Social Mindscapes: An Invitation to Cognitive Sociology

Book Description

Why do we eat sardines, but never goldfish; ducks, but never parrots? Why does adding cheese make a hamburger a "cheeseburger" whereas adding ketchup does not make it a "ketchupburger"? By the same token, how do we determine which things said at a meeting should be included in the minutes and which ought to be considered "off the record" and officially disregarded?

In this wide-ranging and provocative book, Eviatar Zerubavel argues that cognitive science cannot answer these questions, since it addresses cognition on only two levels: the individual and the universal. To fill the gap between the Romantic vision of the solitary thinker whose thoughts are the product of unique experience, and the cognitive-psychological view, which revolves around the search for the universal foundations of human cognition, Zerubavel charts an expansive social realm of mind--a domain that focuses on the conventional, normative aspects of the way we think.

With witty anecdote and revealing analogy, Zerubavel illuminates the social foundation of mental actions such as perceiving, attending, classifying, remembering, assigning meaning, and reckoning the time. What takes place inside our heads, he reminds us, is deeply affected by our social environments, which are typically groups that are larger than the individual yet considerably smaller than the human race. Thus, we develop a nonuniversal software for thinking as Americans or Chinese, lawyers or teachers, Catholics or Jews, Baby Boomers or Gen-Xers. Zerubavel explores the fascinating ways in which thought communities carve up and classify reality, assign meanings, and perceive things, "defamiliarizing" in the process many taken-for-granted assumptions.

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing Tidbits.......2006-11-03

This book is a refreshing and concise collection of interesting tidbits about cultural aspects of human minds. He points out many cultural quirks in our thinking that I suspect many people unconsciously assume are universal beliefs. Sometimes it's easy to see once you're provoked to think about it why we should consider something to be a cultural quirk (e.g. putting jam and jelly into two distinct categories rather than one). With others, such as whether the differences between male and female genitalia justify classifying the equivalent parts differently for each sex, I'm almost suspicious enough of his report that western culture had a different answer a couple of centuries ago than it does today to tempt me to check some of his copious references. And there are a few places where his cultural norms seem odd (e.g. his claim that daylight savings time seems natural).
With only 113 pages of actual text, it's a quick read that would be worth reading for the entertainment value alone, and has the added benefit of shaking up one's preconceptions.

In the mind, all things and "no things" have their origin........2004-04-01

In seven brief, but dense, chapters, Eviatar Zerubavel guides the reader through levels of "mental processes" that correspond to creating and maintaining the social, historical, and physical world in which we live. The processes are: perception, attention, classification, semiotic association, memory, and time reckoning.

Zerubavel asks questions and presents ideas that challenge our very notions about social order and the taken-for-granted acceptance of structures that have their origin in the mind. By beginning on a micro-social level and progressing through to the macro-social level, Zerubavel points out that the constructions of our everyday existence from cultural, religion, history, geography, and social interactions are characterized by lines of demarcation that are real only in our minds. Additionally, Zerubavel presents information that serves to assist the reader in understanding the basis for cognitive sociology as a viable discipline among the sciences and its potential contributions for the future understanding of human cognition.

Two chapters considered interesting by this writer are "The Sociology of the Mind" and "The Social Division of the World," chapters one and four respectively.

In chapter one, Zerubavel convincingly illustrates what cognitive sociology is and its conceivable ideas for understanding how we came to be that which we are: members of various thought communities. Recognizing that our minds serve as the fostering ground for not only how the/our world is constructed, but how it is maintained by adherence to certain social facts, he gives examples the reader may apply to their life to determine where they have fallen prey to thinking that their thoughts are "original."

Additionally, he draws our attention to the fact that there are "differences not only among individuals but also among different cultures, social groups, and historical periods." He refers to these groups as "thought communities." By showing that the lines of demarcation which we draw (race, city, state, country, etc.) have no basis in "reality," Zerubavel beckons us to look into not only how we think, but why we have come to think as we do, and if thinking along current lines is a hindrance to further social advancement. In this instance, he continues to illuminate the discipline of cognitive sociology and what it has to offer in our quest to further understand the mind; he also discuses our arrival as new members of the human family upon birth and the subsequent "cognitive socialization" we undergo as we are duly initiated into our respective thought communities.

In chapter four "The Social Division of the World," Zerubavel illustrates how, as members of thought communities, we "classify the world." He states, "Like focusing, and perceiving, classifying is a universal mental act that we perform as human beings" (53). In so stating, he goes on to discuss how we classify and how we learned to do so. To illustrate that all humans engage in this process, he discusses various cultures and their "norms" to support that this activity is "universal" to all humans. Yet in its universality, the process of classifying leaves open room for interpretation among members of the same community doing the classifying; which illustrates that although we engage in this activity, there are no hard and fast boundaries to which all members of a given society adhere, and that these lines change over time.

Given that the book has only seven chapters and a conclusion, finding "shortcomings" is a somewhat tough proposition; I truly enjoyed this work. However, upon reflection, chapters titled "Social Memories" and "Standard Time," chapters six and seven respectively, could have been longer and more inclusive.

For instance, in chapter six, he recalls a visit to Venice and how it seemed "quite familiar." Upon reading these lines, my mind went to what we call déjà vu. It would have been interesting to know his thoughts on the subject since many may not realize that their reading early in life, or viewing videotaped images of people, places and things may be a component to this oft cited phenomenon. In essence, is our "feeling that we have been here" before in some way a mere recollection of a tale told to us long ago and equally long ago forgotten? Or are there really events of this ilk? While such an elucidation may not explain all such phenomena, it could potentially remove from the realm of the "mystical" such explainable experiences.

Likewise, in chapter seven, titled "Standard Time," it would have been revealing to read his thoughts on what Christians hold to be the creation of the universe. In this instance, given that Christians hold that the world was created in six days and God rested on the seventh, which serve as the foundation of religious life among Christians, the ideas raised surrounding the solar and sidereal days, as well as the calendar's shifting days based upon powerful entities would have been fodder for an exciting thought exercise.

That being said, by not granting primacy to one single social phenomenon, be it race, religion, geographical considerations, etc. Zerubavel not only drives his point home that cognitive sociology a discipline with which to be reckoned, he also shows that all structures, both in the mind and society, despite some very real and sometimes hurtful or deadly manifestations, are just that . . .in our mind.

Note: the above is part of a work presented in a course in Cognitive Sociology.

Average customer rating:

Hmmm.....

An amazing novel!

This is a great book!!!!

Mindscape dances beyond the limits of the mind! What are the infinite possibilities?

This is a wonderful book

Mindscape
Andrea Hairston
Manufacturer: Aqueduct Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1933500034

Product Description

Nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award and short-listed for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award,

Mindscape takes us to a future in which the world itself has been literally divided by the Barrier, a phenomenon that will not be ignored. For 115 years this extraterrestrial, epi-dimensional entity has divided the earth into warring zones. Although a treaty to end the interzonal wars has been hammered out, power-hungry politicians, gangsters, and spiritual fundamentalists are determined to thwart it. Celestina, the treaty's architect, is assassinated, and her protoge, Ellini, a talented renegade and one of the few able to negotiate the Barrier, takes up her mantle. Now Elleni and a motley crew of allies risk their lives to make the treaty work. Can they repair their fractured world before the Barrier devours them completely?

What rich and provocative territory this amazingly written first novel explores, what memorable characters it compels us to confront---renegade gene scientists and ethnic throwbacks, slippery politicos and "expendable" Extras, ghost dancers and double consciousness diviners conjuring through an enigmatic veil---each struggling in complex circumstances to navigate survival, identity, and self in a world thrown off its course, each speaking in distinct voices that stay with you long after you've left their unforgettable stories.

Science fiction at its best, Andrea Hairston's Mindscape makes you want to cuss and shout for joy---it's vision, raw humanity, and ultimate hopefulness are exhilarating. What a pleasure it is to be invited into a world so large and muscular, so sensual and rooted in global history, a world in which not only the future but the past is at stake." Sheree Renee Thomas, Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction and Dark Matter: Reading the Bones, winner of the 2001 and 2005 World Fantasy Awards

A fine debut novel! Andrea Hairston's voice is fresh and strong.---Greg Bear

Customer Reviews:

Hmmm............2007-08-25

I found this book to be an utter and confusing mess. I didn't give a flip about any of the characters but it didn't take long for me to figure out that this didn't matter to the author because it was supposed to be a plot-driven novel. Allegedly (if it is done right) if a novel is plot-driven you can get away with less than stellar character development. It is rare for an author to pull this off. The author of this book (Andrea Hairston) did not pull that off here. The plot was convoluted and did not really make much sense and I found the ending to be a ridiculous one that did not make any more sense than the rest of the book. I wanted to give up on the book and just chunk it and at 400+ pages it seemed endless at times....but I kept waiting for it to get better. To put it plainly, IT DIDN'T (get better that is). This was a huge waste of time. I'm sorry but this book just did not do it for me. Not a good one folks.

An amazing novel!.......2006-05-08

Andrea Hairson's /Mindscape/ introduces us to a society in which borders between countries (called "Zones" in the novel) are very real. Looking through the mind of six characters, we learn about the society and its problems---most notably the struggle to connect the three very different cultures. As previous reviews have stated, the novel seems a bit daunting at first, but it quickly becomes a rewarding reading experience.

On another note, this is science fiction, but it contains enough fantastic elements that fantasy readers will enjoy it.

This is a great book!!!!.......2006-05-02

Hey this book is a mindblowing journey! Like if Jimmy Hendrix met Shakespeare and they collaborated with Octavia Butler on a sci-fi adventure. It will open your eyes and shift your world around! Sure, folks, it might be a little intense to wade through at first - but it is WORTH every second of reading! I recommend it highly. This writer is HOT!

Mindscape dances beyond the limits of the mind! What are the infinite possibilities?.......2006-05-02

Whether you're into science fiction or not, Andrea Hairston draws you into an amazing world! Andrea's language is alive - it sings and moves in your body. Her language invites you to stretch beyond the range your daily tongue. Mindscape is full of possibilities beyond what we see in the world today - yet it is somehow hauntingly close to our current reality. Politics, science, art, healing, spirituality, consciousness, race, humanity, reality, hopes and dreams...Andrea Hairston explores and questions everything in a way that allows each character to expose unexpected parts of themselves and the world around them. What else do we know that we're pretending not to know? What else is really possible?

This is a wonderful book.......2006-05-01

This is a wonderful book, exuberant, original, funny, moving, often confusing and always alive. It takes about seventy-five pages before you can make sense of the world and the plot (six major characters, all seeing and thinking differently, and lots of minor ones) but once you get a sense of what's at stake the book takes hold of you and won't let go.

It takes place on an earth divided up by a mysterious-possibly living-barrier of energy that keeps people in three "zones" corresponding to three different social systems and systems of value. Movement between zones is possible only at seasonal intervals (except for mutant "Vermittler" who can sing their way through the barrier), and there is a background of violence within zones and between them. A treaty to curb the violence and bring the zones together comes into being (along with an assassination) at the opening of the novel. In what follows different characters attempt either to extend the treaty or to destroy it. I won't say much more to avoid giving away the plot, which is full of surprises, but the ending seems to me both powerfully moving and fully justified.

In some ways the book reminds me of Clarke's Childhood's End, because it's so concerned with human transcendence (one of the characters is making a video called "The Transformers"), but its technique-moving between chapters from different points of view-is more complicated. The characters are a complicated mixture of love and anger, idealism and cynicism and longing. They're very real. The language of the novel, playfully moving between black slang and formal diction, sprinkled with phrases from Yoruba and German, blazing with wild metaphors, is a constant joy. It's the best science fiction novel I've read in the last year and I think it deserves a Nebula.

Living in the Spectrum: Volume 1: Autism & Asperger's

Average customer rating:

Excellent...An Inspired Masterpiece!

Living in the Spectrum: Volume 1: Autism & Asperger's
Mindscape Productions , and Lecia Macryn
Manufacturer: MindScape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Mental Illness | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Special Needs | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
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1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
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Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0976576007

Product Description

A captivating, informative, artfully produced CD explaining Autism & Asperger Syndrome. Features people with Autism & Asperger's, parents and experts. Factual,inspiring and optimistic as it highlights the gifts and talents those in the autism spectrum may possess. Excellent for parents, relatives, teachers, schools, employers and anyone wishing to enhance their understanding of Autism and Asperger Syndrome.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent...An Inspired Masterpiece!.......2005-01-20

WOW! The audio CD "Living in the Spectrum: Autism and Asperger's" is an inspired masterpiece! A finer multi-media production exploring and explaining autism and Asperger Syndrome is, to my knowledge, simply not available.
This is one powerful production. It is obvious that careful attention went into the making of this CD. The quality of the production is truly admirable. The wealth of information and insight is well worth hearing. Do the wise thing and add "Living in the Spectrum" to your ASD Library. It really is a gem that you will want to listen to many times over and then share with others.
Liane Holliday Willey, Ed.D.
Senior Editor of "Autism Spectrum Quarterly" magazine
www.ASQuarterly.com

Receiving the news of autism can be a heart-wrenching experience. Parents need accurate, factual information about the difficulties experienced by children with autism spectrum disorders. Equally important is maintaining a sense of hope in the face of this diagnosis. "Living In the Spectrum" helps parents balance a realistic understanding of their child's limitations with the optimism necessary to help their children reach maximum potential.
Ruth M. Anan, Ph.D., B.C.B.A
William Beaumont Hospital
Center for Human Development, Berkley, Michigan

This audio CD provides a clear description of Asperger syndrome and the differences between this disorder and Autism. The interviews with those on the spectrum, their family members and professionals also provide a great deal of insight into this disorder.
Great Job!
Stephen Edelson, Ph.D
Center for the Study of Autism
Salem, Oregon

This is an absolutely wonderful production! It's high time that we portray individuals with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) as the brilliant, creative people that they are! This is a real gem of a CD and one of the best introductions to Autism ever!
Anne Carpenter - woman with Autism
Librarian - Autism Society of Michigan

What a fabulous resource you have put together! As a parent of a child with autism, I sure wish I would have had this available ten years ago when we first received the gut wrenching diagnosis for my son. I absolutely adore the soft words you share from those with autism encompassing both ends of the autism spectrum. Your ability to weave all aspects of autism from the questions many of us share including medical insights is a true gift to any new parent. I will do whatever I can to share this new resource with as many new parents and professionals as I can.
Karen Simmons
CEO & Founder of "Autism Today"
Author, "Little Rainman"

Wow! If you have a child with autism or Asperger syndrome, put this CD into the hands of their teacher. In the space of 1 hour it will have them perceiving your child in a whole new light. It offers a powerful combination of experts and first person stories that is both touching and eye opening without feeling overwhelming. An excellent introduction to the Autistic Spectrum.
Lisa Simmons - Advocate
www.ideallives.com

While listening to this I found myself going through a myriad of emotions as each person that spoke moved me immensely. I felt like crying, laughing, and nodding my head in agreement with the parents, professionals that spoke. As a parent of a child with AS, who is my inspiration for all I do, I highly recommend every parent, teacher, professional to get a copy of this educational and inspirational CD on ASD. Living In the Spectrum: "Autism & Asperger's" is a valuable and necessary tool to better understand ASD!
Monica Moshenko
Host, DisABILITY News & Views Radio Show
www.disabilitynewsradio.com

Refreshing and inspiring even to those of us who've been living with autism for a long time. This positive approach left me with renewed hope that someday autism might be viewed less often as a disability and more often as human diversity. Great Job! Thanks!
Suzanne Rossi - Parent

This CD is such a breath of fresh air because it adds a new dimension to the total picture where "doom and gloom" is often the first emotion parents feel when their child has received a diagnosis of autism. The poetry, the music, and the insights by researchers, parents, and persons with autism all offer accurate information, but more importantly they present the gifts and strengths that may also be present along the spectrum. This CD will be instrumental in helping young parents chart a course toward greater social interaction for their children and greater peace and a sense of fulfillment for themselves.
Laurence A. Becker, Ph.D
Creative Learning Environments - Austin, Texas

A wonderful "tribute" to those that are in the spectrum! This CD is a much needed source of information, as well as encouragement for those in the Autism spectrum and their family and friends. Informative, compassionate and very accurate thanks to the testimonials from medical and legal professionals and from individuals within the autistic spectrum. It gives reassurance to those that are involved with these individuals that all is not lost nor are they alone in their concern and confusion. You even touch on the legal aspects relative to education which gives parents "food for thought" when working with the schools.
Jackie Edgerton - Teacher

The CD is very insightful into the life of Autism and Asperger's. It would be a great introduction to people who have little knowledge and a lot of apprehension about interacting with Autism spectrum individuals.
Linda Tyner
Special Ed Paraprofessional

Mindscape: Mix and Match Imagery Exercises

Average customer rating:

Mindscape: Mix and Match Imagery Exercises
Miriam Furst
Manufacturer: Prufrock Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0931724562

Product Description

Combine the exercises in the three parts of this book to create a variety of unique guided visualizations. Relaxations teach children to relax and quiet their minds. Imaginations are short stories that encourage visualization. Task Motivational Instructions are positive statements that encourage constructive behaviors. Used together, these parts provide enriching imagery experiences. Grades 3-7

Average customer rating:

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing
Mindscape
Manufacturer: MindScape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
ASIN: 0791106624

Mindscape: Exploring the Reality of Thought Forms (Quest books)

Average customer rating:

Mindscape: Exploring the Reality of Thought Forms (Quest books)
Bruce A. Vance
Manufacturer: Quest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Parapsychology | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0835606600

Book Description

Explore and unlock the power of the mind!

Average customer rating:

This was a fantastic book! I loved it

Mindscapes: Poems for the Real World
Richard Peck
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0440056446

Customer Reviews:

This was a fantastic book! I loved it.......2000-02-18

I'm not really much of a poetry reader, but I read everything in this book at least twice. From the tender poems like "Fueled" to the wonderful irony in "The World is a Beautiful Place" to the sheer morbid wackiness of "Cocaine Lil" there wasn't anything I didn't love. Richard Peck also did a fantastic job on the introduction, and it's almost worth buying the book just to read the introductory pages.

Average customer rating:

The essential psionics accessory

Mindscapes (Malhavoc)
Bruce Cordell
Manufacturer: Malhavoc Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1588461092

Customer Reviews:

The essential psionics accessory.......2003-11-26

One thing I like about the 3E core rulebooks is it seemed like WotC play tested the hell out of them. Nearly everything is fairly well balanced. Overall, I really like 3E and consider it worth buying. Unfortunately, like many, I feel this was -not- the case with the 3E Psionics Handbook. Fortunately, along came Mindscapes to right all the wrongs thereof. Let's take a look:

VALUE: More affordable than WotC's class books (and this one happens to be exceptional among that breed).

DESIGN: The art in Mindscapes is some of the best yet from Malhavoc press. The layout of the book is intelligent, making it easy enough to find what you're looking for.

CONTENT:
Mindscapes was written by the same guy who wrote the Psionics Handbook, so, like, who could know the material better, right?

1) Mindscape Psionic Combat
In general the 3E Psionics Handbook (hereafter called the PsiH) benefited greatly from the (at that time new) d20 system. However, there were some issues that were, for the most part, universally acknowledged. Among these problems, psionic combat was one of the biggest.

Mindscapes comes at psionic combat from a completely different angle. It's beyond the scope of this review to go over Mindscapes combat in detail, but trust me when I tell you, it's brilliant, has mega cool points, and eliminates virtually all the problems with the original system. There are also rules for converting characters from the original system to this one.

Note: Mindscapes combat may seem complicated in writing, but plays out in-game really smoothly. Try it if you don't believe me.

2) Prestige Classes (PrCs)
First of all, Bruce redid the four original PrCs from the PsiH (considered by many to be weak), and they are -much- better. In addition, there are a slew of new PrCs for psions and psionic warriors. IMHO, these PrCs range from good to brilliant. The chakra savant, chronrebel, ghostbreaker, and lucid cenobite were my favorites. If you're interested in adding to- or replacing- divine healers, there are even a couple PrCs that allow for psionic characters to fill that role.

Note: There's a variant (more favorable) power point progression for the basic Psion class in this book, too, which patches another issue from the PsiH.

3) Feats
Great stuff here. Some build off feats from the PsiH, some have to do with Mindscapes combat, and others are brand new. Definitely check the errata though, as there were some fairly substantial tweaks that went in afterwards.

4) Powers
Here we find a fairly saucy assortment of new powers for both psionic classes. Generally these powers are a welcomed addition, and balance nicely against the core powers. (You'll also find the psionic attack/defense modes as powers because Mindscapes combat eliminates combat modes.) An area of some contention with the PsiH was how the damage dice of powers didn't scale with level advancement like arcane- and divine- caster's spells do. The variant power scaling rules fixes this, allowing your characer to pump up their powers as they increase in level.

5) Psionic Items
Loved these. This isn't a huge section, but it just exudes cool points. Many of the items are... scalable too. Check 'em out to see what I mean.

Book Description

From the shaman's hut to the psychiatrist's couch, Mindscapes brings together the very best of two centuries of writing on the vicissitudes of altered consciousness. Reporting on self-experiments with nitrous oxide, hashish, peyote, mescaline, LSD and other phantastica, first-person testimonies describe prodigious journeys into exalted, chaotic and absurd states of mind. The stellar cast of contributors includes Antonin Artaud, Charles Baudelaire, Walter Benjamin, William Burroughs, Carlos Castenada, Aleister Crowley, Aldous Huxley, William James, Timothy Leary, Terence McKenna, Anais Nin, P D Ouspensky and Alexander Trocchi, amongst many others.

Average customer rating:

Star flying fun

Commander Blood
Mindscape
Manufacturer: MindScape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 079111788X

Customer Reviews:

Star flying fun.......1998-07-06

This game is great. You will be come addicted to being commander blood. Fun

America's Godly Heritage
Average customer rating:

Truth about God's place in American History

A concise, quick reference

THE "CLIFFS NOTES" TO BARTON'S MASTERPIECE

A Refreshing Reminder of Our Heritage

Incompetent research makes for bad history

America's Godly Heritage
David Barton , and Charles Barton
Manufacturer: WallBuilder Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0925279293

Product Description

America's Godly Heritage clearly sets forth the beliefs of many famous Founding Fathers concerning the proper role of Christian principles in education, government, and the public affairs of the nation. The beliefs of Founders such as Patrick Henry, John Quincy Adams, John Jay, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and many others are clearly presented. It also provides excerpts from court cases showing that for 160 years under the Constitution, Christian principles were officially and legally inseparable from American public life. For those who want to know more about what was intended for America by the Founders and what can be done to return America to its original guiding philosophy, this book is an excellent primer.

Customer Reviews:

Truth about God's place in American History.......2007-04-03

David Barton stands out as one of the foremost proponents of Christian values in public school. He is trying to educate those of us educated in public school in those times when God intervened in American history in the lives of the founding fathers. He gives much insight as to the true intent they had in the Constitution of the United States of American and what it should stand for. All of God's people ought to be ashamed to have been asleep in 1962 when God started being systematically removed from our schools and public places. Thank you David for leading the charge, even if there are not too many of us that feel the way you do. God Bless you.

A concise, quick reference.......2007-03-18

This booklet gives the views of America's Founding Fathers concerning the proper role of Christian principles in the public affairs of the nation. An excellent introduction to the subject.

THE "CLIFFS NOTES" TO BARTON'S MASTERPIECE.......2005-09-23

'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' is a 30-page booklet, the text of which is simply the lightly edited, transcribed soundtrack from David Barton's videotape presentation of the same name. Being fairly brief and inexpensive, this booklet would make a fine gift to give away to individuals (and interested groups) who seek to know a little bit about this aspect of America's history that has been swept under the rug of secular textbooks for close to half a century now. Although slight in size, 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' packs a wallop, and will make the head (that still believes "separation of church and state" is some principal plank of American government) spin!

If you've spent any time browsing the Amazon website, you don't need me to tell you that there are MANY reviewers who exhibit much greater devotion to promoting and defending their chosen beliefs than to seeking the truth - whatever that truth may turn out to be. A reviewer here (I'll call him "Mr. Smith") denounces 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' as a misrepresentation of fact. In this case, however, I do not doubt the sincerity of "Mr. Smith" - I think he genuinely believes what he expresses. But I also believe that he has been misguided and led astray.

Yes, there are many publications out there that attempt to paint an untraditional and often unflattering portrait of America's Founders. Considering the age we live in, it's not the least bit surprising that the market has been flooded with revisionist history books that tell, not just little fibs, but Tsunami Lies! In fact, this has become so prevalent in the last several decades that, as I understand it, the Olympic Committee is seriously considering making both, dog-sledding and Founding Father-spinning, officially sanctioned events in the next Olympiad!

I just don't think there are too many different ways a person can interpret this statement by JOHN ADAMS :

"The general principles on which the Fathers achieved independence were...the general principles of Christianity...I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."

I think BENJAMIN RUSH (a signer of The Declaration Of Independence) meant exactly what he wrote in his autobiography :

"My only hope of salvation is in the infinite transcendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His Son upon the Cross. Nothing but His blood will wash away my sins. I rely exclusively upon it."

And when JOHN JAY, the original Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court - and one of the three men most responsible for the Constitution - declares :

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty - as well as the privilege and interest - of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."

I have a hard time thinking he meant that in some "rhetorical" way. I don't know, call me a moron if you will, but I think I'm fairly bright as morons go.

(When the Founding Fathers wrote that they were declaring their independence from England, I wonder if they meant that in a merely "rhetorical" way too, but King George III mistakenly took them seriously.)

Make no mistake about it : nearly all of the 55 Founding Fathers who worked on the U.S. Constitution were members of ORTHODOX Christian churches, and many of them were evangelical Christians.

As impressive as 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' is, it can't be considered as anything more than the "Cliffs Notes" for Barton's REAL masterpiece : 'ORIGINAL INTENT: The Courts, The Constitution, & Religion.' 'ORIGINAL INTENT' is an exhaustive tome of stellar and scholarly research that covers the same ground, but buries six feet deep the efforts of secular revisionists.

And while 'ORIGINAL INTENT' is the direction I would ultimately point you in, 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' might be the best place for those people unprepared for the startling truth to begin an inquiry. Certainly it would be better to let this little booklet prep your mind and whet YOUR INTEREST, than to dive right into 'ORIGINAL INTENT' and perhaps short-circuit your mind and wet YOURSELF!

A Refreshing Reminder of Our Heritage.......2005-09-09

David Barton, in the tradition of John W. Whitehead (The Second American Revolution) and Francis A. Schaeffer (The Christian Manifesto) revisits the role of Christian culture in American history. Relying for the most part on original source documents Barton convincingly demonstrates that most of our founding fathers were Christians and used the principles of the Bible in founding this nation. I showed this to my Sunday school class and they loved it. Guy Willis

Incompetent research makes for bad history.......2005-04-09

David Barton's basic approach is to glean comments from great colonials and USAmericans, excise these comments from their historical and rhetorical contexts, and proceed to utilize these comments to present these individuals as if they are a spitting image of contemporary evangelical Christians.

Lest anyone accuse me of being a left-wing, anti-Christian radical, I'm not---to the contrary, I am a conservative-evangelical pastor of a Southern Baptist church. However, as a Christian, dishonest, incompetent research in areas related to the Christian faith bothers me deeply. And Barton's research is certainly incompetent.

What Barton overlooks is that ...

(1) ... by the late 1700s, the religious landscape of the colonies had shifted radically, away from the Puritan ideal and even away from the conversional fervor of the Great Awakening. The founding fathers were, with a few possible exceptions, Deists---not Christians. To identify Deistic quotations as reflections of Christian faith is not only to misrepresent the dominant "religion" of the colonials but also to denigrate Christian faith, which is utterly incompatible with colonial Deism.

(2) ... early Americans were still sufficiently influenced by the state church unity of Europe that religious language frequently has a rhetorical function that may or may not have described the writer's actual beliefs.

The central difficulty in Barton's works is that he has a preconceived assumption---that USAmerica was founded as an innately Christian nation---and he trims all of his evidences to fit this false premise.

An entire book could be written, cataloging more misrepresentations from David Barton. However, I hope that these brief comments will at least encourage persons to approach this book with great caution. Even if you choose to read this book, please supplement it with such well-researched books as _This Rebellious House_ by Steven Keillor and _America's God_ by Mark Noll.

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America's Godly Heritage

Manufacturer: WallBuilder Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 092527979X

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