Norman L. Geisler - I Dont Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

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Clear, complete, compellingthis terrific resource will help both Christians and seekers understand the rational basis for Christianity. I wish it had been available when I was an atheistit would have saved a lot of time in my spiritual journey toward God!

LEE STROBEL
author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith

This extremely readable book brilliantly builds the case for Christianity from the question of truth all the way to the inspiration of the Bible. And the verdict is in: Christians stand on mounds of solid evidence while skeptics cling to nothing but their blind, dogmatic faith. If youre still a skeptic after reading I DontHave Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, then I suspect youre living in denial!

JOSH MCDOWELL
speaker and author of Evidence That Demands a Verdict

It is really true that atheism requires gobs of blind faith while the path of logic and reason leads straight to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Norman Geisler and Frank Turek convincingly show why.

PHILLIP E. JOHNSON
author, Darwin on Trial, Reason in the Balance, and The Wedge of Truth

I Dont Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist will equip, exhort, and encourage you to give the reason for the hope that you have... with gentleness and respect.

HANK HANEGRAAFF
President, The Christian Research Institute, and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast

No amount of evidence can convert an unbeliever to belief. That is solely the work of God. But what Norm Geisler and Frank Turek have done in this book should disturb anyone claiming to be an atheist... perhaps enough to persuade them to begin a search for the God who has been there all along.

CAL THOMAS
Syndicated columnist and host of After Hours on the Fox News Channel

False ideas aimed at undermining and destroying the Christian faith constantly bombard high school and college students. This book provides an exceptionally good antidote to these false ideas. Geisler and Turek present the crucial information needed to avoid being swept away by the onslaughts of secular ideologies that cast science, philosophy, and biblical studies as enemies of the Christian faith.

WILLIAM A. DEMBSKI
author, The Design Revolution

Geisler and Turek have pulled together a wide array of thorny questions and, as always, have responded with skill and insight. This is a valuable addition to the contemporary writings on Christian apologetics.

RAVI K. ZACHARIAS
President, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

I Dont Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist is vintage Norman Geislera logical, rational, and intellectual defense of the Christian faith. This collaboration with Frank Turek is must reading for every professional or armchair philosopher.

JOHN ANKERBERG
author and host of The John Ankerberg Show

Anyone can understand this books crystal-clear explanation of how morality itself points to God. Atheists may believe in moral law, but without God they have no way to justify their belief.

J. BUDZISZEWSKI
former atheist, professor of government and philosophy, University of Texas at Austin, author, What We Cant Not Know

I Dont Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

Copyright 2004 Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek

Published by Crossway Books
a division of Good News Publishers
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 by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Josh Dennis

Cover photo: Getty Images

First printing 2004

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture references are from the Holy Bible: NewInternational Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.

Scripture references marked NASB are from the New American StandardBible Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Scripture references marked NKJV are from the New King James Version.
Copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Scripture references marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Geisler, Norman L.
I dont have enough faith to be an atheist / Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Apologetics. I. Turek, Frank. II. Title.
BT1103.G45 2004
239dc22 2003023631

DP 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

AS ONE WHO CAME TO Christ after years of skepticism, I have a particular affection for Christian apologetics. It is one of my passions. There is an abundance of evidence for the reliability of Scripture, for the authority of the Bible as the inspired Word of God, and that the Bible accurately portrays the historical events it covers, including the earthly life of Jesus Christ. Indeed, powerful and convincing proof exists that Christianity is the one true religion, that the triune God who reveals himself in its pages is the one and only God of the universe, and that Christ died for our sins so that we may live.

Proof, of course, is no substitute for faith, which is essential to our salvation and for our communion with God. Nor is the study of apologetics disrespectful to our faith. Rather, it augments it, informs it, bolsters it, and reinvigorates it. Were it otherwise, the Bible would not say, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Pet. 3:15).

I Dont Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist is the best single book Ive seen to prepare believers to give the reasons for their faith, and for skeptics who are open to the truth. This book will serve as an indispensable evangelism tool, especially when dealing with nonbelievers with intellectual obstacles to the faith. As we know, the intellectual obstacles are usually just an excuse for nonbelievers, but when you remove the substance of their excuse they are left naked to confront their real obstacles, their real demons.

But I believe theres another important reason for the scriptural mandate to be prepared to give an answer. Its not just to help us effectively communicate the gospel. Being prepared will also arm us with the tools to resist certain nagging doubts that we encounter in moments of weakness. It willbecause it marshals the evidence for Christianityfortify our faith.