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  • Published: 25 January 2012
  • ISBN: 9780141937601
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 320

Religion for Atheists

A non-believer's guide to the uses of religion




What if religions are neither all true nor all nonsense?

The boring debate between fundamentalist believers and non-believers is finally moved on by Alain de Botton's inspiring new book, which boldly argues that the supernatural claims of religion are of course entirely false - and yet that religions still have important things to teach the secular world.

Rather than mocking religions, agnostics and atheists should instead steal from them - because they're packed with good ideas on how we live and arrange our societies. Blending deep respect with total impiety, de Botton (a non-believer) proposes that we should look to religions for insights into how to build a sense of community, make our relationships last, get more out of art, overcome feelings of envy and inadequacy,and much more.

For too long non-believers have faced a stark choice between either swallowing peculiar doctrines or doing away with consoling and beautiful rituals and ideas. At last Alain de Botton has fashioned a far more interesting and truly helpful alternative.

  • Published: 25 January 2012
  • ISBN: 9780141937601
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 320

About the author

Alain de Botton

Alain de Botton was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1969 and now lives in London. He is a writer of essayistic books that have been described as a 'philosophy of everyday life.' He's written on love, travel, architecture and literature. His books have been bestsellers in 30 countries.

 

Alain also started and helps to run a school in London called The School of Life, dedicated to a new vision of education. 

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