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I grew up amongst "holy rollers" in the Pentecostal tradition. By 20 I had read more scholarly systematics (Geisler, Grudem, Culver, etc.), monographs, and works in philosophy, apologetics, and philosophy of religion than most pastors have read in their lifetime. My rational discussions with non-believers proved very productive. There was then a turn in my thinking that would forever change the way I viewed the world.

Non-Christian literature was of much interest to such a dogmatic Theist as myself, so I picked up The Christian Delusion and found many of the chapters unrelated to the specific pivot point for rational belief in Christianity--that is, Is Scripture the Word of God? I turned next to Why I Became an Atheist expecting to complete it with as much enthusiastic assurance as I had when I began it.

Even as I began my studies I realized that the crux of the Christian faith was centered on the answer to the question of the integrity of the Christian canon. Your book, Mr. Loftus, challenged my presupposition of biblical integrity so that I could examine the evidence on its on merit. That evidence led to my renunciation of the faith of my parents, a belief in Yahweh, the God of the Bible, and a denial of the gospel and person of Jesus Christ. It was freeing--finally the wrath of God had been propitiated!--but by solid (counter-Christian) evidence, not Jesus Christ; alas! an epistemological regeneration worthy of the title. Thank you, Mr. Loftus.

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