Reviews for The Case for Faith-Student Edition: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity

The average rating for The Case for Faith-Student Edition: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity based on 2 reviews is 2 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-07-19 00:00:00 Alex Lue This book is.... unctuous. Maybe sneaky is a better word. I was expecting to find a good but not too wordy response to the "toughest objections to Christianity" in this short paperback. Instead we see answers that a middle schooler would have trouble arguing against and subtleties they probably aren't savvy enough to realize. To me I think the book has an agenda and is wildly and insidiously biased. Roughly 45 seconds into this book I had to put it down and stop myself from throwing it across the room. The author, Lee Strobel, thought it would be a strong opening to discuss the bravery of pilot Todd Beamer on flight 93. First off, it's strange to me to invoke the power of Christ and the war on terror at the same time; I can't help but be a cynic and think he's trying to sneak his worldview into the minds of the reader. I gotta say though, about 20 seconds later I wasn't so cynical because it struck me that the author is perhaps legitimately retarded. After a few paragraphs Lee adds a blurb subtitled "Faith on Flight 93." It reads in its entirety: "'If he gave up his life to save others, that would be Todd" Lisa said later. What gives a man that kind of courage? "Todd was a committed Christian, secure in his faith and his eternity," his wife wrote in a letter after the crash. Apparently that faith held strong to the very end. According to the Airfone operator, Todd's final words were, "God help me. Jesus help me. Are you ready? Let's roll!"' So we're about one minute into the book about how super religion is and he's laid out an anecdote that shows how a person can face death without fear as long as they have their faith guiding them in the righteousness of their decision. Maybe that'd be a good point to make if it weren't for the fact that Todd was in this horrible situation in the first place because a few men had their faith guiding them in the righteousness of their decision to hijack an airplane. Check the same passage out with a few changes: "Ali was a committed Muslim, secure in his faith and his eternity," his wife wrote in a letter after the crash. Apparently that faith held strong to the very end. According to the Airfone operator, Ali's final words were, "Allah help me. Allah help me. Are you ready? Let's roll!"' Erie. It reminds me of a satirical article in which people in the Middle East turned to religion for solace in the face of violence. One fictitious victim comments through tears "I cringe to think where the people of the Middle East would be right now if it weren't for our steadfast belief in one true, merciful, and loving Supreme Being." Thankfully the book didn't carry on in such a manner after the September 11th introduction. As this book takes on the toughest objections to religion, the first chapter takes the 9/11 anecdote to move into the objection that if there is a God why is there suffering. One example I really like was that if you were trying to save a bear from a trap you may have to push his leg farther in to help; read: the sticky situations we get ourselves into sometimes need to get a little more painful before we get out. Ok... I dig that analogy and the book is filled with other good ones. And if I were in 9th grade maybe an analogy would get me somewhere but I don't find it that compelling. I have hard time seeing how this "Yale educated" and successful journalist can be satisfied with these cute analogies either. The author also quotes CS Lewis (whom you already may know I don't like): "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is his megaphone to rouse the world." To me, the unbeliever, all this says is that God is a manifestation of human desperation. Like the maybe-religion-is-the-problem allusion I made earlier, either the author doesn't want to address these obvious objections, or perhaps his head is too far in the clouds to consider these interpretations. Instead of a serious analysis, chapter 1 soon ends on a sappy note. An interviewee says how God will come to you, he will be the answer, he will be exactly what you need. Deep. Chapter 3 takes on evolution. I'll admit Lee does a nice job of collecting some topical quotes that makes evolution sound silly, and for the sake of argument I will concede that maybe there is an intelligent designer. Even if I give that concession, trying to make young, curious students overly skeptical of evolution is not only intellectually irresponsible and base, I'd say that it's morally irresponsible. The advancement of biomedical technology is dependent upon biology whose foundation is evolution. Even if intelligent design doesn't stall or atrophy our medical capabilities, it is the anti-learning, it says "This is something we don't understand, it's so complex that God must have made it, look to it only to marvel at our super duper God!" Assuming God did design the earth and life, why can't people make some theories based on investigation and empiricism, especially since it provides us with health and longevity?! I think God is a touch sensitive for an all powerful celestial being. Chapter 4 I have a bone to pick that's subtle. The book keeps nudging at the idea that monotheism is best, polytheism is a bit privative, and atheism is bad. An example of a subtle nudge is a chart on which we have Monotheism on the left (Islam, Judaism, Christianity), polytheism in the middle (Hinduism), and "There is no God" column on the right (Buddhism and Atheism). So... the presentation of the data is already biased. Christianity here on the left and whoa! way over here we have Buddhism... ut oh! In response to this thought that mono is best, NEWS FLASH: Trinity means a "trio" of God. If you consider all the pray making to the Virgin Mary and to patron saints in the Catholic church you're looking at polytheism. Even if you take away Mary and the Saints you are left with the trinity. I know theologically minded Christians can go on for volumes on the division of God and it still being one God, but a) why split it up then, and b) how can anyone possibly know about this subtle spiritual division? Indeed, the multiple and wide schisms this debate has caused in the church indicates people don't really know, they're just strongly opinionated. Here's another point in this chapter that made me mad because they stop nudging and unabashedly hit you over the head with the point that Christianity is best. Buddhism is attractive because, "you can be good without having God." Islam is attractive because of "the politics of the places where it prospers." Is he saying it's imposed? I don't know... probably. Hinduism prospers because it teaches "treating the earth with reverence." Hippies!! "Why not Christ? Because he calls you to die to yourself. Whenever truth involves a total commitment, people resist. Christ demands more than people are willing to give." What a surprise you'd say that Christianity is the best and best for you, clearly that's why it's not popular... people are lazy! How about the fact Christianity doesn't call for dietary restrictions, no alcohol restrictions, the protestant ethic encourages building wealth, and you only need to put in an hour a week. And also, how about the fact that people don't shop for religions and that the analysis is absurd from the start? As you can see... I was disappointed by this book. It's turned me into a ranting atheist! I suppose the point is I do not recommend this book. I must leave you with one last thought: "Even though I might not have a completely good explanation at this point for why there's a hell, I know there's got to be an explanation because I have too much evidence that Jesus Christ really is the Son of God and he taught about those things." 1) What evidence? 2) How con-ven-i-ent!!

Review # 2 was written on 2018-07-08 00:00:00 Mark Marignac De Cote For what it is, it's decent. I really dislike the opening where they use the 9/11 tragedy as an attention-getter, and I'm not fond of the lack of depth in the chapters. The latter I can acknowledge as the author's attempt to reach out to a target audience, but the fact that a 'student edition' exists at all speaks to me of a publisher's desire for more money- also given away by the fact that the last eighth or so of the book is nothing but ads for other, similar books. This book I think is best served as something to invite further research into the topics and questions it raises. For that matter, I wish it organized its sources better in a log in the back by topic instead of listing them in-chapter.