Atheist persona : causes and consequences / John J. Pasquini.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pasquini, John J., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Atheism.

Theism.

Physical Description:

ix, 178 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : University Press of America, [2014]

Summary:

In the past, as in the present, science has explored the reasons for belief. In recent years, with the rise of categorical, practical, and militant atheism, the scientific and philosophical community has begun studying the worldview of atheism. The Atheist Persona: Causes and Consequences is a summary of the most recent research, by the best of scholars, on the subject of atheism. In an effort to create a more courteous dialogue between theists and atheists, this book acknowledges that while there are reasons for believing in God, there are also reasons for not believing in God. Atheist Persona showcases how the worldview we choose to accept determines how we live our lives and how we influence those around us. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 The Psychological and Sociological Causes for Atheism 1

The Dysfunctional or Absent Father Figure 1

The Dysfunctional or Absent Mother Figure 3

The Defective-Dysfunctional Family 5

Aborting God 7

Atheist Father and/or Mother Hero 8

The Dysfunctional Cleric-Master 9

Atheism-A Pathological Response to Social Disintegration 10

The Sophisticated-Recognition-Nonconformist-Need 11

Personal Convenience, Self-Centeredness and Hedonism 15

Comfort in Health and Life 17

Incomprehensible Suffering 18

The Atheist Persona-A Hopeless Life 20

2 God Belief: Good or Bad for You? 26

Good or Bad? 26

Predisposed to Healing? 28

3 Big Fancy Robots? 32

God-gene? 32

God Module or Switch? 32

The God Helmet 33

Neuroplasticity of the Brain 34

4 Biology and Atheism Continued 36

Superman or Deficient Being? 36

Further Neurological Insights 37

The Media and Brain Development 37

Men vs. Women 38

Further Neurological Studies 38

In Conclusion 39

5 The Spiritual Pivot: Humanness Explicated 41

Spiritual Triggers 42

Awakening 42

Dark Night 44

Illumination and Enlightenment 44

Purification of the Soul and the Mystical 45

Neuroscience and the Mystical 45

Fully Human? 46

6 Intolerance and Violence 48

Holding Back the Barbarian in Us 49

Catholic Inquisitions, Crusades, and Religious Wars 51

7 Slaughtering the Scriptures in the Name of Atheism 54

Ignorance or Dishonesty? 54

Bible 101 58

8 Encyclopedia of Prehistoric Cults? 60

God of Myth or Philosophy? 60

Christianizing Pagan Practices 69

Pagan Roots for Atheism 71

In Conclusion 73

9 The Media: Atheism's Evangelizing Pulpit 75

The Media-Expressing and Fostering the Atheist Lifestyle 75

Violence 75

The Cult of the Body 76

Cult of Self-Abuse 76

A Medicated Society 77

A Sex-Obsessed World 77

Din of Vulgarity (continued) 77

Dummying-down of Society 78

Subliminal Seduction 78

Loss of Empathy 79

The "god" of Materialism 79

The Fostering of Passivity 80

Suppressing the Truth 81

Media (in general) 84

10 Science and/or Man as "god" 88

Science as god 88

Man as god 89

11 What Science and Man Can't Explain 94

Intelligent Design? 94

Biological Design? 96

Cosmological Design? 102

Why Do We Have a Finely Tuned Universe? 104

Neurological Design? 108

12 The Spiritual: Essential for the Sciences and the Arts 125

Priests and Religious Orders 126

Monks 126

The Church in General 128

13 Atheism's Bequest 133

Abortion 134

Post Abortion Trauma-Damaging Women 136

Post Abortion Trauma-Damaging Families 138

Contraception 139

Modern Comprehensive Sex Education 141

Pornographic Society 143

Premarital Sex 144

Same-sex Marriage 145

Divorce-impacting the future 147

Child Abuse-the result of the denigration of personhood and the family 148

No Place for the Poor in Secularism 149

Overpopulation-a myth promoted by hedonistic atheists 150

Assisted Reproduction, Genetic Engineering, Scientific Research 152

Euthanasia vs. Palliative Care 159

Violence in Society-the beginnings of the end 160

In Conclusion 161.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9780761863304

0761863303

9780761863311

0761863311

OCLC:

867013138