December AudioBooks

I got a little behind over the holidays, so here's December's titles ...



12/3/2006 -- "The End of Faith" (Sam Harris)
Harris pulls no punches in this hard-hitting, direct challenge to faith--ALL faith. He suggests that we can no longer afford the "religious tolerance" tauted by religious moderates, no less the "extremists" we currently condemn. The author quotes chapter & verse over and over again from both the Bible and the Holy Qur'an suggesting that no matter WHAT the politically correct may claim, neither the Judeo-Christian, nor especially Islamic religions are "peace-loving & teaching." Harris calls for an end to faith--ALL faith, in an age when (he claims) we can no longer afford the luxury of "sticking our heads in the sand" concerning this issue; not when we have people flying airplanes into skyscrapers in the name of "Faith!"
Overall ... "A must read, regardless of your faith (or lack there of)!"

12/13/2006 - "The God Delusion" (Richard Dawkins)

Dawkins is by far one of the most intelligent and articulate authors I have ever had the pleasure of reading. His hard-hitting, yet rhetoric-free denouncement of what he calls the "God Hypothesis," will really make you think. The author's attempts at "consciousness-raising" will do just that--raise your consciousness level. Maybe we should cringe to hear a two year old child referred to as a "Muslim child" or a "Christian child," rather than the more accurate, "child of Muslim (or Christian) parents." Dawkins also directly refutes the ideal that America was/is a "Christian Nation," as well as numerous other intriguing topics.

I enjoyed the narration by the author and his wife, Lalla Ward; however Heather found the alternating male/female narration distracting. Both have a pleasant, easy to listen to English accent, and both are obviously passionate about their subject.

Overall ... "A must-read for every believer & non-believer alike out there!"

12/26/2006 - "Letter to a Christian Nation" (Sam Harris)

After publishing his best-seller "The End of Faith," Harris received thousands of letters from Christians across the country challenging his viewpoint and admonishing him for not believing in God. This little book (1hr 56min, unabridged) is his courageous rebuttal to a near Christian-majority population. Instead of "lashing out" against his fellow countrymen for their difference of opinion, Harris calmly and in a straight forward manner, questions the very mindset of Christians. Especially intriguing, was the way he walks the Christian reader through a direct comparison of how they undoubtedly feel about the beliefs of Muslims and other religious groups, and then points out how these others "believers" undoubtedly feels exactly the same way about the Christians' beliefs. This is a very fast and easy read, worth the 2 hours.

Overall ... "Highly recommended if your interested in opening your mind to how others see your own beliefs (or lack there of)."