Book: The God delusion

But they really are guilty - so it is in the suggestion of their faith to a child whose mind is not yet ripe to decide whether to worship the sun or not.

As demonstrated in his works, my late colleague W. D. Hamilton, animal care, protect, share resources, warn of danger and show the altruism of a different kind, usually in relation to the next of kin because of the statistical probability that they have genes is large.

Under asymmetric needs and opportunities natural selection shows a preference for genes, inducing the organisms, if possible, share it, and in the absence of such opportunities - encourage others. In addition, shown the ability to remember debts, to show resentment, to check for the fair transaction and to punish the Dodgers, benefiting from favours but not returning the debt.

It is no exaggeration to say that most of my fellow atheists hide their views behind a facade of piety. They themselves in anything supernatural do not believe, but continue to feel a vague sympathy for irrational beliefs. They believe in faith. It's amazing how often people do not see the difference between the statements "X is true" and "I would like everyone to believe that X is true." Maybe in fact they do not commit this logical fallacy, but just think that compared to human feelings really is not so important. I do not want to belittle the role of human emotions and feelings. But let us in each discussion at the outset to clarify what we will talk: about feelings or about the truth. Both are important, but they are different things.

Philosophers say that in the death of the old man is nothing special. Kid he once was, died a long time ago- not in one moment, and day by day, growing into an adult. "Death" of each of the released people of Shakespeare's seven ages going through a slow transition to the next. From this point of view, the time of emission of the old man's last breath is no different from what was happening in life-long gradual "dying".

Responsible for the bringing of evidence are believers, not atheists.
No sane person will not allow the fact of unproven invention of flying teapots and fairies served as the clincher in an important dispute. We did not feel obliged to waste time on the refutation of the myriad myths, generated by a wealth of imagination.

There is something infantile in the expectation that meaning and purpose in your life is bound to make someone else (parents - when it comes to children, God in the case of adults). This is reminiscent of the infantile individuals who, after falling and twisting his ankle, begin to look for whom to sue. Someone is bound to guarantee my well-being, and therefore someone is guilty that I'd hurt myself. Is this infantilism, the main reason for the "need" God?

Why is God considered an explanation of anything? This is not an explanation, and failing to explain, shrug, school "I don't know" wrapped in a veil of spirituality and rituals. Explanation of anything the handiwork of God usually indicates that the speaker has no idea what is happening and therefore ascribes the authorship of the unattainable and incomprehensible heavenly magician. Ask where this guy came from there, and I bet the answer is vague pseudophilosophical statement that it always was or that he lives outside the bounds of nature. The explanation is, of course, will not name.

Attacking the atheist Diderot, pious Euler the most convincing tone threw the following challenge: "Monsieur, (a+b^n)/n=x, hence God exists. It's your turn!" Stunned Diderot was compelled to retire and, according to one version, without a backward glance fled to France.

You are not allowed to say: "Forbidding me to insult homosexuals, you infringe on my rights." But you will win if you say: "You infringe on my freedom of religion". And what, if you think about the difference?

... The essence of religion consists in the set of ideas called sacred, the cherished, and the like. Keep in mind the following: "Here's an idea or opinion, and they can't say anything bad - it is impossible, period". "Why not?" "Because!"

The God of the old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in world literature. Jealous and proud of it, petty, unjust, ruthless, power-hungry, vindictive, the mastermind of ethnic cleansing, misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticide, spread plague and death, sado-masochist, capricious, malevolent bully.
The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.

Let's not forget that one of the main gifts of the teacher students is acquired by children to amazing parents.

All the supporters of the literal interpretation of the Bible enough to read it and know that for adultery, picking up sticks on the Sabbath and disobedience to parents the death penalty?