Review
Like a selfish gene or a parasite, the religion virus catches a free ride in the minds of our species, infecting our history and culture. What Guns, Germs and Steel did for anthropology, this book does for faith. It puts the pieces together into a fascinating, coherent model that makes sense! --Dan Barker, President, Freedom From Religion Foundation
Craig A. James has written an accessible book on evolution and religion that manages to explain memetics while being both funny and touching. --Wes Unruh, author, The Art of Memetics, editor of alteratic.com
Full of powerful, ground-breaking ideas, packaged in a deceptively simple, easy-reading style. James has created one of those rare books where, every few pages, I find myself thinking, "I need to send a copy of this to so-and-so." This is the most fun I've had reading non-fiction in a long time. --Phil Steele, Editor, Fragment and The Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics
Craig A. James has written an accessible book on evolution and religion that manages to explain memetics while being both funny and touching. --Wes Unruh, author, The Art of Memetics, editor of alteratic.com
Full of powerful, ground-breaking ideas, packaged in a deceptively simple, easy-reading style. James has created one of those rare books where, every few pages, I find myself thinking, "I need to send a copy of this to so-and-so." This is the most fun I've had reading non-fiction in a long time. --Phil Steele, Editor, Fragment and The Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics
Product Description
Why is religion so incredibly tenacious? Why do intelligent people believe the universe is only six thousand years old? How can so many people believe the Bible, written over two thousand years ago, is 100% accurate in every respect?
Using the powerful new science of cultural evolution called "memetics" -- how ideas spread and mutate as they move across society and down through history -- Craig James takes us on a fascinating tour of religion's peculiar and convoluted history.
Religions evolve, not metaphorically, but in a very real way. By applying "survival of the fittest" principles to religions, James shows shows us how religion became incredibly infectious to the average human.
Dan Barker, president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and author of "Godless" calls it "Ingenious." He goes on to say, "Craig James has cracked open the mystery of Religion's tenacity. What Guns, Germs and Steel did for anthropology, The Religion Virus does for faith. It puts the pieces together into a fascinating, coherent model that makes sense!"
Phil Steele, editor of "The Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics" says The Religion Virus is "Full of powerful, ground-breaking ideas, packaged in a deceptively simple, easy-reading style. This is the most fun I've had reading non-fiction in a long time."
Darwin's Theory of Evolution revolutionized our understanding of biology, turning it from a science that could merely categorize into a science that predicts and explains the amazing variety of life on this wonderful planet of ours. In the same tradition, by applying these evolutionary principles to culture we can predict and explain the history of religion itself.
Religion's evolution had made it perfectly adapted to its environment, your mind. You'll learn why paganism's decline and the rise of monotheism were inevitable. You'll learn why intolerance and persecution are a necessary part of a dominant world religion, and why persecution is critical to the survival of Judaism. Heaven and hell, guilt, irrational faith and many other ideas are shown to be the inevitable outcome of the inexorable forces of cultural evolution.
This Kindle edition is published by the author with the permission of O-Books. A paperback version is also available on Amazon.
Using the powerful new science of cultural evolution called "memetics" -- how ideas spread and mutate as they move across society and down through history -- Craig James takes us on a fascinating tour of religion's peculiar and convoluted history.
Religions evolve, not metaphorically, but in a very real way. By applying "survival of the fittest" principles to religions, James shows shows us how religion became incredibly infectious to the average human.
Dan Barker, president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and author of "Godless" calls it "Ingenious." He goes on to say, "Craig James has cracked open the mystery of Religion's tenacity. What Guns, Germs and Steel did for anthropology, The Religion Virus does for faith. It puts the pieces together into a fascinating, coherent model that makes sense!"
Phil Steele, editor of "The Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics" says The Religion Virus is "Full of powerful, ground-breaking ideas, packaged in a deceptively simple, easy-reading style. This is the most fun I've had reading non-fiction in a long time."
Darwin's Theory of Evolution revolutionized our understanding of biology, turning it from a science that could merely categorize into a science that predicts and explains the amazing variety of life on this wonderful planet of ours. In the same tradition, by applying these evolutionary principles to culture we can predict and explain the history of religion itself.
Religion's evolution had made it perfectly adapted to its environment, your mind. You'll learn why paganism's decline and the rise of monotheism were inevitable. You'll learn why intolerance and persecution are a necessary part of a dominant world religion, and why persecution is critical to the survival of Judaism. Heaven and hell, guilt, irrational faith and many other ideas are shown to be the inevitable outcome of the inexorable forces of cultural evolution.
This Kindle edition is published by the author with the permission of O-Books. A paperback version is also available on Amazon.
