This was a wonderful book. Believers and non-believers alike could absolutely enjoy Dennett's wit, use of evolutionary and philosophical theory, as well as his cautious, yet investigatory adventure into religion. Dennett puts religion under the scientific microscope and studies it as a naturally occurring phenomena. He analyzes it's origins, its evolution, and how it has served (and disserviced) human civilizations. He poses a series of questions and uses his book to begin various discussions about religion, including why it has survived, why humans created it and continue to propagate it, as well as why humans believe in god(s), religions evolutionary survival mechanisms, and the various things religions provide people. Unlike Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris, Dennett is much more objective and reserves his judgements for the last fifty pages of the book in which he evaluates whether religion is still useful and beneficial to humanity, and whether we, with the advances made in science, philosophy, and law, really need it any more. If you're a believer with doubts or questions about religion, its origins, its usefulness etc, but are not ready to give it up entirely without proper research READ THIS. If you are a non-believer trying to figure out why the hell the majority of the civilized world believes in an invisible friend and his book(s), READ THIS.