Has anybody read... - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

BarbaraGordon · 12-09-2006, 04:49 PM

...Letter to a Christian Nation yet?

Apparently it's absolutely scathing toward intelligent religious Americans.

It's excusable to be spiritual and dim-witted, but to be intelligent/rational and religious is to be intellectually dishonest.

I'm hoping to read it this evening...I haven't picked up a copy yet.

Jeff Lebowski · 12-09-2006, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa.Kinzer

...Letter to a Christian Nation yet?

Apparently it's absolutely scathing toward intelligent religious Americans.

It's excusable to be spiritual and dim-witted, but to be intelligent/rational and religious is to be intellectually dishonest.

I'm hoping to read it this evening...I haven't picked up a copy yet.

No, but I have certainly read lots of reviews about it. Newsweek, etc. And I have read several essays by the author.

My complaint about his essays is that he often cherry picks the more extreme/fundamentalist elements of religion to build his case.

BarbaraGordon · 12-09-2006, 05:05 PM

I think that's his point...

Is that although the intelligent/moderate believers don't embrace the more extreme elements of their faith, they facilitate/further those elements by supporting the institution as a whole.

Also, I think he feels the intellectual dishonestly is that a believer would be a moderate at all. You either have to go all-out extremist or reject faith altogether.

But like I said, I haven't read this book (although I've seen other work of his).

I'll post more accurate summary if I get a chance to read it this evening, as I'm hoping.

il Padrino Ute · 12-09-2006, 05:22 PM

Who wrote it? SeattleUte?

Surfah · 12-09-2006, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

Who wrote it? SeattleUte?

LOL. Thanks I just snorted oatmeal.

il Padrino Ute · 12-09-2006, 05:34 PM

I couldn't help it - it was a fastball right down the pipe.

BarbaraGordon · 12-11-2006, 09:30 PM

So, I read this book on Saturday like I planned.
I had pretty much heard this guy make all of these points before. There's not a lot of new material if you're familiar with Sam Harris.

The only part of the book I really found compelling was the section on stem cell research, approx pages 30 and following.

Does the LDS church support stem cell research? I'm guessing not, but I honestly don't know...so I was just curious.

All-American · 12-11-2006, 09:32 PM

The Church hasn't really said anything about stem cell research. Several prominent members of the Church, including Senator Orrin Hatch, have come out in open support of stem cell research.

SteelBlue · 12-11-2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa.Kinzer

Does the LDS church support stem cell research? I'm guessing not, but I honestly don't know...so I was just curious.

Here you go:

http://www.lds.org/newsroom/issues/a...16-181,00.html

MikeWaters · 12-11-2006, 10:06 PM

People that want to end all religion have no understanding of human beings. It is programmed into us. It is in our DNA. You might as well try to outlaw sex.

12-09-2006, 04:49 PM	#1
BarbaraGordon Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gotham City Posts: 7,157	Has anybody read... ...Letter to a Christian Nation yet? Apparently it's absolutely scathing toward intelligent religious Americans. It's excusable to be spiritual and dim-witted, but to be intelligent/rational and religious is to be intellectually dishonest. I'm hoping to read it this evening...I haven't picked up a copy yet.

12-09-2006, 05:22 PM	#4
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	Who wrote it? SeattleUte? __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

12-09-2006, 05:34 PM	#6
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	I couldn't help it - it was a fastball right down the pipe. __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

12-11-2006, 09:32 PM	#8
All-American Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,420	The Church hasn't really said anything about stem cell research. Several prominent members of the Church, including Senator Orrin Hatch, have come out in open support of stem cell research. __________________ εν αρχη ην ο λογος

12-09-2006, 05:05 PM	#3
BarbaraGordon Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gotham City Posts: 7,157	I think that's his point... Is that although the intelligent/moderate believers don't embrace the more extreme elements of their faith, they facilitate/further those elements by supporting the institution as a whole. Also, I think he feels the intellectual dishonestly is that a believer would be a moderate at all. You either have to go all-out extremist or reject faith altogether. But like I said, I haven't read this book (although I've seen other work of his). I'll post more accurate summary if I get a chance to read it this evening, as I'm hoping.

12-11-2006, 09:30 PM	#7
BarbaraGordon Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gotham City Posts: 7,157	So, I read this book on Saturday like I planned. I had pretty much heard this guy make all of these points before. There's not a lot of new material if you're familiar with Sam Harris. The only part of the book I really found compelling was the section on stem cell research, approx pages 30 and following. Does the LDS church support stem cell research? I'm guessing not, but I honestly don't know...so I was just curious.

12-11-2006, 10:06 PM	#10
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,368	People that want to end all religion have no understanding of human beings. It is programmed into us. It is in our DNA. You might as well try to outlaw sex.