I reread Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 last week, the first time I’ve read it in about ten years. It’s hard to believe that it was written in 1953, so accurately does Bradbury describe today’s culture.

For instance, when Faber is given a Bible by Montag, the central character, he says:

“It’s been a long time. I’m not a religious man. But it’s been a long time.” Faber turned the pages, stopping here and there to read. “It’s as good as I remember. Lord how they’ve changed it in our ‘parlors’ these days. Christ is one of the ‘family’ now. I often wonder if God recognizes His own son the way we’ve dressed him up, or is it dressed him down? He’s a regular peppermint stick now, all sugar-crystal and saccharine when he isn’t making veiled references to certain commercial products that every worshiper absolutely needs.”