Beyond the Gods

<p>What <em>is </em>the meaning of life? If people didn't believe in God what would keep them from killing and stealing and other dreadful things?</p><p><em>Beyond the Gods</em> isn't in the business-as it makes clear from the outset-of trying to get people to believe or disbelieve anything at all. It is here instead to serve the many people who have <em>already </em>ceased to believe in any celestial beings and other forms of the supernatural. Or who find themselves harboring very strong doubts about everything from little superstitions to fully-established religions. But who haven't had the time or the chance to develop entirely secular ways to answer such questions as the above. In this book it is done.</p><p>How can you <em>live</em> without believing in anything? Can miracles be accounted for? How can we face death?</p><p>For all those who see the answers given by religion to all such queries as illusions devised to cover up a natural ignorance or to give the questioners a feel-good sop-or alternatively to scare them-<em>Beyond the Gods</em> proceeds to show how they can be handled one by one without an otherworldly contrivance in sight. Its instrument is no-nonsense logic its method easy language wit and a light touch.</p><p>While this book isn't primarily a rationale for atheism it includes that too along the way-see for example its rundown of different <em>kinds</em> of danger created by religion. Yet its main thrust remains to complement that kind of material with its easy how-to approach to life's Big Questions <em>after</em> the gods have departed.</p>