Hi all,
I’m new and exploring things. Can you recommend some good books for someone who is moving away from conservative Christian faith? There are so many books I don’t know where to start. I have a divinity degree so I can dig deep in philosophy. I just want to start with a few books that help me think.
Thank you and thanks for welcoming me.
I recommend Daniel C. Dennett. Excellent philosophy.
Welcome to the forum!
Danny
Dennett, like others like him (Harris, Hitchens, etc) are too controversial and too anti anti anti. I recommend taking it easy. Watch a few good secular humanist movies (not overtly so, but in message) like Bird Cage, Pleasantville, and the like. I once put together a 12 step program for recovering conservatives and the main step was to watch Bird Cage over and over until you get it. 
Hi all, I'm new and exploring things. Can you recommend some good books for someone who is moving away from conservative Christian faith? There are so many books I don't know where to start. I have a divinity degree so I can dig deep in philosophy. I just want to start with a few books that help me think. Thank you and thanks for welcoming me.i found "Why I am Not Christian" by Bertrand Russell very helpful. It is not a book, but an essay often published with other essays by Russell on religion. It is straightforward and easy to read. It is also a classic. Why I Am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects [Paperback] Bertrand Russell (Author), Paul Edwards (Editor) Is available from Amazon. You also can usually find the essay in other books in public libraries. Russell wrote a lot about religion philosophy and mathematics. Another good book by Russell, The Scientific Outlook. Lois
Due to your background I recommend reading former minister Dan Barker’s book Godless. It’s definitely right up your alley and is a good way to view religion as seen from the eyes of one who lived and promoted it. Barker also relates how he eventually broke away from the faith and further how it affected his family and friends. Also, welcome to the forum. Hope you stay awhile and share your experiences.
Cap’t Jack
... I once put together a 12 step program for recovering conservatives and the main step was to watch Bird Cage over and over until you get it. ;)You do know that torture is considered to be a crime? I mean they're conservatives, yeah, but they're still human beings.
Due to your background I recommend reading former minister Dan Barker's book Godless. It's definitely right up your alley and is a good way to view religion as seen from the eyes of one who lived and promoted it. Barker also relates how he eventually broke away from the faith and further how it affected his family and friends. Also, welcome to the forum. Hope you stay awhile and share your experiences. Cap't JackBarker is also a former minister. Lois
Due to your background I recommend reading former minister Dan Barker's book Godless. It's definitely right up your alley and is a good way to view religion as seen from the eyes of one who lived and promoted it. Barker also relates how he eventually broke away from the faith and further how it affected his family and friends. Also, welcome to the forum. Hope you stay awhile and share your experiences. Cap't JackBarker is also a former minister. LoisI think you might have missed part of his post. ;-) Take care, Derek
Due to your background I recommend reading former minister Dan Barker's book Godless. It's definitely right up your alley and is a good way to view religion as seen from the eyes of one who lived and promoted it. Barker also relates how he eventually broke away from the faith and further how it affected his family and friends. Also, welcome to the forum. Hope you stay awhile and share your experiences. Cap't JackBarker is also a former minister. LoisI think you might have missed part of his post. ;-) Take care, Derek I guess I did. Thanks. Lois
... I once put together a 12 step program for recovering conservatives and the main step was to watch Bird Cage over and over until you get it. ;)You do know that torture is considered to be a crime? I mean they're conservatives, yeah, but they're still human beings.I take it you're a bigot, homophobe?
... I once put together a 12 step program for recovering conservatives and the main step was to watch Bird Cage over and over until you get it. ;)You do know that torture is considered to be a crime? I mean they're conservatives, yeah, but they're still human beings.I take it you're a bigot, homophobe? On the bell curve of bigotry and homophobia, I suspect that I (and you) are a couple of standard deviations below the mean. I was making a funny about the "inhumanity" of subjecting a human being to watching (what I consider to be not particularly entertaining) movie repeatedly. But you knew that, didn't you?
... I once put together a 12 step program for recovering conservatives and the main step was to watch Bird Cage over and over until you get it. ;)You do know that torture is considered to be a crime? I mean they're conservatives, yeah, but they're still human beings.I take it you're a bigot, homophobe? On the bell curve of bigotry and homophobia, I suspect that I (and you) are a couple of standard deviations below the mean. I was making a funny about the "inhumanity" of subjecting a human being to watching (what I consider to be not particularly entertaining) movie repeatedly. But you knew that, didn't you?I suppose one could not like that movie, but still get it. I'm hoping not only that you get it but agree with it.
Welcome! It’s great that you’re exploring different perspectives. If you’re looking for books that challenge or expand beyond conservative Christian faith, you might enjoy:
‘The History of God’ by Karen Armstrong – A deep dive into how religious beliefs evolved over time.
‘Why I Left, Why I Stayed’ by Tony & Bart Campolo – A discussion between a father and son about faith and skepticism.
‘The Righteous Mind’ by Jonathan Haidt – A fascinating look at why people hold different moral and religious beliefs.
Also, if you enjoy deep thinking and debates, have you ever participated in Battle of the Books competitions? They can be a great way to discover and discuss thought-provoking books! Here are some cool team name ideas if you’re interested: 300+ Clever Battle of the Books Team Names for Winning Edge
Just FYI, our automated moderation flagged you for putting in a link on the first post. It’s an obscure rule, so don’t worry about it. Looking forward to more engagement with you