PROFESSOR RICHARD DAWKINS’ ‘THERAPY SESSION’ WITH THE WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR
By Debra C. Rufini
Chipmunkapublishing.com 72 pages. £10.00
ISBN 978-1-84747-879-5
This short book of poems is the second publication from the author, whose experience as a Christian battling with mental illness influences her writing.
And while this book’s title implies that the focus is on Richard Dawkins, just the first set of poems are an imagined dialogue between Dawkins and Jesus Christ. Rufini moves on to other subjects in the rest of the book, including poetry about Jesus, the end times, science, suicide and social exclusion. Perhaps the style of the poetry is not my cup of tea, and I felt Rufini could have said more to explain why her faith failed to be shaken by the Dawkins programme on TV, which she talks about in the ‘blurb’.
She writes in prose twice, which were, for me, the best parts of the book. She writes openly and honestly about her sexuality, and how she came to the conclusion that acting on her homosexual desires was not God’s will.
I would recommend this book to Christians suffering from depression, and also to those who want a more reflective read and to look at things from a different angle.
However, this is certainly not for those who are wanting an in-depth look at Dawkins — and if you don’t like rhyming poetry, steer well clear!
