I Don't Believe in Atheists

by Chris Hedges

Reviewed by Ruby

This non-fiction book (more like an essay really) is in response to a series of debates the author had with "new atheists". According to Mr. Hedges these new atheists are putting forward a belief that humans are moving towards a better world because of the advancement of technology and people's belief in reason and science. Sound familiar?

It should, because Mr. Hedges puts forth the theory that the new atheists are just as fanatic as the religious fundamentalists they are fervently opposed to.  Both the religious fundamentalists and the secular fundamentalists believe that human beings are morally progressing and this author is saying 'no'. That if we look around humans are worse off than we have been for a very long time. There is no utopia, that people are not inherently good or evil, there is no 'perfect' human being and no amount of praying or medical pills will change that. Humans are flawed creatures and if we ignore our flaws, we will doom ourselves, like we have been doing, apparently.

I found this book very informative and well written. It was a little repetitive, like he was pounding his point into our heads. It was a hard read, however. So it is definitely not for beginners.

I did have one issue with Mr. Hedges' book. At one point he was talking about the pyramids and he cited a passage that contained the popular belief that pyramids were built by slaves. I don't know if it was just in the work of the author he cited, or not, but it is hard to believe that with all the research he put in this book he would not know that it was proven that it was laborers and not slaves that constructed the pyramids.

Other than that one indiscretion this was an excellent book.

Grade: B