The Catholic Message Board

I have not read this book. It was just a few moments ago that I even saw it was a book.

In college, back in 1998, my sociology professor was telling us about the book "The Bell Curve" by Charles Murray. I knew nothing of Murray at that time, only what my professor would rant about. He posted so many epithets to the man that you had the feeling that he was just one level removed from the Austrian painter with the funny mustache.

Over the years Murray's name would come up... usually with him offering a defense of his character in the face of harsh criticisms.

I quickly surmised that he had little truck with faith. Not to the degree of the 4 Horsemen of the New Atheists, but his criticisms seemed more thoughtful than Dawkins and his coterie.

Well, he's apparently having an Antony Flew moment.
Again, I have not read the book - but this is quite the news.

I don't believe Charles Murray ever commented on religion. The thesis of The Bell Curve is that some races are intrinsically smarter and better than others. Well, it is a little more complicated than that. The thesis is that IQ rules and is the sole determinant of success in life, that IQ is genetic and is not the byproduct of environment or upbringing, and that Asians have the highest IQ, followed by whites and then by Africans, and that because Africans have a genetic IQ lower than anyone else, educating them is a waste of resources. As you can imagine, this is a controversial book, to say the least.