
What I Believe
3 Complete Essays on Religion
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $10.47
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Terrence Hardiman
-
By:
-
Bertrand Russell
About this listen
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 PublishingListeners also enjoyed...
-
A History of Western Philosophy
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 38 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Considered to be one of the most important philosophical works of all time, the History of Western Philosophy is a dazzlingly unique exploration of the ideologies of significant philosophers throughout the ages - from Plato and Aristotle through to Spinoza, Kant and the 20th century. Written by a man who changed the history of philosophy himself, this is an account that has never been rivaled since its first publication over 60 years ago.
-
-
Russell's Philosophy, Some History Included
- By Donald on 06-19-21
By: Bertrand Russell
-
The Problems of Philosophy
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Problems of Philosophy discusses Bertrand Russell's views on philosophy and the problems that arise in the field. Russell's views focus on knowledge rather than the metaphysical realm of philosophy. The Problems with Philosophy revolves around the central question that Russell asks in his opening line of Chapter 1 - Is there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it?
-
-
Either be smart or be not smart
- By Gary on 01-18-18
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Why I Am Not a Christian
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Qarie Marshall
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dedicated as few men have been to the life of reason, Bertrand Russell has always been concerned with the basic questions to which religion also addresses itself - questions about man’s place in the universe and the nature of the good life, questions that involve life after death, morality, freedom, education, and sexual ethics. He brings to his treatment of these questions the same courage, scrupulous logic, and lofty wisdom for which his other work as philosopher, writer, and teacher has been famous.
-
-
Good overall
- By Eratosthenes on 09-22-19
By: Bertrand Russell
-
The Conquest of Happiness
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Chris Lutkin
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This metaphysical self-help classic instills happiness within and urges individuals to pursue a content life without sin, boredom, or contempt. Written decades ago with post-war depression in mind, this text has transcended time and continues to give applicable advice for modern-day individuals.
-
-
Narrator was horrible
- By Mar on 09-09-20
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Religion and Science
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: David Case
- Length: 2 hrs and 15 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Religion and Science (1961), Bertrand Russell's popular polemic against religious dogma, he covers the ground from demonology to quantum physics, yet concedes that science cannot touch the profound feelings of personal religious experience.
-
-
Also essential
- By Longtom on 10-29-17
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Meditations
- By: Marcus Aurelius, George Long - translator, Duncan Steen - translator
- Narrated by: Duncan Steen
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most significant books ever written by a head of state, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions - a cornerstone of Western thought.
-
-
Excelent reading of an excellent classic
- By David on 10-22-16
By: Marcus Aurelius, and others
-
A History of Western Philosophy
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 38 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Considered to be one of the most important philosophical works of all time, the History of Western Philosophy is a dazzlingly unique exploration of the ideologies of significant philosophers throughout the ages - from Plato and Aristotle through to Spinoza, Kant and the 20th century. Written by a man who changed the history of philosophy himself, this is an account that has never been rivaled since its first publication over 60 years ago.
-
-
Russell's Philosophy, Some History Included
- By Donald on 06-19-21
By: Bertrand Russell
-
The Problems of Philosophy
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Problems of Philosophy discusses Bertrand Russell's views on philosophy and the problems that arise in the field. Russell's views focus on knowledge rather than the metaphysical realm of philosophy. The Problems with Philosophy revolves around the central question that Russell asks in his opening line of Chapter 1 - Is there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it?
-
-
Either be smart or be not smart
- By Gary on 01-18-18
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Why I Am Not a Christian
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Qarie Marshall
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dedicated as few men have been to the life of reason, Bertrand Russell has always been concerned with the basic questions to which religion also addresses itself - questions about man’s place in the universe and the nature of the good life, questions that involve life after death, morality, freedom, education, and sexual ethics. He brings to his treatment of these questions the same courage, scrupulous logic, and lofty wisdom for which his other work as philosopher, writer, and teacher has been famous.
-
-
Good overall
- By Eratosthenes on 09-22-19
By: Bertrand Russell
-
The Conquest of Happiness
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: Chris Lutkin
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This metaphysical self-help classic instills happiness within and urges individuals to pursue a content life without sin, boredom, or contempt. Written decades ago with post-war depression in mind, this text has transcended time and continues to give applicable advice for modern-day individuals.
-
-
Narrator was horrible
- By Mar on 09-09-20
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Religion and Science
- By: Bertrand Russell
- Narrated by: David Case
- Length: 2 hrs and 15 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Religion and Science (1961), Bertrand Russell's popular polemic against religious dogma, he covers the ground from demonology to quantum physics, yet concedes that science cannot touch the profound feelings of personal religious experience.
-
-
Also essential
- By Longtom on 10-29-17
By: Bertrand Russell
-
Meditations
- By: Marcus Aurelius, George Long - translator, Duncan Steen - translator
- Narrated by: Duncan Steen
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most significant books ever written by a head of state, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions - a cornerstone of Western thought.
-
-
Excelent reading of an excellent classic
- By David on 10-22-16
By: Marcus Aurelius, and others
-
1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated)
- The Year Civilization Collapsed
- By: Eric H. Cline
- Narrated by: Eric H. Cline
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This audiobook narrated by acclaimed archaeologist and best-selling author Eric Cline offers a breathtaking account of how the collapse of an ancient civilized world ushered in the first Dark Ages.
-
-
Look past the one-star reviews: this is an enlightening and engaging read.
- By Alonzo Nightjar on 03-07-22
By: Eric H. Cline
-
Free Will
- By: Sam Harris
- Narrated by: Sam Harris
- Length: 1 hr and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A belief in free will touches nearly everything that human beings value. It is difficult to think about law, politics, religion, public policy, intimate relationships, morality—as well as feelings of remorse or personal achievement—without first imagining that every person is the true source of his or her thoughts and actions. And yet the facts tell us that free will is an illusion.
-
-
Wrong Question
- By Jennifer on 11-15-14
By: Sam Harris
-
The Fire Next Time
- By: James Baldwin
- Narrated by: Jesse L. Martin
- Length: 2 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At once a powerful evocation of his early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice to both the individual and the body politic, James Baldwin galvanized the nation in the early days of the civil rights movement with this eloquent manifesto. The Fire Next Time stands as one of the essential works of our literature.
-
-
Sad and moving and powerful and beautiful
- By Darwin8u on 09-17-15
By: James Baldwin
-
Sapiens
- A Brief History of Humankind
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.
-
-
Should be required reading
- By Blue Zion on 12-22-18
-
On War
- By: Carl von Clausewitz
- Narrated by: David Timson, Lucy Scott
- Length: 31 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A classic work of military strategy, On War sets forth the theories and tactics of Carl von Clausewitz, a distinguished Prussian general who was notable for his roles in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The book covers a broad range of topics, including weapons, terrain, troops, and leadership, as well as the importance of defense over offence, the balance of power, and the subordination of war to politics. Praised for its timeless insights, Clausewitz’s treatise is often compared to the work of Machiavelli and Sun Tzu, and remains relevant to military leaders.
-
-
This is not the Howard/Paret edition.
- By Bybarbo on 05-30-22
-
Mere Christianity
- By: C. S. Lewis
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Howard
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mere Christianity is C.S. Lewis' forceful and accessible doctrine of Christian belief. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books, The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality, Mere Christianity brings together what Lewis sees as the fundamental truths of the religion.
-
-
A Classic That Gets Better & Better With Time!
- By Tim on 05-14-05
By: C. S. Lewis
-
Martin Luther
- The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World
- By: Eric Metaxas
- Narrated by: Eric Metaxas
- Length: 20 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five hundred years after Luther's now famous 95 Theses appeared, Eric Metaxas, acclaimed biographer of the best-selling Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, paints a startling portrait of the wild figure whose adamantine faith cracked the edifice of Western Christendom and dragged medieval Europe into the future.
-
-
A Metaxas Hat Trick
- By Tommy on 11-04-17
By: Eric Metaxas
-
The Right Side of History
- How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great
- By: Ben Shapiro
- Narrated by: Ben Shapiro
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America has a God-shaped hole in its heart, argues New York Times best-selling author Ben Shapiro, and we shouldn't fill it with politics and hate.
-
-
As an atheist
- By Benjamin on 03-27-19
By: Ben Shapiro
-
Civilized to Death
- The Price of Progress
- By: Christopher Ryan
- Narrated by: Christopher Ryan
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of us have instinctive evidence the world is ending - balmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with heads-to-screens zomboidism, a world at constant war, a political system in disarray. We hear some myths and lies so frequently that they feel like truths: Civilization is humankind’s greatest accomplishment. Progress is undeniable. Count your blessings. You’re lucky to be alive here and now. Civilized to Death counters the idea that progress is inherently good, arguing that the "progress" defining our age is analogous to an advancing disease.
-
-
I couldn't stop listening.
- By Andrew in Ohio on 10-08-19
By: Christopher Ryan
-
The Power of Myth: Programs 1-6
- By: Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers
- Narrated by: Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An exhilarating journey into the mind and spirit of a remarkable man, a legendary teacher, and a masterful storyteller, conducted by TV journalist Bill Moyers for their acclaimed PBS series.
-
-
A series that changed my life
- By Lucas on 10-03-09
By: Joseph Campbell, and others
-
Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire
- The Guide to Being Glorious You
- By: Jen Hatmaker
- Narrated by: Jen Hatmaker
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No more hiding or people-pleasing up in here, sisters. No more being sidelined in your own life. It is time for us to be brave, to claim our gifts and quirks and emotions. You are set free and set up and set on fire. NOW you can get busy doing what you were placed on this planet to do. NOW you can be honest, honest, honest about all of it, even the hard stuff, even the humiliating stuff, even the secret stuff.
-
-
Not what you think
- By libby13 on 05-25-20
By: Jen Hatmaker
-
The Swerve
- How the World Became Modern
- By: Stephen Greenblatt
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nearly six hundred years ago, a short, genial, cannily alert man in his late 30s took a very old manuscript off a library shelf, saw with excitement what he had discovered, and ordered that it be copied. That book was the last surviving manuscript of an ancient Roman philosophical epic by Lucretius—a beautiful poem containing the most dangerous ideas: that the universe functioned without the aid of gods, that religious fear was damaging to human life, and that matter was made up of very small particles.
-
-
Very compelling history, a less compelling thesis
- By A reader on 05-01-12
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.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
insightful
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great read!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Audible doesn’t understand books
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
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!
Three Glorious Arguments Against Religion
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
review
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great book with amazing insights
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Required reading
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great texts by a great thinker
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
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.
Stellar polemic
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.