***SSNL LIFE THREAD NOV***

[LearnedfromTV]

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Have you read Mere Christianity, Jay? I was just reading this thread in SMP and it was interesting so I'm putting together an amazon cart with Christianity books. I'm a bad atheist since I don't really know anything about religion I just assume it's dumb...need to change that.

Mere Christianity seems preachy, but I dunno if it is. Is it? Ideally the book would not proselytize at all, because I couldn't deal with that.

This book looks okay: links
and this one: link
apparently this book is the religious book for English majors, so I'm supposed to like it: link

suggestions anyone?

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Keyser, I grew up superchristian, now I'm a borderline agnostic/atheist (I'm pretty sure there's no god, but I'm sick of thinking about it so if he's out there I'm going to let him be). I spent a lot of time thinking about religion when I was younger. C.S. lewis stuff is pretty good for what you're looking for; it's readable, and a reasonable mix of rationality and acceptance of the fact that belief requires an irrational faith/rejection of reason. It's literature, not philosophy, even the stuff that kinda looks like philosophy, but the easiest way for an atheist to approach religion is through the faith/fantasy/literary angle anyway. There's a 0% chance you'll be convinced by (or even appreciate) apologetics that attempt to be entirely rational/philosophical.

Kierkegaard's later stuff would probably appeal to you as well; the existentialist angst version of Christianity is anything but preachy.

I'm sure there are a lot of neutral "histories of christianity" that don't stake out a side on its truth; I don't think you'll have trouble recognizing these, the couple you linked should do the job. there are some good comparative religion studies out there as well, although none that jump to mind. There's a good historical synthesis called "Doubt" by Jennifer Michael Hecht. I think you'd like it as well; doubt and faith have been so closely related throughout history.

On the other side, philosopher Bertrand Russell's "Why I am not a Christian" is the best deconstruction of the Christian faith I've read; succinct, hits from every angle.

Don't read crap like "Evidence that Demands a Verdict", which attempts to provide historical evidence for the biblical stories; it'll drive you crazy with all the inaccuracies and logical flaws, and it's beside the point; Christianity isn't supposed to be verifiable like that.