Monday 30 April 2012

God Is Not Great - Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens – God Is Not Great (2007)
Read on a Kindle during February 2012
#39 of 2011-12 – #160 of All Time
- 4 nods out of 5 -

Last year, the literary world lost a true heavyweight. Christopher Hitchens’ death from cancer leaves a shaky balance in the order of the universe; only this weekend his brother – arch conservative Peter Hitchens – was arguing the case for a death penalty, no matter the possibly of innocent death. The Worm watched the TV screen wishing Hitchens (the Progressive) would parachute in to set things straight. But failing his actual body form joining in with debate about society’s direction, the world – thankfully – has been left with the works and books to read and enjoy.

As the title of this book clearly sets out, Hitchens is on a rampage to declare that God is not the great being that human beings have worshipped for the past few thousand years. Bringing a trust in science and reason, Hitchens believes that the passing of time has seen religion retreating further and further back; the more we know, the less we need “God”. As Hitchens notes: ‘Today the least educated of my children knows much more about the natural order than any of the founders of religion.’ Much of the writing takes a polemical tone, much of which encapsulates the reader:

‘If you read Hawking on the “event horizon,” that theoretical lip of the “black hole” over which one could in theory plunge and see the past and the future… I shall be surprised if you can still go on gaping at Moses and his unimpressive “burning bush.” If you examine the beauty and symmetry of the double helix, and then go on to have your own genome sequence fully analysed, you will be at once impressed that such a near-perfect phenomenon is at the core of your being, and reassured that you have so much in common with other tribes of the human species – “race” having gone along with “creation” into the ashcan – and further fascinated to learn how much you are a part of the animal kingdom as well. Now at last you can be properly humble in the face of your maker, which turns out not to be a “who,” but a process of mutation with rather more random elements than our vanity might wish.’

The author is keen to emphasise his respect for the reasoning of past generations – they were doing they best they could under the circumstances – but now reason would demand an end to religion’s hold over the population of the world. Yet this is Hitchens in the role of the persecutor, giving the Bible both barrels: ‘The Bible may, indeed does, contain a warrant for trafficking in humans, for ethnic cleansing, for slavery, for bride-price, and for indiscriminate massacre, but we are not bound by any of it because it was put together by crude uncultured human mammals’.

Hitchens remains humorous throughout, and especially warming when digressing and detailing his own personal journey away from religion and into the idea of progress of science and humanity. His mind was one of wonderful enquiry, testing and questioning all around him. As he notes: ‘And here is the point, about myself and my co-thinkers. Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely solely upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free enquiry, open-mindedness,, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake.’ On many of the pages he sails close to the wind of controversy (one chapter is titled: ‘Is Religion Child Abuse?’); but perhaps the whole book’s purpose was to take no prisoners and to stake Hitchens’ colours directly to the mast, for all to see.

Who is the intended reader? Not those of religious faith, that is for sure; but perhaps those who are yet undecided and in need of direction. Hitchens would most certainly have dismissed the claim that atheism itself is a “faith”; his belief was in the progress of humanity. Yes, a contested and perhaps a vacuous term. But for Hitchens, perhaps there was no other belief for a human to reasonably to hold. We shall leave the last comment for Hitchens himself: ‘You will feel better too, I guarantee, once you leave hold of the doctrinaire and allow your chainless mind to do its own thinking’. God Is Not Great? You decide.

Buy it here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/God-Not-Great-Against-Religion/dp/1843545861

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Earth In Mind - David W. Orr

David W. Orr – Earth in Mind (On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect) (1994)
220 pages – my copy (paperback; 2004) borrowed from a well stocked library during February 2012
#38 of 2011-12 - #159 of All Time
- 4 nods out of 5 -




The turn of the new century has brought forth a host of texts who are critical of humankind’s work on this planet, as well as predicting a nasty – in many cases, a terrifying – future in we do not change our ways of thinking. David Orr – noted environmentalist – wrote this influential book in the last decade of the twentieth century; and much is in the same vein as the many other texts; but for one thing: Orr’s commitment to and belief in humanity.

Sustainability has become – to many – a buzzword of the modern age; something to pay mere “lip-service” to and nod in agreement, without actually undertaking the demands of what is agreed. Sustainability means a new way of thinking and doing; as Orr notes, a paradigm shift to turn the boat away from this ‘ecological emergency’ and avoid the icebergs that lay ahead.

One might think that such a message would make for dour and pessimistic reading; however, cease such a thought. Orr is a skilful writer who enlightens the mind, rather than overloads it. Earth In Mind is a vast collection of essays, ranging from – as the subtitle promotes – education, environment, and the future of the human race. The book is split into four sections (‘The Problem of Education’, ‘First Principles’, ‘Rethinking Education’, and ‘Destinations’); throughout it all, Mr Orr poses the problems we all face in a changing world, whilst suggesting possible routes forward to gain hope for our survival, as well as recapturing the good things we have lost in our past.

Education must be rethought: not more of the same, but a different, progressive, embracing education is needed. We no longer need managers in offices with their charts, Orr argues, but rather people who connect with the planet, with people, and their communities. The search for the almighty dollar is not the purpose of life: but rather doing our best for ourselves, our generation, and the future generations that have yet to come. This re-design of education will help shape the minds of what would become different, more prepared people to face the challenges of the future.

Out with the old and in with the new. There is a greater emphasis on the locality, of real relationships between us and nature. Yes, much it may sound like the vibe of “free love”, and unfortunately carry much of the negative connotations that surround it (such as the blatant hypocrisy); but need such a message be sniffed at and discarded. Why not open our arms, rethink our situation – if even for a minute – and allow ourselves the option of new and different directions on the road ahead.

So, in conclusion, what is the Worm to do: grab the sandbags, load up the shot-gun, and wait for impending Armageddon? Or perhaps get involved with the change that is needed and help construct the future in which Orr and other advocates stress is possible. The choice is an interesting one. The choice is yours.

Buy it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Mind-Education-Environment-Prospect/dp/155963295X

Read more about David W. Orr here:
http://www.davidworr.com/