A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Musings on Why God Is Good and Faith Isnt Evil

Praise for A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists "David Myers is the perfect person to write this book because he is both a skeptic and a theist, a world–class debunker of all things nonsense, and yet a man of faith. How can these two traditions be reconciled? Read this book to find out."—Michael Shermer publisher of Skeptic magazine, monthly columnist for Scientific American, author of Why Darwin Matters, How We Believe, and The Science of Good and Evil "With winsome humor and refreshing humility, David Myers offers a compelling case for skeptics and secularists that mature believers are a lot more like them than they realize—committed to reason and evidence, and offended by misuses of religion by dogmatists with personal or political agendas. Yet he also shows how life can be enriched by embracing a spiritual worldview that adds to rather than subtracts from the search for truth. This is the perfect book for your friend who is an open–minded atheist or agnostic."—Francis S. Collins M.D., Ph.D., director of the Human Genome Project and?author, The Language of God "Witty, disarming, engaging, informative, and above all, great fun to read. The best response to the ′New Atheism′ to date."—Alister McGrathOxford University, biophysicist–theologian and author, The Dawkins Delusion? Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine "Is religion evil? Psychologist Dave Myers concedes that evil acts have been done in the name of religion, but he challenges skeptics who condemn all religion to do their homework more carefully. I highly recommend this nonpolemical treatment for thoughtful readers of all persuasions." —Owen Gingerich professor of Astronomy & History of Science Emeritus, Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and author, God′s Universe "With humility, erudition, and a profound commitment to scientific truth, Myers has given us the book we must all read before we jump to conclusions about the nature and value of religion."—Jonathan Haidt University of Virginia psychologist and author, The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

Preface. 1. False and Dangerous? 2. My Assumptions. 3. Mea Culpa. 4. The Dance of Fanatics and Infidels. 5. Simplistic Stereotypes. 6. The Heart of Science and Religion. 7. The Skeptics′ Boys Club. 8. Inseparable Body and Soul. 9. Does Prayer "Work"? 10. The Benevolent, Fine–Tuned Universe. 11. Big Ideas and Biblical Wisdom. 12. Secularism and Civility. 13. God and Gays. 14. (Nominal) Religion Feeds Prejudice. 15. Godliness and Goodliness. 16. Happy Faith–Heads. 17. Healthy Faith–Heads. 18. The Stubborn Persistence of Truth. 19. The Leap of Faith. Appendix: International Society for Science and Religion Statement on Intelligent Design. Notes. Acknowledgments. The Author.

David G. Myers is a communicator of psychological science to college students and the general public. His writings, supported by National Science Foundation fellowships and grants and recognized by the Gordon Allport Prize, have appeared in three dozen scientific periodicals, from Science to Psychological Science, and in dozens of magazines and newspapers. His seventeen books include best–selling texts and general audience books on happiness, intuition, and hearing loss.

"As a scientist, open–minded skeptic (who cheers on challenges to irrationalism), and a man of faith, [Myers] seeks to transcend the skeptic/believer divide by suggesting how faith can be reasonable, science–affirming, and humane." –Skeptical Inquirer (January/February 2009) "Reading Myers will not set to rest all the incongruities or failures of Christianity; but it will demonstrate, in a thoughtful and readable format, that God is good and that to follow in the steps of Jesus your soul will become bigger, better and more gracious." – Youth Worker Journal "The humility with which Myers writes and the intelligence with which he composes his arguments could disarm the most jaded cynic." – Worship Leader Magazine "Believers and skeptics could learn much from each other, and the author’s willingness to build a bridge between two sometimes hostile territories is what makes his work so welcome. Myers’s psychological training enables him to grasp the human person in a unique way, and he is able to introduce an intellectual element into the God debate." – (Sept.) ( Publishers Weekly, July 7, 2008)