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The God Desire

By: David Baddiel
Narrated by: David Baddiel
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Summary

From the bestselling author of Jews Don’t Count

‘ A hugely heartfelt, funny, kind, fascinating, human and clever book ’ ALAIN DE BOTTON
‘ Magnificent. Breathtaking. And shockingly rare … another one-sitting wonder’ STEPHEN FRY

David Baddiel would love there to be a God. He has spent a lot of time fantasising about how much better life would be if there actually was such a thing as a Superhero Dad who chased off Death. Unfortunately for him, there isn’t. Or at least, that is Baddiel’s view in this book, which argues that it is indeed the very intensity of his, and everyone else’s, desire for God to exist that proves His non-existence. Anything so deeply wished-for we will, considers Baddiel, make real. The admission of his own divine yearnings makes for a book that is more vulnerable – and more understanding of the value and power of religion – than most atheist polemics. A philosophical essay that utilises Baddiel’s trademarks of comedy, storytelling and personal asides, The God Desire offers a highly readable new perspective on the most ancient of debates.

©2023 David Baddiel (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers
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Critic reviews

‘This is such a fabulous book. Honest, powerful, moving. Can’t remember ever liking a book “in praise of atheism” as much as this. Many atheists don’t really get religion. David Baddiel absolutely does.’ Giles Fraser

Praise for Jews Don’t Count:

‘Jews Don’t Count is a supreme piece of reasoning and passionate, yet controlled, argument. From his first sentence, the energy, force and conviction of Baddiel’s writing and thinking will transfix you…as readable as an airport thriller…a masterpiece.’
STEPHEN FRY

‘I don’t think I have ever been so grateful to anyone for writing a book. Baddiel’s Jews Don’t Count is incisive, urgent, surprisingly funny and short. It’s also a beautiful piece of publishing. It needs to be read’
JAY RAYNER

‘Brilliant, furious, uncomfortable, funny. Essential reading.’
SIMON MAYO

‘I'm about a quarter of the way into this thus far and it's very well argued and written. It's a book you know the author HAD to write, and those are the best books’
JON RONSON

‘I only big up work I really believe is good and this is extra-ordinarily good. And important’
JONATHAN ROSS

‘This is brilliant – funny and furious, mostly at the same time’
MARINA HYDE

‘A convincing and devastating charge sheet’ Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times

‘It is so gripping – I read it in a single sitting’ Stephen Bush, The Times

‘A fascinating book, I urge you to read it’ Piers Morgan

‘I really think it’s a great book … the real triumph is its tone, its straightforwardness, and its spectacular tact and wit’ Adam Phillips, author of Monogamy

‘Funny, complex and intellectually satisfying – a really good piece of work’ Frankie Boyle

‘Just so brilliantly argued and written, I was completely swept along’ Hadley Freeman

‘David Baddiel is a brilliant thinker and writer. Even when I disagree with him – especially when I disagree with him – I feel profound gratitude for his intellectual and moral clarity. This is a brave and necessary book.’ Jonathan Safran Foer

What listeners say about The God Desire

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wonderful as always

Big fan of everything David does. As usual this is funny and thought provoking in a warm, chatty style. A great one-sitting listen.

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Clever discussion about being an Athiest and God

Applying logic to believing in God really reaffirms why he is an Atheist but also wanting to have a God is also appealing. The story about a divorced at the time Skinner worrying about going to hell as he is not allowed to confess his sins (living with his new partner) as divorced says it all about the Catholic religion and the stupidity of believing in heaven and hell. Yet perfectly happy to sin as long as you can confess and be absolved.

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Overall a balanced viewpoint

Short and far too intellectually complex at times, but that’s DB really. Always been a fan since fantasy football with Frank Skinner in the 90s. I wanted to read a different perspective than the legend and no1 king Chris Hitchens and this didn’t disappoint. Well written, thought out and posed very interesting views that I appreciated. Overall a good view definitely worth listening to.

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Excellent listen

This is likely the best explanation/ exploration I’ve come across to how it feels to want but can’t connect with a religion/ god.

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Left me wanting to hear more from David.

A bit too short. Left me wanting to hear more from David. I’ll just have to listen again.

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Not three bad.

I preferred his previous book a lot more. This was okay, but a bit short for one credit!

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Relatable, but unsophisticated

Baddiel essentially presents a version of Freud's wish-fulfilment argument against theism, whereby religion is presented as a comforting illusion which answers our deepest desires: for immortality, for ultimate justice, for the end of all pain, etc. Peter Zapffe presents much the same argument, whereby he claims that we use religion to deny the awful predicament of the human condition, and modern terror-management theorists pursue a similar argument whereby religion is seen as being motivated by a fear of death. I do think there's a lot to be said for these psychological arguments, but Baddiel does no philosophical work to anticipate the obvious objections theists can offer.

For example, a theist could respond that if God exists, and if we were made in His Image and to be in relationship with Him, then it makes sense that we would so desire Him. Christians could also invoke the doctrine of the Fall, and claim that it again makes sense that we desire immortality, true justice, and perfect happiness etc., because that is what we were originally designed for. Baddiel would likely just dismiss all this because he regards theism as self-evidently untrue, but as a long-time student of the philosophy of religion I cannot understand how anyone with even a modicum of intellectual humility and scepticism could think this.

Still, I strongly relate to his wrestle with God, to his deep desire to believe in God, and his very real struggle to do so. I myself have entered and left the Christian Church repeatedly over the last seven or so years, and sadly I feel that is going to continue to be the case. I have the God desire, but even though philosophically I regard theism as rational, still I cannot escape that niggling feeling that when I pray to God I'm merely talking to myself. Perhaps this makes me an atheist/agnostic, or perhaps I'm an Israelite in the spiritual sense, because the word Israelite actually means "one who struggles with God." Perhaps Baddiel is, too.

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