The Outsider Test for Faith: How to Know Which Religion Is True, by John W. Loftus
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The Outsider Test for Faith: How to Know Which Religion Is True, by John W. Loftus
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Fostering mutual understanding by viewing religion from an outsider perspective
Depending on how one defines religion, there are at least thousands of religions in the world. Given such religious diversity, how can any one religion claim to know the truth? Nothing proposed so far has helped us settle which of these religions, if any, are true - until now.
Author John W. Loftus, a former minister turned atheist, argues we would all be better off if we viewed any religion - including our own - from the informed skepticism of an outsider, a nonbeliever. For this reason, he has devised "the outsider test for faith". He describes it as a variation on the Golden Rule: "Do unto your own faith what you do to other faiths." Essentially, this means applying the same skepticism to our own beliefs as we do to the beliefs of other faiths. Loftus notes that research from psychology, anthropology, sociology, and neuroscience goes a long way toward explaining why the human race has produced so many belief systems, why religion is culturally dependent, and how religion evolved in the first place. It's important that people understand these findings to escape the dangerous delusion that any one religion represents the only truth.
At a time when the vast diversity of human belief systems is accessible to all, the outsider test for faith offers a rational means for fostering mutual understanding.
The Outsider Test for Faith: How to Know Which Religion Is True, by John W. Loftus- Amazon Sales Rank: #94397 in Audible
- Published on: 2015-11-25
- Format: Unabridged
- Original language: English
- Running time: 401 minutes
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Most helpful customer reviews
45 of 54 people found the following review helpful. Extremely Well Done By Book Fanatic I had high hopes for this book based upon the reviews and blurbs, but I can't say my expectations were all that high. I had read Loftus' previous writings on the OTF and I wasn't sure a book length treatment would be all that valuable. I was wrong. This is an excellent book and its thesis is presented and defended very well.My own ideas about religious faith were formed decades ago based upon my own thoughts and what I read from others. It was the rather simple and obvious idea that where evidence was sufficient faith was not necessary and where faith was necessary there was no criteria to determine truth. Faith allows anyone to believe virtually anything regardless of the evidence. Thereby we get the religious diversity which receives such good treatment by Loftus.The OTF is a clearly articulated and much expanded version of this simple idea. This may seem unfair to Loftus, but it is my interpretation. That's not to say his much expanded articulation of all this is not valuable, because as I indicated it is. He has done an marvelous job in this book of doing just that. That is why in my opinion it merits five stars. I've read a ton of books and this one is definitely now on my favorites list.I do have one hesitation and it is the hesitation I have on almost all comprehensive treatments of what I consider simple ideas. They risk obscuring the forest with all the trees and they provide opponents the opportunity to bark at the the trees. On the comment thread of one opponent's review you see that very accusation of "nit picking". That is true, but it is what one should expect. Loftus, by providing a comprehensive treatment, has provided tons of trees for people who don't agree with his conclusion to use to obscure what is at basis a simple and I think unassailable idea.I could also nitpick a few other things I didn't like about this book, but that would be doing a disservice to the central idea. So, for those of us able to keep our eyes on the main thrust, these kind of comprehensive treatments are valuable.I ask any potential reader to simply read the book. Compare the quality of thought and argument in the book with the quality and thought and argument of the theists you find in the comment threads here. The best advertisement for the skeptical approach is the writing of the skeptics compared with the writing of the believers.The believers don't want you to read it. The skeptics are happy for you to read both sides and make up your own minds.I have given 5 star recommendations to books with which I completely disagree with as far as conclusions, but appreciate the rigor of thought and argument. In this case I appreciate the latter and agree with the conclusions as well. Well done and highly recommended.
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful. A Silver Bullet for How to Evaluate Religions By James A. Lindsay, Ph.D. There's an obvious problem for every religion in the world today, and a rapidly increasing number of people know about it. Many recognize it, and many ignore it. The fact of the matter is that there are many conflicting world religions at present, and most of them individually claim not only to be true but to be the only truth. John W. Loftus summarizes this problem neatly by pointing out the religious diversity and cultural dependence facets of how religions are accepted and believed throughout the world, and he asks the question of what we can possibly do about it. Each faith claims that it is true and the others are, in varying degrees, mistaken, false, or heretical, and major societal problems erupt as a result. The answer to this question, as given by Loftus here, is the title of this wonderful book: The Outsider Test for Faith. It is a silver bullet argument for understanding how to grapple with the religious diversity of our world and how to answer the central question raised by it: How can we know which religion, if any, is true?Loftus does an excellent job here explaining the Outsider Test for Faith (OTF) for his intended audiences, and he does a similarly excellent job at defending it against the rather outlandish attacks presented to the test itself by religious apologists--notable and not so notable--who expose themselves by arguing against it in the first place! The OTF simply asks us to look at our religiously held beliefs as an outsider would if we want to determine if they are true or not, and yet contemporary apologists (primarily evangelical Christian apologists) rail against this simple, honest request and try to undermine its integrity. Loftus handles these embarrassing objections nicely, showing them far more patience and consideration than many of them deserve.To really make this review helpful, I want to point out that I feel the book really has two intended groups as audiences. First, there are religious believers in some faith traditions, and second there are atheists. Both groups should engage this book, but for very different reasons.For the believers: This book presents itself as a test for determining which religion is true. Specifically, it sets out to engage readers on the question of the distribution of world faiths, asking them to look at their faith as would an outsider. This removes the double standard and allows believers their one shot at strengthening their faith-based claims in an increasingly secular world. Every believer today owes it to himself or herself, as well as to his or her faith community, to engage Loftus's arguments openly and honestly. It is a total game-changer.For the non-believers: This book is well-written; it is passionate; it is important; it is engaging; and it is surprising. It's well worth the relatively short read and a lot of consideration. It's a silver-bullet argument on its central theme: which religion is true? None of them! Get it; read it; and press the OTF out into the world where it can do some good. I strongly recommend it for anyone interested in discussions about religious faith.That's it, then: Get it; read it; and press the OTF out into the world where it can do some good!
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful. The Outsider Test for Faith: How to Know Which Religion Is True By THE PROFESSOR Great book. This book is a must read for anyone who seriously wants to question their faith. It is a book the open-minded person should embrace. John W. Loftus presents his book in a coherent way. His writing style makes it easy for the layman to understand. Pay no attention to the slanderous reviews. People can be very insecure when they have their beliefs challenged. Read it for yourself. Think for yourself.
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