50 Simple Questions for Every Christian
Guy P. Harrison (Prometheus Books: March 19, 2013), 350 pages.Written in a respectful and conversational style, this unique book is designed to promote constructive dialogue and foster mutual understanding between Christians and non-Christians. The author, a skeptic and journalist, asks basic questions about Christian belief. What is the born-again experience? Why would God want to sacrifice his only son for the world? Do miracles really happen? How reliable is the Bible? What is the rapture? Why isn’t everyone a Christian? Each question is followed by commentary and analysis that is skeptical and tough but never argumentative or condescending. Christians will find the book useful as a basis for developing their apologetics, while skeptics will welcome Harrison’s probing rational analysis of religious claims. ~ Publisher’s Description
Table of Contents
- Introduction……………….. 9
- 1. Does Christianity make sense?……………….. 13
- 2. What is a god?……………….. 21
- 3. Is it rude to ask?……………….. 25
- 4. Does Jesus answer prayers?……………….. 33
- 5. Who is a Christian?……………….. 41
- 6. Does Christianity make societies better?……………….. 45
- 7. What is atheism?……………….. 49
- 8. What are miracles?……………….. 57
- 9. Does the complexity of life reveal an intelligent designer?……….. 67
- 10. Have you read the Bible?……………….. 73
- 11. Why do some Christians do bad things in the sight of Jesus?………. 79
- 12. How can we be sure about the resurrection?……………….. 83
- 13. How do we know that heaven is real?……………….. 89
- 14. Why is God so violent?……………….. 97
- 15. What do prophecies prove?……………….. 103
- 16. How important are the Ten Commandments?……………….. 109
- 17. Do you know the real Ten Commandments?……………….. 117
- 18. Is Christianity good for women?……………….. 121
- 19. Is it smarter to believe or not believe?……………….. 125
- 20. Is the born-again experience in Christianity unique?…………….. 131
- 21. Is faith a good thing?……………….. 141
- 22. Should children be Christians?……………….. 147
- 23. Does Jesus heal the sick?……………….. 153
- 24. How do we know that the man Jesus existed?……………….. 159
- 25. What about all the other gods?……………….. 165
- 26. Are Christians happier?……………….. 171
- 27. Is the United States of America a Christian nation?……………… 177
- 28. How can we be sure that Jesus performed miracles?……………….. 183
- 29. What do evil atheist dictators prove?……………….. 187
- 30. Is the universe fine-tuned for us?……………….. 197
- 31. Could we design a better world?……………….. 203
- 32. What has archaeology proved?……………….. 209
- 33. Why isn’t everyone a Christian?……………….. 213
- 34. What is the problem with evolution?……………….. 219
- 35. Is it better to be safe than sorry?……………….. 227
- 36. Why did God sacrifice his son?……………….. 231
- 37. Did God drown the world?……………….. 237
- 38. Why do birth location and family matter so much?……………….. 245
- 39. Why do Christianity and science so often come into conflict?……… 249
- 40. Why do people go to hell?……………….. 255
- 41. Can atheists be trusted?……………….. 261
- 42. Why hasn’t the Bible convinced more people?……………….. 269
- 43. Are angels real?……………….. 275
- 43. Are angels real?………………..