A.A.- is it a cult ? - Also excellent commentary on mormon.
Acharya S. - The Christ Conspiracy - Adventures Unlimited Press, 1999 - An excellent, in-depth study which tears down and apart any lingering doubt about the "reality" of Jesus Christ. If you still believe after reading this one you are just plain insane.
Adler, Margot - Drawing Down The Moon - The authoritative book on modern American Wicca. Gives an alternative to patriarchal, restrictive faiths.
Alhazred, Abdul - Necronomicon - Avon Books 1977 - This, the testimony of the mad arab, explains and sets down the ancient Sumerian religious practices. It details the creation and the pantheons of Sumerian gods and goddesses; as well as instructions for the rituals to get in contact with said gods.
Allah The Merciful - Holy Qu'ran - published by various prophets - Superb!!!!!
Alper, Matthew - The "GOD" Part Of The Brain: A scientific interpretation of human spirituality and God - Rogue Press
Atack, John - A Piece Of Blue Sky - A highly informative piece on why Scientology is corrupt and how. John Atack's book is the Voice of Reason for ANYONE curious about this heinous and dangerous cult. Details: Hypocrisy of L. Ron Hubbard; lies of the church and LRH; RH; horrible acts of the Co$; and other interesting *facts*. Brainwashing, cruelty and homophobic church doctrine. All about the filthy church of $camology.
Bach, Richard - Illusions: Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah
Barker, Dan - Losing Faith in Faith - Freedom From Religion Foundation, 1992 - A very good and personal book writen by a former christian evangelical minister (of 19 yrs) who became an atheist. It tends to deal a lot with a more personal side but I would recomend it for anyone as a good book by someone who remembers what it was like to be a christian and why he left.
Book of Popes - This book would help to support your claims.
The Book of J - One of the authors is Bloom of right wing political fame, however.. This translation and commentary of the "J" text of "the books of Moses" makes clear that the Bible was originally written as a work of fiction.
Borg, Marcus - Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time - 1993? Harper - This book patiently explodes (there's a paradox for you) the fictions the early church built up around Jesus. Borg, a member of the Jesus Seminar and Professor at Oregon State University, wants people to meet the human Jesus, again. The virgin birth, resurrection, etc. are explained as they were(n't), in order to reveal the politically and psychologically challenging person people got pissed off enough at to kill.
Bruce, F.F. - New Testament History
Cabot, Laurie and Tom Cowan - Power Of The Witch - Delta Trade Paperbacks, 1989 - "A marvelous introduction to the magical and highly ethical world of Wicca." - Whitley Streiber
Campbell, Joseph - The Masks of God [4 volumes] I. Primitive Mythology. II. Oriental Mythology. III. Occidental Mythology IV. Creative Mythology - Campbell's books are the definitive modern discussion on the origins of our religions and mythologies. Although Frazer's Golden Bough is encyclopaedic it is of an earlier generation of scholasticism than Campbell's work.
Capra, Fritjoff - The Tao of Physics - This book briefly summarizes the major tenents of eastern religions. It then examines some of the concepts emerging from modern quantum mechanical research, and how they jive with eastern religion. This book is very mind-expanding.
Carus, Paul - The History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil - Open Court Publishing Company, 2nd printing 1990 - This book is a reproduction of the original from 1900. It is absolutely wonderful. Gives a great perspective on religious thought regarding "the advesary", and one can trace the evolution of "Satan" as it is commonly known today. It will surprise you. A great many pagan legends have been twisted by the Xtians, et al, and this book shows where they started and where they've gone (up till 1900 of course).
Crossan, John Dominic - The Historical Jesus - Harper Collins, 1991 - An exploration of Mediterranean Society leading up to and including the time of 'Jesus'. It helps put the Jesus myths in perspective and provides a credible thesus as to who the man called Jesus might have been.
Crossan, John Dominic - Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography - A comparative evaluation of what we know about Jesus through the four gospels, and what we know through anthropological and archaeological research.
The Culture Of Disbelief - the author makes an interesting case for keeping (or at least limiting) the amount of religious influence on the government.
Daly, Mary - Beyond God The Father - Boston, Beacon Press - It has been a great help in the difficult journey of a woman recovering from a Catholic upbringing.
Daly, Mary - Webaters First New Intergalactic WICKEDAR - Harper San Francisco, 1987 - I promise you great fun with this book and some powerful insights into the structure of our language. It is also a treasure trove of quotations. OH ,I know why I just thought of it - it reminds me othe way you costructed you god contest - it is full of delightful LINKS!
Dante - Divine Comedy
Deloria, Vine Jr. - God Is Red - Native American Book
Dennet, Daniel - Darwin's Dangerous Idea - A brilliant review of evolution and the cultural resistance it has faced over the last hundred years
deSantillana - Hamlets Mill - A good introduction to the astrononical origins of religion The "persons" and "events" in religious myth are the misunderstanding of the archaic technical language for the movements of the planets. Even as late as Aristotle, educated people took it as a common idea that "the gods are the stars".
Dick, Philip K. - The Divine Invasion
Dimont, Max - Jews, God and History - Excellent history of the Jews - but a bit dated - it was published in the 50's.
Dobbs, J. R. "Bob" - Handbook of the Subgenius - "If you act like a dubshit, they will treat you as an equal." - Bob
Eccarius, J. G. - The last Days of Christ the Vampire - III Publishing, 1988 - An adventure story taking the reader from the U.S.A. to Rome to Jerusalem, searching for Jesus the Vampire.
Edwards, Gene - Divine Romance - is an awesome book about Jesus Christ. I am a non-denominal Christian, who struggles with the concept of God being merciful, yet sending millions to suffer in hell. But I have faith that that is God's perfect will, and God is sovereign.
Exorin, Reginald - The Chaos Realms - copyright 1984 - You should list as a contender Eris, the Goddess of Strife, Discord and Chaos. From the Discordian religion.
Fay, Martha - Do Children Need Religion?
Finkelstien, Israel and Niel Asher Silberman - The Bible Unearthed - Many Jews seem to realize that scriptural accounts just don't hold water. This book suggests that the Bible is not divinely inspired.
Fox, Robin Lane - The Unauthorized Version - Vintage Books, 1991 - Subtitled "Truth and Fiction in the Bible." - A historian's perspective of the evolution of the Bible and religious beliefs. Explains how vague passages were twisted to appear to prophesize subsequent events, and how coincidental events solidified the beliefs that certain writings were the Truth. It is especially informative (though time-consuming) to read the biblical passages being described by the author.
Freud, Sigmund - The Man Moses, A Historical Novel - I have read the Turkish translation, therefore I don't know if this is the real title in English. But it's interesting to read, as it discovers new areas of Judaism as the base of all religions, through the psychological analysis of the Israelites. The translater adds the note "founding of a religious anthropology" for the content.
Gaiman, Neil and Terry Pratchett - Good Omens - It's fun and it reminds me SOOO much of this site.
Gentry, Dr. Robert V. - Creation's Tiny Mystery - For those who are not bigoted and/or from the "left coast," Dr. Robert V. Gentry found Radiohaloes of Polonium 218, 214, and 210 within the matrix of granite. Granite had to form faster than the cumulative half-lives of these isotopes. Polonium 214 has a half-life of 3 minutes. Hmmm, Polonium 218 has a half-life of approximately 5/26,000 of one second. Double Hmmm. If you do not find evidence of an isotope within 7 half-lives, you cannot find it, because the isotope will have stepped down in energy state to the extent that the isotope becomes unmeasurable. According to evolutionary/cosmological theory, it took hundreds of millions of years for granite to form, yet it had to crystalize faster than 35/26,000 of ONE SECOND!!! Triple Hmmmm!!! Granite crystalized, came into existence faster than one second, faster than a very small fraction of one second. Granite came into existence the same way that the entire universe came into existence. By fiat! The LORD Jesus spoke and the universe leapt into existence, 'ex-nihilo,' from nothing. Dr. Gentry published his findings over as decade ago, and they have NOT been refuted. Wake up and read!
Graves, Robert - The Greek Myths - Penguin Books - 1955 - This is the most enlightening work about Greek mythology. They were not just cute stories!
Green, Ruth Humerence - The Born Again Skeptic's Guide to the Bible - Freedom From Religion, Inc (1979) - It is a great book. It has several different reasons the Bible might not be the best book around...
Grof, Stan and Christian - Spiritual Emergency: When Personal Transformation Becomes A Crisis - J.P. Tarcher Publisher, 1989 - Describes a number of spiritual problems that people encounter while engaging in spiritual practices, or sometimes spontaneously. It discusses how to distinquish such problems from mental disorders.
Harris, Marvin - Our Kind - While not an atheist book *per se*, it is an excellent overview of the development of human society, and so touches on religion. The comparison of the importance of meat as a food with its impact on religion is very interesting, even if eventually proven false. Overall, a must-read for anyone who has read 'The Naked Ape' by Desmond Morris and wants an update on current anthropological thought.
Hesse, Herman - Siddhartha - is a very short (122 pages), very good book. By all means, read it. It's not religion. Get the "A New Directions Paperback" edition, translated by Hilda Rosner, ISBN 0-8112-0068-X. There's a copycat(s) out, and the translation is awful.
Highwater, Jamake - Myth & Sexuality - Excellent historical study of the roots of the modern religions (focus on Christianity) and how they have systematically slandered and perverted human sexuality to gain control over their followers and also degrade women.
Holy Blood, Holy Grail - This book examines the interrelationships of the Holy Grail, Arthurian legends, the Crusades, the Albigensian heresy, the Merovingian dynasty, Mary Magdalen, the Knights Templar, the Masons, and many others. Perhaps its most controversial element, however, is its treatment of the christian bible as a historical document. It looks at the apparently arbitrary basis for the inclusion or exclusion of texts, and it applies standard literary critical and analytical techniques to the bible. Its greatest threat to christianity is its use of these techniques to provide an interpretation that dispels many christian myths and traditions. Most notably, it proposes the idea that Jesus had a wife and children, and that the "Sangreal" of legend is not the San Greal, or "holy grail," but rather the Sang Real, or "Royal Blood," the descendants and bloodline of Jesus.
Jaynes, Julian - The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind - Jaynes' thesis stated briefly, is that mankind did not stop evolving millions of years ago. Instead, in the interval, man's brain (mind) has evolved in very subtle ways. Although Jaynes does not say so (he's a prof of psychology at Princeton), one can easily conclude that not all our brethren are fully evolved and so they persist in these infra-consciousness "beliefs" in fundamentalist, anthropromorphic beings--otherwise known as god, spirit, trinity, Elijah, Jesus, Yahweh, Mohammed, et al.
The Jehovah Contract - This is a work of fiction, but it deals with an aethist confronted with the impossible mission. To kill God.
Johnson, Paul - A History Of Christianity - Very objective, no punches pulled, look at the History of the "Church" for the last two millenia.
Johnson, Paul - A History Of The Jews - Very objective, well-written look at the "chosen people" and their religious as well as political development.
Johnson, Sonia - From Housewife to Heretic - The Crossing Press, Freedom California, 1987 - a journey of a mormon wife and mother to feminism and "Going out of Our Minds"
Johnson, Sonia - The Metaphysics of Liberation - The Crossing Press, Freedom California, 1987 - This book was a very important awakening and support system for a woman recovering from christian upbringing and its inherent patriarchal oppression.
Karon, Jan - At Home in Mitford, These High Green Hills, A Light in the Window - These three wonderful books are about the personal relationship a community of believers have with god. Should be read in order to fully savour the characters and their evolving understandings.
Kaufman, Walter - A Critique of Philosophy and Religion - Princeton University Press - A scholarly, thought provoking, analysis of trends in the development of philosophy and religion. In particular, shows the flaws in the arguements of various Xtian philosophers, such as Aquinas and the more recent precusors of the Xtian apologetic types, such as Bultmann. Heavy going at times, but well worth the effort.
Kersten, Holger and Elmer R. Gruber - The Jesus Conspiracy - UK- Element Books Ltd., LongMead, Shaftsbury: USA- Element Books Inc., 42 Broadway, Rockport - Jesus did not die on the cross. He survived, got married and had children. Outrageous proposal until you read this book. Evidence beyond any doubt, reasonable or otherwise.
Krieger, Herman - Churches ad hoc - published On Internet - "Churches ad hoc" is a wry look at churches in America by photographer Herman Krieger. Pulished by PhotoZone Press, 1998
Krishnamurti - Freedom From The Known
Latourette, Kenneth Scott - A History of Christianity
LaVey, Anton Zandor - The Satanic Bible - I feel that every religion should be investigated thouroughly before choosing a god for nomination. Knowing of both the 'Dark' as well as the 'Religions of the Light' will prove most beneficial to one who is deciding upon a worthy diety.
Leach, Marjorie - Guide To The Gods - Published by ABC-CLIO/1992 - Jalandhara, a demon of extraordinary strength and powers, who made war on the gods, but was finally defeated by Siva and his wives. He "received from Brahma himself the power of resurrecting the dead."
Leedom, Tim C. - The book your church doesn't want you to read - Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, c1993 - This is another compilation of non-theist thought, notice I did not use the term atheist because some of the authors are not atheist but more of agnostic/freethinker, etc. leaning -with some weird thinkings- there are even some Christian writers. I still recommend this book highly for its attempt at being "hip" with its format and the many good graphics it includes (included are cartoons satirizing religion -most from newspapers- pictures explaining religions origins, etc.). P.S.I'm pretty sure you can still find the company that helped make the book The Truth Seeker Company? To order the book. This also goes for my earlier suggestion the "Anthology" book which you can order from the publisher Prometheus Books.
Leedom, Tim C. (editor) - The Book Your Church Doesn't Want You To Read - Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., 2460 Kerper Blvd., P.O. Box 539, Dubuque, IA 52004-0539 (1993) - Rather scattershot in layout, but all with a single theme: Many of the elements of Jesus and Christianity can be found in dieities and religions that PREDATE Christianity! Selected authors include Thomas Payne, Thomas Jefferson, Jordan Maxwell, Steve Allen (yes, THAT Steve Allen!), Dan Barker, et. al.
Lerner, Gerta - The Creation Of Patriarchy - Oxford U Press, 1986 - Companion to Stone's book!
Lewis, C. S. - Mere Christianity - First, I am not a "practicing christian", however I feel that some books recommended by people who are strong believers in this faith are worth taking a look at. An "unbaised conclusion" is only possible if you look at all sides of the issue. With that said, this book is one man's simple explanation of why he feels "Mere Christianity" is the right and true path.
Lewis, James R. - The Gods Have Landed - SUNY, New Religions from Other Worlds - The Gods Have Landed is a comprehensive account of the religious dimension of the UFO/flying saucer experience. It examines the religious meanings attached to UFOs by the larger society as well as specific movements that claim inspiration from "Space Brothers" and other extra-terrestrial sources. It addresses the religious dimension of the phenomenon of alien abductions, particularly the impact of extra-terrestrial life on Christian theology.
The Lost Books of the Bible/ Return to Eden - Truly an eye opening text, it lets you peek at secrets withheld from a book interpreted as law . The truth of the matter revealed!!
Lumdarn - The Book Of Lumdarn - Stalin Books, 1965 - Lumdarn, the son of Lum, will rule all! When the Flame Death swoops from the mysterious Tower of Baka, all will sieze up their machines that go "Ping!" and cower beneath the sheets of Chlorox and quiver when Ataru says "Hoi! Watch you head!" And even as you beg for mercy from the Stormtrooper Of Lum, you will realize that there is no escaping from the deep fat friers of the Knights who say Kneip! Nobody can escape the dark mass of Lawyers! We will feast upon your souls.
Lurker, Manfred - Gods & Goddesses/Demons & Devils - Published by Routledge & Kegan Paul/1987 - Metatron, a benevolent demon mentioned in the Kabbala, angel of the countenance and custodian of strength. He recieved prayers from human beings and plaits them into crowns to be set on the head of God.
Mack, Burton - Who Wrote the New Testament? The Making of the Christian Myth - A scholarly look at the New Testament. Mack does an excellent job of showing who, when, and why the New Testament was written.
Malaclypse the Younger - Principia Discordia (or, How I Found Goddess and What I Did to Her When I Found Her) - published by POEE Temple, San Francisco - The Principia Discordia is a classic of guerilla ontology. The "Holy Book" of the Discordian Society. Supposedly based on worship of Eris, ancient Greek goddess of Discord. Is it a joke disguised as a religion, or a religion disguised as a joke? Numerous versions are available in hypertext. Here's one. - submitted by: John Wesley Hardin
Martin, Michael - Atheism: a philosophical justification - Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 1990. - Puts forward a postive argument for atheism as opposed to the historical approach of negative attacks against theism. A very comprehensive work. I believe he is a professor at Boston College, a very erudite man.
Martin, Michael - The Case Against Christianity - Temple University Press, 1991 - The most systematic refutation of Christianity ever written. I highly recommend it.
McKinsey, C. Dennis - The Enclyclopedia of Biblical Errancy - Prometheus Press - Dennis has published a newsletter called "Biblical Errancy" for the past 10 years, and his book is a refined and honed compilation of same. The book, at $49.95. is a bargain for those looking for answers to religionists insistance that the Bible is inerrant. It may be obtained from Prometheus, Waldo or Dennis himself at 2500 Punderson Dr., Hilliard OH 43026. He is also in the process of video taping the book, which, when finished will encompass nearly 80 30 minute, well presented programs.
Messadie, Gerard - L'homme qui devint Dieu - Published by Laffont - I don't know whether this book was translated into English. For those who can read it (in French), it follows the life of Jesus the man in a historical and political context. It tells the stories of all the "miracles" and shows how, after he was crucified and rescued from the cross, he was turned into a "god". A second volume ("les sources") backs up the first one with extensive case studies and bibliography. This book led to countless vicious verbal attacks by the French and European churches.
Miles, Jack - GOD: A Biography - Alfred A. Knopf, Inc 1995 - Jack Miles has produced a scholarly study of the protaganist of the book "The Bible". As an acamedician might publish a work on Hamlet or Huckleberry Finn, Mr. Miles has similarly studied "God" as the major character of a piece of literature. In the process of examining the character "God", Miles has brought to light many of the inners conflicts and flaws which make any great literary character human. The process of bringing any fictional creation to full life is always difficult for the author or biographer, but Mr. Miles has done a splendid job. All the major struggles, failures and triumphs of "God" are thoroughly examined, detailed, and discussed.
Mind of the Bible Believer - Another excellent debunk through examining the process known as "snapping" (born-agains think it's "conversion") and the bizarre transformation language undergoes in the Christian mega-cult. Ordinary words with reasonable meanings are translated into coded commands and programs to keep the hapless believer locked in the clutches of the guilt-and-grace-God game. The author examines how words like "love" and "truth" are stripped of their original meaning in most human contexts and redefined according to the doctrinal line. "Truth", for example, ceases (for the believer) to mean a statement based upon verifiable facts and instead, comes to mean that which supports the consensus of Xtian doctrine. Deception no longer means lies or manipulative games designed to cause the victim to form incorrect conclusions. For the believer, "deception" becomes yet another code word meaning simply, "anything that doesn't agree with the doctrine-set." An excellent read and valuable tool; first part is a bit lengthy and difficult to get through, but the six or seven items explored in depth afterward are gems. Babalon Incarnate
Morris, Henry M. - Many Infallable Proofs - This is an excellent book with more than enough scientific and archeological evidence to show the superiority of Christianity as compared to say Islam. Considering Jesus fullfilled all the old testament prophecy about himself and Mohamad had no prophetic announcement makes one wonder how many people are following the true God. The Bible has been shown to be one of the most historically accurate ancient documents of all time. New archeological evidence, instead of disproving the Bible, shows it to be 100% accurate historically. Mohamed has myths, Jesus has accurate eyewitness accounts written and shared with people who were alive at the time of the events. Even Mohamed said he was building on the work of Jesus. Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the father except through me". Anyone that deny's Jesus gets what they want, An eternity seperated from God, better known as Hell.
Murray, Jon G. - Essays on American Atheism-Volume 1 - American Atheist Press, 1986 - This is one of my most cherished and classic books on atheism. I first found this in my public library when I was first forming my ideas on ideas on religion (about 14 or 15). It, to say the least, went a long way toward explaining atheism to me, its importance, why I should be proud to be an atheist, among many other issues that Jon G. Murray explains and confronts. Though some people (I later found out) thought of the American Atheist organization to be too "hardline" and unfeeling to its subscribers/members, etc. I found the tone of the book and for that matter the organization to be well within the boundraries in regard to its "attacks" against religion, etc.. This is again another "must read" for those who think they can call themselves Atheists, or simply want more information in regards to its ideas. This has had a great influence on my ideas on Atheism to a great deal, and I hope it has an influence on you too. P.S. By the way the book is a compilation of previous articles written by Jon G. Murray in the American Atheist Magazine.
The New Testament - is the best documented literary work surviving from ancient times. Over 5,000 manuscripts have survived. Fragments now available date back to the beginning of the second century. Even liberal scholars acknowledge the early dates of many New Testament books. Consequently, there is no reasonable basis for believing that Christ's teachings were distorted by the apostolic church. To the contrary, it is only logical that the apostles would be the ones most likely to remain faithful to the teaching of their Lord, and that they, in turn, would select successors on the basis of their reliability.
Nietzche, Friedrick - The Antichrist - A great book where Nietzche analizes Christianity, and how it holds back humanity instead of making it better.
Nietzche, Friedrick - Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzche's book about religion, as seen through the teachings of a Prophet of Humanity.
Pagels, Elaine - Adam, Eve and the Serpent - An extremely well-researched and scholarly presentation of how Women came to be viewed by the Christian church as the downfall of "man"kind. Pagels is well-known for her scholarly research in this area. A must-read for those who have some "questions" about the Christian religion.
Pagels, Elaine - The Gnostic Gospels - This is an excellent, thorough, academic look at the social and political climate of the early church and how certain doctrines/dogmas became established as THE way, or THE true teaching, as opposed to other forms of Christianity which contended for the attention of religious people. It is easy to read, but substantial and thought-provoking. Makes you wonder what a different sort of world it would have been had the Gnostics won out as opposed to the Orthodoxies. Highly recommend it for debunking the axiomatic assumptions behind a lot of the dogmas of Xtiandom. Invaluable tool.
Pascall, Jeremy - GOD: The Ultimate Autobiography - Salem House Publishers; 1987 - A hilarious look at God. What if he was not a big powerful deity, but an uppity old man? Every Christian should read this to take a bit of the pomp out of the religion.
Peck, Scott - The Road Less Travelled - Not religion per se, but a search for meaning, which includes eventually a spiritual life. A reasonable and fairly sophisticated psychiatrist author.
Petersen, Dave - Unlocking The Mysteries Of Creation - contains some interesting anti-Darwinism stuff.
Plimmer, Professor Ian - Telling Lies For God - Random House 1994 - Takes a look at creationism in Australia and puts its claims under a microscope. Interesting chapters include the great flood and the finances of the Creation Science Foundation and other creationist groups. Dr Gish's writings and claims are put under a particularly strong microscope. The books questions both the 'scientific' rigor and the honesty of creationist scientists. For a really well presented rebuttal of Creationism and 'Creation Science', check this out. Scary stuff.
Quinn, Daniel - Ishmael - Great book. Deals with creation myths, the divine right, etc.
Remsberg, John E. - The Christ - Prometheus Books ISBN 0-87975-924-0 - First published in 1909 by The Truth Seeker, this is one of the best books for debunking the existances of Christ. It is available on the internet, or was at one time.
Robbins, Tim - Another Road Side Attraction - Not only does this book give the reader an adventure of stealing the mummified Christ out from under the nose of the Pope, but the book is full of philosphical thought about religion.
Romer, John - Testament - an excellent objective historical examination of the origins and history of the Old and New testaments.
Russel, Bertrand - Why I Am Not a Christian - Simon and Schuster, 1957
Safire, William - The First Dissident - Wonderful study of the Book of Job, looking at Job as a political dissident holding on to truth against the powerful God. It's fascinating to watch the author's own views change as he works through the Biblical text more and more deeply.
Salisbury, Sarah - A Day No Pigs Would Die
Sandweiss - SAI BABA The Holy Man ... And The Psychiatrist - A story of a skeptical psychiatrist meeting with Sai Baba the Avatar. A must-read if you are to consider all entrants to this contest. It can be obtained at: - The Sathya Sai Baba Book Center of America - 305 West First Street - Tustin CA 92680 - TEL 714 669 0522 - FAX 714 669 9138
Schoenfield, Hugh - The Passover Plot and Those Incredible Christians - I read these in the 60's when I was beginning to define just how much of the Episcopalian dogma I found bizarre.
Smith, Huston - The World's Religions - Harper San Francisco, 1991 - Previously titled The Religions of Man. - A review of the histories, fundamental beliefs, and philosophies of each of the major religions. What I found striking was that the modern day versions of many religions were polar opposites of their founders' philosophies. (How many fundamentalist Christians truly love their neighbors?) A bit hard to read, because the author tries to explain notions that are sometimes foreign to Westerners.
Sprong, Bishop John Shelby - Living In Sin - Excellent book describing where fundamentalists go wrong in trying to say it is the be all end all source for instructions on how to think and live in today's world. Compares text in the bible with historical customs and traditions from the specific periods of time to show why certain laws were good for that time period and why they are impractical, unfair, and unevolved in today's society. A must read for anyone who's ever read the bible and said, "Huh? Why would I do something that stupid/cruel/thoughtless to someone?" Please read.
Sprong, Bishop John Shelby - Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture - The author of _Living In Sin?: A Bishop Rethinks Human Sexuality_ presents a powerful argument that the Bible cannot and *must* not be taken literally, points out the differences between literal and spiritual truth, enumerates a series of contradictions in the Biblical text, and suggests that Paul may have been a gay male.
Stahler - Science and Earth History - Examines both sides of evolution vs. creation.
Stein, Gordon Ph.d - A Second Anthology of Atheism and Rationalism - Prometheus Books, c1987 - I think this is one of the best, most comprehensive, compilation of "real" Atheist thought that has ever been put together. Though some readers might find some of the readings in this book to be a little complicated and "over their head" (mostly the more philosophical lectures and the like) I still highly recommend this book for anyone. I especially say this is a must read for those who want to call themselves an Atheist.
Subgenius Foundation - The Book Of The SubGenius - This is the book that opens all gateways and many, many more. Learnall about TIME CONTROL, EXCREMEDITATION and STUPERIORITY. Discover the secrets of "BOB". Learn why you were born Yeti and OTHERS were NOT. Uncover the hidden conspiracy that chokes and blinds us all...or rather, most of us. The Church Of The SubGeniusis dedicated to help ALL latent SubGenii worldwide!
Sweeney, Isaac - You're A Fuck - 1996 - Since you are such an ignorant (yet imaginative) conspiracy freak, you wouldn't enjoy talkin' to me. You see, I'm concerned with the truth, not far fetched consiracy plots. You are so fuckin' hell-bent on proving (ha) that Christianity is an objective man-made religion to be studied like a science, and later disproved. Grow some hair on your nuts and get a little wisdom, you fuck. Christianity is only validated when it is entered and examined from inside, not on paper. But you won't listen... you don't have the fuckin' balls to live the Sermon on the Mount, do you? no, you don't...you're TOO FUCKIN' WEAK!!!!!!
Various Authors - The Bible - A ripping good story, and the most effective means of ridiculing the literalist believers. WARNING: You can read whatever you *want* to read into this book! The Authors cannot be held responsible for serial killers, power-mad dictators, televangelists and other loonies who derive justification from this book.
Various Authors - The Book Of Mormon - Publisher: Joseph Smith - If you are really interested in the Church, not just looking for a good laugh or an excuse, then I would recommend that you read this. It is the true explanation for what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is all about.
Vyasadev et al - Srimad Bhagvatam - Published By: Bkativedanta Book Trust - Section of the vedas dealing with Visnu avatars in particular KRISHNA excellant as are all of the other related scriptures such as Bhagavad Gita, Caitanya caritamrita, Bhakti rasamrita sindhu etc.
Vonnegut Jr., Kurt - Cat's Cradle - I'm surprised you don't have anything on Bokononism around here. Check out this page. It has a good summary of Bokononism. - jziner@comox.island.net
Walker, Barbara - The Skeptical Feminist - Barbara Walker's other books are good too. I use her 'Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets' as a reference.
Walker, Williston - A History of the Christian Church
Walsch, Neale Donald - Conversations With God - Putnam, 1996 - This book brought a lifelong Athiest back into the spiritual world.
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society - Mankind's Search For God - This book spells out the basics of a variety of religions. It is available to anyone interested in reading it from any one of Jehovah's Witnesses. It is not partial to Christianity, rather it states facts and is very informative. Contact the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and they will be more than happy to provide you with a copy of this great book.
Watts, Alan - The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
Wells, G. A. - The Historical Evidence For Jesus - Prometheus Books, 1982 - Gives evidence that Jesus was NOT a historical person.
Who Moved The Stone? - Again, as I said in an earlier submission, I am not a "practicing christian", but I feel that books which look at a religion's side of the story should be consulted if one wishes to make an "unbaised conclusion". This book was written by a lawyer who wanted to prove that the resurrection story was FALSE, using the same style of argument as he would use for a case of law. However, after his research was done, he became convinced that the resurrection story was in fact true. The book describes each "fact" of the resurrection story and the author's reasons for believing or disbelieving it, and how that affects his eventual conclusion. A very interesting read.
Yancy, Philip - The Saving Life of Christ - This book will tell you the truth.
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