Robert Jacoby's Blog, page 6
December 21, 2015
Review of Our Final Invention by James Barrat
I'm an interested layman of this topic, and I found this book to be engaging, timely, and informative. That's the trifecta as far as I'm concerned with nonfiction science books like this. And there are enough supporting notes for further research if you'd like. Know, though, that as comprehensive as this book tries to be, it's an introductory work written by an outsider to the field.
Barrat claims throughout to be doing a service to humanity by trying to raise awareness in the general population about the dangers of artificial superintelligence (ASI). Be warned: he does not get bogged down in too much technical talk; instead, he approaches the subject from who he is: he's a documentary film maker. When I read this in the first few pages of the book I was startled, because I did not realize this when I bought the book, and I was hesitant about going forward. After all, I figured, he's not a writer, he's a filmmaker. What can he know about this subject?
But, fear not, Barrat pulls it off. Because, it seems to me, precisely because he is a documentary filmmaker. He approaches his writing like he would a documentary film. He's read widely and deeply on the subject, he's interviewed experts in the field, and he's gone to many different expert conferences; now he's reporting on what the experts think and what he's learned. He's painting pieces of a canvas to portray the whole story.
Topics Barrat ranges over as he tells this story include genetic algorithms, genetic programming, machine learning, and the singularity; and also nanotechnology and robotics/transhumanism, because these both are inextricably linked to the topic of AI. The big, scary issue in AI that he keeps coming back to are the four drives that any self-aware, self-improving, goal-seeking system will have: efficiency, self-protection, resource acquisition, and creativity. A knowledgeable layman will realize right away that those four drives--embedded in a machine that can "think" a thousand times faster than the smartest human being--means we could be building something that we cannot ultimately control.
His descriptions of genetic programming are particularly frightening. Code is programmed to solve a problem (input); problem gets solved (output); no one knows exactly how the machine solved the problem.
Barrat lays out a convincing case: we humans have some choices to make about the machines we make. Let's hope it's not too late.
5/5
Barrat claims throughout to be doing a service to humanity by trying to raise awareness in the general population about the dangers of artificial superintelligence (ASI). Be warned: he does not get bogged down in too much technical talk; instead, he approaches the subject from who he is: he's a documentary film maker. When I read this in the first few pages of the book I was startled, because I did not realize this when I bought the book, and I was hesitant about going forward. After all, I figured, he's not a writer, he's a filmmaker. What can he know about this subject?
But, fear not, Barrat pulls it off. Because, it seems to me, precisely because he is a documentary filmmaker. He approaches his writing like he would a documentary film. He's read widely and deeply on the subject, he's interviewed experts in the field, and he's gone to many different expert conferences; now he's reporting on what the experts think and what he's learned. He's painting pieces of a canvas to portray the whole story.
Topics Barrat ranges over as he tells this story include genetic algorithms, genetic programming, machine learning, and the singularity; and also nanotechnology and robotics/transhumanism, because these both are inextricably linked to the topic of AI. The big, scary issue in AI that he keeps coming back to are the four drives that any self-aware, self-improving, goal-seeking system will have: efficiency, self-protection, resource acquisition, and creativity. A knowledgeable layman will realize right away that those four drives--embedded in a machine that can "think" a thousand times faster than the smartest human being--means we could be building something that we cannot ultimately control.
His descriptions of genetic programming are particularly frightening. Code is programmed to solve a problem (input); problem gets solved (output); no one knows exactly how the machine solved the problem.
Barrat lays out a convincing case: we humans have some choices to make about the machines we make. Let's hope it's not too late.
5/5
December 15, 2015
Review of Al-Qur'an: A Contemporary Translation by Ahmed Ali
(Background: Over a couple of decades' time I planned to read the scriptures of the world's great religions/philosophies. I started with my own, reading the Bible in two different translations--first the Hebrew-Greek Word Study Bible by Spiros Zodhiates, and then the KJV/NIV--to gain a better grasp on my spirituality and to think critically about why and what I believed. I also wanted to get a better understanding of the world's major religions so that I could be more in tune with people, their language and their culture, and current events. Next I turned to Islam and Al-Quaran. After that The Bhagavad Gita and the Analects of Confucius. Lastly the Tao Te Ching. Every reading is helping me go a bit deeper and wider into man's search for God and, through that, meaning in this life. More books and reviews to come.)
Sacred texts say a lot about the people who hold them sacred.
I'd heard about the supposedly many problems with translating the Koran. I do not speak a word of Arabic, but I have read that it is a rich language--it tends to hyperbole and also lengthy expressions--and the words can have subtle and different meanings. Some scholars have even called it an "exaggerated language." Idioms are difficult to translate. Also, I've read that the original language is nearly musical in its beauty. This goes back centuries when, some say, people might greet one another using poetry. That's a lot of pressure to put on any English translation of this book!
Still, translations are made into other languages, all the time. So with all that in mind, I wanted to read "the best" translation of the Koran available, one that was well respected among the community of scholars and readers and one that had stood the test of time.
I think I found that in Ahmed Ali's work in Al-Qur'an. The text is simple and easy to follow and understand. There is the occasional footnote to explain meanings, interpretations, and translation problems of some verses. He provides an index, which is helpful. And I found myself taking voluminous notes to compare to verses and stories as told in the Old and New Testaments in the Bible. Al-Quaran is a derivative work, obviously (Islam is an offshoot of the Judeo-Christian tradition). References abound to biblical accounts and characters. It was composed by one man sometime in the early 600s (From the Wikipedia article: "Muslims believe the Quran was verbally revealed by God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel (Jibril), gradually over a period of approximately 23 years, beginning on 22 December 609 CE, when Muhammad was 40, and concluding in 632, the year of his death."), while the Bible was written by dozens of men over a period of 2,000 years.
Reading Al-Quaran completely through has enriched my understanding of Islam historically, and it's given me a better understanding of its place among the two monotheistic religions it descended from (Judaism and Christianity). It also helped me have a deeper appreciation for its place in current events on the world stage and for the fruits of this religion. If you're not a Muslim, or a native speaker of Arabic, I still can highly recommend this translation for how it presents the religion of Islam to us. (I know there are many volumes of hadith--collections of reports claiming to be what the prophet Muhammad spoke--but I have not read any of these.)
This is a sufficient translation of Islamic scripture for the English-speaking world. Highly recommended.
***
Now, I have to add: As a Christian, after reading Al-Quaran, my understanding of the God of Islam remains in line with two quotes from the Christian philosopher and theologian William Lane Craig:
"[T]he Muslim concept of God is rationally objectionable. Now in claiming this, I'm not trying to put anybody down or attack someone personally. I'm just saying that it seems to me that the Islamic conception of God has real problems which render it rationally objectionable. Let me share just one of those deficits, namely: Islam has a morally deficient concept of God."
(Craig is using that term in a theological and philosophical construct, of course. To read the full article, see http://www.reasonablefaith.org/is-the....)
"The God of the Koran is not the greatest conceivable being.... The God of the Koran is partial, his love is conditional--you have to earn it--and it is not universal. He does not love sinners. Over and over again the Koran says God loves not the unbelievers, he loves not sinners, he loves not the hard necked. He only loves believers. And so for that reason I could not be a Muslim. I think that the concept of God in Islam is morally inadequate."
("How the Muslim Concept of God Fails," YouTube video, accessed December 5, 2015; source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJK3i...).
***
For the reader interested in contextualizing Islam in the modern world from a reputable source, see the 2013 Pew Research Center report "The World's Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society". In this report you'll see attitudes on support for making sharia the law of the land, the death penalty for those who leave Islam, stoning for unfaithful spouses, and justification for attacking civilians in defense of Islam. You'll also find information on attitudes on abortion, homosexuality, honor killings, wives obeying husbands, polygamy, interfaith relations, and popular culture. The report also includes information on Muslim Americans surveyed (for example, 8% think violence such as suicide bombings are "often/sometimes justified").
For the reader interested in a Christian theologian's view of the differences between the concept of God in Christianity and Islam, I recommend William Lane Craig's presentation on the topic. See "The Concept of God in Islam and Christianity National Religious Broadcasters Convention," YouTube video, accessed December 8, 2015; source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcYd7.... He provides an excellent summary of each belief.
Sacred texts say a lot about the people who hold them sacred.
I'd heard about the supposedly many problems with translating the Koran. I do not speak a word of Arabic, but I have read that it is a rich language--it tends to hyperbole and also lengthy expressions--and the words can have subtle and different meanings. Some scholars have even called it an "exaggerated language." Idioms are difficult to translate. Also, I've read that the original language is nearly musical in its beauty. This goes back centuries when, some say, people might greet one another using poetry. That's a lot of pressure to put on any English translation of this book!
Still, translations are made into other languages, all the time. So with all that in mind, I wanted to read "the best" translation of the Koran available, one that was well respected among the community of scholars and readers and one that had stood the test of time.
I think I found that in Ahmed Ali's work in Al-Qur'an. The text is simple and easy to follow and understand. There is the occasional footnote to explain meanings, interpretations, and translation problems of some verses. He provides an index, which is helpful. And I found myself taking voluminous notes to compare to verses and stories as told in the Old and New Testaments in the Bible. Al-Quaran is a derivative work, obviously (Islam is an offshoot of the Judeo-Christian tradition). References abound to biblical accounts and characters. It was composed by one man sometime in the early 600s (From the Wikipedia article: "Muslims believe the Quran was verbally revealed by God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel (Jibril), gradually over a period of approximately 23 years, beginning on 22 December 609 CE, when Muhammad was 40, and concluding in 632, the year of his death."), while the Bible was written by dozens of men over a period of 2,000 years.
Reading Al-Quaran completely through has enriched my understanding of Islam historically, and it's given me a better understanding of its place among the two monotheistic religions it descended from (Judaism and Christianity). It also helped me have a deeper appreciation for its place in current events on the world stage and for the fruits of this religion. If you're not a Muslim, or a native speaker of Arabic, I still can highly recommend this translation for how it presents the religion of Islam to us. (I know there are many volumes of hadith--collections of reports claiming to be what the prophet Muhammad spoke--but I have not read any of these.)
This is a sufficient translation of Islamic scripture for the English-speaking world. Highly recommended.
***
Now, I have to add: As a Christian, after reading Al-Quaran, my understanding of the God of Islam remains in line with two quotes from the Christian philosopher and theologian William Lane Craig:
"[T]he Muslim concept of God is rationally objectionable. Now in claiming this, I'm not trying to put anybody down or attack someone personally. I'm just saying that it seems to me that the Islamic conception of God has real problems which render it rationally objectionable. Let me share just one of those deficits, namely: Islam has a morally deficient concept of God."
(Craig is using that term in a theological and philosophical construct, of course. To read the full article, see http://www.reasonablefaith.org/is-the....)
"The God of the Koran is not the greatest conceivable being.... The God of the Koran is partial, his love is conditional--you have to earn it--and it is not universal. He does not love sinners. Over and over again the Koran says God loves not the unbelievers, he loves not sinners, he loves not the hard necked. He only loves believers. And so for that reason I could not be a Muslim. I think that the concept of God in Islam is morally inadequate."
("How the Muslim Concept of God Fails," YouTube video, accessed December 5, 2015; source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJK3i...).
***
For the reader interested in contextualizing Islam in the modern world from a reputable source, see the 2013 Pew Research Center report "The World's Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society". In this report you'll see attitudes on support for making sharia the law of the land, the death penalty for those who leave Islam, stoning for unfaithful spouses, and justification for attacking civilians in defense of Islam. You'll also find information on attitudes on abortion, homosexuality, honor killings, wives obeying husbands, polygamy, interfaith relations, and popular culture. The report also includes information on Muslim Americans surveyed (for example, 8% think violence such as suicide bombings are "often/sometimes justified").
For the reader interested in a Christian theologian's view of the differences between the concept of God in Christianity and Islam, I recommend William Lane Craig's presentation on the topic. See "The Concept of God in Islam and Christianity National Religious Broadcasters Convention," YouTube video, accessed December 8, 2015; source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcYd7.... He provides an excellent summary of each belief.
December 7, 2015
Review of the Bible (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, New International Version) by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates (Editor), Dr. Warren Patrick Baker D.R.E. (Series Editor)
(Background: Over a couple of decades' time I plan to read the scriptures of the world's great religions/philosophies. I started with my own, reading the Bible in two different translations--first the KJV and then the Hebrew-Greek Word Study NIV Bible by Spiros Zodhiates--to gain a better grasp on my spirituality and to think critically about why and what I believed. I also wanted to get a better understanding of the world's major religions so that I could be more in tune with people, their language and their culture, and current events. Next I turned to Islam and Al-Quaran. After that The Bhagavad Gita and the Analects of Confucius. Lastly the Tao Te Ching. Every reading is helping me go a bit deeper and wider into man's search for God and, through that, meaning in this life. More books and reviews still to come.)
It's been said that the Bible is the greatest book ever written. It's that, and it's also the most popular, misunderstood, misquoted, and misused book ever written. People do this because of sinful nature, of course, but perhaps more so because they've not read the book in its entirety, so they're merely picking out pieces that suit them without seeing the whole. It's like selecting one tile in a mosaic and holding it out to declare you've found something of great excellence and worth and truth. When what you're really doing is missing the integrated whole.
I grew up Catholic and had little personal knowledge of the Bible. My spiritual rebirth happened in the mid-1980s, when I was in college, and it was immediate and profound. My excitement to know everything I could about who Jesus Christ claimed to be--and what impact He was having on my life in this new love relationship--was all consuming. As the years went on I read more and more commentaries and studies and portions of the Bible itself, but I still felt something was missing; I wanted to know the thing in its totality, its entirety. My reasoning was: You would never think of dropping into page 110 of Paradise Lost, for example, read a little bit, then think you'd understood the meaning of the entire work. So, I wanted that same sense of completion and comprehension. I was feeling a deep need to actually do what some have thought about but few have done: I wanted to just and simply and massively ... read it, from beginning to end. Just like a book. I did this with the King James Version. But when I wanted to re-read it, I wanted a study Bible.
But which version should I read? How would I decide?
When I was doing my research to find a Bible to read all the way through, I was looking for a "complete" package. I searched diligently for quite awhile, sifting through many professional and customer reviews. I wanted a translation of the Bible that had a balanced view, taking into account meanings from the original languages. I wanted word guides and studies so that I could better understand the original language within its context. And, I wanted some commentary, too, to help me understand the text I was reading.
It's all here in the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible by Spiros Zodhiates. Some of the many study helps include grammatical codes and notations; lexical aids; a scripture index; dictionaries for Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek (these are particularly helpful); and indices for Strong's to Goodrick/Kohlenberger's Numbers, and vice versa; and several color maps. Introductions to each of the 66 books of the Bible--39 in the OT and 27 in the NT--are short but enlightening, providing religious, textual, social, and archaeological contexts. (For further reading on how the canon came to be I suggest The Canon of Scripture by F.F. Bruce. I've reviewed that book here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3313TC4...)
Just to give one example of the value I found in the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible:
It was reading 1 John 3:9 that shook me to my spiritual core: "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him;..." I was curious about the Greek word for "seed" and so looked it up in the Greek dictionary. There it was--entry number 5065--the English word "seed" in the Greek is "sperma"; and there, too: seed, children, offspring, descendants. I was floored, and a sudden realization overwhelmed me of the profound meaning of that word in its original text.
***
During a conversation a few years ago with a friend (who is a humanist), he blurted out something about Jesus not thinking of himself as any sort of deity but merely as a good teacher. He grinned, thinking he had me, but what he didn't know at the time is that I was literally so struck dumb by such nonsense that I literally could not respond to his uninformed statement. I felt--as the Germans would say--Fremdschämen. And then, too, Paul's admonition to Timothy came to mind: "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments..." Still, here and now let's put to rest any doubt about how Jesus Christ saw himself. Jesus saw himself as God. Multiple passages in the New Testament attest to this, but the overriding fact is that this claim of His is why He was put to death. He was not put to death for being a good teacher, or for healing people, or for saying wise things; He was put to death by the Sanhedrin for claiming to be God. A few excerpts:
“Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58); see the New Testament Lexical Aids; the "I am" is in the present active indicative tense.
Later He says, “I and the Father are one.” The Jews were ready to kill Him right there and they tell Him why. “Because you,” they said, “a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33).
Mark 14:61 states that the high priest then asked Jesus: "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said "I am", at which point the high priest tore his own robe in anger and accused Jesus of blasphemy.
One of the great tragedies of our modern era, I think, is our eagerness to engage in communication on a subject without the requisite knowledge of a subject. It's very strange to me how people can form such strong opinions on things they don't really know or understand, but that they think they do. It never ceases to amaze me how eager people are to use the Bible to justify some position they're interested in defending. And I am continually dumbfounded by "educated people" and their lack of education on the fundamentals of Western civilization, one of these being, of course, the Bible.
***
Some of my favorite verses include:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
[After some of his disciples left Him because of His hard sayings] So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:67,68)
Paul in one of his letters: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
Jesus: I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (John 16:12,13)
***
One of the great revelatory aspects of reading the Bible from beginning to end was seeing in it the centrality of Jesus Christ. St. Augustine expressed the principle of seeing in the Old Testament what was revealed in the New Testament: "In the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed; in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed."
This is the book to read. I think it should be re-introduced into the university curriculum, along with other scriptures, to provide a well-rounded collegiate experience for young people. Its part in the Western Canon is indisputable. Just a few decades ago it was considered to be part of every person's education; I think it should be returned to that place of honor.
Reading this book all the way through, from beginning to end, was one of the most powerful and profound experiences of my life.
Read to discover and rediscover. Read to find out what you think you know and what you do not know. Read to understand man's place in creation.
Ultimately, you must learn for yourself. Otherwise, how will you know?
***
For the reader interested in a philosopher's view of the differences between the concept of God in Christianity and Islam, I recommend William Lane Craig's presentation on the topic. Just google The Concept of God in Islam and Christianity National Religious Broadcasters Convention for the YouTube video. Dr. Craig is a Christian philosopher and theologian, and he provides an excellent summary of each belief.
It's been said that the Bible is the greatest book ever written. It's that, and it's also the most popular, misunderstood, misquoted, and misused book ever written. People do this because of sinful nature, of course, but perhaps more so because they've not read the book in its entirety, so they're merely picking out pieces that suit them without seeing the whole. It's like selecting one tile in a mosaic and holding it out to declare you've found something of great excellence and worth and truth. When what you're really doing is missing the integrated whole.
I grew up Catholic and had little personal knowledge of the Bible. My spiritual rebirth happened in the mid-1980s, when I was in college, and it was immediate and profound. My excitement to know everything I could about who Jesus Christ claimed to be--and what impact He was having on my life in this new love relationship--was all consuming. As the years went on I read more and more commentaries and studies and portions of the Bible itself, but I still felt something was missing; I wanted to know the thing in its totality, its entirety. My reasoning was: You would never think of dropping into page 110 of Paradise Lost, for example, read a little bit, then think you'd understood the meaning of the entire work. So, I wanted that same sense of completion and comprehension. I was feeling a deep need to actually do what some have thought about but few have done: I wanted to just and simply and massively ... read it, from beginning to end. Just like a book. I did this with the King James Version. But when I wanted to re-read it, I wanted a study Bible.
But which version should I read? How would I decide?
When I was doing my research to find a Bible to read all the way through, I was looking for a "complete" package. I searched diligently for quite awhile, sifting through many professional and customer reviews. I wanted a translation of the Bible that had a balanced view, taking into account meanings from the original languages. I wanted word guides and studies so that I could better understand the original language within its context. And, I wanted some commentary, too, to help me understand the text I was reading.
It's all here in the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible by Spiros Zodhiates. Some of the many study helps include grammatical codes and notations; lexical aids; a scripture index; dictionaries for Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek (these are particularly helpful); and indices for Strong's to Goodrick/Kohlenberger's Numbers, and vice versa; and several color maps. Introductions to each of the 66 books of the Bible--39 in the OT and 27 in the NT--are short but enlightening, providing religious, textual, social, and archaeological contexts. (For further reading on how the canon came to be I suggest The Canon of Scripture by F.F. Bruce. I've reviewed that book here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3313TC4...)
Just to give one example of the value I found in the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible:
It was reading 1 John 3:9 that shook me to my spiritual core: "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him;..." I was curious about the Greek word for "seed" and so looked it up in the Greek dictionary. There it was--entry number 5065--the English word "seed" in the Greek is "sperma"; and there, too: seed, children, offspring, descendants. I was floored, and a sudden realization overwhelmed me of the profound meaning of that word in its original text.
***
During a conversation a few years ago with a friend (who is a humanist), he blurted out something about Jesus not thinking of himself as any sort of deity but merely as a good teacher. He grinned, thinking he had me, but what he didn't know at the time is that I was literally so struck dumb by such nonsense that I literally could not respond to his uninformed statement. I felt--as the Germans would say--Fremdschämen. And then, too, Paul's admonition to Timothy came to mind: "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments..." Still, here and now let's put to rest any doubt about how Jesus Christ saw himself. Jesus saw himself as God. Multiple passages in the New Testament attest to this, but the overriding fact is that this claim of His is why He was put to death. He was not put to death for being a good teacher, or for healing people, or for saying wise things; He was put to death by the Sanhedrin for claiming to be God. A few excerpts:
“Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58); see the New Testament Lexical Aids; the "I am" is in the present active indicative tense.
Later He says, “I and the Father are one.” The Jews were ready to kill Him right there and they tell Him why. “Because you,” they said, “a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33).
Mark 14:61 states that the high priest then asked Jesus: "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said "I am", at which point the high priest tore his own robe in anger and accused Jesus of blasphemy.
One of the great tragedies of our modern era, I think, is our eagerness to engage in communication on a subject without the requisite knowledge of a subject. It's very strange to me how people can form such strong opinions on things they don't really know or understand, but that they think they do. It never ceases to amaze me how eager people are to use the Bible to justify some position they're interested in defending. And I am continually dumbfounded by "educated people" and their lack of education on the fundamentals of Western civilization, one of these being, of course, the Bible.
***
Some of my favorite verses include:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
[After some of his disciples left Him because of His hard sayings] So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:67,68)
Paul in one of his letters: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
Jesus: I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (John 16:12,13)
***
One of the great revelatory aspects of reading the Bible from beginning to end was seeing in it the centrality of Jesus Christ. St. Augustine expressed the principle of seeing in the Old Testament what was revealed in the New Testament: "In the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed; in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed."
This is the book to read. I think it should be re-introduced into the university curriculum, along with other scriptures, to provide a well-rounded collegiate experience for young people. Its part in the Western Canon is indisputable. Just a few decades ago it was considered to be part of every person's education; I think it should be returned to that place of honor.
Reading this book all the way through, from beginning to end, was one of the most powerful and profound experiences of my life.
Read to discover and rediscover. Read to find out what you think you know and what you do not know. Read to understand man's place in creation.
Ultimately, you must learn for yourself. Otherwise, how will you know?
***
For the reader interested in a philosopher's view of the differences between the concept of God in Christianity and Islam, I recommend William Lane Craig's presentation on the topic. Just google The Concept of God in Islam and Christianity National Religious Broadcasters Convention for the YouTube video. Dr. Craig is a Christian philosopher and theologian, and he provides an excellent summary of each belief.
November 30, 2015
Review of The Peregrine by J.A. Baker
No other way to put it: This book is a treasure of the English language.
In The Peregrine J.A. Baker describes how he tracked and trekked over months and miles in his native England to watch and record in language like you've never read how peregrines hunt and feed and fly and play and rest. The language he uses to construct his sentences is like none other I have ever read. It's a vivid mix of nature writing and the best poetry. The text is so dense, the sentences are so packed with words bringing life to action--there really is no reading experience I can compare this to. I could only stand to read a few pages at a time; "relish" not "read" would be the better word there.
This is more than "nature writing," too. Baker gets under the very surface of life to expose what lurks. Just a few excepts to illustrate:
"The hardest thing of all to see is what is really there."
"Terror seeks out the odd, and the sick, and the lost."
“There is no mysterious essence we can call a 'place'. Place is change. It is motion killed by the mind, and preserved in the amber of memory.”
“Whatever is destroyed, the act of destruction does not vary much. Beauty is vapour from the pit of death.”
I cannot give The Peregrine anything less than 5 stars. It's more than a book, it is a reading experience. Reading it will expand your senses. It will enliven you and enrich you as a human being. I think that's the greatest thing we can expect from any book.
In The Peregrine J.A. Baker describes how he tracked and trekked over months and miles in his native England to watch and record in language like you've never read how peregrines hunt and feed and fly and play and rest. The language he uses to construct his sentences is like none other I have ever read. It's a vivid mix of nature writing and the best poetry. The text is so dense, the sentences are so packed with words bringing life to action--there really is no reading experience I can compare this to. I could only stand to read a few pages at a time; "relish" not "read" would be the better word there.
This is more than "nature writing," too. Baker gets under the very surface of life to expose what lurks. Just a few excepts to illustrate:
"The hardest thing of all to see is what is really there."
"Terror seeks out the odd, and the sick, and the lost."
“There is no mysterious essence we can call a 'place'. Place is change. It is motion killed by the mind, and preserved in the amber of memory.”
“Whatever is destroyed, the act of destruction does not vary much. Beauty is vapour from the pit of death.”
I cannot give The Peregrine anything less than 5 stars. It's more than a book, it is a reading experience. Reading it will expand your senses. It will enliven you and enrich you as a human being. I think that's the greatest thing we can expect from any book.
November 23, 2015
10 More Indie Movies You Should See
My first post on movies I like and would recommend was fairly popular--"10 Indie Movies You Should See"--so I thought I'd give it another go.
1. Lebanon (drama, art house, war)
Breathtaking, on the edge of your seat throughout.
"The First Lebanon War June, 1982. A lone tank is dispatched to search a hostile town that has already been bombarded by the Israel Air Force. What seems to be a simple mission gets gradually out of control..."
Israeli film, subtitled in English.
Filmed nearly entirely within the confines of the tank. Like Das Boot, on land.
Even the trailer is gut-wrenching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_kE...
2. Let the Right One In (horror, drama)
What happens when a 12-year-old boy bullied and outcast by his classmates meets his new next door neighbor, a 12-year-old girl vampire?
Find out.
Swedish film, subtitled in English.
Watch the original Swedish film, not the American re-make.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICp4g...
3. Marwencol (documentary)
Man is nearly beaten to death, left in a coma. When he wakes he has a strange therapy: he creates a 1/6th scale World War II-era town in his backyard and photographs the dolls. In all sorts of odd actions.
As fascinating as it is disturbing and sad.
What the human mind conjures to go on....
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMWFh...
4. The Man from Earth (thinking man's science fiction)
A philosophical science fiction film.
A handful of friends gather to send off one of their university colleagues. Their friend has a secret to share with them all, though, and as the night progresses, things get progressively stranger and stranger.
Answers the question: What happens when someone cannot die?
Don't watch the trailer, it will spoil the film.
5. Ex Machina (science fiction)
Tech guy gets invited to an ultra-rich inventor's house in the woods to test the inventor's smart IA machine. Trouble is, that "machine" is a beautiful woman. And she's learning fast. Really fast.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYGzR...
6. TiMER (intelligent romantic comedy, science fiction)
What if you knew exactly--to the moment--when you were going to meet "the one"? Would you test yourself to find out?
Smart, funny, endearing.
Grab a bucket of popcorn and watch with your sweetie.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4iMW...
7. Robot & Frank (drama, science fiction)
In the near future, an old crook (Frank) gets a present from one of his kids: the robot caretaker. But Frank can't stay out of trouble, even with the help of robot, and returns to his old ways.
"One last time."
Sweet little movie exploring our humanity, our relationships, and aging.
Frank Langella shines.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jZlS...
8. Cashback (science fiction, drama, comedy)
Young man with insomnia learns he can stop time. To do what? Paint? Think? Cause mischief....
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siXe9...
9. Mr. Nobody (science fiction, art house)
The last human on earth is being interviewed.
Everyone wants to know what it's like being human, making choices.
Which choices we make in life are right? Is it possible that all the choices are right?
Vivid and superreal and a little odd, and well worth the journey. Just like life.
Watch the trailer first to see if it's for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpi0q...
10.Whiplash (drama)
Young man's dreams of becoming a great jazz drummer are challenged by a tough-minded and sometimes vicious teacher (Terrence Fletcher, you'll know him when you see him).
Great acting, great story, great finish.
You'll be wrung out by the end.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_jQ...
1. Lebanon (drama, art house, war)
Breathtaking, on the edge of your seat throughout.
"The First Lebanon War June, 1982. A lone tank is dispatched to search a hostile town that has already been bombarded by the Israel Air Force. What seems to be a simple mission gets gradually out of control..."
Israeli film, subtitled in English.
Filmed nearly entirely within the confines of the tank. Like Das Boot, on land.
Even the trailer is gut-wrenching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_kE...
2. Let the Right One In (horror, drama)
What happens when a 12-year-old boy bullied and outcast by his classmates meets his new next door neighbor, a 12-year-old girl vampire?
Find out.
Swedish film, subtitled in English.
Watch the original Swedish film, not the American re-make.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICp4g...
3. Marwencol (documentary)
Man is nearly beaten to death, left in a coma. When he wakes he has a strange therapy: he creates a 1/6th scale World War II-era town in his backyard and photographs the dolls. In all sorts of odd actions.
As fascinating as it is disturbing and sad.
What the human mind conjures to go on....
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMWFh...
4. The Man from Earth (thinking man's science fiction)
A philosophical science fiction film.
A handful of friends gather to send off one of their university colleagues. Their friend has a secret to share with them all, though, and as the night progresses, things get progressively stranger and stranger.
Answers the question: What happens when someone cannot die?
Don't watch the trailer, it will spoil the film.
5. Ex Machina (science fiction)
Tech guy gets invited to an ultra-rich inventor's house in the woods to test the inventor's smart IA machine. Trouble is, that "machine" is a beautiful woman. And she's learning fast. Really fast.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYGzR...
6. TiMER (intelligent romantic comedy, science fiction)
What if you knew exactly--to the moment--when you were going to meet "the one"? Would you test yourself to find out?
Smart, funny, endearing.
Grab a bucket of popcorn and watch with your sweetie.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4iMW...
7. Robot & Frank (drama, science fiction)
In the near future, an old crook (Frank) gets a present from one of his kids: the robot caretaker. But Frank can't stay out of trouble, even with the help of robot, and returns to his old ways.
"One last time."
Sweet little movie exploring our humanity, our relationships, and aging.
Frank Langella shines.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jZlS...
8. Cashback (science fiction, drama, comedy)
Young man with insomnia learns he can stop time. To do what? Paint? Think? Cause mischief....
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siXe9...
9. Mr. Nobody (science fiction, art house)
The last human on earth is being interviewed.
Everyone wants to know what it's like being human, making choices.
Which choices we make in life are right? Is it possible that all the choices are right?
Vivid and superreal and a little odd, and well worth the journey. Just like life.
Watch the trailer first to see if it's for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpi0q...
10.Whiplash (drama)
Young man's dreams of becoming a great jazz drummer are challenged by a tough-minded and sometimes vicious teacher (Terrence Fletcher, you'll know him when you see him).
Great acting, great story, great finish.
You'll be wrung out by the end.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_jQ...
November 16, 2015
Review of Orfeo by Richard Powers
Title: All aboard the Powers train
When I put this book down at the end my first reaction was:
Wow. That was something.
Richard Powers knows how to write expansive, subject-throttling novels. Richard Powers knows how to write beautiful sentences. But most of all, Richard Powers knows how to take a subject (here, music) and dive deeply into it; so deeply, as a matter of opinion, that the subject itself becomes the main character of the novel. Is that a good place for a novel, and you as a reader, to be? I'm not so sure, on both accounts. But this is how the man writes. Beautiful writing layered on top of his top-notch research into a subject layered over characters who serve the purpose of what he means to say. (The only other Richard Powers novel I've read was written the same way. In The Echo Maker the main character was brain damage.)
So. Orfeo tells two stories. Really, though, three stories. We go back and forth in time (Get it? Back and forth. Music. In time.) to follow the story of avant-garde composer Peter Els. Present-day Peter has gotten into trouble over his home bio lab with Homeland Security and hits the road (really it takes half the novel for him to do this). In Past Peter's story we learn how he came to be. The "third story" here is music. As you read you'll want to have your laptop/desktop handy, because this is a Richard Powers novel, and you'll need/want to google some term or some name or some event every other page or so. Or, just go along for the ride. (I find that I tire of googling as I'm reading a Powers novel after about page 300. Especially when the name-dropping becomes carpet bombing. At one point in the text there were at least ten names of modern, avant-garde composers lumped one after the other, and I got tired after looking up the second one. It didn't enrich my reading, it irritated it. And I don't get it because I've given up. Because I'm at the point where I'm not sure it really matters.)
This novel is rich. Rich writing, rich storytelling, rich subject matter. And it's a lovely read. Yet. Yet. For all the life he gives his sentences, his plot and characters seem somehow (a bit) lifeless and used merely to press home his points.
I still very much enjoyed this work, though. It was a pleasure to read, and an engaging read. I've found new great music to enjoy, and another Richard Powers book to recommend. Just know what you're getting yourself into. Get your search engine ready....
When I put this book down at the end my first reaction was:
Wow. That was something.
Richard Powers knows how to write expansive, subject-throttling novels. Richard Powers knows how to write beautiful sentences. But most of all, Richard Powers knows how to take a subject (here, music) and dive deeply into it; so deeply, as a matter of opinion, that the subject itself becomes the main character of the novel. Is that a good place for a novel, and you as a reader, to be? I'm not so sure, on both accounts. But this is how the man writes. Beautiful writing layered on top of his top-notch research into a subject layered over characters who serve the purpose of what he means to say. (The only other Richard Powers novel I've read was written the same way. In The Echo Maker the main character was brain damage.)
So. Orfeo tells two stories. Really, though, three stories. We go back and forth in time (Get it? Back and forth. Music. In time.) to follow the story of avant-garde composer Peter Els. Present-day Peter has gotten into trouble over his home bio lab with Homeland Security and hits the road (really it takes half the novel for him to do this). In Past Peter's story we learn how he came to be. The "third story" here is music. As you read you'll want to have your laptop/desktop handy, because this is a Richard Powers novel, and you'll need/want to google some term or some name or some event every other page or so. Or, just go along for the ride. (I find that I tire of googling as I'm reading a Powers novel after about page 300. Especially when the name-dropping becomes carpet bombing. At one point in the text there were at least ten names of modern, avant-garde composers lumped one after the other, and I got tired after looking up the second one. It didn't enrich my reading, it irritated it. And I don't get it because I've given up. Because I'm at the point where I'm not sure it really matters.)
This novel is rich. Rich writing, rich storytelling, rich subject matter. And it's a lovely read. Yet. Yet. For all the life he gives his sentences, his plot and characters seem somehow (a bit) lifeless and used merely to press home his points.
I still very much enjoyed this work, though. It was a pleasure to read, and an engaging read. I've found new great music to enjoy, and another Richard Powers book to recommend. Just know what you're getting yourself into. Get your search engine ready....
Some Sad News
Last week I learned of the death of Ronnie, the narrator of my book
Escaping from Reality Without Really Trying: 40 Years of High Seas Travels and Lowbrow Tales
.
Ron was one of those guys ... you just thought would be around.
Not so.
I'm so glad I took the opportunity to sit with him over those 10 days in 2006 to talk with him about his life and travels, listen to his stories, and record them.
Death takes no holiday.
There's an audio recording of one of his stories on the book website at escaping-from-reality.com. There you can also read some excerpts from the book.
There won't be a book about your adventures on land, Ron, like we talked about. I'm sorry.
Here's how I'll remember him, looking out to sea....
RIP Ronnie
Ron was one of those guys ... you just thought would be around.
Not so.
I'm so glad I took the opportunity to sit with him over those 10 days in 2006 to talk with him about his life and travels, listen to his stories, and record them.
Death takes no holiday.
There's an audio recording of one of his stories on the book website at escaping-from-reality.com. There you can also read some excerpts from the book.
There won't be a book about your adventures on land, Ron, like we talked about. I'm sorry.
Here's how I'll remember him, looking out to sea....
RIP Ronnie
November 9, 2015
Review of Child of God by Cormac McCarthy
Title: Magical prose lifts up a broken child, much like you or I
Up front: I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy. I've been reading his novels over the years, sort of working backwards. This is his earliest work I've read yet. I knew the disturbing subject matter going in (killer necrophiliac running loose in the Southern countryside), but, still, I wasn't prepared for what McCarthy can do with prose in such a stomach-churning setting.
The story is simple: It's the mid-20th century in the mountainous Sevier County, Tennessee. Lester Ballard becomes dispossessed, left to wander the countryside. A man not quite right in the head. As the story goes on Lester becomes more and more...let's say "unhinged" in his dealings with people, particularly women and girls.
The writing is classic McCarthy. He makes you feel what you're reading. And this is a short novel, which makes its reading all the more difficult because it is so compressed. (I read it over two days.) The language is beautiful and uplifting; the story is grotesque and disquieting. What a dichotomy. The theme, to my reading, is because it just is that way (it's a common McCarthy theme). Some children for glory; some children for fire. Is Ballard a child of God? The same as other creatures inhabiting this world, yes. Even as McCarthy writes: "a child of God much like yourself perhaps." (That's a fresh take on the idiom "There but for the grace of God go I.") Perhaps. Likely not. Lester Ballard becomes a sick, twisted child, a fiend dwelling in caves and haunting the townsfolk. Who among us would stoop to this? Precious few, thank God. But there still is the theme: it could be you, but for the grace of God. Yes, there are moments throughout this novel of cruelty and barbarity and psychopathy/sociopathy; but there are also heart-rending moments of tender clarity--yes, I mean for Ballard. A broken vessel can cry to the heavens; McCarthy makes this monster human, all too human, like us, and that's the real horror.
For me, McCarthy is America's greatest living novelist, and this early work of his shows how he was developing his craft. You can see some elements here that he used in such later (and fuller and finer) works as No Country for Old Men and Blood Meridian. But this work stands alone as an eyepiece on one child turned loose to be sick and to sicken the world.
All my reviews are on my Amazon review page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/...
Up front: I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy. I've been reading his novels over the years, sort of working backwards. This is his earliest work I've read yet. I knew the disturbing subject matter going in (killer necrophiliac running loose in the Southern countryside), but, still, I wasn't prepared for what McCarthy can do with prose in such a stomach-churning setting.
The story is simple: It's the mid-20th century in the mountainous Sevier County, Tennessee. Lester Ballard becomes dispossessed, left to wander the countryside. A man not quite right in the head. As the story goes on Lester becomes more and more...let's say "unhinged" in his dealings with people, particularly women and girls.
The writing is classic McCarthy. He makes you feel what you're reading. And this is a short novel, which makes its reading all the more difficult because it is so compressed. (I read it over two days.) The language is beautiful and uplifting; the story is grotesque and disquieting. What a dichotomy. The theme, to my reading, is because it just is that way (it's a common McCarthy theme). Some children for glory; some children for fire. Is Ballard a child of God? The same as other creatures inhabiting this world, yes. Even as McCarthy writes: "a child of God much like yourself perhaps." (That's a fresh take on the idiom "There but for the grace of God go I.") Perhaps. Likely not. Lester Ballard becomes a sick, twisted child, a fiend dwelling in caves and haunting the townsfolk. Who among us would stoop to this? Precious few, thank God. But there still is the theme: it could be you, but for the grace of God. Yes, there are moments throughout this novel of cruelty and barbarity and psychopathy/sociopathy; but there are also heart-rending moments of tender clarity--yes, I mean for Ballard. A broken vessel can cry to the heavens; McCarthy makes this monster human, all too human, like us, and that's the real horror.
For me, McCarthy is America's greatest living novelist, and this early work of his shows how he was developing his craft. You can see some elements here that he used in such later (and fuller and finer) works as No Country for Old Men and Blood Meridian. But this work stands alone as an eyepiece on one child turned loose to be sick and to sicken the world.
All my reviews are on my Amazon review page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/...
November 4, 2015
Review of True Paradox: How Christianity Makes Sense of Our Complex World by David Skeel
I bought this book excited to see how the author would compare Christianity to other worldviews (religions and philosophies) across a range of vital topics. I was sorely disappointed and cannot recommend this book.
Among the several problems I had with this book:
Throughout, Skeel misses opportunities to draw substantive distinctions between Christianity and other worldviews; and often he simply omits a worldview completely (or, oddly, keeps hanging on worldviews that no one today subscribes to, such as Gnosticism). For example, Islam is mentioned very few times in the book, as is Judaism, and I only counted one mention of Hinduism and no mentions of Buddhism. Nothing on Chinese worldviews like Confucianism or Taoism. How can this be in a book that has the premise of comparing Christianity to other religions and worldviews? (I thought I may have misunderstood the purpose of the book, so I went to re-read the Introduction, and here it is: "We will find, I think, that Christianity is considerably more plausible (and materialism and other systems of thought somewhat less) than you may think." OK; so we *will* compare and contrast.)
In other places Skeel relies too heavily on C.S. Lewis, for me. But I have to say, I'm not a huge C.S. Lewis fan. He is OK, but when a book like this relies so heavily on one other Christian author, I question how widely read that original author is. In other places Skeel sets up and knocks down a current popular Christian philosopher--William Lane Craig, whom he does not name by name in the book but merely in an endnote--by cherry picking from.the full body of Craig's work. (Odd, I thought, when in other portions of the book he's name dropping current thought leaders left and right. I have read Dr. Craig's book Reasonable Faith. I have watched a large number of his debates and lectures and also listened to several of his podcasts. I think Craig would say--and I am saying--that Skeel misrepresents Craig's work on the Kalam cosmological argument. Do a search with google on "Kalam cosmological argument" to see for yourself.)
And in other places Skeel brings up a topic as if to help it support his thought, but then he simply lets it hang. This happens time and time again. Very frustrating.
Other substantial issues I had with this book:
The chapter Suffering and Sensation has no discussion on Buddhism's approach to suffering. None. Astonishing. Did Skeel think not one of his readers ever heard of the Buddha's teaching on human suffering? How can you hope to claim Christianity has a better explanation for suffering than other worldviews when you don't compare it to those other worldviews that *do* have an explanation for the very thing you're talking about?
I found the section "The Problem of Evil" in this chapter to be criminally inadequate. Skeel writes: "In the end, I do not think Christianity can give a complete explanation of *why* there is suffering and evil in the world." (p. 94). I almost dropped the book right there and stopped reading. Of course Christianity provides a complete explanation of why there is suffering and evil in the world. There is suffering and evil in this world because of Satan and because we are not fighting against flesh and blood "but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). There.
Another mistake I think Skeel makes is that he relies heavily on the Old Testament book Job to try to make sense of suffering in the world. I've known other Christians and non-Christians cite Job, too, to grapple with the concept of human suffering. To me, this is like relying on ground-based telescopes to view the sky when the Hubble Space Telescope is now available. In other words: Why rely on the Old Testament when the New Testament now prevails? At best this is immature, at worst, it is misguided and misleading.
In the chapter The Justice Paradox there is no discussion of Islam. Well, there is one mention if you consider actually naming the religion by name and leaving it there. I'm completely baffled by this, unless Skeel was afraid of addressing the concept of justice in Islam. For anyone who is interested, simply google "Justice in Islam" and you'll find many good source materials for study. It will blow your mind. It's a shame Skeel didn't take the opportunity to address this in his book. He had/has a platform, and he didn't take up the fight.
The author attempts to tackle some enormous topics in five chapters: Ideas and Idea Making, Beauty and the Arts, Suffering and Sensation, The Justice Paradox, and Life and Afterlife.
In the chapter The Justice Paradox he never defines the term "justice" or "just society". I'm widely read so I understand what he is getting at, but I don't think the average reader will. That's a shame. The other shame is that Skeel seems to project his personal beliefs about the law (obviously, he's a lawyer by trade) and its uses onto all of Christendom. If you're not a careful reader with a broad understanding of history and philosophy, you'll be easily misled.
In addition, to state that Jesus' trial was a failure of two legal systems is to be blind to the fact that it was a triumph of Jesus' purpose here on earth.
Skeel rightly mentions a Christian influence on the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights (but to what extent is left to your own research and study). But, here again, Skeel makes no mention of Muslim country's objecting to the Judeo-Christian basis of the Declaration and, indeed, the 1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, which affirmed Islamic sharia law as its sole source. Anyone can look this up using a google search. Why wouldn't Skeel include it in this book? Again, Skeel had a platform but refused to use it to teach about the distinct differences between Christianity and Islam.
I admit that I merely skimmed the final chapter on heaven. Up to this point I found Skeel's work so full of missing information, missed opportunities, and outright errors from scripture that I didn't want to do a word-by-word reading to find even more. I might go back and review; might not.
This is the kind of book that happens when you're not well-versed (or, worse, ill-versed) in your source materials. I won't give this book a 1-star rating because Skeel does pose some fascinating questions, and also there are some truths here, they're just buried and you'll need a very keen and discerning eye and mind and spirit to tease them out. To me, in the end, the ride wasn't worth it.
PS: In several points in the book Skeel bemoans the fact that there are no/few Christian artists in various public forums espousing the truths of Christianity from their perspective. I couldn't agree more. I'm a Christian, and a poet and novelist. I'd welcome the opportunity to share with a wider audience my artistic worldview. :)
Did not like
2/5 on Amazon
1/5 Goodreads
Among the several problems I had with this book:
Throughout, Skeel misses opportunities to draw substantive distinctions between Christianity and other worldviews; and often he simply omits a worldview completely (or, oddly, keeps hanging on worldviews that no one today subscribes to, such as Gnosticism). For example, Islam is mentioned very few times in the book, as is Judaism, and I only counted one mention of Hinduism and no mentions of Buddhism. Nothing on Chinese worldviews like Confucianism or Taoism. How can this be in a book that has the premise of comparing Christianity to other religions and worldviews? (I thought I may have misunderstood the purpose of the book, so I went to re-read the Introduction, and here it is: "We will find, I think, that Christianity is considerably more plausible (and materialism and other systems of thought somewhat less) than you may think." OK; so we *will* compare and contrast.)
In other places Skeel relies too heavily on C.S. Lewis, for me. But I have to say, I'm not a huge C.S. Lewis fan. He is OK, but when a book like this relies so heavily on one other Christian author, I question how widely read that original author is. In other places Skeel sets up and knocks down a current popular Christian philosopher--William Lane Craig, whom he does not name by name in the book but merely in an endnote--by cherry picking from.the full body of Craig's work. (Odd, I thought, when in other portions of the book he's name dropping current thought leaders left and right. I have read Dr. Craig's book Reasonable Faith. I have watched a large number of his debates and lectures and also listened to several of his podcasts. I think Craig would say--and I am saying--that Skeel misrepresents Craig's work on the Kalam cosmological argument. Do a search with google on "Kalam cosmological argument" to see for yourself.)
And in other places Skeel brings up a topic as if to help it support his thought, but then he simply lets it hang. This happens time and time again. Very frustrating.
Other substantial issues I had with this book:
The chapter Suffering and Sensation has no discussion on Buddhism's approach to suffering. None. Astonishing. Did Skeel think not one of his readers ever heard of the Buddha's teaching on human suffering? How can you hope to claim Christianity has a better explanation for suffering than other worldviews when you don't compare it to those other worldviews that *do* have an explanation for the very thing you're talking about?
I found the section "The Problem of Evil" in this chapter to be criminally inadequate. Skeel writes: "In the end, I do not think Christianity can give a complete explanation of *why* there is suffering and evil in the world." (p. 94). I almost dropped the book right there and stopped reading. Of course Christianity provides a complete explanation of why there is suffering and evil in the world. There is suffering and evil in this world because of Satan and because we are not fighting against flesh and blood "but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12). There.
Another mistake I think Skeel makes is that he relies heavily on the Old Testament book Job to try to make sense of suffering in the world. I've known other Christians and non-Christians cite Job, too, to grapple with the concept of human suffering. To me, this is like relying on ground-based telescopes to view the sky when the Hubble Space Telescope is now available. In other words: Why rely on the Old Testament when the New Testament now prevails? At best this is immature, at worst, it is misguided and misleading.
In the chapter The Justice Paradox there is no discussion of Islam. Well, there is one mention if you consider actually naming the religion by name and leaving it there. I'm completely baffled by this, unless Skeel was afraid of addressing the concept of justice in Islam. For anyone who is interested, simply google "Justice in Islam" and you'll find many good source materials for study. It will blow your mind. It's a shame Skeel didn't take the opportunity to address this in his book. He had/has a platform, and he didn't take up the fight.
The author attempts to tackle some enormous topics in five chapters: Ideas and Idea Making, Beauty and the Arts, Suffering and Sensation, The Justice Paradox, and Life and Afterlife.
In the chapter The Justice Paradox he never defines the term "justice" or "just society". I'm widely read so I understand what he is getting at, but I don't think the average reader will. That's a shame. The other shame is that Skeel seems to project his personal beliefs about the law (obviously, he's a lawyer by trade) and its uses onto all of Christendom. If you're not a careful reader with a broad understanding of history and philosophy, you'll be easily misled.
In addition, to state that Jesus' trial was a failure of two legal systems is to be blind to the fact that it was a triumph of Jesus' purpose here on earth.
Skeel rightly mentions a Christian influence on the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights (but to what extent is left to your own research and study). But, here again, Skeel makes no mention of Muslim country's objecting to the Judeo-Christian basis of the Declaration and, indeed, the 1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, which affirmed Islamic sharia law as its sole source. Anyone can look this up using a google search. Why wouldn't Skeel include it in this book? Again, Skeel had a platform but refused to use it to teach about the distinct differences between Christianity and Islam.
I admit that I merely skimmed the final chapter on heaven. Up to this point I found Skeel's work so full of missing information, missed opportunities, and outright errors from scripture that I didn't want to do a word-by-word reading to find even more. I might go back and review; might not.
This is the kind of book that happens when you're not well-versed (or, worse, ill-versed) in your source materials. I won't give this book a 1-star rating because Skeel does pose some fascinating questions, and also there are some truths here, they're just buried and you'll need a very keen and discerning eye and mind and spirit to tease them out. To me, in the end, the ride wasn't worth it.
PS: In several points in the book Skeel bemoans the fact that there are no/few Christian artists in various public forums espousing the truths of Christianity from their perspective. I couldn't agree more. I'm a Christian, and a poet and novelist. I'd welcome the opportunity to share with a wider audience my artistic worldview. :)
Did not like
2/5 on Amazon
1/5 Goodreads
