The book is called "Change of Heart" and it's by Jodi Picoult. All of her books are completely amazing, so should you ever need something to read, pick one of hers up. "Change of Heart" is a newer one of hers, and I'm reading it (for the second time). Basically, it's about a guy who gets charged with murdering a police officer and a seven-year-old and put on death row (the story opens up with the jury deliberating over whether to sentence him to death or not. Then the story moves ahead 11 years, with one of the jury members becoming the inmate's spiritual adviser. Some miraculous things happen surrounding the inmate, and some people think he's a religious reincarnate, and it basically turns into a huge religious hoopla, but really, the guy just wants to donate his heart to the second daughter of the mother and wife of his first victim. (He killed the cop & daughter when the mom was pregnant with her second child - the cop's baby). Anywho, the new baby, who's like 7 at the time has a failing heart, so the inmate wants to donate his heart to save her, to clear the slate after taking away her father & sister. His reasoning is that it's the only way to save himself. But through everything, it turns into a big religious issue, even though he says he's not religious. But out of it (thanks to the incredible writing of Jodi Picoult), she managed to put into words my views on religion.
And here are those quotes:
This first one comes from a reformed hardcore atheist in the novel (who's story originates in another novel of hers..."Keeping Faith")
“An atheist got more in common with a Christian, since he believes you can know whether or not God exists – but where a Christian says absolutely, the atheist says absolutely not. For me, and any other agnostic – the jury’s still out. Religion is intriguing, but in a historical sense. A man should live his life a certain way not because of some divine authority, but because of a personal moral obligation to himself and others.”
These next two come from the inmate who's trying to explain to the jury about his "religion" (that donating his heart is his way to salvation):
“I don’t belong to a religion. Religion’s the reason the world’s falling apart – did you see that guy get carted out of here? THAT’S what religion does. It points a finger. It causes wars. It breaks apart countries. It’s a petri dish for stereotypes to grow in. Religion’s not about being holy, just holier-than-thou.”
“You know what religion does? It draws a big fat line in the sand. It says, “if you don’t do it my way, you’re out.”
This is the book cover:
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