Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion (affiliate link) challenges belief in a supernatural creator. The book argues that the idea of God is not only unsupported by evidence but is also unnecessary. Dawkins lays out a scientific and philosophical case for atheism and calls for a shift toward reason, evidence, and open skepticism. And while his tone can admittedly be a bit condescending toward theists at times, it can be an incredibly eye-opening book to read. The Central Claim Dawkins begins by defining what he calls the “God Hypothesis.” This is the belief in a supernatural being who created the universe and continues to intervene in it. He argues that this is a scientific claim because it makes testable assertions about how the universe works. Dawkins maintains that the hypothesis is extremely improbable and that natural explanations are more plausible. The book also addresses several traditional arguments for God’s existence. T...
The Book of Mormon presents America as a chosen land which was set apart, protected, and central to God’s plans. From the opening chapters, the narrative places its events on a continent prepared by God for righteous people. Lehi, the founding patriarch, is told that his family is being led to a "promised land" where those who serve God will prosper and those who rebel will perish. This idea repeats throughout the book. America is portrayed as a land of liberty and divine inheritance, meant to be free from kings and preserved for the sake of righteousness. This connection between sacred land and sacred purpose wasn’t unique to the Book of Mormon. It reflected a broader pattern in early American thinking, where many saw their national story through a biblical lens. The book, American Zion by Eran Shalev (affiliate link) looks at the strong influence of the Old Testament on early American thought. From the Revolution to the Civil War, many Americans used the Hebrew Bible t...