First Book On The Spring/Summer Reading List

Oh boy. If you missed the Terry Gross interview with anthropologist, T.M Luhrmann about her new book "When God Talks Back", then you are a total loser (but I still heart you). You know, kind gentle and very goodlooking readers, when I was in my bed this morning sleeping in and masturbating, I just hadta stop. Instantly THIS book is on top of the wish list (it-sounds-better than masturbating).

Of course I just heard the interview so I can't do a book review, yet. But in the segment the two ladies made some veeeeerrrryyyyyy interesting points. I missed the first part of the first part but when I picked it up it sure sounded like the author, T.M.Luhrmann, is a scientist and an atheist, and...there is always an and folks, mmm, how do I say it...open to the something something that some people would call God. Look man, I'm open to the something something that could be called God (although highly improbable) but that is not necessarily a specific Christian and evangelical God. It's diest-y.

Heeeyyyy grrll. I'm Kriss. Was' up, Terry.

The book is about her experience of going to churches, learning how to pray, interviewing and of course, doing scientific experiments. I can't express how fascinating the experience of just listening to the interview was to me (it has been so long since I've had, errr, emotions. Positive ones at that.). I guess she went to many churches and she does mention Rick Warren. Yes, that Rick Warren.

One of the thingies that I thought was very interesting was that she compared the act of praying to cognitive psychology and even (man I sure hate this pop pop psychology term) "self help." After all what is praying...positive thinking, right. The author said that she was surprised when discovering that the ritual, that the act of, praying was very similar to going to a therapist, or therapy. Look man, I don't care whatcha call it, if it help the peeps be better peeps, then by golly...let's do that (but without the sexism-n-shit).

Heeeyyy Luhrmann, don't tell Terry I " Hey'd" you...baby.

T,M. Luhrmann in the interview came across more like Karen Armstrong than Francis Collins (Bioslogos). And I'm OK with that. Dinesh D'Souza (yes, that one) once said when debating my atheist mentor, Hitch, that religion (specifically his of course) is a ladder or way to God. It is something that, as CS Lewis says, "mere humans" can aspire to. It is the inspiration that can make humanity better. I've got not problem with that. We can all be better, it's just that there are many ways to do that.

This is just one point that they talked about. They also talked about experiments conducted, specific things the believers said, sexism, LGBT, literal v symbolic. Fuck yea man, I'm excited and it feels good. Time to save some pennies and nickels and buy a book, yo.

* BTW. I thought the author and Terry have verrrryyyy sexy voices. Just saying. Hope to get the book soon.