Recommendation: â50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a Godâ by Guy P. Harrison
Many books that challenge religious belief from a sceptical 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. Journalist Guy P Harrison argues that this is an ineffective way of encouraging people to develop critical thinking about religion. In this unique approach to scepticism regarding God, Harrison concisely presents fifty commonly heard reasons people often give for believing in a God and then he raises legitimate questions regarding these reasons, showing in each case that there is much room for doubt.Whether youâre a believer, a complete sceptic, or somewhere in between, youâll find Harrisonâs 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 âIntelligent Designâ, and much more, Harrison respectfully describes each rationale for belief and then politely shows the deficiencies that any good sceptic would point out.As a journalist who has travelled widely and interviewed many highly accomplished people, quite a number of whom are believers, Harrison 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 sceptics looking for appealing ways to approach their believing friends or believers who are not afraid to consider a sceptical challenge, Harrisonâs book makes for very stimulating reading.
Amazon.com: 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God eBook: Guy P. Harrison: Kindle Store
The fifty reasons Harrison rebuts in the book are as follows:
Almost everybody on Earth is religious.
Archaeological discoveries prove that my god exists.
Only my god can make me feel significant.
Atheism is just another religion.
Our world is too beautiful to be an accident.
My god created the universe.
Believing in my god makes me happy.
A sacred book proves my god is real.
Divine justice proves my god is real.
I would rather worship my god than the devil.
My god heals sick people.
Anything is better than being an atheist.
My god made the human body.
My god sacrificed his only son for me.
Atheists are jerks who think they know everything.
I donât lose anything by believing in my god.
I didnât come from a monkey.
I donât want to go to hell.
I feel my god when I pray.
I need my god to protect me.
Without my god we have no sense of right and wrong.
My god makes me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself.
My religion makes more sense than all the others.
Intelligent design proves my god is real.
Millions of people canât be wrong about my religion.
Miracles prove my god is real.
Some very smart people believe in my god.
Ancient prophecies prove my god exists.
No one has ever disproved the existence of my god.
People have gone to heaven and returned.
Religion brings people together.
Science canât explain everything.
Society would fall apart without religion.
My religion is so old, it must be true.
Someone I trust told me that my god is real.
Atheist is a negative and empty philosophy.
Believing in a god doesnât hurt anyone.
The Earth is perfectly tuned to support life.
Believing is natural so my god must be real.
I am afraid of not believing.
Due to the very nature of these claims, quite a few of these simply sound like rehashes of reasons dealt with before, but it is a very informative and generally secular book overall. Although Christianity and Islam are most frequently used as poster children for all religions, the criticisms (with a few exceptions) apply to every religion that has ever existed (including those of Indian origin).
If you are a religious person who wonders why atheists do not subscribe to the idea of a god or gods, this is one of the best and most non-confrontational books for you to read. And if you are an atheist who frequently finds himself/herself in debates with religious apologetics, this books adds some tools to your arsenal that you may have been lacking.
