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1663 ratings, 4.04 average rating, 311 reviews
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published
March 10th 2008
by C. Bertelsmann Verlag
binding
Gebundene Ausgabe, 96 pages
isbn
3570009971
(isbn13: 9783570009970)
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 2280)
This seems like a completely unhelpful, pointless book. Sam Harris knows full well that the likelihood the people he purportedly addresses in his 'letter' (conservative Christians) will actually read it is close to zero. OK: he does state in the preface that its primary purpose is to "arm secularists", which I guess means he really had a different audience in mind from the start. Fair enough. But why use the particular framing device that he does - a belligerent, hectoring letter to fu...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
a Christian who needs their faith challenged
What is interesting about this book, as in most atheist thought, is that in lambasting fundamentalist institutional religious dogma, the author ends up doing exactly what he accuses his opponents of: polarizing, claiming to know what truth and reality are better than anyone else, and pushing moderates into extremism. He claims, as all atheists do, to be speaking solidly from the standpoint of reason. As a reasonable man, then, he should have recognized that fighting antagonism with greater antag...more
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Read in June, 2007
It's clear that Sam Harris wrote this book out of frustration with Christianity in particular, and religion in general. The book's style and tone conveys the author's frustration--in such a way that makes it largely a turn-off for many Christians who might otherwise earnestly listen to what he has to say.
That aside, Sam Harris makes a lot of good points, that I think many Christ...more
That aside, Sam Harris makes a lot of good points, that I think many Christ...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
People who appreciate critical analysis of religion
I agree with other reviewers that there are no new or surprising arguments here. He goes over ground which is thoroughly familiar to those who think critically of religion. What makes the book so worthwhile is not, therefore, any (ahem) great revelations.
What I found thrilling about this book, as an atheist of over 40 years, was the startling, forceful simplicity, directness, beauty, and artistry with which he made his points. Consider one quote: "If the Bible is an ordinary book, and C...more
What I found thrilling about this book, as an atheist of over 40 years, was the startling, forceful simplicity, directness, beauty, and artistry with which he made his points. Consider one quote: "If the Bible is an ordinary book, and C...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in February, 2008
recommends it for:
Anyone interested in religion's impact on society
Wow! Concentrated essence of critique. This book is passionate, and tightly reasoned and put together. It catalogues some of the problems organized religions have inflicted on humanity, past and present, ranging from causing division, hatred and war to putting the brakes on truly free scientific and intellectual inquiry.
Harris takes a number of common arguments in favor of the existence of God and/or the validity of various bodies or tenets of dogma, and shows that under logical considera...more
Harris takes a number of common arguments in favor of the existence of God and/or the validity of various bodies or tenets of dogma, and shows that under logical considera...more
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Read in January, 2008
Letter to a Christian Nation is the kind of work that leaves me giddy in its ability to beat down the sometimes inane beliefs of the religious. Written in response to the feedback he received after his first book, The End of Faith, was published, Sam Harris does a great job of picking apart the arguments brought forth by a certain section of the American (Christian) population.
Quick and easy and, if you are anything like me, totally entertaining. Even better if you have someone else to giggl...more
Quick and easy and, if you are anything like me, totally entertaining. Even better if you have someone else to giggl...more
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Read in January, 2008
Mr. Harris book is an easy and fast read as well as a 'must read' for anyone who values rational and moral thought over religious faith as a guide for behaviour. The current rise of the religious right in America frankly frightens me. As Mr. Harris says in his preamble 'the truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ's love are deeply, even murderously intolerant of criticism.' This quote from Jann Levin sums up the book nicely.
"“Sam Harris fearlessly describes a moral and ...more
"“Sam Harris fearlessly describes a moral and ...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
bigots
In his later work, Letter to a Christian Nation, Harris takes up Christianity and the Bible directly. It is notable, however, that Harris never discusses Christians or the “Christian world” with the same language that he directs against Muslims.
There is an incredible level of dishonesty involved here. Even if one were to accept Harris’ premises—that it is primarily religions belief that is responsible for acts of violence—one must, if looking at the situation objectively, conclude ...more
There is an incredible level of dishonesty involved here. Even if one were to accept Harris’ premises—that it is primarily religions belief that is responsible for acts of violence—one must, if looking at the situation objectively, conclude ...more
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Read in February, 2008
recommends it for:
atheists, Christians on the fence
Seems to be more of a letter to atheists than to Christians. I've yet to find a truely compelling message to divert humanity away from religious thought, and Letter to a Christian Nation is far too accurate and on point to be convincing to a Christian mind.
One concept which I've found to be unique in this book is this: the word "Atheist" should not exist. There is no term in English which identifies someone who denies the existance of Aliens. There isn't a word for people who deny ...more
One concept which I've found to be unique in this book is this: the word "Atheist" should not exist. There is no term in English which identifies someone who denies the existance of Aliens. There isn't a word for people who deny ...more
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I wish Sam Harris at written this before The End of Faith or I had read this book first. In Letter to a Christian Nation, he takes a more gentle tone and walks the reader through his disbelief in Christianity and other religions. I found it hard to dispute his point of view. The connections he makes between religion and flawed political policies (i.e stem cell research) are especially effective. I'm glad he put away the sledgehammer and decided to spoon feed his readers rather than beat them ove...more
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Harris has all his arguments in order, all the footnotes covered and has layed out a perfectly rational essay. Yet nowhere, either here or in 'End of Faith' does he adequately address the fact that Atheism, in this country and other first-world countries anyway, is essentially a comfortable position for those who can afford it. I say this as an atheist, and I might recommend this book to anyone firmly entrenched in their religion who also has a safe house to live in and a lawn to mow. However...more
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I wonder if Sam Harris was really trying to be persuasive in this book--a lot of his statements seemed a bit tongue in cheek and the audience who would read it, I would imagine, is not the audience the book should reach. I mean--no convincing needed here that we have to be in a society that's not run by the religious right!
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Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
those who are willing to refute it
(Most of the words in this review are from Douglas Wilson's "Letter from a Christian Citizen.")
Though Sam Harris does have a literary talent for expressing his ideas, he is nowhere close to convincing. In his book, he refers to the "obscene celebrations of violence that we find throughout the Old and New Testaments." He sets this off against the utter non-violence of Jainism, a religious sect that has its origins in India. He quotes one of the tenants of Jainism, "Do...more
Though Sam Harris does have a literary talent for expressing his ideas, he is nowhere close to convincing. In his book, he refers to the "obscene celebrations of violence that we find throughout the Old and New Testaments." He sets this off against the utter non-violence of Jainism, a religious sect that has its origins in India. He quotes one of the tenants of Jainism, "Do...more
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Read in February, 2008
This book is very quickly read as it is pithy and direct. In it Sam Harris responds to the many comments and views addressed to him by believers in the United States. The idea of reason versus religion is not new and has been expounded as well by other scholars. However, Sam's approach is still valuable. I think such a "letter" to the Christians is needed as Christianity has, in many minds, taken on the veneer of civilization by being the major religion of the developed, modern, we...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
the shrill and patronizing
I approached this book as a person who has a religious/spiritual Christian background. While critical of many organized religions and the damage that they do, I still feel a connection to my spiritual roots.
Perhaps it was too much to expect a well-reasoned invitation to dialogue in picking up LTaCN. Reading it, I could practically hear Harris spitting out each sentence with disdain. This tone left me in a place where I let his words glance off of me rather than delving into what he had to sa...more
Perhaps it was too much to expect a well-reasoned invitation to dialogue in picking up LTaCN. Reading it, I could practically hear Harris spitting out each sentence with disdain. This tone left me in a place where I let his words glance off of me rather than delving into what he had to sa...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
Doubting Thomases
So. . . lots of rational arguments are made in this earnest epistle. But. . . and I--whatever--.. . is there any point to engaging irrational people in rational argument? The assumption in any fruitful debate is that both sides are willing and ready to entertain reasonable arguments for the oppostition. If one side enters the argument stating "I refuse to entertain the plausibility of anything that speaks agains what I--without need of proof--unwaveringly believe?" This seems like ...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
everyone
I'm not going to lie, Sam Harris is pretty abrasive in this book. He is not open-minded and this is clearly a rebuttal for the letters he received in response to his first book (have not read it yet). Considering that he is responding to some (probably pretty volatile) hate mail, I like the intensity of his response. This is the first time I've read a book on faith that does not pussyfoot around the possibility that religion, as a whole, is a wounded concept. I am not saying that I believe t...more
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
militant atheists
I love atheist literature mostly because extremely intelligent people contribute to the body of works. This book, however, was a little extreme. Although I am a Bright and therefore agree with nearly everything said in this short number, I often found myself thinking thoughts defending the silly Christian right. Why? Not because I agree with them (please…) but because I automatically think skeptical thoughts when confronted with a quasi-militant agenda. Sam Harris lacks the delicate poise...more
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Read in June, 2007
I read this book out loud in about 2 hours to my son and husband. It's very accessible and quick to read. Good if you are really interested in Sam Harris, but don't have the time for reading _End of Faith_. He focuses specifically on Christianity too, which is one of the reasons I really liked it, since I have some basis for listening to his arguments, having been raised Catholic. His arguments are eloquently stated and highly compelling. His irony makes me laugh a lot. He is brilliant.
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Read in December, 2008
This is perhaps the worst book I've ever read the whole way through. Harris makes atheism look like the religion of angry high school kids, filling 90 pages with oversimplifications and visceral disgust with most human beings. He has not a single good argument going for him; all of his arguments are taken either from Bertrand Russell (who, by the way, actually knows how to write against Christianity) or Jeremy Bentham. Sam Harris is way out of his element on this one.
1. The writing style is...more
1. The writing style is...more
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