The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Donald J. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Reading - Why I Am a Christian: Leading Thinkers Explain Why They Believe by Norman Geisler
Why is this book significant? And what does it have to do with me? I asked myself these questions as I enter into any book that has a point to explain something to me. And it was no different with this book. Why I Am a Christian takes the most commonly asked questions from both Christians and atheists and answers them with logic, historic fact, and sometimes even wit. Although the Bible is important to the Christian faith, having these other things can help with one’s defences against those who question Christianity and even one’s own questions.
While reading I would take a moment to read a sentence or a paragraph over again if I wasn’t really sure what they meant or if I thought they were going onto a subject I disagreed with. However, my disagreement would be snuffed out every single time when I realized they were only using it as an analogy or comparison. Although it sometimes made me wait for the punch line, many of its ideas hit home for me. I myself have had these questions enter my plain of thought; either because somebody asked me or I thought of them myself. But this book shed a lot of light for simple questions that can be hard to answer sometimes.
It was a worthwhile read for me with no doubt in my mind. And because of this I have already recommended this book to two of my friends who are studying apologetics. I told them just how practical this book is in using logic rather than faith. Now do not get me wrong, faith is a very important aspect of being a Christian. The problem is that many people believe it is all Christians have, which is not true. And this book takes that point home in so many ways. Although I like this book as a whole, one part really made me happy to have read. On pages two hundred-twenty-six and two hundred-twenty-seven it speaks of Christ’s incarnation and how it can be believed logically. I actually laughed when I read it, I thought of how many people give the argument that came up on the page. It goes like this, "Non-Christians often call Christians arrogant and closed minded for believing their dogmas, especially this one,(referring to Christ’s incarnation) but Christians are in reality humble and open-minded enough to receive the surprise. It is, in fact, the non-Christian who is closed-minded and arrogant if he assumes that there is no God or that God would never or could never do such a thing."
And I do not mean to step on the toes of those who have said this, that Christians are arrogant that is. But people have argued that Christians are close-minded for a long time now. And even though it is the other way around, Christians take it like it is true about them and their faith. However, in this book it refers several times to how Christians are the ones with logic on their side. It is sad how many Christians fail to realize this, and lose the opportunity to use it when they enter a religious debate with somebody.
Another debate is the history and scientific foundation of the world. Although many people say Evolution is science, this book goes over several key points of how it is not science. Not only that, but how science can explain creation with much ease and unneeded theoretical explanation. It also goes over many basic principles that are fundamental in having a scientifically sound foundation for creationism.
In the near beginning of the book, they refer to how the Bible is historically sound. Though people may say that this or that was never there or didn't happen; every time someone has tried to disprove a historic recording, they either proved its existence or found nothing to disprove it. And it goes on and on with these sorts. Some people have used estimated time of the universe to disprove Creation. This has failed however, on more than one subject as well. In the book it refers to different situations happening rapidly and just as effectively as over time.
Enough with science and history though, there is much more to this book than just those. It also has reference to God and how He is trinity and one. Although in and of itself it is a hard concept to grasp a hold of, this book helps make understanding of it as well. Not only that it helps clarify that God is not within our dimensions. Many people try to put God in a box, so they can say "this is how He works." But that fails quickly when you look at God as God and not as one who functions in our realm under our laws. He created the laws we live by, would it not make sense that God is not bound to them.
A good section written was on pages eighty-four and eighty-five, referring to God and His Eternality. It speaks of how he was before time and how He is always apart from it. To further prove this, the book also speaks of how God is unchangeable. Time brings change, therefore if God was in time He would change, but since He does not change He is not in time. That is one of many of the Logic arguments that appear in this book.
Another good logic argument of God is that of His existence and how morality proves His existence. People will ask if God exists why is there evil in the world? The simple way to answer it is in this way; tell them that by their own words they have proven God’s existence. When they ask what you mean you will use the books argument in this way, "if you say there is no God then there is no morality, however if you say there is evil there must be a moral standard and therefore a God to govern it." After you have completely sent the person mentally flying, you can begin to mentally compile other things this book has prepared for your use.
Another good example to stand by is that of moral relativism. Many atheists will try to use this as an attack against Christianity. As I stated before from the book, they will say we are closed-minded and dogmatic towards the ideas of others. Although the book has one way of handling this, let us see this other one as well. A simple solution to someone who says you can’t say what is right or wrong, simple reply with a question of moral standing on their part. A good one would be if they think Hitler was a good man. Now given some will say yes, most will say no, it is then you tell them how they can’t say he was a bad man, in his own mind he was a saviour to the world. Also, should they say yes, tell them they cannot say he was good, because after all that would mean that there is some kind of absolute standard to which you can grade a man and therefore a God to have made it. Logic, it is a wonderful thing, do you not agree?
Although I have summed much of the book, you would need to read it yourself to fully understand the application that this book has for you or others. Although details are important, there is no way I could write them all down without practically rewriting this whole book. It holds so many simple beliefs we hold to as Christians and creates logical and irrefutable arguments for us to use for our everyday life. Not only that, but it helps us make ourselves a reinforcement wall for our already strong faith in God and in Christ(if you have it, that is).
In my study of this book, I have found it to be a wonderful rollercoaster. Not to say it threw me around. But rather it helped feel things on the logic level as well as the faith level. And for somebody like me, that has a huge impact on my thought and actions. Although I cannot speak for everyone who will ever read or has read this book, I have enjoyed it thoroughly.
In summary of this book, and its many logic grinders to which we can arm ourselves for the mental battles that face us. It is a valuable asset to a Christians thought and own personal questions that need an answer. I only borrowed this book from a local library, but when I get the chance I will purchase this book as a good piece of mental training and warding for my faith. Not to say that it will replace my Bible. By far no, but it will be a great asset to myself and others who get a chance to read this book. But make sure you read very carefully, because some of the things it speaks about almost make it sound like they are trying to refute the Bible and its doctrine. But that is not the case, all if it is for instruction and therefore uses examples and arguments commonly made to further prove God and His existence.
