One man shares the story of his transformation from evangelical Christian to atheist and examines the train of thought that brought him there.After almost twenty years of evangelical preaching, missionizing, and Christian songwriting, Dan Barker "threw out the bathwater and discovered that there is no baby." In Godless, Barker describes the intellectual and psychological path he followed in moving from fundamentalism to freethought. Godless include...

What drives us to be good? How do we even know how to be good? Philosophers and theologians have dealt with such questions for millennia, but Dan Barker thinks the answers are not so complicated. In Mere Morality, he argues there's no need to appeal to supernatural commandments or the fear of some higher power when considering morality. Stripping "good" and "evil" down to the basics, he offers a simple compass for navigating life's most difficult moral and ethical dilemmas.

Every thinking person wants to lead a life of meaning and purpose. For thousands of years, holy books have told us that such a life is available only through obedience and submission to some higher power. Today, the faithful keep popular devotionals and tracts within easy reach on bedside tables and mobile devices, all communicating this common message: "Life is meaningless without God." In this volume, former pastor Dan Barker eloquently, powerfully, and rationally upends this long-held b...

In a quiet and unassuming way, Contraduction is utterly brilliant. Every page has a thought so deep and unexpected that it stops you in your tracks, as you not only realize, “That’s a different, really interesting way to think about the world, exactly the opposite of how I normally view things” but also, “And it is absolutely equally valid (and enriching) to adopt this opposite way of thinking.” I loved this book. — Robert Sapolsky, author of Behave and

A guide to meaningful life choices for living an ethical life without theology or religious faith.How Does an Atheist Respond to the Question, What Is the Purpose of Life? For a Christian, it is faith that gives their life purpose. In his best-selling book The Purpose Driven™ Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?, Rick Warren says, "You must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose." But as a non-believer, your purpose resides in yours...

Don’t let the Old Testament intimidate you!Modern revelation has provided the tools we need to understand and apply this timeless scripture. By citing prophetic revelation, Dan Barker helps you reach past strange customs and difficult descriptions to feel the power of the promises in the Old Testament.This indispensible study guide will change the way you feel about this important book of scripture.

The story of religion in the twenty-first-century West has been defined, in part, by the stories of once-zealous pastors moving beyond their faith to embrace a life of reason. But too often and too quickly ardent believers dismiss such accounts as aberrations and fail to consider the real-life implications for those who make this transition. Atheists and other skeptics, meanwhile, struggle to understand what took these individuals so long to make such a journey—and why others aren't lining...

Do “In God We Trust,” the Declaration of Independence, and other historical “evidence” prove that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles? Are the Ten Commandments the basis for American law? A constitutional attorney dives into the debate about religion’s role in America’s founding.In today’s contentious political climate, understanding religion’s role in American government is more important than ever. Christian nationalists assert that our nation was f...

Everything's going well for him. A decent government job, a few friends, and a comfortable routine. One night, that all changes as he watches a typical college girl play volleyball on a local sports network. He becomes infatuated and using any means at his disposal, legal or not, he finds out all he can about her. His first rule is that she never know that he even exists. However, the more he finds out about her, the more he becomes convinced that fate has demanded he intervene in her life...

A Mexican immigrant and rising star within the Christian community abandons his faith and comes out as a gay atheistIn this exceptionally moving and soul-searching memoir, Fernando Alcántar recounts his incredible journey from poor Catholic boy on the dusty streets of Mexico to globetrotting missionary and high-profile Christian leader in the United States—where he eventually left his celebrated life behind to advocate for the liberating power of reason and equalit...

Add extra interest and depth to your study of the Doctrine & Covenants with these little-known stories and facts from Church history. With one story for each section, you’ll soon discover the details history has tucked away. Fascinating and informative, this book is perfect for sharing with friends and family and guaranteed to spice up your scripture study!

Scholarly editions in print have long been central to literary studies, produced according to well-established methodologies. In recent decades, digital scholarly editions have gained prominence, with some publishers digitising existing print editions and others creating born-digital resources. The shift from print to digital demands not only new editorial approaches but also sustained attention to issues of technical and financial sustainability – key concerns for resources of reference. ...