You Never Know What Will Prove to be Controversial

I gave a talk last night to a Jewish group here in Seattle about my current book, a collaboration with Joe Lieberman, The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath. Before I spoke, the organizer implored me not to say anything "controversial."

A reasonable request -- where's the advantage to her and her organization in alienating people? I hadn't planned on saying anything remotely combustible anyway. Though you never can tell! Who would ever expect, for instance, that...