 | |
List Price: $34.98 | | Publisher: Prometheus Books
Salesrank: 262799
|
| Our Price: $15.45 |
| Used Price: $3.17 |
|
| Media: Hardcover |
|
Editorial Review:
"Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality" took form when Allen began his own exploration of the Bible, marking passages that struck him as extraordinarily beautiful, or those that were profoundly confusing. Spellbound by the very mystery of it, he perceived that much of the text leads directly to controversy. And, he urges, it is of greater importance now than ever before that all Americans be conversant with the Bible, partly because of those who would use Scriptures as a weapon to force their views on others. Allen presents his ideas as a series of alphabetically arranged essays on characters, events, and books of the Scriptures, as well as on such controversial topics as abortion, anti-Semitism, capital punishment, death, evolution, and original sin. He draws on the expertise of biblical scholars, theologians, and philosophers to demonstrate that fundamentalist assumptions about the reliability and authenticity of the Bible as the inviolable Word of God simply have no rational or factual basis.
Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality Reviews:
A thoughtful effort to understand religion 
2005-04-10 - Mr. Allen did something few of us have done. To understand Christianity, he went to the source -- the Bible. He read it carefully and applied the same level of critical inquiry that one should apply when reading any book. The results were illuminating.
Among the reviews I've read, I found Mr. James O. Ditt's review revealing. His unhappiness with Mr. Allen's book reminded me of Mark Twain's words:
"When you know a man's religious complexion, you know what sort of books he reads when he wants some more light, and what sort of books he avoids, lest by accident he get more light than he wants." (Ira D. Cardiff, "What Great Men Think of Religion")
Sheer brilliance. 
2002-07-27 - I don't think anyone could read this book and not come to the conclusion that Steve Allen was one of the most all-around intelligent and talented public figures of the 20th century. He was truly a worldly scholar. What's more amazing to me is Allen's methodology, relying largely on his own readings and observations from Gideon's Bibles in hotel rooms while on the road.
Allen has long been a man of clear social, moral, and political conscience. He goes to great lengths in this book to keep from confusing the separate aspects of his thought except where it is applicable, and does so to a wonderful effect. His explanations of Biblical persons, places and passages, their history and deeper meanings are written in the truest glory of a rational spirituality the world has yet to realize. Furthermore, his analysis of social issues supposedly stemming from the Bible shows his ability to handle controversial topics carefully while not pulling punches with adversarial positions.
Never once did I feel like I was not dealing with a scholar on these subjects. The decades of work Allen has put into clarifying his own thoughts in these matters shines like a light tower over a dark, foggy sea. This, to my eyes, is the greatest book of its type since Thomas Paine's "The Age of Reason," and in many ways it's better. It not only illuminates what a genius he really was, but also how simple and necessary critical thought is to every one of us.
And to the reviewer who gave this book one star, it is sadly obvious that you did *not* read this book at all. The foreword and introduction alone state that Allen was raised in a strict Irish-Catholic household, was a Catholic until his early 30s when he was excommunicated for his second marriage, and thereafter attended Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles with his wife Jayne and their son. He even makes quite clear in the book that non-belief, to him, is more irrational than belief. But then again, 'twill always be the scholars first who are rooted out as heretics.
If you've ever had questions about the teachings and record of Christianity but still maintain your faith, this book comes to you as highly recommended as possible. It tears down walls and builds spirits.
good reading for open minds, critical for closed ones
2002-01-19 - Steve Allen and Martin Gardner have done a marvleous job pointing out some of the more obvious and egregious examples of problems in the bible, the religious tome embraced by practitioners of the christian religion and viewed as unerring word of god by some particularly fundamentalist practitioners. It is strongly encouraged reading for anyone gullible enough to believe the word of Jerry Falwell and his ilk. One reviewer asked "why bother" writing such a book so critical of the bible? The answer is clear: one need only see the cost in human and environmental harm done by fundamentalists in the name of their religions. They harm not only themselves, their families, and their children. They harm us all, therefore it is critical that their unquestioning faith be doused with cold water such as this book from time to time. Bravo!
Just in Passing 
2000-10-03 - While walking out of the local library recently, this book was on a
display table "Check these out", and I did. I am really
sorry I did because I believe the contents of his book from cover to
cover are pure nonsense and jibberish....I could not bring myself to
read too much of it word for word, but I did scan most of the
subjects. I often wonder, why do people, such as him, go to such
lengths to heap scathing criticism on the Bible? Why waste the time
and energy? Here is a person of self-designated average intelligence
(a poor attempt at humility - but really a lie), but above average
industry, who supposedly spent several years between shows, writing
songs, etc, trashing the Bible. Why? Perhaps deep down, he thinks it
might be true? His understanding or misunderstanding of a
straightforward, face value reading of Scripture is astounding. I
don't believe he has ever read any part of the Bible with the
slightest intent of understanding any of it or trying to get anything
positive out of it. His basic belief in the "fact of
evolution" is probably his underlying error.... I suppose he does
not know that it has never been shown that evolution has ever
occurred, and that the whole evolutionary house of cards is about to
come tumbling down? He does an awful lot of name calling throughout
his drivel: uninformed, simple, fundamentalist, uneducated, etc, etc,
etc. He should look in the mirror! I should think he would be
embarrassed to realize that he has put his thoughts (biases) down on
paper and published for all to see his monumental stupidity and
ignorance. Has he not read Phillip Johnson, William Dembski, Michael
Behe, Michael Denton, and others?.... He denies all essential doctrine
of the Bible: a recent creation, the fall, the flood, the dispersion
of mankind from Babel as a result of the confusion of language, the
Messiah, who Jesus was/is, the diety of Christ, His death on the
cross, His resurrection, things to come, all of it! Why bother? To
what end? There must be a significant reason why he spent so much time
and effort into his version of destroying Scripture. What could it be?
His mind is really closed, something he frequently accuses others of
being. If I had this book dirtying up my library, it would be there as
an outstanding example of narrow-minded ignorance, faulty logic and
reasoning, and plain dishonesty. He knows nothing of true science....
Religion
2000-05-18 - Steve Allen has certainly done his homework on this one! An outstanding work of thought provoking and sensible material. Steve's best work yet.
