Shattered Tablets

June 25, 2007
Contrary to Mel Brooks's humorous presentation of Moses and the 10 Commandments on film, Klinghoffer (The Lord Will Gather Me In
) does not think these biblical laws are a laughing matter. A writer and senior fellow at the Discovery Institute in Seattle, Klinghoffer warns that America is ignoring the commandments and sinking deeper into a quagmire of immorality. Using the Northwest's urban environs in which he lives as a case study, he warns that Seattle suffers from an “advanced case of moral retardation†that could easily spread to the rest of the country. The main culprit is secularism, says Klinghoffer, a “modern and resurgent paganism.†Although this seems somewhat overstated, in light of religion's ascendancy in much of America, the author's argument that the U.S. has slighted a communitarian ethic in favor of increased individualism is compelling. Klinghoffer writes with passion and is genuinely concerned with the moral state of the union. However, he often slips into acerbic commentary that distracts from his more salient points. For every example given regarding the moral ineptitude of some residents of Seattle, there could be 10 provided about those who are fighting the good fight and living by God's word.

August 1, 2007
National Jewish Book Award finalist Klinghoffer (senior fellow, Discovery Inst., Seattle) delivers a lively and spirited discussion continuing in much the same vein as his "Why the Jews Rejected Jesus: The Turning Point in Western History" (2005). With journalistic eloquence, he adds a Jewish viewpoint to the many Christian voices concerned with the "moral degradation" of contemporary American culture. He structures his work in ten vignettes corresponding to the Ten Commandments; through these, he seeks to illustrate his overall point of how the United States has forsaken God. He presents interesting insights with passion, but his work falls short on many counts. His "statements of fact" are often given without corroboration or citation, he frequently alludes to and quotes rabbinical sources without providing the proper context, he regularly operates on the basis of what he considers to be "universally" shared a priori assumptions, and he makes conclusions without sound reason or justification. Additionally, Klinghoffer shows a singular disregard for any religious perspective clashing with his own judgments. Not recommended.Dann Wigner, Wayland Baptist Univ. Lib., Plainview, TX

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