Laurie's profile

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Laurie's bookshelves

read (5)
currently-reading (2)

to-read (131)
to-read-fiction (68)

to-read-non-fiction (54)
thomas-jefferson (8)

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Laurie is currently reading

	09/05 Laurie is currently reading: Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare (Paperback) by Stephen Greenblatt bookshelves: currently-reading, to-read-non-fiction	my rating:
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	08/20 Laurie is currently reading: The Sea (Paperback) by John Banville bookshelves: currently-reading, to-read-fiction	my rating:
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Laurie's recent updates (rss)

August 21

Laurie made a comment in the group Nonfiction Boot Camp—Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants. topic:

Laurie wrote: "I bought Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma for my mother when it was published in 2006, and sh...more "

August 10

Laurie made a comment in the group Nonfiction Boot Camp—Biography for September? topic:

Laurie wrote: "Sinead has suggested we pick a biography for September. Anyone have ideas for a good one, or suggest...more "

July 27

Laurie made a comment in the group Nonfiction Boot Camp—General thoughts on the book? topic:

Laurie wrote: "Having started this new thread, first of all I hope you all will feel free to start new threads too ...more Having started this new thread, first of all I hope you all will feel free to start new threads too anytime you want.

The God Delusion proved to be much more interesting (and entertaining!) than I thought it would be. I was raised in the South, but in a very laid-back nondenominational church...no fire and brimstone, no fear and punishment, very "new testament" as they claimed (and it was so, thanks to a very forward-thinking minister). So when I was old enough to start doubting that the Bible was an actual historical document, and from there to begin doubting that Christianity was the only true religion, and then drifting into agnosticism it was an easy path to take. But so was leaving open a door to the possibilities of God or gods.

I wasn't sure that The God Delusion was going to bring anything new to the table for me, but I found Dawkins’ "be brave enough to embrace your atheism!" message intriguing (although I think I'll stay inside with the chickens.) But he's so right that you can't express religious doubt in this country without isolating yourself. I did appreciate his critique of how religion operates in American life and it's influence on public policy. Still, a community of atheists just seems kind of dreary to me rather than freeing.
The primary point in the book that bothered me was his argument that without religion, there would be no suicide bombings, no 9/11, no problems in the middle east, no Northern Ireland, etc. He completely glossed over the fact that these conflicts are given the patina of religion as an organizing principle, but are in fact political divides and quests for power and control. Banish religion and most of these problems would still exist. He gets angry when he reads of "a Muslim child", aged four, when what is meant is a four-year-old child of Muslim parents…which I understand, and I think his take on the religious indoctrination of children is on the money. But his anger, for example, over the fact that the massacres in what used to be Yugoslavia are called "ethnic cleansing" instead of religious massacres—-well, religion is just the excuse for one group to attack another group that is threatening its hold on power.

If the book has a single message, it is that there is nothing wrong or outlandish about atheism, and that life can still have purpose if you allow yourself to be free of the delusions of religion. However, if it’s his ambition (and I think it is?) to convert anyone, I don’t think it’s going to work.
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July 13

Laurie made a comment in the group Nonfiction Boot Camp—Procedures...how to run things? topic:

Laurie wrote: "Hi all,

I've looked around at some of the other groups on Goodreads, and I don't really see a goo...more "

July 11

Laurie made a comment in the group Nonfiction Boot Camp—Chapter 1: A Deeply Religious Non-Believer topic:

Laurie wrote: "OK, I've finished chapter 1--and I have to say, first of all, that having this reading plan made pub...more "

June 01

Laurie marked as to-read:
Dear American Airlines: A Novel (Hardcover)
by Jonathan Miles
bookshelves: to-read, to-read-fiction

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August 23

Laurie installed the Goodreads Facebook Application

May 27

Laurie marked as to-read:
My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey (Paperback)
by Jill Bolte Taylor
bookshelves: to-read, to-read-non-fiction

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Laurie marked as to-read:
Bad Land: An American Romance (Paperback)
by Jonathan Raban
bookshelves: to-read, to-read-non-fiction

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Laurie marked as to-read:
Old Glory : A Voyage Down the Mississippi (Paperback)
by Jonathan Raban
bookshelves: to-read, to-read-non-fiction

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Laurie's groups (recent posts)

Nonfiction Boot Camp — 12 members — last activity 21 hours, 42 min ago
For people who actually want to read the nonfiction on their reading list...rather than just pretend they will someday (as they reach for another nove...more

Laurie's friend comments

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from Daniel

04/22/2008 02:24PM

Been to Virginia many times, Laurie, but never to Alexandria.

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