Raemation Station: CSFF

Showing posts with label CSFF. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The God Hater [Pt 3]

I write to explore and learn. And to be honest, what could be more interesting than exploring some aspect of an infinite Creator. That's got car chases, steamy romances, and alien spaceships beat hands down. I think of those angels in Revelation around the throne crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy!" Originally, I used to think they had the most boring job in the world. Can you imagine saying that over and over again, 24/7? And it would be boring... if you were only preaching it or reciting doctrine. But what if every time they cried, "Holy!" it's because they've discovered some new and incredible attribute of God? That's entirely different. And that's what I try to do in my writing. Folks who dismiss me as a "religious writer" probably figure I'm just pontification. Maybe I am, but I don't think so. I may cry, "Holy!" but I cry it out of the thrill of discovering another attribute of an infinite God.

-Bill Myers

What did I like most about The God Hater?

I really loved how the story pulled me in with the relationships between the characters. I really liked how despite the different view points between Annie and Nicholas, the two were able to be friends. I also really liked the entire plot line of the artificial intelligence. [Which was what the book was about, but still]. It was so interesting to travel "into" the artificial world and to see the people acting--well, like people. And to see that world slowly evolve and change... it blew my mind at times. I got so excited at different parts that I had to share with my friends.

What did I not like?
As I was blog hopping yesterday to some of the other blogs in this tour, one blogger mentioned something that had been at the back of my mind: the plot line for the corporations was a little weak. It wasn't weak enough, in my opinion, to detract from the story as a whole, but I think it could have been fleshed out a little more. The corporations were the bad guys in this, but they weren't all together present. At the same time, by not having them as "present" the focus wasn't drawn on them but on the actual program and the stuff going on between Nicholas, Travis, Annie and Alpha... so, it all kind of balances out.

I'd like to add...
That I loved this book. As I mentioned, I got really excited while reading it. This book is the kind of book that I would go out and buy on my own--and I don't say often. I love books, it's true, but on my book shelf, I prefer to only keep the ones I'd reread later on. This is one of those books.

I most definitely recommend checking it out if you have a spare moment!

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Free Will? - The God Hater Pt2

‎"All of your lives you have demanded to be free, to live life your own way. By following the virus you've told Programmer to stay out of your affairs, refusing to be enslaved by his Law. And when he honours your wishes, when he steps back and allows you the freedom you demand, you complain he's not controlling and enslaving others." - The God Hater

It's funny how so many people complain about the situation of the world and then blame it on someone else. They take the poverty, the hunger, the disease, the war and blame it on governments, organizations, religions--God.

I've met so many people who blame the poverty and hunger in Africa on God. They look at me and ask, "How can you believe in God when all this bad stuff is happening?" I must admit, I don't have all the answers--I never pretend to. That quote from The God Hater captures my answer completely. We ask for freedom then get angry and upset at God when other people exercise their own freedom. We can't have it both ways.

Bill Myers book is interesting--even fascinating because of the fact that it's looking at the beginnings: how does "Christianity" come to be? As Nicholas delves deeper into this artificial world, he begins to see a glimmer of God's logic. He starts to realize that Christianity has a system after all.

Has his eyes are slowly opened by this great Truth, mine are as well. Myers compels the reader to continue, stringing together details that will blow your mind!

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Artificial Intelligence Anyone? - The God Hater Pt1

You are a genius. Really and truly.

You are so intelligent, in fact, that you've created artificial intelligence. A crazy reality, I know, but ignoring the technical jargon of how, your genius brain has been able to recreate the consciousness of humans. Not only that, but with the help of your team, you've created a computer program that allows you to start a civilization, from scratch, and watch as it develops. With the help of this program, solutions to global problems can be implemented and the results tested--verified. This program is that ultimate trial phase.

You genius you, I've only one question: How do you make it so that this civilization that you've created--that you've given free will to--how do you make it so that they don't kill each other off? In other words: how do you make it so that they survive?

In Bill Myers book, The God Hater, atheist and philosophy professor, Dr. Nicholas Mackenzie, finds himself in an interesting predicament. His brother has concocted such a program and hopes to use this program to predict a multitude of current events. This program would be able to predict sales of different products, how to solve world hunger and poverty, how to predict wars and so much more. This program is wanted by so many.

This program keeps failing. No matter how many times Travis Mackenzie and his team run it, the people end up killing each other off. That's why Nicholas has been called. Travis depends on his brother, the logical man to come up with a solution to their survival. Just what is it that stops humans from resorting to survival of the fittest?

Think about it.

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.