I asked early on, "A question to think about for later, while reading the book: 'If a theist were to say "ok, I'm interested in your point of view, and I'm willing to read ONE essay from the collection", which essay would you pick?'"

Having finished the book and taken some time to think about it, I have a "favorite" essay; it is Inersoll, "GOD IN THE CONSTITUTION". I find it painfully relevant at a time when we have a president and administration determined to corrupt our democratic principles, adulterating our civic institutions with their primitive religion and attacking our civil rights. I expect to return to this essay when I need to sort out again, the fallacy of the United States being a "christian nation", as is so often falsely claimed by our home-grown theocrats.

Would "CONSTITUTION" be the best essay to share? From a practical viewpoint I'd say yes. Americans United for Separation of Church and State is headed by religious people who agree about this most important principle; convincing religionists that religion should stay out of government is much more likely than convincing them that religion itself is false.

In the end, though, given one shot, I think I'd bet the farm and offer H.P. Lovecraft, "A LETTER ON RELIGION". When he says, "Your 'agnostic' has neglected to mention the very crux of all agnosticism

"...convincing religionists that religion should stay out of government is much more likely than convincing them that religion itself is false."

An excellent point, but still an extremely difficult task.

BTW, I recently came across this surprising description of Ingersoll.

www.theamericanenterprise...end98g.htm

Here's one of his political speeches. I haven't read much of it yet, but it looks like a real rip-snorter! Can you imagine an avowed atheist having power in the modern Republican party?

www.infidels.org/library/...peech.html