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Vince's "Why Believe?" Website |
The Sacred Texts of Judaism. Includes the Tanakh, Talmud, Mishna, Haggada, Kabbalah, Moses Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed, Midrash and links to the Jewish Virtual Library.Judaism 101 by Tracey Rich.
Torah.Org. An excellent Website on Judaism and Jewish law.
Six Thirteen Dot Org. Hundreds of talks about Judaism on Audio.
Jewish History by Anatoly Geyfman, Principal of Efficient Solutions LLC. This site has hundreds of good links to different periods in the history of the Jewish people.
The Real Messiah
A Jewish critique of Christian claims that Jesus is the Messiah.
Christian Responses to Judaism
Did the Messianic Jewish Believers use the OT deceitfully or ignorantly in the New Testament? by Glenn Miller, M.S.
Messianic Hopes and Messianic Figures in Late Antiquity by Professor Craig Evans.
Messianic Expectations in 1st Century Judaism by Glenn Miller, M.S.
Why should we believe Jesus was the Messiah, if He didn't fulfill all the prophecies when He was here? by Glenn Miller, M.S.
Is Isaiah 53 a prophecy about a suffering, dying, rejected, and scorned Messiah, or about Israel? by Glenn Miller, M.S.
The Fabulous Prophecies of the Messiah by Glenn Miller, M.S.
An honest, fair-minded examination of the Messianic proof-texts commonly cited by Christians.
The Islam Page.
A categorized listing of useful links on Islam, its beliefs and practices; includes Salafi and Arab-owned Islamic resources. This is an excellent page for people who are curious about Islam.IslamiCity.com.
A commercial site about Islam and Muslims in text, audio and video.Islam. BBC Web site.
Christian Responses to Islam
Christian Doctrine Explained by Arabic Bible Outreach.
An excellent Arabic Christian Web site for Muslims who are interested in Christianity.What can We Learn from Islam: The Struggle for True Religion by Marcus Braybrooke.
A Muslim explains his path to Christianity.How do Muslims Conceive of God? by Professor William Lane Craig (video).
A Christian philosopher explains why he finds the Muslim conception of God problematic.Is the Muslim Conception of God Logically Valid? by Professor William Lane Craig (video).
A Christian philosopher argues that a God who loves people conditionally is unworthy of being called a Deity.Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? - Lee Strobel, Deborah Caldwell, Hesham Hassaballa, Ergun Caner (video).
Dr. Ergun Caner, a convert from Islam to Evangelical Christianity and the author of "Christian Jihad", argues that the God of Islam is fundamentally different from the God of Christianity.Islam and Us by George Cardinal Pell.
An article that frankly addresses some key issues that divide Muslims and Christians.The Character of Mohammed by David Wood.
Early Muslim writings attest that Muhammad had carnal relations with a 9-year old girl. Should this be a concern to those who hold Muhammad to be a model of holiness? Warning: this article is definitely for mature readers only. This may turn your stomach.What kind of man was Mohammed? by David Wood.
Mohammed stands as the mediator of Allah's revelation to humans through the angel Gabriel. All Muslims regard Mohammed as a strong moral figure. But was he? What if we were to look at the earliest sources on Mohammed that are highly regarded and written by Muslims?The Qur'an and the Bible in the Light of Science by Ali Sina.
The author reviews a debate between Dr. William Campbell and Dr. Zakir Naik. It is clear that the Bible contains certain scientific errors, but for Jews and Christians these are not fatal, as the sacred writer need not have intended to teach scientific truths in these accounts. For Muslims, on the other hand, the Qur'an is supposed to have been dictated, word for word, from on high, and is believed to be free from any kind of error. Muslims realize that the discovery of a single scientific inaccuracy in their holy book would suffice to falsify Islam.
The Sacred Texts of the Baha'i Faith.The Bahai Faith. BBC Web site.
Christian Responses to Bahaism
A Closer Look at Baha'i by Rev. Dr. Bob Pardon.
A very fair-minded look at the Baha'i religion. The author concludes that Baha'i is "a system that is not logically coherent regarding the nature of God, the co-eternity of the universe, differing Manifestations and the relativity of truth." His other major conclusion: "Suppressed source materials and the revision of a deceased author's works are all too common within the Baha'i Faith."On the Baha'i Faith. A collection of articles by LetUsReason Ministries, responding to Baha'i claims. Baha'is claim that Baha'u'ullah was another manifestation of God - the Second Coming of Christ - and that their religion is the correct one, for at least a Millennium.
Answering Bahaullah. A collection of articles that focus on the Baha'i Scriptures and Community.
Avesta - The Zoroastrian Archives.
This site provides the complete text of the extant Avesta, the most ancient scriptures of Zoroastrianism, as well as many Pahlavi scriptures. It also includes information about the Avestan language, and other useful information for students of Zoroastrian religion. Most of the texts in these archives are extremely rare.Zoroastrianism. BBC Web site.
Philosophical Problems with Zoroastrianism
Monotheism by Professor William Wainwright. Article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Wainwright argues that there can be only one omnipotent, omniscient being that is the creative ground of everything other than itself. Wainwright defends the Christian dogma of the Trinity against charges that it is incompatible with monotheism.
The Sacred Texts of Hinduism.
Includes the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Epics (Mahabharata and Ramayana), Bhagavad Gita (actually part of the Mahabharata) and the Vedanta, as well as many other texts.Hinduism. BBC Web site.
Hinduism. Article in Wikipedia.
Contains lots of good links.Bhagavad Gita. Article in Wikipedia.
Contains an excellent list of Internet resources relating to Hinduism's most sacred text.
Mandala of Indic Traditions.An excellent Web site dedicated to the study of Indic traditions, from a four-fold perspective: inner sciences, outer knowledge, history and society today.
Christian Responses to Hinduism
Eastern Religions by Professor Robin Collins.
Professor Collins concludes his inquiry into Hinduism and Buddhism as follows: (i) Insofar as the Sankara school of Hinduism and the Mahayana school of Buddhism are interpreted as making positive claims about the nature reality, their core worldview seems to be ultimately incoherent; (ii) The traditional Therevada Buddhist worldview is less plausible than a common form of Western atheism, and thus does not offer an additional apologetic challenge to Christians over and above that offered by Western atheism; (iii) At least on the surface, the two theistic schools of Hinduism, the Ramanuja and Madhva schools, do appear to present a philosophically viable alternative to Western theism.Afterlife by Professor William Hasker. Article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Identifies the central problem with the Hindu account of an afterlife: although Hindus believe in God, they posit a godless mechanism (karma) to ensure that each of us reaps what we sow. However, Nature is amoral; it doesn't keep track of individuals' good and bad deeds.Hinduism: the Power of the Pagan Gods. From a brochure by Holy Trinity Orthodox Mission. Scroll down to read the article. a real eye-opener about the true nature of Hinduism.
The Sacred Texts of Jainism.Jainism: Jain Principles, Tradition and Practices. An excellent site with thousands of links.
Philosophical Problems with Jainism
Afterlife by Professor William Hasker. Article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Hasker argues that if some sort of dualism is true, then there are no good arguments against the possibility of disembodied survival. Someone who entertained a materialistic conception of the human person could still believe in the possibility of resurrection; however, Hasker argues that in the absence of an immaterial soul, there are formidable philosophical difficulties regarding how a resurrected body could be the same body as that of a person who lived on earth previously. Hasker then argues that the truth of some version of dualism does not guarantee the possibility of an afterlife. Without a benevolent God, it is difficult to see how a satisfying picture of an afterlife could be made to work. This creates problems for Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, all of which posit a godless mechanism (karma) to ensure that each of us reaps what we sow. If there is no God, then what is this "karma program" and how was it initiated? Nature is amoral; it doesn't keep track of individuals' good and bad deeds. Hasker also argues that near-death experiences offer good empirical evidence for life after death. Finally, he proposes that the "argument from desire" (which is why most people believe in a hereafter) is in fact a valid one, if one assumes that the God of traditional theism is real. On this account, belief in God and an afterlife come as a two-in-one package.
The Sacred Texts of Buddhism.Buddhism - Religion and Ethics. BBC Web site.
An Introduction to Buddhism by Dr. C. George Boeree, Shippensburg University.
Deals mainly with the philosophical aspects of Buddhism.About Buddhism. A Web site devoted to Buddhism, by About.Inc.
Nibbana.com. Presenting Theravada Buddhism in its Pristine form.
An excellent Web site for those who are interested in Theravada Buddhism and the way of life it offers.
Philosophical Problems with Buddhism; plus Christian Responses to Buddhism
Answering Buddhism by www.truthnet.org.
How should a Christian respond to Buddhism and the Buddhist? First, Christians should understand Buddhism is an ethical system, with wrongs and rights. Before Christians see how they differ, they should look and see what they have in common with Buddhism.Eastern Religions by Professor Robin Collins.
Professor Collins concludes his inquiry into Hinduism and Buddhism as follows: (i) Insofar as the Sankara school of Hinduism and the Mahayana school of Buddhism are interpreted as making positive claims about the nature reality, their core worldview seems to be ultimately incoherent; (ii) The traditional Therevada Buddhist worldview is less plausible than a common form of Western atheism, and thus does not offer an additional apologetic challenge to Christians over and above that offered by Western atheism; (iii) At least on the surface, the two theistic schools of Hinduism, the Ramanuja and Madhva schools, do appear to present a philosophically viable alternative to Western theism.Afterlife by Professor William Hasker. Article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Hasker argues that if some sort of dualism is true, then there are no good arguments against the possibility of disembodied survival. Someone who entertained a materialistic conception of the human person could still believe in the possibility of resurrection; however, Hasker argues that in the absence of an immaterial soul, there are formidable philosophical difficulties regarding how a resurrected body could be the same body as that of a person who lived on earth previously. Hasker then argues that the truth of some version of dualism does not guarantee the possibility of an afterlife. Without a benevolent God, it is difficult to see how a satisfying picture of an afterlife could be made to work. This creates problems for Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, all of which posit a godless mechanism (karma) to ensure that each of us reaps what we sow. If there is no God, then what is this "karma program" and how was it initiated? Nature is amoral; it doesn't keep track of individuals' good and bad deeds. Hasker also argues that near-death experiences offer good empirical evidence for life after death. Finally, he proposes that the "argument from desire" (which is why most people believe in a hereafter) is in fact a valid one, if one assumes that the God of traditional theism is real. On this account, belief in God and an afterlife come as a two-in-one package.
The Sacred Texts of Sikhism.The Sikhism home page. Created by Sandeep Singh Brar.
Sikh-Seek. The Sikhism Web Guide for anything Sikh.
The Sacred Texts of Confucianism.Confucianism. Article in Wikipedia.
Christian Responses to Confucianism
All About Confucianism by Dr. J. Dominguez.
A sympathetic account of Confucianism, with links to other Christian Web sites that discuss this religion.Confucius by Patrick Zuckeran.
Confucius was the greatest Eastern philosopher of all time. His beliefs are considered from a Christian perspective, analyzing what Confucianism has in common with Christianity and how it differs.
The Sacred Texts of Taoism.Taoism Information Page by the World Wide Web Virtual Library.
Taoism and Christianity by Michael Gleghorn.
Philosophical Taoism and Christianity by Michael Gleghorn.
The Sacred Texts of Shinto. Includes The Book of Tea, Bushido (by Inazo Nitobe), and books by Lafcadio Hearn, as well as a collection of Japanese fairytales.The Kojiki.
The Kojiki is one of the two primary sources for Shinto, the Japanese national religion. It starts in the realm of myth, with the creation of Japan from foam. Innumerable gods and goddesses are described. The narrative moves from mythology to historical legends, and culminates in a chronology of the early Imperial line.Bushido by Inazo Nitobe.
This short and very readable book describes the code of honor of the Samurai and Japanese feudalism, which is essential to understanding many aspects of Japanese society and history.Japan, an Attempt at Interpretation by Lafcadio Hearn (1904).
Shinto. BBC Web site relating to Shinto.
How Should Christians Respond to Japanese Religion? Answer: With Courtesy.
Advice to Youth - Courtesy by David Magie, Published by the American Tract Society in 1855.
Perhaps the biggest reason why Christianity has failed to make inroads into Japan is that the people who brought the Faith were for the most part lacking in courtesy, a virtue which the Japanese have possessed and cultivated for centuries. I have included this sermon because it portrays a genuinely Christian courtesy, of a kind which flourished in the past but which is scarcely seen today.
The Book of Mormon.
How Should Christians Respond to Mormonism and to Jehovah's Witnesses?
Answering the Mormons by www.truthnet.org.
The first "Prophet" of the Mormons is Joseph Smith. From a few followers after the publication of the Book of Mormon, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints has grown to over 12 million with the latest statistics. They are sending thousands of missionaries to reach the "Christian" world with the "Restored" Gospel revealed in the "Book of Mormon". How should Christians respond to Mormons and their LDS missionaries? First, many of these LDS missionaries have never had a chance to examine their beliefs in the LDS church or Joseph Smith. Most are raised in the Mormon faith going back for generations, with everybody around them involved in the LDS church. Secondly, people who convert to Mormonism are largely from nominal Christian, or un-churched households looking for hope. Since Mormons are not permitted to read material critical of the Mormon beliefs, the LDS church or Joseph Smith, we can expose the truth.Is Mormonism Christian? by Professor Michael Davis.
This is a series of documents about Mormonism, written by a Christian professor who is an ex-Mormon. It compares essential Mormon and Christian doctrines. Alternatively, you can view the topical index to Professor Davis' site here.
Behold, I Stand At The Door And Knock - What To Say To Mormons And Jehovah's Witnesses When They Knock At Your Door.Jehovah's Witnesses: Witnessing to the Witnesses by Patrick Zukeran.
Explaining the Doctrine of the Trinity to Jehovah's Witnesses.
Classic textsThe Kybalion by The Three Initiates (1908).
This New Age classic is a study of basic hermetic teachings which are claimed to contain an ageless wisdom. The Kybalion is a well-argued philosophical defence of New Age beliefs.
Christian Responses to the New Age
Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life - A Christian Reflection on the "New Age" by the Pontifical Councils for Culture and Inter-Religious Dialogue.
An irenic discussion of the New Age, by the Vatican.The Epistemological Inadequacies of Experientialism as a Sufficient Basis for a Worldview by Professor Craig S. Hawkins.
The New Age Movement by Dr. Robert Pyne.
Reincarnation
The Reincarnation FAQ by Richard Holmes.
This New Age Website was created to provide answers for the many common questions people have about reincarnation and also to give as wide a background to the subject as possible in terms of scientific, religious and mystical exploration.Karma and Rebirth: a Philosophical Examination by Joseph Morales.
The author has done extensive research on the doctrines of karma and rebirth, both of which he finds wanting on philosophical and historical grounds.A Philosophical Critique of Reincarnation and Related Worldview Correlatives by Professor Craig Hawkins.
The author concludes that "the problem of evil is an acute dilemma, indeed, an Achilles' heel for reincarnationists and transmigrationists given their worldviews. There is no way for them to get around it."Bible and reincarnation.
This fair-minded article in Wikipedia concludes that the few verses in the Bible that appear to support the idea of reincarnation are interpreted from the context of a reincarnation worldview and not from context of the Biblical Jewish/Christian worldview. Indeed a strong argument against reincarnation is that in the whole of the Bible, only a tiny number of passages exist that could even remotely be interpreted as supporting it. Significant doctrines in Christianity are usually based on dozens or sometimes hundreds of passages.
UFOs and Life on Other Planets
On the Theological Impact of Aliens from Space by Glenn Miller.
UFO's and Extraterrestrial Aliens: Why Earth Has Never Been Visited by Rich Deem.
UFOs and Alien Beings by Michael Gleghorn.
Astrology
Gospel in the Stars?: What Does the Bible Say About Astrology? by Rich Deem.
Scientific Pantheism: Reverence of Nature and Cosmos by Dr. Paul Harrison.An Introduction to Pantheism by Jan Garrett.
Pantheism by Michael Levine. Article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Pantheism. Article in the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911.
A Discussion of Pantheism and Deism by Lewis Loflin.
Panentheism by ChristianCadre.org.
Panentheism is the belief that the universe is part of God, but not all of God. Is it orthodox or heretical? What prompts some theologians to consider this explanation? This Christian Web site provides links to a variety of viewpoints.Cockroaches aren't God - critique of panentheism by Sidney Callahan.
"In our ongoing conflict my ecofeminist friends keep asserting God's immanence in Creation, capital C, using images of Creation as God's body. I, in turn, object by bringing up viruses, plagues, genetic disease, brain tumors, breast cancer, tornadoes, cockroaches, lice, etc. (And this list leaves out the failings of the human creature.) My point is not to deny that God made the world and that it is good, or to disavow that the Holy Spirit continues to create and sustain creation; but I do believe that creation, which is somehow wounded, should not be identified with God."
Why Deism Fails as a Philosophical Paradigm of the Universe by Rich Deem.A Discussion of Pantheism and Deism by Lewis Loflin.
Christianity and Postmodernism by ChristianCadre.org.
Is there such a thing as truth? Has truth become relative or subjective? Does the meaning of any written text depend upon the observer? Many philosophers have decided that absolute truth is a phantom. Postmodernism attempts to bring meaning to the meaningless universe, but in doing so does it rob Christianity of its power to proclaim the "truth of the Gospel"? This page explores the issues relating to Christianity and Postmodernism.Postmodernism by Lion of Judah Ministries.
A collection of interesting articles that address postmodernism.The Bible, Logic, and the Postmodern Predicament by Professor Craig S. Hawkins.
Do All Paths Lead to the Same Destination? by Keith Johnson.
Is it possible that Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, etc. represent differing, yet valid, paths to the same destination? This article examines arguments for and against the claim that all paths lead to the same destination.Reality 101: Basic Concepts of Reality, Truth, and Theory ( truth by correspondence or construction?) by Dr. Craig Rushbult.
In this article, Rushbult (a) critiques the absurd notion that scientists create whatever they observe; (b) defends the correspondence theory of truth; and (c) attacks rival theories of truth used by post-modernists (the coherence and pragmatic theories of truth).Why I am a Relativist by Professor David Oderberg.
A tongue-in-cheek article that mocks relativism. David Oderberg is Professor in Philosophy at the University of Reading, England.Cultural Relativism by Kerby Anderson.
A critique of cultural relativism. The central weakness of cultural relativism is its unwillingness to evaluate another culture. The Holocaust, for example, cannot be merely explained away as an appropriate cultural response for Nazi Germany. Also, if there are no absolute values that exist trans-culturally or externally to the group, how are different cultures to get along when values collide? How are we to handle these conflicts? Finally, is there ever a place for courageous individuals to challenge the cultural norm and fight against social evil, within their culture? Cultural relativism seems to leave no place for social reformers.
Richard DawkinsRichard Dawkins.net. Web site of leading atheist and biologist Dr. Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion.
Beyond Demonic Memes: Why Richard Dawkins Is Wrong About Religion by Professor David Sloan Wilson.
Ironically, the best critique of Dawkins' recent bestseller comes from a fellow atheist and biologist.Review of The God Delusion by Professor Alvin Plantinga. After clicking on the link, select "Open" to read the article.
Alvin Plantinga has been called "the most important philosopher of religion now writing." After taking his Ph.D. from Yale in 1958, he taught at Wayne State University (1958-63), Calvin College (1963-82), and has filled the John A. O'Brien Chair of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame since 1982. Widely acclaimed for his work on the metaphysics of modality, the ontological argument, the problem of evil, and the epistemology of religious belief, he is the author or editor of seven books, including God and Other Minds, The Nature of Necessity, and Faith and Rationality. In this review, he examines Dawkins' main argument against the existence of God and finds it seriously deficient.Playing Fast and Loose with Complexity: A Critique of DawkinsEAtheistic Argument from Improbability by Dr. Mark F. Sharlow.
Abstract:
This paper is a critique of Richard Dawkins' "argument from improbability" against the existence of God. This argument, which forms the core of Dawkins' book The God Delusion, provides an interesting example of the use of scientific ideas in arguments about religion. Here I raise three objections: (1) The argument is inapplicable to philosophical conceptions of God that reduce most of God's complexity to that of the physical universe. (2) The argument depends on a way of estimating probabilities that fails for the probability of an entity that creates natural laws. (3) The argument supposes that complexity arises from past physical causes; however, some forms of complexity known to mathematics and logic do not arise in this way. After stating these three criticisms, I show that some of these same considerations undermine Dawkins' critique of agnosticism. I close the paper with some remarks on Dawkins' conception of God.A Mission to Convert. Review of The God Delusion by Professor H. Allen Orr.
H. Allen Orr is Professor of Biology at the University of Rochester. He is the author, with Jerry A. Coyne, of Speciation (January 2007). Although he is a great fan of Dawkins' scientific writings, Orr thinks Dawkins has done a very poor job of addressing religion, and finds his arguments unconvincing.Alister_McGrath Responds to The God Delusion..
An intelligent and very courteous critique of Dawkins' book.God vs. Science.
A debate, hosted by TIME magazine, between two prominent scientists: atheist Dr. Richard Dawkins and Dr. Francis Collins, a former atheist who converted to Christianity. At one point Dawkins argues that invoking God to explain the universe is unhelpful: God, being intelligent, would need to be a complex being, and in that case, He too would require a designer. A religious believer could respond in one of two ways: either query Dawkins' assertion that intelligent beings are necessarily complex (in traditional theology, God is regarded as simple) or suggest that God is complex, but composed of parts which are metaphysically inseparable, as they cannot exist without each other. In that case, the need for an outside Agent/Designer who holds these parts together does not arise: the parts hold each other together, insofar as they imply each other's existence.Debates between Dawkins and his critics
The God Delusion: David Quinn and Richard Dawkins debate.
The God Delusion: Alister McGrath and Richard Dawkins debate.
The God Delusion: Richard Dawkins debates Dr. John Lennox (Part 1).
The God Delusion: Richard Dawkins debates Dr. John Lennox (Part 2).
The God Delusion: Richard Dawkins debates Dr. John Lennox (Part 3).
The God Delusion. Wikipedia article on Dawkins' new book. Includes a discussion of reviews to date, with links at the end of the article.
Richard Carrier
Why I Don't Buy the Resurrection Story by Richard Carrier.
Why I Don't Buy Skeptical Reasons for Disbelief by J. P. Holding.
A refutation of Carrier's arguments.Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus? A Debate Between William Lane Craig and Bart Ehrman.
In this debate with Ehrman, Craig addresses many of the sceptical arguments raised by Carrier in his article above.Risen Jesus.com - The apologetics Web site of Mike Licona.
Mike Licona is a New Testament historian and Christian apologist. On this Web site, he presents a powerful case for the Resurrection.Kooks and Quacks of the Roman Empire by Richard Carrier.
Carrier argues that the pervasive gullibility of the ancient world diminishes the credibility of the Gospel accounts of Jesus' miracles.Were the Miracles of Jesus invented by the Disciples/Evangelists? by Glenn Miller.
Miller carefully rebuts Carrier's claim by showing that educated people in antiquity were quite sceptical of miracles in Jesus' time. Miller concludes: "Therefore, I don't see adequate reason to reduce the evidential value of the gospel miracles stories, due to some alleged 'ubiquitous credulity' of the ancient world."Do No Miracles Today Imply None in the Past?: A Critique of Richard Carrier's Methodology by Amy Sayers.
Good 'n' Senseless Without God: A Critical Review of Richard Carrier's Sense and Goodness Without God by David Wood.
Tunnel Vision: A Response to Edward Tabash's Review of the Carrier-Licona Debate by David Wood.
Sam Harris
Sam Harris. Web site of America's leading atheist, Sam Harris, author of "The End of Faith" and "Letter to a Christian Nation".
The End of Faith? by Lee Strobel.
Strobel presents a video segment explaining why he thinks Sam Harris is barking up the wrong tree in his criticism of religious faith.Letter to a Maladjusted Misotheist by James Patrick Holding. A no-holds-barred response by a Christian apologist to Sam Harris' latest best-seller, Letter to a Christian Nation, which heaps scorn on Christianity.
Letter from a Christian Citizen by Douglas Wilson.
An extract from a book by a Christian pastor, who gives readers a point-by-point response to the arguments advanced by Sam Harris, in an engaging and compelling way.A Critique of the essay The Intrinsic Flaws Inherent in Christianity by Mike Licona.
A rebuttal to an attack on Christianity by Sam Harris.Sam Harris's Faith in Eastern Spirituality and Muslim Torture by John Gorenfeld.
The best-selling author of "The End of Faith" may argue against Christianity, but apparently he is open to ideas such as reincarnation and ESP.
Christopher Hitchens
Is Christianity the Problem? An online debate between Dinesh D'Souza and Christopher Hitchens.
Hitchens vs. Hitchens. A review of Christopher Hitchens' latest book, "God Is Not Great" by his brother, Peter Hitchens, who is a believer.
The Unbeliever. A review of Christopher Hitchens' latest book, "God Is Not Great" by Stephen Prothero, chair of Boston University's religion department and the author of "Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know -- and Doesn't."
Daniel Dennett
Daniel Dennett Hunts the Snark by Professor David Bentley Hart. In First Things, January 2007.
A devastating critique of Daniel Dennett's recent book, Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon. As well as being a best-selling author, Daniel Dennett is a Professor of philosophy at Tufts University, a co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies, also at Tufts, and a self-avowed "Darwinian fundamentalist."
Peter Singer
Good God? by Professor Peter Singer.
Singer argues that religious people are still unable to provide a satisfying answer to the age-old question of why God allows suffering.Tsunami and Theodicy by David B. Hart.
David Hart is an Eastern Orthodox theologian. What makes his article interesting is that he agrees with atheists that a lot of suffering in the world makes absolutely no sense.A New Look at the Cosmological Argument by Professor Robert Koons.
Robert Koons is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas. Here, he sets forth a very cogent argument for God's existence.Life After God? - The Ethics of Peter Singer by Dr. Peter May.
This article shows up the bizarre implications of Singer's ethical thinking, and also critiques its underlying premises.
Daniel Dennett
Is God a Man-Made Invention? An online debate between Dinesh D'Souza and Daniel Dennett. See also here.
Dennett Denied: A Critique of Daniel Dennett's Account of Intentionality by Professor Angus Menuge, of Concordia University.
Other Interesting Sites
How to Think about Secularism by Professor Wolfhart Pannenberg.
"Secularization is not caused by the separation of church and state. The roots of the process of secularization, resulting in the present alienation of public culture from religion, and especially from Christianity, are planted in the seventeenth century."Betterhuman.org. A Secular Humanist Web site.
If the reader has any doubt that secular humanism is not just a belief but also a way of life, which seeks to satisfy the same human needs as religion attempts to do, I would invite him or her to have a look at this Web site. To appreciate the dictatorial tendency of secular humanism, the reader would do well to read the tenets, especially tenets 21 and 22. Tenet 21 deals with what it calls ethereal belief organizations, such as churches, which teach the reality of the spirit world: "All forms of ethereal belief organizations must be legally oppressed (enforcement definition) so as to avoid having these concepts escape the category of mythology. Mandatory reality education will also help to prevent the manifestation of religions" (italics mine). When discussing how to implement this tenet, the BetterHuman.org Web site suggests:
"To begin, we could create a provocative propaganda campaign that discredits the notion of gods, perhaps by contrasting the differing beliefs of various religions, or by comparing directly to ancient mythology, or even common fairy tales such as Santa Claus, or the Easter bunny. Focusing this propaganda on the young would prove most effective as they represent the future. Next, we could introduce the subject, 'evolution of religion' into our children's schools, which details the plausible origins of religious perspectives from the times of ancient humans, all the way through to their fully manifested forms as they are today. As well, evolution theory should be taught in tandem with religion-evolution theory such that the children can understand how religion forms a very necessary and yet now obsolete portion of human intellectual evolution. Over more time, as anti-religious sentiment grows, there will be a breaking point at which the majority of voting influence can pressure the governing body to legally oppress organized religions, thereby sparing the remainder of potential mythology victims from falling into the maddening trap of a fantasy perspective; only then will the human species finally have been vaccinated from the religious meme-virus" (italics mine).
Need I say more?