Don't Check Your Brains at the Door

by Josh McDowell, Bob Hostetler

Laced with clarity and humor, McDowell and Hostetler expose common myths about God, the Bible, religion, and life, showing how Christianity stands up to the test of fact and reason. Solid, exciting Christian apologetics for teens.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction, Theology

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Josh McDowell is a bestselling Christian apologist, evangelist, and author of over 150 books, including Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter. Once an agnostic, he converted to Christianity while investigating its historical claims. He went on to earn degrees from Wheaton College and Talbot Theological Seminary. For decades, McDowell has been a prominent speaker with Campus Crusade for Christ, addressing issues of faith, character, and youth culture worldwide. His work emphasizes historical and legal evidence for Christianity and tackles challenges posed by skepticism and non-Christian beliefs. He lives in California with his wife, Dottie, and is the father of four children, including fellow apologist Sean McDowell.

Reviews

[Huda Aweys · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب فكرته رائعه .. و مهم يقرأوه المؤمنين بالعقيدة التوحيدية عموما
...

و لأن فكرة الايمان بالله في حد ذاتها رابط مابين كل اهل الايمان و الاديان مهما اختلفت رؤاهم .. فكان من السهل جدا انى ابدل و احط محمد مكان يسوع ، و الاسلام بدل المسيحية .. و منهج الاسلام و اخلاقياته و رؤاه مكان المنهج المسيحي و هكذا .. و (الله) واحد في جميع الحالات عز و جل طبعا ...
الكتاب في نظرى بيدافع عن الايمان و الدين بشمولية ياريت لو يكون فيه كتب من النوعيه دي عندنا محتاجينها جدا الايام دي في مواجهة موجة الالحاد اللى انتشرت اليومين دول في مجتمعنا .. التجاهل موش حل ابدا طبعا

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

** I received this book free from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest review.**

I requested this book, nervous it would be too "traditional" for me, but strongly hoping it would be along my line of belief. I am one who strongly believes that to be Christian doesn't mean we must surrender our intellectualism, or as the author puts it "check our brains at the door"...

Sadly my hopes were squashed when, as I was reading, I had to accept that the more "traditional" line of thought is given in this book.

The author/s and I disagree greatly on issues like Universalism (I am a Christian Universalist), the Bible being "copied with precision" (as he claims on page 49 - I tend to agree more with Bart D. Ehrman on this subject), the nature/divinity of Jesus (I'm a Unitarian who rejects the divinity of Christ), the nature of the Bible (I don't see it as "the" Word of God complete, or as historical fact, and I don't believe that it was meant to be written as a history textbook - that doesn't mean I believe it is fiction, though), and the Resurrection (which I reject, while still believing Christianity can be meaningful without it), humanism (do the authors not realize there are Christian Humanists? I know I tend to be humanistic in my beliefs, and many other Christians do, too...) just to name a few.

Not only do I disagree with the author on these issues, but I felt that this book was too short and not comprehensive enough to really mean much. It was written for teenagers, I understand, but I felt it could have been a little more comprehensive, instead of just presenting the "myths" and disagreeing and then offering questions/Bible verses at the end of each, quite short, chapter... There wasn't any real evidence, other than using those Bible verses - and considering the difference in the way we understand the Bible, you can understand my not thinking that such "evidence" is enough to really make their point.

This was typical of the evangelical style, though, and was a lot less intellectual than I had hoped for. Apologetics, it seems, is often more concerned about making persuading arguments, in terms of at least seeming convincing, without really getting into the details or evidence, which is disappointing. I'd love a book from a traditional standpoint discussing Biblical Criticism (or any other issue), for example, even if I don't agree with typical traditional stances, if I were to find one that actually goes into the various examples and evidences, etc. I just don't feel that this style - or this book in particular - does that. They make their argument, support it with the Bible (and their interpretation/understanding of it), and move on...

So I'm kind of glad I'm finished with it, so I, too, can move on... ;)

(No offense intended, just not a book for me.)

[Rachel Blom · Rating 3 out of 5]

(NB: I read an updated version, published in 2011)

Josh McDowell is maybe one of the best-known defenders of the Christian faith. With ‘Don’t check your brains at the door’ he’s written an easy-to-read defense against many common myths about Christianity for teens.I loved the concept of Don’t check your brains at the door, since we know from research the high school and college years are a tough period for many young people. Their faith is attacked, put to the test and not all come out of it with their faith intact. A book like this could help them find answers to questions they encounter, could help them defend what they believe when under attack. I’m just not sure the book quite does that.

My problem with the book is that I think there were too many myths being tackled. I’m guessing the main thought was that the book has to be easy-to-read, to not scare off teens, but because there were so many subjects included, all of the chapters are really short. That’s a shame because there are some really good arguments in there against often-heard attacks, myths and reasonings. Explaining these in more detail would have given teens more proof or incentive to change their belief system.

For a full review, see: http://www.youthleadersacademy.com/bo...

[Miguel Euraque · Rating 5 out of 5]

No dejes tu cerebro en la puerta de Josh McDowell y Bob Hostetter es un extraordinario libro cristiano. El cual de una forma divertida, pero con datos bien fundamentados. Vienen a reforzar nuestra fe.

En lo personal recomiendo la lectura de este libro a jóvenes y adolescentes cristianos. Ya que en sus páginas encontrarán. Algunas dudas e inquietudes que puede que ya se hayan planteado.

La verdad mientras leía este libro recordé mucho de lo que aprendí en el seminario. Mientras estudiaba la licenciatura en teología. Aunque claro no a la misma profundidad de estudio.

Cómo el libro tienen tanta información importante. He de comentar que mi libro a quedado lleno de post-it. Pues encontré varias cosas que debo releer y sobre las cuales espero documentarme más.

Y bueno dos grandes pensamientos que puedo rescatar de esta lectura son:

1. "La belleza es el resultado de las actitudes y disposiciones de una persona." (Debemos recordar que más haya de las apariencias, lo que Dios mira es el corazón).

2. Hablando sobre el humanismo secular los autores dicen: "Creer sinceramente que el hombre es capaz de liberarse a sí mismo y este mundo de todo mal sin la ayuda de Dios. Eso es un mito!"

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

The references in this book are a bit dated, but the subject matter is still very relevant for Christian teenagers and Christians in general. I liked the workbook style questions at the end of each short chapter.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am not Christian. However, I am not as such "anti-"Christian, or this would by default get a one-star review (since zero stars means "no rating"), so keep that in mind.

I read this primarily as anthropological study, much the way I've read books about Muslims and Bangladeshis and Swedish folk and Indians (from India) and even flipped through The Briefing (even if I couldn't read all of it due to the subject matter).

But this I read cover to cover, even if I skimmed the passage homework. It was somewhat of a spiteful read, the way my brother once claimed to have spite-watched The Blair Witch Project from start to finish to "prove" it was garbage (and subsequently forbade me to watch it).

Yet even though I'm disinclined to buy into the subject and am annoyed that Goodreads insists 2 of 5 stars is "it was ok" rather than the more visually obvious "I don't like it but don't (yet) hate it," I'm just short of calling it complete trash for a few reasons:

- It was written, I assume, in good faith (no pun intended)*
- Better to try and fail than to never try at all, I guess.
- The book acknowledges historical Jesus (Chapter 8: Pink Jesus - Exposing the Racist Myth). Jesus was Middle Eastern AS RECORDED IN THE BIBLE ITSELF! He certainly wasn't American, like Americans apparently love to believe! Heck, was English even around in his time?

(I'm not bothering to look that up, it's a rhetorical question tangental to the point.)

*The problem I have with Christianity in specific, perhaps because it's the most prevalent where I am and thus the religion where I can see the flaws most clearly (excepting ones with obvious flaws like Scientology), is the arguments in its favour are almost entirely a solution looking for a problem, much like the current "A.I." craze. The book seeks to argue that Christianity is the answer to all problems, then struggles to justify that answer. Contrarily, scientific method—finding the answers *regardless* of what they are—dictates that the odds are decreasingly slim that Christianity, out of potentially endless beliefs, is The One Truth that you must believe in, that amount of faith doesn't mean anything if it's the wrong one (Chapter 27: Potted Plants Don't Answer Prayer - Exposing the Subjective Faith Myth).

Even Christians should know how big the Universe truly is, yes? Earth is but a tiny speck of a tiny speck of a tiny speck of all of actual Creation? Yet even if we are truly the only life in all of it (bafflingly unlikely, yet also still quite possible), how is Christianity the absolute ultimate truth governing ALL of it?

"Because God!" is the short, Christian answer. No, from the unbeliever's point of view: Absolutely nothing in this book changes the unbeliever's mind who doesn't want it changed.

I stop short of writing off Christianity as literal trash for that reason: I don't discount that people have absolutely found faith and become better people for it. Good for them! But this book strikes me less as helping those people and more, "Neener, neener, we're absolutely right and here's why"—but without actually being convincing. It feels like a false dichotomy, like in Pascal's Wager: "Why NOT believe? You have everything to gain and nothing to lose!" Actually, living an all-too-short life in the service of something you're *gambling on* being the Truth could be a pretty big loss.

Also, I'm just biased AGAINST the ETERNAL Heaven/Hell segregation of souls based on one's actions over the relative *blink of an eye.* The punishment (or reward!) does not fit the crime (or good deeds!).

I could absolutely go into detail picking apart the flaws in the logic, page by page. There are more interesting ways to do that, though, by "reformed" Christians who could recite chapter and verse by heart.

I normally would recommend who would like this book, but it feels so circular and self-serving that I couldn't even recommend it "FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS" like is on the cover—for one thing, the material feels dated, the interior artwork is comically bad, and a lot of the chapters feel like strawman arguments rather than actual issues that a teen Christian might find themselves wrestling over. The "Myths about Lifestyle and Happiness" myths don't feel like they have anything to do with Christianity at all, even if they might be good advice (Chapter 34: Boys Will Be Boys - Exposing the Manhood Myth, Chapter 36: Beauty Is the Beast - Exposing the Cover Girl Myth, Chapter 38: Sex Is Not a Dirty Word - Exposing the Puritan Myth), in which case a general life advice book would probably be an improvement over a religious one.

But then, I'm not a Christian, so I cannot properly recommend Christian books that would be good to read. (The Bible? Haha. I do have one, though, as a graduation present from my family's church.)

Edit to add: "What about Universalism? Even if this book's specific flavour of Christianity might not be your bag, you MUST believe in goodness (from which God is derived)!" Well, I do, but the book very specifically calls that out in Chapter 20: When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, Everybody'll Be There - Exposing the Universalist Myth. It flat out decries different religions as different ways to worship the same God, that only Christianity counts. I think Richard Dawkins said it best, "What if *you're* wrong?" And that's even just of Earth-based religions! What exactly are the poor aliens on the other side of the universe with no chance of ever even knowing Earth exists going to do if ONLY Christianity counts? Contrarily, what are CHRISTIANS going to do if ONLY the religion of aliens we don't even know exist is the one that counts?

So call me skeptical about the whole thing, but I just can't believe in such an exclusive (as in, excluding) ideal like that, especially after Douglas Adams's "radical atheism" presenting the very logical premise that I'm re-wording* here to explain my own stance:

- God as the most powerful being in existence = a hard limit on what is possible (also, God can only create inferior things)
+ More impressive is how simple things (atoms, molecules, quarks) can combine to make even more complex things more advanced than themselves = infinite possibilities!

So, if anything, the so-called "One Truth" is going to be something that applies to all things in all of existence, regardless of happenstance.

*because, sadly, I no longer have my copy of The Salmon of Doubt to quote directly, as frustrated as I was at its incompleteness despite going in knowing too well that it would be

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part if the Challenge A (7th grade) Classical Conversations reading material. I think it's a great book to help teens thinking about some of the different myths and beliefs about God. The goal is to know what you believe, and why.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for anyone, especially college bound students before they go.

[Danielle Routh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unearthed this at my parents' house and decided to give it a reread. It's surprisingly relevant for being published almost thirty years ago (I read the original 1992 edition), especially the chapter concerning evangelicals' tendency to whitewash Jesus and thus exclude other ethnicities. The chapters are definitely on the shorter side, but I think this was intentional since the book is aimed at high schoolers and is probably meant as a starting point for each myth discussed--readers can then look deeper into what particularly interests them.

Support for each myth's debunking does rely heavily on the Bible (since, y'know, the book is about Christianity), but I thought the authors did a great job of adding academic and secular support. The style and examples are a bit dated, but that's to be expected. I'd be interested in seeing what was changed for the 2011 edition.

[Amybarker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I wanted to find something to give to a sixth grader who is graduating from my Sunday School classes. She will still be in church with us, but I know as she gets older, she will be faced with the challenge of defending her faith, whether in public school or wherever. This book is perfect for that! It is written for those in approximately middle school, so it has very short chapters and is easy to read. But it also explains the evidence and facts behind Jesus’s life and resurrection and how we should live today. I even took a few things away from it.

**Writing this note to remind myself that this is a good gift to middle schoolers, especially from a children’s director/minister.

[Brenten Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING 4.24 STARS

I have had this book since my high school days... and I don't think I ever read it until now in my search for books that would be helpful for my boys to read. And my first thought was that it might just be a little bit dated because there is a bit of pop culture referenced - and it is a little bit. (Bugle Boy, anyone?).

However, the overall concepts are still solid and the whole idea is to spur on some deeper thought and encourage young minds to challenge the voice of popular opinion. I'm excited to have more discussion surrounding the topics addressed here as the boys read through this one.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book to make a case for the Christian faith with middle and high school students. I used it as a six week Wednesday night class for my youth group, and they really enjoyed and engaged with the myths this book covers.

[Scott Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with my Year 10 & 11 class for our term book study. The students really enjoyed it. Some of the more interested students commented that they would have preferred more in dept for the varied topics, but the less able readers tended to find the short chapters very helpful.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall really good, but due to the overview of a large amount of content, some parts are limited in scope to a fault. I didn't do all the "workbook" parts at the end of the chapter, but I appreciated how biblical these were.

[Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesante y práctico

Temas realmente interesantes para la iglesia y para todo aquel que busque respuestas a preguntas comunes, pero que difícilmente todos pueden contestar, respuestas prácticas, pero con buen fundamento bíblico y experimental.

[Lyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of information but with not a lot of detail. It was very surface-level about a lot of different topics about God, Jesus, the Bible, religion, and life. While I already knew most of the arguments, it would be a very good introduction to apologetics.

[Anna Magee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a very well written book. It plays to the attention of teens which is a good way for the younger generation to learn about Christ. If you need a fun quick-witted book about the myths Christians face this book is awesome!

[Mary Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few gems but, overall, not noteworthy.

[Syd · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny, prob would've liked it better if it wasn't assigned. But I did like it

[Brent Rosendal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories and illustrations are a little outdated but a good entry book for young people to understand why we believe what we believe.

[Mary Gamel · Rating 5 out of 5]

كتاب يجعلك تفكر ويقوى إيمانك ويغير أفكار الناس الخاطئة عن اللة وأشياء كثيرة

[Ares Martí · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me pareció muy bueno para adolescentes

[David A Townsend · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fights myths with misinformation. Too bad, great idea for a book about faith, Christianity, and the Bible.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good material, but dated cultural references probably minimize it’s effective communication with today’s youth.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler have done a good job of taking the belief pulse of today’s teens. Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door is their book for this age group. It identifies and refutes 42 commonly held beliefs about Christianity in an attempt to “…discuss common myths, many of which people accept without thinking, and evaluate them in the light of the Bible.” (Introduction, Kindle Location 184.)

The book is broadly divided into six subject sections: Myths about God, Jesus, the Bible, the Resurrection, Religion and Christianity, and Life and Happiness. Each chapter within those sections deals with one myth.

The short chapters have colorful titles with descriptive subtitles, making it easy to locate chapters by subject (e.g. “The Luke Skywalker God — the Impersonal Force Myth"; "Lily-White Jesus–The Racist Myth” etc.). Each begins with a captivating anecdote or example. The writing style is snappy and the authors come to their signature conclusion, “But that’s a myth” efficiently and without beating around the bush. Each chapter ends with a “Brain Food” section—a deeper look at what the Bible says about the chapter’s subject.

Don't Check Your Brains has a lot going for it. It does a good job of tapping into common perceptions and beliefs about Christianity. The anecdotes and examples that begin each chapter are interesting and pull the reader in. The authors cite a variety of supporting sources and illustrations, from the quotes of famous theologians to illustrations from sports and entertainment. The “Brain Food” section makes excellent use of the Bible, employing a variety of assignment types (reading, fill in the blanks, checking the right response, character analysis, story analysis etc.).

However, there were a few things I didn’t get. For example, I wondered why the authors chose the order they did for handling these myths. They began with myths about God and Jesus, which they debunked using, among other things, lots of passages from the Bible — and this before they established the credibility and reliability of the Bible, which wasn’t addressed till Chapter 9. It seemed that a more logical order would have been to deal first with the Relativity Myth (Chapter 18) to establish the possibility of the existence of objective truth, then the myths about the Bible to lay the foundation of the Bible as a possible purveyor of that truth, and then the other subjects.

I also wondered why McDowell and Hostetler used so many dated illustrations and examples. They cited lyrics of a song from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” a popular musical from 1971, took life lessons from Elmer Gantry, a character in a book written in 1927, and sports heroes from the ‘50s to ‘70s, and more. Though the illustrations were well explained, I wondered how modern kids would relate. Those old-fashioned illustrations, along with the often dogmatic tone, made the book seem a little like the attempt of a couple of boomers to set a new generation straight.

Finally, I was disappointed with the superficial way in which some of these myths were supposedly debunked. The relativity myth was one. In our time of prevailing postmodernism — a philosophy foundationed on the absence of objective truth — the quoted witty words of C. S. Lewis were what the authors used to make their case:

"Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking one to him he will be complaining ‘It’s not fair’ before you can say Jack Robinson.

"It seems, then, we are forced to believe in a real Right and Wrong. People may be sometimes mistaken about them, just as people sometimes get their sums wrong; but they are not a matter of mere taste and opinion any more than the multiplication table” – C. S. Lewis, Kindle Location 1174.

Of course they went on to buttress their conclusion with quotes from the Bible, which is all well and good if the reader accepts the Bible as truth; not so compelling if he or she doesn’t.

Those things aside, I can see Don't Check Your Brains being a helpful personal read for teens seeking to make their Christian faith their own, as well as a discussion instigator for parents and church youth leaders.

(I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing as a free gift for the purpose of writing a review.)

Published originally on Blogcritics:

[Alexandra Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who is God really? Is he some unseen and unknown power? Or is he like Santa Claus, giving us what we want if we're good or we wish enough? Or maybe he is some sort of awful disciplinarian, wanting to take us away from all these we might enjoy? Is living off your parents faith really enough? Is the Bible really true? Or is it just a nice story? What is religion about? What is life about? These are all questions that are facing teens today, as a teenager myself I know that I have asked these of myself many times. All of these questions, and more, are answered in this book. Don't Check Your Brains at the Door explores many common myths surrounding God, Jesus, the Bible, the Resurrection, Christianity, and life in general.
I think the first thing I thought when reading this was, "this makes sense!". The authors did an excellent job at getting their point across in a straight forward manner. They didn't get bogged down with little details but they didn't skip over important items for the sake of keeping it simple. The chapters are short and use interesting illustrations to reinforce their point, this went a long way in keeping my attention. Normally with books involving straight facts, doctrines, beliefs, etc. I get so bored and lost I give up and reach for the nearest romance novel, in fact the only reason I read this book was because it was the only currently available book on BookSneeze that peaked my interest at all, but this book was different. This book kept my attention long enough to go through several chapters in one sitting. I was glad to see that everything in this book is backed up by biblical reference as well as including a short, bible look-up activity at the end of each chapter.
My one complaint is that the authors very much stuck to the "Myths and Legends" theme which I feel they could have branched off from. The effect of this was that rather than feeling like one complete book it felt more like a compilation of many short stories or papers. However this was not a major drawback and probably won't bother other people. Also some of the explanations felt just a little too short and over simplified.
So overall, if you are looking for something deep and thoughtful this probably isn't what you are looking for. But for a daily, easy-read devotional I would say this is perfect.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
http://classycassies.blogspot.com/201...

[logankstewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh McDowell, like C.S. Lewis and Lee Strobel, had a problem with Christianity. As an agnostic, he set out writing a paper to disprove the Christian faith, which ultimately led to his inability to do so and his surrender to Christ. A renown apologist, McDowell, along with Bob Hostetler, produced a simple book of common questions for young Christians, a book titled Don't Check Your Brains at the Door. Originally released in 1992, I recently received an updated edition for a more modernized society.

Don't Check Your Brains is targeted for teens and young adults. The book is conversational and the tone is light and humorous, but it never loses its focus. Divided into six sections, the book covers myths about God, Jesus, the Bible, the Resurrection, Religion and Christianity, and Life & Happiness. There are forty-two 3-4 page chapters, and each chapter ends with a "Brain Food" application. The "Brain Food" stuff includes readings from the Bible and insights for practical living.

As an older Christian, and having read some more theological denser material (like Strobel's A Case for Christ ), I wasn't blown away by anything I read. This, however, was not my intention in reading the book. I volunteer with the youth at church and I wanted to read it to see how I thought it would help high schoolers and middle schoolers. To this age group, as well as fledgling Christians, I think Don't Check Your Brains is a fantastic resource. It answers tough questions with Scripture, as well as establishes a seed to grow deeper in understanding God's Word.

I think this book is a great starting point for those that are clueless about their faith and why we believe things we believe. Many great questions/myths are addressed, such as New Age Thoughts, Wimpy Jesus, and God Grades on a Curve. These are but a few examples, and I think many of these myths will be encountered by the upcoming generations. In the end, Don't Check Your Brains at the Door is a simple and engaging book that should hold the attention of a younger audience, but also impart truth and evidence for common questions they may face. The book would fit perfectly with young and curious minds, and may just spark some thought in older ones as well.

*FTC Thingy: This book was provided for free as an ebook download from Thomas Nelson Publishers and Booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Marlene Rohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josh McDowell, a well known Christian author and apologist and Bob Hostetler, also an author, editor and pastor have partnered together to examine 42 popular myths regarding God, Jesus, the Bible, the resurrection, religion, Christianity, life and happiness. The authors have co-authored 11 books altogether. McDowell, originally an agnostic who set out “to refute Christianity and prove it to be a joke”, could not do that based on the evidences that he discovered.
Each brief chapter is followed by a study guide called “Brain Food” to give the reader an opportunity to do their own study of scriptures relating to the myth just exposed. While written for a wide age and reading range; “Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door” is clearly geared for youth ages 12 and up. Adults will also find much food for thought even if they consider themselves to be well grounded in their beliefs about Christianity. Reading this book has challenged me to reexamine what my beliefs are, why I started believing in Jesus in my early childhood and what I believe now after approximately 40 years of following Christ.
While “Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door” is well researched and the various myths are exposed for their misconceptions, the aspect I appreciated most was the author’s ability to communicate truth. As the Bible says “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”, anyone reading this book will learn that there is more to the Christian life than do’s and don’ts; that adhering to a belief in the Bible and accepting what is written is not a sign of a weak person who is gullible and brainwashed.
As a result of reading this book I am more concerned about growing in my knowledge of God and in my daily walk as a believer. I truly desire to “be still and know” the God I serve. My spiritual growth continues to be challenged by the trials of life, but instead of diminishing my beliefs, I have been strengthened by the faith that has sustained me through the storms of life. I received this complementary book from BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program and was not required to post a positive review. I would recommend this book to anyone who is searching for more information or evidence regarding the Christian faith.

[Marawan Awad · Rating 3 out of 5]

الكتاب ترجمة ركيكة لكتاب جوش مكدويل
(Don't check yours brains at the door !)

الكاتب كان لا أدري (أجنوستيك) و دخل في المسيحية بشده و حسن ايمانه و بقا ينتصر للمسيحية في كتبه ...

الكتاب عبارة عن تناول للتصورات الخاطئة للمسيحيين لفكرة المسيحية و الأخطاء الشائعة في العقيدة سواء عن الله أو المسيح أو عن الكتاب المقدس أو القيامة أو الدين المسيحي أو في فهم القدر ...

الكتاب لم يستخدم اسلوب فلسفي أو علمي في ادحاض الاشكاليات كما يدعي عنوانه ... ولكن حاول أن يوضح المسيحية الحقيقية عن طريق النصوص الدينية ليس أكتر ...

المتاب جميل بالنسبة لعوام المسيحيين (الغير متخصصين في اللاهوت) ... و لغيرهم من المتديين من جميع الاديان ... و فيه أمثلة أعجبتني جد !

الكتاب خفيف و يخلص في ساعتين زمن ... بعض التصورات الخاطئة عن المسيحية الحق من وجهة نظر الكاتب:

أولا عن الله:
- انه هادم اللذات الدنيوية
- الله ذات غير مجسدة
- الله يستجيب للدعاء اوتوماتيكيا

ثانيا عن المسيح:
- المسيح نبي
- المسيح أبيض البشرة
- المسيح ناعم و مخنث
- المسيح غير واقعي و مناسب للبسطاء فقط

ثالثا عن الكتاب المقدس:
- انه عمل أدبي
- انه محرف
- انه منقول و فيه اخطاء
- ان فيه اساطير شعوب
- ان علم الاثار اثبت اخطاء تاريخية فيه
- صدفة نبوءاته

رابعا عن قيامة المسيح:
- انه أغما عليه لثلاث أيام و لم يمت و يبعث
- الغلط في مكان القبر !
- سرقة تلاميذه للجثة

خامسا عن الديانة المسيحية:
- نسبية الصواب و الخطأ
- أنا افضل من غيري
- كل البشر يدخلون الجنة (الشمولية)
- العبرة بالايمان ! حتى لو كان بالشيء الخطأ
- الايمان ضد العقل
- الاتباع الاعمى
- الايمان ضد العلم
- المؤمنين تم غسل ادمغتهم
- المؤمن الحق لا يشك
- المبشرين كذبة

و مواضيع أخرى ....
أظن أن معظم المسيحيون يختلفون مع بعض ما يحتويه الكتاب ... عالاقل قبل قراءته!

لماذا اقرأ كتاب عن المسيحية ؟
الموسوعية و الاطلاع و لان التجربة الايمانية واحدة في كل الديانات ... و لربما وجدت بعد فلسفي جديد لفكرة الايمان ... من الكتاب ... و لم أجد !

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sticking with giving this book 3 stars. I considered 2 stars, but that seemed a bit harsh. I give the extra star because I think that there are some gold nuggets to be found in this book. I also think that this might be a decent introductory book for new, young believers between the ages of 11 and 16. I liked how the book was split into many short chapters that each addressed a different topic in regards to a conservative, evangelical worldview. This book contained a great deal of Scripture and I do not recall every questioning the biblical doctrines discussed.

However, I do have a few critical thoughts to share about this book. First off, although this book has been updated in order to sound relevant to today's youth, it failed to lose what I would call the "cheesy 90's Christian youth books" writing style. I'd wager that from the late 80's to the early 00's, a few Christian authors, specifically those who wrote to teens/youth, tended to use "hip", "funny", and "relevant" vocabulary. This book still contains traces of that awful lingo found in Christian youth books from the 90's. There were perhaps one or two humorous stories in this book, but there were a plethora of super cheesy, unrealistic, cringe-worthy stories and dialogues. Also, the topics discussed felt a bit simplified. I think teens are smarter and not as naive than the book assumes they are.

I might have enjoyed this more 8 years ago, but even then I think I would have sensed the cheesiness and oversimplification. Like I said, it's perhaps a decent introductory book for new, young believers, but otherwise there isn't much to gain here.