I am an atheist and I am pissed off!

Until Richard Dawkins came along and so elegantly skewered religion with his razor sharp intellect, I did not self-identify as an atheist but as just another former catholic. And then I was hit by the triple whammy in quick succession: Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late and truly lamented Christopher Hitchens. I have never looked back. Yet, as good as their arguments are, they did not prepare me for the barrage of vitriol that most atheists face when they come out. And that, in a nutshell, is what Greta Christina's book is all about. Religions, she argues, exist on the continuum between good and evil. Some religions may be less evil than others right now, but the trend over time for all religions is toward evil. A few religions are explicitly evil, but the majority that are not lend credibility to those that are and thus they aid and abet evil.

Dawkins et al provide the intellectual arguments against belief in the supernatural, but Greta provides nuts and bolts arguments that I can put in my back pocket for the next time someone tells me that I'm no different from the believers . She is angry, it is true, but her arguments are reasoned, not shrill, and her anger fuels the impulse to try to make things better. I am angry right along with her because, for example, I loved the Boy Scouts but can no longer suppress my revulsion. Hitchens liked to say that religion as a way of understanding the universe belongs to the childhood of our species. This book is a step along the way toward leaving our imaginary friends behind, growing up, and taking responsibility for ourselves in the one and only life we get.

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Not An Angry Book, but an Honest One

I wish everyone, atheist or non, would listen to at least the 3rd and 4th chapters of this book. We're all aware of the reasons why anger is sometimes an appropriate reaction to organized religion, but the book, to me, was not primarily about that. It's about reason and justice and whether or not human beings are really willing to offer more than lip service to these ideals which we claim to revere.

I would argue that those who consider themselves religious will not be particularly offended by this book, despite its "angry" title. You don't have to agree with Greta Christina to gain something from listening and to realize (and hopefully admit) that she makes some valid points here.

The author reads her book well and with conviction and humor - happily, not with anger. It's bound to make the listener look at religion in new ways.

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LOVE THIS!

If you could sum up Why Are You Atheists So Angry? in three words, what would they be?

Honest, Surprising, Insightful, Revelation

What did you like best about this story?

It kept me thinking through the whole book.

What about Greta Christina’s performance did you like?

I'm glad she read her own audio book. I like hearing it in the author's own voice and inflection.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I know this sounds trite but the whole book moved me. I have been the black sheep of my family all of my life. At times I felt guilty for being godless. My mother used to say "you are an athiest" but meant it in a bad way. The book made me finally, at 49, feel comfortable with my thoughts and being godless.

Any additional comments?

I kept saying to myself..."that's what I think!"

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religious rhetoric...same old song and dance

Would you try another book from Greta Christina and/or Greta Christina?

No. If you want a good book on the subject read Penn jillette's God No.

Has Why Are You Atheists So Angry? turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, just her writings

What didn’t you like about Greta Christina’s performance?

She is spinning her politics into a religious manifesto where if you don't agree with her your wrong. She and many others (bill maher comes to mind) are trying to turn atheism from an unaffiliated lack of faith, into a collective that have the same doctrine and sheep their way through life. the very thing that turned me away from any faith, which is an us vs them outlook on life, is the object of this book.

She is condescending to the reader throughout much of the book, talking down to you because you are not nearly as enlightened as she is, and just like the forces she is writing against, she lets you know, if you don't share her ideas you are not only wrong, but stupid. She is also condescending by saying things like " I don't hate people that think differently than be, BUT...." and then uses a vast vocabulary to tell you she hates people that don't share her doctrine.

And keep in mind I am a free thinker and agree with her statements about how atheists should be taken seriously, and 2000 year old sheep herder's campfire stories should not dictate our national policies. But I don't think that someone with a different opinion is somehow a lesser person or inferior.

Its the same BS the the religious right has been feeding us for centuries just wrapped up with an angry leftist vibe, repackaged think like us and sold back to you.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Why Are You Atheists So Angry??

I would remove the author as the narrator. The woman was unable to hide her contempt for others in her voice. She would say something that she thought was bullet proof or a huge insult on "the other side" and then make a small smug laugh and she did it throughout the whole book.

Any additional comments?

I have a saying. "Try not to argue with someone that shares the same opinion with you." Man, this book really makes that hard.

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I didn't need to listen to this book

Where does Why Are You Atheists So Angry? rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

While I find the subject of religion very interesting, I live in one of those Scandinavian countries Greta mentions in her book as being secular, where religion governs less and less of our daily life.

Therefore, much of the angriness Greta speaks about doesn't really apply to someone from Scandinavia. Most of the US-related issues, such as being prevented from certain positions, political engagements, career-paths etc., don’t apply for me. Our laws and customs are changing, and religious views no longer play a part in law making. I can happily claim to be an atheist with no risk or retaliation. Religion is losing foothold every day.

In fact, I even refuse to call myself an atheist. I see absolutely no reason to label myself according to a concept I do not acknowledge. To me, it's makes as much sense as if I must label myself as a "hexagonal", because humanity suddenly introduces a concept where we all must be labeled according to the shapes of geometrical figures.

No one flinches or questions your moral upbringing if you claim to be an atheist in this country. There are very few positions, jobs or career-paths being denied me because of my lack of religious view. I didn't need to read this book. I could have said almost everything Greta said, but less elegant. Most of the 99 reasons Greta lists also makes me appalled and frustrated, but I already know what frustrates me about religion. And most people agree with me in this country.

The book does serve as a reminder though, that we must not ever relax our stand. We must constantly be on alert. The world is changing, and suddenly we might again find ourselves in a time where religion gains ground, even in Scandinavia. Just as I write this, a woman from my country is sentenced to 16 month of prison in Dubai for having sex outside of marriage while on a business trip. She was raped at the hotel, and upon going to the Dubai police to file a report, she was arrested. I see no international media jumping onto this story; it is not mentioned on CNN or BBC. I see no politicians jumping on their private jets with the purpose of defending basic human rights. It’s my reason number 100. This woman did not drive too fast. She did not try to smuggle narcotics, she didn’t kill someone, and she didn’t steal anything. She was raped. And for that, she is sentenced to 16 months in prison for violating laws based on religion alone.

Therefore, the audiobook ranks quite high on my list when it comes to importance. For me, it does not bring anything new to the table, and as such, it wasn't a necessary listen for me.

What other book might you compare Why Are You Atheists So Angry? to and why?

I guess Richard Dawkins comes to mind, although Greta focuses less on religion itself, but rather provides daily examples of religious encounters and how to debate and argue.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I think it's better to consume this book in batches. Some chapters and paragraphs leaves the listener to think a bit, review and ponder on the practical implications and how this applies to his or her daily life. By listening to the book in one go, parts of the self-insight and debating tips might be lost.

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Englightening. Excellent.

Usually I hate books where the author chooses to be narrator, rather than hiring a professional narrator. But in this instance, the author narrates well; probably because she is also a public speaker.

The book sets forth a persuasive case for atheism by using logic and reason and does so without being inflammatory or contentious. It is a book that teaches.

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A nice compilation of reasons to dislike religion

Where does Why Are You Atheists So Angry? rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Perhaps not destined to receive any literary prizes, but a fun read for atheists. Considering the number of books that I wasn't able to finish, or had to struggle to finish, I would have to rate this book in about the 80th percentile.

What did you like best about this story?

The fact that it listed all of the diverse reasons that religion has been a bad influence in human society as well as being unsupportable as being true.

What about Greta Christina’s performance did you like?

She managed not to make it sound like a rant. Her diction was clear and appropriately paced, with just enough emotion to emphasize her points.

If you could give Why Are You Atheists So Angry? a new subtitle, what would it be?

Finally, an objective discussion of religion!

Any additional comments?

Most of the arguments and facts that she presented were already known to me, but she put them all together into a clear and compelling book.

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Less Angry Now

Having had the benefit of listening to Greta Christina's thesis, I am more athiest and less angry than I might otherwise have been had I continued to avoid the debate. She makes a strong argument for taking the fight to the barricades of religion, orthodox and unorthodox alike. I'm not sure I'm up for the fight on the front line (in fact I'm sure that I am not), but I won't be slinking off (as I did) to buy the next round if the fight comes to me!
The arguments are of course made to the converted, so they go down easily with me, but they are worth hearing in this considered way, in one collective mass. There's no new argument, but there is no new argument to refute, either.
The author's reading is an important part of her message. She happens to sound like a friend and colleague of mine, so it was like having a discussion with her and so, so easy to listen to.
I agree that there are many more than 99 ways to piss-off the godless, but this book is not one of them. I thoroughly recommend it to athiests, people who say they are agnostic (as I did many years ago when I was unsatisfied by the religion that I was being taught in Secondary School), true believers and believers, perhaps not alike, but just the same. You may not like what she says, but if you're honest about it, you'll admit that she has a fine way of saying it.

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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

What disappointed you about Why Are You Atheists So Angry??

The book is pretty much a rant. I was really disappointed that Ms Christina was not able to put together a coherent world view. She ascribed anything that she didn't agree with to those "horrible" Christians, indicating that she really understands nothing about Christians.

Would you ever listen to anything by Greta Christina again?

It is unlikely that I would ever knowingly listen to Ms Christina again.

What three words best describe Greta Christina’s performance?

The three words that best describe Greta Chistina's performance, in my opinion, are: ranting, disjointed, and, frankly, ignorant, in that she does not seem to know the Christian doctrines she takes issue with.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Overall this book generated disappointment in that I expected a coherent understanding of the atheists' viewpoints. Instead I discovered that this atheist, at least, is as unclear about what she believes as she is about what others believe.

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Try it - Regardless of your theistic stand

This book raised many critical questions that both theist and atheist should listen too. Whilst being more prescriptive on the atheist side (understandable given the title and intent), this book also has a elements of science which is neutral. The narrator / author sometimes maximises intonation it almost feels like a conversation (one sided of course - given it s an audio-book).

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