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The Dawkins Letters: Challenging Atheist Myths

Author: David Robertson
Publisher: Christian Focus Publications Ltd
Category: Book

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Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

39 reviews
Sales Rank: 26917

Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 144
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.6

ISBN: 1845502612
Dewey Decimal Number: 239
EAN: 9781845502614
ASIN: 1845502612

Publication Date: March 20, 2007
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Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars

Not much of an answer July 10, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful

A very thin reply to Dawkins. Robertson manages a bit of sniping at odd bits of Dawkins book, which are valid, but not important, and all that is left are two tactics: One - to present atheism as a kind of fundamentalism and therefore one of many Faith approaches, of which others are Christianity, Judaism, Islam etc. This nonsense has been comprehensively dealt with elsewhere, but let it be reiterated that atheism is not a faith, but a position reasonably arrived at. Two - to reposition Christianity as a sort of brave, beleaguered beacon of light in the darkness of the secular world, which is exactly a parody of the current situation where it is undeservedly privileged. Alice is through the looking-glass again.

5 out of 5 stars

Challenging Atheists June 15, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I enjoyed reading this book very much and found it made some excellent points. After reading the God Delusion which I found to be quite interesting I was keen to read a good reply to Dawkins angry aggressive attack on christianity. Unfortunately I guess that most reviewers will slate this book as its seems to be very differcult for many Atheists to truly consider that Christianty may have something to offer. My experiance of Atheists is that many are as fundamental and closed minded as the most extreme religous fundamentlist whom they use to decry the possibilty of God. Im sure reading this will make many angry as well.

5 out of 5 stars

Unexpectedly good June 13, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Usually I am suspicious of much hyped books as this one is, however, this one does live up to its promise. Clear, concise and generous to his opponent, the author has delivered what he intended to. I must admit bias in reading it, as I am a theist - but I did once pride myself on my atheism, and although this book will not convert one atheist to belief, it does expose the fundamental flaws of fundamentalist atheism.

1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing and dismal May 25, 2008
2 out of 12 found this review helpful

This is such a sad and disappointing book. Is this really the best Dawkins' opponents are able to offer. Closed minds, bigotry rife, and a determination to land a fatal blow on Dawkins. Dream on. This is poor stuff.

2 out of 5 stars

A riposte to Dawkins? No, not really May 2, 2008
5 out of 17 found this review helpful

Having read The God Delusion I was curious to know what the best theist ripostes might be and this book was recommended by other Amazon reviewers as (one of?) the best.

After reading it, I think that it is fair to say that as a riposte it is disappointing. Many of the counter arguments offered are clearly flawed, even to somebody like me who has no formal philosophical training. Many of them amount to "well if only you were religious you would understand this" and in places Robertson appears quite ignorant of basic philosophical and scientific ideas, despite his rather un-Christian boasts about having read more than 100 books and articles in preparation for writing his letters. For example, I was surprised at his apparent lack of awareness of the Anthropic Principle, which rather effectively counters his assertion that God must exist because how else could we explain the improbable coincidence of physical constants being "just right" for the evolution of intelligent life. Or perhaps Mr Robertson is aware of the idea, but ignores it because it is inconvenient to his arguments?

I was particularly disappointed that the book did not really address the issue of morality independent of religion, and particularly independent of the Bible. Dawkins makes the interesting point that if morality derives only from the word of God, how can we dismiss some parts of the bible as out-of-date nonsense while accepting that other parts suggest rather good ideas for moral behaviour? This does seem to indicate a certain innate human moral judgement, and indeed evolution of that judgement, independent of religious writings. Robertson says he thinks the evidence for this evolution is scant, but does not really address the central point of independent morality, so far as I can see. He says that "real Christians believe that the Bible's teaching is that there is an absolute morality..." but offers no reasoning or defence of this point in light of what Dawkins has said.

In summary, I would say if you want some religious comfort food, go ahead and read this book. If you want a serious challenge to what you have read in The God Delusion, I do not think this book delivers. Hopefully someone will write something better soon.