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Attack of the Theocrats!: How the Religious Right Harms Us All — and What We Can Do About It
While much of the public debate in the United States over church-state issues has focused on the construction of nativity scenes in town squares and the addition of "under God" to the Pledge, Faircloth, who served ten years in the Maine legislature and is now Director of Strategy & Policy for the U.S. Richard Dawkins Foundation, moves beyond the symbolism to explore the many ways federal and state legal codes privilege religion in law.
168 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
23 people are currently reading
1076 people want to read
About the author
Sean Faircloth
2 books19 followersIn his book, Attack of the Theocrats: How the Religious Right Harms Us All and What We Can Do About It, Faircloth writes about the unprecedented threat of rising theocracy in America, offers a specific Secular Decade plan to address the problem, and offers a ten point vision of a Secular America in keeping with the values of Jefferson and Madison.
Sean Faircloth served five terms in the Maine Legislature. Faircloth served on the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees. In his last term Faircloth was elected Majority Whip by his caucus colleagues.
An accomplished legislator, Faircloth successfully spearheaded over thirty laws, including the so-called Deadbeat Dad child support law which saved Maine taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and was later incorporated into federal law. Faircloth had numerous legislative successes in children's issues and justice system reform.
In two years as Executive Director of Secular Coalition for America, Faircloth conceived and led the Secular Decade plan, a specific strategic vision for resecularizing American government.
Faircloth earned a reputation for strategic thinking, innovative ideas, and speaking to groups in a way that energized them to support the secular cause.
As Director of Strategy and Policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason, Faircloth will expand his strategic efforts on behalf of the entire secular movement, speak regarding policy issues, discuss the ideas in his book, and seek innovative ways to improve the secular movement. Faircloth has spoken around the United States about separation of church and state, the Constitution, children's policy, obesity policy, and sex crime law. Faircloth chaired a Commission on sex crime law reform which led to substantive improvement in that area of law. Faircloth chaired an early childhood commission, as well as a Commission regarding the citizen initiative process.
In Maine Faircloth also had the idea for the Maine Discovery Museum and led the four-year project from concept to completion in 2001. Maine Discovery Museum was then the second largest children's museum outside Boston of the twenty-five children’s museums in New England. Faircloth graduated from the University of Notre Dame and has a law degree from University of California Hastings College of the Law. Faircloth served as a state Assistant Attorney General, and as a lobbyist for the state bar association.
Sean Faircloth served five terms in the Maine Legislature. Faircloth served on the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees. In his last term Faircloth was elected Majority Whip by his caucus colleagues.
An accomplished legislator, Faircloth successfully spearheaded over thirty laws, including the so-called Deadbeat Dad child support law which saved Maine taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and was later incorporated into federal law. Faircloth had numerous legislative successes in children's issues and justice system reform.
In two years as Executive Director of Secular Coalition for America, Faircloth conceived and led the Secular Decade plan, a specific strategic vision for resecularizing American government.
Faircloth earned a reputation for strategic thinking, innovative ideas, and speaking to groups in a way that energized them to support the secular cause.
As Director of Strategy and Policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason, Faircloth will expand his strategic efforts on behalf of the entire secular movement, speak regarding policy issues, discuss the ideas in his book, and seek innovative ways to improve the secular movement. Faircloth has spoken around the United States about separation of church and state, the Constitution, children's policy, obesity policy, and sex crime law. Faircloth chaired a Commission on sex crime law reform which led to substantive improvement in that area of law. Faircloth chaired an early childhood commission, as well as a Commission regarding the citizen initiative process.
In Maine Faircloth also had the idea for the Maine Discovery Museum and led the four-year project from concept to completion in 2001. Maine Discovery Museum was then the second largest children's museum outside Boston of the twenty-five children’s museums in New England. Faircloth graduated from the University of Notre Dame and has a law degree from University of California Hastings College of the Law. Faircloth served as a state Assistant Attorney General, and as a lobbyist for the state bar association.
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April 26, 2015
I’ve been a faithful church-goer for most of my 57 years, but I have always said that I don’t want my church teaching my kids math or my kids’ school teaching them religion. Needless to say, I’m a firm believer in the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. When I see today’s politicians embracing right-wing evangelicalism at the same time as they despise all of the things that Jesus actually taught (e.g., comfort for the poor and afflicted, healing the sick, compassion for prisoners and sinners, an interest in actual born children rather than just zygotes, a zealous dislike of religious hypocrites), it makes my blood boil. Thank God for Sean Faircloth and his Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All – and What We Can Do About It. (Forgive me: I just couldn’t resist!)
Sean Faircloth, onetime state legislator from Maine and current director of strategy and policy for the U.S. branch of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, has authored a powerful book that combines a very brief history of freethinkers in America, a critique of the fundamentalists’ hold on Congress and state legislatures and their abysmal ignorance of U.S. history (particularly the Founding Fathers’ distaste for mainstream Christianity), and a blueprint for restoring the separation of church and state in the American landscape. Alternately enlightening and entertaining, Faircloth does a fabulous job. How fabulous? I bought the Audible version in which he reads his own book; however, Faircloth cites so many pithy quotations from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln — and others — that I had to buy the Kindle edition so that I could highlight these quotations and his excellent statistics for future use. Recommended for atheists and thoughtful theists alike.
Sean Faircloth, onetime state legislator from Maine and current director of strategy and policy for the U.S. branch of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, has authored a powerful book that combines a very brief history of freethinkers in America, a critique of the fundamentalists’ hold on Congress and state legislatures and their abysmal ignorance of U.S. history (particularly the Founding Fathers’ distaste for mainstream Christianity), and a blueprint for restoring the separation of church and state in the American landscape. Alternately enlightening and entertaining, Faircloth does a fabulous job. How fabulous? I bought the Audible version in which he reads his own book; however, Faircloth cites so many pithy quotations from the likes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln — and others — that I had to buy the Kindle edition so that I could highlight these quotations and his excellent statistics for future use. Recommended for atheists and thoughtful theists alike.
June 3, 2013
Not including references is an unforgivable sin. I've no problem with anecdotes — indeed I agree with Faircloth that they're necessary, in order to pique people's interest and activate their compassion — but the claims he makes necessitate references. Even if he wanted to keep the book thin and readable for the "average" person (a fine aim) the references could be put on a website. There is no excuse.
As for the material, much of it is incredibly disturbing. Religious extremists on the Christian right do seem to hold a disproportionate amount of power in the US. (If indeed what he says is true. I am inclined to believe that it is, but that could be my own confirmation bias talking.) It is written in an upbeat, lively style. A quick, enjoyable read that panders to your already-held beliefs, if you're a passionate secularist.
I was particularly looking forward to the "what we can do about it" part of the book. First, as I was aware, this is a book just about the United States, and much of the advice doesn't apply to elsewhere (I'm in Canada). Second, some of it is plain silly for the "average" person, such as running for office! Third, on a personal level, I was disappointed because I'm already doing many of the things (because I help run a branch of the Centre for Inquiry). I wanted something revolutionary and exciting, after hearing Faircloth's inspiring speech at the Imagine No Religion 3 conference. But I didn't find it here.
However, if this book encourages more Americans to be less complacent about the erosion of the wall between church and state, that's a good thing. If it encourages some of them to do something about it (donating to and/or joining a branch of the Center for Inquiry or donating to American Atheists, for example), then that's fantastic.
As for the material, much of it is incredibly disturbing. Religious extremists on the Christian right do seem to hold a disproportionate amount of power in the US. (If indeed what he says is true. I am inclined to believe that it is, but that could be my own confirmation bias talking.) It is written in an upbeat, lively style. A quick, enjoyable read that panders to your already-held beliefs, if you're a passionate secularist.
I was particularly looking forward to the "what we can do about it" part of the book. First, as I was aware, this is a book just about the United States, and much of the advice doesn't apply to elsewhere (I'm in Canada). Second, some of it is plain silly for the "average" person, such as running for office! Third, on a personal level, I was disappointed because I'm already doing many of the things (because I help run a branch of the Centre for Inquiry). I wanted something revolutionary and exciting, after hearing Faircloth's inspiring speech at the Imagine No Religion 3 conference. But I didn't find it here.
However, if this book encourages more Americans to be less complacent about the erosion of the wall between church and state, that's a good thing. If it encourages some of them to do something about it (donating to and/or joining a branch of the Center for Inquiry or donating to American Atheists, for example), then that's fantastic.
December 18, 2011
I will always have faith in humanity, regardless of the examples that Mr. Faircloth uses in this book. I will always know that the good people of this world outnumber the few that would leave a little girl alone to die in a van or beat a child with a piece of plumbing equipment. But I also know that small numbers of people can do powerful things. Less than 45% of Americans attend church on a weekly basis, yet Washington seems to be under the thumb of these people. Why? Fear, for one. Fear works in Washington and it works in the pews. Second is organization. Secular Americans do not get together once a week and touch base. I don't know how it can be done, but Secular Americans must check in often enough with what is going on so that we can keep that minority of zealots at bay. We must remain vigilant and cease our blind optimism that things will get better on their own. They will not.
The types of people that want to continue to subjugate women and beat their own children with plumber's tubing will not rest until they get what they want. They are beyond reason. These are the types of people that put Jesus before their own mothers and fathers, before their own children even. They hide behind Pro-Life signs while calling for the death penalty. They hide behind proclamations for family values while beating their children and trying to tear apart families of same-sex couples. They hide behind droves of ignorant and confused people that don't take the time to read a newspaper or a magazine, but instead binge on sensational, soap-selling propaganda-filled news channels.
I loved this book. This book is important. Every American that considers themself to be a patriot should read it. We must return to our Enlightenment roots. If the Enlightenment fostered the birth of our nation, then the last few decades of theocratic encroachment have been a scary week in the NICU. Staying faithful to the ideals of our secular founding is the only thing that will keep the United States from future degradation. Invest in the United States by purchasing this book.
The types of people that want to continue to subjugate women and beat their own children with plumber's tubing will not rest until they get what they want. They are beyond reason. These are the types of people that put Jesus before their own mothers and fathers, before their own children even. They hide behind Pro-Life signs while calling for the death penalty. They hide behind proclamations for family values while beating their children and trying to tear apart families of same-sex couples. They hide behind droves of ignorant and confused people that don't take the time to read a newspaper or a magazine, but instead binge on sensational, soap-selling propaganda-filled news channels.
I loved this book. This book is important. Every American that considers themself to be a patriot should read it. We must return to our Enlightenment roots. If the Enlightenment fostered the birth of our nation, then the last few decades of theocratic encroachment have been a scary week in the NICU. Staying faithful to the ideals of our secular founding is the only thing that will keep the United States from future degradation. Invest in the United States by purchasing this book.
July 26, 2016
Attack of the Theocrats: How the Religious Right Harms Us All - and What We Can Do About It by Sean Faircloth
"Attack of the Theocrats" is the brief yet effective book on how the religious right has used their political clout to cause harm to the rest of us. Sean Faircloth's interesting secular manifesto is a product of an interesting background that includes: his formal education as a lawyer, his years as a politician serving five terms in the Maine Legislature, his leadership and vision led to the creation of a children's museum in Maine, executive director of the Secular Coalition of America, and most recently director of strategy and policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. This 168-page book is composed of ten chapters: 1. Introduction: The Crumbled Wall between Church and State, 2. Our Secular Heritage: One Nation under the Constitution, 3. Religious Bias in Law Harms Us All, 4. Genital Morality vs. Real Morality, 5. Two American Traditions: Religious Huckster and Secular Innovators, 6. The Theocrats (aka the Fundamentalist Fifty), 7. The Secularists, 8. Secularism - Born Again, 9. Our Secular Decade: A Strategic Plan, and 10. A Vision of a Secular America.
Positives:
1. Well written, engaging prose.
2. Great defense of secular principles.
3. Insightful, eye-opening accounts on how religion harms us. Accounts involving dangers to our children are most troubling.
4. Thought-provoking quotes, "Fundamentalists tell us to fear the specter of special rights for gay citizens, though of course gay Americans aren't after special rights - merely equal rights. The irony is that special rights actually do exist in this country - for religious groups."
5. The special rights of religious groups in detail.
6. American exceptionalism in proper perspective.
7. A brief look at our Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson a personal favorite.
8. A look at how fundamentalists obtained political clout.
9. How tax money to religious organizations violate our Constitution's central principles.
10. Many great examples of how religious bias hurts us all. Great stuff!
11. Interesting court ruling decisions.
12. Religiously motivated policies that focus on sex. Sexual morality discussed.
13. Amusing stories. My favorite, the story of radio station KLUE.
14. Politicians and religion, such a dangerous mix.
15. The chapter on the Fundamentalist Fifty is priceless and disturbing.
16. Congressman Stark.
17. In defense of America as it was designed, a secular, constitutional Republic.
18. Secular strategy and vision in detail including the Ten Guiding Principles of a Secular America.
19. An inspirational plea for action.
20. A brief discussion on how secular societies around the world flourish.
21. A brief discussion about the ten groups that today form the Secular Coalition.
22. A bibliography.
Negatives:
1. A couple of mistakes of little consequence. As an example, Governor Sanford from SC was canoodling with a woman from Argentina not Brazil.
2. No notes or links.
3. The book may be a little preachy in the latter chapters.
4. The book's focus is on recent history and the future of secularism in America. For more in depth look at the history of secularism, I highly recommend Susan Jacoby's masterpiece, "Freethinkers".
5. I really didn't like the cover. A serious and inspirational topic deserved better.
In summary, I enjoyed this book. Sean Faircloth makes an inspirational plea to defend our secular Constitution. The book is thought-provoking, enlightening, and makes sound arguments based on reason. I recommend this book.
Further recommendations: "Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism" by Susan Jacoby, "Society without God" by Phil Zuckerman, "People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn, "Doubt" by Jennifer Hecht, "American Fascists" by Chris Hedges, "Republican Gomorrah..." by Max Blumenthal, and "The Conservative Assault on the Constitution" by Erwin Chemerinsky.
"Attack of the Theocrats" is the brief yet effective book on how the religious right has used their political clout to cause harm to the rest of us. Sean Faircloth's interesting secular manifesto is a product of an interesting background that includes: his formal education as a lawyer, his years as a politician serving five terms in the Maine Legislature, his leadership and vision led to the creation of a children's museum in Maine, executive director of the Secular Coalition of America, and most recently director of strategy and policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. This 168-page book is composed of ten chapters: 1. Introduction: The Crumbled Wall between Church and State, 2. Our Secular Heritage: One Nation under the Constitution, 3. Religious Bias in Law Harms Us All, 4. Genital Morality vs. Real Morality, 5. Two American Traditions: Religious Huckster and Secular Innovators, 6. The Theocrats (aka the Fundamentalist Fifty), 7. The Secularists, 8. Secularism - Born Again, 9. Our Secular Decade: A Strategic Plan, and 10. A Vision of a Secular America.
Positives:
1. Well written, engaging prose.
2. Great defense of secular principles.
3. Insightful, eye-opening accounts on how religion harms us. Accounts involving dangers to our children are most troubling.
4. Thought-provoking quotes, "Fundamentalists tell us to fear the specter of special rights for gay citizens, though of course gay Americans aren't after special rights - merely equal rights. The irony is that special rights actually do exist in this country - for religious groups."
5. The special rights of religious groups in detail.
6. American exceptionalism in proper perspective.
7. A brief look at our Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson a personal favorite.
8. A look at how fundamentalists obtained political clout.
9. How tax money to religious organizations violate our Constitution's central principles.
10. Many great examples of how religious bias hurts us all. Great stuff!
11. Interesting court ruling decisions.
12. Religiously motivated policies that focus on sex. Sexual morality discussed.
13. Amusing stories. My favorite, the story of radio station KLUE.
14. Politicians and religion, such a dangerous mix.
15. The chapter on the Fundamentalist Fifty is priceless and disturbing.
16. Congressman Stark.
17. In defense of America as it was designed, a secular, constitutional Republic.
18. Secular strategy and vision in detail including the Ten Guiding Principles of a Secular America.
19. An inspirational plea for action.
20. A brief discussion on how secular societies around the world flourish.
21. A brief discussion about the ten groups that today form the Secular Coalition.
22. A bibliography.
Negatives:
1. A couple of mistakes of little consequence. As an example, Governor Sanford from SC was canoodling with a woman from Argentina not Brazil.
2. No notes or links.
3. The book may be a little preachy in the latter chapters.
4. The book's focus is on recent history and the future of secularism in America. For more in depth look at the history of secularism, I highly recommend Susan Jacoby's masterpiece, "Freethinkers".
5. I really didn't like the cover. A serious and inspirational topic deserved better.
In summary, I enjoyed this book. Sean Faircloth makes an inspirational plea to defend our secular Constitution. The book is thought-provoking, enlightening, and makes sound arguments based on reason. I recommend this book.
Further recommendations: "Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism" by Susan Jacoby, "Society without God" by Phil Zuckerman, "People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn, "Doubt" by Jennifer Hecht, "American Fascists" by Chris Hedges, "Republican Gomorrah..." by Max Blumenthal, and "The Conservative Assault on the Constitution" by Erwin Chemerinsky.
August 13, 2021
Faute de pouvoir donner cinq étrons, je lui donne une étoile.
"Attack of the Theocrats" is a manifesto in favour of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason written by a dimwitted author for a public of cretins. The message is that Americans must rally around the foundation to create a political movement to eliminate the influence of the religious right in the U.S.A. This must be done in order to ensure free access to the services of medically-assisted suicide and abortion.
The book attracted a great deal of media attention when it was published in 2012 and likely would have been a major hit had it been released during the Trump years. Faircloth's primary focus in on the Southern evangelicals who constitute a major portion of the clientele of the Alt-Right. Nonetheless, Faircloth views all religions as dangerous. A cradle catholic he urges those of us who have not yet turned apostate to do reminding us of the rampant pedophilia in our clergy. He has very little to say about Muslims except that female circumcision is practiced in some countries.
Faircloth always aims low and puts nothing in context. He continually cites Jefferson who resolutely defended slavery in his career as a model for the current generation of politicians.
This book is a hoot.
"Attack of the Theocrats" is a manifesto in favour of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason written by a dimwitted author for a public of cretins. The message is that Americans must rally around the foundation to create a political movement to eliminate the influence of the religious right in the U.S.A. This must be done in order to ensure free access to the services of medically-assisted suicide and abortion.
The book attracted a great deal of media attention when it was published in 2012 and likely would have been a major hit had it been released during the Trump years. Faircloth's primary focus in on the Southern evangelicals who constitute a major portion of the clientele of the Alt-Right. Nonetheless, Faircloth views all religions as dangerous. A cradle catholic he urges those of us who have not yet turned apostate to do reminding us of the rampant pedophilia in our clergy. He has very little to say about Muslims except that female circumcision is practiced in some countries.
Faircloth always aims low and puts nothing in context. He continually cites Jefferson who resolutely defended slavery in his career as a model for the current generation of politicians.
This book is a hoot.
July 1, 2012
While admittedly a liberal and not religious, the author seeks to gain support for a separation of church and state from all groups that are interested in this task. This would include libertarians and moderates with links to religion. His arguments are more important than removing the 1954 addition of one nation under god to our pledge.
The arguments he makes are the injustice of giving religious organizations special privileges similar secular organizations have to follow. His examples include a child care center that was shut down due to violations that simply reopened as a religious child care center that no longer had to deal with these regulations for child protection. The many states that allow for faith healing to be invoked that allow children to suffer intense pain for the rest of their short lives with illnesses that could be easily treated.
The author argues that religious fundamentalism is not just a problem in the middle east, it is a problem in the United States as well. Religious schools that do not have to follow the same laws as public school even regarding corporal punishment, and that these schools take tax money.
The book is a call to action to anyone that does not think religious fundamentalists should have the influence they have and a reminder of the laws that have injured the innocent in favor of religious fundamentals.
The arguments he makes are the injustice of giving religious organizations special privileges similar secular organizations have to follow. His examples include a child care center that was shut down due to violations that simply reopened as a religious child care center that no longer had to deal with these regulations for child protection. The many states that allow for faith healing to be invoked that allow children to suffer intense pain for the rest of their short lives with illnesses that could be easily treated.
The author argues that religious fundamentalism is not just a problem in the middle east, it is a problem in the United States as well. Religious schools that do not have to follow the same laws as public school even regarding corporal punishment, and that these schools take tax money.
The book is a call to action to anyone that does not think religious fundamentalists should have the influence they have and a reminder of the laws that have injured the innocent in favor of religious fundamentals.
May 17, 2025
Attack of the Theocrats! by Sean Faircloth is a passionate, accessible critique of the increasing influence of religious ideology on American politics and public policy. Drawing on real-life examples and Faircloth’s political experience, it highlights how religious privilege is often quietly baked into laws and institutions. I found it both fascinating and deeply concerning - especially in how it lays out the risks to secular democracy. That said, the lack of references or citations weakened some of the arguments and made me wanting more substantiated claims. Written over a decade ago, I'd be curious to see how it would read now, given the shifting political climate.
April 3, 2012
I read James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me in 1995 and still consider it one of the most infuriating books I've ever read - because it completely disrupted what I thought I knew about history. I can use that same word (infuriating) to describe this book. I already knew most of this,, but Faircloth pulls it all together into one short volume. One short, yet utterly outrageous, teeth-grinding, damning indictment of the scariest trend in modern history.
Faircloth does a pretty good job of presenting his points. He repeats some of the stories, but I think just to reinforce the message. My one complaint is that he doesn't cite any of his quotes. He "awards" 50 of the most egregious legislators (all but three from one party...care to guess which one?) for their actions and statements, a few pretty heinous statements...but no sources. Frustrating that I'll have to track them down myself.
Another book that the people who need to read it won't, and the people who really need to read it will try to burn.
Faircloth does a pretty good job of presenting his points. He repeats some of the stories, but I think just to reinforce the message. My one complaint is that he doesn't cite any of his quotes. He "awards" 50 of the most egregious legislators (all but three from one party...care to guess which one?) for their actions and statements, a few pretty heinous statements...but no sources. Frustrating that I'll have to track them down myself.
Another book that the people who need to read it won't, and the people who really need to read it will try to burn.
January 17, 2014
Great ideas, horrible writing. I couldn't get over all the qualifications ("some say," "many people") he makes or the lack of quantitative evidence to support his claims. I was disappointed that, although I agreed very closely with Mr. Faircloth's opinions, it was far too easy to rebut them because he had stated them so weakly. In the end I stopped reading a third of the way through; it is the first book in four years that I haven't finished.
March 22, 2012
Though I am sympathetic to his cause, this book is repetitive and boring.
April 29, 2012
Little more than an extended pamphlet for the Secular Coalition for America
April 18, 2018
A very good book overall. There is though one glaring weakness. In two significant sections of the book, the second when he lists 50 members of the U.S. Congress and the harmful things they are doing in the name of religion, where the author comes across as making a rant rather than as making a reasoned argument. I think there are better ways to make that case for the harm that is being done to people based on religious beliefs. There are better ways to show the harm that is being done. One example of this is Greta Christina's book "Why Are You Atheists So Angry?: 99 Things That Piss Off the Godless," which despite the title presents of good case for why both the non-religious and the religious are harmed by the behavior coming out of the conservative fundamentalist sector of the U.S.
In spite of that weakness the author presents a good case for the harm being done, for how one part of our society is now dictating morals and behaviors that suit their particular religious beliefs to the detriment of the rest of the people in the country, and in many ways harming their own adherents to their beliefs.
I would have enjoyed a fuller discussion of the material in the final chapter where he lays out a plan for how to return the country to the secular roots of the founding fathers who understood very well the benefits of separation of church and state. The author correctly points out that many of the approaches taken have done more to anger those on the right on minor issues when it would be better to focus on the very real harm being done in the name of religion.
In spite of that weakness the author presents a good case for the harm being done, for how one part of our society is now dictating morals and behaviors that suit their particular religious beliefs to the detriment of the rest of the people in the country, and in many ways harming their own adherents to their beliefs.
I would have enjoyed a fuller discussion of the material in the final chapter where he lays out a plan for how to return the country to the secular roots of the founding fathers who understood very well the benefits of separation of church and state. The author correctly points out that many of the approaches taken have done more to anger those on the right on minor issues when it would be better to focus on the very real harm being done in the name of religion.
April 2, 2014
Concerned by faith-based initiatives, tax and regulatory exemptions for Christian "charities" (but which are conspicuously absent for the other religions out there, including Hinduism, which predates Judaism), Faircloth summons his biting sarcasm and thorough research skills for a well-reasoned clarion call to action. Although most of the theocrats he takes to task are Republicans, he does criticise Barack Obama for failing to remain faithful (no pun intended) to a pre-election promise.
Chock full of trustworthy sources, Faircloth reveals that unfair, unequal legal standards are applied; one for the religious, and one for everyone else. Faith harming (in some cases degenerating to faith murder) by religious parents who believe in sin, lies by the Reagan administration linking pornography to violence, blackmailing foreign aid recipients on the condition that they forbid reproductive education for women are just the tip of this perniciously polluted iceberg.
Perhaps most importantly, every issue identified by Faircloth here is paired with a reasonable solution that will provide real, tangible benefits for everyone, not just those who share a particular philosophy.
Chapter 1
Separation of church and state is being torn asunder. The First Amendment is being misconstrued and lied about.
Jefferson explicitly stated the Founding Fathers' desire for a WALL of separation (which likely led to Texas attempting to remove him from the state's textbooks). There are numerous cases of faith torture and murder (when parents refuse to get their children even the most rudimentary care) are conducted under the banner of special exemptions for religiously-based "conscientious" objections. One particularly ghastly incident involved a child developing a tumour the size of a baseball on their shoulder. "Special" rights are a common "justification" used to deny equal marriage rights to same-sex couples. This misses the essence of the issue - love and informed, consenting adults. Religious verses are used to justify and promote violence. Let's face it, "Do not kill" is vastly outnumbered by edicts demanding the opposite in the book of Exodus by several dozen orders of magnitude. Rick Warren equated Michael Schiavo to Nazis. Caring more for the brain dead than for those who can still suffer will do that to one's moral sensibilities. Churches are rarely audited by the IRS, which only allows them to flout their loopholes in ever more brazen fashions, including setting up their ministers and their families in lavish multi-million dollar McMansions. Religious groups can fire whoever they wish, even in states with anti-discrimination laws. Numerous politicians advocate mandatory creation classes
Unregulated church businesses (including gyms, daycare centres, etc) are exempt from the usual regulatory standards, leading to atrocious treatment of toddlers in religious daycare centres.
Chapter 2 deals with the founding fathers' actual intentions, private writings, and, crucially, the Treaty of Tripoli, which explicitly states that the US is not founded on Christianity. Sorry Turek, you lose. Most of the Fathers would never be elected to Congress, let alone the Presidency, today.
Chapter 3 is the longest, and in my estimation, the most crucial. It shows how laws that give special privileges and unearned exemptions to religious organisations hurts everybody, including Christians.
Emergency contraception is being denied to women because pharmacists can cite "religious objections" to dispensing contraceptives. The gag rule and hurdles to women's reproductive rights in foreign countries, under penalty of losing crucial aid, leads to back-alley abortions and death for women. This must be repealed. At present, the rule's enforcement depends solely on who sits in the Whitehouse. Abstinence-only "education" continues to be funded, despite their proven failure, leading to higher rates of STDs/unwanted pregnancies/abortions. If pro-lifers truly wanted to reduce abortion rates (and help teens make mature decisions concerning sex) they would ditch this nonsense. But they don't. Opposition to ESCR, even when embryos would be discarded otherwise, further reveals their hypocrisy and inverted sense of priorities. Death with Dignity legislation (well overdue) in Oregon and Washington is based on compassion and individual choice. The sooner a federal law is passed permitting this final right, the better. Faith harming/murder is explored in greater detail, as are religious nurseries and day care centres. James Dobson & Daniel Pearl's abusive parenting policies are derived directly from the bible, showing how useless the "good" book is for raising children.
Chapter 4 concerns sexual morality, true morality (harm vs benefits) and the hypocrisy of so-called pro-family groups (and let's not forget Ted Haggard). He is quite right to lambast the excessively PC left-wingers such as Andrea Dworkin.
A repressive, Victorian-era (some would say Puritan) approach to sex is not healthy. Fortunately, it did not lead to Bill Clinton's defeat in 1996. Norman Vincent Peale, spiritual predecessor to the modern-day Prosperity Gospel. Instead of contributing aid to the world's most indigent and emaciated individuals, they con people out of their hard-earned salaries and wages and make a promise amounting to nothing more than "god will repay you sometime in the future." Most of these pitiable victims see nothing, the implication being that their reward will be in the afterlife (while the pastors live the good life in the here and now). Faircloth also spends a good amount of time on Marie Curie, Ben Franklin, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and other secularists who have contributed to true charities, improving human well-being by leaps and bounds.
And that's just the first half of the book. The second begins with fifty of the most vile, hateful and extreme "faithful" fundamentalists in Congress, who wield a disproportionate amount of power over all other Americans. Anti-gay hatred, tinfoil-esque conspiracies and whack-job tea party succor are just the appetizer. This book is a much-needed wake-up call to America in the 21st century, and we all owe Faircloth and debt of gratitude for writing this book.
Chock full of trustworthy sources, Faircloth reveals that unfair, unequal legal standards are applied; one for the religious, and one for everyone else. Faith harming (in some cases degenerating to faith murder) by religious parents who believe in sin, lies by the Reagan administration linking pornography to violence, blackmailing foreign aid recipients on the condition that they forbid reproductive education for women are just the tip of this perniciously polluted iceberg.
Perhaps most importantly, every issue identified by Faircloth here is paired with a reasonable solution that will provide real, tangible benefits for everyone, not just those who share a particular philosophy.
Chapter 1
Separation of church and state is being torn asunder. The First Amendment is being misconstrued and lied about.
Jefferson explicitly stated the Founding Fathers' desire for a WALL of separation (which likely led to Texas attempting to remove him from the state's textbooks). There are numerous cases of faith torture and murder (when parents refuse to get their children even the most rudimentary care) are conducted under the banner of special exemptions for religiously-based "conscientious" objections. One particularly ghastly incident involved a child developing a tumour the size of a baseball on their shoulder. "Special" rights are a common "justification" used to deny equal marriage rights to same-sex couples. This misses the essence of the issue - love and informed, consenting adults. Religious verses are used to justify and promote violence. Let's face it, "Do not kill" is vastly outnumbered by edicts demanding the opposite in the book of Exodus by several dozen orders of magnitude. Rick Warren equated Michael Schiavo to Nazis. Caring more for the brain dead than for those who can still suffer will do that to one's moral sensibilities. Churches are rarely audited by the IRS, which only allows them to flout their loopholes in ever more brazen fashions, including setting up their ministers and their families in lavish multi-million dollar McMansions. Religious groups can fire whoever they wish, even in states with anti-discrimination laws. Numerous politicians advocate mandatory creation classes
Unregulated church businesses (including gyms, daycare centres, etc) are exempt from the usual regulatory standards, leading to atrocious treatment of toddlers in religious daycare centres.
Chapter 2 deals with the founding fathers' actual intentions, private writings, and, crucially, the Treaty of Tripoli, which explicitly states that the US is not founded on Christianity. Sorry Turek, you lose. Most of the Fathers would never be elected to Congress, let alone the Presidency, today.
Chapter 3 is the longest, and in my estimation, the most crucial. It shows how laws that give special privileges and unearned exemptions to religious organisations hurts everybody, including Christians.
Emergency contraception is being denied to women because pharmacists can cite "religious objections" to dispensing contraceptives. The gag rule and hurdles to women's reproductive rights in foreign countries, under penalty of losing crucial aid, leads to back-alley abortions and death for women. This must be repealed. At present, the rule's enforcement depends solely on who sits in the Whitehouse. Abstinence-only "education" continues to be funded, despite their proven failure, leading to higher rates of STDs/unwanted pregnancies/abortions. If pro-lifers truly wanted to reduce abortion rates (and help teens make mature decisions concerning sex) they would ditch this nonsense. But they don't. Opposition to ESCR, even when embryos would be discarded otherwise, further reveals their hypocrisy and inverted sense of priorities. Death with Dignity legislation (well overdue) in Oregon and Washington is based on compassion and individual choice. The sooner a federal law is passed permitting this final right, the better. Faith harming/murder is explored in greater detail, as are religious nurseries and day care centres. James Dobson & Daniel Pearl's abusive parenting policies are derived directly from the bible, showing how useless the "good" book is for raising children.
Chapter 4 concerns sexual morality, true morality (harm vs benefits) and the hypocrisy of so-called pro-family groups (and let's not forget Ted Haggard). He is quite right to lambast the excessively PC left-wingers such as Andrea Dworkin.
A repressive, Victorian-era (some would say Puritan) approach to sex is not healthy. Fortunately, it did not lead to Bill Clinton's defeat in 1996. Norman Vincent Peale, spiritual predecessor to the modern-day Prosperity Gospel. Instead of contributing aid to the world's most indigent and emaciated individuals, they con people out of their hard-earned salaries and wages and make a promise amounting to nothing more than "god will repay you sometime in the future." Most of these pitiable victims see nothing, the implication being that their reward will be in the afterlife (while the pastors live the good life in the here and now). Faircloth also spends a good amount of time on Marie Curie, Ben Franklin, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and other secularists who have contributed to true charities, improving human well-being by leaps and bounds.
And that's just the first half of the book. The second begins with fifty of the most vile, hateful and extreme "faithful" fundamentalists in Congress, who wield a disproportionate amount of power over all other Americans. Anti-gay hatred, tinfoil-esque conspiracies and whack-job tea party succor are just the appetizer. This book is a much-needed wake-up call to America in the 21st century, and we all owe Faircloth and debt of gratitude for writing this book.
August 30, 2018
I didn't have a slight conundrum at the beginning of this: would I give it 4 stars or 5? It was a great book, but there was about a half hour near the end about the Richard Dawkins Foundation and the authors Association with it. But really, I appreciate the things that are pointed out and brought to light about religion on the whole and the nominal foundation of our country! To see how our politicians and government have corrupted the basic ideas represented by our Constitution as well as the way they've corrupted primary religions nominally exercised by the majority of United States citizenry is appalling! I demure from saying that I am an atheist, although I do admit to being a Jewish atheist! And the majority of people I know and know of truly have difficulty believing every "God-given law and rule" without doing a little "pick and choosing" at best!
Whether the reader personally chooses the Richard Dawkins Foundation as his/her "go-to" organization for non-theocratic rights and policies, the book is really good!
Whether the reader personally chooses the Richard Dawkins Foundation as his/her "go-to" organization for non-theocratic rights and policies, the book is really good!
May 14, 2017
I skimmed a lot of this book. Mr. Faircloth is a very imapssioned advocate of atheism and an opponent of organized religion. The best chapter of this book is where he talks about the ability of churches under US law to avoid taxation, and the "prosperity gospel". The prosperity gospel is basically a bunch of charlatans making money from gullible people. Joel Osteen is singled out, but there are many others. (Given their willingness to follow hucksters like Osteen, it is not surprising that evangelicals have voted in overwhelming numbers for Trump.) He contrasts Osteen, who has produced nothing, with secular innovators like Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs and Linus Pauling, whose accomplishments have enriched or saved the lives of millions.
There is also an interesting chapter on the founding fathers and their religious beliefs. Much of the book though was a bit dated and not that new or different.
There is also an interesting chapter on the founding fathers and their religious beliefs. Much of the book though was a bit dated and not that new or different.
October 28, 2017
Very true
Very true the theocrats are here and would be more then happy to dictate
every aspect of your life. A very accurate accounting of how the religious right has taken over and corrupted the GOP. Good read.
Very true the theocrats are here and would be more then happy to dictate
every aspect of your life. A very accurate accounting of how the religious right has taken over and corrupted the GOP. Good read.
May 21, 2023
Terrifying. This was written before Trump learned to take advantage of the poorly educated people he claims to love. Americans are watching as children are taught stupid lies instead of the truth. It was bad enough when this book was written, Trump has made things far worse.
October 24, 2014
Sean Faircloth is a man with strong credentials to back up his work in Attack Of The Theocrats! How The Religious Right Harms Us All - And What We Can Do About It. As a five-term politician on the Main Legislature, serving as Majority Whip during his last term, former executive director of the Secular Coalition for America, as well as director of strategy and policy for the US branch of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, he has a solid history from which to draw upon in examining the significant strain of theocracy that is running amok in America and has shaped a vision for the future of this country in combating the religious right with his plans for the Secular Decade Plan.
Faircloth confesses to having a particular fascination for speeches - particularly those of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King - and his time as a lawyer no doubt helped him hone his concise and pragmatic manner of delivery that is on display in this book. The writing is crisp and to the point.
However, I found this conciseness to actually a bit of a detriment, as he hit upon certain abuses from the inequity in laws to favor religious services, or to flat out deny minority groups an equal standing in society, that I would have liked him to explore more deeply. I realize, though, that such topics might warrant entire tomes of their own, but the brevity of this work sometimes makes it feel more like a primer to garner interest in the benefits of secularism, rather than an in-depth exploration of why, exactly, secularism is a necessity in modern America. And while I have little doubt about the veracity of Faircloth's assertions given my own research into similar topics and accounts that I've read elsewhere, I really wish he would have been more liberal in citing his sources in order to help readers do their own bit of fact-checking and to be able to pursue topics in greater detail than what's given here.
That said, the stories and information as presented certainly pack a wallop, while also driving home the author's central premise with far too many disheartening facts. When it comes to going for the guts, Faircloth knows when to launch into an emotionally engaging, and aggressive, attack on the brutal injustices of the fundamentalists, particularly in areas in which religious doctrines and organizations use and abuse children.
I would challenge any reader to not sneer in disgust at the level of abuses Faircloth details in describing how unlicensed religious child-care centers are able to flaunt and totally disregard basic health and safety laws that have would have shut it down had the care center been a secular institution, and which, in multiple instances, have led to the death of multiple children at worst, and allowing infants to sit in dirty diapers or wander a deserted playground alone and naked, all the while receiving federal taxpayer funds. And try to keep the bile down as he lists the many ways that so-called "faith healing" harms, at best, or kills, at worst, children saddled with such ignorant parents who would rather have their child die than let them be treated with modern medicine. And, of course, there is also the physical and sexual abuse carried out by predatory clergy and the fervent faithful.
The read is far from a list of far-right religiously motivated atrocities, though, and Faircloth presents a very grounded and even-handed treatment of why fairness and equality is not only needed, but something that we, as Americans, must demand. It's a heartening plea that he rounds out with a sense of optimism as he charts a ten-year-long course for secularists to regain ground lost to fundamentalism. By using emotional stories rather than sheer statistics, grassroots organizing, and applying his Ten Point Vision of a Secular America, along with increased advocacy against the injustices perpetuated in unequal measures of law by religious favoritism, he aims to inspire a broader base of voices that can not only help reclaim America, but build a better American based on the values of its Founders. This is a read I'd easily recommend, especially before voting!
Faircloth confesses to having a particular fascination for speeches - particularly those of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King - and his time as a lawyer no doubt helped him hone his concise and pragmatic manner of delivery that is on display in this book. The writing is crisp and to the point.
However, I found this conciseness to actually a bit of a detriment, as he hit upon certain abuses from the inequity in laws to favor religious services, or to flat out deny minority groups an equal standing in society, that I would have liked him to explore more deeply. I realize, though, that such topics might warrant entire tomes of their own, but the brevity of this work sometimes makes it feel more like a primer to garner interest in the benefits of secularism, rather than an in-depth exploration of why, exactly, secularism is a necessity in modern America. And while I have little doubt about the veracity of Faircloth's assertions given my own research into similar topics and accounts that I've read elsewhere, I really wish he would have been more liberal in citing his sources in order to help readers do their own bit of fact-checking and to be able to pursue topics in greater detail than what's given here.
That said, the stories and information as presented certainly pack a wallop, while also driving home the author's central premise with far too many disheartening facts. When it comes to going for the guts, Faircloth knows when to launch into an emotionally engaging, and aggressive, attack on the brutal injustices of the fundamentalists, particularly in areas in which religious doctrines and organizations use and abuse children.
I would challenge any reader to not sneer in disgust at the level of abuses Faircloth details in describing how unlicensed religious child-care centers are able to flaunt and totally disregard basic health and safety laws that have would have shut it down had the care center been a secular institution, and which, in multiple instances, have led to the death of multiple children at worst, and allowing infants to sit in dirty diapers or wander a deserted playground alone and naked, all the while receiving federal taxpayer funds. And try to keep the bile down as he lists the many ways that so-called "faith healing" harms, at best, or kills, at worst, children saddled with such ignorant parents who would rather have their child die than let them be treated with modern medicine. And, of course, there is also the physical and sexual abuse carried out by predatory clergy and the fervent faithful.
The read is far from a list of far-right religiously motivated atrocities, though, and Faircloth presents a very grounded and even-handed treatment of why fairness and equality is not only needed, but something that we, as Americans, must demand. It's a heartening plea that he rounds out with a sense of optimism as he charts a ten-year-long course for secularists to regain ground lost to fundamentalism. By using emotional stories rather than sheer statistics, grassroots organizing, and applying his Ten Point Vision of a Secular America, along with increased advocacy against the injustices perpetuated in unequal measures of law by religious favoritism, he aims to inspire a broader base of voices that can not only help reclaim America, but build a better American based on the values of its Founders. This is a read I'd easily recommend, especially before voting!
August 13, 2016
I'm writing this review a couple of weeks after reading it, so forgive me if I'm sort of at a loss for words.
The first thing I would like to point out is that I think Faircloth's quotations and instantiations of past presidents and there political viewpoints is valid only insofar as it's used to show the contour of political thought throughout America's years. Unfortunately, Faircloth stated the views and ideas of Jefferson and Madison as if it was a good enough reason to effect change towards their ideals. In other words, what Faircloth basically said was "Madison said that science and State/Church separation is good, therefore we should strive for those things." This sort of rhetorical ethos is precisely the type of thing I try to avoid. Laws and legislation is one thing, but unsubstantiated opinions is another.
To our fortune though (ostensibly), Faircloth also uses arguments of pathos, which I am more readily willing to accept than ethical appeals. Some of the anecdotes are gruesome and heart-wrenching enough to agitate one to political action. However. He supplied not an iota of sources. That is unacceptable. Not even a link on his website to give citation to the statistics and anecdotes he speaks of. I, for one, don't like it when my emotions are taken advantage of in the form of demagoguery, and when you take away the one thing that's supposed insulate me from that, I don't take kindly to it.
The three stars I awarded I give to him because (1) I admire his hard work and his commitment with his 10 year plan, and (2) because we share a couple of opinions. In all honesty, those two reasons should only warrant two stars, but I felt rather charitable when I rated the pamphlet. The other stars were taken away from him for his fallacious argumentation, his irritating prose (which I think was supposed to be snarky, but came off as puerile and unintelligent), and for the fact he espoused opinions that I absolutely oppose, such as his conformity to feminist ideology and patriarchy theory.
To wrap up this review, despite what Dawkins said about this book being necessary, it's completely forgettable and unimportant. This book should spark the interest of atheists and secular humanists and is not intended for the majority of people of faith and especially not for republicans. But as a caveat to those atheists and secular humanists: although I don't disagree with Faircloth's conclusion on the need of a Wall between Church and State or (to a lesser degree) his 10 year secular plan, his arguments and rationale, however enticing (especially to those of you who have just recently relinquished your faith), has the assumption that his readers aren't going to be critical of his pamphlet. What I mean to say is he knows who his audience is (secular humanists and atheists) and that by using pro-choice and pro-LGBT aphorisms, his readers won't pay much attention to the rest of his rhetoric. Please don't be one of those intellectually indolent readers. Don't accept bad arguments even if the person is advocating for a position that you share. That sort of indolence is what makes you prey to the very thing that most atheists accuse theists of having.
And as a quick addendum to this review, I'd just like to add that Faircloth's Afterword at the end was actually quite poetic. I didn't even realize the prose were written by him until half way through. I found it, not terribly interesting, but it was definitely at least a step above the book that it followed.
EDIT: Looking back, this book definitely deserved a two, so I changed my rating.
The first thing I would like to point out is that I think Faircloth's quotations and instantiations of past presidents and there political viewpoints is valid only insofar as it's used to show the contour of political thought throughout America's years. Unfortunately, Faircloth stated the views and ideas of Jefferson and Madison as if it was a good enough reason to effect change towards their ideals. In other words, what Faircloth basically said was "Madison said that science and State/Church separation is good, therefore we should strive for those things." This sort of rhetorical ethos is precisely the type of thing I try to avoid. Laws and legislation is one thing, but unsubstantiated opinions is another.
To our fortune though (ostensibly), Faircloth also uses arguments of pathos, which I am more readily willing to accept than ethical appeals. Some of the anecdotes are gruesome and heart-wrenching enough to agitate one to political action. However. He supplied not an iota of sources. That is unacceptable. Not even a link on his website to give citation to the statistics and anecdotes he speaks of. I, for one, don't like it when my emotions are taken advantage of in the form of demagoguery, and when you take away the one thing that's supposed insulate me from that, I don't take kindly to it.
The three stars I awarded I give to him because (1) I admire his hard work and his commitment with his 10 year plan, and (2) because we share a couple of opinions. In all honesty, those two reasons should only warrant two stars, but I felt rather charitable when I rated the pamphlet. The other stars were taken away from him for his fallacious argumentation, his irritating prose (which I think was supposed to be snarky, but came off as puerile and unintelligent), and for the fact he espoused opinions that I absolutely oppose, such as his conformity to feminist ideology and patriarchy theory.
To wrap up this review, despite what Dawkins said about this book being necessary, it's completely forgettable and unimportant. This book should spark the interest of atheists and secular humanists and is not intended for the majority of people of faith and especially not for republicans. But as a caveat to those atheists and secular humanists: although I don't disagree with Faircloth's conclusion on the need of a Wall between Church and State or (to a lesser degree) his 10 year secular plan, his arguments and rationale, however enticing (especially to those of you who have just recently relinquished your faith), has the assumption that his readers aren't going to be critical of his pamphlet. What I mean to say is he knows who his audience is (secular humanists and atheists) and that by using pro-choice and pro-LGBT aphorisms, his readers won't pay much attention to the rest of his rhetoric. Please don't be one of those intellectually indolent readers. Don't accept bad arguments even if the person is advocating for a position that you share. That sort of indolence is what makes you prey to the very thing that most atheists accuse theists of having.
And as a quick addendum to this review, I'd just like to add that Faircloth's Afterword at the end was actually quite poetic. I didn't even realize the prose were written by him until half way through. I found it, not terribly interesting, but it was definitely at least a step above the book that it followed.
EDIT: Looking back, this book definitely deserved a two, so I changed my rating.
July 24, 2012
In "Attack of the Theocrats," Sean Faircloth starts by painting a grim picture. Despite the United States being founded on solidly secular values, many believe that this is a theocratic country. Those who seek to make it a theocracy have significant political clout. Enough so that public gains in rationality have not spread to the federal government. Faircloth gives clear examples of the damage that theocratic exceptionalism currently does to the Republic.
Faircloth ends with a general plan to bolster secularism in America once again. This was a welcomed shift after spending much of the book describing the injustices of religious favoritism. Unfortunately, by the time the message turned to hope, I was weary the stories of the abuse. It was difficult to garner excitement for the political action he outlines.
I used to feel good about secularism in America. Looking at the rise of non-theists in youth, it felt like we were gaining significant ground. Now I am forced to question my assumptions. Radical theocrats keep gaining power despite growing opposition.
I recommend "Attack of the Theocrats" as a clear example of how dogma hurts America. There is a caveat. Faircloth includes multiple jabs and jokes at the theocrats he describes in this book, especially the group he labels the "Fundamentalist Fifty." He has a sarcastic, satirical humor. Many jokes feel forced. This is tolerable, but he is more Bill Maher than Jon Stewart. I think these sarcastic quips will serve to turn many people off. Progressive Christians may take offense to these little jokes, and miss the point about the larger abuse.
Regardless, this is a must read for anyone serious about the secular movement.
Faircloth ends with a general plan to bolster secularism in America once again. This was a welcomed shift after spending much of the book describing the injustices of religious favoritism. Unfortunately, by the time the message turned to hope, I was weary the stories of the abuse. It was difficult to garner excitement for the political action he outlines.
I used to feel good about secularism in America. Looking at the rise of non-theists in youth, it felt like we were gaining significant ground. Now I am forced to question my assumptions. Radical theocrats keep gaining power despite growing opposition.
I recommend "Attack of the Theocrats" as a clear example of how dogma hurts America. There is a caveat. Faircloth includes multiple jabs and jokes at the theocrats he describes in this book, especially the group he labels the "Fundamentalist Fifty." He has a sarcastic, satirical humor. Many jokes feel forced. This is tolerable, but he is more Bill Maher than Jon Stewart. I think these sarcastic quips will serve to turn many people off. Progressive Christians may take offense to these little jokes, and miss the point about the larger abuse.
Regardless, this is a must read for anyone serious about the secular movement.
May 21, 2016
I agree with Faircloth's assertion that theocrats have way too much clout in the American political system. From the gay marriage "debate" (which the "major" argument is that the "sanctity" of heterosexual marriage needs to be protected from us evil queers, even though over half of those hallowed marriages end in divorce) to abortion (why are we still arguing about this in America?!?), fundamentalists try to cast their views as the "moral" ones (and, therefore, those with different views are "immoral" by default).
Faircloth starts out well enough, demonstrating just how fundamentalists affect us all. But then he kind of gets bogged down, and the book just doesn't flow well. Also, it really felt like he was trying to browbeat "secular America" into caring about certain issues, when, in reality, many "secular Americans" already DO care about those issues. Also, I realize that Faircloth works for the Richard Dawkins Foundation, and I do think that Richard Dawkins is an intelligent man (though with a tendency towards extreme arrogance), but after a while, it just felt like Faircloth was plugging Dawkins and his foundation. At times, the book felt like an infomercial.
I listened to the audiobook version, and I have two comments about that specifically. First, I really think that Sean Faircloth should have gone with a professional narrator. He isn't bad, but he sounds like a politician, and there's only so much I could listen to before needing to take a break. Second, the audiobook version varies slightly from the book (usually with added information). While reading along while listening to the audiobook version, this was rather jarring.
Faircloth starts out well enough, demonstrating just how fundamentalists affect us all. But then he kind of gets bogged down, and the book just doesn't flow well. Also, it really felt like he was trying to browbeat "secular America" into caring about certain issues, when, in reality, many "secular Americans" already DO care about those issues. Also, I realize that Faircloth works for the Richard Dawkins Foundation, and I do think that Richard Dawkins is an intelligent man (though with a tendency towards extreme arrogance), but after a while, it just felt like Faircloth was plugging Dawkins and his foundation. At times, the book felt like an infomercial.
I listened to the audiobook version, and I have two comments about that specifically. First, I really think that Sean Faircloth should have gone with a professional narrator. He isn't bad, but he sounds like a politician, and there's only so much I could listen to before needing to take a break. Second, the audiobook version varies slightly from the book (usually with added information). While reading along while listening to the audiobook version, this was rather jarring.
March 25, 2012
Despite the sensationalist title and cover Attack of the Theocrats! is a rather reasonable call to bolster the wall of separation between church and state that was the founders intention and to eliminates government policies that favor religious institutions and conflict with the establishment clause of the constitution. These include tax payer funded support for institutions that are allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices based on religion or sexual orientation, laws that permit lower safety standards for religious child-care facilities, reduced tax auditing for churches, unfair tax-free housing allowances, and other special rights not afforded to secular institutions.
While the goal is a good one, the book often reads like an extended advertisement for the Secular Coalition of America (of which Faircloth is the former executive director). Even though I agree with the mission of this group, their ad copy fails to make for compelling reading. With that said, it is nice to see that the group is getting away from silly, superficial issues such as protesting nativity scenes on public property and focusing on real issues that would have a meaningful effect on people’s lives.
While the goal is a good one, the book often reads like an extended advertisement for the Secular Coalition of America (of which Faircloth is the former executive director). Even though I agree with the mission of this group, their ad copy fails to make for compelling reading. With that said, it is nice to see that the group is getting away from silly, superficial issues such as protesting nativity scenes on public property and focusing on real issues that would have a meaningful effect on people’s lives.
August 3, 2012
Read on Kindle.
Overall I liked this book. I love the ideas for action and the description of the Fundamentalist Fifty. Books like this spur me towards speaking up for myself and other secular people because I think this country is turning into a theocracy and we can't let it do that.
I do have to disagree with letting King and Kennedy completely off the hook for being unfaithful. I've always said that if people want to play the field and have a lot of partners because they can't manage to be monogomous, then they don't have to get married. No one says we have to get married, but once we do, we have made an oath to the person we thought was important enough to us to spend our lives with them. I can't help losing a bit of respect for people who cheat on their spouses, unless it is some kind of open marriage I guess. I might still respect them overall, but I do have a problem with infidelity. But I do agree with Faircloth that sexual morality can be summed up in the words "consenting adults" and that people who preach sexual purity to other people while they are secretly messing around are total hypocrites. They lose a LOT of my respect.
Anyway, I hope the secular decade comes to pass and I will try to do my part.
Overall I liked this book. I love the ideas for action and the description of the Fundamentalist Fifty. Books like this spur me towards speaking up for myself and other secular people because I think this country is turning into a theocracy and we can't let it do that.
I do have to disagree with letting King and Kennedy completely off the hook for being unfaithful. I've always said that if people want to play the field and have a lot of partners because they can't manage to be monogomous, then they don't have to get married. No one says we have to get married, but once we do, we have made an oath to the person we thought was important enough to us to spend our lives with them. I can't help losing a bit of respect for people who cheat on their spouses, unless it is some kind of open marriage I guess. I might still respect them overall, but I do have a problem with infidelity. But I do agree with Faircloth that sexual morality can be summed up in the words "consenting adults" and that people who preach sexual purity to other people while they are secretly messing around are total hypocrites. They lose a LOT of my respect.
Anyway, I hope the secular decade comes to pass and I will try to do my part.
February 29, 2012
This is, at its very core, a call to action for secular Americans. Faircloth presents his idea for a secular America and his passion for reinstating the Jefferson & Madison wall between church and state to its original glory, lays out his argument, and calls for every agnostic, atheist, and on-the-fence American to act.
There are no piles of facts or extensive citations of studies. The book is under 200 pages long and Faircloth presents his arguments succinctly. If you are aiming to persuade theists to question their own beliefs, this is not the book. Faircloth has obviously aimed this book at devoted secularists to bring them together united under a feasible plan.
It's not brilliant. There is nothing truly life-changing in this book and, if you're knowledgeable and pay attention to politics and the actual workings of this country, there will be no surprises in Faircloth's book. But it is a good read and, since it's under 200 pages, it's a fast one. He outlines a clear and concrete mission for secularists to bring America back to a country of innovation and evolution and away from dogmatic suppression.
There are no piles of facts or extensive citations of studies. The book is under 200 pages long and Faircloth presents his arguments succinctly. If you are aiming to persuade theists to question their own beliefs, this is not the book. Faircloth has obviously aimed this book at devoted secularists to bring them together united under a feasible plan.
It's not brilliant. There is nothing truly life-changing in this book and, if you're knowledgeable and pay attention to politics and the actual workings of this country, there will be no surprises in Faircloth's book. But it is a good read and, since it's under 200 pages, it's a fast one. He outlines a clear and concrete mission for secularists to bring America back to a country of innovation and evolution and away from dogmatic suppression.
February 20, 2016
Faircloth addresses the eroding wall of separation between church and state, and why it threatens our republic, in this book.
He includes an action plan for a broader secularist outreach in order to promote science and rationality. Contrary to what many seem to think, this is not an anti-religion stance; anyone is free to believe what they want, but not at the expense of health and welfare of children, or to the detriment of our future as a world leader.
One of the best points that Faircloth makes is that sometimes secularists focus too much on religious displays on public property. Although these things are important, and we must continue to draw the line, he maintains that it is more important to focus on the true harm that occurs to people because of religious exemptions. The best example of this is parents not seeking medical treatment for their children because of the parents' religious views. I think this is an excellent point, and we need to "make it real."
A very good book that I'll be thinking about for a while.
He includes an action plan for a broader secularist outreach in order to promote science and rationality. Contrary to what many seem to think, this is not an anti-religion stance; anyone is free to believe what they want, but not at the expense of health and welfare of children, or to the detriment of our future as a world leader.
One of the best points that Faircloth makes is that sometimes secularists focus too much on religious displays on public property. Although these things are important, and we must continue to draw the line, he maintains that it is more important to focus on the true harm that occurs to people because of religious exemptions. The best example of this is parents not seeking medical treatment for their children because of the parents' religious views. I think this is an excellent point, and we need to "make it real."
A very good book that I'll be thinking about for a while.
April 18, 2016
While reading the first chapters I thought I should put this book down because it is written by an American for the Americans, but the last two chapters are fully functional for all people in theocracy infested countries like Italy, Spain and all the Arab world... It presents a better approach and more practical step-by-step guide to establishing democracy and secularism than the Occupy Wall Street or Spanish protests' futile "activism" that might draw attention but yup, that's it, in the best cases people might watch and enjoy the music, but are often annoyed by traffic-blocking...
The books is an eye-opener to how human rights are being abused by the name of religious right in what is supposed to be, and really has once been a democracy, but the authors optimism is effective and encouraging. I admit I still have no hope for the human kind, not in my life time, but I am now less pessimistic..
The books is an eye-opener to how human rights are being abused by the name of religious right in what is supposed to be, and really has once been a democracy, but the authors optimism is effective and encouraging. I admit I still have no hope for the human kind, not in my life time, but I am now less pessimistic..
September 14, 2012
The good: logic, eloquent, plenty of examples to support the argumentation, passionate about why the founding fathers were adamant about the separation of church and state, and why it is still extremely relevant. I was aware of some of the (criminally negligent) deaths due to faith healing, but not some of the most gruesome examples detailed here. The privileges and tax cuts to ministers of mega-churches sort of blew me away.
The less good: bit of repetition, not citing most quotes, writing style not as engaging as I am used to for this type of prose.
Having watched a number of the author's speeches on YouTube, there was not a lot of new content in the book. That said, that was not unexpected or a negative criticism; I knew that would be the case and was buying the book in support of the organization.
The less good: bit of repetition, not citing most quotes, writing style not as engaging as I am used to for this type of prose.
Having watched a number of the author's speeches on YouTube, there was not a lot of new content in the book. That said, that was not unexpected or a negative criticism; I knew that would be the case and was buying the book in support of the organization.
August 21, 2012
Attack of the Theocrats is a fine book for those involved in the secular movement and definetly should read it. Despite that, I will also say that wile Sean has his moments of wits and good humor in this book, it is quite technical overall, so expect it to more informal in nature. From multimillion dollar christian televangelists to scheming fundamentalists politicians, and even Bible-thumping,meth-blowing and yes secretly gay megaministers--Sean tells all in this book. Regardless of how corrupt many of the members of the Christian hierarchy are, Sean in the end provides an excellent alternative to putting an end to religious fundamentalism in America.Anyone that wants a start promoting secularism and wishes to out religious fundamentalism should start with this book.
September 4, 2013
If you have never had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Faircloth speak, this book is an excellent introduction to his philosophy. If you have heard him talk then significant parts of the book may be redundant. Aside from that, this is a book for the already secular not the questioning. I say this because while there is a lot of information that should convince people that the "Religious Right" is gaining too much power in the US, the language of the book is frequently peppered with snarky comments. So, my guess is it's going to force the questioning to become offended and tune out the message of the book. That's a shame.
February 4, 2016
A pretty well written book by Sean Faircloth. It is very surprising to see the Republican Party in the United States becoming more and more irrational - fighting hugely expensive wars and lowering income tax at the same time, coddling to the rich and not taking care of the poor, promoting the faulty teaching of creationism and denying evolution, hankering for more and more religion in government when the founders were secularists. Sean Faircloth's manifesto is much needed to serve as a rallying call to secularists to rise up and stand against the religious right from transforming the US into another theocracy like many Muslim countries.
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