Ebook: Natural Atheism

"I was born an Atheist. All humans are born Atheists. No baby born into the world arrives with specific religious beliefs or knowledge. Such beliefs and knowledge must be acquired, which means that they must first exist before and apart from the new life and that they must be presented to and impressed on the new suggestible mind - one that has no critical apparatus and no alternative views of its own. Human infants are like sponges, soaking up (not completely uncritically, but eagerly and effectively) whatever is there to be soaked up from their social environment. Small children in particular instinctively imitate the models that they observe in their childhood, but I was not compelled to attend or practice any particular religion, and as I grew I never saw any reason to 'convert' to any particular religion. I have thus been an Atheist all my life. I am a natural Atheist." - From the Introduction



Everything is here to help those who already are Atheists better understand the logic of their lives and see Atheism's social and political implications. Those who are not yet Atheists will be helped by this scientist's common-sense analysis of the so-called 'proofs of God' to see the irrationality - indeed, the meaninglessness - of god-beliefs. What is belief? What is knowledge? As Pilate is alleged to have asked, "What is truth?" Understandable and clear answers to all these questions are given by a seasoned anthropologist who has been able to see around the blinders imposed by Judaeo-Christian cultures.



Dr. Eller leads readers through "a short course on reason" into an intelligible discussion of the nature of proof, unreason, religion, and relativism. An account of how discoveries in anthropology resulted in a loss of certainty concerning human nature and destiny leads to an analysis of the concepts and issues of importance to Atheists: knowing vs. believing; Agnosticism vs. what has been called positive or negative Atheism; science vs. religion; toleration and truth. Reasons for separating religion from government are provided and the dangers of fundamentalisms of all kinds are exposed. Eller explains why Atheists should band together to spread their 'good news', defend their common interests - interests which prove to be those of civilization itself - and help their fellow citizens adjust to living in a disenchanted world.



David Eller holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology and has conducted fieldwork among Australian Aboriginals. He has studied all of the major world religions and dozens of other traditional and tribal religions. He concludes that an Atheist is not someone who knows too little about religion but someone who knows too much. His From Culture to Ethnicity to Conflict deals with the problem of international ethnic conflict. Other books by Eller include Culture and the Real World and Violence and Culture. He teaches Cultural Anthropology in Denver, Colorado, where he lives with his wife and three cats.