Atheist Universe

10. 4. 2007.

Atheist Universe by David Mills.

This is a 250-page book on the fundamentalist groups. It is exclusively targeted on the claims of the Christian fundamentalist groups styling as creationists and or proponents of intelligent design. Most of these groups are in American soil and under the republican regime, they are influential. They are using all kinds of stratagems in furthering their thought as against the scientific findings. They specifically pointed their ire against the evolutionary science, calling it as Darwinism. Their objectives are facilitated by the neglect of science in American education for too long before the Soviet sputnik went into orbit around the earth. Since then while other sciences were installed high the theory of evolution was at the lower level.

Mills poses questions as the heading of each chapter and explains and analyses the statements of the opponents of evolution of life and universe. The questions are based on claims made on bible i.e. genesis, miracles, hell etc. The quotations are apt augmented by sayings and writings of the proponents. The rebuttals are based on the known scientific findings and facts. Mills cites the sayings of great scientists that were taken out of context and misinterpreted by the creationists. The also invent facts that science has yet to consider or confirm. One such idea is that of big bang which according to the creationists confirms god since something could not come from nothing. They conceal that the big bang did not nullify the fact that mass energy always existed and exists through out universe.

Mills deal with the fear of porno on the juvenile in one of the chapters. Though he deals with Christian fundamentalist objections, they are equally valid in other circumstances as well. For example in the current discussion in the Indian media on the effect of TV shows. According to studies children are not attracted to sexual subjects’ up to the time of puberty. Later they might but it depends on the society’s attitude. Surely, any repression of natural inclinations will have adverse reactions. Even without reading and or viewing porno, youngsters turn to sexual offences as is clear from the past when such materials were not easily available. Free access to porno will not affect behaviour in the natural way.

There are other interesting topics dealt in this book that are convincing and are factual. The only weakness of this book is that it did not deal other kinds of other creationist cults such as that of Hindus, Muslims. Of course, all the arguments against genesis could be applied to Koranic claims of creation as well. Briefly, this is a good and purposeful book.