God Is Not Nice

God Is Not Nice
Author: Ulrich L. Lehner
Publisher: Ave Maria Press
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2017-10-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1594717494

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Ulrich L. Lehner reintroduces Christians to the true God—not the polite, easygoing, divine therapist who doesn’t ask much of us, but the Almighty God who is unpredictable, awe-inspiring, and demands our entire lives. Stripping away the niceties with a sling blade, Lehner shows that God is more strange and beautiful than we imagine, and wants to know and transform us in the most intimate way. With his iconoclastic new book God Is Not Nice, Lehner, one of the most promising young Catholic theologians in America, challenges the God of popular culture and many of our churches and reintroduces the God of the Bible and traditional Christianity. As Lehner writes in the book’s introduction, "We all need the vaccine of the true transforming and mysterious character of God: The God who shows up in burning bushes, speaks through donkeys, drives demons into pigs, throws Saul from his horse, and appears to St. Francis. It’s only this God who has the power to challenge us, change us, and make our lives dangerous. He sweeps us into a great adventure that will make us into different people." This book is not safe. It may startle and annoy many people—including those who purport to teach and preach the Gospel, but are missing it, according to Lehner. God Is Not Nice intends to overthrow all of our popular misconceptions about God, inviting us to ask deeper questions about the nature of our lives and our relationship with him. When you're finished with God Is Not Nice, you may find the idols you constructed in God’s name smashed, replaced with a God who will ask you to live an entirely different life full of hope and transformation. God Is Not Nice has been translated into several foreign languages.

God Is Not Great

God Is Not Great
Author: Christopher Hitchens
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2008-11-19
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1551991764

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Christopher Hitchens, described in the London Observer as “one of the most prolific, as well as brilliant, journalists of our time” takes on his biggest subject yet–the increasingly dangerous role of religion in the world. In the tradition of Bertrand Russell’s Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris’s recent bestseller, The End Of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope’s awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry of the double helix.

Lies We Believe About God

Lies We Believe About God
Author: Wm. Paul Young
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2017-03-07
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1501101412

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From the author of the bestselling novel The Shack and the New York Times bestsellers Cross Roads and Eve comes a compelling, conversational exploration of twenty-eight assumptions about God—assumptions that just might be keeping us from experiencing His unconditional, all-encompassing love. In his wildly popular novels, Wm. Paul Young portrayed the Triune God in ways that challenged our thinking—sometimes upending long-held beliefs, but always centered in the eternal, all-encompassing nature of God’s love. Now, in Wm. Paul Young’s first nonfiction book, he invites us to revisit our assumptions about God—this time using the Bible, theological discussion, and personal anecdotes. Paul encourages us to think through beliefs we’ve presumed to be true and consider whether some might actually be false. Expounding on the compassion fans felt from the “Papa” portrayed in The Shack—now a major film starring Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer—Paul encourages you to think anew about important issues including sin, religion, hell, politics, identity, creation, human rights, and helping us discover God’s deep and abiding love.

If God Is Good, Why Is The World So Bad?

If God Is Good, Why Is The World So Bad?
Author: Benjamin Blech
Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.
Total Pages: 250
Release: 2003-09-08
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 0757301231

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In these troubled times, people are asking very difficult questions about God and their faith: If I suffer, does that mean I deserve it? Why do innocent people, especially children, die tragically? How can God be so cruel? Does God ever intervene during times of trouble? Who really runs the world-God or man? Do my prayers do any good? Why does God allow sickness, torture and evil to exist? Benjamin Blech admits, the answers are not simple. There is no one-size-fits-all explanation. Indeed, not only are there many answers, but in different situations several explanations may apply. Blech wrote this book as an intellectual analysis of Jewish wisdom on the subject of suffering. His theories are the fruit of thousands of years of debate, examination and struggle. Jewish wisdom teaches that there are rich and inspiring answers to the ultimate question: If God is good, why is the world so bad? Take part in the most important spiritual journey of all-the quest for serenity in the face of adversity-and discover that in the accumulated wisdom of the ages lies a time-tested solution for turning despair into hope and sorrow into faith.

How Can I Find God?

How Can I Find God?
Author: James Martin
Publisher: St Pauls BYB
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2014
Genre: Desire for God
ISBN: 9788171093465

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Hope in the Dark

Hope in the Dark
Author: Craig Groeschel
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 177
Release: 2018-08-21
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310342961

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Can God be good when life is not? Rediscover faith in the character, power, and presence of God. Even in the questions. Even in the hurt. "I want to believe, I want to have hope, but . . ." Pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel hears these words often and has asked them himself. We want to know God, feel his presence, and trust that he hears our prayers, but in the midst of great pain, we may wonder if he really cares about us. Even when we have both hope and hurt, sometimes it's the hurt that shouts the loudest. In Hope in the Dark, Groeschel explores the story of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, saying, "I believe! Help my unbelief!" In the man's sincere plea, Jesus heard the tension in the man's battle-scarred heart. He healed not only the boy but the father too, driving out the hopelessness that had overtaken him. He can do the same for us today. As Groeschel shares his pain surrounding the health challenges of his daughter, he acknowledges the questions we may ask in our own deepest pain: "Where was God when I was being abused?" "Why was my child born with a disability?" "Why did the cancer come back?" "Why are all my friends married and I'm alone?" He invites us to wrestle with such questions as we ask God to honor our faith and heal our unbelief. Because in the middle of your profound pain, you long for authentic words of understanding and hope. You long to know that even in overwhelming reality, you can still believe that God is good. Hope in the Dark is also available in Spanish, Esperanza en la Oscuridad.

Does God Need the Church?

Does God Need the Church?
Author: Gerhard Lohfink
Publisher: Liturgical Press
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2014-12-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0814683541

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Are not all religions equally close to and equally far from God? Why, then, the Church? Gerhard Lohfink poses these questions with scholarly reliability and on the basis of his own experience of community in Does God Need the Church? In 1982 Father Lohfink wrote Wie hat Jesus Gemeinde gewollt? (translated into English as Jesus and Community) to show, on the basis of the New Testament, that faith is founded in a community that distinguishes itself in clear contours from the rest of society. In that book he also described a sequence of events that moved directly from commonality to a community that was readily accessible to every group of people and was made legitimate by Jesus himself. Only later did Father Lohfink learn, within a new horizon of experience, that such a description is not the way to community. The story of the gathering of the people of God, from Abraham until today, never took place according to such a model. Today Father Lohfink states that he would not write Wie hat Jesus Gemeinde gewollt? the same way. The situation of belief and believers has undergone a shift: the question of the Church has become much more urgent. Church life is declining and the religions are returning, often in new guises. In light of these shifts and the change in his own view of community, Father Lohfink inquires in Does God Need the Church? of Israel's theology, Jesus' praxis, the experiences of the early Christian communities, and of what is appearing in the Church today. These inquiries lead to an amazing history involving God and the world - a history that God presses forward with the aid of a single people and that always turns out differently from what they think and plan.

God Is Nice

God Is Nice
Author: Angela Hodge
Publisher: Xulon Press
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2010-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1609571185

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God's gentle temperament, genuine concern for all life and compassion are rarely if ever discussed. In fact most conversations about Him focus on His wrath, judgment and invincible power. As a result, many are left with the impression that the Lord is an angry being who holds grudges and keeps a long record of every sin ever committed. This misconception has prevented most from grasping the truth that God is: nice, gracious, patient, slow to anger, and forgiving. From the dawn of time until now, the Lord has shown kindness to all. In God is Nice, His characteristics are revealed through careful study of the relationship He has with mankind. When you read this book you will see an eye-opening depiction of the Lord's character. God is Nice uses biblical accounts of the Lord's encounters with humanity to reveal who He is as a person. In God is Nice, Rev. Dr. Hodge guides you through the scriptures to help you: - Comprehend the essence of the Lord's character. - Realize that God, your greatest supporter, has always wanted good things for you. - Understand the role wrongdoing plays in concealing the truth about the Lord's nature. - Decide that God is a gracious person abounding in love and forgiveness. - Run to the Lord not away from Him. ANGELA HODGE is Assistant Pastor of I AM THE LIVING WORD (IATLW) Ministries. This non-profit ministry is focused on winning lost souls to Jesus Christ through sharing God's word and being actively involved in community service. IATLW hosts Christian retreats designed to help people develop their relationship with the Lord.

God: The Failed Hypothesis

God: The Failed Hypothesis
Author: Victor J. Stenger
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Total Pages: 310
Release: 2010-08-05
Genre: Science
ISBN: 161592003X

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Throughout history, arguments for and against the existence of God have been largely confined to philosophy and theology, while science has sat on the sidelines. Despite the fact that science has revolutionized every aspect of human life and greatly clarified our understanding of the world, somehow the notion has arisen that it has nothing to say about the possibility of a supreme being, which much of humanity worships as the source of all reality. This book contends that, if God exists, some evidence for this existence should be detectable by scientific means, especially considering the central role that God is alleged to play in the operation of the universe and the lives of humans. Treating the traditional God concept, as conventionally presented in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, like any other scientific hypothesis, physicist Stenger examines all of the claims made for God's existence. He considers the latest Intelligent Design arguments as evidence of God's influence in biology. He looks at human behavior for evidence of immaterial souls and the possible effects of prayer. He discusses the findings of physics and astronomy in weighing the suggestions that the universe is the work of a creator and that humans are God's special creation. After evaluating all the scientific evidence, Stenger concludes that beyond a reasonable doubt the universe and life appear exactly as we might expect if there were no God. This paperback edition of the New York Times bestselling hardcover edition contains a new foreword by Christopher Hitchens and a postscript by the author in which he responds to reviewers' criticisms of the original edition.

Think Better

Think Better
Author: Ulrich L. Lehner
Publisher: Baker Academic
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2021-11-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1493433458

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In a world dominated by half-truths, illogic, and intellectual laziness, Think Better helps readers understand what reason is and how to use it well. Reason is a powerful tool not only for finding our way in an increasingly complex world but also for growing intellectually and emotionally. This short, accessible volume unlocks the dynamics of human reason, helping readers to think critically and to use reason confidently to solve problems. It enables readers to think more clearly and precisely about the world, and it tackles a number of profound philosophical questions without getting bogged down with jargon. Topics include knowledge, identity, leadership, creativity, and empathy. Written in an accessible style that integrates philosophy, illustrations, personal anecdotes, and statistical data, this book is well suited for use in undergraduate, classical school, and home school contexts. It is an invaluable guide for anyone interested in gaining better reasoning skills and a more rational approach to life.