Alpha God: The Psychology of Religious Violence and Oppression

By: Hector A. Garcia

Narrated by: Seth Andrews

This book uses evolutionary psychology as a lens to explain religious violence and oppression. The author, a clinical psychologist, examines religious scriptures, rituals, and canon law, highlighting the many ways in which our evolutionary legacy has shaped the development of religion and continues to profoundly influence its expression.

The book focuses on the image of God as the dominant male in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This traditional God concept is seen as a reflection of the “dominant ape” paradigm so evident in the hierarchical social structures of primates, with whom we have a strong genetic connection.

The author describes the main features of male-dominated primate social hierarchies - specifically, the role of the alpha male as the protector of the group; his sexual dominance and use of violence and oppression to attain food, females, and territory; in-group altruism vs. out-group hostility (us vs them); and displays of dominance and submission to establish roles within the social hierarchy. The parallels between these features of primate society and human religious rituals and concepts make it clear that religion, especially its oppressive and violent tendencies, is rooted in the deep evolutionary past.

This incisive analysis goes a long way toward explaining the historic and ongoing violence committed in the name of religion.

©2015 Hector A Garcia (P)2018 Hector A Garcia

Excellent, and only hardly controversial

I found most points in this book to be easy to accept. The idea about depression increasing submissiveness to male suppression is admittedly a bit hard to swallow. For every point in the book, I wish there was more preemptive counterargument to prove why this is the only correct answer. However, as it stands Dr Garcia has certainly moved me further into the feminist camp.

Seth Andrews reads consistently well but it's hard to shake the image of him standing in front of the class and just reading an essay, which is technically what he's doing anyway but it was a bit dry.

Good research but argument is baseless

His argument was based on the fact that because humans have godlike personalities, then there is no God, it is just a man’s construct but he forgets that Bible says let’s make man in our image and likeness and also men learn things from the spirit world.

Is religion man-made? Yes.

This book is incredibly insightful and discusses many ways that God is just a réfection of mans deeper / carnal desires. The evolutionary commentary is particularly interesting. Recommended to anyway questioning why religion has such a stronghold (and negative impact) on society.

Recommended

Discusses religion, politics, psychology, biology, economy, history, and many more.. helped me get a little better understanding of how the human mind works. It was a bit heavy with all these stories about massacres throughout history.

must read (or listen)!

I get it!
book is easy to understand and seth did a great job reading it. lots of great information.

Insights on Religions, Societies, Governments…

Once in a while a book comes along that delivers broad insights across many spectrums. This is one of those books.

Truth and reality

It makes me see how far I have come in facing the truth of religion and my need to accept it

Perspective Changing

Extremely impactful book. I loved it 100% it’ll be something that I keep in mind long term

Fair, Brave, and Well-Cited

Reader is great, understandable even at higher speeds. The book itself has insights that lean scientific, but not purely atheistic. The book serves as a gateway to observing our natural tendencies with a critical eye. Worth a read!

Excellently cited.

Easy to bristle at the realities if your religion is mentioned. And yet all true. It can easily be seen in historical context & current contexts.