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by Lee Strobel (Contributor: Jane Vogel)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Zondervan/Youth Specialties (2004-09-01)
ISBN: 0310249775
EAN: 9780310249771
UPC: 025986249779
Dewy Decimal #: 212.1
Paperback: 112 pages
Reading Level: Young Adult
SKU: 092208029
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...very slight shelf wear on cover
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
How did the universe really begin? The verdict is in. Lee Strobel investigates the latest scientific discoveries from physics to biology and discovers they point convincingly toward a creator God--for teens and older.
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Amazon.com Review
Are Christianity and science incompatible? If there is a God, is he only an impersonal starter force? An introductory high school biology class first propelled Lee Strobel toward a life of atheism. God and science, he reasoned, were mutually exclusive. When the former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune converted to Christianity, he decided to investigate the science he had once accepted as truth. Did science point toward or away from God? As Strobel interviews a variety of scientists on everything from debunking evolutionary icons to the implications of the Big Bang to the existence of the human soul, he builds his case: scientific evidence points toward Intelligent Design. Although the discussion often veers into the academic, Strobel works hard to make it accessible to those without scientific training. Throughout the book, he salts interview transcript information with interesting personal stories of his own spiritual and scientific quest for knowledge, as well as sometimes over-detailed descriptions of the actual interviews (right down to the type of beverages consumed). Each chapter contains suggestions for further reading on particular issues of science and faith. Strobel concludes that, when correctly interpreted, science and biblical teaching support each other. He quotes physicist Paul Davies, "…science offers a surer path to God than religion." Open-minded readers will find that this book, and its questions for reflection and group study, invites conversation and investigation.--Cindy Crosby
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Customer Reviews
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Lawyers are NOT Scientists
Rating  (1)
Date: 2009-01-04
I find it insulting that Lee Strobel, who is a lawyer by training, asserts that he can adequately report on scientific evidence of God. Sorry, but this level of analysis requires graduate degrees in physical and biological sciences to fully understand the scientific method and how to interpret scientific literature.
For a real book about science and the existence of God written by a Ph.D. scientist, see Victor Stenger's "Has Science Found God?"
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Great Writing
Rating  (5)
Date: 2009-01-03
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God is another book by Lee Strobel, who attacks the issues by interviewing scientists, scholars, and researchers to build his case that God exists. He originally, as a young adolescent, was convinced by science that God does not exist but today has made a complete 180 and believes that science can actually point one toward the Creator.
There is a beautiful new book about God and faith entitled "The Enlightenment, What God Told Me After One Million Prayers: A Message for Everyone," by John H. Eagan. I just finished it. It's really great and deals with God, the creator, Jesus' teachings, and His Passion. It brought me to tears. I think the readers of Strobel's book will really enjoy The Enlightenment.
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The Case for a Creator
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-12-25
Excellent arguments, quoting many experts in the field. Focuses on the philosophical rather than scientific arguments. College level.
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A Different Point of View
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-12-02
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I have been using this book as resource for a Bible study and I was quite impressed with it, but before I proceed with the review, let me state a couple of things...
First, I am an Aerospace Engineer and have been studying physics and applied science for almost a decade. Science is extremely important to me and I fully accept that science can, and does, lead to Truth.
Second, I am a Christian. As such, I believe that all Truth is revealed by God to us in whatever manner He sees fit, including, but not limited to, science.
Now, to the book. Strobel has done a remarkable job with this text, compiling a comprehensive argument for creation in the form of Intelligent Design. If you're at all curious about ID, I definitely recommend this book, you'll learn pretty much everything you need to know about ID. That said, you'll have to keep an open mind, ID is just a different way of looking at the exact same evidence evolutionists see. Think of it this way, Copernicus saw the EXACT same sky that Ptolemy did, but Copernicus came to an entirely different conclusion(the helio-centric solar system). Similarly, ID proponents look at the Big Bang, that same Big Bang proposed by an evolutionary universe, and come to a different conclusion(the existence of a "divine" intelligence). This is one simple example of what ID really is, a different way of looking at the evidence, and it's this type of argument you'll find in Strobel's book.
I had intended this review to be more technical, but I think I've said what needs to be said. If you read Strobel's "The Case for A Creator" with an open mind, I think you'll be surprised by what you'll learn.
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This book made me rethink my ideas about creation
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-11-23
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
An excellent book and my reading it has caused me to rethink some ideas that I have held since early adulthood. Two points raised by Lee Strobel just won't go away after you put the book down: one, the concept of irreducibly complex mechanisms and the second, the gap in evolutionary records that must be eliminated before evolution as presented in classrooms can be presented as fact. Before I read this book, I thought there must be countless thousands of Earths spread throughout the universe, but if you consider as Lee Strobel points out, the many things about our earth that are just right for life, and the remote probability that all of these conditions could be duplicated on another planet, then mathmatically you realize that the likelihood of another Earth is incalculably small. All these points, lead to the conclusion of the existance of a creator. This book will help you reconcile your scientist with your spiritual being. Five stars!
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by Lawrence S. Cunningham
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Paulist Press (1986-01-01)
ISBN: 0809128594
EAN: 9780809128594
Dewy Decimal #: 282
Paperback: 192 pages
SKU: 090508007
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...creases in cover
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
An introduction to Catholicism for college students, painting a broad context of what a Catholic approach to the world is all about.
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Customer Reviews
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Great book for thinking young christians
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-06-12
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Having a teenage daughter who recently made her confirmation, I revisited this book. Any intelligent, serious young person hesitates about committing themselves to their faith. Do I really believe? Does it really make sense? What about science? Why commit to a church with all the problems I see? Is this just a blind step because my parents want me too?
Lawrence Cunningham does a very good job of getting behind the "what" to the "why" and the world view of Roman Catholicism in a way that explains the beauties of the church in the world and shows why such a seemingly "unprogressive" institution can be a reasonable conscious choice for a thinking young person.
I found this book years ago when I was a new Catholic, and have given it several times as a gift to special confirmation candidates. The reading level is a step above average high school fare, as it was written for college students.
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by Scott McCallum
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Kregel Pubns (1995-06)
ISBN: 0825431948
EAN: 9780825431944
Dewy Decimal #: 248.4
Paperback: 144 pages
SKU: 121608028
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...minor wear on cover
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Customer Reviews
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awesome to the point
Rating (5)
Date: 2003-02-09
0 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
awesome book for new christians that really lays out the basics.
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by T. R. Glover
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Cannon Press (1974)
ISBN: 0913686182
EAN: 9780913686188
Hardcover: 359 pages
SKU: 042708037
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No Underlining or Highlighting.....moderate cover wear..
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Product Description
1909. Contents: Roman Religion; Stoics; Plutarch; Jesus of Nazareth; Followers of Jesus; Conflict of Christian and Jew; Gods or Atoms?; Celsus; Clement of Alexandria; Tertullian.
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by Matthias Joseph Scheeben (Translator: Patrick Shaughnessy)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Tan Books & Publishers (2000-07-31)
ISBN: 0895555093
EAN: 9780895555090
Dewy Decimal #: 230
Paperback: 420 pages
SKU: 121308029
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...minor wear on cover
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Customer Reviews
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A real eye opener
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-03-19
This is an excellent read that provides good thought provoking information written in a style that does not confuse or cause you to purchase other materials to undersyand what it is saying.
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Grace is everything
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-03-16
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Among the mysteries of Catholicism, none is more practically important than the doctrine of grace. It is at the very heart of Christianity because it describes the panorama of God's dealings with mankind. However the doctrine of grace is not simple, as may be seen from the sequence of errors in the understanding of grace seen along the path of the Church's history. In this wonderful book "The Glories of Divine Grace," Fr. Matthias J. Scheeben explains Divine Grace in a clear manner, far from the abstract treatises of other writers. It is written in a direct style that everyone can understand.He reminds us of the integral role grace plays in our daily lives and how a clear grasp of the basic principles of grace is useful, and may at times be indispensable, for directing oneself and others on the road to salvation.
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Review from the Publisher
Rating (5)
Date: 2001-03-08
8 out of 9 customers found this reveiw helpful
An impassioned appeal to us all to understand the nature of Sanctifying Grace, to preserve this incredible gift from God, and to grow in it each day for the rest of our lives. Explains how grace works, what are its effects, how to grow in grace, and the union with God that it allows us to achieve. Will amaze everyone! You will think of your life in terms of "before" and "after" having read this book!
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by John F. MacArthur Jr.
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Zondervan (1994-03-18)
ISBN: 0310394910
EAN: 9780310394914
UPC: 025986394912
Dewy Decimal #: 230
Paperback: 304 pages
Edition: Revised & expanded
SKU: 102908009
Condition: Used: Acceptable
Comments: lots of markings and highlighting....creases in cover
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
A revised edition of the best-seller that explains the intrinsic relationship between faith and works and reveals why Jesus is both Savior and Lord to all who believe.
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Customer Reviews
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Good depiction of Jesus
Rating (4)
Date: 2009-01-05
The Gospel According to Jesus: What Is Authentic Faith? by John MacArthur is a book that tries to get the reader to start believing in the true Jesus. If one is to truly follow Jesus they might have to change their lifestyle and soften their hardened heart. Following Jesus may be harder than you first believed. I believe one should always read books like these along with the actual Bible.
There is a beautiful new book about Jesus, God , faith and what you will do after death entitled "The Enlightenment, What God Told Me After One Million Prayers: A Message for Everyone," by John H. Eagan. I just finished it. It's really great and deals with God, the creator, Jesus' teachings, and His Passion. It brought me to tears. I think the readers of MacArthur's book will really enjoy The Enlightenment.
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Solid, theological teachings....
Rating (4)
Date: 2008-11-04
I would have given this book 5 stars, but gave it 4 instead because its a very intense book to read. At times the verbage is a bit intense, even for me who considers myself to have a very good reading comprehension.
Other than that - I think it is a great book for a Evangelical Christian wanting more 'meat' in their readings.
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the gospel according to Jesus
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-10-17
This book is the most powerful book on what real faith means that I have ever read. A+ on this one.
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I think it's BOTH!
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-07-17
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Grace and Works are often set in opposition to each other. Personally, I think a lot of these divisions are academic, nuanced discussions that the average lay person could care less about. Intuitively, I think we all recognize that God sought us out and His efforts through the life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus the Christ saved/saves us. We also intuitively know/feel that effort cost Jesus his life and He performs an ongoing intecessory ministry on our behalf. I have to agree with Dr. MacArthur, if for no other reason (and there ARE plenty of OTHER reasons), our gratitude and love should compell us to live in obedience and pursue holiness. JESUS IS LORD...OUR LORD. We should act like it.
Those who protest submitting to the Lordship of Jesus tell us much about the quality of their faith and their "citizenship" in God's Kingdom. It is HIS kingdom. He is Lord. He commands. We obey. Period. Get over it.
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Largely incoherent
Rating  (2)
Date: 2008-07-05
5 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
To paraphrase Chafer, the violence done to the understanding of scripture by confusing Israel and the Church is incalculable.
MacArthur starts this book describing how its thesis was derived through a multi-year study of the Book of Matthew. With Matthew in the front of his mind (a book almost exclusively designed to document Jesus as the bona fide Messianc King, and with only a handful of veiled references to the Church), he derived the core of his soteriology. No wonder the result is nonsense.
Given that the topic is essentially a battle over the definition of the word "grace", I was shocked that there was almost no mention of it. He should have at least presented his own outline of the fundamental concepts behind grace. If he had such a disagreement with "free grace", he should also have been able to refute Chafer's definition of it in detail. Instead, though people like Chafer were mentioned in passing, his treatment of grace was largely ignored.
I would have expected that, if MacArthur's view of salvation were legitimate, he would have been able to find numerous examples of saved people throughout the New Testament who followed his scheme. Of course, he couldn't because they aren't there. Other than the incestuous believer in 1st Corinthians, who he discounts as a believer because he can't imagine that a believer could do such a thing, he spends almost no time showing how his theory played out with the characters of the Bible.
He could have mentioned David (but he was an adulterous murderer, and Christians would never do such a thing), or Nicodemus (but he was a "secret believer", and such a thing doesn't fit with his all or nothing approach), or the Ethiopian official of Acts (but, since he makes no comment about a plan for lifelong dedication, this wouldn't really help his argument). I'd have been interested to hear how he explains Paul sending letters to scores of people he still considers Christians though they are gossiping, slandering, engaging in orgies, stealing, etc. Or for that matter, how does he explain people clearly identified as Christians whom God punishes through death due to disobedience. None of this is seriously addressed.
The logical fallacy is this: How can something that happens chronologically years after a decision for salvation (which is grammatically described in Greek with a perfect tense, meaning it is absolutely established forever) affect the decision? His position would be much easier to defend if he believed a person could lose his salvation, but he does not. Instead, he tries to point to a sort of genetic defect that was part of the salvation decision, and which only manifested itself long afterwards. How, as 1st John puts it, is anyone supposed to have any confidence in their salvation?
The only fairly solid part of the book was his chapter on Justification. There were a couple of holes in it, but I wish the adherents to Lordship Salvation would sit down and just meditate on what he wrote on this. The sacrifice has already been made, and the moment of salvation results in position with Christ. How can your ignorant commitment improve on this?
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by F. F Bruce
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Eerdmans Pub. Co (1994)
ISBN: 0802849156
EAN: 9780802849151
Unknown Binding: 425 pages
SKU: 121108005
Condition: Used: Like New
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
This volume actually contains two books, "The Gospel of John," and "The Epistles of John." From the back cover: "Available together for the first time, F.F. Bruce's commentaries on the Gospel of John and the Epistles of John deliver careful verse-by-verse exposition that will enrich all readers' understanding of the original text, its historical context, and its relevance for Christians today. Written by one of the most respected New Testament scholars of the twentieth century, these commentaries provide a solid starting point for all who seek to explore more deeply the New Testament books written by John."
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Customer Reviews
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Superb commentary
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-08-01
8 out of 8 customers found this reveiw helpful
This has been reprinted recently for CBD.com and is a hard cover binding. This review is based on the reprint.
This writing is two separate works bound into one volume. Bruce's purpose as stated in his preface is the general student, not the scholar or specialist. He intends to give a detailed study for serious lay students. This purpose is skillfully accomplished by the author.
The first 425 pages deal with the Johannine gospel and the last 160 pages with his epistles. The indices for each only deal with each individual book within the volume. Bruce's source for his translation is the 1979 Nestle Aland Greek.
The first section on John's gospel begins with a general introduction. Bruce covers this vastly complex topic in relatively short order and discusses some of the controversy or critical study, which can fill volumes. But, he does give a decent brief discussion of the major topics that were present in the early 80s, and discusses the historical evidence regarding authorship. For a more indepth treatment, see Keener's 2-volume commentary. Then Bruce gives an outline of the gospel before proceeding to his verse-by-verse exposition. Each chapter of the book is divided by chapters found in John. He uses a smattering of textual and linguistic information that should be enough to help the pastor or lay student in preparation for teaching. He also deftly utilizes his extensive knowledge of the Old Testament to decipher controversial and often misunderstood passages found in John. An appendix is dedicated to the discussion of John 7:53- 8:11. Here he recognizes the textual difficulties, but concludes that traditional placement of this passage is likely to be correct.
Bruce's second work in this volume takes on a similar structure to the first with each epistle being introduced and then exposited. Bruce takes the traditional view of Johannine authorship, while recognizing the arguments against such a stance. He pays special attention to 1 John 5:7's use of the "three heavenly witnesses" found in the KJ. He discusses the history of exegesis of the verse and correctly states that the theology of the Trinity rests throughout Scripture and does not hang on this one verse.
Overall, Bruce has provided Christian students with a superb pastoral commentary that will prove very useful in the teaching and preaching environment. His use of the Old Testament makes this volume supersede his expectations that this book is not useful to scholars, as he discusses topics missed by the most recent scholarly commentators on John's writings. This is a superb commentary to add to the library of any student of Scripture.
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by R. C. Sproul
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Tyndale House Pub (1993-08)
ISBN: 0842313702
EAN: 9780842313704
Dewy Decimal #: 230
Paperback
SKU: 073108027
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...crease in cover
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Product Description
Classic best-seller repackaged and expanded to include quotations and questions to help readers personalize the presence of God.
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Customer Reviews
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My favorite book
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-12-13
This book helped me understand God and the meaning of holiness. I suppose I had my own definition for the word holy before. My old definition would simply be sacred. Little did I know there was so much beauty in the definition of holiness. It was like stepping through a doorway into a beautiful unexplored land for me.
RC was able to use various bible passages to teach me about God's holiness. He tackled some tough scripture and gave me understanding. Certain parts of the bible which I may have skimmed over are now like beautiful paintings in a museum I had never noticed.
This is my favorite book because I believe I know God better after reading it.
It has always been hard for me to keep a personal copy. I always give them to friends hoping that they will know God better.
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Nice meditation on God's Holiness
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-10-18
Sproul does a nice job of defining the Holiness of God and our response. It comes across as a meditation. He quotes Calvin, Edwards, Luther and others. The doctrine is definitely reformed, which makes sense since Sproul is one of the most outspoken proponents of the doctrines of grace. The early chapters are especially good. I am a bit at a lost on the signficance of the latter chapters. In the early chapters, Sproul works on defining holiness, its relationship with God's other attributes, and our response. I thought his chapters on justifying God's just acts in the Old Testament were a little light and little dismissive. Although I agree when we put God's infinite holiness and his absolute sovereignty over us, the injustice seems inconsequential. I didn't fully understand the significance of the last chapter on "Holy Space and Holy Time."
Sproul has a tendency to grow on me after repeated readings, and this one is definitely worth rereading. There are not many books out there that goes into the attributes of God this deeply and are so easy to read. Maybe I'm reading too much Edwards, so I am a little disappointed at its depth. However, this book is very good for the audience it is trying to reach: the serious layman who wants a deeper understanding of God.
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Sproul's most brilliant work
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-09-19
This book is soooooo good! A few things that don't jive with Catholic theology, but other than that, RC will give you a deeper and more profound respect for God's holiness.
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wonderful
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-08-25
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I received this as a gift and am so grateful for this book. It is not a book to be rapidly read but rather it is to be sipped on and to ponder. It is excellent and i loved it and HIGHLY recommend it.
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The Holy
Rating (4)
Date: 2008-04-05
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
At first I was a little disappointed in the audio-book since it was another speaker other than R.C. Sproul. However, after the first ten minutes I could hear the speaker, as if it were Sproul himself (since, of course, he is the author).
The book is EXCELLENT! It has a way of bringing you to a place of "awe" concerning God's holiness. It helped me to understand holiness and to desire God to bring forth holiness into my own life.
R.C. Sproul is one of my favorite Theology teachers, and this audio-book shows how God has gifted him to teach the truths of God's word clearly and effectively. ENJOY :)
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by Mike Erre
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (2006-10-10)
ISBN: 084990059X
EAN: 9780849900594
Dewy Decimal #: 248.4
Paperback: 224 pages
Edition: annotated edition
SKU: 081308031
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...light shelf wear on cover
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Like the first-century Pharisees, we've reduced Christianity to a set of propositional beliefs. Truth is, we've gotten away from what it really means to be a Christian. In The Jesus of Suburbia, Mike Erre reveals that we've created a Jesus in our own image. In a fresh, startling manner, Erre helps us understand that the real Jesus is calling us to live, act, and think in ways that overturn the status quo. "Expect no sugar-coated sweetness about 'felt needs' and in-church coffee bars from Erre, pastor of teaching at Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, Calif. Expect instead compelling discussion of how the Christian church has lost sight of the revolutionary teaching and love of Jesus. 'Much of the message of American Christianity presents Jesus as the purveyor of the American Dream,' he says. American Christians, he claims, have reduced Jesus to a study of risk management; we want him to be 'predictable and safe.' Erre also uses the adjectives 'insecure, threatened, naive, simplistic, mean and shortsighted' to describe many of today's churches. He lambastes our love of theology instead of Jesus, our contentment with 'simply knowing about him instead of knowing him.' While this protest continues in the vein of other recent books that take a hard look at Jesus and the church (Jesus Mean and Wild; Out of Your Comfort Zone), it offers a fresh look at how the American church must begin 'demonstrating the message of Christ,' not merely explaining it. After all, says Erre, 'if you follow Jesus, you follow the most radical man who ever existed.'"--Publishers Weekly
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Customer Reviews
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Jesus of Suburbia
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-10-24
"The Jesus of Suburbia" by Michael Erre is one of the better books I have read over the years. It challenges me in my living out my Christian life. There are so many things that we can easily get wrong about our Christian walk.
I found that reading "...Suburbia" a chapter at a time worked best for me. Reading it is not like reading a page-turning novel. Reading short passages in one sitting allowed me to reflect on what the author said. The chapters are not overly lengthy, and they are divided into sections that make tracking one's progress easy. Erre offers much scripture and extensive sources in his notes not only as documentation but also to allow the reader to pursue the subjects further.
I will be reading the book again shortly. I will be meeting with several friends for a book study in which we will consider ways that we need to rethink and change the ways we live.
Ken Rhoades
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incredible, practical, passionate and biblical read!
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-08-24
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
If you want a fresh look at Jesus, here's a great door! Readable, and great for a group study or personal reflection. CS Lewis comes to mind in a number of places. Great wisdom.
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very good read!!!!!!
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-06-04
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book is never over your head yet doesn't lack substance in any way. This is something i would give to any Christian tired of a Jesus that only exists in stained glass and books.
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A fantastic read that challenged my faith
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-04-23
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
Mike Erre challenges the "average Christian" to really take a look at JESUS and how He lived his life - against the grain, counter-cultural, and subversive - and then asks if we too will live in this same way. I certainly felt challenged and convicted. I liked the book's focus not on methods or checklists, but truly on Christ our Savior, and modeling the way we live after Him.
You can tell Mike knows his stuff - his writing demonstrates that; yet it is relevant and accesible to any reader. I highly recommend this book.
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Challenging book
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-05-10
5 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
The Jesus of Suburbia challenges the America church to become what Jesus intended: a fellowship of Christ-followers which redeems and transforms the culture around it, reaching out to others with the incredible love of God. Read this book to rediscover biblical Christianity.
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by Ken Ham
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Master Books (1987-07)
ISBN: 0890511586
EAN: 9780890511589
Dewy Decimal #: 220
Paperback: 168 pages
SKU: 042508058
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...some slight shelf wear....
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Product Description
An eye-opening look at the harmful effects of evolutionary thought on modern culture and religion. Author Ken Ham uses his years of teaching and ministry experience to expose false teaching that is destroying children and families.
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Customer Reviews
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Questioning fact?
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-10-02
2 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
I was under the impression that evolution was a fact that couldn't be questioned. Boy, was I wrong. I have come to the conclusion now that it takes more faith to accept evolution than it does to accept creation! I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wishes to see that another realistic opinion actually exists.
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An astute obserbation into the cause of our social and spiritual ills
Rating (4)
Date: 2008-04-03
3 out of 6 customers found this reveiw helpful
While the scientific substance for the theory of evolution is lacking in all necessary areas, and while the physical evidence for the historical accuracy of the Genesis narrative continues to amount, many Christians still refuse to accept a literal interpretation of the First Book of Moses, particularly concerning the first few chapters. It seems likely that one reason for this is a lack of realisation on how significant an affect our understanding of human origins makes upon our general worldview. Thus, Ken Ham has attempted to challenge this philosophical apathy in `The Lie: Evolution'. Using the decadence of the modern world, he proposes that the bases for the ethical anarchy we observe is primarily due to a lack of correct foundations, rather than blatant pure wickedness. As the great majority are under the illusion that we are nothing more than mutated chemicals, these individuals perceive no reason to behave in a moral fashion; or rather, see no prevention to challenging moral absolutes regarding such topics as homosexuality, euthanasia and abortion. Furthermore, without Genesis as the foundation to our understanding of human history, the vitality of Christ and Redemption is rendered null; without a conception of sin, no-one will seek a Redeemer. Exposing the religiosity of Darwinian descent, Ham advocates the importance of realising that we are start from a particular worldview; something that affects the rest of our thinking.
Like most Creationist literature, it is composed within the evangelical Protestant tradition. The social evils of common-ancestory evolution are clearly described, as is the resulting collapse of Christian civilisation; insightful and practical observations. The one critique I would offer is that Ken Ham overwhelms the theory of evolution as the singular cause of the world's spiritual deprivation, rather than viewing it as an anti-Christian leap, in a tradition commencing at the `Enlightenment'.
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Weak attempt at defending creationism
Rating (1)
Date: 2008-01-10
11 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
I'm a Christian and I still thought he did a horrible job defending creationism. The book had very few scientific statements and came off more emotional than logical. In my opinion, it seemed like his whole argument kept coming back to a "...because God said so..." type response. He discredits ALL science that cannot reproduced in a lab. This guy would get shredded in a debate.
He goes on to say that Evolution is a religion and is the reason for the decay in society. I'm sorry, but the "decay" began way before Darwin was even born. To me, he comes off as an angry man shouting from his soap box casting judgement on non-believers. He's misdirecting the cause for sinful behavior on Evolution. I'm not saying Evolution is right, but this not the right book if you're looking for answers.
I applaud his passion, but I believe he lacks focus as well as legitimate arguments disproving Evolution. I feel this book is irresponsible and should not be added to anyone's library. If I was not already a Christian, this book would push me in the opposite direction. This book was a reach at best.
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worth the money
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-11-23
5 out of 12 customers found this reveiw helpful
Well written and easy to read book by Ken Ham. I highly recommend for people of any worldview. Excellent for ages highschool, college, and beyond. Remember, don't just search for something to believe in, search for the truth.
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A Study in Fallacious Reasoning
Rating (1)
Date: 2007-08-17
38 out of 47 customers found this reveiw helpful
Let me make one thing clear, to begin: I am a Christian, I believe in the divinity of Christ, the reality of the Gospel, and the authority of scripture--and also that God created the universe.
For that reason, I gave Ham's book as objective a treatment as I could, coming to it with an open mind, and a willingness to find not the problems in his argument but to discover what he could teach me as a thinking believer. In other words, I intentionally read the book with an "I'm going to assume he's right unless he proves himself wrong" sort of mentality.
What I found in Ham's book was not a logical argument but rather something I'm seriously considering using in writing classes I teach at a Christian university as an example of fallacious logic--of what NOT to do when trying to make an argument from a Christian perspective.
A number of his fallacies are pointed out in other reviews, here are several that seemed significant to me:
1. He seems to willfully mis-characterize both the Bible and science. Primarily, he attributes to a present-day consensus about evolutionary theory a number of ideas that present-day scientists rejected as false long ago, and that have been roundly critiqued as destructive lies by the very liberal academic community (both in the humanities and sciences) he descries, such as social Darwinism. Present-day scientists do not accept Darwin's theories wholesale, and haven't for a very long time. By thus mischaracterizing the nature and ideas of his opposition, he creates a clear "straw man" argument, setting up not the real arguments used by present-day scientists, but rather the ideas that he can knock down most easily.
The largest fallacy of all in this vein is the assumption that science itself purports of "prove" anything at all. I have a number of friends who are scientists, some at Christian universities. Each of them would immediately correct a student who says he/she says that an experiment has "proven" a theory as "true," when, in fact, what they have done is observed a phenomenon that has acted in a manner consistent with a hypothesis: nothing more, nothing less. This isn't the same thing as religious belief.
2. Ham argues that evolutionary theory is essentially the "root of all evil" in modern society, responsible for things like homosexuality, abortion, and the rest of the usual litany of social ills. He fails to address, however, the fact that all these things existed in significant ways well before Darwin published his theories, and existed even in a medieval and renaissance western Europe that was an entirely Christian society in which the idea of young-earth creation was accepted as a matter of course. Perhaps there is a counterargument to this--but the point is that Ham doesn't make it.
3. Ham also fails to answer the potential counterargument of why science actually seems to work under many other circumstances. He argues, essentially, that all science is theory, that all theory is "tainted" by belief and bias, and that if science is theory, then it must uncertain; and if it's uncertain, it can't really explain anything. The problem is, it does explain a lot of things: if you take medication for a physical condition and it works, you're acting on the kind of science Ham descries: the medication was generated using empirical research, which noticed how certain chemicals acted on the body, and explained that interaction sufficiently well to create a medication that, say, demonstrably dries up your sinuses when you're sniffly. If science is nothing but spurious belief, why does science clearly explain many things? And if Ham's critique of science is true, why does he not also critique, say, the law of gravity as just as big a religious myth as evolution?
In a way, he's actually right: if you read up on the philosophy of science, you'll find that even scientists don't believe they can prove that the law of gravity is an eternal constant, that it will keep operating as it has forever. Why? Because science deals with observable phenomena, and the future isn't there to be observed. All science can prove is that the law of gravity has acted in a consistent manner in the past. However, if we take Ham's argument to heart, then we should be nailing down or furniture, because if science can't prove that it will continue to act as it does, then the idea that gravity will continue to act as it has is nothing but a spurious religious belief. In other words, if Ham's argument is true, then ALL science is nothing but empty religious belief, including all the scientific concepts that you take for granted on a daily basis--the concepts that theorize why airplanes fly, how light and electricity are transmitted, how the mechanism of your watch works.
4. The biggest problem, for me, was that a huge part of his argument really seemed to be missing: Ham argues, as I've mentioned, that because our knowledge of science isn't absolute, it can't explain anything with complete surety. If that's the case, Ham says, then science really doesn't teach us anything. However, he argues, we can know about the Bible because if we start with the idea that God is supreme and all-knowing, then his word, i.e. the Bible, must be true. But here's the question he doesn't answer: HOW DO WE KNOW THAT OUR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE IS COMPLETE? We are, as Ham acknowledges, a fallen species, our understanding both the world and God is tainted by our own sinfulness. If that's the case, can we really afford to think that our understanding of scripture isn't equally tainted by our fallenness? I'm not saying, here, that God isn't all-knowing and the scripture doesn't contain the Truth with a capital-T; I'm saying that if we are a fallen people, we can't trust our own understanding of anything, that includes science, but it also includes God and the scriptures. The reason this is a problem is that it shows that Ham actually commits the very sin he thinks is at the root of all contemporary social evil: he assumes that his understanding of the Bible and of God are absolute, assumes that, when we read the Bible, a perfect knowledge of God is beamed into our hearts, untainted by our own fallen, human understanding. This is important because what he does, here, is to literally LEAN ON HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING. That, my friends, is a stance that Ham himself has a word for: Humanism. For that reason, I would submit that Ham is the ultimate hypocrite, because he proves himself, ultimately, to be the very kind of humanist he so abhors.
To those who are inclined not to believe me in any of this, my response is "GREAT! Don't believe me! Do some reading from the real sources and judge for yourself!" Read recent work that's coming out from actual scientists in the fields of geology or biology: what are the questions they're really asking these days? How are they going about looking for answers? What do they say their research is really telling them? What do real, pious scholars of the scriptures have to say about Genesis? What has been said and thought about Genesis in the Christian tradition?
If you'd like a really accessible overview of all this, allow me to recommend a different book, which I'm sure is available here on Amazon: Roger Olson's _The Mosaic of Christian Belief_. Olson is a respected scholar of Christian theology at Baylor University--and is very orthodox in his belief. I'm not going to review the book here, but only issue this challenge: after you've read both books, ask yourself which seems the more logical? Which writer seems to be working from accurate historical knowledge? Which writer seems to write from a position of real humility and generosity toward his fellow believers, including the ones with whom he disagrees? Which seems the more informed? Which seems to be writing more out of a sense of Christ's commandments to love God and neighbor than our of a sense of simply accusing the "other guy" of being the source of all the world's evil? Which one seems to be building up rather than tearing down? Which writer evinces more real hope and joy? Which demonstrates the fruits of the spirit and the spirit of the beatitudes more clearly? What are the potential fruits of Ham's view of the scriptures and the world as opposed to Olsen's?
Blessings to all.The Mosaic of Christian Beliefs: Twenty Centuries of Unity & Diversity
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