Comments on: Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris

By: Chris Conner

Chris Conner — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 22:18:50 +0000

Apparently Mr. Metcalf leaves the same response on every site that has reviews/feedback on Harris’ book.

By: Richard Wade

Richard Wade — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 09:13:21 +0000

Oh wow. Dr. R.C. Metcalf has posted a link to his website about Dr. R.C. Metcalf, telling us about a book written by Dr. R.C. Metcalf, published by Dr. R. C. Metcalf, complete with glowing reviews by Dr. R.C. Metcalf, Dr. R.C. Metcalf conceived by Mr. and Mrs. Metcalf…

His doctorate is described as being “in the medical profession.” That’s like saying your nationality is “Scandinavian.”

By: RC Metcalf

RC Metcalf — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 07:55:51 +0000

You may be interested in a new book that has just been published in response to Sam Harris. It is entitled “Letter to a Christian Nation: Counter Point” by RC Metcalf. It is available through Amazon and B&N or through the author’s website at http://thinkagain.us. Please let others know about this important work!

By: ken

ken — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 20:28:10 +0000

I read the entire book in one sitting. In a bookstore. With time for pauses and contemplation every few pages, I finished it in less than two hours. I’ve always thought that most books have one or two key ideas that could be distilled into a magazine article, but are stretched across hundreds of pages. In fact, that’s how I feel about most non-fiction books.

Not so with Letter to a Christian Nation.

Then I bought the book because I was feeling guilty, and I wanted to reread it.

As an atheist, I found it deeply moving and inspiring. I was raised to tolerate everyone’s faith equally. Like so many, I accepted without considering the value that religion plays in people’s lives and grew up understanding that it was wrong to question someone’s faith.

Sam Harris stirs something in me. He says what I’ve always known was true, but have been too polite to say. I now consider myself a convert from vague agnosticism to strong atheism.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:55:47 +0000

Poetry often comes in small volumes. This book (while I’d agree with “freakishly overpriced”) is an anthem of the atheist position. It is concise, complete and focused.

My one complaint/concern is that in the first two pages Sam insults his putative reader (Christians) so completely that their shields are up at full strength. It is not likely that any of the eloquent, sharp and beautiful arguments presented later will pierce the resistance inspired early on.

Which gets me to, “Is there anything new?” Little, but better and more concisely stated.

That said, I continue to seek the “magic bullet” that will sneak past a fundamentalist Christian’s memetic immune system and pick the lock that prevents them from using reason to assess Sam’s points, or the arguments of any atheist.

What will actually allow/aid a Christian to escape his belief? I fear this book is not it.

By: Hemant

Hemant — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 02:12:01 +0000

Wilsoner– Smarmy? I’m not sure this fits the definition… Actually, I’m thrilled his book is doing well. I think it’d be wonderful if more people read it. But compared to Harris’ brilliant other work End of Faith, Letters to a Christian Nation is just not up to par.
And call me cynical, but the book really is freakishly overpriced.

– Hemant

By: Wilsoner

Wilsoner — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:11:32 +0000

What a smarmy posting. As an atheist, I celebrate Sam’s book, and like that it is a best-seller. You are such an unbelievably negative person and play into the sterotypes of all atheists being cynics. What a waste.

By: SH

SH — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 15:15:53 +0000

Reading your comments about the number of words in his book made me smile. I wonder if Harris has anything of interest or importance to say to the world. I was unimpressed by his first book and disgusted by some of the views expressed in it and in his later essays and interviews. I have no reason to believe that his new book will be any better, so he will not be getting my $$.

By: vjack

vjack — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 12:06:23 +0000

My question is this: did the book strike you as little more than a concise summary of End of Faith, or did it offer something new?

By: Helen aka Ir

Helen aka Ir — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 11:14:46 +0000

My husband just bought this yesterday, after seeing an ad for it a few days ago. He said that at least it was discounted where he bought it! He read me a bit from the intro to the effect of “it’s interesting that although Christians claim to believe in love and forgiveness, the most hostile responses have been from them – and they claim Biblical predecent for this behavior – I know this because one of my angriest correspondents always quotes me the chapter and verse!”

FWIW, I just posted a Sam Harris Interview on the ebay atheist blog.