A 21st Century Rationalist in Medieval America – Essays on Religion, Science, Morality, and the Bush Administration
What if a fed-up American atheist and "godless liberal" became a newspaper opinion columnist? This unique compilation answers that question, and demonstrates how an unapologetically secular perspective can go mainstream, reminding non-believers they're not alone, while simultaneously reaching a largely Christian audience. Exploring the power of "preaching to the converted," this motivating collection challenges other atheists, secularists, agnostics, and freethinkers to become vocal and involved in their own local media, adding a rational voice to the daily dialogue taking place in newspapers across the country. "A 21st Century Rationalist in Medieval America" is a collection of newspaper opinion columns, and other essays, written between 2002 and 2006. The subject matter includes: American politics, the media, religion, atheism, evolution and creationism, the Bush administration, science education, free will, gay marriage, religious conservatives, the Bible, morality, and the Iraq war.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars A Must-Read for Critical Thinkers
Brilliant. John Bice is able to succinctly state things in a way that makes total sense. Essential reading for anyone concerned with the illogic and moral wrongness of church involvement in politics.
5 Stars Cuts Right to the Quick
Bice is masterful. In my career as a lawyer and writer, I have come to loath many written works in this arena because they are simply to convoluted to endure. Bice's writing style is clean, witty, incisive and to the point. He also makes so much sense I found it hard to drop his book, even at 2am!
5 Stars Invaluable Addition to Our National Dialogue
Michigan State University's John Bice provides one of the most compelling voices in the "new atheist" movement in America. His columns, collected here along with additional edits, are thought-provoking, well-researched, and meticulously annotated. And did I mention that his columns are frequently full of black humor in the style of Mark Twain and George Orwell? As James Randi says on the back cover, "This will provide you with many arguing points…" While atheism isn't likely to win many converts in "Medieval America" (as Bice puts it), this is a book that will help many atheists articulate their positions and find their voices.
2 Stars Not sufficiently "fair and balanced"
I am a retired scientist, a conservative person with a strong libertarian bent, politically independent, and an agnostic. Although I agree with most of the points the author makes in this book, he does not always present "fair and balanced" arguments. I made the mistake of buying this book without reading the sub-title "Essays on Religion, Science, Morality, and the Bush Administration". The words "Bush Adminisration" would have warned me. The author admits to being a liberal, and some people might say that he is part of the "extreme" left. Well, I just wish that the author had presented all of his views in a more open, civil and honest fashion. Sure, I too think that president Bush has been harmful to our country, but why refer to him in misleading and sometimes dishonest ways? In one of his first references to Bush, the author does not even mention his name but simply calls him "our Supreme Court-appointed president". On another page the author writes "Al Gore won Florida in 2000". Chapters IX and X are largely a diatribe on president Bush and his Republican administration, chapters in which the author draws some questionable conclusions, chapters with several misleading and sarcastic comments, such as the expression "the warmongering Republicans". Such open hostility almost makes me believe that one Fox News anchor is correct when he says that some liberals are motivated by sheer hatred of president Bush. I note that the author clearly dislikes Fox News, once referring to the "disinformation specialists at Fox News". Although I myself do not think that Fox News is always "fair and balanced", the author of this book is not always "fair and balanced" either. An an example, the author devotes almost 2 pages denouncing religious groups because they object to the use of an HPV vaccine which he says is effective against cervical cancer. The author says that religious groups do not like sex-related vaccines and recoil at any possibility of "preventing or eliminating sexually-transmitted diseases", thus leaving the reader to wonder what the actual connection is between a vaccine which helps prevent a cancer and sex. The author makes no mention of the fact that the vaccine is effective against dozens of types of HPV viruses which are only transmitted by sexual activity, including some types which can cause cervical cancer. And these religious groups do not like sexual activity outside of marriage. I agree with the author that the religious groups' denunciation of this vaccine is a bad thing, but why didn't the author give the simple detail of the sexual connection, as I just did? And I was put off by his writing on page 73 when he says that the United States "have committed acts of violence that were as inappropriate and excessive as Communist regimes". Really? Well, that is one of the points with which I strongly disagree. I'm afraid to say that I found a bit too much irrationality in this book, especially in the last chapters.
For books which make a more open and civil argument against religion, I recommend "godless" by Dan Barker, "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins and "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris.
4 Stars Lots of fun to read, many moments of enjoyment at ideas thought youself, but not quite as well said as Bice does.
Truly enjoyable collection of op-ed type articals about a broad range of topics familiar to skeptics, rationalists, atheists and freethinkers, just very well presented. Loads of quotes you want to hang on to.
A book that gets you going back to reread parts and leaving you wishing for more.
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