RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

"A statement of fact cannot be insolent." The miscellaneous ramblings of a surgeon/scientist on medicine, quackery, science, and pseudoscience (and anything else that interests him).

Religion

Random observation in our local Borders Books

Post author By Orac
Post date June 2, 2006
9 Comments on Random observation in our local Borders Books

The time: last week, Friday evening.
The place: Borders Books.

As my wife and I wandered around our local Borders Books browsing, I came across something you don’t see every day.

In the Christian Books section of the store, there was a prominent display. In the display, not unexpectedly, were a number of books about faith, Jesus, prayer, and Christian spirituality. Then, something incongruous caught my eye.

On the second shelf of the display, surrounded by all these books purporting to tell people how to be a better Christian or how to live a more spiritual life, I saw this: Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, by Daniel Dennett.

At first, I thought it had to be some smart-ass customer placing this skeptical book there among the religious books. I picked up a copy, and behind it were a couple of other copies, neatly sitting there. No, it had been placed there by the staff.

Some non-religious staff member having a bit of fun with the display? Or is this book classified under religious reading by distributors?

Either way, it was somewhat refreshing, if a bit odd, to see it there. I wondered how long it would be before someone complained about it, and made a mental note to see if it was still there the next time I was in the store.

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By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

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