Philosopher Dave Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 This thread is directed to ex-christians and christians alike. Please list the top 3, most influential christian books you have read. THE POINT IS NOT IF THEY ARE ACCURATE, OR TRUE, but how influential to YOUR mind these books were when you either were a christian or were considering abandoning its precepts. Please list the author and title. If you are an ex-christian, feel free to follow up the list by the 3 most influential atheist books you have read. Thank you for you input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtruth Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 Christian - Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis I read this book at least 10 times over the years, whenever I was having doubts about my Christianity. Ex-Christian - Losing Faith in Faith - Dan Barker Former preacher, Dan Barker, gives many reasons why the Bible is contradictory and why the Christian faith didn't work anymore for him. Farewell to God - Charles Templeton Templeton was a former Billy Graham colleague who eventually couldn't believe what was in the Bible anymore. Very simple reading, and a good starting place for anyone looking to see Christianity from another perspective. Leaving the Fold - Marlene Winell I didn't finish this one, but it dealt with the psychological harm of being in fundamentalist religions, and how to deal with leaving these groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 1) The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton 2) No Man Is An Island by Thomas Merton 3) The Age Of Reason by Thomas Paine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy-tiger Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 If you are an ex-christian, feel free to follow up the list by the 3 most influential atheist books you have read. Sorry? Are you trying to say that ex-christians are atheists? Just making sure of this, so I don't mistake you for one of those who believe that "all non-christians are atheists" (and if you are, you're in for a rude awakening...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philosopher Dave Posted April 22, 2005 Author Share Posted April 22, 2005 Sorry? Are you trying to say that ex-christians are atheists?Just making sure of this, so I don't mistake you for one of those who believe that "all non-christians are atheists" (and if you are, you're in for a rude awakening...) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My apologies... I indeed know that an ex-christian could be any number of non-christian ideologies. In this case, my intention was not to merely address atheists, but anyone who is in the ex-christian category. So...if you're Wiccan, you can list the 3 christian books that were influential to you in the past, and then list 3 Wiccan books that mean a lot to you now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- AUB - Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 X-xtain The Salmon of Doubt - Douglas Adams Everything by Joseph McCabe The Christ - John E Remsberg Never read any xtian book I couldn't pick holes in, but I keep running into The Genesis Flood fans, and Strobel followers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 When I was a Christian, the top three Christian books I liked were 1.) Scaling the Secular City by J.P. Moreland 2.) The Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Norman Geisler 3.) Who Moved the Stone by Frank Morrison I can't think of any atheist books that have been most influential but I have read some books by skeptics that I like: 1.) Deconstructing Jesus by Robert M Price 2.) The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man by Robert M Price 3.) Sense and Goodness Without God by Richard Carrier (still reading it) Matthew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zfunkman Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 This thread is directed to ex-christians and christians alike. Please list the top 3, most influential christian books you have read. THE POINT IS NOT IF THEY ARE ACCURATE, OR TRUE, but how influential to YOUR mind these books were when you either were a christian or were considering abandoning its precepts. Please list the author and title. If you are an ex-christian, feel free to follow up the list by the 3 most influential atheist books you have read. Thank you for you input. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> When I was a xtian I never really read the whole bible. Just a few passages of the N.T. The book that really led me away from xtianity was the KJV bible. After reading the whole thing, old and new testiment I was totally convinced that this book was as far away from the "truth" about life and the conceptof god as any book can be. I still have a problem that so many people actually believe in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy-tiger Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 My apologies... I indeed know that an ex-christian could be any number of non-christian ideologies. In this case, my intention was not to merely address atheists, but anyone who is in the ex-christian category. So...if you're Wiccan, you can list the 3 christian books that were influential to you in the past, and then list 3 Wiccan books that mean a lot to you now. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I had a feeling that's what your intention was... just had to make sure. Gotta admit, I'm interested in the replies myself... I always like knowing what influences people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lokmer Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 I haven't read any decent apologetics books. I HAVE read a number of excellent Christian books. Do those count? -Lokmer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimov Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 Lee Strobel's books..... sorry...couldn't say that with a straight face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanakila Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 The same first two that Matthew listed, and Eternity in Their Hearts. I could not remain a Calvinist after reading that book, and losing Calvinism was the first step in a long road towards deconversion for me. The influential writings after my deconversion are: Thomas Paine's Age of Reason. Dan Barker's Easter Challenge, and the Book YOur Church Doesn't Want You to Read. That last one I was reading just prior to my deconversion, and although it goes to far and doesn't substantiate all its claims, it was a necessary read for me on my path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philosopher Dave Posted April 23, 2005 Author Share Posted April 23, 2005 I haven't read any decent apologetics books. I HAVE read a number of excellent Christian books. Do those count?-Lokmer <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sure, those count. Whichever books you felt helped most in forming certian ideas that were either important at the time or have become important now. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimov Posted April 23, 2005 Share Posted April 23, 2005 Sure, those count. Whichever books you felt helped most in forming certian ideas that were either important at the time or have become important now. Dave Come to think of it, I have never actually read an apologetics book. Nor have I read an Atheistic book.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 I think the very need for "apologetics" is enough to lay doubt on the whole religion. You would think god would have had a better way to deliver his message. The way they try to "explain" the contradictions reminds me of a liar being caught in a lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonlong Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 The way they try to "explain" the contradictions reminds me of a liar being caught in a lie. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> eloquence at its finest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Carrion Posted April 25, 2005 Share Posted April 25, 2005 The other day, I went into my local book store and saw a rather fetching looking tome entitled "Jesus Christ: Man or Myth?" Assuming from the blurb on the cover and the apparent credentials of the writer (whose name escapes me right now) that the book was a legitimate and objective account of the historical circumstances surrounding the creation of the gospels, I purchased it and began reading on the way home. From the introduction alone it was evident that what I had purchased was a foetid piece of apologism wrapped in the glossy veneer of a legitimate historical and academic analysis. After reading the first three chapters I tore the piece of tripe up in a pique of fury and the remains now serve as book mark for more viable readings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted April 25, 2005 Share Posted April 25, 2005 Christian books: 1. "The Late Great Planet Earth", Hal Lindsey. <insert embarrassment here> Yeah, I can't believe I ever read anything by this guy. But a vulnerable, abused 16-year-old with PTSD will believe anything, if it pretends to offer psychological relief. At any rate, this was the book that got me to actually say the Sinners' Prayer and become an Official Christian . 2. C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles. I read these as a kid, and still read them from time to time. They're remarkably pagan, for being by a Christian writer... 3. Um, how about The Bible? Which was influential both when I was a Christian, and as I came out of it. I actually did take some extensive bible study when I was a believer, btw; I made it through probably 2/3 of the book - not 100% of it, but probably more than many Christians have done. Non-Christian books: 1. "When God Was a Woman", Merlin Stone. I just read this one recently. It helped me confirm my current spiritual choices. Plus it pissed me off royally. 2. Stuff by Douglas Adams, especially the Hitchhiker's Guide series. Great smartassed stuff about god and philosophy. 3. "The Gospel of Mary Magdalene." Okay, technically this is Gnostic Christianity, but since most modern denominations consider it heretical, I figured I'd put it here. One of the few Christian documents that doesn't trash women. And actually there are lots and lots of books on both sides. I read voraciously. I read all the damn time. In fact I should be outside enjoying the sunshine but instead I'm inside, online, reading 3 different things, and posting stuff here! Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOIL Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Terrify No More by Gary Haugen -Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TruthWarrior Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Anything by Martin Zender. That guy kicks ass. Even if he is Christian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightflight Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Anything by Martin Zender. That guy kicks ass. Even if he is Christian. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yeah, I've got a couple of his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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