Customer Reviews

Man, God, And Civilization

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John G Jackson is perhaps the most influential Black Atheist of the Harlem Renaissance. In this recent book by Jackson he makes this quite clear in the chapter entitled "Twilights of the Gods". In my recent investigation on the internet I found a well critique of this chapter and I quote the following:

"Perhaps the best written insight into Jackson's personal expression of Atheism is found in Man, God, and Civilization, chapter 8. This chapter (entitled "Twilight of the Gods") concerns the various maneuvers used by the Christian church to regroup following the advances of scientific knowledge. Here, Jackson ridicules the corrupt "God/Devil" alliance and the underlying "Good Cop/Bad Cop" mentality Christians teach. Wit and irony characterize Jackson's writings as evidenced by his adopting the phrase, "Christianity before Christ." Especially when relating his own views, Jackson writes in a lighthearted vein. For example, his dedication to Introduction to African Civilizations mocks Afrophobes such as Huxley, Toynbee, Hitler, and Schockley: "The book is dedicated to everybody with an African ancestry - the whole human race!" (...)

Also, I would like to commend Jackson for honestly and accurately displaying the civilization of Ethiopia and Egypt before the Mesopotamia cilization. Many people may not be aware but quite a few people have defended the idea that civilization spread from Mesopotamia to all other areas of the world; although there isnt any evidence to substantiate this position. Still, the only reason this view was/is adopted because it was fashionable to believe that no African peoples were capable of developing a great civilization !

John G Jackson is perhaps the most influential Black Atheist of the Harlem Renaissance. In this recent book by Jackson he makes this quite clear in the chapter entitled "Twilights of the Gods". In my recent researching on the internet I found a well critue of this chapter and I quote the following:

"Perhaps the best written insight into Jackson's personal expression of Atheism is found in Man, God, and Civilization, chapter 8. This chapter (entitled "Twilight of the Gods") concerns the various maneuvers used by the Christian church to regroup following the advances of scientific knowledge. Here, Jackson ridicules the corrupt "God/Devil" alliance and the underlying "Good Cop/Bad Cop" mentality Christians teach. Wit and irony characterize Jackson's writings as evidenced by his adopting the phrase, "Christianity before Christ." Especially when relating his own views, Jackson writes in a lighthearted vein. For example, his dedication to Introduction to African Civilizations mocks Afrophobes such as Huxley, Toynbee, Hitler, and Schockley: "The book is dedicated to everybody with an African ancestry - the whole human race!" (...)

Also, I would like to commend Jackson for honestly and accurately displaying the civilization of Ethiopia and Egypt before the Mesopotamia cilization. Many people may not be aware but quite a few people have defended the idea that civilization spread from Mesopotamia to all other areas of the world; although there isnt any evidence to substantiate this position. Still, the only reason this view was/is adopted because it was fashionable to believe that no African peoples were capable of developing a great civilization !(...)