The Open Source Guide to Rational Thought
Offline Hey Everybody,
I had been considering this idea for a while, and I've gotten some interest, so maybe this will really happen.
The idea is this: I want to compile essays, articles, questions, whatever - etc. from as many different non-believers as possible - to eventually form kind of a secular bible or anti-bible.
It would be completely free and freely distributable. There would be central download locations, but anyone is encouraged to copy it and share it as they wish. The reader can even make notes and footnotes as long as they're clerly labeled, and distribute the altered version.
Contributions can contain links (including links to your personal for-profit pages or whatever, as long as it's all related) pictures, videos, etc. via the wiki interface, and eventually it will all be compiled into a pdf.
The bottom line is the chance to put the knowledge and opinion out there in a non-threatening manner, to raise consciousness, and to hopefully open the discussions and a few minds.
Spread the word and we'll see if there's enough interest to make this doable.
If you have anything you want to contribute, or any questions or whatever else, leave a message for me at the wiki page or email anything to me at
Format and tone are very much up for discussion. Actually, everything is up for discussion.
Thanks,
Imagine (Pat)
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Worst idea I have ever heard.
To be an atheist, or rational thinker you are not believing in a deity, and religion. Why should be make a book that goes for our "religion" which it is not a religion at all.
Making a holy book, or an anti holy book for atheism would be a horrible idea. If it ever took off, atheism would not be atheism anymore, atheists would have to call themselfs something else just to get away from the idea of making atheism into a sort of religion like your suggesting.
"When I die I shall be content to vanish into nothingness.... No show, however good, could conceivably be good forever.... I do not believe in immortality, and have no desire for it." ~H.L. Mencken
Thank god i'm a atheist!
Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse anybody. (But nobody else seemed confused by the idea.)
"The God Delusion" has been called "the anti-bible." But there would be advantages to what I'm talking about: it would be free, it would have contributions from many people, it would be constantly evolving, it could be sent directly to whomever you want to read it without any investment of money....
It certainly woudn't be a "holy book." It would be an explanation of why we think the way we do, and in explaining this, there would unquestionably be some who will see the logic in it. And anyone who reads it will understand that we're just people with a logical view, not demons who hate god.
It would contain essays, stories, whatever, anything that illustrates the logic and personalities behind atheism.
Hope that makes it more clear.
Many Christian people simply don't have the knowledge that is readily available, because they've never been exposed to it. This would get that knowledge out there. Like Dan Barker said, "If I had continued to read only Christian books, I'd still be Christian." Something like "The God Delusion" is mainly aimed at atheists, agnostics, and maybe very liberal Christians who are already having doubt. What I'm talking about could be aimed as a first step toward more fundamentalist Christians, something to open them up to something like TGD.