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In this week’s New Statesman: the God issue

Sam Harris interview | The rise of Hinduism | Alice Miles: why I admire Rupert Murdoch.

By George Eaton Published 14 April 2011 10:58

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This week's New Statesman is a special issue devoted to faith, science and what we believe today.

The highlights include an interview with the atheist thinker Sam Harris, who argues that science can never be reconciled with religion, Garry Wills on why Saint Augustine's Confessions is best read as a "drama of sin and salvation", and Cherie Blair, Peter Hitchens and Jeremy Vine on why they believe in God.

Also this week, Mehdi Hasan argues that we should vote Yes to AV even if it is a "miserable little compromise", the NS editor, Jason Cowley, discusses Jemima Khan, Julian Assange and our failing concentration, Alice Miles confides her unfashionable admiration for Rupert Murdoch, and David Blanchflower explains why we shouldn't worry about inflation.

All this, plus Geoffrey Robertson on why the coalition's libel reforms won't help free speech, Will Self on urban myths, and an American writing special, including Jonathan Derbyshire on David Foster Wallace's last novel and interviews with Dave Eggers and Joshua Foer.

 
 

8 comments

charlesfrith's picture

Thu, 2011-04-14 12:30 — charlesfrith

Science for truth? What a load of tosh. Sam Harris is a reptile.

Mr. Divine's picture

Thu, 2011-04-14 12:41 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Being partly a Hindu myself I too am looking forward to the Rise of Hindu. I liked the time when the red dot shone from my head like a beacon. When the light at the centre of my mind was lit and its ashes were spread over my white clothes. Money was given to the bearded man at one entrance but I declined his offer to met him at the other and give him some more rupees.

Mr. Divine's picture

Fri, 2011-04-15 14:25 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Got to approve of more God stuff

Katherine's picture

Thu, 2011-04-14 12:58 — Katherine (not verified)

@charlesfrith

And how do you go about distinguishing truth from falsity if it is not through honest intellectual inquiry?

Roger's picture

Fri, 2011-04-15 10:47 — Roger (not verified)

Oh no....not ANOTHER God issue (to follow previous ones AND the Goldsmith celebrity issue)...you're pushing your NS reader loyalty to the edge..................

Dave C's picture

Thu, 2011-04-14 19:29 — Dave C (not verified)

Didn't The Staggers 'do God' in January 2008 and in April 2009?

http://www.newstatesman.com/subjects/god

http://www.newstatesman.com/subjects/god-2009

I seem to remember Peter Wilby saying the God specials sold well, so perhaps it's no surprise.

Katherine's picture

Thu, 2011-04-14 12:07 — Katherine (not verified)

Fantastic! Very much looking forward to reading the Sam Harris interview. I'm also enjoying his latest book: "The Moral Landscape" which argues that reason and science can be used to find objective moral truths.

swatantra's picture

Thu, 2011-04-14 12:25 — swatantra

I am pleased with the article sub titled 'Rise of Hinduism', and look forward to reading it. At last a positive move, after the diastrous intervention of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, into peoples lives.
At last a Religion that genuinely advocates peace and goodwill and fatalism. Hinduism may have a few flaws but not as many as the Abrahamaic Religions, and, it is a lot more ancient.

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