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Why I Am Not a Christian: Four Conclusive Reasons to Reject the Faith
by Richard CarrierDr. Richard Carrier, world renowned philosopher and historian, explains the four reasons he does not accept the Christian religion, describing four facts of the world that, had they been different, he would believe. He is brief, clear, and down to earth, covering the whole topic in under ninety pages of easy to-read explanation. Those four reasons are God's silence, God's inaction, the lack of evidence, and the way the universe looks exactly like a godless universe would, and not at all like a Christian universe would, even down to its very structure. Dr. Carrier addresses all the usual replies to these claims, in ways you might not have heard before, relying on his wide experience in debating and studying these issues all over the world for more than fifteen years. A perfect book to introduce yourself, or your friends, to why fewer educated people are embracing Christianity than ever before. Ideal for handing out to door-to-door missionaries.
Why I am not a Christian: and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects (Routledge Classics)
by Bertrand RussellWhile its tone is playful and frivolous, this book poses tough questions over the nature of religion and belief. Religion provides comfortable responses to the questions that have always beset humankind - why are we here, what is the point of being alive, how ought we to behave? Russell snatches that comfort away, leaving us instead with other, more troublesome alternatives: responsibility, autonomy, self-awareness. He tells us that the time to live is now, the place to live is here, and the way to be happy is to ensure others are happy.
Why I Am Not a Muslim
by Ibn WarraqThose who practice the Muslim faith have resisted examinations of their religion. They are extremely guarded about their religion, and what they consider blasphemous acts by skeptical Muslims and non-Muslims alike has only served to pique the world's curiosity. This critical examination reveals an unflattering picture of the faith and its practitioners. Nevertheless, it is the truth, something that has either been deliberately concealed by modern scholars or buried in obscure journals accessible only to a select few.
Why I Am Not a Muslim
by Ibn WarraqThose who practice the Muslim faith have resisted examinations of their religion. They are extremely guarded about their religion, and what they consider blasphemous acts by skeptical Muslims and non-Muslims alike has only served to pique the world's curiosity. This critical examination reveals an unflattering picture of the faith and its practitioners. Nevertheless, it is the truth, something that has either been deliberately concealed by modern scholars or buried in obscure journals accessible only to a select few.
Why I Am Not a Muslim
by Ibn WarraqThose who practice the Muslim faith have resisted examinations of their religion. They are extremely guarded about their religion, and what they consider blasphemous acts by skeptical Muslims and non-Muslims alike has only served to pique the world's curiosity. This critical examination reveals an unflattering picture of the faith and its practitioners. Nevertheless, it is the truth, something that has either been deliberately concealed by modern scholars or buried in obscure journals accessible only to a select few.
Why I Am Not an Arminian
by Robert A. Peterson Michael D. WilliamsWhat's wrong with Arminianism? Arminian theology is sweeping through the evangelical churches of North America. While most Arminians are good, sincere, orthodox Christians, authors Robert A. Peterson and Michael D. Williams contend that aspects of Arminian thought are troubling both biblically and theologically. In particular, they argue, Arminians have too lofty a view of human nature and an inadequate understanding of God's sovereign love in Christ. Why I Am Not an Arminian explores the biblical, theological and historical background to the Calvinist-Arminian debate. The irenic nature and keen insight of this book will be appreciated by laypeople, pastors and scholars alike.
Why I Am Not A Christian: And Other Essays On Religion And Related Subjects
by Bertrand RussellThoughts on life after death, man's place in the universe, and other contemplative subjects.
Why I Am A Social Worker: 25 Christians Tell Their Life Stories
by GarlandWhy I Am a Social Worker describes the rich diversity and nature of the profession of social work through the 25 stories of daily lives and professional journeys chosen to represent the different people, groups and human situations where social workers serve. Many social workers of faith express that they feel called to help people - sometimes a specific population of people such as abused children or people who live in poverty. Often they describe this calling as a way of living out their faith. Why I Am a Social Worker serves as a resource for Christians in social work as they reflect on their sense of calling, and provides direction to guide them in this process. Why I Am a Social Worker employs a narrative, descriptive approach, allowing the relationship between faith and practice to emerge through the professional life stories of social workers who are Christians. As such, it provides a way to explore integration on personal, emotional and practical levels. Why I Am a Social Worker does not varnish the difficulties and struggles of this integration journey, but if you want to understand what social work is and how Christians live their faith from the experiences of actual social work, this book is for you. Why I Am a Social Worker has three main objectives: 1) To describe the path of Christians into social work, how their work is an expression of their faith, and how their faith motivates, sustains, and is challenged by their work. 2) To sample the breadth of social work as a profession, from public to private and from nonsectarian to religious congregational settings, and how faith finds a diversity of expressions. 3) To serve as a resource for exploring the ethical integration of faith with professional practice. Why I Am a Social Worker addresses a range of critical questions such as: a) How do social workers describe the relationship of their faith and their work? b) What is their daily work-life like, with its challenges, frustrations, joys and triumphs? c) What was their path into social work, and more particularly, the kind of social work they chose? d) What roles do their religious beliefs and spiritual practices have in sustaining them for the work, and how has their work, in turn, shaped their religious and spiritual life? Why I Am a Social Worker will provide you with a realistic view of the gritty realities of a profession that is at the forefront of serving those Jesus described as the least of these (Matthew 25).
Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heals Today
by Jack S. DeereWhen Jack Deere turned seventeen, he did not know God or a single verse of Scripture. At twenty-seven, he became a professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Semitic Languages at Dallas Theological Seminary. He started and pastored an influential church in Ft. Worth, Texas. He taught his church and his students that God no longer gave the "miraculous gifts of the Spirit" or spoke outside the pages of Scripture.After teaching seminary for ten years, a bestselling author shocked Deere when he told him that he not only believed God was regularly healing people today, but that he had seen undeniable miracles in answer to his prayers. For the next four months, Deere studied every healing story in the New Testament. This time he came to those stories with the open mind of a scholar, completely at home in the original languages of the Bible, not as a gullible student swallowing the prejudices of his teachers. At the end of those four months, Deere was convinced, against his will, that God was still healing and speaking just as he had done in the New Testament.Deere and his wife Leesa began to pray for people in their church and witnessed dramatic, documented healings.In Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, Deere demonstrates that the Scriptures teach that God is healing and speaking today just as he did 2000 years ago. He tells documented stories of modern miracles. He explains the nature of spiritual gifts, defines each spiritual gift, offers sound advice on discovering and using the gifts in church today. He shows how all of this part of God's way of deepening our friendship with him.A modern classic, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit was published twenty-five years ago, and in that book Deere claimed that he would live long enough to see the majority of conservative evangelicals come to believe in all the gifts of the Spirit. That has come true. The theological landscape has changed dramatically. Nearly completely rewritten, this new edition still offers that proof but has about seventy percent new material on the practical matters of experiencing and using spiritual gifts. For example, anyone who prays regularly for the sick will encounter demonic power. Demons pop up all over the Synoptic Gospels. There are two new chapters on ministering to the demonized. There is much confusion on what it means to be filled with the Spirit today. Deere takes three chapters to examine every use of "filled with the Spirit" and "full of the Spirit" in the New Testament to show why and how God still fills his servants with the Holy Spirit. There are many new stories of God's power, even walking on water and multiplying food. Deere also introduces the newest literature defending and explaining the gifts of the Spirit. All this and more continues the book's legacy for a new time.
Why I Am Still Surprised by the Voice of God: How God Speaks Today Through Prophecies, Dreams, and Visions
by Jack S. DeereJesus knew the Bible better than anyone, yet he claimed that he had to hear his Father's voice in order to fulfill God's purposes for his life. His enemies, the religious elite, had supreme confidence in their knowledge of Scripture, yet Jesus said that none of them had ever heard the voice of the Father.When Jack Deere turned seventeen, he did not know God or a single verse of Scripture. Then, one night a friend quoted John 10:28 to him, and he believed in Jesus. At twenty-seven, he became a professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Semitic Languages at Dallas Theological Seminary where he taught his students to avoid the trap of believing that God still spoke outside the pages of the Bible. He believed it was all real--just as the authors of the Old and New Testaments had said it happened--but it no longer happened today. People who believed God had spoken to them personally were emotionally unstable or too lazy to read the Bible.After a trusted friend shared he believed God still spoke today, Jack began a thorough study of every instance of God speaking supernaturally to someone in the New Testament. He saw how they didn't just hear the voice of God; they were dependent on the voice of God to fulfill the highest purpose for their lives. Jack became convinced that we should expect God to speak outside the Scriptures, but he didn't have a clue how to hear his voice.This is the story of how Jack Deere learned to hear the voice of God and, in doing so, became a friend of Jesus.Now a modern classic, Jack wrote Surprised by the Voice of God over twenty-five years ago. Based on that first book, Why I Am Still Surprised by the Voice of God has been entirely rewritten and includes additional thoughts and insights from a lifetime of hearing God speak. Deere guides you through the Bible to discover the variety of creative, deeply personal ways God still communicates with us today. You'll learn how God speaks with people apart from the Bible, though never in contradiction to it. Deere first describes the ways God revealed his thoughts to the men and women of the Bible, and then shares why God continues to speak to us today using the same methods. He provides counsel and guidance for knowing how to accurately hear God speak through prophecies, dreams, visions, and other forms of divine communication. With candor, sensitivity, and a profound understanding of Scripture, Deere identifies our hindrances to hearing the voice of God and calls us to a more intimate relationship with God. Filled with fascinating stories and personal accounts, Why I Am Still Surprised by the Voice of God is for all who want to walk in friendship with God.
Why I Became an Atheist
by John W. LoftusFor about two decades John W. Loftus was a devout evangelical Christian, an ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and an ardent apologist for Christianity. With three degrees--in philosophy, theology, and philosophy of religion--he was adept at using rational argumentation to defend the faith. But over the years, doubts about the credibility of key Christian tenets began to creep into his thinking. By the late 1990s he experienced a full-blown crisis of faith. In this honest appraisal of his journey from believer to atheist, the author carefully explains the experiences and the reasoning process that led him to reject religious belief. The original edition of this book was published in 2006 and reissued in 2008. Since that time, Loftus has received a good deal of critical feedback from Christians and skeptics alike. In this revised and expanded edition, the author addresses criticisms of the original, adds new argumentation and references, and refines his presentation. For every issue he succinctly summarizes the various points of view and provides references for further reading. In conclusion, he describes the implications of life without belief in God, some liberating, some sobering. This frank critique of Christian belief from a former insider will interest freethinkers as well as anyone with doubts about the claims of religion.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Why I Became an Atheist
by John W. LoftusFor about two decades John W. Loftus was a devout evangelical Christian, an ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and an ardent apologist for Christianity. With three degrees-in philosophy, theology, and philosophy of religion-he was adept at using rational argumentation to defend the faith. But over the years, doubts about the credibility of key Christian tenets began to creep into his thinking. By the late 1990s he experienced a full-blown crisis of faith. In this honest appraisal of his journey from believer to atheist, the author carefully explains the experiences and the reasoning process that led him to reject religious belief. The original edition of this book was published in 2006 and reissued in 2008. Since that time, Loftus has received a good deal of critical feedback from Christians and skeptics alike. In this revised and expanded edition, the author addresses criticisms of the original, adds new argumentation and references, and refines his presentation. For every issue he succinctly summarizes the various points of view and provides references for further reading. In conclusion, he describes the implications of life without belief in God, some liberating, some sobering. This frank critique of Christian belief from a former insider will interest freethinkers as well as anyone with doubts about the claims of religion.
Why I Became an Atheist
by John W. LoftusFor about two decades John W. Loftus was a devout evangelical Christian, an ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and an ardent apologist for Christianity. With three degrees-in philosophy, theology, and philosophy of religion-he was adept at using rational argumentation to defend the faith. But over the years, doubts about the credibility of key Christian tenets began to creep into his thinking. By the late 1990s he experienced a full-blown crisis of faith. In this honest appraisal of his journey from believer to atheist, the author carefully explains the experiences and the reasoning process that led him to reject religious belief. The original edition of this book was published in 2006 and reissued in 2008. Since that time, Loftus has received a good deal of critical feedback from Christians and skeptics alike. In this revised and expanded edition, the author addresses criticisms of the original, adds new argumentation and references, and refines his presentation. For every issue he succinctly summarizes the various points of view and provides references for further reading. In conclusion, he describes the implications of life without belief in God, some liberating, some sobering. This frank critique of Christian belief from a former insider will interest freethinkers as well as anyone with doubts about the claims of religion.
Why I Became an Atheist
by John W. LoftusFor about two decades John W. Loftus was a devout evangelical Christian, an ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and an ardent apologist for Christianity. With three degrees-in philosophy, theology, and philosophy of religion-he was adept at using rational argumentation to defend the faith. But over the years, doubts about the credibility of key Christian tenets began to creep into his thinking. By the late 1990s he experienced a full-blown crisis of faith. In this honest appraisal of his journey from believer to atheist, the author carefully explains the experiences and the reasoning process that led him to reject religious belief. The original edition of this book was published in 2006 and reissued in 2008. Since that time, Loftus has received a good deal of critical feedback from Christians and skeptics alike. In this revised and expanded edition, the author addresses criticisms of the original, adds new argumentation and references, and refines his presentation. For every issue he succinctly summarizes the various points of view and provides references for further reading. In conclusion, he describes the implications of life without belief in God, some liberating, some sobering. This frank critique of Christian belief from a former insider will interest freethinkers as well as anyone with doubts about the claims of religion.
Why I Believe: A Psychologist's Thoughts on Suffering, Miracles, Science, and Faith
by Dr. Henry CloudA leadership expert, clinical psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author asks the big questions and shares his early mental health struggles in this groundbreaking, uplifting book. World-renowned psychologist and leadership expert Henry Cloud has impacted millions of lives through his groundbreaking books and through his work coaching leaders of the most influential organizations in the world. But few people know the details of his own story and how he became one of the most beloved and respected psychologists and faith influencers in America. In this indelibly personal and vulnerable book, Dr. Cloud leads us through his early struggles with illness and depression and the miracles that healed him and led him to his calling as a healer of others. Through masterful storytelling combined with a deeply nuanced understanding of the human mind, Dr. Cloud invites readers to inhabit the spaces of suffering and elation that make us most human and to walk alongside of him as he ponders the great questions we are so often afraid to ask but which also give life meaning. Written in the vein of such groundbreaking books as An Unquiet Mind, When Breath Becomes Air, and On Being Mortal, Why I Believe is a masterwork in spiritual exploration from one of the great scientific minds and faith voices of our time.
Why I Believe
by James KennedyIn this powerful declaration of what Christians believe and why, Kennedy explores the foundations of the Christian faith. For new believers and seasoned Christians alike, this book will strengthen their faith by answering that all consuming question, "Why?"
Why I Believe in Jesus
by Shelly WinkleMiracles, Signs and WondersIt is no wonder that Shelly Winkle believes in Jesus. Her life is a testimony to the fact that God exists and still performs miracles today. The devil attempted to destroy her life time after time, but God heard her cries for help and intervened in every situation. Evil spirits are real, and you may be unintentionally inviting them into your life. In Why I Believe in Jesus, Shelly emphasizes the importance of studying the Word of God, knowing your enemy, and understanding your God-given right as a believer to call upon the name of Jesus. Shelly Winkle&’s incredible testimony of miraculous healing and restoration will increase your faith and inspire you to find evidence of God in your own life, so you too can say, &“Look what the Lord has done!&”
Why I Believed: Reflections of a Former Missionary
by Kenneth W. DanielsThis is a story of a true Christian who believed for nearly three decades, having grown up the son of evangelical missionary parents, later becoming a missionary himself. Yet he slowly lost his faith and now no longer holds it. In this part-autobiography, part-exposé, Ken traces his journey from evangelical missionary to secular humanist while remaining part of a committed Christian family. He looks back at a number of reasons he remained a believer for over a decade after his initial doubts began at university, critically evaluating each one in a separate chapter. Whether or not you agree with Ken's conclusions, you will find his journey and his reasons for taking it fascinating and informative. You will end up better understanding, if not appreciating, the mind of apostates whose desire is to follow the evidence wherever it leads.
Why I Didn't Rebel: A Twenty-Two-Year-Old Explains Why She Stayed on the Straight and Narrow---and How Your Kids Can Too
by Rebecca Gregoire LindenbachIn this unique combination of personal history, interviews, and social science, a young millennial shares surprising reasons that youthful rebellion isn’t inevitable and points the way for raising healthy, grounded children who love God.Teen rebellion is seen as a cultural norm, but Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach begs to differ. In Why I Didn’t Rebel--based on a viral blog post that has been read by more than 750,000 people--Lindenbach shows how rebellion is neither unavoidable nor completely understood. Based on interviews with her peers and combining the latest research in psychology and social science with stories from her own life, she gives parents a new paradigm for raising kids who don’t go off the rails.Rather than provide step-by-step instructions on how to construct the perfect family, Lindenbach tells her own story and the stories of others as examples of what went right, inviting readers to think differently about parenting. Addressing hot-button issues such as courtship, the purity movement, and spanking--and revealing how some widely-held beliefs in the Christian community may not actually help children--Why I Didn’t Rebel provides an utterly unique, eye-opening vision for raising kids who follow God rather than the world.
Why I Hate Religion: 10 Reasons to Break Free from the Bondage of Religious Tradition
by Creflo DollarPastor Creflo Dollar offers ten compelling reasons why God hates religion--but loves for people to have real relationships with Christ. Religion has broken churches, fueled wars, and driven people away from the true Gospel of Jesus. WHY I HATE RELIGION is a clarion call for people to ditch religion and embrace relationship as it explores the top ten reasons why God hates religion, such as:Religion makes people try to earn their way into heaven--but Christ offers grace. Religion says God uses calamity to teach his people--but Christ comforts us.Religion blames problems on God--but Christ helps people learn from their mistakes. Religion makes prayer a powerless "form of godliness"--but Christ hears every word. WHY I HATE RELIGION offers an empowering understanding of true Christianity, one that transforms church into full, authentic, meaningful relationship with Jesus.
Why I Left, Why I Stayed: Conversations on Christianity Between an Evangelical Father and His Humanist Son
by Tony Campolo Bart CampoloBestselling Christian author, activist, and scholar Tony Campolo and his son Bart, an avowed Humanist, debate their spiritual differences and explore similarities involving faith, belief, and hope that they share.Over a Thanksgiving dinner, fifty-year-old Bart Campolo announced to his Evangelical pastor father, Tony Campolo, that after a lifetime immersed in the Christian faith, he no longer believed in God. The revelation shook the Campolo family dynamic and forced father and son to each reconsider his own personal journey of faith—dual spiritual investigations into theology, faith, and Humanism that eventually led Bart and Tony back to one another. In Why I Left, Why I Stayed, the Campolos reflect on their individual spiritual odysseys and how they evolved when their paths diverged. Tony, a renowned Christian teacher and pastor, recounts his experience, from the initial heartbreak of discovering Bart’s change in faith, to the subsequent healing he found in his own self-examination, to his embracing of his son’s point of view. Bart, an author and Humanist chaplain at the University of Southern California, considers his faith journey from Progressive Christianity to Humanism, revealing how it affected his outlook and transformed his relationship with his father. As Why I Left, Why I Stayed makes clear, a painful schism between father and son that could have divided them irreparably became instead an opening that offered each an invaluable look not only at what separated them, but more importantly, what they shared.
Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist's Reckoning with the Bad Reputation Christians Give a Good God
by Mary Jo SharpFor anyone who feels caught in the tension between the beauty of God's story and the ugliness of human hypocrisy, Why I Still Believe offers a stirring story of hope.Why would anyone be a Christian when there is so much hypocrisy in the church? Mary Jo Sharp shares her journey as a skeptical believer who still holds to a beautiful faith despite wounding experiences in the Christian community.At a time when de-conversion stories have become all too common, this is an earnest response - the compelling conversion of an unlikely believer whose questions ultimately led her to irresistible hope. Sharp addresses her own struggle with the reality that God's people repeatedly give God's story a bad name and takes a careful look at how the current church often inadvertently produces atheists despite its life-giving message.For those who feel the ever-present tension between the beauty of salvation and the dark side of human nature, Why I Still Believe is a candid and approachable case for believing in God when you really want to walk away. With fresh and thoughtful insights, this spiritual narrative presents relevant answers to haunting questions like:Isn't there too much pain and suffering to believe?Is it okay to have doubt?What if Jesus' story is a copy of another story?Is there any evidence for Jesus' resurrection?Does atheism explain the human experience better than Christianity can? How can the truth of Christianity matter when the behaviors of Christians are reprehensible?At once logical and loving, Sharp reframes the gospel as it truly is: the good news of redemption. With firmly grounded truths, Why I Still Believe is an affirming reminder that the hypocrisy of Christians can never negate the transforming grace and truth of Christ.
Why I Trust the Bible: Answers to Real Questions and Doubts People Have about the Bible
by William D. MounceA Clear Guide to Help Readers Understand Why They Can Trust the BibleWe are often told we can no longer assume that the Bible is trustworthy. From social media memes to popular scholarship, so many attacks have been launched on the believability of Scripture that many have serious questions about the Bible, such as:Did Jesus actually live?Did the biblical writers invent their message?How can we trust the gospels since they were written so long after Jesus lived?How can we believe a Bible that is full of internal contradictions with itself and external contradictions with science?Aren't the biblical manuscripts we have just copies of copies that are so corrupted they don't represent what the original authors wrote?Why should we believe the books that are in the Bible, since many good ones were left out, like the Gospel of Thomas?Why trust the Bible when there are so many contradictory translations of it?If you find yourself unable to answer questions such as these, but wanting to, Why I Trust the Bible by eminent Bible scholar and translator William Mounce is for you. These questions and more are discussed and answered in a reasoned, definitive, and winsome way.The truth is that the Bible is better attested and more defensible today than it ever has been. Questions about the Bible are perhaps the most significant challenge confronting Christian faith today, but they can be answered well and in a way which will lead to a deeper appreciation for the truth and ongoing relevance of the Bible.
Why in the World Participant's Guide: The Reason God Became One of Us
by Andy StanleyIn this four-session video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), bestselling author and pastor Andy Stanley takes a closer look at one of the unique things Christians believe: God became one of us. Why in the world would God do that? Why would God leave the comfort and recognition of heaven to live on this ball of dirt in a time before morphine and indoor plumbing when the best of conditions barely paralleled the worst of modern-day conditions? Why?We think we know why He died. But what compelled him to live as one of us?Sessions include:To Communicate and DemonstrateLike Son, Like FatherClasslessPutting Religion in Its PlaceAs the founder of North Point Ministries—comprised of six churches in the Atlanta area serving more than 36,000 people weekly, as well as a network of 30 churches around the globe—Andy Stanley is uniquely positioned to reach an engaged and ever-growing ministry.Designed for use with the Why in the World Video Study (sold separately).
Why Is Christianity So Hard?
by Michael F. AnnanieChristianity is hard. Having faith today is difficult at best. Our faith will be tested by God, Satan, society, our loved ones and ourselves. Why is the gate narrow? Why do we need to share in the sufferings of Christ? Why is evil in the world? Why did you give us free will to choose? Why is the message of the Gospel foolishness to most people? Doesn’t God want all to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Why is it so hard for us to believe you? Frustrated with the struggles to maintain his faith, the author works through some of the hard questions that Christians will be asked and may have asked themselves. God works through the least likely to accomplish His purpose and will. Written by a soldier for Christ, this book organizes biblical truths to enable the reader to formulate their own beliefs based on the word of God. After years of seeking God through studying, attending and leading classes, the author presents what the Bible says about key issues in the believers walk of faith. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith” (1 John 5:4 NKJV).