Is Believing in God Irrational, Delusional, etc

Book Review.

Orr-Ewing, Amy. Is Believing in God Irrational, Delusional, etc?
InterVarsity Press. 2008
A OE- Amy is the European training director for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. She is a regular speaker at many universities as an apologetic and lives in London.

Comment. Henry.
Like her mentor (Ravi) Amy is an apologetic and that is the focus of her presentation of the Christian faith. She makes a strong defense for the faith and shares interesting information about non-Christian beliefs. Those interested in apologetics would be attracted to this resource

In response to a question by an Oxford student, Amy gives a brief explanation comparing the Christian experience with the Buddhism experience. “A real encounter with God through Christ is the beginning of a relationship that the believer experiences in a real way.” (20) There is no such experience in Buddhism or Islam. In our culture tolerance has been placed above truth. Such a position is really a form of arrogance. Those who make the accusation that Christianity is exclusive are themselves being exclusive in their accusation. It is a form of rejection of truth.

Some assertions that belief in God is delusional are examined. Amy also examines the notion that “God is a psychological projection”. (44) Another challenge come in the form of this question: “How can you say you have the truth if you haven’t tried all the alternatives?” (55) The problem of good people having to suffer is “one of the most difficult questions that humans ever tried to address in our history”. (67) To mix emotions and philosophy in answering this question “are a potent mix”. (67) The suffering issue is not limited to Christianity and becomes a problem for other belief systems to address.

The reality that some Christians are bad examples of the transformed life does not negate the belief system. The reality of hell and how it will impact people’s future are discussed. Fundamentalism becomes an issue especially when it is used to point out similarities between Christianity and Islam. The concept of “tolerare malus (tolerate evil)” developed by Augustine and Aquinas is presented as a defense against the accusation that Christianity is in fact dangerous.

A brief survey is done of the reasons people give for having turned away from Christianity. For such people it is suggested that they reexamine their presuppositions. By way of conclusion the attention is directed to “the possibility of knowing God in a relationship in addition to knowing something about him”. (134) Believing in God does make a lot of sense.