Guy P. Harrison is the author of 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God (Prometheus Books).
Praise for
50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God
"...engaging and enlightening... Read this book to explore the many and diverse reasons for belief."
—Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine, monthly columnist Scientific American
"Guy P. Harrison has written a persuasive and frequently humorous book about an important topic . . .This thoughtful work should be read by religious practitioners, political leaders, and the general public and should be taught as a foundation for explaining the role of religion in society. I recommend it heartily."
—Nick Wynne, PhD; Executive director of the Florida Historical Society
"Deep wisdom and patient explanations fill this excellent book. The author—a journalist with worldwide experience and thorough scientific knowledge—doesn't ridicule supernatural beliefs. He seems fond of believers. But he quietly employs logic to show that invisible gods, devils, heavens, hells, miracles and the like belong in the superstitious past, and cannot be taken seriously by educated modern people."
—James A. Haught, author of 2,000 Years of Disbelief and editor of West Virginia's largest newspaper, The Charleston Gazette
"Atheists are too often perceived (sometimes with good reason) as aggressive and a little bitter. Perhaps we have good reasons to be so, but Guy Harrison shows us how one can be an atheist, openly challenge belief and superstition, and yet do it with respect, engaging the other side in an open and constructive conversation. If this is the most recent turn of the New Atheism, it is a very welcome one!"
—Massimo Pigliucci, professor of Ecology and Evolution at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and author of Making Sense of Evolution
“Guy P. Harrison does a splendid job of critically examining the many reasons people offer in support of their religious beliefs. He shares the exhilaration of moving beyond religion, but Harrison doesn’t bully or condescend. Rather, he approaches the reader gently. Reading Harrison’s book is like having an amiable chat with a wise old friend.”
—Cameron M. Smith and Charles Sullivan, authors of The Top 10 Myths about Evolution
“Religion is as universal as language, which hints at a biological basis. Why did our ancestors evolve an attraction to the supernatural? The fundamental question is not whether this attraction is rational or not – which is the subject of a dozen recent provocative books -- but what exactly faith delivers to those who possess it. The present book treats this question respectfully, listening to the answer of the believers themselves, which seems an excellent place to start.”
—Frans de Waal, leading primatologist, author of Our Inner Ape
Guy Harrison has written a good book for the non-technically oriented person interested in the God hypothesis. Harrison does a wonderful job of articulating why it makes little sense to believe in the face of 50 of the real reasons why the average person in the pew believes. There are many gems of wisdom in this book as Harrison offers up intelligent answers that everyone can understand against the claims of believers.
—John W. Loftus, author of Why I Became an Atheist
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"50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God by Guy P. Harrison is a fantastic book for any new atheist — or for anyone standing on that border between theism and atheism."
"…There are no insults or harsh words. No one can accuse the author of being arrogant. And unlike other similar books on the subject, he doesn’t make this too complicated."
"…a great resource"
'…This book is also one I would love to pass along to religious friends. I want to know how they respond to Harrison’s essays. And, as opposed to many other recent books by atheists, I have no fear that they’ll shy away from this one."
—FriendlyAtheist.com
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What Amazon readers are saying about 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God:
“A fine addition to the recent surge of non-believer books. This one is a kinder, gentler version, and fun to read.”
“This is an outstanding book.”
“Rather than being heated and dogmatic, it is open, calm, and reasonable. I often think that anti-religion books just say the same arguments over and over… …yet I found a lot of new material and novel insights in this book.”
“I strongly recommend this accessible, engaging, fresh book.”
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Book Description
Many books that challenge religious belief from a skeptical point of view take a combative tone that is almost guaranteed to alienate believers, or they present complex philosophical or scientific arguments that fail to reach the average reader. Guy P. Harrison argues that this is an ineffective way of trying to encourage people to develop critical thinking about religion. In this unique approach, Harrison concisely presents fifty commonly heard reasons that people often give for believing in a god. Then he raises legitimate questions regarding these reasons, showing in each case that there is much room for doubt.
From religion as the foundation of morality to the authority of sacred books, the compelling religious testimony of influential people, near-death experiences, theories from intelligent design, and much more, Harrison respectfully describes each rationale for belief and then politely shows the deficiencies that any good skeptic would point out. He also offers something in return--a hopeful and optimistic view of science, the universe, and humanity without the divisiveness, prejudice, and hatred caused by conflicting religious doctrines.
Drawing on his experiences as a nonbeliever and his extensive travels around the world, Harrison makes poignant arguments that are sure to inspire thought-provoking discussions. Whether you're a believer, a complete skeptic, or somewhere in between, you'll find his review of traditional and more recent arguments for the existence of gods refreshing, approachable, and enlightening.
More about the Author
Guy P. Harrison is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a degree in history and anthropology. He currently lives in the Cayman Islands where he is a columnist and travel writer for a national newspaper. He has won several international awards for his writing and photography.
