The Reason Driven Life
July 14, 2006 by The Prize
I am quite pleased that I was able to find myself a copy of the book Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. Well for one, such a book rarely shows up here in the country. Even if it does, it’s going to take too much detective work just to find it. Besides, traveling to the Metropolis just to go looking for a book, which you aren’t even sure you will find, is such a cumbersome, resource hogging undertaking. In any less case, I am now able to read it and I would most probably write my thoughts and opinions with regards to the book’s content one of these days. Other works by Bart Ehrman I would like to get include:
- The Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew
- The New Testament : A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings
- Lost Scriptures : Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament
- The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture : The Effect of Early Christological Controversies on the Text of the New Testament
Earl Doherty’s The Jesus Puzzle is, hopefully, on its way. Now, if only I could get my hands on Robert Price’s book…
Speaking of Dr. Price, he will be releasing a new book, which I am in eager anticipation to get, entitled The Reason Driven Life. People may dismiss the book as mere polemics against the popular Evangelical literature authored by Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, with which it possesses, doubtlessly, an intentionally and unabashedly title and book cover design resemblance. But the book’s foreword, written by American actress, Julia Sweeney, states, “It’s a beautiful, inspired, insightful work in its own right.” Not only does it claim to dismantle its counterpart’s fallacious proposition, it also serves as inspirational devotional book for the general public, minus the supernatural claptraps and religious exclusivity.
The book proposes a life guided by reason as opposed to blind faith and superstition. Expect a discussion about the benefits of living a life aided by rationality in contrast with unfounded assumptions. At least that is my initial impression of the book. These concepts are all common sense. However, as reality continually impinges, this is so common that it is so elusively obvious. I just hope the book delivers as it passionately claims.
You can read the book’s foreword in its entirety here.
That is a one damn heck of a book I want to read. Read it quick. I’ll borrow it.
(Because I am so in despair to inform you, that I do not have any money to buy my own. XP)
You are interested with Bart Ehrman’s work? Not that I am not glad that you also possess interest in what you termed to be as a “geeky” subject but I can’t help but be surprised.
Ack!
Geek!
*runs off*
Thanks for your interest in The Reason Driven Life! I genuinely think and hope all my readers will find not only the holes in traditional fundamentalism but an inspiring alternative. For most, Humanism appears to be the utter rejection of religious myth and ritual and the knee-jerk substitution of liberal politics for religion. I think that is to short-change the wonder of the human imagination. I hope this book shows how to avoid that error.
First and foremost thank you so much for your comments. I support you and others like you who are practicing honest, critical scholarship.
Except for the wealthiest of us, credit cards are not widely used here in the Philippines. Add to that the fact that amazon.com does not do shipping and delivery as far as this side of the globe. I am really hoping that your books will reach our shores.
As far as I know, humanism is still a bit of an alien concept here in the Philippines so having Reason Driven Life may well set forth the stage to an early proper understanding of everything that it entails. Another advantage is that many of us, Filipinos, are quite pissed off with the Roman Catholic church’s constant meddling with our politics so there could well be indirect symphatizers to the kind of message your book espouses. Besides, Purpose Driven Life is very popular around here (not just with the Evangelicals) and your book’s resemblance may be curiously picked up by Rick Warren’s fans. Either case, I am hoping for a good read.
Keep up the great work and more power, Dr. Price!
Hmmmmm…I really hope that Mr. Prince book reach our shores. Just remember to get your hands to it before the Evangelical Christians can get there first. I have seen book-burning activities here in Manila lately.
I seen Mr.Prince interview in the movie-documentary “The God Who Wasn’t There”, so I may have a little idea on his stand and yes I truly like to recomemnnd this book to my fellow nonn-believers.
See ya soon.
John P.
Do my eyes deceive me? “Book Burning”? Another religious inquisition against freethinkers, I presume …
It isn’t farfetch @ngel Rai as Evangelicals, of the conservative bunch, actually endorsed destroying anything that is of the devil… which pretty much err… everything, being the god of this world and all. I remember myself in the past burning my Diablo playstation CD so that I can express my commitment to follow God and to destroy any “entry point” that the devil may use to cause me to dabble into the occult. I have also burned magazines, books, and other personal possessions because they were said to be “demonic” or having hints, no matter how subtle and/or frivolous they may be, of being one. It’s such a shame really. That’s how irrational I could be. We really do need to live a Reason Driven Life.
Whoa, that would be one of your greatest regrets. Lolz. Anyways, I did the same thing like you did with my “demonic” toys like X-men, G.I. Joe, Transformers and so with a bunch of rock music on videos as well as cassette tapes. I threw all of em off the window, so to speak. Thankfully I’ve only tried my hands on the PS after I got deconverted from religion to my full satisfaction … ha-ha. Have a godless day, Ran.
When do we meet ba?
I.
Want.
Book.
Amazon.com accepts orders from the P.I. I’ve been a semi-satisfied client since 2001. As for Dr. Price’s book, by sheer coincidence I just finished reading it last night. Pretty good book overall.
If anyone is still interested in The Reason Driven Life. I saw a copy last Saturday in National Bookstore at Edsa Shangrila Plaza. Go to the religion section, it’s somewhere near the bottom of the shelf. Only one copy, though, so get it fast! If you’re interested in nontheism in general, there are quite a few copies of The God Delusion, God is not Great, and Atheism Explained in that branch also. And if you go to Powerbooks in the same mall, you might still get their last copy of The Atheist Manifesto in paperback.
As for Bart Ehrman’s books, I remember seeing Lost Christianities at either Powerbooks or Fully Booked. I forgot which branch. I have a copy of Orthodox Corruption of Scriptures and it’s quite heavy reading compared to the “cliff-notes” version of Misquoting Jesus. I saw a copy at Fully Booked at the Powerplant Mall but that was over two years ago, and it was priced a hefty 1,800 pesos. Finally, I have a copy of The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings which I picked up used from Books For Less.
Hope that helps.