Mitch Stokes - How to Be an (A)theist: Why Many Skeptics Arent Skeptical Enough (Foreword by J. P. Moreland: Why Many Skeptics Arent Skeptical Enough)

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How to Be an Atheist is the best popular discussion of the (alleged) conflict between science and religion that I have ever read. The book is well written, well organized, and philosophically sophisticated. Moreover, the authors knowledge of science, the history of science, and the history of the conflict between science and religion is admirably suited to his purpose. Above all, the book is accessible . No reader who is interested in questions about the relation between science and religion will have any difficulty in following the authors arguments.

Peter van Inwagen, John Cardinal OHara Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

How many times has atheistic naturalism appeared to be a charade, like a shell game where you never seem to see all the steps of the process? Or how frequently have you been told that atheists are too softthat they must be even more rigorously skeptical? But then when they do follow their own system, there is nothing left with which to build their worldview! Get readyyoure embarking on a challenging journey here. In this volume, Mitch Stokes uncovers issue after issue where atheistic naturalism looks more like the king who wore no clothes, and Stokes is the one to give him the message! This is must readingI recommend it highly!

Gary R. Habermas, Distinguished Research Professor and Chair, Philosophy Department, Liberty University

Ive been saying for years that professional skeptics are not skeptical enough, that they are selective in their skepticism, and that if they ever turned their skeptical faculties on their own skepticism and the materialist worldview that almost invariably comes attached to it, they would see the house of cards theyve built collapse of its own internal inadequacies. Mitch Stokes, in this incisive book, does a wonderful job filling in the details to this charge against skepticism.

William A. Dembski, Senior Fellow, Center for Science and Culture, Discovery Institute; author, Being as Communion

How to Be an Atheist is both readable and well documented, both incisive and wide-ranging. It is a wise book that exposes the dead-end reasoning and ultimately antihuman positions of modern skepticism. If youre looking for an accessible book to take you through the host of such skeptical arguments against belief in God, this is it!

Paul Copan, Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics, Palm Beach Atlantic University

Opponents of Christianity have often claimed that science disproves the God of the Bible. But actual scientists and philosophers of science have been far more modest, expressing serious reservations about the use of science to prove anything about the origin and ultimate nature of the world. In this book, Stokes expresses a deep respect for science, but like the best scientists themselves, is carefully skeptical about the idea that science is our final gateway to truth. He also argues that despite all recent claims to the contrary, morality does not make sense without God. The book deals with some highly technical matters in a learned way, but with wit and clarity. I profited from it very much.

John M. Frame, J. D. Trimble Chair of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida

Mitch Stokes takes the so-called new atheists out to the intellectual woodshed. His clear and powerful double whammy against atheismit is difficult to ground morality in science, and it is difficult to ground science on atheismshows just how much faith it takes to be an atheist.

Kelly James Clark, Senior Research Fellow, Kaufman Interfaith Institute; The Honors Program, Brooks College

In this superbly executed book, Mitch Stokes makes a solid and creative case for why many atheists arent skeptical enough. If they were consistent sober skeptics, he argues, their view of the world would be radically reimagined. For thosewhether believer, agnostic, or atheistwho are not afraid to follow the truth, wherever it may lead, this book is a must-read.

Chad V. Meister, Professor of Philosophy and Theology, Bethel College; author, Evil: A Guide for the Perplexed

How to Be an Atheist

Why Many Skeptics Arent Skeptical Enough

Mitch Stokes

Foreword by J. P. Moreland

How to Be an Atheist: Why Many Skeptics Arent Skeptical Enough

Copyright 2016 by Mitchell O. Stokes

Published by Crossway
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Jeff Miller, Faceout Studio

First printing 2016

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-4298-5
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-4301-2
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-4299-2
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-4300-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stokes, Mitch.

How to be an atheist : why many skeptics arent skeptical enough / Mitch Stokes ; foreword by J. P. Moreland.

1 online resource.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

ISBN 978-1-4335-4299-2 (pdf) ISBN 978-1-4335-4300-5 (mobi) ISBN 978-1-4335-4301-2 (epub) ISBN 978-1-4335-4298-5 (print)

1. Apologetics. 2. Christianity and atheism. 3. Atheism. 4. Skepticism. I. Title.

BT1212

239dc23 2015028645

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2016-02-22 12:30:00 PM

To my parents,

who had to put up with a lot.

I think my ultimate goal would be to convert people away from particular religions toward a rationalist skepticism.

Richard Dawkins, interview by Larry Taunton

Their scepticism about values is on the surface: it is for use on other peoples values; about the values current in their own set they are not nearly sceptical enough. And this phenomenon is very usual.

C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man

Contents

Part 1

Sense and Reason

Part 2

Science

Part 3

Morality

When Crossway editor Justin Taylor asked me to write a foreword to How to Be an Atheist , I was excited to have this opportunity. I felt this way for two primary reasons.

First, I was and am impressed with and encouraged by Professor Stokess academic pedigree. He has a BS and MS in mechanical engineering (with five patents!), so he understands science well. Then, too, he received an MA in religion at Yale under Nicholas Wolterstorff, and an MA and PhD in philosophy from Notre Dame with Peter van Inwagen and Alvin Plantinga as his dissertation supervisors. When I read this, my head exploded! Having been in the ministry for forty-five years, I am thrilled to see a whole movement arise, typified by Stokes, of well-educated Jesus lovers who can competently address the important issues of the day, and who can lead and teach others to be involved more intelligently.