Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts

2023-06-19

"The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society" by Eleanor Janega


 

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Copyright: 2023
ISBN: 9780393867817

This was a very enjoyable and extremely informative book to read. It gives the reader whole new insights into how women have been treated over the centuries and the reasons behind why they were generally treated so badly. Primarily this was due to the influence of the various flavours of the Christian church, Which essentially blamed women for everything because of the mythology surrounding the original sin.

As a humanist I will freely admit that I do not understand the concept of original sin, and the various other concepts and myths that are listed in the Bible, as for the most part they seem to simply take a concept or an event and find someone or something to blame it on. And while this seems to comfort a large group of religious people in the world it seems like a rather shortsighted way to justify the way society as a whole treats 1/2 of our population.

Dr. Janega goes into a lot of detail as she investigated the various roles that women filled in medieval times, and looked at how real women lived in that era.

I first encountered Dr. Janega on the History Hit YouTube channel where she does the occasional episode on medieval history, which I would highly recommend if you're interested as she gets into some very interesting topics. She is also the creator of the popular "Going Medieval" blog and the author of "The Middle Ages: A Graphic History".

An excellent read with lots of fascinating information. Highly recommended.

2022-08-29

"The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of reason" by Sam Harris


 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 9780743268097

This book was an extremely interesting one to read, not only because of the information provided but because of the stance that the author takes on the subject of religion and especially faith and what it can make normally rational people do in its name.

The opening chapter briefly recounts the events leading up to when a suicide bomber sets off his charge in a bus. And then goes on to examine how this one act is influenced pretty much solely by what the person has been told about their religion.

Now, before you think that Mr. Harris focuses solely on terrorism that is perpetrated by Muslims, he doesn't. He also goes after the other Abrahamic Religions (Christianity and Judaism - Yes, in case you were wondering all three have the same roots). He also exposes the atrocities performed by Christians, e.g., The Inquisition, Witch burnings, and much more. He also points out a rarely admitted / known fact that the Catholic Church was culpable in their condemnation of the Jews, and their support of Adolf Hitler and his cronies. 

Mr. Harris does a wonderful job of telling the facts as they are, and with the addition of footnotes, and a fantastic bibliography to back up his claims he proves without a doubt that faith it's simply a very dangerous thing to have. He does tend to get somewhat philosophical towards the end of the book, but considering the topic I think this is quite acceptable, as it tends to calm readers down after reading the first parts and finding out how inhumane, humans can be to each other when certain philosophies are followed without the person first thinking. 

Highly recommended, especially for those who are on the fence about religion. Any religion.

2021-07-05

"Hoax, A History of Deception: 5000 Years f Fakes, Forgeries and Fallacies" by Ian Tattersall & Peter Nevraumont


 

Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780316503723

Hoax takes the reader on a very interesting journey through the minds of perpetrators, as well as others who have had something to do with hoaxes, cons, etc. It is an extremely interesting read that will surprise you. In all the authors examine 50 hoaxes starting in 2800 BCE and going through to present day, dealing with such topics as The End of the Word, the myth of Noah's ark, Gladiators vs. Professional Wrestlers, various religious topics such as sacred relics, the Shroud of Turin, Priory of Sion, etc. They also cover the typical ones such as the Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, and Piltdown Man. But in case you might think this is mainly about things that happened many years ago, they also looks at the vaccination debate, homeopathy, race, fake memoirs, fake bomb detectors, and much more..

I found this book to be quite informative, and even though I had heard of some of these topics before, others were brand new to me. The chapters are rather long, but do present the information in a well written and concise format. I can see this book being valuable to students in junior and senior high school especially considering the amount of misinformation that is present in the world today via the internet.

Well worth the read! I hope the authors consider doing a second volume as there has to be more hoaxes they didn't have a chance to cover.

2021-06-28

"Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown


Publisher: Doubleday
Copyright: 2003
ISBN: 9780385504201
 
This is the first book of Mr. Brown's that I've read, and to say the least I was very impressed. The plotting, characterizations, research were fantastic. Unfortunately (at least for me) it is the second book in the Robert Langdon series, which I didn't know, so now that's I'm hooked I've got to go read Angels and Demons.

The lead character is Robert Langdon, a symbologist is summoned to the Louvre in the middle of the night as the curator has been murdered. Unbeknownst to Langdon he is the chief suspect, but with the help of the police's cryptologist he begins to uncover a evidence the leads him to the discovery of a shocking historical fact, one certain people groups will do anything to keep a secret.

A number of christian sects, most notably the catholic church were quite upset as the book supposedly misrepresented their rituals, and beliefs, however as Mr. Brown stated in an interview with Martin Savidge "99 percent of it is true. All of the architecture, the art, the secret rituals, the history, all of that is true, the Gnostic gospels."

In any case it is an absolutely great story, and I'm looking forward to his other novels.

2020-09-14

"Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World" by Tim Whitmarsh



Publisher:New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2015.
Edition:First edition.
ISBN: 9780307958327
Characteristics: viii, 290 pages

This is a scholarly publication that looks in depth at the relationship of what we refer to as religion and Greek mythology. 

It examines the philosophies and writings of a number of different Greek philosophers who wrote on the subjects of atheism or at the very least the concepts that the gods may not exist. I say it this way, as in many context now-a-days atheism is automatically thought to be the non-belief in one of Abrahamic religions. However this took place many hundreds of year before any of that was thought up.

For the most the book it concerns itself that what is commonly referred to as Greek mythology but is in actual fact more of a system of folklore and folktales rather than an actual religion. The reason for this is because for the most part the religious figures that were present in Greece at the time we're not comparable in anyway to what we currently see as priests and clerics as they were more there to aid the populace and provide comfort as opposed to guiding them towards certain  deities.

This book is an excellent read however some readers may find it somewhat daunting due to the number of references made to the various Greek historical figures, playwrights and philosophers. I think it would make an excellent text for a class in comparative religions, classics, or cultural anthropology. 

2020-05-11

"Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" by Carl Sagan (1934-1996)



Publisher:New York : Ballantine Books, 1997.
Edition:First Ballantine Books edition.
Copyright Date:©1996
ISBN: 9780345409461
Characteristics: xviii, 457 pages ;,21 cm

This book takes an in-depth look at what humans believe, why we believe it, how we are led to believe certain things, the consequences of us believing them both good and bad.

Dr. Sagan was a very famous popularizer of science, one a few in the field. His explanations are very clear, but his amazement at how people can be bamboozled, and led astray definitely comes through in his writing. But then again this was his goal in writing this book.

He goes into a great deal of detail with regard to the history of skepticism, and gives the reader very good examples with regard to ways in which people nowadays can easily detect when they are being taken advantage of.

I found this book to be a fascinating read, with literally tons of valuable information regarding history, current scientific methodology, the way unscrupulous practitioners deal in their trade, etc. It is a no holds barred look at what people in the past and present believe, why they believe it, how they were led to believe it, and unfortunately in many circumstances why they refuse to believe the truth when it is revealed to them.

Highly recommended.

2020-04-06

"The Fresco" by Sheri S. Tepper (1929-2016)



Publisher:  Harper Collins
Edition:     First edition.
Copyright: 2000
ISBN:        9780380978792

This is I believe the first book of Ms. Tepper's that I read, and it's been a number of years since I read it the first time. With every subsequent reading it gives you a new insight on how today's world actually works. Her characterization is absolutely wonderful, the interplay between the various characters is also the sign of an excellent writer.

The story tells the tale of first contact with an advanced civilization who have come to Earth to give us the opportunity to join their confederation. To be eligible for a membership however, humans must conform to certain rules the major one being that we have to be able to get along with each other.

Unfortunately humans are an odd species of mammal. I say this because we humans seem to like to fight one another for no apparent reason, we also like to kill each other, and for the most simply cause trouble for each other. The majority of this conflict has had and continues to have its basis in politics, religion, and ethnicity.

Ms. Tepper's book brings a lot of these typically taboo subjects to light, and I believe if only we had the technology to do the things her alien emissaries did, along with the wherewithal to do it, we would probably be able to solve a lot if not all of our world's problems.

I would definitely recommend this book to any person who is looking for not only a feel good book, but one that actually portrays first contact in a positive manner.

2020-03-16

"Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon" by Daniel C. Dennett



Published: New York: Penguin
Year: 2007, c2006.
Physical Details: xvi, 448 p. ; 23 cm
ISBN: 9780143038337

This books an extremely interesting read that examines the concept of religion essentially from the ground up. Dennett investigates the various controversial subjects of religion, such as why do we believe in a god or gods, how these beliefs frame and control our lives, how our societies are effected by the beliefs, and much more. Many people allow their lives to be controlled by these phenomena, and have for hundreds if not thousands of years. It affects how people see other cultures, how they raise their children, treat their elders, interact with a community, and many more aspects of human life.

The big question in this book is why do we have religion. Why do people from totally different cultures that have never met feel a bond when they meet based on these beliefs? On the other hand why do the beliefs of certain groups cause them to go to war?

The discussion ranges through the fields of anthropology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and many more ologies.

While I found this book extremely interesting it did read quite slowly at times, but once you began to think about what was said, then you realised that this was essentially the only way that the concept could be explained. This is definitely a book that every humanist, anthropologist, and philosopher should have on their shelf (hopefully after they've read it), as it provides many insights into human culture and belief.

2020-03-02

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" English version with introduction by N. K. Sandars



Publisher:London : Penguin Books, 1972.
Edition:Revised edition, incorporating new material.
Copyright Date:©1972
ISBN: 9780140441000 
Characteristics: 127 pages :,map ;,20 cm.

The Epic of Gilgamesh who was the renowned king of Uruk in Mesopotamia, was discovered in 1839 by Austen Henry Layard when he was travelling in Mesopotamia and was delayed by excavations of the Assyrian mounds. He was there for a number of years and the result was a number of Assyrian sculptures and over twenty-five thousand broken tablets from the Palace at Nineveh being returned to the British Museum. These tablets were all written in cuneiform (wedge shaped characters, on clay tablets). The decipherment of the language took many years and was finally aided by the discovery by Henry Rawlinson of the 'Record of Darius' on the rock of Behistun near Kermanshah in Persia, which was written in cuneiform, Old Persian, Elamite and Babylonian languages. The epic of Gilgamesh is typically considered to be the earliest existing work of literature.

Unlike many heroes told of in mythology Gilgamesh is was considered by most scholars to be a real person, a King who lived and reigned in Uruk sometime during the first half of the third millennium. The introduction to this book explains in great length the history of the region, of the story itself, it's discovery, translation etc. The introduction itself is 58 pages long which maybe somewhat daunting to your average reader, but it is extremely fascinating as well and takes the reader on a journey that helps to explain the story itself.

The first half of the story gives background information on Gilgamesh himself and a wild being called Enkidu who was created by the gods to oppose Gilgamesh and stop him from oppressing the people of Uruk. Enkidu becomes human after having sex intercourse with a prostitute. He then travels to Uruk and challenges Gilgamesh to a contest of strength, which Gilgamesh wins. The two men then become fast friends (some say lovers), and undertake a journey to kill Humbaba the Terrible the guardian of the sacred forest and then cut down the sacred cedar. After succeeding in this the goddess Ishtar attempts to punish Gilgamesh for refusing her sexually by sending the Bull of Heaven. The Bull is killed by the two men, and the gods decide to kill Enkidu as a punishment for Gilgamesh as they are the best of friends.

The second part of the story details Gilgamesh's distress over Enkidu's death and his quest for eternal life. He doesn't succeed in his quest because death is man's burden. During his travels however he does hear the tale of the great flood.

It is interesting to note that there are many similarities between the epic of Gilgamesh and the Hebrew Bible such as the story of the Garden of Eden, and the flood. In the first case Enkidu is created from the soil just like the mythological Adam, he lives in a worry free world alongside all the animals, he is tempted by a female (who is created from one of his bones), accepts food from the female, then needs to cover his nakedness, and then must leave, etc. As for the flood similarities the flood narrative in the Hebrew Bible is so close to that from Gilgamesh that they can be considered the same and scholars have all agreed that Gilgamesh influenced the mythology of the genesis flood. There are many other similarities as well that I won't bother detailing here.

All told this is a very good story, and I would recommend it to all.

2020-02-03

"An Atheist's Guide to Christmas" edited by Robin Harvie and Stephanie Meyers



Publisher:New York : Harper Perennial, 2010.
Edition:First U.S. edition.
ISBN: 9780061997976
Characteristics: xi, 307 pages :,illustrations

"An Atheist's Guide to Christmas" is a collection of essays from noted skeptics, atheists, and others that give the reader an interesting, and refreshingly different outlook on the subject of christmas.

It is likely that many people when they consider christmas and atheism that the first thing that's comes to mind is Charles Dickens' short novel "A Christmas Carol" in which Ebenezer Scrooge is portrayed as an atheist, even though it is not stated as such. Many feel, or at least seem to feel that atheism automatically makes you a bad person, and therefore a threat to them somehow. I'm not sure exactly how they come by this rather odd deduction, but it exists.

These essays however show that the exact opposite is true, and that even if you do not subscribe to the christian version of christmas you can still celebrate the season with your friends and family as it was intended.

Some of the twenty plus authors included in this book are Richard Dawkins, Phil Plait (who runs bad astronomy.com), Neal Pollack, Simon Le Bon (of the band Duran Duran), Simon Singh to name but a few. All of the essays, and stories are insightful, and informative, and some quite humorous as well.

A great read, and highly recommended especially to those people who are unsure as to exactly where they sit on the religious vs. non-religious fence.

2019-07-15

"Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists" by Dan Barker



Publisher:  Berkeley, Calif. : Ulysses Press, [2008]
Copyright Date:  ©2008
ISBN:  9781569756775
Characteristics: xv, 376 pages ;,22 cm

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed Dan Barker's book "God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction" in which he mentioned briefly how he chose to give up a religious outlook on life. This book "Godless" which was written earlier goes into great detail with regard to Mr. Barker's choice to pursue a secular life.

Part one, the first four chapters of this book take us from when he was 15 years old, and felt that he had received a calling to be an evangelical preacher, which he was for 19 years. It then goes on to detail how he lost his faith and what came into his life to replace it.

The five chapters in part two explain why Mr. Barker is now an atheist. He does this in a very logical manner with excellent examples, and a lot of humor.

In the third part which is seven chapters long Mr. Barker gives a generalized overview of what is actually wrong with Christianity. He deals with such topics as the Bible and morality, murder, goodness, the biblical contradictions, the various discrepancies within the Bible, whether Jesus actually existed, and finally whether he actually arose from the dead.

The final three chapters, which constitutes part four, deals with his work with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and some of the encounters he's had over the years with other atheists, religious figures, etc.

I found this to be an excellent book, that belongs in the collection of anybody who has even the slightest doubt about Christianity, or religion in general for that matter.

I think it would be wonderful to finda comparable version of this book that explains in the same detail the religions of Islam, Judaism, Buddhism etc. As I feel if we had reference material such as this there'll be much less conflict in the world, and I'm sure that would benefit everyone.

2019-07-01

"God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction" by Dan Barker



Publisher:New York : Sterling
Copyright Date:©2016
ISBN: 9781454918325

The impetus for this book and its title comes from a quote from Richard Dawkins' book "The God Delusion" in which he says (in the opening of chapter 2): "The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction."

Dan Barker a former minister takes this thought and runs with it. This book contains verses from all 39 books of the Old Testament, and each of the 28 chapters begins with a commentary on one or two biblical stories that Barker has chosen. He goes on then to quote a number of selected versus along with commentary to prove his thesis. The final chapter also extends this commentary into the New Testament, which proves to be equally if not more  horrific as Jesus is typically portrayed as a honourable and compassionate person.

Because of Mr. Barker's previous occupation he is well-suited to be able to write a book such as this, his time as a minister gives him the experience and authority to give credit to his writing.

This book is unlikely to actually convert a true believer away from a religious point of view. But it should easily allow a person to strengthen their non-belief by giving them examples and information they can use to support and explain their choices. In addition, this book would be a fantastic resource for anyone who is actively questioning religion, or looking for evidence and reasons to support their choice to give up on religion.

I'm unaware of any books of this type that discuss other mainstream religions, but I would love to review them to see how they compare.

2019-04-08

"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" by Steve Wells



ISBN: 9780988245105 (hardcover)



Ever since the attacks of September 11, it has been repeated many times in both the mainstream media, and in casual conversation about how violent and war like the Koran is.

Sources that this espouse this viewpoint seem however to have blindly ignored all the violence, the subjugation of women, racism, murder, sexual deviation, and genocide (amongst other things) that are present in the Christian Bible.

The three Abrahamic religions namely Christianity, Islam & Judaism all stem from the same roots, and while it is possible that both the Talmud and the Koran also promote violence, the subjugation of women, racism, etc. I am unable to confirm this because I do not speak or read either Arabic or Hebrew, and I would be somewhat sceptical of an English translation of them, as translators throughout history have been infamous for massaging texts to suit their philosophies.

There are however some things you have to ask yourself: if the Christian Bible is truly the word of a benevolent god, then why is it so violent, why does it vilify women, promote racism, glorify genocide, and so on ad nauseum. Yes, it can be argued that this is the way things were back then, but if that's the case then why are we supposed be following the dictates of a misogynistic, racist, genocidal supreme being, with an inferiority complex to deep that if it isn't worshipped that it will take revenge on everyone?

Unfortunately most people simply pick and choose certain parts of the book, blindly ignore the rest, and are quite happy in their ignorance, and justify away their choices by saying that's the way it was.

In any case the contents of this book should make any critically thinking person take a second look at what the Bible actually does promote.

2019-01-21

"The Greatest Show on Earth" by Richard Dawkins



Publisher:New York ; Toronto : Free Press, 2009.
Edition:First Free Press hardcover edition.
ISBN:9781416594789
Characteristics: ix, 470 pages, 30 pages of plates :,illustrations (some colour) ;,24 cm

This book examines the scientific evidence behind the theory of evolution, and why it has gained acceptance throughout all the interrelated disciplines of science as the only logical explanation for how all the various flora and fauna on this planet came into being.

In the first part of the book Dr. Dawkins' delves into the details that explain why evolution is the only acceptable answer, and he does this by producing evidence based on plant biology, the breeding of dogs, and various other animals which have been done by humans for thousands of years. In proceeding this way it makes the evidence for human evolution all the more compelling, as we are animals too.

Following this he takes us on an examination of the various branches of biology, such as palaeontology, anthropology, etc. and shows how these fields have benefitted by their acceptance of evolution, and sub sequentially how each of these fields have confirmed the theory.

Unfortunately most of the hard-core believers in creation will be unlikely to be swayed by these well thought out and logically presented arguments, but then again it is unlikely anything would be able to turn them.

An enjoyable read, and one that is recommended to all.

2019-01-14

"Revolt in 2100" by Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988)




New American Library
Copyright 1954

This book is actually a collection of three short stories / novelettes. The first is entitled "If this goes on -", the second is "Coventry", and the third is "Misfit."

"If this goes on-" tells the tale of a futuristic society centred in what is now the United States, that had been taken over a number of years earlier by a theocratic government. It goes on to tell how a small revolutionary force manages to overthrow this dictatorial government. The main character is a guard assigned to the Angels of the Lord - the personal bodyguard to the Prophet, who falls in love with one of the prophets harem.

"Coventry" tells the tale of a young man who is convicted of a crime (minor assault) and who has to choose between either being psychologically re-oriented (brain-washed into conforming), or being sent to a special reservation  known as Coventry where many criminals, and those who choose to live life in their own way now live. This story follows the first in this book by a number of years as the Coventry is now the law that governs the land and which was put in place following the revolution.

The third story "Misfit" in this book tells the tale of a young man who is a new member of the Space Marines, and who is part of the crew that is being sent to the asteroid belt with the goal of moving an asteroid into earth orbit so it can be mined. It follows the first two by an unspecified time period. This young man Libby, has a talent for mathematics, that does him a good turn.

All three of these stories are interrelated with each other, and form a a good read, that would be recommended to anyone who appreciates classic science fiction.

2018-12-17

"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins




Publisher:Boston : Houghton Mifflin Co., 2006.
ISBN: 9780618680009 
Characteristics: 406 pages ;,24 cm

This is the first book of Richard Dawkins' that I've read, and I found it to be very well written, and informative. Dr. Dawkins poses his arguments logically, and follow them through to their logical conclusions. He does tend to goober things a number of times, but when you consider how ingrained some of the beliefs in religion are this is likely a good technique as not all people will see the relevance with only one example.

I have read other authors on the subject of atheism, and the vast majority follow the same general format, however Dr. Dawkins goes into much greater detail and gives more examples of why certain beliefs may have arisen, why they are regarded as unchallengeable truths, and what non-believers can do to attempt to understand where proponents of the beliefs in question come from.

I believe this is a good book for the general reader, and would also make a good addition to most anthropology, sociology and possibly even history courses.

2018-08-06

"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari



Publisher:[Toronto] : Signal, 2014.
Copyright Date:©2014
ISBN: 9780771038518 
9780771038501 
Characteristics: 443 pages :,illustrations, maps

This is an excellent book that is well worth the praise that it has garnered to date. It covers areas as diverse as politics, history, religion, economics, and much more in a well researched and very understandable format.

The author's writing style is very refreshing with the odd bit of humour thrown in to keep the reader interested. Even though the style is easy to read, the topics covered are quite complex, but this will hopefully not dissuade anybody from reading it.

I would recommend this book to anybody who is looking for a good overview of human history, and what we've managed to accomplish in the 100,000 years or so. It would also I believe make a good addition to a senior level courses in anthropology or sociology as it analyses their disciplines from a layperson's standpoint.

Definitely a book I'll be adding to my collection!

2018-03-26

"Everyone is African: How Science Explodes the Myth of Race" by Daniel J. Fairbanks

Everyone is African: How Science Explodes the Myth of Race


Publisher:Amherst, New York : Prometheus Books, 2015.
ISBN: 9781633880184
Characteristics: 191 pages : ,illustrations ;,23 cm

Having taken quite a number of anthropology and biology courses during my university training, I already knew that racism as a constructed concept that was based on the supposed superiority of certain groups of people. Dr. Fairbanks however was not writing his book for me, but was doing so for the rather large percentage of the population that hasn't already grasped this concept.

Dr. Fairbanks goes into great detail, but in a very readable way that explores the genetic, historical, and various other aspects of racism and hopefully puts them to bed for good. His discussion of topics such as: What is Race, African Origins, Ancestry versus Race, Skin Colour, Diversity and Health and Intelligence, and finally the Perception of Race covers this topic in a thorough manner that really should convince even the diehards, and leave everyone more enlightened.

Unfortunately, as is typically the case when dealing with humans there will always be certain factions (primarily religious, or other insular group) that will refute his explanations. There is likely nothing that intelligent individuals can do about these types of people except pity them in their ignorance, and help them as best we can in doing simple tasks like wiping their noses.

Yes, I know the above sounds very condescending - it was meant to be. I have no tolerance for racism, and even though I was exposed to it rather frequently as a child, I try to combat it as best I can in my daily life. Hopefully I'm succeeding.

2018-03-19

"God is Not Great" by Christopher Hitchens

God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything


Publisher:Toronto, Ont. : McClelland & Steward, [2007]
Copyright Date:©2007
ISBN: 9780771041433
Characteristics: 307 pages ;,25 cm

This book was extremely well written and researched, but when you consider that Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) was an award winning journalist then this is to be expected. In this book he took on the subject of religion, and defends the secular viewpoint with well chosen arguments, numerous facts that support his viewpoints with clarity and that are historically accurate.

Mr. Hitchens gives numerous example of how one religion has borrowed from another, and that one borrowed from earlier ones simply to perpetuate the belief system that they wanted people to subscribe to. He does not pull any punches, and this in itself makes the book worth reading.

With examples from history of how the Catholic church supported fascism, and assisted in smuggling members of the Nazi party out of Germany to South America (as well as supporting them in other ways, including such things as celebrating Hitler's birthday). He also goes into a lot of detail that looks at historical reports that expose the Islam, Judism, as well as others.

It doesn't matter whether you consider yourself to be religious or not. I believe that this book is one that everyone should read.

2018-02-12

"God, No!" by Penn Jillette

God, No!


Publisher:New York : Simon & Schuster, 2011.
Edition:First Simon & Schuster hc edition.
ISBN:9781451610369
Characteristics: xix, 231 pages ;,25 cm

I don't really remember my first introduction to the duo of Penn & Teller, but sometime after this I stumbled across their show "Penn & Teller: Bullshit" which is a good introduction for pretty much anybody to the skeptics view of the world as it is and how the worlds scam artists pull the wool over the eyes of the willing public by telling them what they want.

This book while it mentions their show and a other things that the duo has done over the years, is primarily focused on the opinions and life of Penn Jillette. I found the book itself to very interesting, not only has Mr. Jillette led an interesting life, but his outlook on that life is very concise and well thought out.

The book itself is based on a reworking of the christian ten commandments, and how they could be interpreted by an atheist. Mr. Teller's sense of humour is outstanding, and entertaining. Mr. Jillette is a confirmed family man, and as both this book and the show mentioned above demonstrate a defender of common sense. In the world as it is today the one thing that everybody needs is common sense, we have been living under an umbrella of superstition and pseudoscience for centuries, and it is time for all people in the world to give their collective heads a shake and open their eyes to what's really going on in this world.

Going on Hiatus

 Greetings, I have decided to put a hold on doing further book reviews for a while. In fact I'm not sure if I will resume doing reviews ...