Letter to a Christian Nation
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Letter to a Christian Nation is a non-fiction book by Sam Harris, written in response to feedback he received following the publication of his first book The End of Faith. The book is written in the form of an open letter to a Christian. Harris states that his aim is "to demolish the intellectual and moral pretensions of Christianity in its most committed forms." The book was released in September 2006. In October it entered the New York Times Best Seller list at number seven.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
Harris addresses his arguments to members of the conservative Christian Right in America. In answer to their appeal to the Bible on all questions of morality, he points to the harsh moral code of the Old Testament (death for adultery, homosexuality, disobedience to parents etc.), and contrasts this with, for example, the complete non-violence of Jainism. Harris argues that the reliance on dogma can create a false morality, which is divorced from the reality of human suffering and the efforts to alleviate it; thus religious objections stand in the way of condom use, stem cell research, abortion, and the use of a promising new vaccine for the human papilloma virus.
| “ | We read the Golden Rule and judge it to be a brilliant distillation of many of our ethical impulses. And then we come across another of God’s teachings on morality: if a man discovers on his wedding night that his bride is not a virgin, he must stone her to death on her father’s doorstep (Deuteronomy 22:13-21). [2] | ” |
On the intellectual front Harris tackles the problem of evil – the difficulty in believing in a good God who allows disasters like Hurricane Katrina – and the conflict between religion and science. A recent Gallup poll suggested that 53% of Americans are creationists,[3] so Harris spends some time arguing for evolution and against the notion of Intelligent Design.
| “ | Despite a full century of scientific insights attesting to the antiquity of the earth, more than half of our neighbors believe that the entire cosmos was created six thousand years ago. This is, incidentally, about a thousand years after the Sumerians invented glue. [2] | ” |
Harris then widens his argument to consider the variety of religions in the world and their mutual antagonism, drawing attention to the religious basis for many ethnic and inter-communal conflicts. There are those who hope for progress through religious tolerance, mutual respect, and interfaith dialogue, but Harris presents that this only makes it more difficult to criticize faith-based extremism. While admitting that spiritual experiences can be valuable and life-affirming, he is concerned that these should not be linked to religious beliefs. He admits that religion may have served some useful purpose for humanity in the past, but argues that it is now the greatest impediment to building a global civilization.
[edit] Response
The following books have been written in response to Letter to a Christian Nation:
- Letter from a Christian Citizen by Douglas Wilson
- Letter to a Christian Nation: Counterpoint by R.C. Metcalf
- Letter to an Atheist by Michael Patrick Leahy
- The Return of the Village Atheist by Joel McDurmon
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Best Sellers – Hardcover Nonfiction. New York Times (October 8, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
- ^ a b Letter To A Christian Nation: Quotes. Random House Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
- ^ Foust, Michael (October 19, 2005). Gallup poll latest to show Americans reject secular evolution. Baptist Press. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
[edit] References
- Harris, Sam (2006). Letter to a Christian Nation. Random House, pp.112. ISBN 978-0-307-26577-7.
