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    Letter to a Christian Nation
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    Letter to a Christian Nation
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    Letter to a Christian Nation
    Ebook78 pages1 hour

    Letter to a Christian Nation

    By Sam Harris

    4/5

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    From the new afterword by the author:

    Humanity has had a long fascination with blood sacrifice. In fact, it has been by no means uncommon for a child to be born into this world only to be patiently and lovingly reared by religious maniacs, who believe that the best way to keep the sun on its course or to ensure a rich harvest is to lead him by tender hand into a field or to a mountaintop and bury, butcher, or burn him alive as offering to an invisible God. The notion that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that his death constitutes a successful propitiation of a “loving” God is a direct and undisguised inheritance of the superstitious bloodletting that has plagued bewildered people throughout history. . .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
    Release dateSep 19, 2006
    ISBN9780307266606
    Author

    Sam Harris

    Sam Harris is the author of the bestselling books The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, and Lying. The End of Faith won the 2005 PEN Award for Nonfiction. His writing has been published in over fifteen languages. Dr. Harris is cofounder and CEO of Project Reason, a nonprofit foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society. He received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. Please visit his website at SamHarris.org.

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    Reviews for Letter to a Christian Nation

    4/5

    977 ratings52 reviews

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    • 3/5
      It was like preaching to the choir. I have little respect for religion as does the author. And while I can respect people's differing beliefs, I have a hard time taking god and religion in general seriously. This book points out some of the absurdities and goes down well. I suppose I should read the counter argument book "Letter to A Christian Nation: Counter Point" by RC Metcalf next.
    • 4/5
      A smart, straightforward argument laying out the harm that religion does to society.
    • 5/5
      Sam Harris is one of the current group of neo atheists who are thankfully taking back some of the public discourse space from the evangelical right. His books are articulate and well-reasoned counterpoints to religious fundamentalism, although he sometimes conflates the worst aspects of religion with all religion, and seems to leave little space for co-existence with the positive aspects of world religions. This one is a quicker read than The End of Faith, but equally good.
    • 3/5
      Harris' latest blast against religion, 'Letter to a Christian Nation', is a response to the Christians who wrote to Harris after publication of 'The End of Faith'. Harris has embarked upon an ambitious project - nothing less than "eradicating religion." 'Letter to a Christian Nation' is a short (91 small pages), but devastating critique of the absurdities of biblical religions that claim inerrancy for a 'book' written some 2000 years ago. It is easy to poke fun at belief in the literal truth of the Bible. A favorite quote is from J.B.S. Haldane that God must have "an inordinate fondness for beetles" given that there are some 350,000 species of beetles. At times Harris fails to apply his own test of evidence such as when he paints broad strokes such as "most Muslims are utterly deranged by their religious faith." He also throws in some sloppy correlations between religion and various social problems in the US - which could just as arguably be due to other factors, like the disparity of wealth and free market ideology. It is still not clear that religous freedom would be safe with Harris at the helm. Harris is at his best when sticking to specifics. The book is worth reading if you only learn that Dr. Reginald Finger, a thankfully-former member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, would consider opposing a hypothetical HIV vaccine on the grounds that such a vaccine would be a "disinhibition" to premarital sex. He also expressed reservations about the actual HPV vaccine against cervical cancer because it would detract from the religous right's abstinence message. An appendix contains a handy listing of Harris' 10 recommended books, including the 'God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins and 'Freethinkers' by Susan Jacoby. A recommended quick read for readers interested in a little freethinking.
    • 4/5
      "What is interesting about this book, as in most atheist thought, is that in lambasting fundamentalist institutional religious dogma, the author ends up doing exactly what he accuses his opponents of: polarizing, claiming to know what truth and reality are better than anyone else, and pushing moderates into extremism. He claims, as all atheists do, to be speaking solidly from the standpoint of reason. As a reasonable man, then, he should have recognized..."Lovely. This Goodreads critic of the book is critical of the author for accusing his opponents of "claiming to know what truth and reality are better than anyone else" and claiming to be "speaking solidly from the standpoint of reason" and therefore as "a reasonable man, then, he should have recognized" ... THE TRUTH! Which in the eye of this Goodreads critic, typical of so many self righteous reviewers of this book, is the teachings of CHRISTIANITY and while criticizing Harris of "claiming to know ... truth and reality," and of polarizing people by pushing his agenda, this reviewers seems completely guilty of the accusations thrown at the author!!! If I may borrow and rebrand, to to speak, from this reviewer, so "typical" of Christian thought! I do not claim to know the truth, but theists do, and, to paraphrase Hitchens, exceptional claims require exceptional evidence. Just because Harris points out some of the seemingly inherent flaws within Christianity, the people who claim HE polarizes then polarize some more in attacking him for pointing out the obvious to most non-Christians, theists of other faiths, and freethinkers around the country. This reviewer epitomizes what he accuses Harris of doing and in so doing, justifies Harris's contentions. If it weren't so tragic, the irony would be too funny.Not the absolute best book I've read, but pretty solid, in my opinion. And in the opinion or many others, though you can't tell from all of the attacks from so many of the Christians reviewing this book. I guess it's hard to face accusations that don't jibe with your belief system when the accusations hurt or insult, even if there may very well be legitimacy to them... Recommended to all.
    • 3/5
      It gave me some interesting food for thought, but arguing with staunch Christians on the ground Harris covers would seem to me to be a futile effort.
    • 5/5
      I think that the number of people who should read this book that will read it is sufficiently statistically small as to be safe in saying no one who needs to read it will.



      I agree with everything Mr. Harris said, though I think his comparisons of Christian fundamentalism to Muslim dogma and adherence might get the wrong attention.
    • 5/5
      Harris's answer to the letters and e-mails he received from outraged Christians following publication of his first book, The End of Faith. This volume is short and can be read quickly - I read it in a single evening. One thing that elevates this book above some of the others is that he rarely cites any verse from the Bible without giving the reference to where it can be found. A good gift for that relative who keeps insisting that we are a Christian nation, and that Christianity is the religion of love.
    • 5/5
      In 'Letter to a Christian Nation' Sam Harris articulately rebuts common and popular arguments for Christianity in American culture and politics. It is a short and easy read which tackles the self-righteous attitudes of many of America's Christians -- particularly of the Evangelical stripe. Harris frames the book, as the title suggests, as a letter written to, and addressing, America's conservative Christians. This book is a response to criticism from conservative American Christians regarding a previous book Harris had written. I recommend 'Letter to a Christian Nation".
    • 5/5
      Whether a reader is devout, wavering on a border, or an atheist, only a fanatic could not be persuadedinto examining the foundations and history of his or her faithby the unremitting analysis, argument, and attacks that Sam Harris has delivered in his Letter.Not only Christians, but Jewish and Islamic people are addressed and found deeply wanting.What is missing, for both current and previous religious people, is the author's deeper understanding of both the role of Hope and that of Second Nature.For many religious believers, without a creator or higher power, there is only THIS, with no Hope for eternal life,redemption and forgiveness from sins, and Divine Protection to come soon.With Second Nature, for those raised in a religion based on its Good Things - love, music, songs, prayers,community, peace passing all understanding, casseroles, safety, comfort, and help when sick, dying, or mourning -there is no Union of Concerned Atheists to turn to.
    • 3/5
      I hadn't read anything by Sam Harris before. I've seen him many times, mostly on YouTube videos of debates with his late colleague Chris Hitchens. Other reviewers are correct that there is nothing really new here, but Harris does have some interesting and well-made arguments.

      I did find a few mildly disturbing things that stood out as falling short of an easily defensible argument.
      Harris argues that the destruction of a human blastocyst is the same as scratching your nose since a human could be cloned from the skin cells that you destroy. This is silly. It isn't currently feasible to clone human skin cells, many think that it would be immoral to do so, and cloning human skin cells is not a natural evolved process. There is no clear moral solution to the question of abortion since there are good arguments on both sides, and I don't think any argument is satisfactory that fails to recognize that if you do not destroy an early fetal human, then you are likely to get an infant in 9 months.

      Although the book is ostensibly a letter to Christians, it spends a considerable portion of its short length running down Muslims. I just find it hard to believe that if you somehow magically removed religion from the Earth, that people wouldn't find ample reason to kill each other.
    • 5/5
      Well, Sam Harris certainly doesn't pull any punches with this book. It is very hard-hitting and very anti-religion. It is mainly anti Christian in it's approach but other religions (Muslims in particular) are not spared either. Sam poses the book as a letter to Christians which systematically takes apart most of the claims of Christianity. Such as the claim that they have a unique book (the Bible) that was given by God and is more or less infallible. Sam points out the inconsistencies in the Bible, the God of the old testament being in favour of slavery, human sacrifice, (and all sorts of sacrifice) genocide, rape, etc etc. (And points out that Jesus says that the old testament is all still valid for the Christians). He does have a few kind words for the Jains....who seem to have a non-violence philosophy that they take seriously. And Sam thinks they are much better in this respect than Christians. He also makes the point that Christians are not the only ones who make class about having a sacred book that provides the "one true way". The Koran, for example. It is a powerful polemic and made an impression on me. Basically, it's hard to argue with his logic. Maybe, one might think it a bit over the top...though he makes the point that one shouldn't let Christians get away with wishy-washy cop-outs ....like people in the old testament needing tougher treatment than we need today. And he makes mince meat of Pascal's wager and the goodness of God and the predictions of prophecy. (Why didn't the prophets predict the internet and some real stuff). Will it have an impact on believers? I doubt it. Seems to me that believers are pretty much impervious to arguments. Even when they hear with their ears they seem to be able to change their thinking ...especially older people. Anyway, I'm impressed and happy to award it 5 stars.
    • 1/5
      I suppose this book has been so popular because its shorter than Hitchens or Dawkins' works. Harris brings no new arguments-- he doesn't bring any arguments, really. He claims at one point to be arguing on behalf of thousands of years of science and philosophy but does not cite any of it, particularly philosophy. There have always been philosophical debates about the existence of God, and plenty of philosopher apologists-- Harris is apparently unaware of all of them. As such, he does not argue with thousands of years of philosophers who held a Christian world view, he is only arguing with a caricature of a modern Christian. He apparently is also unfamiliar with logic as the book is filled with contradictions. Harris argues, as Hitchens and Dawkins do, that plenty of atheists are "moral people" who show "compassion" but Harris does not define what morality is. The reader can conclude that Harris himself determines what morality is, or perhaps the 51% majority do? In that sense, Harris makes same mistake as the others-- he has no objective basis on which to make his claims of morality. Christians, on the other hand, make moral claims on the belief that there are absolute truths that are known, one of which being that life is precious because man is created in the image of God and therefore worthy of respect.

      Harris, however, opens the book by praising "Christians" who reject absolute truths, which is a major problem for him. Hitchens, for one, rejected liberals or moderates who did not believe in a resurrected Christ who literally lived, taught, died, and was resurrected because that is what the Bible teaches and is the bedrock of orthodox Christianity. Harris basically accepts anyone who marginally believed there may have been a Jesus as a "Christian," which again defies logic. Why hold up as enlightened liberals who reject thousands of years of scholarship and archaeology to reach their own conclusions on who Jesus was based upon their own subjective opinions? It's not clear.

      Since Harris alone defines truth in his world view, he can reject as "ignorant" anyone who does not agree with him. He's horrified that the majority of Americans believe in a God, a judgment day, miracles, etc. He does not acklnowledge that thousands of PhD-holding biologists, astrophysicists, anthropologists, etc. are also in this majority and have been for centuries. His preferred method of setting laws and education would be a tyranny of an elect, enlightened few who share his identical ideas. Yet, he calls Christians "intolerant," not realizing that he is also.

      Harris is also ignorant of biblical theology. He criticizes his Christian caricatures for taking verses out of context when he is guilty of the same. He is completely ignorant that orthodox Christians, protestant, Catholic, etc., believe that the Old Testament is interpreted through the New, that all of it points to Christ. Therefore, he's completely lost in arguing Christians should follow the laws in Deuteronomy. Like the other new atheists, Harris sees much of the Bible as a prohibition of sexual pleasure-- prudishness for prudishness sake. (He also does not acknowledge that polls repeatedly find married Christians more satisfied with their sexual lives than non-Christians). He does not understand the Gospel, which is tragic.

      The book is Hitchens and Dawkins lite, nothing more. The reader should check out Francis Schaeffer's How Then Should We Live for a look at how Western thought, including the humanistic atheism that Harris claims is "truth," developed. It's much better written then this trope and spans centuries of scientific and philosophical thought. I would also recommend William Lane Craig's Reasonable Faith, for starters.

      It's worth noting that Harris shares a position with many evangelical Christians-- inter-faith dialogue is "useless." Harris writes that many on the Left in the West want to refuse to believe that religious wars happen, when most of the tensions we see around the world revolve around religion: Muslim vs. Buddhist, Christian vs. Muslim, Sunni vs. Shia, etc. Harris opines that it has more to do with religion than simply tribes or cultures. When a person's worldview leads him to conclude that he knows what absolute truth is, then everyone else must be wrong and part of the problem. Harris points to 9/11 and other terrorist attacks as examples of what happens when a group of even well-educated people demonstrate that they "truly believe in a God" and an afterlife. His comments about Islam have drawn criticism from many in America.

      Still, Christians would do well to read these kinds of books to see what outsiders think of them and to examine certain statements they make that are problematic. These are the low-hanging fruit that the new atheists latch onto. Harris calls Christians to task-- if we really believe in a God and an afterlife, why don't we live with more conviction? If we believe in a God who is able to work miracles, why do we never pray for an amputee to regrow her limbs? I just wouldn't recommend this one as it's far inferior to Hitchens' God is Not Great. 1 star out of 5. Check out the one-star reviews from atheists.
    • 4/5
      Harris' message was succinctly put and although I didn't agree with everything he said, I appreciate his candor and methodology. I'm not so sure that Christians would be so receptive to this "letter" but someone with even a little intestinal fortitude and personal integrity would have to at least reevaluate their believes.
    • 5/5
      A novella length book from Sam Harris about religion feels slightly short and I wish it were longer. Like all the books from the author I've read, the information is deceptively easy and maybe too simple looking. For that or some unknown reason, I've always regretted forgetting most of the deliciously pertinent and insightful tidbits that are up for offer for the open minded. I want to remember those facts because what I do remember makes a better, prettier, less ignorant, happier, and more illuminated state for the sentience that dwells in my mind. Imagine how happy I'd be if I remembered most things from Letter To A Christian Nation. The book is meant for both adults and children, provided they have curiosity and are not anchored by dogmatic training. It doesn't use big words, or swear words, there's no sex, but an adult will immediately classify the book as not middle grade or Young Adult. There are no fairies, no magic, no escapism, no allegory, yet a child or a teenager will immediately think - I assume - that this is a book meant for him or her. This book is the product of a modern and relevant and gifted teacher. These are rare, and I can pay Sam Harris no bigger compliment.
    • 5/5
      Sam Harris is an excellent writer; clear and concise without being condescending. This book is more than just an argument against religion, it is also a plea to judge the claims made by religion about the universe and our place in it, using the same standards of proof we expect from every other discipline. As with other books advocating reason over religion if you are an atheist you will find plenty of ammo here to bolster you arguments, if you are questioning your faith you will find a lot here to think about, and if you are secure in your faith there is nothing here to be afraid of.
    • 5/5
      More direct and blunt even than Dawkins. Sam Harris really calls this country out for it's irrationality.
    • 1/5
      He strays outside of his area of expertise (he’s a neuroscientist), like many of the New Atheists did and do, and he’s kind of a prick, but he’s not without legitimate points at times.
    • 5/5
      I love this little book. I'm not sure whether it was this one, or Harris' more in-depth End of Faith—probably a combination of the two—that pissed off the devout, attracted new fans and rocketed him to stardom.I easily identify with Harris' method of reasoning here, but it's taken me years to understand that true believers simply see the world differently and their discussions on religion are overwhelmingly couched in feeling, not logic. This doesn't presume they're not reasonable (though Harris probably disagrees) and it's definitely not a question of intelligence. Where I see a convincing argument, they may see uncompromising hostility. When it's explained to me that a sunset is evidence of God's love, I shake my head at the non sequitur, but likewise, my demonstrations of the logical absurdities of Christianity may produce equally baffling head-shakes in return.The strongest statement in Letter to a Christian Nation comes right at the beginning where Harris sets up the either/or proposition of belief. Either some or all of Christianity's supernatural claims are true, or they're not. It's intellectually dishonest to be inclusive here. One group is going to be really right; the other really wrong.
    • 4/5
      Sam Harris tries to explain to US why betraying the separation between state and religion, one of modern democracy fundaments, will bring only misery and how there is no substantial difference in the absurdities of Christanity, Judaism and Islam.
    • 5/5
      This is a great book! I loved it. It has clarified some things for me and even though Harris and I may disagree on some small subjects, the logic is perfect. I would (and will) recommend this book to anyone!
    • 5/5
      I was mightily impressed by The End of Faith but kept passing up opportunities to get this slim follow-up book, figuring he’d said it all the first time round. Letter to a Christian Nation is limited in scope but still packs a mighty punch. Fashioned as a series of rebuttals to the most vehement and fundamental of religious believers, Harris’ original arguments have been honed into short, sharp shocks made all the more powerful because of the bluntness of his prose. This should be mandatory, not just recommended, reading for all.
    • 3/5
      Nobody needs another review on this short little atheist booklet. Amazon now has 724 reviews. By now, we all know how aggressively Harris attacks Christianity, and how effectively his writing pushes buttons. I’m not going to review the book so much as I’m going to discuss the problem.Does Harris have good points? Of course. Is he right? Quite often. Is he offensive? Duh. I’m about as “liberal” as a Christian can get, and even I am offended when Harris writes.The funny thing is, Harris cares. He cares about people, he cares about truth, he cares about our future. If you don’t believe me, begin the book by turning to the back and reading the conclusion. But Harris’ method pretty much assures that the audience he wants to reach will continue to ignore him. Just as Harris continues to ignore the Christian writers who seek to reach him.There’s a lot of truth flying in both directions in the Christian/atheist argument, and certainly a lot of honest intentions and concern for one another, yet very little connection. It makes me want to throw up my hands and conclude that atheists simply cannot grasp Christian thinking, and Christians simply cannot grasp atheist thinking. Atheists think they can use logic and common sense to somehow talk Christians away from what they feel and know through experience. Christians think if only atheists would give in to the God they are so frantically resisting, all would be well. If I thought you’d let me get away with it, I’d suggest that one side thinks with their head, the other with their heart … but, of course, I’d just be offending both sides with a trite oversimplification.It seems utterly impossible to bring the two sides together. I’m not sure it’s possible for the two sides to even understand each other. But you’d think coexistence and mutual respect would at least be possible. To that end, I recommend Christians read Harris’ book to better understand the way atheists think, and just do their Christian best not to be offended.
    • 5/5
      Harris's answer to the letters and e-mails he received from outraged Christians following publication of his first book, The End of Faith. This volume is short and can be read quickly - I read it in a single evening. One thing that elevates this book above some of the others is that he rarely cites any verse from the Bible without giving the reference to where it can be found. A good gift for that relative who keeps insisting that we are a Christian nation, and that Christianity is the religion of love.
    • 5/5
      I picked this book up after seeing Sam Harris speak at a University event. It is my first foray into the current crop of “atheist” books from Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennett, etc. so I don’t know how it compares to these other works. I thought Sam’s writing was clear, well reasoned, and engaging. He usually gets right to the point and addresses issues head on. While I wouldn’t have used some of the incendiary language he chose, I found his arguments compelling. I highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      I champion Harris' intentions in writing this book, but I fear, as with most other anti-religious books, that the target audience will be left unmoved. In this short polemic, Harris' cross-hairs are set upon the god-fearing Christian majority of the USA. He thoughtfully rebukes, one by one, most of the controversial political and moral issues under debate which are profoundly influenced by the Christian right in this country. It is a handy little manifesto to reference when debating others, but I doubt its efficacy in influencing those who matter most.
    • 5/5
      Although there are some things in which Sam Harris and I do not see eye to eye, this book could not stated my point of view concerning the topic more clearly than if I wrote it myself. I know there are several rebuttals to this book and I'm down for reading one of them. Now I just need to decide which one.
    • 1/5
      Harris is willing to clearly state what he believes, and proves to be uncompromising. Many of his critiques about religion, sadly, ring true. That's about all the good that can be said about the book.There's really nothing new here-- the same arguments being presented that have been used for at least 200 years. Harris is more than happy to use the OT against the NT and then arrogates the position of The Biblical Interpreter without any sufficient warrant and in false and misleading ways. His argumentation is inconsistent-- he never applies the same standard to his belief system that he applies against Christianity. He gleefully works to cast doubt on Christianity without ever seeming to doubt his own worldview, presuppositions, or dogma.He claims for science things that science cannot claim and, with bravado, claims things about what science can prove as "fact" that science simply cannot prove as fact. Despite what he would tell you, Harris has simply replaced God and the Bible with Science, Reason, and evolutionary theory, and while he is full of challenges, he never seems to be willing to question whether Science and Reason deserve the pedestal upon which he has placed them. I have little doubt that Harris' book might fluster and cause discomfort for immature believers, but, as could be expected, the book does not cover any new ground and does not get anyone anywhere closer to a better understanding of the world in which we live and its challenges. Man, no matter how much he may want to be, is not the measure of all things, and there is more to this universe than what our five senses can perceive. That which Harris denies is experienced by many-- and that is why religion is not going away.
    • 5/5
      The author is clearly answering the reaction he received as a result of the publication of his previous book, "The End of Faith." This slim volume takes on the people for whom the entirety of the Bible is the literal word of the Christian God. It is one side of an argument in which he quotes part of the Bible and then rebuts it. I found myself cheering him on at many of his points, and would like to read a more positive, less reactive, discussion of ethics.I agree that fundamentalist religious furor, whether Christian, Muslim, or something else, does seem to deny many objective facts about the world in favor of a first century understanding of the world we live in now. For instance, the casual belief that slave ownership is universal is not, in fact, a facet of our world. Nor should we base our actions upon that. Much to think about - I will get his other book.
    • 4/5
      This book is short and to the point, and most people will either love it or hate it, depending on their religion (or lack of).I'm an atheist who used to be a fundamentalist Christian. Part of me agreed with much of what was said in this book. But, there is a part of me that began to play the devil's advocate. For example, when Mr. Harris began discussing why those areas of the United States that tend to be the most religious also tend to have more crime, I was thinking back to my college psychology days about how correlations do not prove causation.All in all, it's an interesting little book, but it could have been better.