Pick up former President Jimmy Carter's new book, Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis. It will be well worth your time.
I believe it is a must-read for anyone who cares about the cities of America, not to mention the soul of the nation itself.
Carter's prose may not be the most exciting that you'll ever read, but his passion will move you and the facts he establishes may startle you.
His chapter on "political fundamentalism" is worth the price of the book.
His summary on this theme that pops up throughout the book is helpful,
"There are obviously sincere differences of opinion within the religious and political life of our nation, and this is to be expected. It is the unprecedented combined impact of fundamentalism in religion and politics that has helped to create the deep and increasingly disturbing divisions among our people. This is a basic challenge that the citizens of our country will have to meet and resolve, in order to shape the future heart and soul of America" (page 101).
Carter identifies the "world's greatest challenge" as "the growing chasm between the rich and the poor people on earth. There is not only a great disparity between the two, but the gap is steadily widening" (page 179).
The former President avoids none of the hot button topics so familiar to our current debate: abortion, homosexuality, poverty, church and state, science and religion, terrorism, foreign policy, gun control, the environment.
This is a book I hope you will read and recommend to others.
Once you've read it, let me know what you think.
10 comments:
Larry,
I really enjoyed the book and appreciated the way Carter weaved his personal narrative into the discussion. It is obvious that he is seeking to live out his faith in imaginative ways. Carter's personal experience as a Baptist lends credibility to his opinions about religious fudamentalism. I am grateful for his radical commitment to peace and his unwavering desire to care for the world's poor. It's a good read.
Got it for Christmas! Looking forward to digging through it very soon.
I find it interesting that our President and his "administration" (ad-minus-to-the-nation) continues to talk about unemployment being low.
Don't they realize that most of those jobs are part-time, or low-paying? Possibly contract, no benefits?
Come on.
Keep it up, Mr. James. Your one of the good ones.
Jimmy Carter = crazy old man!
Anonymous. . .so they said of Jesus, the prophets, John the Baptist, Ghandi and every leader who changed the world for common people. . .would that all "old men" were as crazy!
Oh chill out! Please!
He who has no answer resorts to theatrics.
Theatrics? Lighten up.
Anonymous, I must ask you, in what sense do you actually feel that former President Jimmy Carter is "a crazy old man"?
I would really love to hear you unpack that statement from your personal point of view.
Sorry.... just kidding around! I've got lots of respect for JImmy Carter.
Post a Comment