I took a look at the New York Times bestsellers list the other day to see who is winning the day in the showdown between religious faith and “the new atheism” (which cites and interprets biological evidence to show that widespread human faith in a deity of one kind or another is just an evolutionary misfire). Right now, it looks as though faith is winning. Coming in at number 4 on the non-fiction hardcover list is “Grace Eventually” by Anne Lamott. Back at 13th place is “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins. Nothing too much after that, except down at number 29 there is “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief”, by Francis S. Collins (who made his name as a leader of one the two teams that fully mapped the human genome).

A spoiler, though, is Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s “Infidel”, coming in at number 5. Ms. Hirsi Ali was formerly a devout Muslim, and is now a pro-western atheist. But I’m not sure if I would count this book as a true commentary on faith. It may be more of a politicized reaction to politicized situation (i.e., radical Islam). God may have never had a chance in this case.

I noticed that the NY Times chose to review the Dawkins book and the Hirsi Ali book, but ignored the other two. I guess that the old-tyme religion just isn’t good enough for the Times anymore.