I just listened to Bookworm from start to finish over the last couple of weeks and have learned a ton, found 100 or so books to add to my reading list and been thoroughly entertained along the way. I find their commentary really insightful and most of their book choices are superb, Joe in particular seems to think the way I do and I relate to a lot of what he says. It’s been one of the most influential, educational and helpful podcasts I’ve ever listened to.
That said, the Christianity *is* pretty pervasive and no review would be complete without mentioning it. I was going to say it’s all fine, a bit more than I’d prefer but by no means bad and give them five stars regardless. I felt that way until I got to the episode about The Antidote.
In that episode the book apparently included some information about Buddhism and while Joe’s point of view was neutral Mike’s total disregard for it as uninteresting, despite saying he doesn’t know much about it and his comment “I just wish it wasn’t attached to an eastern religion, I feel like that’s going to alienate a lot of people” really disappointed me.
This was an opportunity for them to bring in a little much needed diversity to the conversation and to model the behavior they ask listeners with different worldviews — like myself — to take with their beliefs. It would have been nice to see Mike look for something in another belief system that had value or related to his faith in spite of not being open to adopting it. At very least, treat it with the same respect with which he would like his faith be treated, not complain that some people believe something different than he does.
Talking about their faith is just fine and hey, if you don’t like it don’t listen, right? Follow that logic and maybe Mike shouldn’t have read that book. In dissing on an eastern religion because it will “alienate a lot of people” for the first time as a listener and an atheist I felt alienated by this podcast. That’s regrettable and listeners of all faiths deserved better.
