Customer Comments

Michael Johnston has commented on (2) products.

Under God: George Washington and the Question of Church and State by Tara Ross

Michael Johnston, March 5, 2008

Ross and Smith make a good case for what might seem obvious: George's public policy utterances were not necessarily inconsistent with the founder's private beliefs. So he was a politician after all? Well!!!
Claiming not to be comprehensive in scope, the authors include minutia important only to establish that George was consistent, padding the books length to some extent. Too much is made of repeated references to divine services in the military:
That General Washington felt it proper to issue military orders to his officers, commanding the troupes be marched on Sunday's to divine services, says nothing about his private thoughts on the place of religion in government.
A valuable reference tool, the book is well organized with extensive notes and exhaustive index.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)

report this comment

The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever by Christopher Hitchens

Michael Johnston, November 13, 2007

This latest contribution to the dialog about religion and anti-theists is a thinking man's delight. Hitchens brings together a wide range of expositions on religion and religious thought, enlivening them with cogent comment and introduction. Read Mark Twain expound on the "creator of the fly' and marvel at the inventiveness of Dawkins' treatise on "Gerin Oil" and the good Doctor's pimping for a new movement "atheists for Jesus".

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(4 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)

report this comment