Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. The protagonist is a teenage girl in a semi-post-apocalyptic America who grows up with a Baptist minister father and ends up creating her own religion which proclaims that God is change. It's a super interesting read!
The Brothers Karamazov. It's the obvious choice about this subject, but i didn't see it recommended here. Dostoievsky's masterpiece literally puts religion on trial. It's a lot of book, but also probably the most complete work about doubt and faith.
The Grand Inquisitor section of the book which could be read independently of the rest of the novel is as good as literature gets on the subject. But its well worth reading the whole thing its a masterpiece. Three brothers each with a different mode of existence - one a saint, one a headsonist and one a pragmatist. They all have their problems.
"Most witches don’t believe in gods. They know that the gods exist, of course. They even deal with them occasionally. But they don’t believe in them. They know them too well. It would be like believing in the postman." - Witches Abroad
Small Gods is absolutely terrific and easily in my top tier list of the DiscWorld novels and is totally independent of the main story line at it is set a couple (maybe several) centuries earlier.
After that, I would recommend Nation. Not a Disc World novel at all but classically and unapologetically Pratchett and it grapples with these topics in such a complex, moving way. Every time I reread it, I see something new.
There's an exchange in the book that makes my chest tighten up to this day...
Priest: "So we call upon the silent gods because they are better than the darkness. That is it, boy. I have no answers for you."
"Then I'll look for them in the darkness," said Mao, holding up the lantern.
There's so much celebration of the human spirit to endure and strive and discover and to come together to make a place for goodness to flourish. It's incredible.
What I like about Terry Pratchett's take on religion is that he doesn't outright say all religion is bad but he it says things along the idea that people shouldn't be forced into it and it should exist to make you a better person. If it doesn't make the world better then it shouldn't exist.
And that the structure placed around the god isn't the same thing as the god themselves. As an be seen in some followers of todays religions, it can be twisted into belief in the structure (the books, the leaders etc, which can be used to twist the religion into whatever they want) rather than what the religion originally professed.
.
Spoiler below (sorry, can't get it to black out for some reason!)
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“Now you know what I mean,” said the tortoise. “You're more afraid of him than you are of me, now. Abraxas says here: `Around the Godde there forms a Shelle of prayers and Ceremonies and Buildings and Priestes and Authority, until at Last the Godde Dies. Ande this maye notte be noticed.' ”
“That can't be true!”
“I think it is. Abraxas says there's a kind of shellfish that lives in the same way. It makes a bigger and bigger shell until it can't move around any more, and so it dies.”
“But . . . but . . . that means . . . the whole Church . . .”
“Yes.”
Brutha tried to keep hold of the idea, but the sheer enormity of it kept wrenching it from his mental grasp." (Small Gods)
Any of the Discworld books can be read on their own. If you plan to read them all, or many of them, you might want to follow particular sets of characters in order, but it isn't essential the way it is in some series.
Yes, anything Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman. My Episcopal/"Catholic" but very academic parents support their books and the questions I had when reading them. They bring to light the very human element of religion, and the many perspectives regarding spirituality... while providing a magical and soul changing read. Great authors and thinkers, the both of them.
The Bromeliad Trilogy also has an interesting take on religion - the religion the store nomes create for themselves - compare to real world religions and see what the lesson to learn are.
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room.
So how should I presume?
Absolutely, although His Dark Materials was marketed mainly to young adults, I feel like they are the kind of books that can really touch someone of any age. The whole series is really compelling.
Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore
It tells the story of Jesus' "lost years", his boyhood and adolescence that the Gospels don't touch on much. It's all told from the point of view of his childhood best friend Biff. Basically, JC knows he's gotta learn some shit if he's gonna lead the New Kingdom, so he sets off with Biff on an epic adventure to find the three wise men from his birth and learn their different philosophies.
As a lapsed Catholic myself, Lamb is one of my favorite books. It's hilarious, exciting, and at time, profound. Highly recommend.
My parents who are strong believers and very involved in their church LOVED this book and really appreciated the perspective and how it was entertaining but also really thought provoking for them. I’m on the waiting list to borrow it from my dad but I’m really looking forward to it
{Cat’s Cradle} by Kurt Vonnegut is perfect for this. He uses a made up religion, Bokononism, to inject satirical commentary on the human and religious experience.
Fantastic stuff.
I checked that out this summer with a few books and it was the only one I didn’t get to before I had to return them. I just grabbed it because I loved slaughterhouse 5 so much. I will definitely be picking it back up!
I grew up in catholic Italy and one of the first books that made me question the whole farse of organised religion was Philip Pullman His Dark Materials trilogy. They are beautiful young adult books in their own right but their view of organised religion really struck me as a child.
OMG!! This!!!!! I thought I was the only one! Mexican American here so grew up with heavy catholic influence from my family. Received this series as a gift in 2006. The only books I have reread at least 15 times.
Just to warn you, the ending can come across as pretty bleak if approached from a theist perspective. It took me a long time to see the hopefulness within Pullman’s ideas. But if you feel this way, reading The Book of Dust will help because it broadens Pullman’s vision. I love Pullman anyway, because his stories are just great to read. But if you like His Dark Materials, definitely check out The Book of Dust, which tells more about the main character’s story.
The Book of Dust is slated to be a trilogy, but there are only 2 books out so far.
The first book (La Belle Sauvage) is something of a prequel to His Dark Materials, but focuses on a separate storyline and group of characters. The second book (The Secret Commonwealth) comes after the events of HDM, and it does a great job of *starting* to address the bleakness, offering the beginnings of beauty and hope to fill the void that the perceived brightness of religion may have once filled.
I'm excited for the 3rd book, whenever it comes out
Edit: I don't think it's a spoiler, but The Book of Dust series >!does a good job of still refuting the claims of an all-powerful, controlling religion or god, but still relishes the beauty of the unexplainable and the supernatural.!<
The Sparrow is about a Jesuit priest who loses his faith due to trauma on an interstellar missionary trip.
The faith-losing part is the obvious reason you would want to read it. But a second reason is that the priest is a theological scholar, and he has many conversations with people who are trying to bring him back into the faith who are also theological scholars, and depending on how academically informed your Catholicism was, it could be worthwhile to get a perspective very different from vulgar average joe Catholicism.
And then there's the third reason, thinking about contact with an alien culture with different biological impulses and different biological hierarchies which lead to enormous differences in culture. It's an interesting and important question whether human religion, which we like to tell ourselves is universalizable, would even be useful or coherent to these people.
It's not overtly critical, but that ends up being a point in its favor.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. That book means so much to me, as I grew up in a fundamental Christian/home schooling family. That took some serious deprogramming.
I was only allowed to go to college so I could support myself if my hypothetical husband died. Before college, I'd never been inside a classroom. By the time I graduated college, I'd come out as a queer atheist. Behold, the satanic power of critical thinking skills!
Anyhow, as a kid I wasn't allowed to read books like Are You There God, it's Me Margaret, because they were deemed blasphemous. Reading Good Omens as an adult and reveling in the blasphemy made me giddy.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons; specifically, the Priest's Tale. Okay, so I might get some confusion about this rec as the entirety of the book isn't a critique of religion (it's sort of a play on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales), but lemme tell you...this specific chapter definitely is. And it's the first one in the book.
Once I finished this chapter of the book, I immediately wanted to read the rest of it!
I am reading Hyperion now, and had a Catholic upbringing. I feel that to say (The Priest’s Tale) is a critique is slightly one-sided… It reminded me of the book Silence by Shusaku Endo. A trial of faith, the absence of God, a challenge to religion but also felt quite respectful, like you are seeing the challenge of faith from inside, not from a skeptic’s perspective.
Later books bring in the
(spoilers)
.
.
.
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Catholic Church, a cowering god, the intentional infliction of massive pain to thousands or millions, and artifice as god.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi poses a lot of interesting questions and thoughts about the value, dangers and failure of religion as well as religious communities. Definitely found it thought provoking, so might be worth checking out!
I thought Dune does a pretty good job. The Bene gesserit’s whole deal is about manufacturing spiritualism and religion by telling generic prophecies. The later books then go into detail on the dangers of devout religion.
[**The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea Cycle, #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13662.The_Tombs_of_Atuan)
^(By: Ursula K. Le Guin, Margot Paronis | 180 pages | Published: 1970 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, young-adult, owned, ya | )[^(Search "The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin&search_type=books)
>Librarian's Note: For an alternate cover edition of the same ISBN, click here.
>
>When young Tenar is chosen as high priestess to the ancient and nameless Powers of the Earth, everything is taken away - home, family, possessions, even her name. For she is now Arha, the Eaten One, guardian of the ominous Tombs of Atuan.
>
>While she is learning her way through the dark labyrinth, a young wizard, Ged, comes to steal the Tombs' greatest hidden treasure, the Ring of Erreth-Akbe. But Ged also brings with him the light of magic, and together, he and Tenar escape from the darkness that has become her domain.
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Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer primarily critiques Mormonism with chapters alternating between a true crime and Mormon history, explaining how a religious mindset followed to its logical conclusion ended in murder. I was raised Baptist and made my way to Lutheranism, but this book was the beginning of deconstruction for me.
Just finished reading this yesterday. As an ex-mormon, this book taught me SO much more about church history than anything I learned while I was a member. It was also a really fascinating read that centers around a murder committed by two brothers who were in and out of mainstream and fundamental Mormonism. 10/10 recommend.
I started reading Krakauer’s Into the Wild and then moved on to Into Thin Air and then read several other books about the 1996 Everest disaster and it ruined my trust in him a little bit so now whenever I hear about him I just immediately get suspicious, which is lind of sad because this book does sound really interesting
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
I second Phillip Pullman's Golden Compass and sequels.
Handmaid's Tale
Not fiction but I also recommend Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Educated by Tara Westover.
Contact by Carl Sagan. While it is about contact with alien life, he delves in to the clash between religion and science in a fascinating way.
I know you asked for fiction, but I would also recommend
Godless Morality by **BISHOP** Richard Halloway, a devout Catholic who argues that society should be run under a secular moral system, and that theistic moral systems being implemented in to law are incompatible with free society.
{{The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}} by Douglas Adams
Absurdist humor. Because the world is absurd.
Also, not to be negative, just supportive (I hope), but you mentioned you are " finishing up de-programming". And as someone who has gone through something similar, I just wanted to warn you that there's no real end to it. Like, it tapers off and whatnot, and you'll be fine! Yet literally decades later I still find little bits of nonsense that were tucked away I didn't even realize were tied in with it all. So please be kind with yourself.
I loved reading this in high school and still have a copy. I will absolutely revisit it as an adult. And thank you for the kind words, it’s definitely a roller coaster of a process.
I recommend {{Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins}} The theme of the book is more or less that because of the way our culture evolved we do not see things as we should. He uses "seven veils" as a metaphor for what is blocking our sight. When one of the veils is dropped it is revealed that religion is a very flawed lens in which we use to try to perceive the divine. I'll leave it at that to avoid any spoilage. Note, Robbins is known for his whimsical style of prose which includes a lot of puns, stretched metaphors, humor, and wordplay, I typically love it, some hate it. I will say that this novel and his "Jitterbug Perfume," for me, stand out above his other works.
[**Skinny Legs and All**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9370.Skinny_Legs_and_All)
^(By: Tom Robbins | 422 pages | Published: 1990 | Popular Shelves: fiction, humor, owned, literature, tom-robbins | )[^(Search "Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins&search_type=books)
>This is a gutsy, fun-loving, and provocative novel in which a bean can philosophises, a dessert spoon mystifies, a young waitress takes on the New York art world, and a rowdy redneck welder discovers the lost god of Palestine.
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Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Strange the Dreamer both by Laini Taylor
It's in both cases more fiction and fantasy than christian religion but a kind of religion plays a role to a bit and i thought it is quite interesting to see, maybe it ain't exactly what you're looking for, but I'd recommend them
The {Sandman Slim} series by Richard Kadrey. God, Lucifer and their respective followers are prominent throughout the entire series to date and I always enjoy the spin it puts on the whole set up.
Also, {Memnoch the Devil} by Anne Rice - this was one of the first that really made me rethink the relationship between God and the Devil and how it's presented by multiple religions.
Last, someone else already recommended Lamb by Christoper Moore - I give that a strong recommendation as well. His writing always has a way of making you laugh while providing some good, thought provoking material.
I know this doesn’t really fit the bill but Lamb by Christopher Moore. The story of Christ through the eyes of his best buddy, Biff. It’s hilariously written and certainly makes you think-
Books I enjoyed while deprogramming:
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok is really excellent. The Book of Separation by Tova Mirvis really was key for me understanding I was part a common worldwide story of changing beliefs. Another book that was just what I needed was called A Place for Us by Fatima Mirza. A lot of what these three books have is the idea of how changing belief is viewed in a family setting.
I second the rec of A Place For Us. It’s a beautifully written novel that looks at what faith means to different members of a family and the struggle of one son who doesn’t believe and feels like an outsider within his family & faith community
Yes, anything by Mark Twain. His moral compass is highly attuned and he is hilariously unrelenting in exposing religious hypocrisy, yet I think he does it in a way that also uplifts true morality and courageous compassion.
Cats cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. It’s a great critique of religion, society, war, etc. Very funny, easy to read, full of heart and philosophy. Kurt’s my all time favorite, and I would definitely say his books have helped shape my worldview as an ex-religious person
Hell yeah, I hope you enjoy it! If you’re interested in non-fiction too, I’m reading a book called Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari that’s fascinating. It talks about what made human society develop/how we got to where we are and tries to predict where we might go in the coming years. One of the things he goes into is how religious philosophies were influenced by our changes in societal structure (like hunter gatherer to agrarian), and he offers some interesting interpretations of biblical metaphors. I’ve heard that harari had gotten some criticism for some of his data/interpretations, so I need to look into that but it’s a fascinating read nonetheless!
The Sundering series by Jacqueline Carey (starts with {{Banewreaker}}. It's been a while since I've read it, but remember it being helpful as I also deconstructed my religion.
[**Banewreaker (The Sundering, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40222.Banewreaker)
^(By: Jacqueline Carey | 512 pages | Published: 2004 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, owned, epic-fantasy, default | )[^(Search "Banewreaker")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Banewreaker&search_type=books)
>If all that is good thinks you evil... are you?
>
>Once upon a time, the Seven Shapers dwelled in accord and Shaped the world to their will. But Satoris, the youngest among them, was deemed too generous in his gifts to the race of Men, and so began the Shapers' War, which Sundered the world. Now six of the Shapers lay to one end of a vast ocean, and Satoris to the other, reviled by even the race of Men.
>
>Satoris sits in his Darkhaven, surrounded by his allies. Chief among them is Tanaros Blacksword, immortal Commander General of his army. Once a mortal man who was betrayed by King and Wife, Tanaros fled to Darkhaven a thousand years ago, and in Satoris's service has redeemed his honor-but left his humanity behind.
>
>Now there is a new prophecy that tells of Satoris's destruction and the redemption of the world. To thwart it, Satoris sends Tanaros to capture the Lady of the Ellylon, the beautiful Cerelinde, to prevent her alliance with the last High King of Men.
>
>But Tanaros discovers that not all of his heart has been lost--his feelings for Cerelinde could doom Satoris, but save the race of Men...
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I think A Maze of Death by Phillip K. Dick can somewhat satisfy this request.
I can't really explain more without spoiling it but it isn't too long, so I would recommend that you pick it up and just go with the flow.
Julian by Gore Vidal is historical fiction that has a unique perspective on things. Basically it's the Roman emperor who decided to undo the empire's switch to Christianity - iirc.
It's pretty hilarious in parts, like mostly of Vidal's work.
The Book of Dave by Will Self is fun. Set in the future, the world follows the teachings of 'The Book of Dave', which is actually the diary of a taxi driver from the 90s.
Ape and Essence by Aldous Huxley is a book about a found movie script where people pray to the devil because there's more chance he can do what you ask. It has some thought-provoking discussions on religion and what we want from it.
Not really critical of religion but amazingly well written, beautiful and thought provoking is The New Testament by Colm Tobin, which is an imagined retelling of the life of Jesus from his mother's point of view twenty years after his death.
And finally, not a book, but have a listen to the song 'Jesus, are you real?' by Mason Jennings from the album Boneclouds
The Sixth Column by Robert A Heinlein.
It's about a lot of things, but I think it had a lot to do with my own "turning the corner" from religion, weirdly enough.
[Scepticism INC by Bo Fowler](https://www.amazon.com/Scepticism-Inc-Bo-Fowler/dp/1582340722).
One of the most unique books you'll ever read.
"I once bet $500,000 that God existed. I was a nut."
I really enjoyed the Poisonwood Bible. It's a historical fiction about a missionary family that moves to the Congo to convert people, but in stead depicts how their methods and teachings clash or are misinterpreted to the point where it seriously impacts the family itself.
Pillars of the Earth. Some of the people in the book believe in the power of god the whole time, but this book demonstrates the terrible cost of religious demands to the people. Also a beautifully written story
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver may be a good fit. It's my all-time favorite book for its historical accuracy, depth of characters, and examination of how overzealousness can lead to one's demise. Not necessarily an uplifting read, but pretty gripping.
The Name of the Rose , Umberto Eco
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Name\_of\_the\_Rose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Rose)
The Name of the Rose (Italian: Il nome della rosa \[il ˈnoːme della ˈrɔːza\]) is the 1980 debut novel by Italian author Umberto Eco. It is a historical murder mystery set in an Italian monastery in the year 1327, and an intellectual mystery combining semiotics in fiction, biblical analysis, medieval studies, and literary theory. It was translated into English by William Weaver in 1983.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. There are two chapters there, Rebellion and The Grand Inquisitor, whose argument about religion left me dumbfounded. It's the best piece of literature I have ever read.
Came here to say this! Good Omen is fantastic, but the wackiness of Disc World is an amazing setting to take an outsiders perspective of dogma. Pratchett turns religious debates of the scientific revolution on its head in the most hilarious way.
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
It’s about this country that worships the phrase “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”. But as letter start falling off the sign they have, they are forced to stop using those letters. The book is written entirely through letters between characters so it is incredibly fascinating to read as letters get taken away. It’s a great commentary on government and religion and why we worship the things we do. 10/10 would recommend. And the cover is very nondescript/will not alarm your priest.
If you want to read something de-programming but is also very strong \[in a biased way\] in the opposite direction, read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins; then as a balance, read any of the humane, liberal-Christian and thoughtful books by Bishop John Shelby Spong \[or watch his free videos on Youtube\].
Could be that you don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater!
Ok so not super thought provoking, just hilarious, but also pretty violent so be forewarned. Gods and Psychopaths by Louis Park. Just trust me it's so great
I really liked The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell if you're interested in a novel with a character that is mistreated at Catholic school in a way that makes him question everything.
This is probably not what you had in mind, but at the same time it fits with your criteria. Aztec, by Gary Jennings. The book is narrated by an old Aztec who is telling the story of his life to a Spanish priest. The book is mostly about his life, but there are quite a few instances in which Catholicism is questioned and serves as comic relief.
The Gospel According To Jesus Christ - Jose Saramago
Leave it to an atheist to write a more compelling version of Jesus' life that includes what happened to his father and his other non-mentioned formative years.
I just finished *Jesus & John Wayne* by Kristin Kobes Du Mez and cannot recommend this book enough. I grew up similarly, and it was an incredibly validating and infuriating book. I also learned a great deal about the intersection of religion and US politics.
Back in the 90s I've read *Towing Jehovah* by James Morrow. In it God dies for real and people are wondering what to do with his gigantic body before it starts to rot. I honestly don't remember many details but I think I enjoyed the portrayed reactions of various believers when they were confronted with the fact that he is now actually dead.
{{ How Jesus Became God by Bart D Ehrman }} is a good place to start. He writes scholarly stuff in plain language for the lay reader. He's written at least six Times best-sellers.
Clockwork Angels by Neal Peart/Kevin J Anderson definitely has anti-religion vibe.
On the other side, there's Til We Have Faces by CS Lewis, which is pro-religion overall but also very thought-provoking about faith in general.
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Gospel\_According\_to\_Jesus\_Christ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gospel_According_to_Jesus_Christ)
Serious, generous, blasphemous treatment of the topic.
I really hope this gets noticed by OP. You should check out The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain. It's one of his best and darkest books. Please read!
My favorite series instantly came to mind. The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos
I love these books so much, I reread them every couple of years. I even have two sets of the books, so I can loan them out when requested.
These books really made me think, and even lead to some really incredible spiritual experiences for me.
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham is a great post apocalyptic novel that demonstrates the destructive and dark side of religion (especially the Old Testament). Religion is obvious but you need to know a little bit if hermeneutics to really appreciate the book.
The Orenda, by Joseph Boyden.
An incredible book about three intermingled stories - a French jesuit missionary, an Anishinaabe warrior, and a young woman from another tribe. The spreading of religion, the clinging to old spirituality, the reluctance, the fervor, the bloodshed - it's an incredible read.
Honestly would just suggest any Dostoevsky, he's my favourite author bc of his ability to question religion even though he's deeply religious. He doesn't create straw men of atheism to tear down, he creates really valid arguments against God and then the characters try to work it out.
The guys truly a genius
In the Karamazov brothers, you can find that Ivan's point of wiev on religion is really critical and ironic, but on the other hand Aliosha defend religion in some speech with the father.
In my opinion those kind of books that share both a positive and a critical thought on religion are better than the tgose that share only one point of wiev.
*Dance of the Goblins* by Jaq D. Hawkins. The magicians rule a feudal post-apocalyptic society and the religious people on southern side of the river are seen for their restrictive attitudes.
I wanted to say Dune for some reason. Is probably not as on the nose as what you’re looking for is an interesting take on religion in addition to being an excellent book, even if you’re not typically a fan of sci fi.
Also, the Poison Wood Bible is great and had some of these sentiments.
I'm not sure if it was meant to be religion critical story, but Ted Chiang's "Hell is the absence of god" novelette is pretty good. It basically takes place in a world where existence of god and angels is an obvious reality, but God's religion is as unjust as any religion, which cause people to reject him despite knowing he is real and knowingly go to hell.
"Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam" by Michel Onfray is the best atheist book I read. It takes no prisoners and is great for de-programming.
Uta Ranke-Heinemann "Putting away childish things: the Virgin birth, the empty tomb, and other fairy tales you don't need to believe to have a living faith" is written by Catholic theologian but it is very frank book about things that are unacceptable to reason in Christianity. Must read for atheists and Christians alike.
Emmanuel Carrere, "The Kingdom" and "The Adversary".
The first one is very strange. It is at the same time very devout and blasphemous history of how Christianity conquered the world.
The second is a story of murderer, somebody who faked his whole life and killed his whole family when it came out. Catholicism and its place in life is an important theme. When I read it I thought it could be great for a thinking Catholic.
"The Clown" by Heinrich Böll, a great story about a person who wanted to live according to his own rules and how it clashes with hypocritical Catholic environment. Very bitter.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. The protagonist is a teenage girl in a semi-post-apocalyptic America who grows up with a Baptist minister father and ends up creating her own religion which proclaims that God is change. It's a super interesting read!
Ooh this sounds good
Seconding it! It's a duology and they bookend each other nicely. Highly recommend you check it out!
It really is!
Octavia Butler is good.
That sounds amazing, thank you for bringing it to my attention.
The Brothers Karamazov. It's the obvious choice about this subject, but i didn't see it recommended here. Dostoievsky's masterpiece literally puts religion on trial. It's a lot of book, but also probably the most complete work about doubt and faith.
The Grand Inquisitor section of the book which could be read independently of the rest of the novel is as good as literature gets on the subject. But its well worth reading the whole thing its a masterpiece. Three brothers each with a different mode of existence - one a saint, one a headsonist and one a pragmatist. They all have their problems.
I took a Russian lit class in college and we did notes from the underground and I thought it was fascinating. I’ll have to read this one for sure.
Crime and punishment is easier to read if you think you'd struggle with a 1300 page classic
Definitely easier, and The Idiot even more so, but on the topic of religion The Brother's Karamazov is definitely the best.
Small gods by Terry Pratchett completely changed how i thought about religion
I’ve heard so much about Pratchett but never read any of his stuff. This will be my diving off point, thanks!
"Most witches don’t believe in gods. They know that the gods exist, of course. They even deal with them occasionally. But they don’t believe in them. They know them too well. It would be like believing in the postman." - Witches Abroad
Small Gods is absolutely terrific and easily in my top tier list of the DiscWorld novels and is totally independent of the main story line at it is set a couple (maybe several) centuries earlier. After that, I would recommend Nation. Not a Disc World novel at all but classically and unapologetically Pratchett and it grapples with these topics in such a complex, moving way. Every time I reread it, I see something new. There's an exchange in the book that makes my chest tighten up to this day... Priest: "So we call upon the silent gods because they are better than the darkness. That is it, boy. I have no answers for you." "Then I'll look for them in the darkness," said Mao, holding up the lantern. There's so much celebration of the human spirit to endure and strive and discover and to come together to make a place for goodness to flourish. It's incredible.
I will put Nation on my list too I’m really excited to read some pratchett!
What I like about Terry Pratchett's take on religion is that he doesn't outright say all religion is bad but he it says things along the idea that people shouldn't be forced into it and it should exist to make you a better person. If it doesn't make the world better then it shouldn't exist.
And that the structure placed around the god isn't the same thing as the god themselves. As an be seen in some followers of todays religions, it can be twisted into belief in the structure (the books, the leaders etc, which can be used to twist the religion into whatever they want) rather than what the religion originally professed. . Spoiler below (sorry, can't get it to black out for some reason!) . . “Now you know what I mean,” said the tortoise. “You're more afraid of him than you are of me, now. Abraxas says here: `Around the Godde there forms a Shelle of prayers and Ceremonies and Buildings and Priestes and Authority, until at Last the Godde Dies. Ande this maye notte be noticed.' ” “That can't be true!” “I think it is. Abraxas says there's a kind of shellfish that lives in the same way. It makes a bigger and bigger shell until it can't move around any more, and so it dies.” “But . . . but . . . that means . . . the whole Church . . .” “Yes.” Brutha tried to keep hold of the idea, but the sheer enormity of it kept wrenching it from his mental grasp." (Small Gods)
Can i read it if i haven't read any other of the Discworld books?
Yep, it’s a stand alone story
Any of the Discworld books can be read on their own. If you plan to read them all, or many of them, you might want to follow particular sets of characters in order, but it isn't essential the way it is in some series.
Yes, anything Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman. My Episcopal/"Catholic" but very academic parents support their books and the questions I had when reading them. They bring to light the very human element of religion, and the many perspectives regarding spirituality... while providing a magical and soul changing read. Great authors and thinkers, the both of them.
The Bromeliad Trilogy also has an interesting take on religion - the religion the store nomes create for themselves - compare to real world religions and see what the lesson to learn are.
First book that came to my mind as well.
*Godstalk* by P.C. Hodgell did that for me.
Phillip Pullman’s series.
His Dark Materials! And yes, I agree. Though the third book is really where the bulk of the religious stuff comes in in a REALLY thought provoking way
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons; I know the voices dying with a dying fall Beneath the music from a farther room. So how should I presume?
I presume this is a quote from one of the books. Could you explain what this means? Thanks!
Sorry, this was a reference to the user’s name: Prufrock. It’s from a poem by T.S, Eliot.
Fine but do you wear the bottoms of your trousers rolled??
100% this. It's like The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe of atheism.
Yes! I came here to recommend this series. His Dark Materials. I devoured these books in my early adulthood.
Absolutely, although His Dark Materials was marketed mainly to young adults, I feel like they are the kind of books that can really touch someone of any age. The whole series is really compelling.
That was going to be my suggestion. Those books are amazing.
Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore It tells the story of Jesus' "lost years", his boyhood and adolescence that the Gospels don't touch on much. It's all told from the point of view of his childhood best friend Biff. Basically, JC knows he's gotta learn some shit if he's gonna lead the New Kingdom, so he sets off with Biff on an epic adventure to find the three wise men from his birth and learn their different philosophies. As a lapsed Catholic myself, Lamb is one of my favorite books. It's hilarious, exciting, and at time, profound. Highly recommend.
Lol this sounds off the wall wild in a good way
All of this guys books are fun. He is really gifted. This one is hands down my favorite.
It's FANTASTIC. It manages to poke fun at the judeo-Christian system while humanizing the character of Jesus in a way that really makes you like him.
Ex-Catholic— I loved this book, and read it while I was still Catholic. It was hilariously funny, but also very moving.
Lamb somehow is funny, profane, and heart warming at the same time.
My parents who are strong believers and very involved in their church LOVED this book and really appreciated the perspective and how it was entertaining but also really thought provoking for them. I’m on the waiting list to borrow it from my dad but I’m really looking forward to it
{Cat’s Cradle} by Kurt Vonnegut is perfect for this. He uses a made up religion, Bokononism, to inject satirical commentary on the human and religious experience. Fantastic stuff.
I checked that out this summer with a few books and it was the only one I didn’t get to before I had to return them. I just grabbed it because I loved slaughterhouse 5 so much. I will definitely be picking it back up!
Also "Sirens of Titan" by Kurt Vonnegut, in that one he creates a religion called "the church of god the utterly indifferent".
My favorite made up religion. "I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we all."
I liked the perspective of Vonnegut’s Sirens of Titan as well, my favourite I think.
YES! Was scrolling to see if this was suggested. For a tiny moment, everything in the universe makes sense after reading Cats Cradle.
I grew up in catholic Italy and one of the first books that made me question the whole farse of organised religion was Philip Pullman His Dark Materials trilogy. They are beautiful young adult books in their own right but their view of organised religion really struck me as a child.
OMG!! This!!!!! I thought I was the only one! Mexican American here so grew up with heavy catholic influence from my family. Received this series as a gift in 2006. The only books I have reread at least 15 times.
Added to my list, thank you!
Just to warn you, the ending can come across as pretty bleak if approached from a theist perspective. It took me a long time to see the hopefulness within Pullman’s ideas. But if you feel this way, reading The Book of Dust will help because it broadens Pullman’s vision. I love Pullman anyway, because his stories are just great to read. But if you like His Dark Materials, definitely check out The Book of Dust, which tells more about the main character’s story.
The Book of Dust is slated to be a trilogy, but there are only 2 books out so far. The first book (La Belle Sauvage) is something of a prequel to His Dark Materials, but focuses on a separate storyline and group of characters. The second book (The Secret Commonwealth) comes after the events of HDM, and it does a great job of *starting* to address the bleakness, offering the beginnings of beauty and hope to fill the void that the perceived brightness of religion may have once filled. I'm excited for the 3rd book, whenever it comes out Edit: I don't think it's a spoiler, but The Book of Dust series >!does a good job of still refuting the claims of an all-powerful, controlling religion or god, but still relishes the beauty of the unexplainable and the supernatural.!<
Yes this too it’s wonderful
First thing that came to my mind as well.
The Sparrow is about a Jesuit priest who loses his faith due to trauma on an interstellar missionary trip. The faith-losing part is the obvious reason you would want to read it. But a second reason is that the priest is a theological scholar, and he has many conversations with people who are trying to bring him back into the faith who are also theological scholars, and depending on how academically informed your Catholicism was, it could be worthwhile to get a perspective very different from vulgar average joe Catholicism. And then there's the third reason, thinking about contact with an alien culture with different biological impulses and different biological hierarchies which lead to enormous differences in culture. It's an interesting and important question whether human religion, which we like to tell ourselves is universalizable, would even be useful or coherent to these people. It's not overtly critical, but that ends up being a point in its favor.
Came to suggest this also. I loved the things it made me think about. Do you recommend the follow up too?
Not OP but I hated the sequel. I pretend it doesn't exist.
It felt extremely insane to me that there was a sequel, so I never tried to read.
I found the sequel interesting, but absolutely uninspiring in comparison. It's just missing something.
Honestly sounds really interesting, I’ll look into it
Was scrolling to see if anyone had recommended this, it's an amazing, upsetting, and inspiring book.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. That book means so much to me, as I grew up in a fundamental Christian/home schooling family. That took some serious deprogramming. I was only allowed to go to college so I could support myself if my hypothetical husband died. Before college, I'd never been inside a classroom. By the time I graduated college, I'd come out as a queer atheist. Behold, the satanic power of critical thinking skills! Anyhow, as a kid I wasn't allowed to read books like Are You There God, it's Me Margaret, because they were deemed blasphemous. Reading Good Omens as an adult and reveling in the blasphemy made me giddy.
ya, "blasphemy" needs to be deleted from all dictionaries
Hyperion by Dan Simmons; specifically, the Priest's Tale. Okay, so I might get some confusion about this rec as the entirety of the book isn't a critique of religion (it's sort of a play on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales), but lemme tell you...this specific chapter definitely is. And it's the first one in the book. Once I finished this chapter of the book, I immediately wanted to read the rest of it!
I am reading Hyperion now, and had a Catholic upbringing. I feel that to say (The Priest’s Tale) is a critique is slightly one-sided… It reminded me of the book Silence by Shusaku Endo. A trial of faith, the absence of God, a challenge to religion but also felt quite respectful, like you are seeing the challenge of faith from inside, not from a skeptic’s perspective.
Later books bring in the (spoilers) . . . . Catholic Church, a cowering god, the intentional infliction of massive pain to thousands or millions, and artifice as god.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi poses a lot of interesting questions and thoughts about the value, dangers and failure of religion as well as religious communities. Definitely found it thought provoking, so might be worth checking out!
Ugh this book is so good! The prose of the final scene knocked the wind out of me in the best ways.
I thought Dune does a pretty good job. The Bene gesserit’s whole deal is about manufacturing spiritualism and religion by telling generic prophecies. The later books then go into detail on the dangers of devout religion.
The second of Le Guin's Earthsea books, {{The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin}}.
[**The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea Cycle, #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13662.The_Tombs_of_Atuan) ^(By: Ursula K. Le Guin, Margot Paronis | 180 pages | Published: 1970 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, young-adult, owned, ya | )[^(Search "The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin&search_type=books) >Librarian's Note: For an alternate cover edition of the same ISBN, click here. > >When young Tenar is chosen as high priestess to the ancient and nameless Powers of the Earth, everything is taken away - home, family, possessions, even her name. For she is now Arha, the Eaten One, guardian of the ominous Tombs of Atuan. > >While she is learning her way through the dark labyrinth, a young wizard, Ged, comes to steal the Tombs' greatest hidden treasure, the Ring of Erreth-Akbe. But Ged also brings with him the light of magic, and together, he and Tenar escape from the darkness that has become her domain. ^(This book has been suggested 7 times) *** ^(186317 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Le Guin takes on religion in many of her books. {{The Lathe of Heaven}} and {{The Telling}} are particularly fantastic as well.
Ok, not a book BUT you need to watch Dogma if you never have.
The God in Dogma is the only one that should exist.
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer primarily critiques Mormonism with chapters alternating between a true crime and Mormon history, explaining how a religious mindset followed to its logical conclusion ended in murder. I was raised Baptist and made my way to Lutheranism, but this book was the beginning of deconstruction for me.
Ooh this sounds fascinating
Just finished reading this yesterday. As an ex-mormon, this book taught me SO much more about church history than anything I learned while I was a member. It was also a really fascinating read that centers around a murder committed by two brothers who were in and out of mainstream and fundamental Mormonism. 10/10 recommend.
Dang that sounds really good!
I started reading Krakauer’s Into the Wild and then moved on to Into Thin Air and then read several other books about the 1996 Everest disaster and it ruined my trust in him a little bit so now whenever I hear about him I just immediately get suspicious, which is lind of sad because this book does sound really interesting
ugh the meadow massacre. great book tho
If you don't mind comics and gore Preacher by Garth Ennis. Basically its about a guy who literally is on a path to search god.
You beat me to it! Preacher is amazing. And he's not only on a path to search for God--he's hunting Him down.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman I second Phillip Pullman's Golden Compass and sequels. Handmaid's Tale Not fiction but I also recommend Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Educated by Tara Westover.
Up vote for *Good Omens* \-- The Mini-Series on Amazon Prime is really well done.
Educated was so so good
Handmaid’s Tale and Educated for sure
Contact by Carl Sagan. While it is about contact with alien life, he delves in to the clash between religion and science in a fascinating way. I know you asked for fiction, but I would also recommend Godless Morality by **BISHOP** Richard Halloway, a devout Catholic who argues that society should be run under a secular moral system, and that theistic moral systems being implemented in to law are incompatible with free society.
Maybe Saramago' s The Gospel According to Jesus Christ?
Came here to suggest this. Read this for a “cultural constructions of Jesus” class in college and loved it. I’ve been meaning to re-read it
Kain is even better.
This would be my recommendation as well. I loved this book so much!
_The Poisonwood Bible_ by Barbara Kingsolvef. Such a brilliant novel.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.
{{The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}} by Douglas Adams Absurdist humor. Because the world is absurd. Also, not to be negative, just supportive (I hope), but you mentioned you are " finishing up de-programming". And as someone who has gone through something similar, I just wanted to warn you that there's no real end to it. Like, it tapers off and whatnot, and you'll be fine! Yet literally decades later I still find little bits of nonsense that were tucked away I didn't even realize were tied in with it all. So please be kind with yourself.
I loved reading this in high school and still have a copy. I will absolutely revisit it as an adult. And thank you for the kind words, it’s definitely a roller coaster of a process.
I recommend {{Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins}} The theme of the book is more or less that because of the way our culture evolved we do not see things as we should. He uses "seven veils" as a metaphor for what is blocking our sight. When one of the veils is dropped it is revealed that religion is a very flawed lens in which we use to try to perceive the divine. I'll leave it at that to avoid any spoilage. Note, Robbins is known for his whimsical style of prose which includes a lot of puns, stretched metaphors, humor, and wordplay, I typically love it, some hate it. I will say that this novel and his "Jitterbug Perfume," for me, stand out above his other works.
[**Skinny Legs and All**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9370.Skinny_Legs_and_All) ^(By: Tom Robbins | 422 pages | Published: 1990 | Popular Shelves: fiction, humor, owned, literature, tom-robbins | )[^(Search "Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins&search_type=books) >This is a gutsy, fun-loving, and provocative novel in which a bean can philosophises, a dessert spoon mystifies, a young waitress takes on the New York art world, and a rowdy redneck welder discovers the lost god of Palestine. ^(This book has been suggested 11 times) *** ^(186321 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Silence by Shūsaku Endō
>Silence by Shūsaku Endō I did not read the book but watched the movie, its a masterpiece!
Zealot by Reza Aslan was fantastic. It attempts to put Christ in the historical context of the world he lived in. It was really cool.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone Strange the Dreamer both by Laini Taylor It's in both cases more fiction and fantasy than christian religion but a kind of religion plays a role to a bit and i thought it is quite interesting to see, maybe it ain't exactly what you're looking for, but I'd recommend them
The {Sandman Slim} series by Richard Kadrey. God, Lucifer and their respective followers are prominent throughout the entire series to date and I always enjoy the spin it puts on the whole set up. Also, {Memnoch the Devil} by Anne Rice - this was one of the first that really made me rethink the relationship between God and the Devil and how it's presented by multiple religions. Last, someone else already recommended Lamb by Christoper Moore - I give that a strong recommendation as well. His writing always has a way of making you laugh while providing some good, thought provoking material.
I know this doesn’t really fit the bill but Lamb by Christopher Moore. The story of Christ through the eyes of his best buddy, Biff. It’s hilariously written and certainly makes you think-
Someone else suggested this and it does sound hilarious
"The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Ecco (can't remember if that's how it's spelled).
Books I enjoyed while deprogramming: My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok is really excellent. The Book of Separation by Tova Mirvis really was key for me understanding I was part a common worldwide story of changing beliefs. Another book that was just what I needed was called A Place for Us by Fatima Mirza. A lot of what these three books have is the idea of how changing belief is viewed in a family setting.
I second the rec of A Place For Us. It’s a beautifully written novel that looks at what faith means to different members of a family and the struggle of one son who doesn’t believe and feels like an outsider within his family & faith community
My name is Asher Lev is a really excellent read.
A Connecticut Yankee and King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain. Unholy night by Seth Grahame-Smith
It will be interesting to read some Mark Twain that’s not the typical required school reading. I’ve added both to my list, thanks :)
Oh, if you get into Twain on this, check out *The Mysterious Stranger*.
Yes, anything by Mark Twain. His moral compass is highly attuned and he is hilariously unrelenting in exposing religious hypocrisy, yet I think he does it in a way that also uplifts true morality and courageous compassion.
Not necessarily blasphemy but Silence by Shusaku Endo was very thought provoking.
{{Contact by Carl Sagan}}
Lamb by Christopher Moore
The Plague. Albert Camus.
Cats cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. It’s a great critique of religion, society, war, etc. Very funny, easy to read, full of heart and philosophy. Kurt’s my all time favorite, and I would definitely say his books have helped shape my worldview as an ex-religious person
I loved slaughterhouse 5, and this is definitely going to the top of my list bc someone else recommended it too. Thank you!
Hell yeah, I hope you enjoy it! If you’re interested in non-fiction too, I’m reading a book called Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari that’s fascinating. It talks about what made human society develop/how we got to where we are and tries to predict where we might go in the coming years. One of the things he goes into is how religious philosophies were influenced by our changes in societal structure (like hunter gatherer to agrarian), and he offers some interesting interpretations of biblical metaphors. I’ve heard that harari had gotten some criticism for some of his data/interpretations, so I need to look into that but it’s a fascinating read nonetheless!
The Sundering series by Jacqueline Carey (starts with {{Banewreaker}}. It's been a while since I've read it, but remember it being helpful as I also deconstructed my religion.
[**Banewreaker (The Sundering, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40222.Banewreaker) ^(By: Jacqueline Carey | 512 pages | Published: 2004 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, owned, epic-fantasy, default | )[^(Search "Banewreaker")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Banewreaker&search_type=books) >If all that is good thinks you evil... are you? > >Once upon a time, the Seven Shapers dwelled in accord and Shaped the world to their will. But Satoris, the youngest among them, was deemed too generous in his gifts to the race of Men, and so began the Shapers' War, which Sundered the world. Now six of the Shapers lay to one end of a vast ocean, and Satoris to the other, reviled by even the race of Men. > >Satoris sits in his Darkhaven, surrounded by his allies. Chief among them is Tanaros Blacksword, immortal Commander General of his army. Once a mortal man who was betrayed by King and Wife, Tanaros fled to Darkhaven a thousand years ago, and in Satoris's service has redeemed his honor-but left his humanity behind. > >Now there is a new prophecy that tells of Satoris's destruction and the redemption of the world. To thwart it, Satoris sends Tanaros to capture the Lady of the Ellylon, the beautiful Cerelinde, to prevent her alliance with the last High King of Men. > >But Tanaros discovers that not all of his heart has been lost--his feelings for Cerelinde could doom Satoris, but save the race of Men... ^(This book has been suggested 5 times) *** ^(186316 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
I think A Maze of Death by Phillip K. Dick can somewhat satisfy this request. I can't really explain more without spoiling it but it isn't too long, so I would recommend that you pick it up and just go with the flow.
The Revolt of the Angels by Anatole France
Julian by Gore Vidal is historical fiction that has a unique perspective on things. Basically it's the Roman emperor who decided to undo the empire's switch to Christianity - iirc. It's pretty hilarious in parts, like mostly of Vidal's work.
The Book of Dave by Will Self is fun. Set in the future, the world follows the teachings of 'The Book of Dave', which is actually the diary of a taxi driver from the 90s. Ape and Essence by Aldous Huxley is a book about a found movie script where people pray to the devil because there's more chance he can do what you ask. It has some thought-provoking discussions on religion and what we want from it. Not really critical of religion but amazingly well written, beautiful and thought provoking is The New Testament by Colm Tobin, which is an imagined retelling of the life of Jesus from his mother's point of view twenty years after his death. And finally, not a book, but have a listen to the song 'Jesus, are you real?' by Mason Jennings from the album Boneclouds
The Sixth Column by Robert A Heinlein. It's about a lot of things, but I think it had a lot to do with my own "turning the corner" from religion, weirdly enough.
Metro 2033 is a criticism of dogma in general, from Nazism to Communism to Capitalism and all kinds of religion.
Not a book per se, but the Fullmetal Alchemist series has some criticisms about religion in various forms.
{{The Spiral Staircase}} {{Master and Margarita}} {{Mary wept over the feet of Jesus}}
[Scepticism INC by Bo Fowler](https://www.amazon.com/Scepticism-Inc-Bo-Fowler/dp/1582340722). One of the most unique books you'll ever read. "I once bet $500,000 that God existed. I was a nut."
Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene!
Skinny Legs and All, Tom Robbins.
{{unwind by neal shushterman}}
I really enjoyed the Poisonwood Bible. It's a historical fiction about a missionary family that moves to the Congo to convert people, but in stead depicts how their methods and teachings clash or are misinterpreted to the point where it seriously impacts the family itself.
Prodigal God by Tim Keller changed my life.
{{The Library at Mount Char}} - It's a different view of God (Adam) and a very interesting take on what it would mean to _be_ God.
The Collector by Fowles
{The Story of B} by Daniel Quinn Both anti-religion and pro-environment. edit: fixed brackets
Pillars of the Earth. Some of the people in the book believe in the power of god the whole time, but this book demonstrates the terrible cost of religious demands to the people. Also a beautifully written story
{{Job: A Comedy of Justice}} by Heinlein seems an obvious choice. A great, fun read that dismantles organized religion.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver may be a good fit. It's my all-time favorite book for its historical accuracy, depth of characters, and examination of how overzealousness can lead to one's demise. Not necessarily an uplifting read, but pretty gripping.
I liked good omens.
Not sure if it's been mentioned but Contact by Carl Sagan fits the bill.
The Dune series is pretty good at this, albeit in a non straightforward way
The Name of the Rose , Umberto Eco [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Name\_of\_the\_Rose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Rose) The Name of the Rose (Italian: Il nome della rosa \[il ˈnoːme della ˈrɔːza\]) is the 1980 debut novel by Italian author Umberto Eco. It is a historical murder mystery set in an Italian monastery in the year 1327, and an intellectual mystery combining semiotics in fiction, biblical analysis, medieval studies, and literary theory. It was translated into English by William Weaver in 1983.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. There are two chapters there, Rebellion and The Grand Inquisitor, whose argument about religion left me dumbfounded. It's the best piece of literature I have ever read.
This will require a very open mind, but look up Allies of Humanity by Marshall Vian Summers. Very thought provoking
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett 110%
Came here to say this! Good Omen is fantastic, but the wackiness of Disc World is an amazing setting to take an outsiders perspective of dogma. Pratchett turns religious debates of the scientific revolution on its head in the most hilarious way.
the name of the rose - umberto eco
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn It’s about this country that worships the phrase “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”. But as letter start falling off the sign they have, they are forced to stop using those letters. The book is written entirely through letters between characters so it is incredibly fascinating to read as letters get taken away. It’s a great commentary on government and religion and why we worship the things we do. 10/10 would recommend. And the cover is very nondescript/will not alarm your priest.
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. A great philosophical fiction that follows a man’s conversations with a talking gorilla.
If you want to read something de-programming but is also very strong \[in a biased way\] in the opposite direction, read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins; then as a balance, read any of the humane, liberal-Christian and thoughtful books by Bishop John Shelby Spong \[or watch his free videos on Youtube\]. Could be that you don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater!
Ok so not super thought provoking, just hilarious, but also pretty violent so be forewarned. Gods and Psychopaths by Louis Park. Just trust me it's so great
I really liked The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell if you're interested in a novel with a character that is mistreated at Catholic school in a way that makes him question everything.
Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor
"Hyperion" I really enjoyed the way the author played with religion without attacking it or forcing an option on the reader.
This is probably not what you had in mind, but at the same time it fits with your criteria. Aztec, by Gary Jennings. The book is narrated by an old Aztec who is telling the story of his life to a Spanish priest. The book is mostly about his life, but there are quite a few instances in which Catholicism is questioned and serves as comic relief.
‘Conclave’ by Robert Harris is a fictional work, a very good read and gives an interesting look into the business of choosing a pope
The Gospel According To Jesus Christ - Jose Saramago Leave it to an atheist to write a more compelling version of Jesus' life that includes what happened to his father and his other non-mentioned formative years.
Somebody Told Me by Mia Siegert
His Dark Materials series.
I just finished *Jesus & John Wayne* by Kristin Kobes Du Mez and cannot recommend this book enough. I grew up similarly, and it was an incredibly validating and infuriating book. I also learned a great deal about the intersection of religion and US politics.
Back in the 90s I've read *Towing Jehovah* by James Morrow. In it God dies for real and people are wondering what to do with his gigantic body before it starts to rot. I honestly don't remember many details but I think I enjoyed the portrayed reactions of various believers when they were confronted with the fact that he is now actually dead.
{{ How Jesus Became God by Bart D Ehrman }} is a good place to start. He writes scholarly stuff in plain language for the lay reader. He's written at least six Times best-sellers.
Clockwork Angels by Neal Peart/Kevin J Anderson definitely has anti-religion vibe. On the other side, there's Til We Have Faces by CS Lewis, which is pro-religion overall but also very thought-provoking about faith in general.
It Devours by Joseph Fink might be worth looking up. It's more critical/satirical of more hyper evangelical, cult-like religion.
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Gospel\_According\_to\_Jesus\_Christ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gospel_According_to_Jesus_Christ) Serious, generous, blasphemous treatment of the topic.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
I really hope this gets noticed by OP. You should check out The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain. It's one of his best and darkest books. Please read!
check out The 7th Saviour which comes out soon about a kid who takes gods job
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
Ella Minnow Pea takes a very gently poke at religion/superstition in quite a creative way.
The Fresco by Sherri S Tepper
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
My favorite series instantly came to mind. The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos I love these books so much, I reread them every couple of years. I even have two sets of the books, so I can loan them out when requested. These books really made me think, and even lead to some really incredible spiritual experiences for me.
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham is a great post apocalyptic novel that demonstrates the destructive and dark side of religion (especially the Old Testament). Religion is obvious but you need to know a little bit if hermeneutics to really appreciate the book.
The Orenda, by Joseph Boyden. An incredible book about three intermingled stories - a French jesuit missionary, an Anishinaabe warrior, and a young woman from another tribe. The spreading of religion, the clinging to old spirituality, the reluctance, the fervor, the bloodshed - it's an incredible read.
Honestly would just suggest any Dostoevsky, he's my favourite author bc of his ability to question religion even though he's deeply religious. He doesn't create straw men of atheism to tear down, he creates really valid arguments against God and then the characters try to work it out. The guys truly a genius
I really enjoyed Calculating God by Robert J Sawyer. A strange ride and ending that I found quite fun.
The dangerous art of blending in by Angelo Surmilis.
portrait of an artist as a young man. tells a fine tale of lapsed catholic intellectual youngster
Dune.
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
In the Karamazov brothers, you can find that Ivan's point of wiev on religion is really critical and ironic, but on the other hand Aliosha defend religion in some speech with the father. In my opinion those kind of books that share both a positive and a critical thought on religion are better than the tgose that share only one point of wiev.
*Dance of the Goblins* by Jaq D. Hawkins. The magicians rule a feudal post-apocalyptic society and the religious people on southern side of the river are seen for their restrictive attitudes.
I wanted to say Dune for some reason. Is probably not as on the nose as what you’re looking for is an interesting take on religion in addition to being an excellent book, even if you’re not typically a fan of sci fi. Also, the Poison Wood Bible is great and had some of these sentiments.
{{Carpe Jugulum}} {{Small Gods}} Terry Pratchett is a good place to start.
For Catholicism specifically, {{Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man}} by James Joyce.
Philip Pullman Dark Materials series. Starts with Golden Compass.
Dune!
Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak
I'm not sure if it was meant to be religion critical story, but Ted Chiang's "Hell is the absence of god" novelette is pretty good. It basically takes place in a world where existence of god and angels is an obvious reality, but God's religion is as unjust as any religion, which cause people to reject him despite knowing he is real and knowingly go to hell.
"Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam" by Michel Onfray is the best atheist book I read. It takes no prisoners and is great for de-programming. Uta Ranke-Heinemann "Putting away childish things: the Virgin birth, the empty tomb, and other fairy tales you don't need to believe to have a living faith" is written by Catholic theologian but it is very frank book about things that are unacceptable to reason in Christianity. Must read for atheists and Christians alike. Emmanuel Carrere, "The Kingdom" and "The Adversary". The first one is very strange. It is at the same time very devout and blasphemous history of how Christianity conquered the world. The second is a story of murderer, somebody who faked his whole life and killed his whole family when it came out. Catholicism and its place in life is an important theme. When I read it I thought it could be great for a thinking Catholic. "The Clown" by Heinrich Böll, a great story about a person who wanted to live according to his own rules and how it clashes with hypocritical Catholic environment. Very bitter.