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Goodbye Jesus

Good Book Please


Flavio

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This post is pure laziness. I know there are a lot of threads and a big library and a zillion atheists websites, but why search them all if I can ask you ?

 

I have slowly convinced myself of atheism over the past six to eight years (coming from a protestant, very calvinistic), but now have trouble convincing friends and family. Are there any good books anyone can recommend to convince devout Christians of atheism ? (specifically my wife - I love her very much still, and the rest of my family, so this is killing me). I am not looking for a few hundred pages Richard Dawkins kindof intimidating work, but rather an argument-for-argument case against deitism generally and Christianity specifically. Please not something from somebody who has some old score to settle with Christianity. Something from a an ex-devout Christian, preferably. Someone who handles the subject with compassion and not some smart-ass attitude (which seems to me quite widespread among atheists). And preferably not too testimonial - rather facts from real archeologists and historians and theologians (or rather ex-theologians). Has anyone read 'I dont have enough faith to be an Atheist' ? Something like that, just from the other side. Mind you, I see a Google Ad on many sites : 'Jesus: Hoax or Reality? Discover the Evidence From Scholars About Jesus' Claims to be God' from 'www.Y-Jesus.com/God'. A counter-book to something like that ? Or what about a counter for the classic 'Evidence that demands a verdict' (from Josh Mcdowell, I think) ?

 

Any suggestions welcome.

 

Thank you

PS : I am in Pretoria, South Africa, anybody out here with whom I can meet or talk or whatever ?

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This post is pure laziness. I know there are a lot of threads and a big library and a zillion atheists websites, but why search them all if I can ask you ?

 

A counter-book to something like that ? Or what about a counter for the classic 'Evidence that demands a verdict' (from Josh Mcdowell, I think) ?

 

Any suggestions welcome.

 

Thank you

PS : I am in Pretoria, South Africa, anybody out here with whom I can meet or talk or whatever ?

Everyone has their own opinions, but it is my opinion that the best book is one 1) from a formerly committed Christian, 2) that is understanding of Christians and their beliefs and 3) presents the arguments clearly, concisely and in a manner that believers can understand even if they don't want to.

 

For these reasons, I strongly recommend "Why I Believed: Reflections of a Former Missionary" by Ken Daniels.

 

This book was meant to be read by Christians to gently guide them through the logic behind rejecting faith even among those who are most committed.

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My choice is based purely on my impression of a book I am not yet done reading, but very much like. The Evolution Of God by Robert Wright. He's not a Dawkins, so he won't easily offend Christians, and he's very well researched it seems in ancient Israel. His book is very convincing, and is presented very professionally. But it's a long read!

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"Why I became an atheist: A former preacher rejects christianity" by John Loftus is a good book. But ~400 pages long.

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Bart Ehrman is a biblical scholar, so if you want to use historical evidence to show how Christianity was constructed into the dogmas it is today, his books 'Misquoting Jesus', and 'Jesus, Interrupted' might help others see Christianity and the Bible in a way that helps them consider they have been duped.

 

I will quote an amazon review here to back me up:

 

I've read quite a few books on early Christianity (including others by Ehrman), so I can't say that I found an abundance of new information in this book, but I can say that this is easily the best, most concise and well presented discussion of the historical Jesus and historical/critical view of the New Testament I've come across.

 

One thing that always strikes me when I am reading Ehrman's work is how respectful he is of religion and people of faith. I've read a few books by atheist authors who (while I often find their work interesting and entertaining), do have a tendency to be a little smarmy about religion. Ehrman is a former fundamentalist Christian, who describes himself now as agnostic, but unlike some authors in this genre, he isn't trying to convince people to give up their faith, he really wants readers to understand the origins of the Christian faith and how it has evolved over centuries.

 

Jesus Interrupted is very readable (Ehrman's writing style is accessible for `non scholars') and each chapter builds on the others very effectively. Ehrman is clearly an expert on this topic and is an excellent teacher, and this is conveyed throughout Jesus Interrupted.

 

If this subject matter interests you - Jesus Interrupted is a must read. Highly recommended.

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For these reasons, I strongly recommend "Why I Believed: Reflections of a Former Missionary" by Ken Daniels.

 

This book was meant to be read by Christians to gently guide them through the logic behind rejecting faith even among those who are most committed.

 

100% agreed. Shyone recommended this book to me when I first came here. Great read, and you can do it online for free, you don't have to order it or anything.

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Bart Ehrman is a biblical scholar, so if you want to use historical evidence to show how Christianity was constructed into the dogmas it is today, his books 'Misquoting Jesus', and 'Jesus, Interrupted' might help others see Christianity and the Bible in a way that helps them consider they have been duped.

I came in here to mention Bart Ehrman. Even for christians who aren't biblical literalists, Jesus, Interrupted will certainly strike a blow to their faith.

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Are there any good books anyone can recommend to convince devout Christians of atheism ?

 

Well, reading the Bible did it for me, though I don't know if I'd call it a "good book"! ;)

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I recommend

 

'Farewell To God,' by Charles Templeton. He was the other half of the Billy Graham Crusades who abruptly left Christianity and his career and became an agnostic until his dying day.

 

I know you don't like Richard Dawkins but I found 'The God Delusion' absolutely inspiring and nonthreatening.

 

There is also 'God vs The Bible', by John Armstrong.

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There is also 'God vs The Bible', by John Armstrong.

 

That's an excellent book detailing a bunch of problems with the bible, though Armstrong is a deist rather than an atheist. The fact that he's not an atheist may make the book a little more palatable to christians, so I would also recommend it, but the OP did specify atheism.

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