Scientist's Book Questions Whether it is Better to Be an Atheist Than to Believe in God

Neuroscientist John Smythies' play The Trial of God puts the Christian God on trial for crimes against humanity, including murder, fraud and cosmic ineptitude

La Jolla, CA (PRWEB) January 20, 2007 -- The Trial of God, John Smythies' provocative play (meant to be read, not acted) is a brilliant satire on creationism. Smythies, a Cambridge graduate and renowned medical researcher, argues that the existence of so much suffering and evil in the world is inconsistent with the concept of a benevolent God.

Richard Dawkins's bestseller The God Delusion argued against the existence of a deity. Now, Dawkins' cousin, author John Smythies does the same in a powerful play, The Trial of God. In the book, God is on trial for multiple crimes against humanity. The counsel for the prosecution is Voltaire, and the archangel Michael leads the defense. Witnesses include Darwin, Marx, Freud, Nietzsche, Einstein, Jesus and others. The verdict, though, is left to the reader.

Author John Smythies took part in a recent symposium called "Beyond Belief" organized by The Science Network at the Salk Institute, which explored many of the questions posed in his play: Is there really a God, and does the human soul exist? Has the Christian religion been fatally undermined by modern science and philosophy? Thoughtfully written and provocatively stated, The Trial of God opens up a fascinating dialogue and debate on the very nature of belief.

For more information or to request a free review copy, please contact the author at smythies @ psy.ucsd.edu. The Trial of God is available for sale online at Amazon.com, Borders.com, and through additional wholesale and retail channels worldwide.

About the Author
John Smythies obtained his medical degree at Cambridge University. He has held academic appointments at the Universities of Edinburgh, Alabama and California. He has published over 200 scientific papers and 16 books in clinical neuropsychiatry, neuroscience and neurophilosophy. A consultant to the World Health Organization and editor of the International Review of Neurobiology, he currently lives in La Jolla, Calif.

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