Born Believers: The Science of Children's Religious Belief
“Dr. Barrett provides a provocative, compelling, tender-hearted analysis of what young children believe, why they believe it, and what the implications are for us as adults and parents. A timely response to the New Atheists who argue that religious belief is unnatural or that religious values are inappropriate to pass on to the next generation.”-- Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Chairman, Cordoba Initiative, and author ofMoving the Mountain“Born Believerswill challenge the anti-religion camp with Barrett’s careful science. His analysis shows that infants have a natural inclination to believe in a supreme being, and that their subsequent beliefs cannot be explained as the sole result of indoctrination or brainwashing by heavy-handed adults. This book raises profound questions about the origins of theism and the place of religious belief in human affairs.”-- Larry Dossey, M.D., author ofHealing WordsandThe Power of Premonitions“For those of us adults who have wondered from where our certainty derives that there is a Divine Force embedded within the world and in our lives, Justin Barrett inBorn Believersprovides the well-documented answer. My research into the physical and biological wonders of life’s cosmic development cemented this belief for me, but the origins, the initial stirrings, had always eluded me. Barrett’s well-written book solved that quandary.”-- Gerald Schroeder, Ph.D., author ofThe Science of GodandGod According To God“A fascinating and readable account of why religious beliefs areperfectly normal and virtually universal. In an age of atheism, thisbook will challenge widespread assumptions that nonbelief is the defaultand that children must be indoctrinated to believe. Jam-packed withinsight and wit, Born Believers should be required reading for allparents and for anyone else interested in the spiritual lives of children.”--Robert A. Emmons, Professor of Psychology, University of California,Davis and Past-President, American Psychological Association’s Division of thePsychology of Religion“A must read for anyone interested in knowing where and how spirituality develops in our life and our brain. A great combination of stories and information that will provide everyone with a new way of thinking about our beliefs.” (Andrew Newberg, MD., author of How God Changes Your Brain and Why God Won't Go Away)