| Letter to a Christian Nation | 
 enlarge | Author: Sam Harris
Publisher: Bantam Press
Category: Book
List Price: £10.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  47 reviews
Sales Rank: 2080
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 112
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.2 x 4.6 x 0.8
ISBN: 0593058976
EAN: 9780593058978
ASIN: 0593058976
Publication Date: February 12, 2007
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| Customer Reviews: Read 42 more reviews...
 A fantastic critique of a big problem for mankind....RELIGION September 29, 2008
A book that did not leave me unchanged....my only concern is that Mr Harris may be the antichrist
Concise and well put Christian Polemic. September 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is really suited to someone who wants to get the key arguments against Christianity without having to spend a long time reading something like 'The God Delusion' or 'The End of Faith'. It's very short and could be read in a day or even in a single reading.
Most head-in-the-sand Christians won't read anything that would challenge their faith but I would hope that a simple, short book like this would make that simple task more feasable. By reading this book, a Christians would certainly have some questions and be forced into a bit of thinking. But if their faith is genuine, honest and real why fear this?
Surely they'd come out the other side with a deeper, stronger faith.
I'd certainly applaud Harris for going out of his way for making it as easy as possible for a Christian to challenge their beliefs - a crucial part of any objective thinking.
Harris makes some excellent points. Among them:
1. Four of the most revered Theologians Augustine, Aquainus, Calvin and Luther were mad men who advocated torture and all sorts of hardship.
Does this mean that the Joe average Christian, who one would assume would abhor such perniciousness, can understand scripture better than the most influential thinkers in the history of Christianity?
2. Objections to stem cell research from hardline Christians is preventing research into the most promising science that offers hope to so many cruel and life debilitating ailments.
3. The problem of evil - how could a loving God preside over such a cruel world. Theodicy cannot answer this.
4. The number of world conflicts emanating from regions with disparate religious groups:
- Palestine (Jews V Muslims)
- Balkans (Orthodox Serbians V Catholic Croatians V Bosian Muslims)
- Northern Ireland (Protestants V Catholics)
- Kashmir (Muslim V Hindus)
- Sudan (Muslims V Christians and animists)
- Nigeria (Muslims V Christians)
- Ethiopia (Muslims V Christians)
- Ivory Coast (Muslims V Christians)
- Sri Lanka (Sinhalese Buddhists V Tamil Hindus)
- Philippines (Muslims V Christians)
- Iran and Iraq (Shiite V Sunni Muslims)
- Caucasus (Orthodox Russians V Chechen Muslins, Muslims Azerbaijanis V Catholic and Orthodix Armenians).
It can't all be a coincidence. Surely there's something dangerous about religion that any rational person should be able to observe.
Is the Bible a fail safe guide to morality? It certainly has some extremely disturbing passages such as stoning your bride to death if she is not a virgin.
Is Christianity the number one religion for love and compassion? Even a cursory examination of Jainism would show that not to be the case.
But why are so many Christians adamant they have the moral highground, the truth and pretty much everything you need unless you are one of them?
It really is a great little book.
They thought we could never end slavery... What about religion? August 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is outstanding. The only problem I have with these kind of books, is that they do not give an easy answer to all our problems; unlike another book I know of. As Sam Harris suggests we have a monster problem to face, and the time do something about it is now...
Religious or not, if you care about our world and the people in it, you can start by reading this book.
Should be read by every Christian without exception June 19, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Speaking as a former Christian (and now an ardent secularist), I can say without hesitation that this book should be read by EVERY person who considers themself to be a Christian.
I have bought more copies of this book than any other as I regularly give copies to friends and family members, as I am that confident that their lives would be bettered by considering the issues it raises.
A copy of this book should reside in every hotel room across the Western world.
 A succint warning for secularists June 14, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Harris had written this book primarily for secularists so as to defend against the threats posed in the U.S. by the Christian Right. Unlike "The End of Faith", he says little about other religions, in particular Islam. This book was shorter and more about what I am familiar with.
Preaching to the choir? Undoubtedly to large extent but unlike "The End of Faith" I do not expect many secularists will feel he is unfairly extreme: this time he seems to be speaking well to address the concerns of many of us including those liberal and moderate Christians (and even conservative Christians) who do not feel well served by the political activities of the Christian Right.
Harris comments that "atheism" isn't any more necessary as a label than having to have "words for people who doubt that Elvis is still alive...". Anti-Elvisians? But would it be rude to the memory of Elvis, who, despite reported problems, was indeed a great performer? I did see and enjoy his movies. Perhaps Elvisism deserves founding, perhaps it already has been. Perhaps I could become a Elvisian apologist. Just show one of the movies or concerts and I'd have no trouble finding believers? Would you join? Pledge? Agree with me that Elvis not only lived but that I could speak for him. And that Elvis did not want your children learning about evolution in public schools. Or maybe gravity.
Foolish? Harris writes toward the end of this book "Clearly, it is time we learned to meet our emotional needs without embracing the preposterous". Harris expresses understanding: he writes that he does not "doubt that your acceptance of Christ may have coincided with positive changes in your life". He expresses no wish to discount those experiences but points out that many people now and before have had what seemed to him similar experiences in many ways, religious and otherwise. But he also believes that such experiences can be misinterpreted as one may do for those of other faiths. Claims that one's own religion is that different seems extraordinary and, as Carl Sagan popularized, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence".
I, for one, can see no good reason why I would deny that Elvis lives if credible existence of that existed, especially if it promised me some life after death in Blue Hawaii, an opportunity to frolic with a youthful Ann-Margaret for eternity. I would gladly read the books of Elvisian apologists if I felt uncertain. It would all seem silly if there were not efforts underway at this moment in the U.S. to discredit evolution in public school science textbooks and even to establish a Christian nation with Old Testament laws.
Harris says it far better than I can, he's forceful but succinct (less than 100 pages). He concludes with a list of ten recommended book (I've only read five of them to date) that would make for good next reading steps. You may also consider registering with the Brights' Network (see their web site).
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