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Letter to a Christian Nation: Counter Point
Is Christianity rational? Sam Harris, best-selling author of Letter to a Christian Nation offers a uniquely pointed perspective on Christian America. Mr. Harris views religion today, on the whole, as a highly negative component of American culture. R.C. Metcalf presents a compelling counter treatise challenging Mr. Harris' atheist worldview. Raised in an atheist home and trained in secular universities, Dr. Metcalf, now both scientist and Christian, speaks out in support of evangelical Christianity in America. Does faith inhibit honest science? Is Christianity a danger to society? Are Christian morals irrational? Does evil prove God doesn't exist? Are humans good by nature?
- GenresNonfictionChristian
114 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 8, 2013
I read this book immediately after finishing Harris' "Letter to Christian Nation", as I wanted to hear the rebuttal from the opposing side.
Frankly, I was really disappointed. I had high expectations for this book, and it let me down. I disagree with the author (and I agree with Harris), but when reading and learning about an opinion opposite your own, you at least want the argument to be clear, cohesive, and worth listening to. This was really more of a waste of time.
Metcalf does make some genuine corrections to Harris' treatise, and also attacks points of Harris' book that I also found weak. However, Metcalf completely avoids the hard, fundamental questions that Harris' raises. His counter-arguments are things like this (paraphrased):
"""
Harris: Would a merciful, benevolent God really prescribe the death penalty and eternity in Hell for someone that called him by the wrong name?
Metcalf: Imagine you are in school, and your grade is participation based. Each time you answer a question, the teacher thinks you are a different person, and so you don't get any of the credit. At the end of the semester, you would be upset that you failed.
"""
Hahah what?! How is that in any way a logical, compelling rebuttal to Harris' point about how jealous and vengeful the God of the Bible is?
Metcalf also spends the last few chapters of the book describing how his father found solace in the idea of going to Heaven while on his deathbed, and comments that atheists could never offer that comfort to someone. Metcalf seems utterly unaware that:
1) This is one of the primary attacks on religion - that it just provides comfort.
2) That just because it would be nice for something to be true, doesn't mean that it is.
Metcalf also spends most of his book trying to convince the reader that the real issue with religion is that not everyone is Protestant Christian - the real problem are the Muslims and non-Protestant Christian faiths, as he sees it.
Fundamentally, the book is a huge let down. If you want to read a rebuttal to Atheism from the Christian side, there are much better options.
Frankly, I was really disappointed. I had high expectations for this book, and it let me down. I disagree with the author (and I agree with Harris), but when reading and learning about an opinion opposite your own, you at least want the argument to be clear, cohesive, and worth listening to. This was really more of a waste of time.
Metcalf does make some genuine corrections to Harris' treatise, and also attacks points of Harris' book that I also found weak. However, Metcalf completely avoids the hard, fundamental questions that Harris' raises. His counter-arguments are things like this (paraphrased):
"""
Harris: Would a merciful, benevolent God really prescribe the death penalty and eternity in Hell for someone that called him by the wrong name?
Metcalf: Imagine you are in school, and your grade is participation based. Each time you answer a question, the teacher thinks you are a different person, and so you don't get any of the credit. At the end of the semester, you would be upset that you failed.
"""
Hahah what?! How is that in any way a logical, compelling rebuttal to Harris' point about how jealous and vengeful the God of the Bible is?
Metcalf also spends the last few chapters of the book describing how his father found solace in the idea of going to Heaven while on his deathbed, and comments that atheists could never offer that comfort to someone. Metcalf seems utterly unaware that:
1) This is one of the primary attacks on religion - that it just provides comfort.
2) That just because it would be nice for something to be true, doesn't mean that it is.
Metcalf also spends most of his book trying to convince the reader that the real issue with religion is that not everyone is Protestant Christian - the real problem are the Muslims and non-Protestant Christian faiths, as he sees it.
Fundamentally, the book is a huge let down. If you want to read a rebuttal to Atheism from the Christian side, there are much better options.
February 21, 2026
Probably the best response to Harris, even better than Zacharias's. It's more to the point, or shall we say, counter-point.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews