Spiritual envy : an agnostic's quest

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First Title value, for Searching:

First Author value, for Searching:

Krasny, Michael, 1944-

ISBN:

9781608680696

Personal Author:

Krasny, Michael, 1944-

Display Publication Info:

Novato, Calif. :

New World Library ;

Enfield :

Publishers Group UK [distributor],

2012.

Physical Description:

1 volume ; 22 cm

Contents:

My God -- The Ten commandments and God's existence -- The Ten commandments and a code of one's own -- Where is God?: more on codes and God's place in mine -- God's identity -- The universe and the face of God -- Who are the agnostics? -- The force that is or isn't, and coincidences minus answers -- From nowhere to somewhere: spiritual envy -- Respect for the faithful, the faithless, and the wishy-washy -- Accursed time -- Escaping time -- Deliver us from evil -- Doing good -- Cosmic joking -- Separating the agnostics from the herds -- Peace unto thee and me, and an old Elvis top-ten hit -- Some final thoughts.

Abstract:

Krasny brings his wide-ranging knowledge and perceptive intelligence to a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of belief--and lack of belief. He helps believers and nonbelievers alike understand their own questions about faith and religion. Personal and universal, timely and timeless, this is a deeply wise yet warmly welcoming conversation, an invitation to ask one's own questions--no matter how inconclusive the answers.

Personal Subject:

Krasny, Michael, 1944-

Krasny, Michael, 1944- (OCoLC)fst01560428

Subject Term:

Agnosticism.

Agnosticism. (OCoLC)fst00800399

Personal Subject:

Krasny, Michael, 1944-

Krasny, Michael, 1944- (OCoLC)fst01560428

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Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Shelf Location	Status
Searching... Jackson	Paperback	020029003308	211.8 KRA	Non-fiction Collection	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

As the host of one of National Public Radio's most popular interview programs, Michael Krasny has spent decades leading conversations on every imaginable topic and discussing life's most important questions with the foremost thinkers of our time. Now he brings his wide-ranging knowledge and perceptive intelligence to a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of belief -- and lack of belief.

Many books and pundits advocate for a specific God, while others adamantly declare there is no God. Yet these strident viewpoints often speak right past each other, rarely convincing anyone but the already convinced. In Spiritual Envy , Krasny helps believers and nonbelievers alike understand their own questions about faith and religion, about God and human responsibility.

Krasny challenges each of us to look closely at faith and its power, and to examine the positive and negative aspects of religion as expressed in culture, literature, and human relationships. Personal and universal, timely and timeless, this is a deeply wise yet warmly welcoming conversation, an invitation to ask one's own questions -- no matter how inconclusive the answers.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

The contention between the "new" atheists and the devout is causing a resurgence in agnostic studies. Krasny (Off Mike) is a public radio host and a self-declared agnostic, maintaining a position that "stands open to verification of either side of the God question." Deftly balancing biography and literary scholarship, the book is both a personal examination of agnosticism and a balanced voice in the complex debate over faith's role in society. Krasny grew up a strong believer in his Jewish faith, until adolescent questioning led him to declare he just wasn't sure. Despite a lost connection with God, the young Krasny continued to seek a divine presence, even admitting to feelings of envy toward those possessing "the consolation of faith." In this book, agnosticism is a tool to philosophically engage with various manifestations of faith including organized religion, spiritual-but-not-religious sentiments, and even paranormal theories. Readers expecting a late chapter conversion will be disappointed; Krasny remains agnostic to the end, even while declaring his respect for the benefits religion can bring to believers. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

Books by agnostics about their agnosticism (unlike the prolific atheists) are anything but a dime a dozen. In fact, Krasny's latest is one of only a dozen or so published this century. Krasny may be a university professor, but he doesn't address his questions as an academic. He explores agnosticism the way he explores topics on his daily NPR show in a thoughtful, informed, and almost conversational tone. The main difference is this isn't just any issue; it's Krasny's own story. The author's honesty begins with the book's title. He obviously envies the feelings of peace and comfort that people of faith experience. Keeping him from it, though, are innumerable questions. The book presents these ruminations with only hints to the answers. The questions involve issues like the Ten Commandments, God's existence, evil, and tolerance. Along the way, Krasny brings many people into the conversation fellow agnostics like Thomas Huxley, atheists like Richard Dawkins, and even biblical characters like Job. The author's nondogmatic stance will please virtually all readers.--Osburn, Wade Copyright 2010 Booklist

Joyce Carol OatesJoyce Carol Oates

Foreword	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
Foreword	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
1 My God	p. 9
2 The Ten Commandments and God's Existence	p. 21
3 The Ten Commandments and a Code of One's Own	p. 29
4 Where Is God? More on Codes and God's Place in Mine	p. 57
5 God's Identity	p. 71
6 The Universe and the Face of God	p. 79
7 Who Are the Agnostics?	p. 93
8 The Force That Is or Isn't, and Coincidences Minus Answers	p. 113
9 From Nowhere to Somewhere: Spiritual Envy	p. 129
10 Respect for the Faithful, the Faithless and the Wishy-Washy	p. 151
11 Accursed Time	p. 161
12 Escaping Time	p. 171
13 Deliver Us from Evil	p. 181
14 Doing Good	p. 197
15 Cosmic Joking	p. 207
16 Separating the Agnostics from the Herds	p. 217
17 Peace unto Thee and Me, and an Old Elvis Top-Ten Hit	p. 227
18 Some Final Thoughts	p. 231
Acknowledgments	p. 236
Index	p. 237
About the Author	p. 249

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Summary

Summary

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

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