The New Fundamentalists - Beyond Tolerance (Paperback)

A book with a title like The New Fundamentalists doesn't exactly sound like light summer reading. But there are some books that address important themes with a style so readable and easy to follow, and with an argument that unfolds with such lucid, clean logic, sprinkled with humor and down-to-earth examples and illustrations, that it s like a refreshing drink on a hot day. Clarity of mind is a necessary survival skill. In a world full of inflated rhetoric and mini sound-bites, it s easy to feel confused and uncertain about where the truth of the matter lies on the controversial issues under debate. Father Brandenburg s lucid style of thinking and writing is like an X-ray that zeroes in on the essential principles at stake. He not only gives useful information and compelling evidence to support his arguments, but he also equips his readers with the capacity to make key distinctions on hot-button topics like homosexuality and the relationship of Church and state. His approach makes the truth more accessible, and his clarity is contagious. He practices what he preaches. The book calls for reasoned dialogue and the search for truth as an antidote to the fundamentalist trench mentality. And page after page shows the reader how it can be done. The tone of the book is calm, occasionally humorous, and ultimately optimistic. He looks at the dangers, inconsistencies, and fallacies in the other side s arguments, but he doesn t slip into useless railing, ranting, or raving. The thinking is sharp and clear, but not loaded with irony or scorn. And in the end, there are suggestions for positive action. This fair-minded, constructive attitude is another positive contagion worth catching. It sshareable. Once you have caught the disease of clear thinking, you might want to pass it on to your friends. The book s opening invitation makes it clear that this is a book for anyone who is willing to have an open mind and discuss the issues in a reasonable way. The New Fundamentalists would be a great Christmas gift for some of your more liberal friends and colleagues. Parents should especially consider giving it as a gift to their children before they begin college. In fact, the opening chapter cites the real-life example of a college student who bears the full brunt of dogmatic relativism on campus, and the entire book gives answers to students who could find themselves in a similar predicament. It could also be useful for small group discussion sessions.