Atheist-humanist Anthony C. Grayling's The Good Book mimics the Bible right down to language and its use of books, chapters and verses. But its sole message, the author insists, is to think for yourself and dictate your own good life. Grayling, a leading U.K. atheist, was in Washington Thursday night to talk about his latest work at an event co-sponsored by the Center for Inquiry. He said he modeled The Good Book: A Humanist Bible after the structure of the Bible because of its effectiveness.The Good Book takes great pains to appear similar to the Judeo-Christian Bible, the bestselling book of all time. Judging from the exterior, the book has been constructed to have a similar size and weight as the Bible. The humanist bible even takes on a moniker commonly associated with the Bible.
The book of Genesis in the Bible illustrates God as Creator of the universe and of mankind. In The Good Book, its book of Genesis states, “All things take their origin from earlier kinds: Ancestors of most creatures rose from the sea, some inhabitants of the sea evolved from land-dwelling forefathers.”
The Bible’s first book also includes the story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Meanwhile, at the front of The Good Book is the story of an apple falling on philosopher Isaac Newton's head. And while the Bible establishes that humanity, by nature of Adam and Eve's actions, is innately sinful. The Good Book establishes that everything and everyone is innately good.
He thus decided to create a more philosophical bible using source material from the likes of Aristotle, Confucius, Darwin, and Lord Chesterfield. He reasoned, "If they (the writers of the Bible) had gone to those sources and put them together, they would have made a different book and maybe there would have a different history as a result."
During his Thursday talk, he faulted the Bible and the spread of religion for humanity's strife. He asserted that the fanatical study of the Bible and other religious texts prompts followers to commit acts of violence in the name of God. He denounced the Bible as false because it holds itself as being the sole source of truth.
By contrast, Grayling argued that The Good Book, which he compiled over the course of 30 years, embraces plurality. He believes study of his humanist bible will promote free thinking because his bible is not about rules or deities. "There's no command there to believe, to accept, to obey. There's no promises of rewards or threats of punishment," the 62-year-old outlined.
Grayling's plan is to make sure his book becomes a long-lasting resource available to all. During the talk, he vowed to have the book printed in a pocket-sized version as well as a picture version for children. He joked, "If it does last a long time, let's say 500 years or something, I've got a very good [chance] at being a god." He quickly added that this was not his aim and that he would likely be "a lousy god."
