Dankdude
Well-Known Member
Generalities depicted as facts wrapped in witticisms
Witty exaggeration can indeed be both humorous and entertaining, and I think this is why Ann Coulter's books sell so well. Her black-and-white view of the world which she articulates so well in this book with her razor-sharp wit is reassuring to those who already have such views, and is a guilty fascination to so many others - like a bad car accident from which you cannot look away.
However, what will drive the discerning reader of this book insane is not the author's opinions, which she has every right to hold and express, but how she plays fast and loose with the truth to indict an entire group of people - liberals - as godless silly people with a singular creed. For example the author states "Everything liberals believe is in elegant opposition to basic Biblical precepts." What precepts would those be? Perhaps "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:13-17; the same passage appears, slightly modified, in Matthew 22:15-22 and Luke 20:20-26)? Or maybe "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction." from the book of James?
Another passage in this book that mystifies me is "If a Martian landed in America and set out to determine the nation's official state religion, he would have to conclude it is liberalism, while Christianity and Judaism are prohibited by law. And not just in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where it's actually on the books, but throughout the land." If the outlawing of Christianity is on the books in Cambridge, Massachusetts, why is it, with just a cursory web search, that I can find a listing of 50 churches in the town of Cambridge? Law enforcement must indeed be lax in that jurisdiction if the author's facts are correct. These churches include those of Baptists, Catholics, Mennonites, Nazarenes and Episcopalians. Perhaps Ann does not consider these "real" Christian churches? She does, at least, openly indict Episcopalians as not really counting among the redeemed when she states "Howard Dean left the Episcopal Church--which is barely even a church", so maybe these other Christian groups are not "real churches" by her standard either.
I won't argue the fact that there are some real navel-gazers counted among those that wear the liberal label. However, liberals are far from the monolithic group that Ms. Coulter describes. If they were, you would not have such a diverse group as Russ Feingold and Joe Liebermann and their respective supporters sharing the Democratic party and often in real disagreement about its future direction. In summary, I had an easy time debunking many of the author's "facts" with only a casual effort. Before she puts pen to paper next time, maybe she should think about one particular passage that should be very familiar to anyone who embraces her Bible as Ms. Coulter purports to embrace hers: "Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).
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Brainless: The Church of Coultergeist
I forced myself to read this drivel. Aside from the shameful attacks upon the victims of 9/11, there is nothing new here. You find the typical hateful, vulgar lies of the Connecticut Screech, but this time, most of the tripe has been plagiarized. Its sad to see that this wolf has pulled the wool over so many eyes. On the bright side, maybe Ms. (Mr.?) Coulter can take the proceeds of the book sales and finally have something done about that Adam's Apple.
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Not just myopic, but poorly written
If you can get past her xenophobia, you will find a text that is neither concise nor engaging. While the vast majority of what she writes is sensationalism (I don't think she makes many attempts to hide that fact) the leftovers are boring and less than inspiring.
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Bimbo Goes to Washington
I picked up this book expecting an interesting read, at least, but I was disappointed. This book consists of an amateurish collection of Ad Hominens that weak attempts to make liberals the scapegoat for ills of the world.
Liberals are godless? I'm sure all the liberal rabbis, priests, pastors, ministers, and other religious people are thankful that Ann pointed their godlessness out to them.
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Huh?
What bothers me about books like this from self-proclaimed "christians" is that much like Coulter identifies all liberals with extremists from the left, non-Christians identify all Christians with people like her. I am a Christian and cringed many, many times reading this mean spirited, nasty tirade. Please don't identify me with this extremist: A true Christian mirrors Christ and I don't recall any Christian literature or incidents in the Bible where Christ's publicist described Him as having a 'razor sharp wit'. I found her comments not witty at all, just sarcastic and snide.
What was the purpose of this book? Was there a point? Nothing new under the sun here either - Darwinism, public schools, stem cell research, environmentalism. Was it me or were a LOT of her examples based on New York? Did anyone else feel creepy reading how she almost waved-away priestly child abuse because it isn't as pervasive as public-school teacher child abuse? And her facts: Canada just lost one of it's largest ice shelves but global warming is a myth. It may cost half as much to educate a child in a private school, but how many Christians can afford it? Who can in good conscience take our energy problems so lightly?
When two extremes face off, it's usually a waste of time to even try persuading the other side to see your point so the natural best thing to do is put together a laundry list of the naughty, crazy things the "other side" has done to make them look ridiculous. BOTH sides of the left/right are guilty of this and Coulter, unfortunately, self-appointed herself the representative to the Christian right. The only ridiculous looking person in this book is Coulter herself.
Christ said that cleansing had to begin first within the church. Maybe before people like Coulter attack the other side, she should take a good hard look at current Christianity itself. How about a good statistical look at the travesty called home-schooling? Maybe we would have more Christian stem cell researchers, doctors, lawyers, etc. intelligently representing us if Christian children were availed a solid education. What about those priestly/ministerly child abusers - a problem that should clearly be addressed within the church and not by secular courts. The divorce rate is higher within the church than in general society. Something is not working on our side of the fence yet someone like Coulter is throwing rocks at the neighbors.
I'll never pick up another Coulter book again but I will pick up the next Bill Maher book. He swears a bit too much for my taste but by golly, he doesn't sit on a high horse.
Witty exaggeration can indeed be both humorous and entertaining, and I think this is why Ann Coulter's books sell so well. Her black-and-white view of the world which she articulates so well in this book with her razor-sharp wit is reassuring to those who already have such views, and is a guilty fascination to so many others - like a bad car accident from which you cannot look away.
However, what will drive the discerning reader of this book insane is not the author's opinions, which she has every right to hold and express, but how she plays fast and loose with the truth to indict an entire group of people - liberals - as godless silly people with a singular creed. For example the author states "Everything liberals believe is in elegant opposition to basic Biblical precepts." What precepts would those be? Perhaps "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:13-17; the same passage appears, slightly modified, in Matthew 22:15-22 and Luke 20:20-26)? Or maybe "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction." from the book of James?
Another passage in this book that mystifies me is "If a Martian landed in America and set out to determine the nation's official state religion, he would have to conclude it is liberalism, while Christianity and Judaism are prohibited by law. And not just in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where it's actually on the books, but throughout the land." If the outlawing of Christianity is on the books in Cambridge, Massachusetts, why is it, with just a cursory web search, that I can find a listing of 50 churches in the town of Cambridge? Law enforcement must indeed be lax in that jurisdiction if the author's facts are correct. These churches include those of Baptists, Catholics, Mennonites, Nazarenes and Episcopalians. Perhaps Ann does not consider these "real" Christian churches? She does, at least, openly indict Episcopalians as not really counting among the redeemed when she states "Howard Dean left the Episcopal Church--which is barely even a church", so maybe these other Christian groups are not "real churches" by her standard either.
I won't argue the fact that there are some real navel-gazers counted among those that wear the liberal label. However, liberals are far from the monolithic group that Ms. Coulter describes. If they were, you would not have such a diverse group as Russ Feingold and Joe Liebermann and their respective supporters sharing the Democratic party and often in real disagreement about its future direction. In summary, I had an easy time debunking many of the author's "facts" with only a casual effort. Before she puts pen to paper next time, maybe she should think about one particular passage that should be very familiar to anyone who embraces her Bible as Ms. Coulter purports to embrace hers: "Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).
==============================================
Brainless: The Church of Coultergeist
I forced myself to read this drivel. Aside from the shameful attacks upon the victims of 9/11, there is nothing new here. You find the typical hateful, vulgar lies of the Connecticut Screech, but this time, most of the tripe has been plagiarized. Its sad to see that this wolf has pulled the wool over so many eyes. On the bright side, maybe Ms. (Mr.?) Coulter can take the proceeds of the book sales and finally have something done about that Adam's Apple.
===========================================
Not just myopic, but poorly written
If you can get past her xenophobia, you will find a text that is neither concise nor engaging. While the vast majority of what she writes is sensationalism (I don't think she makes many attempts to hide that fact) the leftovers are boring and less than inspiring.
=======================================
Bimbo Goes to Washington
I picked up this book expecting an interesting read, at least, but I was disappointed. This book consists of an amateurish collection of Ad Hominens that weak attempts to make liberals the scapegoat for ills of the world.
Liberals are godless? I'm sure all the liberal rabbis, priests, pastors, ministers, and other religious people are thankful that Ann pointed their godlessness out to them.
======================================
Huh?
What bothers me about books like this from self-proclaimed "christians" is that much like Coulter identifies all liberals with extremists from the left, non-Christians identify all Christians with people like her. I am a Christian and cringed many, many times reading this mean spirited, nasty tirade. Please don't identify me with this extremist: A true Christian mirrors Christ and I don't recall any Christian literature or incidents in the Bible where Christ's publicist described Him as having a 'razor sharp wit'. I found her comments not witty at all, just sarcastic and snide.
What was the purpose of this book? Was there a point? Nothing new under the sun here either - Darwinism, public schools, stem cell research, environmentalism. Was it me or were a LOT of her examples based on New York? Did anyone else feel creepy reading how she almost waved-away priestly child abuse because it isn't as pervasive as public-school teacher child abuse? And her facts: Canada just lost one of it's largest ice shelves but global warming is a myth. It may cost half as much to educate a child in a private school, but how many Christians can afford it? Who can in good conscience take our energy problems so lightly?
When two extremes face off, it's usually a waste of time to even try persuading the other side to see your point so the natural best thing to do is put together a laundry list of the naughty, crazy things the "other side" has done to make them look ridiculous. BOTH sides of the left/right are guilty of this and Coulter, unfortunately, self-appointed herself the representative to the Christian right. The only ridiculous looking person in this book is Coulter herself.
Christ said that cleansing had to begin first within the church. Maybe before people like Coulter attack the other side, she should take a good hard look at current Christianity itself. How about a good statistical look at the travesty called home-schooling? Maybe we would have more Christian stem cell researchers, doctors, lawyers, etc. intelligently representing us if Christian children were availed a solid education. What about those priestly/ministerly child abusers - a problem that should clearly be addressed within the church and not by secular courts. The divorce rate is higher within the church than in general society. Something is not working on our side of the fence yet someone like Coulter is throwing rocks at the neighbors.
I'll never pick up another Coulter book again but I will pick up the next Bill Maher book. He swears a bit too much for my taste but by golly, he doesn't sit on a high horse.
