A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Musings on Why God Is Good and Faith Isn't Evil [Hardcover]

A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists helps readersboth secular and religiousappreciate their common ground. For those whose thinking has moved from the religious thesis to the skeptical antithesis (or vice versa), Myers offers pointers to a science-respecting Christian synthesis. He shows how skeptics and people of faith can share a commitment to reason, evidence, and critical thinking, while also embracing a faith that supports human flourishingby making sense of the universe, giving meaning to life, connecting us in supportive communities, mandating altruism, and offering hope in the face of adversity and death.

Preface v

False and Dangerous? 1

My Assumptions 4

Mea Culpa 8

The Dance of Fanatics and Infidels 11

Simplistic Stereotypes 14

The Heart of Science and Religion 17

The Skeptics Boys Club 22

Inseparable Body and Soul 26

Does Prayer Work? 33

The Benevolent, Fine-Tuned Universe 44

Big Ideas and Biblical Wisdom 54

Secularism and Civility 64

God and Gays 74

(Nominal) Religion Feeds Prejudice 82

Godliness and Goodliness 87

Happy Faith-Heads 107

Healthy Faith-Heads 116

Does Explaining Religion Explain It Away? 121

The Leap of Faith 128

Appendix: International Society for Science and Religion Statement on Intelligent Design 133

Notes 137

Acknowledgments 150

The Author 152

As a scientist, open-minded skeptic (who cheers on challenges to irrationalism), and a man of faith, [Myers] seeks to transcend the skeptic/believer divide by suggesting how faith can be reasonable, science-affirming, anlÓg