Belief in Gawd

I filled my quota of ten posts for August, and believe me, I'm pretty proud of myself. I think I need to cut back on the essays and focus on reiterating important points. Regardless, I was moved by something today. Moved so strongly I have no choice but to Kvetch.

That thing is that my agency was recently queried with a book titled "The 'No God' Delusion" which is very specifically a (much delayed) response to Richard Dawkin's excellent book "The God Delusion." (First US release September 2006 by Houghtoun Mifflin. Further, many books, including God is No Delusion, and The Dawkin's Delusion? have already been printed in response- three years ago)Let me start by saying this- I didn't read the manuscript. Submissions at the agency have been closed for over a month. 9/10ths of prospective authors pay enough attention not to send us anything in this time. Some are in their own world and send it anyway. In some cases, two or three times, wondering why an agency closed to submissions wouldn't get back to them in a matter of hours and enthusastically send them a contract. While the No God author didn't do that, I should also point out that I didn't NEED to read it to know it wasn't for us.

Let me set a few things straight. First, I'm an atheist. Second, I'm completing a masters with eyes to a doctorate one day. Third, Atheism is most commonly associated with secular humanism. Fourth, last I heard less than 1% of America is admitted as atheist, agnostic, theist, deist, or any other "non-religion" with an estimated three percent of the country total. Fifth, Atheists are the minority most discriminated against in this country.

What does this all mean? A lot of things really, but here's what it boils down to in my view point. Solomon Ash. Ever heard of him? He was a famous psychologist who helped form the field as we think of it today. One of his most famous studies was on conformity. It might go something like this-

10 people are gathered in a room. They are given one card with a one inch line painted on it, and another with one inch, two inch, and three inch lines. Then, they go around the circle and are asked to publically state their answers. The first nine of these people are "confederates." Actors hired by the psychologst. Only the final particpant is truly being studied. The actors give an answer which is obviously wrong. They match the one inch line to the two inch line. Then, an enormous percentage of the true participants of the study will lock step and agree to an answer they know is wrong. The exact percentages vary from test to test depending on how obvious the wrong answer is, the number of confederates, etc. But it tends to fall between 60 and 90 percent, which is extraordinary. But if just one person disagrees, just one, even if their answer is worse, the conformity rate plummets to half or less and the participants start giving the right answer.

In regards to religion, this explains quite neatly the exagerated response the eligious have towards non-believers. Any disagreeing voice, brilliant or foolish, increases the odds that the members of the reliigion will be forced to actually think, and in thinking, confront their religions and fin them lacking. Seriously, I may be an atheist, but I've read the bible cover to cover many times. The only people, apart from active priests I've ever known who have done that are ALL atheist or agnostic. And did not Jesus say to be like children? Innocent and trusting? Does not the bible teach us to always be sheep and never a sheperd? Lordy, lordy. Wouldn't want people to try thinking, would we?

I have nothing against religion as a whole, but I do have something against hiding behind God as an excuse to mistreat other people. From crusades and Jihads to the Inquisition or the solid, well documented proof that atheists are the most reviled of American citizens (often for reasons which are illogical; be sure to check out the linked study)Religion is often used as a justification for actions that those self-same religions officially declare are immoral.

Now, to tie this back into publishing, my agency doesn't do spiritual books, and it heavily favors books about minorities. So while the author of the No God Delusion can claim minority status for being a Muslim in America, he should consider that like a school yard bully, he's parlaying that position into an excuse to lash out at the only group smaller and weaker than he is. Religion condemning atheism is hardly new, edgy, unique, thought-provoking or any of the myriad things used on our website to describe what we're looking for.

So, asessing the situation, even if submissions were open, what do you think the agencies' response would've been? If your answer is anything but an immediate dismissal using a form rejection whilst we grind our teeth and wish polite society would allow us to tell them what we really thought of their manuscript, you may want to re-read the preceeding post and consider where you went wrong. Consider this another valuable exercise provided by yours truly in matching up your manuscript with readers who might be interested. Even if the book hadn't upset me personally, and even if it had been very well written, the book would've been rejected without a second thought because WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO REPRESENT IT, NOR THE EXPERTISE TO DO SO.

If you still don't understand the gist of my nub, consider asking God. Just be prepared to wait a good long time for your answer.