Peter Phua, Writing for CFI About My Magnum Opus
You've got to admit that had someone written such a glowing review of your book you'd be popping your buttons too--to hell with humility, that's a Christian virtue ;-). See below:
One of my favourite new authors is a man by the name of John Loftus. A former evangelical Christian, Loftus became intimately familiar with the best apologetic arguments in favour of Christianity, and ultimately rejected them. He's written an excellent book, entitled "Why I Became an Atheist," which outlines a comprehensive series of arguments - both philosophical and historical - against the truth claims made by the Christian religion. I recently finished reading it, and simply cannot recommend it enough. I've read a fair amount of the popular apologetic literature out there (i.e Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, etc.), and this book simply demolished many of the historical claims Christians have made.
Loftus shows great breadth in the topics he covers, and he discusses the important issues at hand with an appropriate degree of depth, succinctly addressing the best replies to his arguments. The problem of evil is dealt with particularly well. Loftus does not straw-man his opponent's arguments, rather, he summarizes them in their strongest form and takes them head on. It's a book I highly recommend for current (and former) Christians who seek to familiarize themselves with an excellent contemporary summary of the strongest criticisms against the Christian faith....
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13 comments:
Hi John,
The big problem for me with your book "Why I Became an Atheist" is that I cannot put it down even AFTER I've finished reading it. I've read it carefully twice through now and find myself wanting to read it yet again! (I have personal copies of WIFA and TCD, and also had the local library purchase them.) This is most detrimental to the range of other works I am reading or want to read :-)
So far I've also read "The Christian Delusion", most of Bart Ehrman's fine books ("Misquoting Jesus" started me on my current learning quest) including his excellent "Lost Christianities", his New Testament textbook and his NT work with Bruce Metzger; Dan Barker's "Godless"; Hector Avalos's radical "The End of Biblical Studies" (twice through as well), and many of the others in your listings on your website. Also all the well-known Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, Dennett and Stenger books.
If I may, some other books I might suggest for your website listing are "The Portable Atheist" edited by Christopher Hitchens; "The God Part of the Brain" by Matthew Alper (a really interesting explanation of the God urge based on neurophysiology and evolutionary psychology); and if you want to include some humour, anything to do with the King James Only "controversy" - where the extreme-case claim is that God's "inspiration" of the 1611 KJV English translation (and late-source so-called "Textus Receptus") supercedes his "inspiration" of the original source and original language manuscripts (even if they could be found today)! A truly risible example of how irrational beliefs can become (and how strongly they can nevertheless be held).
To get back to WIFA it is a classic as it stands, but please consider a Second Edition (hopefully twice the
size!) which expands on the contents and covers areas you may not have had the chance to at the time. I for one would be queuing up for a copy.
In the meantime, your fabulous website and the news, ideas, and terrific discussions therein continues to be an indispensable daily routine and inspiration for me. More and more I am strengthened in my difficult break with over 50 years of unjustifiable beliefs and indoctrination, after a continuous search lasting nearly as long.
Best regards,
Rodney
John,
This is just pathetic. Not the endorsement, but your gloating over it. I know of NO author who would post something like this on his blog. Get some humility and maybe the "community" will take you seriously. You're dangerously coming across like a person driven more by narciscism rather than truth.
Thanks Rodney, I appreciate that. In a couple of years I plan on revising the book as you suggested. When I do, watch out!
Joe, my goal is to change the minds of one person at a time, alone as they read my book.
Hi Joe Staub
Sorry Joe, pique doesn't becomes anyone. Get sed to it. Theism is demonstrating, just as WIBA and THCD is doing, that it has less and less relevance to today's world as the clear light of scrutiny winkles it out of the dark recesses of the mystical and mysterious shadows of superstition. You know full well that Zeus is the one true god, and he took his bat and ball and went home about lunchtime, two millennia ago.
Cheers
Interesting that nobody criticizes your posting of links to criticisms of the books.
I haven't read that book yet so I needed the reminder of what's in it! The title makes it look like it's just another deconversion story. The next two in my reading list (after The Shallows, which makes me want to throw my computer out the window) is Good without God and a book on evolutionary biology and religion. It's refreshing that for the first time in history atheists have trouble keeping up with atheist publications!
"Joe, my goal is to change the minds of one person at a time, alone as they read my book."
Man, your opinion of yourself is quite deluded. The idea that after Hume, Nietzsche, Comte, Marx, Engels, Popper, Russell, Sartre, Schopenhauer, Ayer, Chomski, and the list could be multiplied on and on now suddenly a second-rate atheologian like John Loftus has the arguments that will demolish Christianity once and for all is more than just hubris, it is outright self-deluded narcissism. Your estimation of your own abilities is quite exaggerated.
"Joe, my goal is to change the minds of one person at a time, alone as they read my book."
That's what I said. Why does my saying that lead you to think something so absurd that my "arguments will demolish Christianity once and for all" or that my "estimation of my own abilities is quite exaggerated."
No wonder you believe Neal. You cannot make sound judgments. The thinking skills are the same. You do not have them. You must therefore take seriously my claim that you believe what you prefer to believe. Earlier you constructed several arguments you attributed to me concerning animal suffering, but none of them represented my argument or were even close.
Again,you cannot think. My guess is that you are young and probably not even out of High School.
Let me guess Neil. Your faith has withstood a thorough, comprehensive study of the works of all the critiques of religion that you listed (and those you didn't) and your are able to respond to evey single criticism they have made, right?
I think this one post alone, and your responses, may ruin your credibilty for awhile. There is a Biblical Proverb that applies to you here:
"Dead flies make a perfumers oil stink, so it is that a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor."
You might be right about a lot of things, John, but you are coming accross on this blog with the emotional IQ of a child. Sadly, you don't need this BS to be recognized or appreciated or taken seriously.
Joe, why are you concerned if my credibility is ruined? Surely you don't care if it is, surely. Oh no, wait, let's see, you really wish I had maintained my credibility so that more people would be led away from your faith? Say it isn't so, Joe. Say it. lol
I'm actually not against you, John. Yet, I'm not for you either, in that I am not an atheist. I too am pissed at a lot of what organized Christianity has done over the course of 2000 years. I've been a minister many years and was trained with an MDiv from a fine evangelical seminary. But over the years my studies and experience have shown me that the propogation of crap in the church for 2000 years is astonishing. And, not just from religious charletons, but even from well meaning and "deluded" people, as you put it and well understand. Today, I see that there is so little going on in the church that a thinking and analytical person could actually trust. In fact, I think most people see the intellectual problems, but the draw of compassion, mercy and communal love can pull the wool over our eyes and keep you from seeing the truth.
Three issues really torque me about my experience with Christianity: First, it torques me that Christianity is "used" by people to get what they want. You can say most anything, slap a Bible verse on it, and say it's from God, and get away with it. Second, I am terrified of committing my life to something that is just a pipe dream. What a waste. I don't want to waste one more minute of my life supporting, believing, defending, and commiting myself to something that is not true. Third, I have suffered first hand the abuse of the fundamentalist/orthodox Christian Church. The church breeds authoritarianism and human control by virtue of the belief in Biblical Inerrancy and Inspiration. Read Harry Browne's book, "How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World." That is the book that really got me out of the church and thinking rationally in the first place. I don't think I can ever go back again. I have tried and I can see the writing on the wall every time. Every church is just people who want to get you to conform to "their" understanding of God. And, so often it turns in to rejection and heavy handed control. Just listen to the repeated testimonies of people who have left and want to leave the church. I'm not saying I have given up on God. I'm not there. You haven't convinced me of that. But, I am pleased to get a good dose of reality and rationality from what you and others have written.
So, my point is, I appreciate your arguments, your thinking, and your passion for truth. It's just that your ego turns me off. I suppose I shouldn't even address it in this blog. I should just be sticking with the issue at hand, which is TRUTH. Sorry.
And lastly,
Peace!
Joe, thanks for your comment. I understand you better and appreciate your sharing it.
Peace.
Hi Joe
You sound very much in the position of one such person that am currently reading about, which has shed a lot more light for me on the struggle people have experienced as their faith is tested to the full. Perhaps you may wish to consider giving it a read:
"Why I Believed: Reflections of a Former Missionary" by Kenneth W Daniels; July 2009
ISBN - 13: 978-0-578-00388-7
He has laid it out without rancour, without resentment; without playing the blame-game. And it is a good, interesting and thoroughly searching read.
Cheers
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