Why I Am an Atheist Who Believes in God

Why I Am an Atheist Who Believes in God
Author: Frank Schaeffer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2014-09-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9781928653455

Caught between the beauty of his grandchildren and grief over a friend's death, Frank Schaeffer finds himself simultaneously believing and not believing in God--an atheist who prays. Schaeffer wrestles with faith and disbelief, sharing his innermost thoughts. He writes as an imperfect son, husband and grandfather whose love for his family, art and life trumps the ugly theologies of an angry God and the atheist vision of a cold, meaningless universe.

Religion for Atheists

Religion for Atheists
Author: Alain De Botton
Publisher: Signal
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2012-03-06
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0771025998

From the author of The Architecture of Happiness, a deeply moving meditation on how we can still benefit, without believing, from the wisdom, the beauty, and the consolatory power that religion has to offer. Alain de Botton was brought up in a committedly atheistic household, and though he was powerfully swayed by his parents' views, he underwent, in his mid-twenties, a crisis of faithlessness. His feelings of doubt about atheism had their origins in listening to Bach's cantatas, were further developed in the presence of certain Bellini Madonnas, and became overwhelming with an introduction to Zen architecture. However, it was not until his father's death -- buried under a Hebrew headstone in a Jewish cemetery because he had intriguingly omitted to make more secular arrangements -- that Alain began to face the full degree of his ambivalence regarding the views of religion that he had dutifully accepted. Why are we presented with the curious choice between either committing to peculiar concepts about immaterial deities or letting go entirely of a host of consoling, subtle and effective rituals and practices for which there is no equivalent in secular society? Why do we bristle at the mention of the word "morality"? Flee from the idea that art should be uplifting, or have an ethical purpose? Why don't we build temples? What mechanisms do we have for expressing gratitude? The challenge that de Botton addresses in his book: how to separate ideas and practices from the religious institutions that have laid claim to them. In Religion for Atheists is an argument to free our soul-related needs from the particular influence of religions, even if it is, paradoxically, the study of religion that will allow us to rediscover and rearticulate those needs.

Give Me an Answer

Give Me an Answer
Author: Cliffe Knechtle
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 172
Release: 1986-03-31
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780877845690

Cliffe Knechtle offers clear, reasoned and compassionate responses to the tough questions skeptics ask.

A Manual for Creating Atheists

A Manual for Creating Atheists
Author: Peter Boghossian
Publisher: Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA)
Total Pages: 267
Release: 2014-07-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1939578159

For thousands of years, the faithful have honed proselytizing strategies and talked people into believing the truth of one holy book or another. Indeed, the faithful often view converting others as an obligation of their faith—and are trained from an early age to spread their unique brand of religion. The result is a world broken in large part by unquestioned faith. As an urgently needed counter to this tried-and-true tradition of religious evangelism, A Manual for Creating Atheists offers the first-ever guide not for talking people into faith—but for talking them out of it. Peter Boghossian draws on the tools he has developed and used for more than 20 years as a philosopher and educator to teach how to engage the faithful in conversations that will help them value reason and rationality, cast doubt on their religious beliefs, mistrust their faith, abandon superstition and irrationality, and ultimately embrace reason.

Unbelievable?

Unbelievable?
Author: Justin Brierley
Publisher: SPCK
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2017-06-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0281077991

Conversations matter. Yet, recently, good conversations about faith have been increasingly squeezed out of the public sphere. Seeking to reopen the debate, Justin Brierley began to invite atheists and sceptics on to Premier Christian Radio to air arguments for and against the Christian faith. But how has ten years of discussion with atheists affected the presenter’s faith? Reflecting on conversations with Richard Dawkins, Derren Brown and many more, Justin explains why he still finds Christianity the most compelling explanation for life, the universe and everything. And why, regardless of belief or background, we should all welcome the conversation. ‘Beautifully written, brilliantly argued, Justin’s book will thrill Christians and challenge atheists.’ R. T. Kendall, author and pastor ‘Justin has that happy knack of being able to get people of diametrically opposed opinions debating the big issues.’ John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford

So You're an Atheist. Now What?

So You're an Atheist. Now What?
Author: Yuriy Nikshych
Publisher: Algora Publishing
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2015-04-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1628941103

What will everyone think once they find out that you're an atheist? How will you find happiness now that you no longer believe? This handbook for the newly-deconverted offers support and helps readers learn to find meaning, shed the emotional baggage, defend your position in debates, and become awesome! This book is not aimed at people who are questioning their faith; it doesn’t aim to deconvert anyone. Rather, this book is designed for atheists, especially those who have recently woken up to find their faith is gone. You may still be getting used to your new worldview - and you may still have an irrational lingering fear of hell even though you're no longer a believer. The author explores the questions that may be swirling in your mind - Where do atheists get their morals from? How do you "let go" of the emotional scars of religion? How do you talk to believers - how can you address the most common arguments that believers might raise? Most important, how do you find meaning in life? This book draws on the work of an army of freethinkers who came before. It’s a cheerful review of the atheist's problems and how to get on with life - with more freedom and vigor than ever.

The Church and New Media

The Church and New Media
Author: Brandon Vogt
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2011-07-29
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1612785468

Engaging the digital Revolution We're experiencing the biggest communication shift since the printing press. Millions have adopted Facebook, YouTube, blogs, and Twitter. What does this mean for the Church? How can Christians harness these new tools to reach out, teach, cultivate community, and change the world? Following Pope Benedict's call to evangelize the "digital continent," The Church and New Media explores the power and risks of New Media while guiding Christians through this new environment. Foreword by Cardinal Sean O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap. Afterword by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan Expert contributors include: Father Robert Barron Lisa Hendey Jennifer Fulwiler Father Dwight Longenecker Thomas Peters Mark Shea Matt Warner "The Church and New Media is the best kind of reading: timely, vivid, and rich in valuable information. For anyone seeking to understand and use today's new techologies in advancing the Catholic Faith, this book is an unsurpassed resource." -- Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archdiocese of Denver

Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too)

Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too)
Author: Brandon Vogt
Publisher: Ave Maria Press
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2017-10-06
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1594717680

Winner of a 2018 Catholic Press Association Award: Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith. (First Place). With atheism on the rise and millions tossing off religion, why would anyone consider the Catholic Church? Brandon Vogt, a bestselling author and the content director for Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, shares his passionate search for truth, a journey that culminated in the realization that Catholicism was right about a lot of things, maybe even everything. His persuasive case for the faith reveals a vision of Catholicism that has answers our world desperately needs and reminds those already in the Church what they love about it. A 2016 study by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 25 percent of adults (39 percent of young adults) describe themselves as unaffiliated with any religion. Millions of these so-called “nones” have fled organized religion and many more have rejected God altogether. Brandon Vogt was one of those nones. When he converted to Catholicism in college, he knew how confusing that decision was to many of his friends and family. But he also knew that the evidence he discovered pointed to one conclusion: Catholicism is true. To his delight, he discovered it was also exceedingly good and beautiful. Why I Am Catholic traces Vogt’s spiritual journey, making a refreshing, twenty-first century case for the faith and answering questions being asked by agnostics, nones, and atheists, the audience for his popular website, StrangeNotions.com, where Catholics and atheists dialogue. With references to Catholic thinkers such as G. K. Chesterton, Ven. Fulton Sheen, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and Bishop Robert Barron, Vogt draws together lines of evidence to help seekers discover why they should be Catholic as an alternative. Why I Am Catholic serves as a compelling reproposal of the Church for former Catholics, a persuasive argument for truth and beauty to those who have become jaded and disenchanted with religion, and at the same time offers practicing Catholics a much-needed dose of confidence and clarity to affirm their faith against an increasingly skeptical culture.

What to Say and How to Say It

What to Say and How to Say It
Author: Brandon Vogt
Publisher: Ave Maria Press
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2020-05-29
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1594719608

Winner of a third-place award for popular presentation of the faith by the Catholic Media Association. Have you ever been put on the spot and asked to explain or defend Catholic teaching on sensitive topics such as abortion, same-sex marriage, or the Eucharist? In this straightforward and practical resource, Brandon Vogt, bestselling and award-winning author of Why I Am Catholic(and You Should Be Too) offers essential tools for articulating even the most contentious aspects of your Catholic faith with clarity and confidence. What to Say and How to Say It is based on the content of Brandon Vogt’s ClaritasU—an online community which helps Catholics to understand the Church’s teachings on critical topics, to anticipate the common objections to those issues, and to know how to respond in a calm, clear, and persuasive way. Vogt gives readers the tools to calmly and intelligently discuss these topics, which dip into the Church’s moral, theological, and philosophical teachings. What to Say and How to Say It provides straightforward, memorable talking points for explaining Catholic teaching in the areas of atheism same-sex marriage transgenderism abortion the Eucharist the problem of suffering the veracity of the gospels Each chapter offers you an overview of the topic and a clear explanation of what the Church teaches. Then you’ll learn about the most common contemporary arguments against the Church’s teachings followed by step-by-step instructions for responding intelligently and confidently.

Coming Out Atheist

Coming Out Atheist
Author: Greta Christina
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2014
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781939578198

"[The author] offers concrete strategies and guiding philosophies for coming out as an atheist. Based on hundreds of coming-out stories, the book offers a map of the territory atheists are likely to encounter and ideas on how to pick the path that's best for you."--Back cover.