"Blasphemy" by Douglas Preston
Is science the new religion? Is the quest for knowledge the sole purpose of man's existence on earth? Since both science and religion try to answer the questions of how the universe began and why we are here, is the answer to these questions the knock out punch both warring sides are looking for? Is that what science and religion are trying to do, knock the other out? If your answer to any of these questions is yes then this is the book for you.
Even if you don't take these questions too seriously but want a real good read that is a thrill ride of action and suspense written by a master than this is still the book for you.
But be aware Mr.
Preston pulls no punches in depicting the ultimate battle between science and religion fighting for the questing minds and hearts of thinking people.
Mr.
Prestonpits a super genius with the ultimate machine ready to discover the last secrets of creation against the greed and opportunism of the shadiest peddler of supposed Christian doctrine imaginable.
The battle reaches from the deserts of the southwest to the oval office and profoundly affects everyone from the local Navaho to all the people in the world.
Mr.
Preston presents extremely complicated and advanced science in understandable prose.
He can quote the Bible with the best of them.
He has created a cast of well rounded individuals who add verisimilitude to the books basic arguments.
And, he has written a book that sucks you in and makes you carry it around open to where you left off so you can get right back to it.
If you love reading you are going to love reading this book.
Having said all that I don't believe this is a comfortable book for anyone.
As I would suppose Mr.
Preston intended the ending of this book leaves us with more questions than when it began.
No one fares really well.
Neither the scientist nor the religious in this book come off looking good or discover that knock out punch.
For me the most enlightening people and ideas in the book were about the Navaho.
Here are agenerous, thinking people who are going about the business of making a better life for themselves and their community.
They are religious and practical, aware of the need for science and discovery but their focus is on the here and now.
They concentrate on the physical and mental well being of their friends and family.
Now for my two cents on the subject -- There is no contention between science and religion.
While science should be discovering how we can make our physical lives better, curing cancer, growing better crops, even producing better televisions, Religion should be teaching us to be kinder, more generous, more tolerant, loving, caring and practical, more neighbor and community aware, so we know the right ways to use all that new scientific information we're getting.
I believe we will come to the right answers if we just keep reading, thinking and talking.
Read the book and have fun coming to your own conclusions.
Even if you don't take these questions too seriously but want a real good read that is a thrill ride of action and suspense written by a master than this is still the book for you.
But be aware Mr.
Preston pulls no punches in depicting the ultimate battle between science and religion fighting for the questing minds and hearts of thinking people.
Mr.
Prestonpits a super genius with the ultimate machine ready to discover the last secrets of creation against the greed and opportunism of the shadiest peddler of supposed Christian doctrine imaginable.
The battle reaches from the deserts of the southwest to the oval office and profoundly affects everyone from the local Navaho to all the people in the world.
Mr.
Preston presents extremely complicated and advanced science in understandable prose.
He can quote the Bible with the best of them.
He has created a cast of well rounded individuals who add verisimilitude to the books basic arguments.
And, he has written a book that sucks you in and makes you carry it around open to where you left off so you can get right back to it.
If you love reading you are going to love reading this book.
Having said all that I don't believe this is a comfortable book for anyone.
As I would suppose Mr.
Preston intended the ending of this book leaves us with more questions than when it began.
No one fares really well.
Neither the scientist nor the religious in this book come off looking good or discover that knock out punch.
For me the most enlightening people and ideas in the book were about the Navaho.
Here are agenerous, thinking people who are going about the business of making a better life for themselves and their community.
They are religious and practical, aware of the need for science and discovery but their focus is on the here and now.
They concentrate on the physical and mental well being of their friends and family.
Now for my two cents on the subject -- There is no contention between science and religion.
While science should be discovering how we can make our physical lives better, curing cancer, growing better crops, even producing better televisions, Religion should be teaching us to be kinder, more generous, more tolerant, loving, caring and practical, more neighbor and community aware, so we know the right ways to use all that new scientific information we're getting.
I believe we will come to the right answers if we just keep reading, thinking and talking.
Read the book and have fun coming to your own conclusions.
