The End of Faith by Sam Harris

[nkelly]

This book is quite recent and I was wondering if anyone else has read it.  I am nearing the end (pun intended) and highly recommend it.  It really drives home the reality that ultimately all religions -- whether Christianity, Islam, Greek mythology, whatever -- require beliefs in fantastical propositions, and Harris cleverly enumerates the lunacy and dangers of such "faith."  However, about half-way through, Harris slays my own sacred cow (Noam Chomsky) -- and I like that!  I mean, if you agree with a book through and through, what's the point?

NK
 

[Zoroaster]

I have not read the book (so perhaps I shouldn't even be posting) but I was curious to know how this book attacks Chomsky?  I am not very well read on Chomsky, but the two areas of his that I have some familiarity with are lingustics and politics (particularly socialism and foreign policy).  

I have not encountered any of his writings on religion.  Can you shed some light?

Thanks.

 

[Guest_nkelly]

It's not about religion per se but morality.  Harris writes:

"In his book 9/11, with rubble of the WTC still piled high and smoldering, Chomsky urged us not to forget that 'the U.S. itself is a leading terrorist state.'
... (We can) share Chomsky's acute sense of outrage (at various U.S. aggressions thru out history) while recognizing that his analysis of our current situation in the world is a masterpiece of moral blindness.
...we are, in many respects, just a 'well-intentioned giant.'"

Harris goes on with an example meant to illustrate our moral motivations vs. the pathological motivations of Islamic terrorists.

All arguable and interesting!

 

 

[Zoroaster]

I see - yeah that's the Chomsky I'm familiar with.

It seems to me that we cannot really be a leading "terrorist state," and a "well intentioned giant."  That doesn't seem simpatico.  If we are like Lenny from Of Mice and Men, ignorantly smothering the bunnies of the world, we lack the requisite intent to be terrorists.

[irelandmc]

I posted this in the "letter" thread, then decided it belongs here, too:

A good friend of mine, who was raised Catholic, recently read End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation. I believe her responses may be interesting to you all here, so with her permission I'm including some exurpts from her emails:

Letter to a Christian Nation is SO good.  it's really something.  first of all, it's much easier to digest than End of Faith.  End of Faith is a bit dense, really academic.  Letter is actually a letter, and really drives his points home, even more so because he writes directly to Christians....(YOU believe this, and this is why that's f*cked up)
love it love it love it.

it's awkward for me to be enjoying [these books] so much.  it's strange---i agree with everything he says, but am not prepared to admit what that really means to me, given my upbringing and all.  does that make sense?
i just appreciate him for..taking a stand.  and doing it right, unlike religious people who talk out their asses about things that really don't make all that much sense.
i have long thought it ridiculous how much our public policy and system of laws is based upon christian values, and have long thought that our current allowance of that practice leads us to live in a completely backward society, when it comes to moral issues (i.e. stem cell research and abortion). now, it's like everything i've ever thought about all that has been written, and written well, down in front of me.  that excites me.  and i guess maybe if one person reads his stuff, and might say, "you know, maybe stem cell research IS important and maybe i should change my vote", then i guess that's progress.  political people, and americans in general, just need to quit being such self-righteous c*cks.