If one were open-minded or an aspiring Free Thinker, this book will be read and cherished for a long time, almost to the level of Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" or Sam Harris' "Letter to a Christian Nation".
Whereas "The God Delusion" is from a strictly speaking scientific point of view and rebutts the arguments for God's existence and details the evil wraught on humanity throughout history, this book has a larger focus on countering the ridiculous claims of Creationism, and specifically the Intelligent Design Movement.
To a person who prefers evidence over belief, this book is an excellent companion for your thought. While it won't budge those fundamentalists (since you can't change a belief when its not based on evidence), for people who still cling to or follow a religion only loosely, and more of a product of their environment and American upbringing, this book could open some eyes.

There are many books on the topic of atheism. This is one of the best. The book is very easy to read, delivers a few arguments against God that I had never heard before, and provides one of the clearest (and most simple) explanations of why evolution is not statistically improbable. ...Sorry Dr. Dawkins!

I was a fundamentalist, born-again biblical literalist for many years. While this book did not cause my deconversion (only a serious, rational study of the Bible can undo decades of inculcation), it certainly placed a nail in the coffin.

Atheist Universe is an excellent book for the general public and requires little more than common sense and an open mind. For those who are more philosophically inclined I would also recommend, "Atheism: the Case Against God" by George Smith. In fact, both books are MUST reads if you are seriously examining or wish to learn about the atheist viewpoint.

Although I do share many of the same views as the author, I found the format insulting to my intelligience. I was very impressed by the Foreword by Dorion Sagan. I read the foreword in the bookstore, and was laughing so much, that I could not wait to bring the book home. I was extremely disappointed. The first chapter, "Interview with an Athiest", was neither entertaining nor informative. The rest of the book did not improve. It seemed more opinion based than factual. I am no more interested in reading an athiest's opinion than a diest's. I agree with Joseph Izzo, that the logic was just plain silly; the kind that bores you, not entertains you.

My experiences were not at all that dissimilar to the author's.

As I tried to defend Christianity from critics I started studying apologetics. At first I did this to defend my cherished faith, however, the more I studied, the more I became dissatisfied with the answers Christians gave to defend their faith.

Slowly and almost a little bit reluctantly, I started seeing clearly the errors of Theism and starting embracing atheism.

This book is the most sensible, well laid out book I have read on this subject, and I have read quite a bit. Succinct and without all the fluff of some of the other books I have read. You don't have to be a scientist to clearly understand it.

Kudos to the author for his courage and his ability to lay it out for others so clearly.

I found the the first 6 chapters slightly disappointing. Not because they aren't well-written or thoughtful, but because they are pretty basic stuff for non-theists who have a lot of exposure to these arguments.

However, chapters 7-10 are some of the most outstanding arguments and writings I've heard to date on their subjects. I'm not going to go into detail, but chapter 8, "The Myth of Hell" is an astoundingly perceptive and pursuasive discussion on the subject of the Christian belief in Hell and why the concept itself completely obliterates all Christian perceptions of God. Of all the similar works I've read, chapter 8 is among the best. Since it's written from paragraph one by making the assumption that God DOES exist, it makes how he frames his points even better.

With all the works of what some are terming "The New Atheists," I think Mills should be proud to produce a work that I believe is worthy of sitting on anyone's shelf next to Dawkins, Hitchens...etc.
Thoughtful work. Easy Read. Highly recommended, especially to those that are just entering into freethought reading whether you're an atheist, unsure and searching or just plain curious.

The author knows his subject. He also knows how to reply to the silly statements and beliefs of creationists and those who believe in fairy tales. But I found his writing in some places a bit dry and tiresome compared to other writers on this subject. Of course, he takes a different route and his book is not meant to compete with the other books. He takes a very educated and scientific view of all things and generally disproves creationism among other things. He takes no prisoners in his view of his opposition --- or those who believe in god and specifically fundamentalists. If you want to know how to answer the beliefs of those folks, you need this book. Although the burden of proof is with them, not the atheist.

Whether your are an atheist or not, this is a very intriguing book. The subject of evolution is gone into in some detail and the discussion quite interesting and eye-opening.

The author did have a time line problem. He said he surfed the Web in the 1980s. In early 1991 Berners-Lee wrote the first web browser. Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau's official proposal for the World Wide Web is dated November 12th, 1990. This is the first document that actually uses the term.

That makes you wonder how deeply documented the work really is. It's not that the Internet didn't exist in the 1980's. But it didn't exist in the form we know today and there were no Web sites such as he describes in the book.

Fortunately, these mistakes in documentation were not related directly to the topic.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson

The author knows his subject. He also knows how to reply to the silly statements and beliefs of creationists and those who believe in fairy tales. But I found his writing in some places a bit dry and tiresome compared to other writers on this subject. Of course, he takes a different route and his book is not meant to compete with the other books. He takes a very educated and scientific view of all things and generally disproves creationism among other things. He takes no prisoners in his view of his opposition --- or those who believe in god and specifically fundamentalists. If you want to know how to answer the beliefs of those folks, you need this book. Although the burden of proof is with them, not the atheist.

Whether your are an atheist or not, this is a very intriguing book. The subject of evolution is gone into in some detail and the discussion quite interesting and eye-opening.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson

I've been questioning relgion for quite some time, but never really labeled myself as an atheist. This book is intended as a specific rebuttal to the creative design 'science' promoted by religiously influenced schools. Not only does it wonderfully refute creative design with solid scientific arguements, it also points out many contradictions within the bible on various topics.

When I read this email I was sure that you had somehow made a mistake, because I did not (knowingly) purchase the book, "Atheist Universe" and was fairly certain that I had never even seen it. Then, this morning, I was going through a pile of stuff on my desk and there was the book in question, apparently never opened by me. Am I going nuts? Did some supernatural force put the book there? Does God exist and He wants me to read this book?

I have been researching the absurd idea that the Christian God's book, the Bible, could somehow be in conflict with the very nature that He created. I do believe in God, but see very clear problems with today's Christianity, fundamentalism, and young earth malarkey, and have a completed book on the subject. I say, "completed" with resevations. There isn't a day goes by that I don't come acoss something that should or could be added. There seems to be no end to how far off course a religion can go when left up to the tinkering of man. At the moment, I am searching for a Literary Agent with an interest in promoting a book about a subject that needs to be heard by the very people who don't want to hear it. If you have any ideas that might help, I'd be quite open to them.

Anyway, here I am with another book that was evidently given to me without any solicitation on my part whatsoever. I now have eight books that were just given to me out of the blue about various aspect of the subject I am researching. The other seven do come from known sources. Since you are asking for a review, I suspect that you might know, at least in part, just how this book got on my desk. Could you please help solve this mystery for me? I would be happy to read the book, do a review, and could have it back to you in a few weeks. Would there be any time constraints? Should I do this?



Curious Ray



Ray Moody

firemanmoody@yahoo.com

Be sure to order this book with a plain brown wrapper so your believer friends won't report you to the Inquisition! Believers won't buy this book, but those seeking a popularist justification for atheism will be pleased.

David Mills' greatest asset is a clear writing style. I read his book after finishing Susan Jacoby's "Age of American Unreason" and found his style refreshingly simple. Part of the fun of Mills' book is his willingness to excoriate persons on the other side of the church aisle. He is especially hostile when it comes to those espousing "intelligent design."

While Mills adds some logical support for atheism (is there a faith-based way to do it?), you probably already believe what he says -- you just want more reasons or added explanation. He'll give it to you. However, Mills seems to take for granted the "scientific" evidence he provides in a basic form. While much of what he says would probably count as generally accepted science, there isn't much rigor in backing it up -- you'll need to take it on faith. It is a telling omission that Mills' biography inside the back of the book mentions nothing about having a PhD in philosophy or logic, or a degree of any kind (not on his web site either). As a result, you get a "pop science" perspective on atheism -- more entertaining than erudite. Read some of the 1 star ratings to get more on this perspective.

The nutshell of the book is the logical problem of an irreducible first cause. Religion gives it a masculine anthropomorphic character in Christianity and Judaism, while atheism leaves it in its raw form as the infinitely distant unknown.

Unless you believe works like Mills are the work of the devil, you should enjoy this book, although he never answers the question as to whether good atheists go to heaven.

This is one of the best books to come out on the subject since Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World (and boy, have there been plenty of them published lately!) It is well written and avoids the irate, bashing tone of most authors. Clearly, the debate is far from over, simply because no amount of science or reasoning has (so far) done away with the possibility of there being "something else out there" besides the worldly existence we perceive with our senses. In other words, the notion of life beyond death isn't as easily dismissable as some people would like, even if one uses the strictest logic and adheres to the most rigorous science. However, the book does a fine job of putting Judaeo-Christian mythology in its place (i.e. right next to Greek, Aztec, and other childish constucts of human imagination). Now, THAT is a debate that should have been over centuries ago!

It does sadden me, however, to see that even authors who claim to base their arguments on logic rather than moral authority still resort to interspersing quotes from celebrities in order to support their stance. In this book you will find phrases to that effect from Charlie Chaplin, Sigmund Freud, Isaac Asimov, and Jodie Foster (come on, guys, Jodie Foster??!!!) That is exactly what atheists want to avoid, because one of the most laughable aspects of the average believer's attitude is its constant insistence that "authoritative opinions" (from Jesus or whomever) actually constitute a valid means of argumentation.

This book is written with "common sense" and I liked it a lot. All the arguments against Creationism are based on true scientific facts and observations and leave you with no doubt about all myths and beliefs of religion. Dr. Mills straightforwardly approaches every aspect of Genesis and inevitably disproves it with scientific statements. It is very sad and surprising that these days, despite such an enormous scientific progress, many people, or let' s be clear, the majority of people still believe in Supernaturalism. Dr. Mills, however, does not criticize the question "why" we still believe, he addresses this problem with a complete understanding that these kinds of beliefs are brought to us by our parents at the age when we are unable to rationally comprehend the reality. If your parents are religious, chances are you will also be, and no matter who you become later in life, scientist or priest, most likely you will carry your belief throughout the life. As Dr. Mills points out in the very first chapters of his book, no child is born to be religious, and therefore, religion is nothing but an inheritable trait from your upbringing. If you happened to be born in a Christian family, you'll be reading Bible and support Christianity. If you happened to be born in Islamic family, you will read and follow Quran and will be devoted to Allah. If you happened to be born in a family of atheists, most likely you will become an atheist as well, etc.. Also, because Genesis threatens all those who don't believe in God with Hell, many believers posses a fear of being burned in Hell, and therefore are unable to withstand from religion. Because Hell is the derivative from God, and God is the derivative from Supernaturalism and Supernaturalism is simply human imagination, no such thing as Hell exists. Dr. Mills examines every aspect of religion deeply with thorough scientific approach, thus revealing the common sense to us.
This book is very easy to read and any other person who respects rationality will enjoy it. Dr. Mills dives deep into the contradiction between Creationism and Science. One of the most important questions covered in this book is why people tend to believe in Supernatural Powers and how it contradicts the science and reality.
Only one thing I was skeptical about is the mention of pornography on the internet. Basically, one can view pornography as being "educational" to some extent, however, saying that children have no libido is a little off key here. It of course depends on what range of age of children is meant. Children until age 10 or 11 might go to see pornography purely out of curiosity, but teens do develop libido after 11 or so and their intentions on pornography might be different. While I don't believe that viewing pornography or masturbating is such a big sin, rather I'd consider it as a physical need, just like a need for eating or sleeping, but if my daughter goes online ONLY for that, then I would definitely be concerned.
So, who is this book for? If you are an atheist already, this book will not reveal anything new to you, it will simply reinforce you in the matter of atheism. You might still, however, enjoy reading it. If you are someone "in between" that is, a question of existence of God is not clear for you, then you should definitely read this book to finally find out the truth. If you are a strong believer, you might get offended and outraged reading this book unless you'll be able to face the truth with courage and to admit that religion is nothing but a human illusion.

Hey people will believe whatever they want to believe, but think about this.... if all of you read this book from a young age over and over... nothing in the world would make you believe in god, it goes both ways.. or better yet, dont believe in a book at all, stand on your own two feet, appreciate the creative nature of literature... its a good book, gets you thinking if you havent thought about certain things it mentions. ;) enjoy!

I found it to be good basic info, a little slow at times. The last part on intelligent design was rather tedious. If you are just out of the church and need support to justify your new views this will be of great help to you.

I highly recommend this to folks on both sides of the evolution/intelligent design fence. The research here showed me that a lot of the so-called debate is really over non-issues. Being a former minister myself, I know that conservative Christianity has a tendency to rehash ideas that were historically disproven. The average church-goer has never been exposed to an unbiased history of the Church. The truth is, no matter how clearly the scientific evidence has been explained, most folks lack the intellectual integrity to question their belief system seriously. I know I struggled terribly.

The primary insight that I gained through reading Atheist Universe was that science is not a collection of lies perpetrated by atheists to deceive God's chosen but rather the collected wisdom of the ages, presented in an open-source format where anyone can freely contribute. And for all the knowledge that we have gained, it is through science that we discover just how little we know and what great mysteries still await those who desire to know.

As it has been said in other reviews of this book, the Author does a poor job of supplementing these scientifically claims with citations of sources. It is as if we need to take Mill's word for everything from the Big Bang, to other physics-oriented science. I'm not saying any of these claims are not credible, but he spends some pages describing these scientific claims and not even back it up with citations or experiments or scientists. If he does supply one of those three, it is only a small step in the right direction; simply saying the experiment of 1926 proved this isn't good enough.

As a final note, anyone who uses a quote from MAHATMA GANDHI as evidence for the non-existence of God needs their head checked.

Is it important to find out why you think the way you do? David Mills gives the reader evidence with simple logic in his book "Atheist Universe" If your looking for a soft approach to the claims of religion you won't find it here. Question like how did the universe appear, what is the meaning of life, politics controling you with religion. You are given evidence to scientific questions. This book will help you to better understand through evidence and objective facts.
Chet Z. Fort Lauderdale

Author, David Mills, states in the book's introduction, "...this book is intended for the 40% of Americans who, according to the New York Times poll, do recognize that there are good people (and bad people) in all religions---and with no religion. This book is written for open-minded readers who are not afraid to learn..."

First, just a little story, but true: I was raised in the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. I believed in a loving God; I envisioned Him as a stern old wise man with long white hair and beard, with the resurrected Christ Jesus, His son, by His side. I believed in Heaven and Hell---and which one I went to after I died depended on whether I accepted Jesus as my savior or not. And, I admit, as a teenager I was ashamed of the sexual desire I felt when I seen a pretty girl or even when I watched old Greta Garbo movies shown on late night tv. Then some 25 years ago, I read Joseph Campbell's book "Myths To Live By". I began to wonder if what I believed in was true. Over the years I continued my quest for the truth which was at times emotionally uncomfortable and painful. But now, at the age of 50, I finally feel totally awakened from a bad dream I slept through for so many years. I now believe people are eventually limited in knowing the whole truth (whatever it may be); but I also believe we are capable, using simple reason and logic, in realizing when shell games and smoking mirrors are being used with anceint mythological images to be passed off (and forced upon us) as historical fact and the truth. Now I believe in the divine existence of God, Allah, Yahweh, Satan, Shiva, Christ Jesus, Mohammed, Virgin Mary, a life after death in either Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, or Limbo, about as much as I believe in Santa Claus, astrology, or visiting flying saucers from outer space. Okay, I'll admit, the Bible does have a few morsels of relevant wisdom in it. The TV ministers use them quite often: "The truth shall set you FREE!" Yes, Rev. Hagee and Rev. Parsley...so it does. So it does! The freedom from psychological tyranny feels wonderful!

Okay, you 40% of Americans (and people the world over) that Mills speaks of---dive into his book! With the concepts and ideas he presents, and with your heart following an idea as simple as the Golden Rule, the veil of some traditional delusion based on fear, guilt, and superstition (e.g. the various forms of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Judaism) could be cast off along with the medival hair shirt. Imagine the amazing possibilities your life may bring! And who knows?---If enough people around the world became enlightened to think for themselves instead of having a priest, minister, rabbi, or mullah do it for them, our beautiful planet Earth along with all of us might survive some insane self-fulfilling prophesy or two (read closely the Bible's Book of Revelations if you think I'm exaggerating.) So, everyone, enjoy the day for what it is: a spendid, incredible (and, yes, sometimes chaotic and unforgiving), wonderous existence! You are alive! Live it honestly without delusion and superstition! Think for yourself!

I know this forum is suppose to be for the reviews of books, so I apoligize for getting on the old soapbox. I'm just concerned about what I see taking place around the world. And being an American, I'm seriously worried if events continue in the direction they're heading, the USA might someday be governed by a Christian theocracy---as unfortunate as Iran is now governed by an Islamic theocracy. Please, let's not let this happen.

Author, David Mills, states in the book's introduction, "...this book is intended for the 40% of Americans who, according to the New York Times poll, do recognize that there are good people (and bad people) in all religions---and with no religion. This book is written for open-minded readers who are not afraid to learn..."

I was raised in the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. I believed in a God; I envisioned Him as a stern old wise man with long white hair and beard, with the resurrected Jesus Christ, His son, by His side. I believed in Heaven and Hell. And, I admit, as a I was ashamed of the sexual desire I felt when I seen a beautiful woman walking by or when I wacthed old movies of Greta Garbo that would show on late night tv. Then some 25 years ago, I read Joseph Campbell's book "Myths To Live By". I began to wonder if what I believed in was true. Over the years I continued my quest for the truth which was at times an emotionally uncomfortable and painful process. Now I believe people are eventually limited in knowing the whole truth (whatever it may be); but I also believe we are capable, using simple reason and logic, in realizing when shell games and smoking mirrors are being used with anceint mythological images to be passed off (and forced upon us) as historical fact and the truth. So now, for me, at the age of 50, I finally feel totally awakened from a bad dream I slept through for so many years. Yes, the Bible does include some relevant wisdom. You've heard TV ministers proclaim: "The truth shall set you FREE!" Yes, Rev. Hagee and Rev. Parsley...so it does. So it does!

Okay, you 40% of Americans (and people the world over) that Mills speaks of---dive into his book! With the concepts and ideas he presents, and with your heart following an idea as simple as the Golden Rule, the veil of some popular delusion based on fear, guilt, and superstition (e.g. the various forms of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Judaism) could be cast off along with the medival hair shirt. Imagine the amazing possibilities your life may bring! And who knows?---If enough people around the world became enlightend to think for themselves instead of having the priest, minister, or mullah do it for them, this beautiful planet Earth, along with everything on it that travels around the Sun, all might survive an insane self-fulfilling prophesy or two(read Book of Revelations if you think I'm pulling your leg.) So, everyone, enjoy the day for what it is: a spendid, incredible (and, yes, sometimes chaotic and unforgiving) wonderous existence! You are alive! Live it without delusion and superstition!

Author, David Mills, states in the book's introduction, "...this book is intended for the 40% of Americans who, according to the New York Times poll, do recognize that there are good people (and bad people) in all religions---and with no religion. This book is written for open-minded readers who are not afraid to learn..."

I was raised in the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. I believed in a God; I envisioned Him as a stern old wise man with long white hair and beard, with the resurrected Christ, His son, by His side. I believed in Heaven and Hell. And, I admit, I was ashamed of the sexual desire I felt when I seen a beautiful woman walking by or old movies of Greta Garbo that would show on late night tv. Then some 25 years ago, I read Joseph Campbell's book "Myths To Live By". I began to wonder if what I believed in was true. Over the years I continued my quest for the truth which was at times an uncomfortable and painful process. Now I believe people are eventually limited in knowing the whole truth (whatever it may be); but I also believe we are capable, using simple reason and logic, in realizing when shell-games and smoking-mirrors are being used with mythological images and are being passed off (and forced upon us) as the truth. And now, for me, at the age of 50, I finally feel totally awakened from a bad dream I slept through for so many years. Because the Bible does include its fair share of relevant wisdom. You've heard TV ministers hail: "The truth shall set you FREE!" Yes, Rev. Hagee and Rev. Parsley...so it does. So it does!

Okay, you 40% of Americans (and people the world over) that Mills speaks of---dive into his book! With your heart following an idea as simple as the Golden Rule, and the veil of some popular delusion based on fear, guilt, and superstition (e.g. the various forms of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Judaism) cast off like a medival hair shirt---imagine the amazing possibilities your life may bring! And who knows?---this beautiful planet Earth, along with everything on it that travels around the Sun, all might survive a self-fulfilling prophesy or two. So, everyone, enjoy the day for what it is: a spendid, incredible (and, yes, sometimes chaotic and unforgiving) wonderous existence! Live it without delusion and superstition! You are alive!!!

A very good book detailing both sides of an otherwise convoluted subject. Written for the average - laymen - person, I was able to comprehend the creationist position and its self-contradictions, as well as the strengths and clarity of scientific fact. What I took away form this very enjoyable read was that the short comings of blind faith and the philosophies that support it have no place in a class room especially a scientific one, nor in the running of a state; and most importantly, why.

Now that Creation Science has been carted off to the graveyard of apologetics, a new travesty of science has arisen in the name of God and Fundamentalism. Intelligent Design (ID) hopes to cut and paste a cosmology that will give Fundamentalism's unemployed deity a key role in the billion year old drama of the universe. Now, the Argument from Design has been around for some time, especially in David Hume's measured take-down of Bishop Paley's version. The new ID version, however, makes use of key scientific concepts. Its job application includes such impressive references as "Big Bang", "Conservation of Energy" and others equally impressive. All make an appearance on the ID'ers resume of divine accomplishments. So, the question for a skeptic like me is how to evaluate this newest job seeker since I know little about such abstruse references. And that's where Mills' nifty little book comes in. In clear, concise language, he shows how science can do the cosmological job without need of a divine supernumerary who probably won't show up for work anyway. Besides, Mills shows what a hash this deity made of pretending to be perfect and then coming up with hellfire and damnation-- and never mind the totally weird way miracles get parcelled out. No thanks. I'm going along with the current scientific crew for my answers. My advice to the applicant is to send a form over to unemploment compensation. I know there's already a long line, folks like Zeus, Isis, Thor, and all the others, bragginng about past Oscar roles. Should be good company. But then, the applicant needn't worry. He'll always get a starring part in Fundamentalism's ongoing project. You know, the one about bullying the heck out of the rest of us.

Ever get into a debate with a creationist? This book explains the flaws in their arguments and logic in a clear, concise, and simple way. This book easily moves the debate from 'How can you NOT believe in God?" to "How CAN you believe in God?" without the belittling or browbeating typically found in this debate.

It seems most books on atheism have authors who tackle the subject from the perspective of the field they came from such as biology, philosophy, anthropology, etc. This can lead to sometimes dry or slightly confusing passages. This author strives to keep the terms simple and there were only a couple of places in the book where I went back to re-read something to make sure I understood an analogy. In addition to a great discussion of atheism throughout the book, you also get famous quotes, a give-and-take interview about atheism, and a whole section talking about the Intelligent Design movement and how it is really just Creationism with a new coat of paint.

If you are someone who is curious about atheism and thinking about learning more about it, this is an excellent first step. And no you shouldn't have to hide it under your mattress...because it means you care about the possible answers to some of the big questions. Researching and thinking beats out blindly following one way or another out of tradition every time.

This book is an excellent read to anyone who is new to atheism. It is easy to read and understand.

I really enjoyed this book. It is well written and concise. Why I would be willing to wager that even the most ardent believer could understand this book. I also enjoyed the highlighted quotes from famous nonbelievers.

cheers,

rmw

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A good read from a calm rational skeptic and atheist. The arguments against Creationism, Intelligent Design, and Biblical silliness were concise and even-handed. As I read more books concerning theological fallacies, as well as the Creationist/ID vs. Evolution debate, I appreciate the similar arguments the various atheists present. I like to consider myself well-informed, and repetition of ideas is a good way to do it. These arguments, which oppose the IDers, such as the complexity of the eye, the bacterial flagellum, and the usefulness of `half of a wing', become clearer to me after repeated exposure to varying perspectives. He adds his own thoughts, facts, and observations into the mix, keeping the topic fresh.

Mr. Mills offers some concise and persuasive details pertaining to the geologic column of sedimentary rock and the fossil record. He gives a nice rebuttal of the Creationists argument concerning the Cambrian Explosion.

He describes the physics of the universe and its origin in just 12 pages. This is too brief to offer a lot of depth, but is a swift overview of Stephen Hawkins' (and others) description of 'vacuum fluctuation.' After reading Victor Stengers' excellent physics-heavy book, "God: The Failed Hypothesis"(highly recommended), this quick recap made a lot of sense.

Mr. Mills, in this brief (a bit too brief for me. I was so enjoying the read) 272 page book, tackles not inlythe Creationist/ID/young earth arguments, but offers his insights into Miracles, the myth of hell, even Internet Porn.

Still, my favorite chapter was the Chapter One, titled, Interview with an Atheist. He comes across as very open, modest, and intellectually honest.

The layout and editing was tight. Overall, this is a very satisfying read.

That's it. Won't buy it until there's a Kindle version. I'm sure it deserves 5 stars, but I won't know until I read it. On my kindle.

While I realize that many of the readers and reviews of Atheist Universe are either already Atheists, or Theists looking to open themselves up to the other side of the argument, I fell into the 'gray zone' somewhere in between Christian and Atheist. I was raised a Christian but ran into a crisis of faith in my late teens. It was my senior year in high school that I stumbled upon this book.

Atheist Universe gave me that little push I needed to step out of the realm of agnosticism and no longer be afraid to call myself an Atheist. Though there are many great books on the subject, I think Mills is one step ahead of the competition. The arguments presented in the book are unique from many of the author mainstream Atheist authors (ie Dawkins, Harris), and the book itself is a surprisingly enjoyable read on what some might consider a dull subject.

I mean the guy is obviously right but he makes some odd arguements. He puts alot of words in the mouths of creationists and then argues based on his assumptions of their points. There is something insightful here and there but all in all it's just ok.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best books I've ever read. Wonderfully and tastefully written, I learned more about the Bible from this book than anything Christianity has ever attempted to accomplish by beating their beliefs over my head. Kudos, David Mills, you've spoken well.

If you are searching for some truth that will never be found in any bible, about gods,religions,doctrines,dogmas & a clear explanation of what creationists lie to themselves about, buy this book & you will welcome the opinions & facts that have eluded many blind & indoctrinated followers of gods who were invented by men from the past.

This is my FAVORITE book. I love the way Mills describes his views and brings up subjects. It's easy to understand and very comprehensive, going over so many great subjects. I couldn't put this book down!!!! This is my choice for an atheist book. Just perfect all around.

This is my absolute favorite book on religious issues. That is saying a lot considering I have read many! It is very pleasant to read and is full of wonderful argument and support for atheism. A must have!

Carl Sagan Quote: For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. Carl's philosophy captures the spirit of the text. Atheist Universe is a well done and up to date exercise in critical thinking.

After painstakingly researching all the different books on atheism (I've been an atheist since I was 14, but had never read any formal books on the topic), I picked this one and read it cover to cover.

The book is very easy-to-read and explains its arguments well. As other reviewers have noted, most of the book is spent debunking the Christian creation story (which he does very well, in my opinion). The back cover of the book states that the question of "near death" experiences and medical miracles will the addressed. This was addressed very briefly. The back cover also says that the "behind-the-scenes" relationship between politics and religion" will be addressed, which the book does not really do.

I think this book would be better if it focused completely on the myth of creation (tying in that other religions also have creation stories) and left out some of the other chapters. I did not really like Chapter 8, "The Myth of Hell" (for starters, I don't agree with his underlying premise) and Chapter 9 felt like it definitely didn't belong (the "Danger of Internet Porn"). The last chapter, Chapter 11, basically just introduced the concept of "Intelligent Design" and then rehashed the arguments of made in the first half of the book (after telling the reader in the first chapter that the bare minimum of words were used to make his points). I think in the next edition, ID should be mentioned in those chapters and this extraneous chapter deleted.

All in all, this is a well-argued, easy-to-follow book that I would recommend.

p.s. Did any of the atheist readers wonder why the author kept capitalizing "God," "His," "Creation," etc.?

Anyone who has given a considerable amount of thought to religion and, by contrast, atheism, has considered just about everything in this book, but it's presented in such a fashion as to leave those who are on the fence in the matter without doubt as to which way of thinking is rational, and why.

Great book not just for the devout atheist, but especially for those who could go either way.

I have read this book twice. The arguments are powerful. It is one of those book you wish you could talk all of your friends into reading. Mills makes good arguments and should continue to write more books along this line in the future.

This book was full of such good scientific information and it was written so well. It was full of information I have been trying to find in many other books out there, but this author puts it clearly and bluntly right out there & I would recommend this book to believers and non-believers alike, just for a learning experience.

The book is not insulting to believers, but just states the opinion and "facts" the author is trying to make. I like the point the author makes that atheists & religious people are really just peas in a pod trying to figure this mystery out!

For me, I still believe in God, because it ultimately comes down to the question of where did it all start, who created the very first bit of existence. No matter what discussion you have with anyone about the existence of God, it always comes down to that, who created our universe? And, either you have faith that there is a God that created it all, or you don't. I have that faith, but respect that some people don't. Either way, I learned a lot reading this book and have a lot of respect for the author.

The bulk of this book consists of physics written in a condescending tone at about the fifth-grade level. It describes several types of physical phenomena, and essentially, adds GOD DIDN'T DO THIS!!! to each one. This is a colossal non sequitur. Who says God didn't? According to Genesis He created the heavens and earth, but it doesn't say how. This incomplete logic colors all of the author's arguments.

An example of this is his attempt to distance atheism from Communism, by quoting an interview in which Communism is called a "religion" and is therefore not atheism. The level of obtuseness this reveals is simply breathtaking. The Communist Manifesto says specifically that Communism is atheist. That it does share some characteristics with a religion is pretty obvious, but it is a militantly atheist one. Sorry, can't get around that.

Then, perhaps as a fallback position, he attempts to whitewash Communism by pointing out how tolerant the regime in Poland was. OK, if we're going with anecdotal evidence, I'll choose another Communist regime, say . . . Albania. This is a good one, because Enver Hoxha openly declared Albania to be an atheist country in 1967. No half-measures for him: in the 2007 World Factbook it states that "there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited."

Actually, on the issue of religious freedom, militant atheist regimes have fallen somewhere on a continuum between these extremes, and have even moved back and forth over time. However, NONE of them have particularly distinguished themselves as beacons of tolerance and light. Despite the rosy view of atheism espoused by the author, militant atheist movements have the most horrific human rights record in all of recorded history: billions enslaved, hundreds of millions dead. . . . but no, this sordid reality is not representative of REAL atheism ("pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"), it's the theory, the coming, wonderful, glowing, coming Golden Age of Atheism that's important!

This is very unscientific, not to mention irrational. One can't help wondering what audience the author intended. A real, rock-bottom fundamentalist is unlikely to read something like this, and even less likely to be swayed by it. Anyone with a modicum of education will immediately see the missing links in the author's chains of logic and dismiss his arguments as pointless (sure, charged particles do this, that proves there is no God exactly HOW?). It would appear then, that the actual audience is 1) other atheists (look how I beat up on those moronic Christians!), and 2) children. The latter is a bit disturbing, especially for those of us who'd rather our kids grew up as well-rounded, thinking, feeling, people; instead of soulless, secular, human-shaped automatons.

A wonderful book. I have been reading the recent spate of books on atheism (Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennett, Harris) and this one is perhaps the most concise and at the same time comprehensive overview of the atheist outlook. Many great examples to help the reader gain a greater perspective of what it is to be an atheist. The "interview" at the beginning is a very strong start, and the book continues in the mind-expanding task of untying the corrupting tethers of religious belief and other absurdities.

I have been agnostic for about 3 years now. I was raised as a Christian. It wasn't so easy to break-away but I struggled with my faith before I ever even new what Atheism was. I was brain-washed, I mean, what else can you call it? There's no evidence, there's no proof but we're told its true and when you're a child you believe what you're told to believe. Not believing was frightening at first, especially when they tell you you're gonna live forever. All of a sudden I was finite. I think thats why most people need to believe, mortality is difficult for most people. Perhaps if we weren't lied to from birth it would be easier, but I fear we won't know what thats like for many generations to come. I always knew in my heart it was all hooey. This book helped me jump off the fence and I happily consider myself an atheist now. Thanks!

This book starts off well enough. Dorian Sagan's introduction is excellent. It doesn't take too much reading of the rest of the book, however, before a bad feeling starts to set in. I'm a committed atheist, and the author is right 99% of the time, but he is preaching, if I'm allowed to use that word, to the converted. His tone and attitude are so annoying that this book is useless for trying to convert an open-minded Christian reader. It reaches an absolute nadir when he devotes a chapter to defending pornography on the Internet! What does this have to do with the subject? It's like he just has to put every opinion he has ever held into the book. Give us a break!

What we need is a reasoned argument that starts from a few basic premises and builds to a conclusion. If you want to start to sow the seeds of doubt in a Christian, have them read Thomas Paine's the Age of Reason or some of Bart Ehrman's books.

Books like this will give atheism a bad name! :-)

What would you gain for becoming a atheist. Is there some million dollar handout for being one? NO!!!? Even if Atheists in America did not believe in religion or a god, common sense should tell you to leave it alone. If policemen, armed services, presidents, senators, etc... didn't believe in a god or morals how likely is it that you would be sitting here today writing this article. Very little to none. You or your ancestors would probably be enslaved or not alive at all (especially my African American brothers and sisters). Who would have gave whites in the civil rights era or Freedom Summer the strength and moralistic behavior to do what was right even though they would be persecuted. What incentive would they have. If there was no hope for eternal life and salvation, there would have been so much corruption and war that half if not all of us would not be in existence. Nuclear missles would be launched, there would be no peace negociations, men would be raping their kids and families, women would be treated as slaves, you would have to fight everyday to keep your possessions if you owned any...must I go on. The only thing this book would prove is that this guy is so intelligent that he is ignorant, also that he wants your money. It is also funny how atheists can come up with scientific theories that others proved and not their own. How many atheists you know are scientists? These people below are not acientists but they are atheist:
Marquis de Sade (a writer), Percy Bysshe Shelley (a poet), Friedrich Nietzsche (a philologist by training), Algernon Swinburne (a poet), Bertrand Russell (a philosopher), Karl Marx (a philosopher), Robert Ingersoll (a lecturer), George Bernard Shaw (a playwright), Vladimir Lenin (a communist revolutionary), Joseph Stalin (a communist dictator), H.L. Mencken (a newspaper columnist), Jean-Paul Sartre (a philosopher), Benito Mussolini (a fascist dictator), Luis Buñuel (Spanish filmmaker), Clarence Darrow (a lawyer), Ayn Rand (a novelist), Christopher Hitchens (a journalist), Larry Flynt (a pornographer), George Soros and Warren Buffett (investors), and Penn and Teller (magicians).
My suggestion, quit thinking you are so intelligent enough to disprove individuals who lived under far worse circumstances than you and believed in god. 90% of anyone who ever lived believed in god or a god and all of a sudden atheists woke up one day (even though most were not scientific) and had the answer to the world. Preposterous. You will never know, you were not there, and the world wouldn't be any better with a bunch of atheists, and there is no incentive to be atheist. I never heard of anything positive from a atheist missionary group. Most atheists are atheists because they want an excuse to be lazy enough not to get up and contribute to this world, have compassion and love for thy neighbor, pray and find reasons to be immoral.

Excellent book for the enlightened thinking person.
Or, possibly an enlightening book for a religious person.
The chapter on Miracles alone makes the book a worthwhile purchase.
Jim Flannigan, Livonia, Michigan Atheist

David Mills is clear and concise. This is the book that sealed my conviction on the God/No God arguement. Complementing Dawkins' and Harris' observations and positions, Mills' position on mass-energy is indisputable as the answer to which came first God or Universe. I also understand Einstein's E=MC2 for the first time in my life.

I was raised Catholic (very Catholic); straight A's in Catholic school from kindergarten through senior year of undergrad; was the head of adult education in the church I attended at age 28. (I am 40 now). I have been thoroughly assessing all organized religions and philosophies for the past 10 years. While I want to continue to have an open-mind, I am confidently placing my Bible on the shelf in the mythology section of my personal library, next to the Iliad and Odyssey. Yahweh now takes his place next to Zeus, Ra, Baal, Allah, and all the other personal dieties we humans have invented over the centuries as a way to bring understanding to things we don't understand, a sense of purpose, and a moral code distributable to the masses.

Mills' observations of Fundamentalists and Creationists defies argument and are so incredibly logical. Mill's takes what are some of the pillars or the Fundamentalists, such as the conjecture of Intelligent Design, and reveals not just gaps in logic, but provable flaws in their logic. In essence the proverbial Wizard of Oz curtain has been pulled back, and all the Fundamentalists have left to say is "pay no attention to the man in the booth".

I will say too that this book now places me in a "where do I go from here?" mode. I have the moral code thing figured out - it's pretty simple - treat others the way you want to be treated (Ayn Rand - Virture of Selfishness). I have the sense of purpose thing figured out - protect life and evolve our species. But it's the societal element that will be the toughest as many of my friends and family members are devout Catholics. The Freedom Not to Believe is a bit of a farce in our country (U.S.) - although obviously much better than the Middle East (where you are lucky not to be put to death for not believing in and worshipping Allah). Athiests are excluded more consistently that any other minority out there - women, gays, people of color, etc, despite Athiests are some of the most intelligent and inspirational people out there - Thomas Jefferson, Freud, Sagan, Einstein, even Katherine Hepburn. Hopefully more people wake up and our species can evolve from the darkness our species are in.

As Carl Sagan paints the analogy of Science being a Candle in the Dark, hopefully science, discovery, and reason will continue to enlighten and help us move ahead. The our universe has been here for over 14 billion years, our earth for 4.5 billion, life for 3 billion, and we humans as thinking conscience beings for arguably 7000 years. Yet as Harris' successfully points out Fundamentalists are driving planes into skyscrapers and endangering our existence for something as real as mother goose. Truly we have all gone mad.

Thank you David Mills for providing your clear observations and thoughts. You've provided answers to questions I have asked since I was sixteen years old. To the people that have told me that I was just "lacking faith", I now see them for what they really are - "the man in the booth". And I'm not the one that's crazy. They are.

I've read books on this subject before but I can tell you that this is by far the best, easiest to understand book that disputes the existence of a supreme being. If you've ever wanted to know what's on the other side of religion, had any doubts about your faith or ever wondered "where did it all come from and for what purpose?".......you should definitely start with this book before you read any other. You'll come out more knowlegable than 99% of all fundamentalist or any religion out there.

Author David Mills writes with calm clarity that is rich with insight and understanding of evolutionary science. He pulls off the coating of misrepresented information and tells the truth with details. His prose style is easy and fluid. The reader is not overwhelmed with verbose scientific technical language. Most important, he does not apologize for or excuse the defenders of creationism for their sidewinding tactics. This is a refreshing read.

I picked this book up as a christian who is interested in maintaining a well-rounded viewpoint. I was hoping to encounter some interesting arguments or data to challenge specific points of the christian religion, but I can't say I really did. Ultimately, I feel like the author spent a lot of time dismissing Intelligent Design, which I can understand since it isn't hard science, but also ended up doing a lot of handwaving over his points of contention in general. Maybe I expected too much, I don't know. I think it's a worthwhile read since it's one of the highest ranking books on the subject, but that doesn't speak too well of the genre in general it seems. I appreciate the author's civil style and friendly tone, but ultimately I just wasn't persuaded to even reconsider anything, and that may make his attempt a failure.

Don't waste your time reading this drivel. This book is so centered on the "dramatic" life of the author. None of his arguments are new or that well presented. Dawkins is more comprehensive, Dennett has more interesting insights and compelling arguments (belief in belief), and Hitchens will make you laugh and remind you that being an atheist doesn't mean you hitch your wagon to the crazy nuts on the left!