The Plain Truths Of Religion

Religion is a duplicitous invention of primitive humans, diametrically opposed to our moral intuition, and driven by belief in gods whose existence is neither evident nor probable. These are just some of the damning conclusions reached by Gareth Wilson within his pulsating assessment of organised faith.

Sweeping aside the punditry of religious apologists and their critique of previous atheist works, The Plain Truths of Religion is the most extensive and full-blooded summation of both the nature and purpose of humankind's greatest belief systems. As such, this piece is as raw as it is incisive, and certainly not a read for the faint-hearted.

THE PLAIN TRUTHS OF RELIGION'S AMAZON LISTINGS:
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Atheist writer and philosopher Gareth Wilson is the author of The Plain Truths of Religion. Its introductory chapter is free to read at www.seculararena.com.

Far from merely disbelieving in the existence of a god, Gareth Wilson is a forthright advocate of secularism. Driving this stance are 1) the spiting of valuable empirical study by the bold and unproven assertions of the faithful, and 2) the malign influence upon human behaviour to be had from literal belief in the contents of ancient and superstitious peoples.

Religious moderation, a widely shared practice responsible for inhibiting the above effects, is predicated upon the shedding of core religious beliefs. Through their actions and non-actions, its advocates demonstrate the obscenity of their professed faith's teaching, and offer no true argument in religion's favour whatsoever.

In a nutshell, Wilson's non-belief in a god, stems from there being no proof of his existence: evidence equivalent to that demanded by the faithful prior to their investing belief in almost any speculation one could care to mention. Wilson's dismissal of God as a theory is based on the simple premise that any single creator, to have comprehended and designed his creation, must be more complex and improbable than that to have proceeded from him; thereby requiring of a prior designer even more unlikely than himself, or an evolution and/or existential constants more improbable than those underpinning his finished work (in this case the universe).

Gareth Wilson argues further that religion's negative influence upon human civilization lies with its foundation as an ideological control mechanism, and the determination of its propagators to subdue our evolved moral instincts.

In The Plain Truths of Religion, Wilson's critique is structured as follows:
* Religion is a danger to young minds
* Religion is based on nonsense
* Religion has no evidence
* Religion favours improbability
* Religion indoctrinates children
* Religion needs to suppress non-believers
* Religion is a control mechanism
* Religion is a conceited pleasure restrictor
* Religion is bereft of morality
* Religion takes false credit for good things
* Religion is to blame for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
* Religion causes terrorism
* Religion is not exonerated by evil atheists

Gareth Wilson has pages on Twitter (http://twitter.com/seculararena), Facebook (gareth@seculararena.com) and Myspace (gareth@seculararena.com).

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