New in the Kiosk: Doubting Jesus' Resurrection (2010) by Kris Komarnitsky
Komarnitsky critiques the efforts of Christian apologists such as Dr. N. T. Wright, J. P. Holding, and Lee Strobel, to support the historicity of Jesus' alleged resurrection, and then offers his own explanation for the empty tomb and post-Resurrection appearances traditions.
New in the Bookstore: The Infernova (2009) by S. A. Alenthony.
A young man's struggle to find his path in a world of human illusion and error is the theme of The Infernova. A novel in verse, this secular parody of Dante's classic takes the reader through a new Hell—an abyss devised not to punish those damned by Christian doctrine, but rather those greater agents of human misery: the irrational, the mystical, and the dogmatic religious. And just as Dante was guided on his trek by a celebrated writer, so too here—but it is the irreverent Mark Twain taking the role of Virgil. As their journey proceeds, the perils of unreason and faith-based thinking become ever more clear and dramatic.
New in the Bookstore: The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture (2009) by Darrel W. Ray.
What makes religion so powerful? How does it weave its way into our political system? Why do people believe and follow obvious religious charlatans? What makes people profess deep faith even as they act in ways that betray that faith? What makes people blind to the irrationalities of their religion yet clearly see those of others? How does guilt play into religious infection? Why is sexual control so important to so many religions? What causes the anxiety and neuroticism around death and dying? If these questions interest you, this book will give you the tools to understand religion and its power in you, your family and your culture.
New in the Bookstore: Failed God: Fractured Myth in a Fragile World (2008) by John A. Rush.
"John Allegro argued Jesus was a mushroom. Rush has proven him correct.
— Jan Irvin, author of The Holy Mushroom and coauthor, with Andrew Rutajit, of Astrotheology & Shamanism
New in the Kiosk: More Than an Atheist (2010) by Anthony Layng
"Are you an atheist?" always makes me feel somewhat awkward, uncertain how to respond. It is not that I mind having people know that I do not believe in God. I have never been a believer, and I am unconcerned about who knows it. My problem with "atheist" is that it is too negative and does not say enough about what I consider to be true.
New in the Bookstore: 36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction (2010) by Rebecca Newberger Goldstein.
In 36 Arguments for the Existence of God, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein explores the rapture and torments of religious experience in all its variety. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and intellectually captivating, it is a luminous and intoxicating novel. Using her gifts in fiction and philosophy, Goldstein has produced a true crossover novel, complete with a nail-biting debate ("Resolved: God Exists"), and a stand-alone appendix with the thirty-six arguments (and responses) that propel her protagonist, "an atheist with a soul," to stardom.
New in the Kiosk: Is Moral Relativism the Only Logical Option? (2009) by Jeff Summers
Christian apologists are quick to tout the notion that human morality must be based upon an objective, unchanging standard. These defenders of the faith speak at great length in an attempt to enumerate the absurdities of a moral code which is relative to time, culture and person. However, if one dissects their arguments they are shown to provide no logical case for objective morality; rather, they merely assert a need for it and show that relativism does not meet that need. Not only do they fail to show a naturally necessary case for objective morality, they fail to understand that their own stated mechanism—in this case the Christian god—necessarily fails to impart humans with an objective moral code upon which they can reliably base decisions.
New in the Bookstore: Slaves to Faith: A Therapist Looks Inside the Fundamentalist Mind (2009) by Calvin Mercer.
Based upon the author's twenty years of classroom and clinical study, Slaves of Faith explores and explains the emotionally laden dynamic at work in the fundamentalist mind. As Dr. Mercer posits, the fundamentalist is fundamentally driven by anxiety layered over a fragile sense of self-identity constructed upon a system of beliefs that is both logically inconsistent and highly suspect in light of modern science. Mercer insists that if the Christian terminology were eliminated from contemporary fundamentalist Christian rhetoric, what would remain would be a framework that fundamentalists from other religions would find quite familiar and even comforting.
New in the Kiosk: Why I Am Not A Christian (2009) by Dan Ferrisi
Hitting hard, Ferrisi--born into a 100% Roman Catholic family--explains the main reasons that he completely rejects Christianity.
New in the Bookstore: The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing (2009) by Richard Dawkins (Ed.)
The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing is a rich and vibrant anthology that captures the poetry and excitement of scientific thought and discovery. Boasting almost one hundred articles and book excerpts, The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing is a breathtaking celebration of the finest writing by scientists—the best such collection in print—packed with scintillating essays on everything from "The Discovery of Lucy" to "The Terror and Vastness of the Universe."
New in the Bookstore: Out of God's Closet (2009) by Stephen Uhl, Ph.D.
Faithful Catholic priest-become-atheist psychologist shows how he did—and how you, too—can unlearn childhood prejudices and superstitions, and really enjoy the modified Golden Rule. The practical details of the most important journey of life are found in this little book. A generous sprinkling of earthy humor richly seasons this revolutionary book for enjoyable spiritual nourishment.