Blind Prophecy

My buddy Daniel introduced me to this series a while ago. I still snicker when I think about it.

Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5

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I just finished reading God is Not Great by Chistopher Hitchens. I’ve read enough books on atheist thinking that the basic ideas aren’t as exciting any more. The first great book on atheism I read was Dawkin’s The God Delusion, followed by Sam Harris’s Letter to a Christian Nation. While all three make the same basic points – that religion is poisoning our world and culture – they have very different techniques. Dawkins drew upon science and scientific arguments to make his case, illustrating the strength of mathematical and scientific and common-sense of the atheist perspective. Harris focused specifically on the American cultural and social experience, not afraid to take a direct and combative tone with the theists of the United States.

Hitchens, no less combative, takes a much more global perspective on religious evils. While all three writers pointed to historical atrocities, Hitchens does the best job of putting them into perspective in a modern context. His years as a journalist, travelling the world, have given him a great wealth of personal experience and stories to draw from, as well as more hands-on understanding of various world religions (particularly those from the Middle East and western Asia) than most people. He also offers some unique arguments by examinging both the birth of some modern religions (his chapter on the beginning of Mormonism is the most honest and unapologetic account I’ve ever read), as well as the decline or death of others.

I did find myself uncomfortable with Hitchens’s scornful comments on multiculturalism. Yes, stupid and unthinking multiculturalism (here, he especially takes exception with the elevation of a minor Jewish holiday into a major one so that Jewish kids don’t feel left out in December) is not just pointless but is counterproductive to the evolution of society. On the other hand, thoughtful multiculturalism… the kind that involves critical thought, genuine inquiry into each other’s beliefs, and honest willingness to better understand… isn’t just a good thing, but a necessity if hope to survive in an ever-changing world. The biggest barrier to that isn’t a willingness by most people to respect one another, but a faulty training in critical thinking. Someone skilled at making honest inquiry with logical analysis of the results are not threatened by new ideas.

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Has anyone else seen the Lunestra commercial with the glowing butterfly hovering over people while they sleep, but flying away when the sun comes up and the people wake? I was watching it a couple minutes ago and trying to figure out why it bothered me. Then it hit me, creepy butterfly things and people sleeping = China Mieville’s Perdido Street Station and some of the creepiest monsters I’ve ever read about. Well, I sure won’t be buying a sleep aid that reminds me evil predator psychic moths.

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I leave for DC early tomorrow morning. It seems unlikely I’ll have a lot of time to blog during the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, but I’ll try and post pictures to my Flickr account when I can.

Filed under: books, DC, Funny by Jere Keys