Dan Barker
Daniel Edwin Barker (born 1949-06-25) is an American atheist activist, musician, and former evangelical Christian preacher for 19 years. He became famous in atheist circles after leaving Christianity in 1984 and has since appeared on dozens of television shows and at many lectures. He and his wife Annie Laurie Gaylor are the current co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. He has written several books, articles, and songs.
Contents
Personal
I became aware of Barker in the late-2000s as I began to seek out more atheists. After seeing him in some lectures online, I saw him at the Reason Rally in 2012, and then in a more intimate setting at a Secular Student Alliance lecture at the University of Michigan Flint in 2014. While there, I bought a couple of his books and had him sign them. I find that Dan is especially good at coming up with effective arguments against religion, and countering bad-faith arguments in debates, no doubt due to his former life as a preacher.
Works
Books
- Maybe Yes, Maybe No: A Guide For Young Skeptics, 1990
- Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong: A Guide For Young Thinkers, 1992
- Losing Faith In Faith: From Preacher to Atheist, 1992
- Just Pretend, 2002
- Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists, 2008
- The Good Atheist: Living a Purpose-Filled Life Without God, 2011
- Life Driven Purpose: How an Atheist Finds Meaning, 2015
- God: The Most Unpleasant Character In All Fiction, 2016
- Free Will Explained: How Science and Philosophy Converge to Create a Beautiful Illusion, 2018
Musicals
While still religious, Barker wrote two Christian musicals. He still receives royalties for them as Christians continue to perform them.
- Mary Had a Little Lamb, 1977
- His Fleece Was White as Snow, 1978
Albums
- Night At Nakoma, 2008
- Friendly Neighborhood Atheist, 2002
- Beware of Dogma, 2004
- Adrift On a Star, 2003
Other Works
Barker has also written several articles for Freethought Today magazine.
Media
Photos
c. 1992, holding his book, Losing Faith In Faith: From Preacher to Atheist.