Why God Won’t Go Away was a good book, and took me some time to get through because of how much of a thinker it was. As a Christian, and someone that shares my faith with others I have had some encounters with atheists where they just ridiculed and name-called and the tone that all of their discussions came through was in anger… at me for believing in God… In religion in general.
In this book Alister McGrath writes about what he calls the New Atheism. You have probably heard of some of their “big guns”: Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and the like. I have tried to read some of the writings of these authors, and each time I picked up a book they were so filled with sweeping judgements about all religions as a whole, and using the negative things done in the name of religion to say that ALL religion is evil that I had to shake my head at their lack of understanding.
Why God Won’t Go Away is divided into three parts. Part one is about defining what he means by the New Atheism, and how it is contrasted from moderate atheism. Part two addresses three core themes of the New Atheist proponents. McGrath addresses the claim that ALL religion leads to violence. He addresses issues in reasoning and I think quite soundly shows the limits of science and what science can prove. Part three examines the New Atheist movement in where it is today, and then shows some of the ways that it is falling off in momentum.
McGrath closes off the book with a story about a young man that approached him after a speaking engagement seeking an autograph. The young man shared about how he had been lead to Christ because of reading a Dawkins book. He felt that the book was so unfair and one-sided that he was compelled to find out the other side of the issue. In looking at the other side, he had now become a Christian.
Why God Won’t Go Away is an excellent book. You will come away seeing some of the weaknesses in the claims and omissions of the New Atheists. I was provided a complimentary copy of the book for review by Book Sneeze. Click the link on my right side bar for more information.
A Little Bit About Me...
- Jason
- I have many hats that I wear. I am a husband and father. I am pastor/teacher at my church. I am part of a team working on a large project at work. I am a friend. I am a budding visionary. I am a writer, an actor, and a director. I am an artist. I am a student of the Bible. I have a brain that comes up with some pretty crazy and interesting ideas, and I have a personality to match. I try to treat all people how I would like to be treated. I strive to be steadfast, immovable in my faith. I seek after the TRUTH, and I believe that it can be found, not just 'from my perspective', but for all people.
4 comments:
You know Jay, I would have respected your thoughts and opinions here a little more except for your glaring confession to having not read any of the books by the so-called atheists.
I have read Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris, and I must say that I was enriched for the experience. In particular, I like Dawkins. McGrath??? not so much.
Believers and non-believers I think may be able to have dialogue, and find themselves in each other if we can begin to discover our mutual doubts. Believers are struck with doubt about the existence of God, and non-believers alike are struck with doubt about their unbelief. The constant question "what if?" haunts us all.
For all of us, their is no escape our simply being human. Rather than this constant we/they, us/them, mentality, we could recognize that we are all in this together...
I wasn't reviewing their books, just McGrath's. And it's not like I have not read anything by any of those other authors. I have read articles, and watched debates and it is a lot of the same-old same-old. Bash all faiths as equal. Ridicule all non-atheists. Bash. Ridicule. These atheist guys just spew hatred. There are some thoughts that do stick out in my mind from what was said, but really I don't have the time to read everything. I already seem to be thinking too much as it is. I just don't share all of my thoughts. :)
"I wasn't reviewing their books... And it's not like I have not read anything by any of those other authors. I have read articles, and watched debates and it is a lot of the same-old same-old. Bash all faiths as equal. Ridicule all non-atheists. Bash. Ridicule. These atheist guys just spew hatred."
I find it interesting that "they," the bashing ridiculing hatemongers accuse us of the very same things...
You may not have reviewed their books, but you are certainly reviewing their character...
I think it is reasonable to comment on what I have observed, but as you do with your comments, you attack generalities. So in the debates I have watched with Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins they have used belittling and name-calling rather than argument to attack their opponent. Sometimes their opponents do the same. I will admit that in the debates I have watched there have been things that they have said that have made me think. In those debates they have tried to smear all faiths equally rather than addressing merits or lack from specific faiths. In the debates I have watched either of the above atheists appears angry about even being involved in the debate. Maybe it is a tactic. Who knows? All I know is that neither of their arguments seem complete. Maybe it comes from years of repeating themselves.
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