Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All?A Christianity Today 1995 Books of the Year Finalist! Believing. Most of us take it for granted. We just do it--whether it's trusting that the sun will come up tomorrow, that the lunch we are about to eat is not poisoned or that our religious beliefs are not ill-founded. But why should we believe any of these things? Why should anyone believe anything at all? With insight and humor, James W. Sire examines the reasons people give for believing what they do and suggests what are truly satisfying and compelling reasons for belief. He then turns to the question of a specific belief--namely, belief that the Christian faith is true. Sire tackles both the best reason for belief in Christianity (the identity of Jesus ) and the chief reason against it. (the problem of evil). And he responds to these issues personally and philosophically. Here is a book to challenge the skeptic and reassure the doubter in us all. |
From inside the book
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Page 17
... sense of the world . One student from the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill wrote : If you don't believe in anything at all , I'd guess you lead a pretty bleak existence . I think it's really important to believe in yourself ...
... sense of the world . One student from the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill wrote : If you don't believe in anything at all , I'd guess you lead a pretty bleak existence . I think it's really important to believe in yourself ...
Page 18
... senses : we believe what our taste tells us . Second , we trust our reason to draw the proper conclusion from the sense of taste . In a strict sense , we can actually prove neither one . Every test for the validity of our senses relies ...
... senses : we believe what our taste tells us . Second , we trust our reason to draw the proper conclusion from the sense of taste . In a strict sense , we can actually prove neither one . Every test for the validity of our senses relies ...
Page 19
... senses — the ones we use to " read " the data from the instruments we use — are generally reliable . We see what is really there . Fourth , we assume that our reason is capable of reaching valid conclusions , based on accurate data . In ...
... senses — the ones we use to " read " the data from the instruments we use — are generally reliable . We see what is really there . Fourth , we assume that our reason is capable of reaching valid conclusions , based on accurate data . In ...
Page 21
... sense for one of us to say , " Resurrection is true for you ; reincarnation is true for me . " If one is true , the other is not . The problem we face is this : none of the various views of what happens at death can be proved with final ...
... sense for one of us to say , " Resurrection is true for you ; reincarnation is true for me . " If one is true , the other is not . The problem we face is this : none of the various views of what happens at death can be proved with final ...
Page 32
... sense of identity . People should espouse certain belief systems in order to establish some degree of identity for themselves . Also , having certain beliefs will serve as a guide for making decisions in life . ( Bryn Mawr , 1989 ) 3. X ...
... sense of identity . People should espouse certain belief systems in order to establish some degree of identity for themselves . Also , having certain beliefs will serve as a guide for making decisions in life . ( Bryn Mawr , 1989 ) 3. X ...
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Common terms and phrases
accept action actually answer appeared argument asked authority become believe Bible body called cause chapter character Christ Christian faith church claim Colson comes considered course culture dead death detail disciples early evidence evil examine example existence experience explanation face fact feel final follow forgive friends give given Gospels happen historical hold human important issue Jesus John justified kingdom least living look Luke Mark matter meaning mind miracles moral nature never notion pain parents person philosophic possible present Press problem question raised rational reality reason rejected religion religious responsible resurrection scholars sense simply sins society specific spirit stand story suffering teaching tell Testament things thought took true truth turn understand University wrong York
Popular passages
Page 101 - I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
Page 126 - You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
Page 174 - Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
Page 113 - Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" — he said to the paralytic — "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.
Page 107 - Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Page 100 - If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
Page 100 - For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
Page 186 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Page 116 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord'.
Page 129 - If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.