On Townhall.com, radio talk show host Dennis Prager wonders why "Atheism" books (as he calls them) top the best sellers list. I am not sure whether these books are truly "atheistic", which seems to be the default description given by religious conservatives to anything that does not meet their criteria for proper belief in Jesus. Nevertheless, I provided him my three reasons why such books are popular:
1. Natural curiosity. The internet has made more information available to more people, causing many to question what they've been taught as children. Before the world wide web, we had little alternative but to accept what we were taught by our parents, our teachers, our churches. Now, we can take what they say and research it, or find a different point of view.
2. The actions of fundamentalists, both Islamic and Christian. By demanding that they both are correct in their view, and if you do not agree with them you are excluded, causes people to wonder if the truth lies somewhere in between. I'm reminded of a quote from Gandhi: "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They seem nothing like your Christ."
3. A natural cycle. As with most everything in life, religious beliefs ebb and flow. 10-15 years from now, he may be writing an article about how Godly America has become.
