 Raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, Konner has stated that he lost his faith at age 17.His views on religion, however, are complex, as he has also discussed the function of counseling by chaplains in the hospital where he worked, saying that while as a scientist he did not endorse their views, as an anthropologist he recognized the value of their services.Konner aroused some controversy in 2006 when he wrote an article contesting the claims in former US President Jimmy Carter's book "".