Skeptics Books

Words do little justice to what can only be described as the immaculate package: intellect and beauty - simple, pure, uncomplicated beauty.

'Be eager to study Torah and know what answer to give to the nonbeliever.' - Rabbi Elazar

Many Jewish people in today's society are, like many people of all religious and ethnic backgrounds, relatively ignorant and untrained in the basis of their heritage. In a secular age, many see the trappings of old customs and religions more of a duty owed, a chore to be performed, given a small amount of attention, but these should not be things that would impact on daily life. For many Jews, formal Jewish education consists of training for a Bar/Baht Mitzvah and not much beyond; the practice of High Holy Days and the various readings associated sometimes comprise the full extent of scriptural and liturgical experience and knowledge. Rabbi Walter Orenstein takes on this challenge in his book, 'The Transformation of a Skeptic: A Jewish Perspective.'

Presented in a framework of dialogue between a rabbi and Martin, a young non-observant Jewish physician, Orenstein examines various aspects of the Jewish way of life, beginning with the very basic point at which many secular Jews begin: the rejection of a way of life in which they actually have very little experience. Challenging his fictional Martin to consider his way of life with as much care and attention as he put forward toward his livelihood, they begin a discussion that includes both elements of practice and elements of belief, beginning with a Jewish understanding of God, and continuing through ethics, community, family, religious practice, history, and relations with non-Jewish people.

Orenstein says that in their heart of hearts, many skeptics seem to be seeking the road that leads back home. They are anxious to reexamine the values that they and their parents and so many others of the past generation have summarily rejected. It is only necessary to approach them in the proper way to gain their listening ear.

Orenstein is a graduate of Yeshiva University, where he spent much of his career teaching. Thus he is well suited to recount this dialogue in terms of the questions which he has confronted in his career as an educator in an increasingly secular age. In the end, Orenstein leaves the conclusion of the dialogue open-ended. Our inquirer Martin cannot decide to embrace traditional Judaism, while he no longer rejects it summarily as he did previously. The rabbi is neither surprised nor disappointed with this response. Judaism encourages lifelong learning about many things, religion included, and Martin can decide over time his true course.

Orenstein recounts the tale of a great sage who once mused that when he was young he set out to change the world. When he got a little older he realised that changing the world was an unrealistic goal so he focused on his immediate neighbourhood. Eventually he came to realise that even this was much too formidable an undertaking so he decided to concentrate on himself. He became a great teacher and rabbinic decisor. His books on Jewish law and Jewish ethics became the standard code of practice for Ashkenazic Jews. ...In the end he accomplished much of his original goal, for his writings have had a positive effect on millions of Jews the world over.

The skeptic, if a true skeptic, is a questioner, not a rejector. Without discounting the importance of faith (a strong element in the tradition and history of Judaism), the rabbi nonetheless emphasises the rational elements in Judaism as this is the element most highly prized in today's secular society, and the most likely arena in which a skeptic will find fault and need persuasion.

This is a fascinating book, not just for Jewish people, but for anyone interested in the interchange between religious thought and skeptical, secular thought.

This is an excellent book with superior qualitative research on the subject. I love the interviews! I think this is a must have book for anybody interested in after death contacts.

Carl Sagan provides a strong yet humane antidote against the effects of the soothesayers, crystal healers and entrail-readers. While he won't change their beliefs in the unproven and unprovable, and he can probably never drown out our somehow inborn fear of things that go bump in the night, many of us need a gentle innoculation against slopping thinking from time to time. Just such an innoculation is provided here, in a mixture of wonder, humility, and compassion that reminds us again why we still miss Dr. Sagan.

This book explains the reason why "intelligent" humans still believe in foolishness such as ghosts, demons, devils, gods and prayer. Turns out we aren't all that smart after all. It has the advantage of being the truth which some of us prefer to hear. As always, Carl Sagan was one of the most intelligent humans who has yet lived. May his tribe increase.

This one book helped me to reject 9 years worth of silly occult beliefs. I suppose I didn't 100% believe them, but they were things I wanted to believe. I knew that this book would change me and for awhile I was even nervous to read it, but a few months ago, my time had come.

He spends a lot of time spent debunking claims of alien abductions, comparing the scenarios (nighttime, sexual coercion, etc) to descriptions of "demonic possessions" in the Middle Ages, and believes that aliens are just a later incarnation of demonic possessions, based on things that are more prevalent today. He also talks about how crop circles were admittedly a hoax--but I wonder how many people even know that? I think there are still some people who believe in them. And about the "classified information" on UFOs mostly being classified because it's about foreign relations, not extraterrestrial aliens.

He also talks about people's claims of psychic powers and how none of them have ever been proven. He talks about how it is easy to trick people into believing in psychic phenomenon, because people really want to believe in it, how people see patterns in things that have no pattern (this is an evolutionary trait), and how people select evidence that points to the conclusion they want, while ignoring the contrary evidence. I used to be interested in ESP quite a lot, but now, thanks in no small part to this book, I see it for the load of garbage that it is. Astrology is just generically positive traits that people attribute to themselves, dreams are entertaining but don't mean anything, and as for the "psychics" that I met, they've never given any proof. Some people pretend to be psychic to get your money (you'd be better off wasting your money on gambling, or even lapdances) and some people really do think they're psychic, but they're just flattering themselves. No one who's claimed telekinetic powers has ever offered a demonstration, so again I think they're either lying or hallucinating.

I felt very liberated after reading these things, and instead of the open-minded confusion that I used to feel about contradictory belief systems, suddenly everything was clear and made perfect sense.

Sagan does knock down psuedoscience and superstition, but I still think that he has an open mind. He admits to a feeling of "spirituality" even though he doesn't believe in actual spirits; it's more of just a cosmic feeling when thinking about the universe. He talks about how in science, a person must have both an imaginative mind and a cynical mind: you can imagine lots of explanations for things, but unlike in psuedoscience, you can't cling to these wild ideas after they've been proven wrong. He even admits to a minute possibility that a few "phenomena" could be true. Of course it would be awesome to live in a world where you can levitate and where crystals have special powers, but that doesn't mean I'm going to believe in it despite the evidence.

In the last few chapters, he writes about education declining in the US. This is relevant because he believes lack of education makes people more gullible toward outrageous (but appealing) claims, and more vulnerable to charlatans. He worries that our society is going downhill because of this decline in education and that it could have serious consequences. (Kind of like Idiocracy?) Well...I didn't do so spectacularly in math or science, but even just knowing basic things about the scientific method and rationalism is very helpful. Unfortunately, psuedoscience is just more flashy--but in the long run, some people will realize it's nonsense.

I recommend this book to everyone! Especially if you believe in any of the "phenomena" he's talking about!

I read this book when it first came out and have purchased it for my grand-daughter so that she may have a realistic view of how our universe works and will not be susceptible to bizzare philosphies which have been so rampant on this planet for the last 10,000 years or so.

Carl Sagan was a wonderful man, and was one of the first people to get me interested in science. In this book, he looks over claims of alien abduction, crop circles, visions, astrology, and other pseudoscientific claims. A great read.

As I read A SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE I repeatedly saw parallels to my own journey from religious faith to religious skepticism. Others may read the book and recognize their journey to a deeper faith through a dark wood of doubt. Throughout the book I found myself identifying strongly with characters who voiced views that I agree with. A few pages later I would find myself empathizing with another character whose views and beliefs are at odds with my own, as the character struggled with an ethical dilemma or personal tragedy. The characters experience a full range of the joys and sorrows life offers. Their experiences impact with their most deeply held convictions and they are changed in ways they never imagined possible.

The author, Stephen Gibson admits he is a reforming emotion driven thinker. His book TRUTH-DRIVEN THINKING: AN EXAMINATION OF HUMAN EMOTION AND ITS IMPACT ON EVERYDAY LIFE and his podcasts encourage readers and listeners to seek truth, elusive and complex though it may be; through dialogue, discourse, and inquiry. It would be wrong for readers to assume from these statements that their emotions will not be engaged while reading A SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE. It is not a dry and dispassionate story. Gibson recognizes the power of emotions in creating and sustaining relationships between people as well as commitment to a cause higher than one's own self. His own passion for the pursuit of truth is clearly evident in his writing. I recommend A SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE to theists and atheists alike.

I'm a little bit mystified by the heaping praise given by the reviewers here. I was fully expecting it to be lambasted by the religiously persuaded and shrugged off by the true skeptics as pure pedestrian drivel; I suppose you could count me in the latter category.

I will confess I am sympathetic to Mr. Gibson's epistemological position, however, the mixture of pop philosophy and painful prose were at times excruciating (channeling Ayn Rand?). Much of the dialog sounds as if it were written by a grade school grammar teacher - very dry and almost 'Leave-it-to-Beaver-ish'. I can't imagine anyone outside of a 1950s sitcom engaging in dialog like that.

It's not all bad. I'm not sure if Mr. Gibson is a pilot, but his descriptions of piloting small commercial aircraft were interesting and he seems to have done his homework regarding Christian apologetics and criticism. This book might be a good introduction to the subject for those Christians with at least a smidgen of an open mind, but in the end I'm afraid Mr. Gibson is not a good fiction writer.

I would recommend many, many other non-fiction books on the subject before I would think of this one. Harris, Dawkins, Dennet and Hitchens(all referenced in this book) do a much, much better job. Although they do tend to be a bit more harsh on the religiously inclined. Gibson tries to top off the book with a warm fuzzy which is what most people want I guess; otherwise why would we need religion?

This book is exactly what I have needed. My mind has been going crazy trying to read as much non fiction as possible. I do not normally read fiction, but this book was a welcome break from my usual reading. It is not a true story, but the ideas, and expressions of the characters as they try to discover truth are great. I have to rate this book as one of my favorites, and I feel it does a beautiful job stating opinions about truth that so many of us have. The story itself is filled with so much information that you can spend years researchig much of what the main character speaks about. The way truth is depicted throughout this fictional story, and the way so much real research went into it, had me finishing the decent sized book in less than a week. The author is great at articulating the feelings of those that follow honest inquiry, wherever it may lead. I was happy, mad, sad, and loved every bit of it. I hope to eventually buy copies for many family members and friends,and I recommend it to all.

Stephen Gibson has created a compelling novel that wraps a compelling and believable fictional story around a frank discussion of religion, ethics, and perception of truth.

If you are open minded and interested in seeing things from a different point of view, but get tired of non-fiction books that push you relentlessly towards a conclusion while ignoring any contrary ideas or thoughts, then you will find this book to be a refreshing approach.

I throughly enjoyed both the fictional story and the discussions that it wraps around. I highly recommend the book for anyone who feels like they have something to gain from open minded examination of how people perceive truth or why they believe what they do.

Its been weeks since I finished this novel. Been listening to the discussions from the authors podcasts for months before finally sitting down and reading this work. I haven't wanted to review the book until I had some time to think about if I liked it or not. I'm still not sure. The people and relationships do not seem genuine, at least I don't know people like that. I didn't bond with the characters like I wanted to. The long discussions were permissible as I understand the author really wanted to include the religious questions the book was really designed for. But they just seem so contrived and unlikely, I never discuss these kind of questions with my Christian friends. They are so not on the same page that we could never discuss calmly and with such education as these characters do again and again.

I hated knowing what would be happening in the later chapters, all was given away in the first 15 pages of the book. Let events occur naturally, maybe already knowing that one main character would be cheating (right or wrong) on his wife made it impossible for me to ever like him.

The arguments are well reasoned, the Secret was kinda impossible even after all the years they put into it.

I will admit that I did cry several times when the parents die, but not when anyone else dies. You would think that the last few deaths would grab me more but I just didn't feel "it" towards them.

So the jury is still out, maybe for others who are questioning their faith, this would help the sort out their feelings. The well reasoned arguments are helpful to both sides of the issues. I sure did learn a lot about pilots from this book.

We have been studying Feng Shui informally for over 10 years. This book is fun and easy to read and understand. Kartar cuts right through all the fake Feng Shui nonsense that is flooding the field - using concrete examples of why some very popular Feng Shui myths and urban legends may actually be harmful. We learned a lot - and re-learned a lot of critical information that we had forgotten. This book is a great resource both for readers who already know something about Feng Shui - and for those who want to learn.

I find Kartar's book to be concise, full of useful information and uplifting. If you feel that dispite your best efforts, you seem to have to struggle so much in many aspects of your life, like constantly having to swim upstream; perhaps you're living in an unsupportive feng shui environment. Read this book, try a few things and see. You'll find your investment to be worthwhile. I did.
An appreciative reader from the midwest.

Great advise and interesting information. Better then most other Feng Shui books I've read.

Over the years, I have read several books on Fengshui and Vaastu, out of pure interest. And I think 'Fengshui for Skeptics' is a true gem amongst all the other 'one size fits all' FS books on the shelves. Kartar does a very good job of separating the actual science from plain superstition. For anyone seeking to genuinely understand this subject and apply it in a very practical fashion, this book is a must read. Highly Recommended!

This book helps you understand feng shui. It was very easy to apply feng shui to my home and workspace using this book. Thanks to Kartar Diamond for explaining feng shui in layman' terms.

I am a faithful Catholic so obviously a theist, but I must say- What a wonderful change of pace from the irrationality of Dawkins, hitchens, and Harris. This book goes through ACTUAL arguments for atheism. While I don't think the arguments work, at least they are based on logic and rationality, as opposed to emotionally charged rhetoric. I just finished Lofton's book, and this is way better. This book really is on ATHEISM, not just evangelicalism.

The author goes through the typical arguments for God, and tries to show where they are wrong. He does a good job with the cosmological argument and the argument from design, but he gives the worst criticisms of the ontological argument I've ever heard. Strange. Also, I admire the fact that he went after the so-called argument based on the fine-tuning of the universe, becuase that can't really be answered. He was only able to give a lot of speculation that even if true, would only make massively small improbabilities slightly more probable. He also doesn't do the job to dismiss the resurrection of Jesus. There are volumes upon volumes of scholarly work on it, and he just pretty much blew it all off.

I do appreciate the fact that he tried to answer the top apologetical theists today like Craig, Swinburne, and Plantinga. All in all, this book is very good, but unfortunately, will probably be lumped in with Dawkins and hitchens and the "new atheism" because people will think this is just another new atheism book. Too bad.

I've read dozens of books on atheism and atheistic philosophies (Nietzsche, Russell, Existentialism, etc.) and have enthusiastically absorbed the recent polemics by Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris. The book of Atheist Quotes is also good fun reading but none of these books really present a solid critical and logical argument against the theists who are bent on ridiculing you or your beliefs and thoughts of non-belief. And non-belief is the key term here. Atheists should not claim that there is no God. We only claim that we don't believe in this God claimed by the theists. The burden of proof is on those who insist that God exists, not on those who just aren't convinced.

Compared to the recent best sellers like 'The God Delusion' by Dawkins and 'god is not Great' by Hitchens, 'Atheism Explained' takes a more tactful and thoughtful approach to the never-ending theism vs. atheism argument. Steele is at times quite sympathetic towards the beliefs of the theists. He is a kinder and gentler atheist who understands why people are prone to believe in a deity who listens to their prayers and promises them eternal life. But that's as far as Steele goes. When the time comes to argue the points, Steele coolly but methodically and somewhat mercilessly tears down the theistic arguments and beliefs.

There's a lot of mathematical logic at work here in the arguments provided by Steele. Still, it's not cold logic that only logicians and mathematicians can understand. It's common sense logic that most lay persons can understand and deduce from. These are arguments you can use over and over again and know that they'll work. These aren't opinions or leaps of faith (or non-faith) that theists can shoot down with mere contempt. Either the theists argue with you in a logical manner or they don't. If they do decide to argue with you in a logically-oriented debate or argument (which is a big if and not something most theists and believers want to engage in anyway), they will not be able to argue against the various points that are so eloquently and masterfully brought up by Steele.

This book covers all the major reasons that the theists bring up to justify the existence of God and refutes them in a clear and logical manner over and over again. Now some arguments work better than others and I will have to say that Steele doesn't bat 1.000, but he gets it right more often than not. At times, Steele simply crushes the theistic viewpoints with clear and incisive arguments that cut to the heart of the matter. Either the theists need to be coherent or there's no point in arguing with 'em. But I suppose that is often the problem when dealing with theists. They will explain that 2+2 can indeed be 5 (or anything else than 4) and go through circular arguments to defend their incoherent conclusions.

As far as those unreasonable and incoherent types, even the arguments laid out in this book will fall on deaf ears. The sad part is that the great majority of the theists and sky god believers have already made up their minds. Why? Because they simply WANT to. Whether they've been brainwashed through many years of indoctrination or they just decided on their own to believe so they can to go to heaven or feel good inside somehow, they'll find ways to twist their words and fall back on words such as "love", "god", "infinite", etc. to justify their beliefs. There's obviously no reason to even argue with such types because it's not they won't, they simply CAN'T.

But if you do want to explore the most fundamental questions about the origin of the universe, life, death and the meaning of existence but do so in logical manner, this book goes a long way and lays out the arguments in an easy-to-understand manner. There are still many brain-twisters and mind-bogglers to contend with here, but if you're only somewhat intellectually rigorous and diligent, the concepts should filter in without too many difficulties. This is the book I recommend to atheists and skeptics who need real ammunition - i.e., logically and thoughtfully laid out arguments - when confronting a belligerent theist trying to convert you with hellfire. Good luck!

Not just a book about atheism, but an engaging primer on philosophy and how to reason on these matters.
This book is really categorically different than the typical atheist books out there that have gotten some notoriety. This is really a fun, readable, analysis of the position of theism and atheism.

A good and fair accounting of the arguments undergirding the beliefs.

I met Dr. Steele about 10 years ago and he seemed the most knowledgeable guy in a pretty smart room. He continues this impression with this book. Recommended to balance those other atheist polemics.

Steele does a very thorough job of laying out all the arguments for and against belief in God. In general, he presents these arguments quite fairly - sometimes even criticizing the atheist position and granting theists certain points.

The book focuses its critique on what he calls "classical theism", the belief in an all knowing, all powerful, infallible deity. Steele does a workmanlike job of dismantling this concept. While he also examines other theistic beliefs such as pantheism and deism, he offers a much less thorough critique of these alternatives.

So the reader who has abandoned the church, synagogue or mosque, yet clings to some conception of God, can find an escape hatch in Steele's argument. But, while the theistic reader may finish the book unconverted, he will definitely find a strong challenge to his faith and may need to modify his concept of God if he wishes to remain intellectually honest.

I am a newly de-converted Christian. This is my forth book I've read on Atheism, and I still found a lot in it I haven't read before. I particularly appreciated his intellectual honesty in owning up to the fact that Atheism has killed more people than either Christianity or Islam. He didn't try to baffle us with B.S. on this point as Dawkins and Harris did. He just acknowledged it and moved on. He reminded me here of what I enjoyed most about my academic experience at college.

The only point I vigorously disagreed with him on is his statement in chapter 18, Is There a Spirit World? He writes; "Today theists or generic believers in a spirit world appeal to near-death experiences as evidence, . . . We can collect anecdotes . . . This kind of thing is being done all the time, and is obviously worthless. The problem is that anecdotes get better with retelling and remembering. There is an inbuilt tendency to turn an account into a `good story', by emphasizing confirming aspects and overlooking awkward aspects."

I think he's being lazy dismissing the miraculous so quickly. Anecdotal evidence is usually about all we have to go on in NDE's and miracles. Sure there are a lot of instances that confirm his skepticism, like Betty Eddie's infamous book, "Embraced by the Light." But there's also a lot where the person is being scrupulously honest. And it's up to the investigator to use their intuition, gut feeling and common sense to sort out which is which. This task reminds me of the skills the critical Biblical scholars use to get at the truth about the Bible, which he endorses. Both are messy, but necessary tasks.

My kids and I set down immediately and I read the book to them (5 and 10). They love the easily remembered phrase "Maybe Yes, Maybe No" and use it (on me) when I challenge them with questions about the world. The phrase helps them to think through alternative answers to questions...it makes them think. Kids will challenge their own, and others, assumptions about the way things work. A great book for kids!

This is a great introduction to teaching kids to think for themselves, rather than just going along with the herd. I very much hope that the lessson that one needs to think and decide for oneself sinks in before any questions arise regarding the use of cigarettes, alcohol and illegal drugs, etc...

This is an excellent book that encourages children to ask questions and to be skeptical.

Popular culture and most schools do a terrible disservice to children by discouraging freethought and original thinking. Too many children are led to believe that authority figures are always right about everything.

This easy-to-read and well illustrated book (80 pages) is just right for ages 6-12.

I suggest that those who care about children consider buying a few copies and dontating them to local schools.

--Guy P. Harrison, author of 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God

I also recommend:

How Do You Know It's True?: Discovering the Difference Between Science and Superstition


The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions

My 7 year old daughter loves this book, and she's really not into reading that much. I was hoping she would be interested and was very pleasantly surprised. The first half is in a comic strip format with explanations leading through the story. It is an excellent representation of what critical thinking process should be used by children when presented with extraordinary claims. (The example given is whether there is a ghost in someone's house. They ask the right questions and stick through the process to determine what had actually caused the noises, etc. ) The end of the book deals specifically with why you should be skeptical of religion. This section is clearly anti-religion.

I bought this book when I realized that my eight year old was beginning to be led ("beginning" is perhaps a mother's wishful thought!) by his peer group. The intent was to get him to be more skeptical in his thinking, as I believe that will serve him well in a variety of the peer pressure fronts.

My son was interested in reading the book from the first page and responded well to the bite sized text paragraphs and the bringing to life of the lesson in the illustrations below.

I've read all Nevada Barr's books not so much for their stories/plots but because I love Ms. Barr's, and her protagonist Anna Pigeon's, attitudes and views on life. I first took it out of the library, read it twice, and then decided I wanted my own copy so I could reread it whenever I wanted.

For me, this book is about Ms. Barr's journey to reconcile and integrate spirituality, without becoming a religious fanatic, with her down-to-earth psyche and firm footing in physical reality. This is something I've been working on for most of my life, and I'm astonished how similar my thoughts have been to Ms. Barr's. The thought paths she takes you through in this book, and the clarity of her conclusions, helped me focus on who I am and how to make the best of my time here. I am so glad I found this book.

Having read all of Nevada's novels, I didn't expect to be surprised by her spiritual journey, but I was. It was interesting to find out how much of Anna Pidgeon's personality and personal history was based on Nevada's own and how much was very different. Her insights are very real, down to earth and unlike most spiritual guides. I didn't always agree, but she made me examine some assumptions from a new viewpoint.

This book touches deeply and lovingly on many of today's spiritual issues. I bought copies of this book for all the people in my life that I care about.

I found Nevada's book to be honest, well written, with a subtle sense of humor so needed in works dealing with religion and enlightenment. One of my favorite lines: "... I would occasionally run across someone who seemed to truly know God, and I realized that religion, like a bad toupee or a face-lift gone sour, is only obvious when it's done badly." This book did not do well commercially because honest well-written books dealing with things that really matter don't sell. But this book is very good, very important. It helped me on my return journey to God.

In this collection of short essays, Ms. Barr shares her spiritual experiences which are sometimes witty and sometimes thought-provoking. Some of the stories may even inspire readers to do some soul searching of their own, as they relate to some of the deeper issues Ms. Barr shares. These issues include social conciousness and responsibility to the global community; the importance of keeping commitments to others as well as to oneself; and striving to be a good person, not only for the hope of redemption of one's soul in the hereafter, but for the benefits received during one's lifetime.

Ms. Barr shares some unusual thoughts regarding spirituality that other seekers might also find enlightening. Those readers who are already on a well-defined spiritual path may not agree with some or many of the ideas Ms Barr presents, but reading this book is still a good opportunity to explore the musings of a fellow traveler on the spiritual journey of life.

In this ,compact yet rich text, JB. Phillips' classic work, Your God is Too Small, challenges antiquated presuppositions of the attributes of God and compels a reevaluation of God through a more extensive lens. Captioned "a guide for believers and skeptics alike," this books discusses common concepts of who God is, and pushes the reader to look at his or her own concept of God and the limited view that he is often seen. Phillips explores both destructive (negative) and constructive(positive) views of God, looking for a God that is "adequate. While this book is a good read and challenges the reader to see God differently, its datedness presents a limited view of the God of the 21st century. the examples used are not common place for the average reader at times, and yet, there is ample opportunity on the part of the reader to make connections if critical thinking and metaphoric understanding is employed. All in all, it is a worthwhile read...and recommended to anyone seeking to view God in a more complete way!

"Your God Is Too Small," is a small book that makes a huge impact. In a very gentle and friendly way, this book helps people who have acquired hindering misunderstandings about God develop a healthier and more accurate understanding according to the teachings of the Bible. Phillips is skillful in his analysis of modern culture, both religious and secular, as it has contributed to some troubling and trivializing notions of the God of Christian faith. This text can be a helpful addition to Sunday school curriculum as well as serious cultural and religious study as it pre-empts a great deal of misunderstanding new and seasoned believers have about God as well as those who have been repulsed by talk about God that still passes for popular dogma. The chapters are short enough to be read aloud and discussed in a classroom setting and the issues it deals with are deep yet practical.

I have had an earlier printing of this book for many years. It has helped me greatly in forming a balanced view of the nature of God. It is thought that individuals form relationships based on what they have been taught, what they have learned, or what they feel. Conservative Christians often experience spiritual development in a context in which God is used to control behavior or meet group expectations. Hence, many individuals with this sort of background reach adulthood with an unhealthy view of God based on what they have been taught and what they feel. Over the years as a counselor and university professor, I have seen many Christians struggle in their walk with God due to this limited view of the nature of God. Truly, their God is too small. I have referenced this book so many times in helping individuals in the church, in the classroom, and in the counseling room to challenge what they have been taught and what they are feeling about God and to really learn who God really is and what he is really like. This book is truly good news.

This is truly an "oldie but goodie." Written over 50 years ago, it's just what is needed today for believers and non-believers alike. Those who don't believe in God are often hampered by an all-too-narrow definition of who/what God is, and are driven to reject the whole concept. Of course God is not an old man in a white robe with an account book; believing in that, for an adult, would be as ridiculous as believing in Santa Claus. Phillips strips away the narrow, all-too-worldly notions of a deity that many of us grew up with, and then invites us to consider a liberating, expansive view of God that is worthy of a thinking adult. This is a great book for believers as well, as it will help them cope with doubts and disappointments by correcting false expectations. A valuable, accessible-to-all read.

"Your God Is Too Small" by J.B Phillips is a bit difficult to get through because of the old-fashioned language, but gaining an understanding of the fallacies we choose to believe about God is well worth the effort required to read this book. The key to completion is to read only one concept at a time, and to completely understand the text before moving on. I frequently found my mind drifting, but stopped when I realized what was happening and re-read the passage. Thankfully the "chapters" are short, so re-reading is not too great an effort. And the rewards reaped are worth it - a greater understanding of God.