachers who go through/have gone through this might think & experience. Definitely enjoyed reading about his experiences more than anything else in the book. I think just about anyone could relate in a variety of ways. Good read.

"'Isn't atheism just another religion?' No, it isn't. Atheism has no creeds,...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Ryan Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book fascinating. Barker's personal story of his time as a Christian, followed by his deconversion is powerful on a human/personal level. Later in the book he methodically deconstructs faith, primarily Christianity. His presentation does not come across as combative, which helps his argument stay on course. His whole point is that theism, belief in a god, is myth fraudulently created by mankind. Christianity is the myth he (and the vast majority of his readers) are most familiar wit...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Reiden rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: atheism

Before reading this book, I thought I had a pretty good grasp on what parts of the Bible I disagreed with. Reading this book opened my eyes. The Bible is great for understanding certain ancient cultures and myths, but it is NOT a good source for finding one's morals. There are just too many things that the God of the Bible does, says or tells others to do that would not be tolerated in todays modern societies. Then there's the endless contradictions, lack of historical evidence, bad science, etc...more

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May 07, 2011 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars

A well told, fascinating story of an evangelical preacher turned atheist. Barker begins by detailing his journey in the first half of the book, followed with the philosophical problems of the existence of god, and finishes with his critiques of Christianity.

The critiques and arguments he presents in the book are well stated, clear, and thought provoking. This is a great alternative to books such as "The God Delusion," especially for those who prefer a tad less venom in their reasonings for a go...more

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May 07, 2010 Evanston Public Library added it

For twenty years, Dan Barker was an Evangelical proselytizer and song writer, traveling the world and passionately preaching the Gospel with unquestioning faith. One day while driving his car, he followed what he thought was the voice of God, turning right and left on a twisting back road—and he ended up at a dead-end in the middle of a cornfield. This pivotal moment was the beginning of Barker’s arduous journey from faith-based spiritual living to logic- and reason-driven freethinking. In his 2...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Ryan Jackson rated it 5 of 5 stars

This isn't the best book on the subject that I have read, but I must say that I rather enjoyed it. I particularly enjoyed the first third, which is autobiographical, and the chapter on bible contradictions. I felt as though the last two thirds of the book didn't quite have as clear a target as the first third, but I still found it well worth the read. As someone who has never really believed in gods, I found the author's willingness to express his previous experiences quite interesting. for exam...more

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Nov 29, 2009 Abbey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: belief-systems-and-philosophy, biography

His references to the names and music of the evangelical world of the 70s felt like we were sitting side by side on a couch, looking at an old scrapbook of shared memories. The story of his escape from the Fundamentalist version of the Gulag Archipelago was really familiar!

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Jun 24, 2011 Jorge rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: atheism-religion

Absolutely fantastic. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Mr. Barker takes you through a personal journey to freethinking. My only question, Mr. Barker what took you so long???

I'm an avid reader and I can honestly say that this is one of the best books ever written about this topic. It's freethinking at is best, Mr. Barker's clear intellect is displayed for all to enjoy.

Positives:
1. Interesting transformation to Atheism
2. Well written, eloquence throughout
3. Well organized
4. Well informed
5. Good...more

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Aug 17, 2010 deletedsoul rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am a former fundamentalist.

I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian home, with both Baptist and Pentecostal influences. As such, I had what is commonly known as “spiritual” experiences during my years as a “born again” Christian and it is something that for many years I’ve struggled to come to terms with. One of the reasons that being a former Fundamentalist is so difficult is that I rarely meet anyone who has left that faith, and who can understand and share what I feel concerning the subject....more

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Apr 11, 2013 Renae added it

I didn't actually finish this, but I want to keep it in my list to help me remember that I gave it a shot. I was hoping it would be more autobiographical, but it turned out to be mostly 'nontract'-ish. I don't need to be convinced that atheism is a sensible choice; I'm all set in that department. And I don't intend to try to deconvert any believers, just as I would prefer that no one try to convert me. So all the non-autobiographical material held no appeal for me. For better or for worse, I hav...more

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May 24, 2012 Chris Day rated it 5 of 5 stars

The breathtaking and inspirational tale of Dan Barker, the fundamentalist Christian "soul winner" (as he put it) turned atheist. Beginning as an in-depth biography, Barker guides us through his youth where he decides to become an evangelist, his travels as a street-preacher, and his career as a song-writer up until he slowly comes to the painful yet liberating realization that there is no god. Barker then explains the philosophical and scientific problems with god and debunks the alleged inerran...more

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“Scientists do not join hands every Sunday and sing "Yes gravity is real! I know gravity is real! I will have faith! I believe in my heart that what goes up, up, up must come down, down, down. Amen!" If they did, we would think they were pretty insecure about the concept.” — 267 people liked it

“People are invariably surprised to hear me say I am both an atheist and an agnostic, as if this somehow weakens my certainty. I usually reply with a question like, “Well, are you a Republican or an American?” The two words serve different concepts and are not mutually exclusive. Agnosticism addresses knowledge; atheism addresses belief. The agnostic says, “I don't have a knowledge that God exists.” The atheist says, “I don't have a belief that God exists.” You can say both things at the same time. Some agnostics are atheistic and some are theistic.” — 12 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3468711-godless?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328751710l/3468711.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3468711-godless?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists by Dan Barker[/url]

Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists

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