Most Popular Books by Dan Barker

One man shares the story of his transformation from evangelical Christian to atheist and examines the train of thought that brought him there. After almost twenty years of evangelical preaching, missionizing, and Christian songwriting, Dan Barker “threw out the bathwater and discovered that there is no baby.” In Godless, Barker describes the intellectual and psychological path he followed in moving from fundamentalism to freethought. Godless includes sections on biblical morality, the historicity of Jesus, biblical contradictions, the unbelievable resurrection, and much more. It is an arsenal for skeptics and a direct challenge to believers. Along the way, Barker relates the positive benefit readers will experience from learning to trust in reason and human kindness instead of living in fear of false judgment and moral condemnation. Advance Praise for Godless “Valuable in the human story are the reflections of intelligent and ethical people who listen to the voice of reason and who allow it to vanquish bigotry and superstition. This book is a classic example.” —Christopher Hitchens, author of God is Not Great “The most eloquent witness of internal delusion that I know—a triumphantly smiling refugee from the zany, surreal world of American fundamentalist Protestantism—is Dan Barker.” —Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion “Godless was a revelation to me. I don’t think anyone can match the (devastating!) clarity, intensity, and honesty which Dan Barker brings to the journey—faith to reason, childhood to growing up, fantasy to reality, intoxication to sobriety.” —Oliver Sacks, author of Musicophilia “In Godless, Barker recounts his journey from evangelical preacher to atheist activist, and along the way explains precisely why it is not only okay to be an atheist, it is something in which to be proud.” —Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic Magazine “Godless is a fascinating memoir and a handbook for debunking theism. But most of all, it is a moving testimonial to one man’s emotional and intellectual rigor in acclaiming critical thinking.” —Robert Sapolsky author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers

Dan Barker''s dramatic journey from devout soul-winner to one of America''s most prominent freethinkers. After 19 years of evangelical preaching -- ordained minister, associate pastorship, missionary to Mexico, cross-country evangelism, Christian songwriter -- Dan Barker threw out the bathwater and found "there is no baby there."A challenge to believers and an arsenal for skeptics.

A compelling essay on free will from an internationally recognized authority on atheism, and author of God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction. Do we have free will? And if we don’t, why do we feel as if we do? In a godless universe governed by impersonal laws of cause and effect, are you responsible for your actions? Former evangelical minister Dan Barker (God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction) unveils a novel solution to the question that has baffled scientists and philosophers for millennia. He outlines the concept of what he calls “harmonic free will,” a two-dimensional perspective that pivots the paradox on its axis to show that there is no single answer—both sides are right. Free will is a useful illusion: not a scientific, but a social truth.

In today''s media-flooded world, there is no way to control all of the information, claims, and enticements that reach young people. The best thing to do is arm them with the sword of critical thinking. Maybe Yes, Maybe No is a charming introduction to self-confidence and self-reliance. The book''s ten-year-old heroine, Andrea, is always asking questions because she knows "you should prove the truth of a strange story before you believe it." "Check it out. Repeat the experiment. Try to prove it wrong. It has to make sense." writes Barker, as he assures young readers that they are fully capable of figuring out what to believe, and of knowing when there just isn''t enough information to decide. "You can do it your own way. If you are a good skeptic you will know how to think for yourself."

Don''t let the Old Testament intimidate you! Modern revelation has provided the tools we need to understand and apply this timeless scripture. By citing prophetic revelation, Dan Barker helps you reach past strange customs and difficult descriptions to feel the power of the promises in the Old Testament. This indispensible study guide will change the way you feel about this important book of scripture.

Every thinking person wants to lead a life of meaning and purpose. For thousands of years, holy books have told us that such a life is available only through obedience and submission to some higher power. Today, the faithful keep popular devotionals and tracts within easy reach on bedside tables and mobile devices, all communicating this common message: "Life is meaningless without God." In this volume, former pastor Dan Barker eloquently, powerfully, and rationally upends this long-held belief. Offering words of enrichment, emancipation, and inspiration, he reminds us how millions of atheists lead happy, loving, moral, and purpose-filled lives. Practicing what he preaches, he also demonstrates through his own personal journey that life is valuable for its own sake—that meaning and purpose come not from above, but from within.

What drives us to be good? How do we even know how to be good? Philosophers and theologians have dealt with such questions for millennia, but Dan Barker thinks the answers are not so complicated. In Mere Morality, he argues there''s no need to appeal to supernatural commandments or the fear of some higher power when considering morality. Stripping "good" and "evil" down to the basics, he offers a simple compass for navigating life''s most difficult moral and ethical dilemmas.

A guide to meaningful life choices for living an ethical life without theology or religious faith. How Does an Atheist Respond to the Question, What Is the Purpose of Life? For a Christian, it is faith that gives their life purpose. In his best-selling book The Purpose Driven™ Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?, Rick Warren says, “You must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.” But as a non-believer, your purpose resides in yourself; it is yours alone to discover and develop. It’s about choosing to live your own life for your own reasons. No one can dictate your purpose. You decide. This book will help you understand and appreciate why freely choosing to help and cooperate with others is the true path to finding purpose. Life does not need purpose: Purpose needs life. To punctuate this point, The Good Atheist includes inspiring biographies of humanity’s true heroes—men and women who did not waste their lives as slaves to a God, but rather found purpose in enhancing life on this Earth for all of us.

This book affirms a child''s ability to think about moral issues and to question "Why?" It offers tools for critical thought while painlessly teaching situation ethics.

In a quiet and unassuming way, Contraduction is utterly brilliant. Every page has a thought so deep and unexpected that it stops you in your tracks, as you not only realize, “That’s a different, really interesting way to think about the world, exactly the opposite of how I normally view things” but also, “And it is absolutely equally valid (and enriching) to adopt this opposite way of thinking.” I loved this book. — Robert Sapolsky, author of Behave and Determined. An ingenious word for an invaluable concept. Sharp, clear, and timely. — Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of The Blank Slate and Rationality Both a delightful read and a penetrating argument: Barker has invented an invaluable new concept, and puts it to work with clarity, wit, and above all conclusiveness. A must-have book! — A. C. Grayling, author of The History of Philosophy and The God Argument I am completely down with the concept of contraduction. It fills a need. False pattern recognitions pose a real danger to our survival. Well done! — Ann Druyan, author (with Carl Sagan) of Cosmos, Contact, and Demon Haunted World I love it when brilliant ideas are conveyed clearly and soundly. That’s why I love this book. Dan Barker has provided a much-needed explication of a common fallacy that needs to be understood and rebutted. It is an engaging, enlightening, and insightful book.—Phil Zuckerman, author of Society Without God and What it Means to be Moral With Contraduction, Dan Barker gives us a new word—and a new way of looking at things. I thoroughly enjoyed this! So much to think about—and it made me laugh. What else could I ask for? — Kate Cohen, contributing columnist for the Washington Post and author of We of Little Faith I love how Dan Barker offers us a new word to help us understand how to think rationally in a fun, simple way. I will never look at my reflection in the mirror the same! — Bailey Harris, author of My Name is Stardust Barker has really created something mega with this book. WOW, what an absolutely awesome mind bender [mind fuck] contraductions are, while at the same time seeming very obvious. I give Contraduction 50 hell-yeahs! [fuck-yeahs!] (outta 50). — Zeke Piestrup, director of Apocalypse Later and Satan''s Guide to the Bible Dan Barker''s approach reminds me of Douglas Adams'' famous Intelligent Design analogy about the rain puddle that "fits me rather neatly." A simple shift of perspective can be invaluable in our understanding, and Dan''s fresh angle gives us plenty to consider. Simply put, I''ve never read anything quite like Contraduction, and that''s a good thing. — Seth Andrews, Author of Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason Contraduction is a delight and lights the way through complexity. Pound for pound, Dan Barker’s best book. — Ed Buckner, Author (with Michael Buckner) of In Freedom We Trust: An Atheist Guide to Religious Liberty A clarifying vision of the most baffling aspects of reality: from the simplest, such as our reflection in a mirror, to the most complex, such as time, evolution or the very existence of life. – Manel Salido, founder of "Razón o fe" and the author of ¡Fascinaos!: [Be Fascinated!] Una respuesta a las grandes preguntas.

Add extra interest and depth to your study of the Doctrine & Covenants with these little-known stories and facts from Church history. With one story for each section, you''ll soon discover the details history has tucked away. Fascinating and informative, this book is perfect for sharing with friends and family and guaranteed to spice up your scripture study!

Don''t let the Old Testament intimidate you! Modern revelation has provided the tools we need to understand and apply this timeless scripture. By citing prophetic revelation, Dan Barker helps you reach past strange customs and difficult descriptions to feel the power of the promises in the Old Testament. This indispensible study guide will change the way you feel about this important book of scripture. ¬+

Did you know that a sister gave birth to a baby during the Salt Lake Temple dedication? Who blessed the baby, and where did this blessing take place? This story is not well known, but it has contributed to the Latter-day Saints? unique culture and history. In his fascinating new book, Dan Barker has compiled hundreds of facts that entertain, inspire, and teach. Discover which object, other than the temple, has the words Holiness to the Lord inscribed on it. Learn what the doctor who delivered Joseph Smith said about him years later. and find much more!Unique Stories and Facts from LDS History and Culture is sure to spice up a family home evening, liven up a talk, or apply finishing touches to a lesson. Increase your faith as you read the unbelievable, the never-before-heard, or the seldom-heard stories from Church history.

Dan Barker has had the opportunity to evaluate leaders and managers in action. Through his eyes, the eyes of a blue-collar worker, he has been able to determine what makes the leader successful and why managers have a tendency to fail, along with how the strategies of both groups have a corresponding effect, positive or negative, on the blue-collar worker. The true leader is respectfully designated as a servant-leader. The theory behind servant-leadership is perfect; the reality is, itas more rare than one would suspect. Dan examines the factors that fuel the leaderas motivation to true servant-leadership and what the underlying forces are that will cause an individual to mismanage rather than lead. He discusses mistakes made, blunders in the mentoring and promotion process, and finally, what America needs to do to get back on track.

For centuries, adherents of the world''s religions have had plenty of fiction to enjoy. Pick up any holy book, and you''ll find an entertaining collection of silly fantasies-yet millions of people believe them and base their entire lives around them. It would be funny if the world weren''t run, and constantly imperiled, by these religions-as it has been since man first made up stories to explain the unexplainable. Now comes Atheist Tales, a collection of speculative-fiction stories with themes to appeal to the disbeliever. After all, if the religious folks can have their books of fairy tales, why can''t we have a few of our own? Unlike those fairy tales, the stories herein weren''t written by primitive cultures, and they aren''t intended to run your life. They aren''t numbered by chapter and verse, and you don''t have to memorize certain passages and ignore the contradictions and absurdities. They don''t impart directives from imaginary deities, nor do they instruct on how to punish sinners. And they don''t pretend to be true. This is fiction, not lies. But they do entertain, and they do make you think about what could happen to the world if those of us who choose reason and intellect over delusional fanaticism don''t combat the insanity and it''s allowed to grow even more out of control. Worshiping the authors of these stories is optional, but we don''t recommend it.

In Sunday School, we learn about the remarkable miracles of early converts. But what about their lives before they became spiritual giants? Dan Barker, author of Little-Known Stories about the Doctrine and Covenants, compiles conversion stories full of visions, persecutions, and miracles. Our ancestors'' paths to the gospel will strengthen your testimony as you live your own conversion story.

Think you know everything about Mormon history? Then prove it! This book is stuffed with multiple-choice questions about the fascinating facts and figures in Mormon history, so you''ll be able to stump even the most scholarly Church historian in your family. Perfect for family gatherings, youth activities, or personal study, Mormon History 101 makes learning about Church history fun for everyone!

A quinze ans, Dan Barker a placé sa vie sous le signe de la bible en décidant de devenir pasteur. Persuadé du retour imminent de Jésus, il a parcouru les Etats-Unis et le Mexique pour sauver des âmes. Il a voué sa vie à Dieu. Et puis, au fil des ans et des prêches, il lui est apparu que quelque chose clochait avec les enseignements des évangiles. Il s''est demandé comment un Dieu de bonté pouvait avoir créé un monde si plein de malheurs et de souffrances. Il a traversé toutes les étapes du doute et du questionnement. Il a craint de renoncer à un statut qui lui valait le respect de tous. Mais il a finalement rejeté la foi pour devenir l''un des plus fervents défenseurs de la raison et de l''humanisme. Ce n''est pas seulement ce cheminement hors du commun qu''il nous raconte ici. Il expose également toutes les raisons qu''il y a de réfuter l''existence d''un dieu tel que le décrivent les religions. Il examine avec acuité toutes les failles du christianisme : incohérences des évangiles, historicité douteuse de Jésus, construction de la légende de la résurrection, mensonges des pères de l''Eglise. Il se penche enfin sur les problèmes que pose la bible comme source de morale : inefficacité de préceptes absolus et contradictoires, possibilité d''interprétations divergentes, médiocrité des "modèles" proposés. Délivré de Dieu, Dan Barker s''est trouvé débarrassé de croyances absurdes et irrationnelles qui, au final, apportent aux hommes davantage de discorde que de consolation.

Photocopy of a letter from Dan Barker of the 10 Vermont Regiment at a "camp on the Potomac near Senaca Mills," to "Friend John," begun on October 25, 1862 and continued on October 27, 1862. The letter describes camp life on the Potomac.

Compares concepts of God to concepts of other mythological beings and stories.

This 30-minute musical tells the Christmas story from the viewpoint of the stable animals. God''s plan of replacing the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb with the Messiah, who would eventually die for man''s sin, is presented so beautifully that children and adults can each understand at their own level. There are twelve speaking parts: ten animals, a male and female narrator.This is the songbook for the musical. It contains the song lyrics, simple melody accompaniment, and drama segments. Written by Dan Barker.

Encourages having an open mind and checking things out to find the truth, rather than blindly accepting everything we hear.