An intellectual pummeling

El Borak reviews The Irrational Atheist:

When one hears about the latest book written by a Christian in opposition to atheism, he can certainly be forgiven for groaning, “Not one of those freebie, handed-out-on-campus, Josh McDowell tracts again. I don’t know how Seutonius was using ‘Chrestus’ and neither does anyone else.” Fear not; Vox Day is not Josh McDowell, he is the love child of Mr. Spock, CS Lewis, and the original Terminator*.

The Irrational Atheist is not a defense of belief; it is a full-bluntal assault on the irrationality that passes for logic among a trio (at least) of the evangelists of the resurgent faith of anti-faith. Day does not attack the modern “We’re here to tell you about the kingdom of Man” circuit riders with scripture but with history, with data, and, with a (dare I say it?) rationality grounded in verifiable reality rather than philosophical legerdemain. Using the very tools rationalists claim as their exclusive property, Day dissects arguments like Bishop dissects alien larvae, uncovering layer upon layer of incompetence, unwarranted assumption, and dishonestly selected and presented data.

With its thorough presentation of its opponents’ arguments, its careful handling of the data that shows those arguments to be as specious as they are widespread, and its “in your face” style of presentation, TIA is not so much a knockout punch as a devastating flurry of intellectual body blows that sends its targets stumbling back into the corner at the end of the round, followed by an arrogant taunt from across the ring that there’s plenty more where that came from. Whether or not Day’s chosen opponents have what it takes to answer the bell, TIA is one performance that’s going on the highlight reel.

* I leave it to the reader to work out the biology of that one.