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[Lemuel K. Washburn, Is The Bible Worth Reading And Other Essays]
« Sounds too familiar | Main | Mesmerizing »
Category: Godlessness
Posted on: May 30, 2009 11:37 AM, by PZ Myers
So you want to be a better person. You're in Chandler, Arizona, and you enter the Barnes & Noble bookstore there, and you head off to the Self Improvement section. What is prominently recommended?
What did you expect, some tripe Oprah liked?
(Thanks to Max & Felipe)
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Comments
Posted by: Alyson Miers | May 30, 2009 11:44 AM
That is fricking awesome.
Posted by: Sgt. Obvious
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May 30, 2009 11:46 AM
Oh wow. It might be a simple placement coincidence, but for now, it's awesome. That said, it's just a matter of time before somebody complains and it gets moved.
Posted by: Don Smith | May 30, 2009 11:51 AM
That's awesome! I'm going to go see whether my local B&N has a similar display.
Posted by: Vhyrrimyr | May 30, 2009 11:51 AM
Epic Win.
Posted by: Bronze Dog | May 30, 2009 11:53 AM
Definitely agreeing with the early commentators: This is most awesome.
Posted by: Stu | May 30, 2009 11:54 AM
Looks like my bookshelf.
Posted by: Rakehell | May 30, 2009 11:56 AM
That's beautiful. My local B&N has those books in the Philosophy section, but I think this is just as appropriate.
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
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May 30, 2009 11:56 AM
The cynic in me says next week it will all be new age babble. But it is nice to see.
Posted by: kimberly b. | May 30, 2009 12:06 PM
Looks like I'm going to go get me some more books from Barnes & Noble.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 30, 2009 12:08 PM
That's more awesome than can ever be fitted on a pogostick.
Posted by: Bachalon | May 30, 2009 12:11 PM
To be fair, the location of most endcaps don't mean anything. At my local B&N, the end cap for the sci-fi section had books on writing and appreciation of literature.
Still, it's a lovely placement.
Posted by: Richard Roedel
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May 30, 2009 12:13 PM
Nice.
Posted by: Woody | May 30, 2009 12:21 PM
having worked the retail book trade a little, I can pretty well assure you that the placement of those titles where they are is altogether a coincidence. they had an end-cap to fill, and they had those books. End of mystery...
Posted by: anon | May 30, 2009 12:29 PM
I don't see an email address for that specific store, but in case anyone is inclined to give feedback on this, here's the "Contact Customer Service" page for Barnes & Noble, Inc. - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/help/customer_service/morehelp.asp -
Posted by: Ben in Texas | May 30, 2009 12:29 PM
I can promise you some customer stuck them there, not B&N staff---unfortunately.
Posted by: NerdyGerdi | May 30, 2009 12:29 PM
That's good to see. Sadly enough though, yesterday I found out that at the bookstore I work at children's bibles are shelved under Nonfiction :(
Posted by: Vhyrrimyr | May 30, 2009 12:29 PM
I just got back from my local B&N. Although they don't have Atheist books in self-help, they have Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly in Fantasy/Sci-fi. :-)
Posted by: NerdyGerdi | May 30, 2009 12:32 PM
That's good to see. Sadly enough though, yesterday I found out that at the bookstore I work at children's bibles are shelved under Nonfiction :(
Posted by: Alex | May 30, 2009 12:33 PM
My B&N has keeps those books on the bottom shelf in the corner. Its like trying to buy porn.
Coincidence, accident, or intentional, this was nice to see.
Posted by: dumptruck | May 30, 2009 12:36 PM
The only references I'd ever read to Chandler was of its being known as a hot-bed of fundamentalism and anti-justabouteverything rage. It never occurred to me that the town would actually have, like, you know, a bookstore or anything. Now I'm forced to revise my smug presumptions about it! We live, we learn ...
Posted by: Orac
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May 30, 2009 12:47 PM
Well, yes, that's what I would have expected, unfortunately. Glad to be pleasantly surprised.
Posted by: CSN | May 30, 2009 1:02 PM
I was in a Barnes & Noble near Charlotte, NC once and having just come from the "atheist section" I passed a display of books on spirituality. Looking at the disgusting content-less titles on hand I recalled having just seen the "Atheist's little book of spirituality" in the previous section which was, surprise, surprise, not in this display where it might shock the oh-so-easily-shocked believing public. I went back and got a few and put them on the table with the rest of the display. Not 20 minutes later I passed by again and it had been removed and likely either burnt or returned to its little nook of obscurity where it couldn't hurt anyone with its radical ideas... (Of course they might've just sold like hotcakes but I'm guessing the former explanation is more likely.)
Posted by: Yagotta B. Kidding
|
May 30, 2009 1:05 PM
Stop right there -- the solution is obvious.
Posted by: JD | May 30, 2009 1:15 PM
Now if they could just get that display in Sedona (the epicenter of woo).
Posted by: Iason Ouabache | May 30, 2009 1:20 PM
That is full of mittens and win!
Posted by: rossinisbird | May 30, 2009 1:36 PM
Is Portable Atheist meant to be an ironic title? It's huge.
Posted by: SocraticGadfly | May 30, 2009 1:43 PM
A proud reader of all except Hitchens' portable atheism reader. Hmm, I'll have to go by my suburban Dallas B&N today just to take a gander.
Posted by: Cuttlefish, OM | May 30, 2009 2:03 PM
If God helps those who help themselves
We might find God on self-help shelves;
We'd take a book, and look inside,
But God's the sort who likes to hide.
In time, one hopes that when we look
We'd find a different sort of book,
Like these we see upon the shelf:
"There is no God, so help yourself."
Posted by: AZ Woo Master | May 30, 2009 2:03 PM
As an Arizona native/resident all I can say is, was that some sort of mistake by Barnes and Noble? It's great to see those fantastic books in the Self Improvement section, especially in Chandler...not really a hotbed of critical thinking. Perhaps this is where they sent all the books from the Barnes and Noble located next to the Arizona State University campus which closed a few months ago...
Posted by: Alex Deam
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May 30, 2009 2:04 PM
It's still portable though.
If Hitch had gone for irony, it would've been called the Pocket Atheist.
I bet that's already been taken though.
Posted by: Greg F. | May 30, 2009 2:11 PM
What did you expect, some tripe Oprah liked?
Actually yes. That's usually what self-improvement sections in bookstores are, Oprah stickers on meaningless, glossy fluff behind a picture of somebody who looks like a con artist pitching a pyramid scheme.
Posted by: Míl Espáine | May 30, 2009 2:15 PM
That shelf should be relocated to the restroom, where those books could realize their true significance as emergency tp.
Posted by: Lilith | May 30, 2009 2:37 PM
Atheist books are located with the religion section in my local Borders.
I might want to complain that they are trying to say atheism is a religion, but the fact that to get to the religion shelves you have to pass a large, eye-catching stand of atheist literature kind of makes up for it.
Posted by: cactusren | May 30, 2009 2:37 PM
Win for Chandler! I'm a little less ashamed to have grown up there now.
Posted by: Fan | May 30, 2009 2:41 PM
As a 4-year employee of Barnes & Noble, I can tell you that, yes, the placement of the endcap was most likely a coincidence. Nine times out of ten, we do not select the books on our own for endcaps and tables. The title lists come down from corporate. This particular endcap is listed as "Doubt & Disbelief" in our computer system. In my store, the location is at the end of the careers part of business. I was impressed when the project came up, but I can tell you that nothing's been sold off that endcap, and I live in the NYC metro area.
Also, there are no conspiracies to "hide" the atheist titles, and while there are a lot of New Age woo titles on display, it's because people buy that shit. And we are a business. I'll set up all those tables because I like having health insurance, thank you very much.
Posted by: Moody
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May 30, 2009 2:55 PM
Have to say I am really pleased to see Walter Kaufmann's Critique of Religion and Philosophy there. Funnily enough, I am currently re-reading it. Highly recommended, thought-provoking material.
Posted by: Susie | May 30, 2009 3:01 PM
I already liked that B&N... but now I LOVE it.
Posted by: Flea | May 30, 2009 3:02 PM
I want to live in Chandler, Arizona!
Posted by: kevin | May 30, 2009 3:12 PM
Now they just need to move their religious books into the superstition/mythology section
Posted by: Yagotta B. Kidding
|
May 30, 2009 3:20 PM
You only think that because you've never been there.
--
YBK, whose parents moved to Chandler from Queen Creek when the population of Chandler could be counted in three digits, and the number of people who could count that high in two.
Posted by: anon | May 30, 2009 3:21 PM
"Now if they could just get that display in Sedona (the epicenter of woo)."
I actually think that it's rather a good thing to concentrate all the woo in one place as much as possible.
It's like sports stadiums, concert venues, hog farms, rave parties,
whorehousesgentlemen's clubs -- you might not feel that they have to be prohibited, but you'd probably rather that they not be next door to you.Posted by: Curt | May 30, 2009 3:46 PM
I'm a manager at B&N and was thrilled when corporate sent down orders for us to set up this display. And those books are selling! I'm almost certain every B&N in the country has this display up now (or, at least, they're supposed to).
Posted by: Curt | May 30, 2009 3:49 PM
I'm a manager at B&N and was thrilled when corporate sent down orders for us to set up this display. And the books are selling! I'm almost certain every B&N in the country has this set up (or, at least, they're supposed to).
Posted by: Asa | May 30, 2009 4:02 PM
I noticed the same last week in TX. I think they need an atheism/humanist section though. In the particular store I visited those books were not in the science or religion sections.
Posted by: Lurky | May 30, 2009 4:03 PM
Brilliant again Cuttlefish, thank you!
Posted by: cousinavi | May 30, 2009 4:10 PM
As awesome as that display is, more needs to be done.
There are other books in that section, shelves of them, advising people to surrender to god, pray, convert...no doubt they sell Dianetics.
A covert guerrilla operation should invade book stores across America and insert a slip of paper into every religious book in the place. On the paper is the web address for one of Dawkins' videos explaining evolution and why there almost certainly are no gods. Just that...nothing more. Well, perhaps we could have a nice photo of a squid on the reverse.
Posted by: druidbros
|
May 30, 2009 4:25 PM
I couldnt help but notice the book about Doubt is listed there too. I have read that book and its pretty good. It gives a brief overview of all the great doubters through written history and why they are important. Of course, its should be in the history or religious aisle.
Posted by: GeekGoddess | May 30, 2009 4:25 PM
@Ben in Texas - not true, the B&N near my place in Houston has a similar display. They also group most of those books together and have a shelf tag that says 'atheism'. Sometimes I find them under philosophy. The Borders near my house as a section labeled 'atheism' as well.
Posted by: NewEnglandBob
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May 30, 2009 4:26 PM
It should be labeled
selfworld improvement.Posted by: GeekGoddess | May 30, 2009 4:29 PM
@Ben in Texas - not true, the B&N near my place in Houston has a similar display. They also group most of those books together and have a shelf tag that says 'atheism'. Sometimes I find them under philosophy. The Borders near my house as a section labeled 'atheism' as well.
Posted by: SocraticGadfly | May 30, 2009 4:38 PM
@Moody, yes the Kaufman is great.
@Ben in Texas: I don't doubt that. Probably the person who sent PZ the photo set the whole thing up
@Curt, I see you are indeed a bookseller, and I'll take your word at B&N. That said, if this is some "corporate word," it hasn't gone beyond your area or Chandler, Ariz., I don't think.
Here in Cedar Hill, suburban Dallas, on the endcaps of the self-improvement rows, I found the usual New Age woo, the Dr. Amen pseudomedicine woo, and some pseudoscience-lite woo.
Posted by: Fred the Hun
|
May 30, 2009 4:40 PM
Míl Espáine @ 32,
Your right because books like the bible and other religious books are already way too full of shit so you couldn't even use them for that.
Posted by: GeekGoddess @ 48 | May 30, 2009 4:44 PM
Thanks for correcting me. I would've bet it was someone being mischievous. I have a little experience in the publishing industry, and people are known to move books around occasionally. especially to the tables up front (which are paid spaces). The fact that most of those books have been out for a while made me even more suspicious that it was someone wanting to set up a humorous photo. Glad to hear I was wrong.
Posted by: Ben in Texas | May 30, 2009 4:51 PM
Oops. 53 was me. No doubt you can see what I did wrong.
Posted by: stewy.cvl | May 30, 2009 4:54 PM
This reminded me of a recent trip to Barnes & Nobel... I was looking for a couple books, "Why Evolution is True" by Jerry Coyne, and "The Third Chimpanzee" by Jared Diamond. Unfortunately I had to walk through 5 shelves full of "New Age" books and 10 or 15 shelves of "Christianity" or "Christian Inspiration." I arrived at the science section where I was greeted by 2 shelves. Two. Two shelves that supposedly contained within them all of BN's books on Biology, Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, and even Mathematics... Two.
Furthermore, I wasn't able to find either of the books I was looking for... in order to do that, I had to run around the store checking every little table full of specials... freaking ANNOYING!! They were both found on a table called "thought provoking". Do you really need a "thought provoking" table in a bookstore? They should just have a sign above the entrance that says "thought provoking" so that they can just put the damn science books in the damn science section!
Posted by: MaxH
|
May 30, 2009 5:00 PM
Just pokin' through the comments. No, we did not 'set it up'. We were walking through the bookstore and Felipe noticed it, so I took a picture with my iPhone. End of story.
Posted by: btj | May 30, 2009 5:15 PM
That's great, far better than my habitual act of protest, moving copies of the Bible to the "Religious Fiction" shelf.
Posted by: EsaT | May 30, 2009 5:15 PM
AHhahaha! WIN! This is exactly what we need!
Posted by: brian@rational-alchemy | May 30, 2009 5:19 PM
I doubt Barnes & Noble did that. I suspect a little consumer ninjaism. Which I always encourage.
Posted by: Marc Abian | May 30, 2009 5:35 PM
Odd you should mention Dianetics in that context.
There's a website based on slipping a card saying "youfoundthecard.com" into Dianetics books, and when people look up the site there's info about how the abuses of Scientology and more cards for people to print out.
http://www.youfoundthecard.com/
Posted by: JimG | May 30, 2009 5:51 PM
As a former B&N employee (clerk, not manager), I'm not up on current policy; but when I worked there, some end-of-aisle displays ("endcaps") were company-mandated, but there were too many aisles for those to cover the store. Locals were responsible for the rest, and my manager assigned one to each employee. We couldn't display sex manuals, but I did my best to push the envelope. The books chosen for endcaps were supposed to follow a common theme, but didn't have to match the subject on nearby shelves.
I'll have to look for a similar display in my local B&N, and see if this is in use in Kentucky. Within the last few months, books on atheism and rationalism have been gathered from philosophy and given a shelf of their own, next to philosophy and linguistics but also, sadly, next to Tarot cards. And both New Age and Christian Fiction (i.e., "Left Behind") keep expanding while the philosophy section shrinks. I doubt that stems from prejudicial policy – stupidity and gullibility just sell better.
Posted by: Skeptical | May 30, 2009 6:19 PM
Hmm...encouraging, but in case you think everything is sunshine and roses:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h4Q8eN-4IuI/SZkOCYnERFI/AAAAAAAAAIw/A6u3IOuvrlw/s800/bookstore-fail.jpg
Gotta love it.
Posted by: Crudely Wrott | May 30, 2009 6:48 PM
Just goes to show that every now and again someone is actually paying attention and proceeding with their brain fully engaged.
*makes me want to say, "have faith, y'all. faith in yourselves."*
Posted by: Diana | May 30, 2009 6:48 PM
@SocraticGadfly Cedar Hill B&N is where I bought all of those books, some out on tables, some in the philosophy section. I'm always surprised at how easy "those" books are to find, right here in suburban, South Dallas. And if I ask for something new, anybody working there always goes right to the book. Do you live in Cedar Hill?
Posted by: Kmuzu | May 30, 2009 6:50 PM
As my mother told my father about my fascination with cyperpunk ... "at they're reading"
Posted by: Feynmaniac | May 30, 2009 7:30 PM
At my local bookstore there were two book shelves dedicated to "Self Help", an entire shelf dedicated to "Religion", while "Science" had half a book shelf and had to share it with "Pets". The "Science/Pets" sign always makes me laugh.
Posted by: Lorena | May 30, 2009 7:37 PM
What did you expect, some tripe Oprah liked?
Ah, yes. But I'm glad to be wrong.
Posted by: Lorena | May 30, 2009 7:39 PM
What did you expect, some tripe Oprah liked?
Ah, yes. But I'm glad to be wrong.
Posted by: BlueThroneJeff | May 30, 2009 7:43 PM
Atheism has been around since the beginning. Why would Atheism self-help books today by anything but a trope: about on the same scale as the Christian self-help books that serve as a self-righteous enabler for many angry atheists who have-an-oh-so-worn-out-beef with organized religion (as do the confused cultists with non-believers) Both are tired.
Atheism - not new, not profound, not original, but hateful, self-serving, and misguided. Just like much of the "Christianity" they think they are diligently combating with their superior intellects.
If B&N caters to your cause, your predictable. Yes, you are smart, and dumb people can't be an Atheists, right?. Way to go. Explain away the reasons that the world is not perfect by saying "well, not everyone is as incredibly intelligent as I am. If they were, the world would be paradise!" It's a good thing atheists are historically dumb concerning anything that requires more than bitching about churchgoers. If they weren't, they might actually get promoted at work and free thought would truly be suspended.
American Christianity (the stuff you see on TV) vs. American Atheism. Just two sides of the same misconception - neither will ever be more than simply adversarial and dangerous.
As JimG said above: "stupidity and gullibility just sell better."
Atheism sells...
Posted by: Silver Fox | May 30, 2009 7:49 PM
Is that not Dawkins which I see before me, the cover toward mine eyes. Come let me clutch thee. I have thee not Richard but I see thee still. Are thou not fatal vision,O great godless one, sensible to feeling as to sight. Are are'th thou but a false creation of the mind.
Posted by: Ben in Texas | May 30, 2009 7:50 PM
@69
You heard it here, folks. Not believing in gods is hateful, self-serving, and misguided.
Somehow.
Though I'm not sure how.
Posted by: BlueThroneJeff | May 30, 2009 7:59 PM
Atheism is worn out and tired. Why would Atheism self-help books today by anything but a trope: on the same scale as the Christian self-help books that serve as a self-righteous enabler for many angry atheists who have-an-oh-so-worn-out-beef with organized religion (as do the confused cultist "Christians" with non-believers) Both are tired.
Atheism - not new, not profound, not original, but hateful, self-serving, and misguided. Just like much of the "Christianity" they think they are diligently combating with their superior intellects.
If B&N caters to your cause, you're predictable. Yes, you are smart, and dumb people can't be an Atheists, right? Way to go. Explain away the reasons that the world is not perfect by saying "well, not everyone is as incredibly intelligent as I am. If they were, the world would be paradise!"
It's a good thing atheists are historically dumb concerning anything that requires more than bitching about churchgoers. If they weren't, they might actually get promoted at work and free thought would truly be suspended.
American Christianity (the stuff you see on TV) vs. American Atheism. Just two sides of the same misconception - neither will ever be more than blindly adversarial, dangerous, and rooted in insecurity, always trying to find, as EsaT so intelligently stated, "AHhahaha![a]WIN! This is exactly what we need!"
Sounds like a highly intelligent and good human being... no, sounds like a scared child who wants to paint the world, and its people, into something comfortable. If you even dare say Christianity does the same, you don't understand Christianity and are listening to the wrong people.
As JimG said above: "stupidity and gullibility just sell better."
Atheism sells... what a "Win".
Posted by: Nibien | May 30, 2009 8:07 PM
Shorter BlueThroneJeff:
All Atheists and Christians are dumb, except the people who belong to my sect, who are smart.
Posted by: BlueThroneJeff | May 30, 2009 8:07 PM
@71
You're "not sure how." I didn't think you did, but it is good to hear, nevertheless.
There is hope.
Posted by: Ben in Texas | May 30, 2009 8:08 PM
Wasn't any better with the edits.
Posted by: Janis Chambers | May 30, 2009 8:14 PM
It's a beautiful day when that is a reality :3
Posted by: Ben in Texas | May 30, 2009 8:15 PM
Seriously, explain how my disbelief in gods is hateful.
Do you believe in Zeus? If not, does that make you hateful?
Or are you ascribing other characteristics to atheism?
Posted by: BlueThroneJeff | May 30, 2009 8:15 PM
Shorter Nibien
When I can't understand someone's point of view, I fall back on words like "sect" instead of listening.
Posted by: No BS | May 30, 2009 8:16 PM
Not my god.... Such an original dodge.
Posted by: BlueThroneJeff | May 30, 2009 8:24 PM
Ben in TX,
I just wanted to posit something stimulating. The nature of what we are and where we come from (if anywhere) is paramount.
My apologies for being potentially... tactless. Your opinion is as valuable as mine and I respect that more than you know.
Posted by: independence | May 30, 2009 8:44 PM
You're all so cute. . .You don't want anyone to believe what you don't. Oh look a Christian. . .let's talk about how unbelievably stupid he is! Mwah-ha-ha!!! Oh, I'm so glad we're so very accepting of everyone. You all make me sick. . .If you don't like someone. . .don't like them, but don't piss and moan when people think you're an uneducated hypocrite. Good call on compartmentalizing everything for your cute little worlds. . .p.s. Russell was a huge fan of the ontological argument for God well before he wrote his book. . .it must have been about the time that he was cheating on his wife when he made the switch. . .Hail Hail the enlightened atheist jackasses
Posted by: Malcolm
|
May 30, 2009 8:50 PM
BlueThrownJeff,
Having read your tirade @72, I thought that Nibien summed it up perfectly. I
Posted by: LaurieBraith | May 30, 2009 8:55 PM
I haven't read any of them,but it would be er preaching to the converted.
Posted by: John Morales | May 30, 2009 8:55 PM
independence @81, your stream of consciousness is polluted.
Posted by: Rorschach
|
May 30, 2009 8:57 PM
Muddled brain @ 81 babbled,
Gee,that was deep.
Huh?
Better trolls please.
Posted by: Jonathan Cox | May 30, 2009 9:32 PM
I see where you're going with your observation, and it is a funny coincidence that they put those books on the end cap.
I will say, though, for me it's sad to everyone backing the idea of Atheism as self-improvement literature with such enthusiasm. Have we progressed so far in knowledge that we can eliminate, with absolutely no question, the possibility that God exists?
I believe in God, yes, but I also believe in science. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive, and I don't think that science can conclusively prove that there is no God.
Just my two cents.
Posted by: Grimnian | May 30, 2009 9:47 PM
The Land of Grimney is a unique website of art, fantasy, literature, poetry, music, videos. Please do come and visit, would love some feedback! You can also join and link to us, make friends, chat and share your own work.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 30, 2009 9:51 PM
69: Atheism has been around since the beginning.
Close to 2000 years, at least. Don't forget the main reason the early Christians were given such a hard time—atheism.
Posted by: Ted Powell | May 30, 2009 10:24 PM
Oops. Previous post by Anonymous was mine.
Posted by: Nibien | May 30, 2009 10:38 PM
"Shorter Nibien
When I can't understand someone's point of view, I fall back on words like "sect" instead of listening."
Few rebuttals.
Firstly, your response to me, under "Shorter Nibien" is actually longer than my original post, exceeding my original number of characters. Congratulations on you being so desperate to mimic me you made yourself look like an even bigger dolt than your previous posts made you out to be.
Secondly: how does someone fall back on the word sect, exactly? It's not exactly an inherently derogatory word, nor is it an obscure, or otherwise intellectually elite word. It's merely a accurate and far more articulate word for 'people in a specific religious group.'
If that is somehow a word one must "fall back" upon, then I'm assuming you're not a poe -- in which case, I think I'll pray for you.
Nonetheless, my original posts and you've yet to do anything logically or intellectual coherent, other than to say everyone other than you and your little group of Christ-buddies are the only "Real True Christians" and "Real True Intellectuals"... and for some reason, I have my doubts about both.
Posted by: Nibien | May 30, 2009 10:42 PM
Er, correction, should read: "My original post stands..." on the last paragraph.
Posted by: gwendolyn | May 30, 2009 10:48 PM
CUTTLEFISH, your short and sweet rhyme is apt and delightful. You made me smile. Thank you!
Posted by: Ben Tankard | May 30, 2009 10:48 PM
I work in a bookshop, I keep the atheist/doubt books very prominent, all face out on the top shelf, and keep the religion books all cramped up down the bottom. Keeps me amused, as does fighting the outraged Christians who come in and cover up/turn around/hide the atheist books.
Posted by: gwendolyn | May 30, 2009 10:51 PM
CUTTLEFISH, your short and sweet rhyme is apt and delightful. You made me smile. Thank you!
Posted by: gwendolyn | May 30, 2009 10:55 PM
CUTTLEFISH, your short and sweet rhyme is apt and delightful. You made me smile. Thank you!
Posted by: steve_h | May 30, 2009 11:11 PM
It looks kinda computer generated to me. There seem to be some missing reflections and the sign just above and to the right of "the Portable Athiest" can't decide if it's a complete sign or a part of a column in the background. But that doesn't make sense because it would be much easier to buy the books and set up the photograph and there must be shops out there that would do this sort of thing.
Posted by: Knurl | May 30, 2009 11:27 PM
#60 "There's a website based on slipping a card saying "youfoundthecard.com" into Dianetics books, and when people look up the site there's info about how the abuses of Scientology and more cards for people to print out."
Hmmm...
That sounds like almost as much fun as poll crashing. It might more fun if you could find out the results.
Posted by: JohnnieCanuck
|
May 31, 2009 12:33 AM
Wow, that's quite a flock of the fleeced that just showed up. Some holy shepherd's site must have sent them to us.
The JWs, the Mormons and the CSers on my doorstep don't make me angry, just annoyed. I explain to them their errors in logic, and next week they're back and it's as if they hadn't heard a thing.
Fortunately, ID/Christian Creationism forcing its way into public school science classes is not a problem here in BC. I'd definitely have to raise my voice against that kind of lying for Jesus.
No, what truly makes this atheist angry is criminal child abuse such as was seen in Residential Schools for Native Americans here and elsewhere around the world and as most recently exposed in Ireland.
It's no surprise that there are people who are attracted to jobs where they will have trusted access to children. Churches and other youth organisations have all seen the problem.
I cannot fault an organisation that does its best to screen those with access to children and acts quickly to remove and facilitate criminal proceeding when a bad egg is found.
Hatred, however is what I have for the RCC and other sects whose upper management not only protect priests from prosecution, but move them on to fresh hunting grounds every time things start to stink.
Also in the deserving of hatred category are the anti-sex education, anti-contraception, anti-HIV medicine and anti-homosexual bigots and misogynists.
In principle, this Atheist has nothing against moderate believers who act decently toward others. I only fault them for ignoring and by their silence, enabling the evil ones in their ranks.
I challenge independence and the rest to watch the video at this Pharyngula post. After your enlightenment there, I'd like to hear what Christians like yourselves are doing to take responsibility and prevent its ever happening again.
Posted by: debg | May 31, 2009 1:17 AM
I live in Casper Wyoming and we have 3 bookstores in town - only 1 of which sells books about atheism. As if that's not sad enough, the half a dozen books they had, were all eventually bought by... me. And they have not been replaced.
Posted by: debg | May 31, 2009 1:17 AM
I live in Casper Wyoming and we have 3 bookstores in town - only 1 of which sells books about atheism. As if that's not sad enough, the half a dozen books they had, were all eventually bought by... me. And they have not been replaced.
Posted by: jedifarfy | May 31, 2009 1:30 AM
I don't remember setting a display with these titles recently (I work at a B&N btw), but it's excellent. They probably just had room and liked them, or this picture is a couple of months old. The top half is vaguely familiar, but the bottom is not. So, they probably did it in-store to fill space.
Trust me, if my store were bigger, they'd be on a permanent endcap. :D
Posted by: jasona | May 31, 2009 1:44 AM
Sure, I see the endcap -- nice photo, better than the one of BigFoot I saw the other day. But dream on, actually, directly under the sign, I see this book: The Uncharted Journey: Exploring the Inner Landscape (Hardcover), by Don Rosenthal:
"Rosenthal couldn’t escape the emptiness inside…until the day he had a spiritual awakening."
And as an aside, OMG, that's soooo Oprah.
Posted by: SourBlaze | May 31, 2009 3:22 AM
Bad-fucking-ass.
Posted by: deatkin | May 31, 2009 3:54 AM
In my local bookshops I've seen atheist books in a myriad of locations, but they seem to be found most commonly in a separate section on a small table or an end-cap, under a title-card that says something like "Hot Topics". This conveniently allows the bookstore to place religious objections to the atheist books alongside them, ensuring that nobody mistakenly becomes an atheist because they were never warned against it by "Darwin's Black Box", or "The Dawkins Delusion?". Thus, religion generally gets a free pass in its own (large) section while still intruding upon the atheism section. The above photo is interesting to me not because it is next to/under the Self-improvement section (which is clearly an amusing accident), but because customers can view and purchase atheist books without being subject to the disapproving stares of books by Behe, McGrath, etc.
Posted by: LOLATHEISM | May 31, 2009 4:18 AM
HEY IM AN ATHEIST TOO, ALL PEOPLE WHO THINK RELIGION IS REAL ARE DUMB. WE ARE ELITE, BE PROUD FELLOW ATHEIST'S WE ARE RARE.
Posted by: Ichthyic | May 31, 2009 4:35 AM
oh-so-worn-out-beef with organized religion
like the oh-so-worn out institutionalized pedophilia of the Catholic Church?
Sorry it bores you, but someday you'll grow up.
Posted by: Ichthyic | May 31, 2009 4:38 AM
Have we progressed so far in knowledge that we can eliminate, with absolutely no question, the possibility that God exists?
It's pretty goddamn clear that it's an entirely useless concept.
Hence, the FSM.
time to grow up.
Posted by: Rorschach
|
May 31, 2009 5:07 AM
And that concludes our little 10000 year seminar on whether there is a supernatural being !
Thank you,and good night !
:-)
Can someone tell me who the author of the book between Hitchens and Dawkins in that photo is?
Posted by: CataractBob | May 31, 2009 6:32 AM
@108 Jennifer Michael Hecht
Posted by: Holbach
|
May 31, 2009 10:46 AM
If I were in Chandler, Arizona, I would stop in at the Barnes & Noble and compliment them on furthering the cause of reason. And buy some related books that I don't have just to help them with sales.
Posted by: Lanceradvanced | May 31, 2009 11:41 AM
I work at B&N, this is just one of the companies regular "theme" endcaps, it'll come down in a month or so, placement can vary..
Posted by: dallas | May 31, 2009 12:34 PM
Hopeless.
Posted by: Homesick Alien | May 31, 2009 2:31 PM
#105
Don't you have homework to do?
Posted by: DAVE ID | May 31, 2009 4:06 PM
Rockin'
Posted by: JimG | May 31, 2009 4:33 PM
Update: I checked out my local B&N, a small one in Bowling Green, Ky., and saw no such endcap. Maybe this store is too small to have all the suggested displays, but I doubt it.
All the displayed books are available here, but again, they're on one shelf stuck between the ever-shrinking philosophy section and ever-expanding Tarot cards.
There is, however, an endcap on the store's main aisle showing the latest "research" on angels, under the sign "Fun Facts."
Posted by: JimG | May 31, 2009 4:34 PM
Update: I checked out my local B&N, a small one in Bowling Green, Ky., and saw no such endcap. Maybe this store is too small to have all the suggested displays, but I doubt it.
All the displayed books are available here, but again, they're on one shelf stuck between the ever-shrinking philosophy section and ever-expanding Tarot cards.
There is, however, an endcap on the store's main aisle showing the latest "research" on angels, under the sign "Fun Facts."
Posted by: Everbleed | May 31, 2009 10:12 PM
Like others here the cynic in me says this is a set up. I have a really hard time believing this display would be made in a national chain.
None-the-less... it is awfully pretty. So thank you to whomever staged the shot.
Posted by: Kristoff | June 1, 2009 10:35 AM
@116: JimG,I purchased Sagan s Cosmos in that B&N a few months ago. Hopefully, they will put up the endcap, but I don t remember my months in Bowling Green as being overly replete with free thought and skepticism (not that it s too much better here). I may be sent back soon, and I have my suspicions that things are about the same. In the meantime, I ll have to check the endcaps of the Lexington store and see if it has these titles prominently displayed.
Posted by: JimG | June 1, 2009 2:16 PM
@Kristoff: Bowling Green doesn't seem like much of an oasis of free thought ... until you drive a few miles outside it, into rural Kentucky.
Posted by: Alexis
|
June 1, 2009 2:23 PM
Eons ago, when the first mall book stores hit my area, they had two categories for religious books: Christian, and Philosophy. Anything not pro JC was lumped into Philosophy including Buddhism, Hinduism, Wiccan, Native American, etc.
Posted by: Kersil | June 2, 2009 7:17 AM
Just recently I robbed the Science section of all the religiously biased books and threw them into the Religion section.
I felt proud.
That shit isn't science.
Posted by: sikanrong | June 2, 2009 9:22 AM
holy fuck! i lived in chandler and used to go to this store all the time, I'm so glad someone did it there - Arizona religious freaks need this the most!
Posted by: Angel | June 2, 2009 12:28 PM
It is nice to see, even if it is not something I would see in my local B&N. I do have the Portable Atheist book on my TBR list. May blog about it once I read it. Best, and keep on blogging.
Posted by: Angel | June 2, 2009 12:30 PM
It is nice to see, even if it is not something I would see in my local B&N. I do have the Portable Atheist book on my TBR list. May blog about it once I read it. Best, and keep on blogging.
Posted by: Kristoff | June 2, 2009 3:15 PM
@JimG: I know, I remember driving to Scottsville and seeing the Ten Commmandments billboards and the "Hell is REAL" one on the way to Lexington.
Posted by: Miranda Hale | June 3, 2009 12:52 AM
Wonderful! :)