In his book, A Sneaking Suspicion, Dickson addresses some of the issues in our society which get a lot of media attention but often the arguments in favour or against are not well thought through. (For example sex, beauty, science, other religions, death.) Sneaking suspicion is the term Dickson uses to suggest that often we have a feeling that something is not quite right with the way the media portrays these issues.
Dickson addresses the idea that if it is good for our society to be free from moral restraint in the area of sexual activity has this created a better society? Or have we reaped more conflict, more relational difficulties and loneliness? Society promotes beauty but it has been at the expense of health. Science is promoted as having the answer to everything but there are some areas where science is ill equipped to provide any evidence at all (eg. What constitutes beauty? Are art and music meaningful pursuits?). Do other religions provide answers or more endless debate, even violence? Death is inevitable but most do not want to have a meaningful discussion about it until it is imminent, and sometimes not even then.
Through this collection of almost unrelated issues Dickson seeks to challenge the thinking of his readers. He would like people to seriously consider society’s values and where these values are coming from. He questions the motives behind the shallow thinking of many in the media.
I enjoy Dickson’s point of view. As I have mentioned in a previous review, Dickson is a historian and a Christian apologist, which brings a different perspective and insights to these issues.
