[2][3]Letter to a Christian Nation
Author: Sam Harris
Publisher: Knopf (September 19, 2006)
Average Customer Review: [4]( 539 customer reviews )
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Product Detail
* Hardcover: 96 pages
* Publisher: Knopf
* Publication Date: September 19, 2006
* ISBN: 0307265773
* ASIN: 0307265773
* Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.4 x 0.7 inches; 0.4 pounds
Book Description
* "Thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ's love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible. How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse."
So begins Letter to a Christian Nation…
Customer Reviews
* [11]A good "starter book" for atheism, October 10, 2007
* By C. R. Swanson, (Phoenix)
* "Letter to a Christian Nation" is, as it says, a letter. To a nation. Of Christians. As someone who is already a confirmed atheist, I wasnt't really the target audience for this book. As such, I found it a little lacking in comparison to other works of atheist thought, such as The God Delusion (a very good book), and God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (a decent, but not as good, book).
Sam Harris makes many of the same points in his book as Dawkins and Hitchens do in theirs, but he doesn't go into nearly the same level of detail as Dawkins or the same amount of polemic as Hitchens. He does make his points, but I felt there was more he could have done.
On the other hand, this is a very, very short book (only about 90 pages... about the same as, to my understanding, Common Sense (Penguin Classics), which I haven't read and should). Due to the length, I guess he wasn't able to go into too much detail. Of course, he could have simply written a longer book...
If you, like me, are someone who is already firmly in the atheist camp, this really isn't the book for you. If you're someone who can feel your faith wavering, and know that you're getting to the point where you're about to divcorce from god (and there's a term I love and will have to use elsewhere), then perhaps you might want to give this book a go. After all, what do you have to loose?
Well, aside from your religion...
* [12]thin volume that should be required reading, October 10, 2007
* By Jill Rust, (Wichita KS)
* The author doesn't belabor any points - but rather is concise and crisp. I wish I had written it.
* [13]Concise, articulate and enlightening, October 9, 2007
* By G. Walker, (Fremont, California)
* Bravo to Mr. Harris. This is a must-read for anyone with children who might consider placing them in religious schools. Mr Harris makes the point that religion is propagating fairy tales (at best) and training our children to be scientifically illiterate (at worse). Personally, I couldn't agree more. Between my graduation from a Christian high school to my PhD in Neuroscience, I had to overcome all the illusions taught in my Christian high school and learn how to think critically. Critical thought has led me on a slow but steady journey away from Christian indoctrination and on to free-thinking athesism. Where I have at times struggled to articulate my doubts, questions, rationale and reasons to 'true-believers' (or my parents for that matter) this book does so in remarkable clarity and brevity. Similar to Dawkins "The God Delusion", this book provides excellent tools to fend off the specious arguments of religious people, but it does so with a bit more tact and grace. While I absolutely loved the God Delusion, I would not recommend it to a Christian, as it is certain to offend their sensibilities from the start. Harris's book may actually get through to them (one can hope!).
* [14]Quality, October 8, 2007
* By A. C. Wyckoff, (Norfolk, Va)
* This is a good, concise response to the many outlandish complaints against the member of society who have no interest in fabricating a diety to explain away their problems. Some points could have used flushing out, but then it wouldn't have been very concise. I recommend this book.
* [15]A solid overview of the problems caused by religion and faith, October 6, 2007
* By N. Buckley, (Boston)
* Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation is an excellent overview of some of the major reasons why religion (he talks about Christianity for the most part) is negatively impacting American society. People of all faiths I believe will enjoy this terse review of the problems religion causes on all levels of practice, whether you be an extremist or moderate or not a believer at all. Harris does a good job getting to the point and making concepts easy to understand so that even a six year old might be able to follow - it's even comical at times.
I would recommend this book be read by anyone interested in religion or philosophy in any degree, whether you want to just get a preview of some of the topics being thrown around today between religious peoples and atheists, or as a primer that will prepare you for more in-depth books on religion such as Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion.verview of the problems caused by religion and faith, October 6, 2007
* By N. Buckley, (Boston)
* Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation is an excellent overview of some of the major reasons why religion (he talks about Christianity for the most part) is negatively impacting American society. People of all faiths I believe will enjoy this terse review of the problems religion causes on all levels of practice, whether you be an extremist or moderate or not a believer at all.
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