What I Believe

3 Complete Essays on Religion

By: Bertrand Russell

Narrated by: Terrence Hardiman

Remarkably relevant, beautifully written, and filled with wit and wisdom, these three essays by Bertrand Russell allow the listener to test the concepts of the good life, morality, the existence of God, Christianity, and human nature. "What I Believe" was used prominently in the 1940 New York court proceedings in which Russell was judicially declared "unfit" to teach philosophy at City College of New York. "Why I Am Not a Christian" concludes that churches throughout history have retarded progress and states that we should instead "look to our own efforts here below to make this world a fit place to live in." Finally, "A Free Man's Worship", perhaps the most famous single essay written by Russell, considers whether humans operate from free will.

©1925, 1927 Bertrand Russell (P)1995 The Audio Partners Publishing

Critic reviews

"Russell is one of our time's brilliant spokesmen of rationality and humanity, a fearless champion of free speech and free thought." (The Swedish Academy, on awarding Bertrand Russell the Nobel Prize for Literature, 1950)

A short read but nonetheless an important one.

This is a book for a rainy afternoon. philosopher Bertrand Russell took a hard, critical vlew of himself and wrote down the results. It is both elegant and piercing it it's summation of what one of the greatest minds of the last century explored and believed.

insightful

first time listening to anything by Mr Russell. definitely worth your rime and attention. Thanks for making it available!

Great read!

A very thought provoking read. The book is simple and easy to digest... All of his books are very simply written.

Audible doesn’t understand books

Why remove publishing dates but insist on identifying entirely irrelevant recording dates? If one didn’t know better one would think this was published in 1999, rather than its correct date of 1925. Put readers and authors ahead of your own agenda.

Three Glorious Arguments Against Religion

In his inimitable style, Russell argues eloquently and often poetically agains the constraints Religion has placed on Humanity. His amazingly Modern approach to the acceptance of Man as part of Nature and thus subject to its Laws is convincing.

He uses this basis to reject Life after Death, the Immortality of the Soul. He gives us a definition of The Good Life as one defined by Love, hammering away at the ridiculous arguments for Christian concepts of Sin and Virtue.

His attacks on Christianity extend to attacks on Slavery, Poverty, Inequality, and all the cornerstones of Aristocracy which History has shown necessary to be destroyed.

This collection contains the seminal work, Why I Am Not a Christian, as well as its suggested remedy: A Free Man’s Worship. His rejection of the tenets of Christianity is thorough and his agreement with the Christ of the Gospels admirably points out how contemporary Church Teachings fail to do the same.

Russell has, in this brief book, articulated a solid, logical justification for a Humanistic basis for a human life, rejecting the Dominant Religious Tradition that it must quickly replace if the Race would survive. Five Stars!

review

I really enjoyed this book. the second part is different. it shows how people change with time and more knowledge.

Great book with amazing insights

Although there was some outdated information, the majority of the book was really insightful. Bertrand Russell was a very intelligent man.

Required reading

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Russell’s musings here are as pertinent as ever. Definitely read it.

Great texts by a great thinker

great texts by a great thinker and the production is great too. Would recommend to anyone looking to expand views on religion.

Stellar polemic

Militant approach to atheism presages Richard Dawkins. Perhaps this approaches a bit disquieting and offputting to the general public, but nevertheless does offer solace to the atheist. I don’t necessarily subscribe to the fact that is all encompassing and evil. There were many northern protestant abolitionist in the antebellum. It strongly advocated for the abolition of slavery as a spouse in the magazine, liberator characterized by the underground railroad, etc.

There is most certainly a distinction between belief and action, and ultimately one’s belief whether there’s a purple monster on the moon or Whether there is a all powerful, omniscient, loving, heavenly father, who cares for your soul must ultimately lead to some discernible action. Questions such as what is the appropriate percent of corporate tax rate is not necessarily a question that could be answered by Jesus. The quip of give to Cesar what is Caesars? Doesn’t really help.