An Atheist Stranger in a Strange Religious Land
An Atheist Stranger in a Strange Religious Land
“In the Rationalist Utopia of my dreams, Herb Silverman would be a Living National Treasure, if not Honorary President for Life.”
—Richard Dawkins, author, The God Delusion
About the Book
From Orthodox Jewish child in postwar America to mild-mannered mathematician in academia to legendary atheist activist in the heart of today’s Republican South, Herb Silverman has always been outside the mainstream of American culture, politics, and religion. From this unique vantage point, he writes about the most pressing issues of our day, including those related to war, peace, patriotism, race, gender, and church-state separation. In this entertaining and thought-provoking volume, he curates some of his best written work. Silverman may see himself as an atheist stranger in a strange religious land, but thanks in part to his work as activist and author, atheists as a whole are no longer strangers in this increasingly irreligious land.
About the Author(s)
Herb Silverman is founder and president of the Secular Coalition for America and author of Candidate Without a Prayer. He is also Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the College of Charleston. You can browse a collection of Herb’s public speeches and debates at his Web site www.herbsilverman.com.
Details
ISBN: 9780984493258
Format: paperback
SRP: $15.95
Page count: 264 pages
Trim size: 6 x 9
Pub date: April 2017
More Praise
“These lively and thoughtful essays contain essential insights on how to advance a secular, humanistic worldview in a country and a world that is still dominated by religion. The discussions are invariably judicious, wise, and thought-provoking.”
—Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University; author, The Better Angels of Our Nature“Whenever I see that Herb Silverman has written about something I care about, I drop everything and read it. This collection reminds me why. More than once, his clarity, intelligence, and easygoing wit have been the perfect antidote to the lunacy of our culture war, making me feel that things just might turn out fine after all.”
—Dale McGowan, author, Parenting Beyond Belief“Herb Silverman's writing is like listening to a favorite uncle give entertaining yet practical advice on how the world really is. Herb's mathematician side comes through in the flawless logic he uses to filet arguments in support of religion and against atheism. His puckish side comes through in the jokes and storytelling that make his enjoyable commentaries part cultural observation, part Borscht Belt routine . . . . This volume takes us inside Herb's mind -- a place to linger only if you want to be challenged to think while chuckling."
—Robyn E. Blumner, President & CEO, Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science"With wit, warmth, and insight, Herb Silverman deftly addresses a range of topics relating to religion, atheism, politics, and culture, and the sometimes uneasy relationships among them. His delightfully concise essays will bring enlightenment to your brain and a smile to your lips.”
—Ron Lindsay, author, The Necessity of Secularism: Why God Can't Tell Us What to Do“What I like most about Herb Silverman’s eclectic collection of essays, on subjects ranging from holidays to the political clout (and weaknesses) of atheists and secular humanists in politics, is his emphasis on building coalitions with liberal religious allies when we agree on public issues and drawing the line when secular and religious values clash. There is uncommon good sense—sorely needed in this era of political incivility—in his insistence that it is both possible and desirable for atheists and humanists to proudly proclaim their values while seeking areas of common concern with the large number of liberal religious Americans who agree with secular Americans, not with the religious Right, on the separation of church and state.”
—Susan Jacoby, author, Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism“An Atheist Stranger in a Strange Religious Land doesn’t only give us the best of Herb Silverman. Its delightful mix of incorruptible reason, tolerance, and compassion—served with a deliciously saucy sense of humor—gives us the best of humanity.”
—Rebecca Goldstein, author, 36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction“Whether you believe in God or not, you can have faith in Herb’s Silverman’s ability to inform and entertain. He is an insightful and delightful conversationalist, as this collection of his columns confirms.”
—Wendy Kaminer, author, Sleeping With Extra-Terrestrials: The Rise of Irrationalism and Perils of Piety
Related Titles
About the Book
At no time in history has the United States had such a high percentage of theocratic members of Congress—those who expressly endorse religious bias in law. Just as ominously, especially for those who share the values and views of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, at no other time have religious fundamentalists effectively had veto power over one of the country's two major political parties. As Sean Faircloth argues in this deeply sobering yet highly engaging book, this has led to the crumbling of the country's most cherished founding principle—the wall of separation between church and state.
While much of the public debate in the United States over church-state issues has focused on the construction of nativity scenes in town squares and the addition of "under God" to the Pledge, Faircloth, a former politician and current director of strategy and policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (U.S.), moves beyond the symbolism to explore the many ways federal and state legal codes privilege religion in law. He demonstrates in vivid detail how religious bias in law harms all Americans—financially, militarily, physically, socially, and educationally—and directs special attention to the outlandish words, views, and policy proposals of the most theocratic politicians, a group he labels the Fundamentalist Fifty. Sounding a much-needed alarm for all who care about the future direction of the country, Faircloth concludes by offering an inspiring ten-point vision of an America returned to its secular roots and by providing a specific and sensible plan for realizing this vision. Both his vision and his plan remember and remind that the United States is, above all else, one nation under the Constitution.
About the Author(s)
Sean Faircloth is the director of strategy and policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (US). He served for a decade in the Maine State Legislature, where he successfully spearheaded over thirty pieces of legislation. He was elected majority whip by his colleagues in his last term. Richard Dawkins (foreword by) is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was the inaugural holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University.
Details
ISBN: 9780984493258
Format: paperback
SRP: $14.95
Page count: 168 pages
Trim size: 6 x 9
Pub date: October 2012
Also available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780984493241; SRP: $21.95)