Two More 5 Star Reviews of My Book.
There are two more 5 star reviews of my book, one from a Christian! I especially like the fairmindedness of people on opposite sides of the fence who are reasonable enough to think what someone writes is good even if they disagree, as I did when I reviewed Paul Copan's book That's Just your Interpretation.
Loftus blows over the Christian theology house of cards., March 14, 2007. Reviewer: Thomas A. Lewis.
John. W. Loftus is a serious thinker and philosopher, and while his self-published book lacks the professional style and editing that mainstream authors enjoy of their publications, his argumentation and critical analysis of Christian theology is top tier.
I can personally identify with Loftus in many ways, being a former evangelical myself. The process of de-conversion is a long and drawn out intellectual, thinking, and learning process, unlike the quick emotional rape that can be had at the alter of any fundamentalist church.
On page 24 Loftus says: "I was so sure and so confident in my faith that I didn't believe I could learn anything that would ever cause me to doubt my faith." I highlighted this sentence in my copy since it was so close to what I had thought at the beginning of my investigation of Christianity. I thought to myself: "I'll read these books by evolutionists and their arguments will fall like sand through the reason of the Bible." "I'll read about these other religions and see how silly and insincere their believers are." "I'll read about the psychology of religion and demolish their babble with sound doctrine."
Like Loftus, the results are quite contrary to what one expects as a Christian going in. Christian naivety and ignorance is revealed at every turn. The flimsy arguments of theistic apologists are blasted to bits in the strong wind of reason and evidence. Christian insularity is eroded away by sound knowledge. In the end, one is left feeling like Blade at the end of the second movie where he is holding a beautiful vampire that is soon evaporated into ash by the rays of the sun. To me, my religion had been like that vampire. Yes, you loved her. Yes, she was beautiful on the surface. But in the end you're glad that the sun rose, she is gone, and you awoke from the myopia of the night.
Still Keeping The Faith, March 9, 2007
Reviewer: Mrs. M.
Actually I changed from a 4 to a 5 star as soon as I began writing this review. While the author makes it an easy read (thank you I am not as intellectual as a lot of others on this board), I have mixed feeling. The part about hell and the evil were all questions I struggle with. I agree wholeheartedly and have a really hard time with a God that would not offer salvation to all of mankind. Punishing someone eternally really bothers me.As the author points out no one (as even in Hitler) should be in total agony forever and ever. Do I think a fair and just God would demand retribution as in, well let's use Hitler. Let him feel the pain and agony of people he burned alive, let him have his organs pulled out the way he did to the many Jewish and yes Christians that was part of his evil ways.Let him know.taste and feel the horror of what he did. Please do not think I am a Hitler sympathizer, I certainly am not. But eternity is a long time. And then.......I look at the stars, the moon, the beautiful deer in my yard and I know he is there.Do I fear what may lie beyond our mortal death,I don't know, sometimes, but I just can't believe that this is it.I was so blessed in this life I just know someone was looking out for me. I know the author was disappointed (for lack of a stronger word) at the so called "Christians and friends that turned their back on him.But these people are not your judges, that's what happens when people do the judging. I look forward to the day that I will see Christ and my loved ones. No one here knows all the answers, sometimes we just have to trust God. The book does raise questions though, and I will pray I get the answers.