A 21st Century Rationalist in Medieval America: Essays on Religion, Science, Morality, and the Bush Administration

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 220 pages
• Published by: Chelydra Bay Press February 24, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0979365201
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0979365201
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Weighs: 10.4 ounces

Product Review
" easily one of the most enjoyable, thought-provoking, and quotable books I have read in years." -- Atheist Revolution, February 25, 2007

"A delight to read, a cornucopia of distilled facts and concise arguments" -- Dan Barker, Co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Author of "Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist."

"A new star in Op-Ed journalism has arrived and he's an atheist will make you feel better about the world." -- Jim Walker, nobeliefs.com

"A perfect `bedside reader.' John has written pithy and sharp commentaries." -- Paul Geisert, Ph.D., Co-Director of The-Brights.Net

"Absorbing, depressing, funny, sad, sarcastic, witty, and disturbing. A fantastic read." -- Lee Holmes, Atheist Foundation of Australia

"Bice's book will stand rationalists, skeptics and progressives in good stead in their quest for a new Enlightenment in America." -- Thomas W. Clark, director of the Center for Naturalism

"Bice's columns are refreshingly blunt and unapologetically atheistic. They also are lively, engaging, passionate and entertaining." -- George A. Ricker, author of Godless in America: conversations with an atheist

"Demonstrates what an atheist can do with an opinion column, if given the chance," 4 out of 5 stars -- Austin Cline, About.com's guide to Agnosticism/Atheism

"You will be referring back to this book for a long time." -- Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists

" I find the book strong, and, yes, blunt. This will provide you with many arguing points." -- James `The Amazing' Randi, investigator and demystifier of paranormal, supernatural and pseudoscientific claims.

Product Description
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.

Reader Reviews
Good writing needs clarity and passion. These essays by John Bice have both in abundance. Whether he is discussing religions in general---"In reality, mainstream unsupported beliefs (such as Christianity) are in no way objectively superior to the equally unsupported beliefs of fringe groups."---or the role of religious ideology in American government--- "Imagine how disturbing it would be if our own government habitually pushed dogmatic ideology over scientific facts. Well, prepare to be disturbed."---he brings a voice to our national conversation about religions and their role in public life that is authentic and refreshing. A 21st Century Rationalist in Medieval America is a collection of opinion pieces written by Bice for The State News, which serves Michigan State University and the community of East Lansing, Michigan, along with a few guest columns he contributed to the Lansing State Journal. The columns were written between 2002 and 2006 and cover a variety of subjects including religion, science, morality and politics, approaching them all from a perspective that is rational and liberal. An unapologetic atheist, Bice writes that he had been convinced of the waning influence of religions. However, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and a presentation on the impact of fundamentalist religion on science education at around the same time, galvanized him to an awareness of the dangers posed by fundamentalist religions. That awareness, in turn, prompted him to begin writing the opinion columns that make up the body of this work. Following a preface in which he lays out the circumstances that led to the creation of the book and an introduction in which he sets the stage for what follows, Bice has organized the material thematically into sections containing from three to ten essays. He begins with a chapter on "Weird Beliefs" and concludes with one titled "Iraq War, Media & Patriotism." Each chapter begins with a selection of related quotations from a variety of sources and an illustration by Mike Ramsey, who also created a very attractive cover for the book. Here, readers will find a front row seat from which to view the culture wars and an arsenal of arguments for those who want to be more actively engaged in the fray. Bice documents his opinions with fact and cites his sources. He writes with energy and candor, pulling no punches and sparing no sacred cows. While endorsing the "rights of conscience" of all, he does not hesitate to identify nonsense as nonsense and treat it accordingly. One of the charms of a collection like this is that the reader gets to witness the by-play between columnist and audience. Bice frequently cites letters to the editor or emails that are reactions to previous columns and uses them as springboards for a further exploration. This gives the pieces a conversational quality that is most welcome in an age of jargon and hype. Since each essay is relatively short, it's easy to stop and think about what you've read or pause before going on to the next. This is a book that can be read in one sitting or a little bit at a time, depending upon the reader's schedule and inclination. In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that, although I haven't met the author, I was given the opportunity to read an electronic version of this book and to write a blurb, which you'll find on the inside, before it went to press. I was enthusiastic about the book then. Now that I've bought a copy and read it again, I recommend it without reservation. A 21st Century Rationalist in Medieval America is a good read and a worthwhile addition to any library.