Representations of Atheism

[KichigaiNeko]

However,
I've heard some good things, but I look at all the books in the series and all the cycles and ask "Where the fuck would I start?"

At the beginning....as always.....and when you get to the end....STOP!

'The colour of Magic' is the first.

[RedNZ]

Thanks, I'll look into it.

I've actually currently reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman which I like. But I wonder more if Pratchett's works lend themselves more to 'Religion and Human Behavior' or something... Which is certainly not a bad thing! But it would be a different angle than what I'm currently looking at, which is more towards how atheism is portrayed and how it influences the way a book has been written, the choices and moral decisions made by a character, etc etc , hence why I want to get a wider range of sources =)

To be honest, there's a number of ways I can choose to go at this point, I just want to find out what I have to choose from.

[KichigaiNeko]

I haven't read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, how would you say it deals with the subject of atheism/religion?

Well, just read it. What with it being available in one volume, it's certainly much easier to get into in Discworld.

What ??? ALL FIVE books??

At any rate, one particularly overt scene includes a digression by the Guide about how the existence of the Babelfish is a proof of the nonexistence of God, precisely because it is so useful and overt that it couldn't be the handiwork of somebody who works in mysterious ways or is supposed to be all-knowing.

The he will have to go to 'Restaurant at the end of the Universe' ... add infinitum.

Science fantasy can be addictive RedNZ!! Be warned

What background do you have??? Most on here have a science background / employment or a studying in those fields.

[Rev. Rye]

I haven't read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, how would you say it deals with the subject of atheism/religion?

Well, just read it. What with it being available in one volume, it's certainly much easier to get into in Discworld.

What ??? ALL FIVE books??

Yeah. I've even got the five-in-one in both paperback and hardcover.

[KichigaiNeko]

Thanks, I'll look into it.

I've actually currently reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman which I like. But I wonder more if Pratchett's works lend themselves more to 'Religion and Human Behavior' or something... Which is certainly not a bad thing! But it would be a different angle than what I'm currently looking at, which is more towards how atheism is portrayed and how it influences the way a book has been written, the choices and moral decisions made by a character, etc etc , hence why I want to get a wider range of sources =)

To be honest, there's a number of ways I can choose to go at this point, I just want to find out what I have to choose from.

Ummm
Terry Pratchett IS atheist and uses Discworld to explore this. This is evident in how his witches and wizards behave (the atheistic intellectual elite) how his peasants look to the gods and the gods themselves (how the either are or are not due to belief). This Discworld is a pretty good reflection of our own, 'The Last Continent' I think you will find very funny (as it pokes fun at the cussies across the pond)

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your meaning here??

---

Try "Reaperman" for starters.

"The amazing Maurice and his educated rodents" is probably the best book on self awareness and its consequences I have ever read.

And it's one of his childrens books!

There is also the three works involving the "Wee Freemen" particularlly gruesome involing the development of a child born to 'witchcraft' and how she develops her value system in dealing with the world around her and it's value system.

One thought is that....
people will "wake-up" one day and start to think....this is crap (religion) how it is used by humanity to condone a myriad of horrors we inflict on each other, and realise 'I am separate from all this'
my2c

[RedNZ]

Yeah, sorry maybe my wording was a bit unclear...

I do realise that Pratchett's books explore atheism, what I was trying to say was that I think his books are 'anti-religious' in the sense that basically what he's doing is ridiculing religion, and that it is an accurate reflection of our world and how people's behavior is influenced by religion.

This is fine. It's good. It's certainly satirical.

All I'm saying is that I need more than satire for what I plan on doing. Maybe more from a humanistic point of view as well.

Am I making any sense? =/

Basically I want to know if anyone knows any literature that could be useful other than Pratchett? ;P

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

@Redz
This might sound odd:

IF you can find them, have a look at Edgar Rice Burrough's 'John Carter Of Mars' series,especially where he exposes Martian religion ('The Gods Of Mars').

After his advent, a boat of Green Martians arrive on the River Iss, and is ambushed by the previously unknown Plant Men. Carter comes to their aid. The lone survivor is his good friend Tars Tarkas, the Jeddak of Thark, who has taken the pilgrimage to the Valley Dor to find Carter.

Carter and Tarkas discover that the Therns, rulers of Valley Dor, a white-skinned race of self-proclaimed gods, have for eons deceived the Barsoomians of the outer world by disseminating the myth that the pilgrimage to the Valley Dor is a journey to paradise. Most, however, are killed by the beasts of Valley, the survivors enslaved by Therns.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gods_of_Mars

As you may gather from the link above,like a lot of early Sci writers, Burroughs wrote fast paced and imaginative thud and blunder bodice rippers aimed at teenage boys.. Probably a bit campy for today's tastes. I discovered him in 1966,the same year I discovered and devoured all of the James Bond novels.

[Zen Badger]

On reflection, I would suggest Carl Sagans "Contact"

Where Atheism is an important part of the main protaganists childhood development.

[KichigaiNeko]

All I'm saying is that I need more than satire for what I plan on doing. Maybe more from a humanistic point of view as well.

Can't get more Humanistic than Pratchett

Am I making any sense? =/

Ummm not really. Unless by Humanistic you are looking for the 'warm and fuzzy', apologetic and politically correct type of literature. In which case I wish you luck. Try the Christian Book stores.

Basically I want to know if anyone knows any literature that could be useful other than Pratchett? ;P

Fair nuf ...I think that Carl Sagan 'Contact' (kudos ZB). Perhaps you should look to Science Fiction for some of your "inspiration"; Raymond Feist has a series of three "Magician" "Silver Thorn" & "Darkness At Sethanon" that explores religion and the human reaction to it and of course involves a whole lot more.

I am also thinking that Sci-Fi is probably your best bet for the subject material you seem to be looking for as I am not certain a serious fiction writer would be published that espouses Atheism (and it's development) as a central tenet to a story. Also there is Gene Rodenberry's "Star Trek" major influence there and has been supported by NASA developments in exploration.

As I have intimated before...atheism finds YOU, it is not something that people wake up one morning with singing Hallelujah!! Atheism is the realisation that ...
'There is no Justice...there is just you'
'There is no Mercy...unless you give it to yourself (and others by extension)'
'It's ALL just a mind fuck.....but hey it's a pretty good ride so far'
'Equality means ...the other bastard gets more than you'
'Communism means...the other bastard gets more than you and there is a whole party machine to make sure that happens'
'Science is the only thing that makes any sense...and at least doesn't pretend to know ALL the answers to questions you haven't thought of yet'
'Certainly won't go around "Blaming some imaginary deity" for the worlds woes (Inconvenient Truth- turned around)'
and finally
'DEMANDS evidence for any given statement'

Hoping this is of assistance
kiora

[Rwandrall]

Yeah, sorry maybe my wording was a bit unclear...

I do realise that Pratchett's books explore atheism, what I was trying to say was that I think his books are 'anti-religious' in the sense that basically what he's doing is ridiculing religion, and that it is an accurate reflection of our world and how people's behavior is influenced by religion.

This is fine. It's good. It's certainly satirical.

All I'm saying is that I need more than satire for what I plan on doing. Maybe more from a humanistic point of view as well.

Am I making any sense? =/

Basically I want to know if anyone knows any literature that could be useful other than Pratchett? ;P

The books from the His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman, are very atheistic, describing the Church as an organization that rips children of their very souls, and where God is a crippled old man who cannot even think by himself. Its a very good read too