Luis Granados

I received Damned Good Company as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers and have a long history of reading about philosophy, religion, atheism, agnosticism, and the histories thereof. Luis Grandos has written a set of twenty descriptions of people who bucked the traditional views on god.

Each chapter is a treatment of a 'rebel' and a traditionalist (or a general group or event which challenged the rebel's view), giving opposing viewpoints as a snapshot of thoughts and actions on god and religion at the time. From ancient Socrates vs Euthyphro to the modern treatment of Ayaan Hirsi Ali vs Barack Obama, Grandos offers well-explained positions for each side and suggests how difficult it can be to run counter to the prevailing religious policy-makers and thinkers.

The chapters on Spinoza vs Zevi and Paine vs Tallyrand were my favorites. These were very well developed summaries of each period of time and how each featured persona offered a means of viewing the struggle between secular thinking and theological dominance.… (mais)

I was not prepared to enjoy this book as much as I did, assuming it would echo the stereotypical arguments in the science vs. religion debates. Instead I found myself immersed in little known but fascinating historical events that illustrate not only some extremely silly and sometimes downright dangerous religious beliefs but also the corrupting influence of political power in organized religions.

Author Luis Granados makes no claims for or against the existence of God but he is very definitely opposed to those he deems ‘God experts' — those who attempt to gain earthly power and assert their influence over others through claims of divine authority. The book is thus arranged in chapters that juxtapose forty historical figures: the prevailing religious authorities of their time and their freethinking counterparts. Granados manages to seamlessly weave together facts about religious orthodoxy across a range of cultures and times, resulting in a book that is not only informative but supremely entertaining.

We know, for example, that from medieval times the Christian church taught that all knowledge was to be found in scripture, and not in scientific research, declaring medicine to be heresy. But who knew that the church deliberately let smallpox — a deadly plague that wiped out millions — spread because inoculations against it, though known, were thought to undermine the doctrine of predestination, not to mention undermine church revenues through a decline in the purchase of healing prayers and relics? Even as late as 1885, Catholic populations in major cities were decimated because the clergy insisted that vaccination was sinful, smallpox being God’s punishment for mortal pride. Attention to general hygiene was also suspect, the rationale being that humanity is worthless in comparison to the greatness of God so the best way to express one’s humility is in enduring (or actively fostering, as some saints were known to do) a life of personal degradation and filth. This tenet was strictly enforced for a time by the Portuguese Inquisition, who ranked bathing the whole body a crime equivalent to witchcraft!

Another enlightening chapter deals with the conflict between Mohandas Ghandi and Jawaherlal Nehru. Although Ghandi is well-known for his position on nonviolent resistance, his extreme, at times bizarre, religious beliefs, which outweighed his political ones, cast him in a less than flattering light. In fact, Granados sets out to show that by deliberately framing the Indian independence movement in religious terms (and by desiring fame as a spiritual leader more than liberating the masses from British rule) Ghandi's actions (particularly his fierce advocacy in favour of the caste system) led to decades of political setbacks for the nation.

Charlatans, document forgeries, Jesuit-inspired civil wars, the suppression of scientific knowledge, religious greed, corruption and brutality, the Dreyfus affair, divinely-inspired racial and ethnic bigotry, slavery, evolution, apartheid, Middle East politics, the subjugation of women . . . all are referenced in novel ways.

By largely focusing on the internecine power plays between religious characters — each vying to curry favour with their respective political leaders — Granados shows that the trajectory of history was never as clear-cut as it appears. Proponents of a more humanist, tolerant and egalitarian society were always challenging the prevailing wisdom and sometimes a hair’s breath away from assuming the upper hand.

In short, Damned Good Company is a damned good read!… (mais)

This is not a book about God, or whether he exists or not. It is about people who use God, or claim to have a special understanding of God's will, and how they might use that knowledge. It is well-written using clear, down-to-earth language describing historical events and religions making it easy to read and understand, unlike other writers who often become bogged down in complexity.

Each chapter is written from opposing points of view as stories from "heroes" and "villains". Granados has great respect for those he writes about even though he may speak of their dark sides. The common theme in all stories is the fear of retribution, the basis of religions, which plays on the believer's vulnerability. The format is effective and helps the crux of the matter to stay in the memory.

At the end of each chapter there is a bibliography and one or two questions with a web address for comments or more information. Although there is some interconnection, chapters can be read randomly, not necessarily in sequence.

This is a courageous retelling of religious cant, and Granados is not afraid to tell it, backed by fact. Highly recommended.… (mais)