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[Viva_La_Revolution]

The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason

Sam Harris talks about his book, "The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason," at the New York Society for Ethical Culture in New York City. Mr. Harris argues that religion plays a major role in the increasingly dangerous world we find ourselves in today. He says religion has a negative influence in both the United States and across the Muslim world and says that for peace to exist, reason must replace faith as the driving force in society. Mr. Harris takes questions from the audience following his remarks.

Sam Harris is currently completing a doctorate in neuroscience to research the neural foundation for belief. "The End of Faith" is his first book.

Publisher: W.W. NORTON & COMPANY 500 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10

On CSPAN2 NOW

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. "if 22% of the population saw NY go up in a mushroom cloud...

They would see a silver lining. They would think that this was portending the return of Christ on earth." :scared:

[Pithy Cherub]

2. Harris's explanation of the difference between hope and belief

was concise, interesting and excellent. He promises to offend some in the audience. This is quite informative.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. Thanks for joining in....

I thought I was alone in finding it very interesting...

:hi:

[Pithy Cherub]

5. Wow! The arithmetic of Souls doesn't make sense...

The 100,000 cells in the brain of a fly which isn't that far off form a human brain. Whoa, Harris is taking no faith based prisoners. :wow:

Thanks for posting it. :hi:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. The brain of a fly contains 100,000 cells....

While a 3-day old human embryo has 150 cells

[CPschem]

6. The End of Faith

The End of Faith is an excellent book. I read it earlier this year and I'm constantly going back to it for references. I plan on giving it to several people as gifts this season.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. It's on my list now...

I loved his analogy about the neighbor who thinks that there's a refrigerator size diamond in his backyard. "The family loves getting together every Sunday and digging for that diamond together."

[jonnyblitz]

13. thanks for reminding me i need to pick up a copy. I checked

it out of my local library to read and decided i needed to own it. Many religionists aren't too fond of it here at DU. i have seen the book/him criticized...:P

[housewolf]

7. This guy is standing up there telling some TRUTH about religion...

In a way I've never heard anyone speak before.

Wow! Is he ever stirring up a hornet's nest, this is really something. I can't wait for the questions....

He's challanging "relidous moderates" as being a most dangerous force on the planet - "it's unprincipled thought. It's morally bankrupt thinking." He's challanging everyone's habit of "respect for religious beliefs" and making the point that there is no other arena in which we give people a pass on their beliefs without question. Challenging the concept that people's beliefs should not be questioned because people "find meaning" in their beliefs.

Strong stuff, wow, rousing, intellectually challenging - great sunday morning thinking!

"God is not a moderate."
"We are are war with fundamental Islam, not a group of people. Anyone who says that Islam is not a religion of jihad is wrong or hasn't read the Koran."
Strong arguments on religion vs reason.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. During the inquisition...

They used these religious laws to rationalize killing people for thought crimes." :wow:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

10. Conversation or War?

Which is it going to be people?

[mr blur]

11. It's a terrific book.

One that wouldn't be popular as a christmas present to a "believer" but, ironically, one that they need to read IMO.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. He's going into the good parts of belief now...

I've always felt, in my heart that if we could just keep ORGANIZED religion out of BELIEF we would be so much better off.

[Solomon]

14. It is a great book. Wish I had the guts to give it to people as gifts.

What really gotme about the book was his argument that being moderate about religion is as dangerous as enabling drug addicts. And he's right. I've never considered it impolitic to debate and argue about religion. In fact I love doing it, but people don't like it. He makes me feel good for wanting to discuss religion and it's stupidities.

[housewolf]

15. Hmmmm..... "Devisive superstitions".....

This guy is really brave!

"If we are to be truly happy in this world, in the face of the fact that everyone of us in going to die and if we just hang on long enough, everyone that we know and are about is going to die, we need to find ways to talk about this and deal with it without defaulting to devisive superstitions."

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. Some standing ovations...

I'm not surprised.

[Ladyhawk]

17. Wow, I'm reading a preview and he is saying what I already think.

I sometimes offend religionists on this board, but I can't lie and say that I think religion is good or even benign. I do find I can accept liberal religionists but I have found that they are often as dogmatic about their beliefs as right-wingers. The only difference is that we agree on more points. Having come from a fundamentalist past, it was hard for me to accept uncertainty. It still is. However, I have changed my mind on a number of things both important and insignificant, so I am fairly certain I am not horribly dogmatic. At least, I try not to be.

What sticks in my mind are these quotes:

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” – Voltaire

"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion."-- Carey Goldberg. "Why Are We Here?" International Herald Tribune, Paris ed., no. 36,125; Monday, Apr. 26, 1999; p. 10.

I wonder if the world would be better off without religion or if we would just find a new and improved way to hate and kill one another?

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

18. I'm really looking forward to reading this (for £££ reasons I'm waiting

for the paperback in February.)

Thanks for the posts in the thread.

(If you can download large-ish files from torrent sites, you may want to try & track down a recent three part BBC series called "A Brief History of Disbelief" by Jonathan Miller.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/atheism.shtml )

[Mr Rabble]

19. I'm reading this book right now.

This is a well thought out book, IMO. I am only 100 or so pages into it.

I'm already an atheist, so its preaching to the choir.