
50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God
50 series
50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True(2011) →
Sign in to keep track of books you’ve read and want to read.
Many books that challenge religious belief from a skeptical point of view take a combative tone that is almost guaranteed to alienate believers or they present complex philosophical or scientific arguments that fail to reach the average reader. This is undoubtably an ineffective way of encouraging people to develop critical thinking about religion.
Read more
This unique approach to skepticism presents fifty commonly heard reasons people often give for believing in a God and then raises legitimate questions regarding these reasons, showing in each case that there is much room for doubt. Whether you're a believer, a complete skeptic, or somewhere in between, you'll find this review of traditional and more recent arguments for the existence of God refreshing, approachable, and enlightening.
From religion as the foundation of morality to the authority of sacred books, the compelling religious testimony of influential people, near-death experiences, arguments from Intelligent Design, and much more, Harrison respectfully describes each rationale for belief and then politely shows the deficiencies that any good skeptic would point out.
As a journalist who has traveled widely and interviewed many highly accomplished people, quite a number of whom are believers, the author appreciates the variety of belief and the ways in which people seek to make religion compatible with scientific thought. Nonetheless, he shows that, despite the prevalence of belief in God or religious belief in intelligent people, in the end there are no unassailable reasons for believing in a God.
For skeptics looking for appealing ways to approach their believing friends or believers who are not afraid to consider a skeptical challenge, this book makes for very stimulating reading.
Liked 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God? Here’s where I’d start.
These suit anyone who liked 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.
-
The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture Shares religion, atheism, nonfiction -
Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity Shares atheism, religion, nonfiction -
The Quotable Atheist: Ammunition for Nonbelievers, Political Junkies, Gadflies, and Those Generally Hell-Bound Shares atheism, religion, nonfiction -
Why There Is No God: Simple Responses to 20 Common Arguments for the Existence of God Shares religion, atheism, nonfiction