I’ve been reading this book, and actually writing a refutation of it (which is now done and can be read at my blog, Arizona Atheist), and thus far his arguments are not persuasive at all. Other than his poor attempts at defending the bible against the attacks of the “new atheists” his main argument is that communism is an example of what will happen if atheism becomes the dominant force in the world. While some reviewers felt that his communist argument was his stronger one, I strongly disagree for the following reasons.

First, communism, as developed by Karl Marx, did not advocate the oppression of religious people, or the outright banning of religion. To Marx, religion would just fade away because the state would replace it and no one would need it. Second, Aikman’s claim that communist nations are an example of what would happen if atheism became the dominant ideology is false. The reason is because the basic feature of communist nations is totalitarianism which is, by it’s nature, violent and oppressive. I don’t think that is what would happen if a majority (or all people) gave up religion. The reason is because many studies show that countries with high levels of atheism and agnosticism are the most healthy, have the least amount of crime, etc.

I was very disappointed at the level of argumentation that Aikman used, and I felt much of what he had to say just wasn’t logical. His constant references comparing the “new atheists” to communist leaders got a little old, and the comparison is false anyway. The “new atheists” don’t want to force secularism upon people, as Dawkins has been quoted as saying, for example. And none of the four authors wants to kill any religious people (another false claim Aikman uses against Harris).

Overall, he misses the mark on many of his arguments and so I think this is just yet one more book that falls flat in the defense of theology.

Hello, Aspentroll,
While being introduced to a religion can prove beneficial, it is not a prerequisite to becoming a believer in God.  Sometimes (believe it or not) it can be a hindrance of sorts.  In my case, I was raised a Catholic and looked upon my faith as something akin to my nationality, “I’m Polish, Irish, and Catholic”.  It was only until adulthood that I began questioning things - life and it’s meaning (and if it had a meaning at all).  It dawned on me that if there was no God then there really was no meaning, or absolutes of any kind.  If taken to its logical conclusion, we were all meaningless, life was just the result of cosmic chance, and “anything goes” - right or wrong went right out the window.  But, I’ve got to tell you, Aspentroll, when I looked around me, I saw an intelligence behind things. How could everything I saw around me come about by chance?  There was just too much intricacy.  In my search for what reality was, I came upon a book by GK Chesterton called “The Everlasting Man”.  In it, he explains that if we truly want to see something, sometimes it is best to look at it objectively- from outside of it.  That is how I began looking at life, and it became more and more miraculous to me.  I have since come to faith in Jesus Christ and consider myself richly blessed for my period of doubt and questioning.  Perhaps (and I pray) you consider your doubting a gift - one that will enable you to discover that there is indeed a God, you are loved beyond comprehension, and belief in that God is the most rational conclusion you will ever come to in your life.  God bless you, Aspentroll. P.S. Read “The Everlasting Man” by GK Chesterton.  You can even read it online!  CG

I am 74 years of age. I have been
an atheist for most of my life
because I was never really introduced to religion
by my mother who was widowed when I was 9 years old.
She was too busy trying keep food on the table back in the ‘40s during WW2.

Atheism has never been a threat to my life, liberty or pursuit of happiness in any way. I think people who are constantly in fear of dying and going to some imaginary place called Hell are far more threatened than I have ever been. They flock to church to listen to a Pastor, priest or what ever else they are called, tell them that they are born in sin and must repent or it’s hell for them. That to me is a threat to their liberty
as a continuing form of brainwashing. Then they brainwash their children in the same way.

To me this a weird way to have to find happiness.