Collection of over 65 letters by celebrities and notable figures from a wide variety of fields, all written in response to a request to publish their previous responses to the simple question: ‘Do you believe in God?’ They were originally compiled by Paul Rifkin, who wrote to prominent people posing as a fifth-grade student doing a school project. With the approval of many respondents, Rifkin edited a compilation entitled The God Letters, published by Warner Books in 1986. Many others denied permission, often angrily as they were upset by his deception. A sampling of these letters: Helen Nearing: “I put other things aside when your God Letters turned up this morning. I read the whole damn book thru, chuckling and grimacing.” Betty White: “Thank you for your book, and for including me. I think it’s just terrific and certainly a positive handbook of inspiration.” Dean Rusk: “I am astonished that you represented yourself as a fifth grader in order to get such statements under false pretenses.” Ursula K. Le Guin: “Your assumption that nobody you wrote to would give an honest answer unless tricked is really vile; what a dirty little trick.” James Fixx: “Sorry, but I feel I was misled. You’re too tricky for my tastes.” Patrick Caddell: “I am thoroughly outraged at your dishonesty and deception…I am curious to know if you understand the relationship of Truth to Christianity.” Gary Burghoff: “The letter concerning my love of the Lord was, I thought, being sent to a 5th grader with an open mind and heart. Instead I was being tricked…What on earth makes you think that I would give permission.” A complete list follows: Russell Baker, Peter Beard, Thomas Berger, Art Buchwald, Ellsworth Bunker, Gary Burghoff, Patrick H. Caddell, Evangeline Gouletas Carey, Noam Chomsky, Michael Cimino, Mark W. Clark, Archibald Cox, Midge Decter, James Dickey, David Douglas Duncan, Clifton Fadiman, Mike Farrell, James Fixx, George Gallup, Jr., Barry Goldwater, Pancho Gonzalez, Katharine Graham, Edith Green, Billy James Hargis, Hildegarde, Celeste Holm, E. Howard Hunt, Anne Jackson, Jacob K. Javits, Fletcher Knebel, Stanley Krippner (2), Ursula K. Le Guin, Terry Malick, Peter Matthiessen, Mary McCarthy, Dudley Moore, Stirling Moss, Bill Moyers, Bill Naughton, Helen Nearing (2), Jacob Needleman, Conor Cruise O’Brien, Jane Pauley, Sam Peckinpah, Marge Piercy, George Plimpton, Norman Podhoretz, David Riesman, Andy Rooney, Dean Rusk, Pete Seeger, B. F. Skinner, Margaret Chase Smith, Ben Stahl, William Steig, William I. Thompson, Tina Louise, Barbara Tuchman, John Updike, James D. Watson, Carl Weathers, Betty White, and John Wooden. Also includes several photocopies of other responses and a few secretarially signed letters. In overall fine condition.
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