Thomas Bunting is working on his Ph.D. in Philosophy, sometimes. In his seventh year working on his dissertation he, and everyone that knows him, thinks he will not finish his degree. The mere mention of his thesis becomes a dreaded topic whenever he encounters anyone he knows. Secretly working on a Book Against God when he should be working on his thesis, it is his way of working out his issues with god.
This book was not meant to sway readers to believe or disbelieve in a god. It is about the struggle with relationships. Relationships with family, friends, and god. Bunting is in a constant turmoil of thought about the difference of opinion he and his father, who is a vicar, have about god. He longs for vindication of his opinions, yet he is afraid of the disappointment he will cause when his father finds out how he feels. The book moves back and forth between amusing and serious, as we navigate this time in Thomas Bunting's life.
When I first started reading The Book Against God, I was not sure I would like it. It began a little slow. The book grew on me as I continued to read. I liked the honesty of this book. It was thought provoking. Read it not to agree with notions you already have about god or atheists. Read it to take the time to think about why people have their own beliefs, and how misunderstandings about them can greatly change our relationships.
I'm intrigued. Every day it seems like you can see so many petty disagreements (as well as a fair number of more serious ones) which have at their root a fundamental lack of respect for interpersonal variety, so I think it's good to hear accounts of how different people have handled that in their own lives.
ReplyDelete