[Book] "Can a Smart Person Believe in God?"

Can A Smart Person Believe in God? By: Michael Guillen Nelson Books / 2006 / Paperback

Product Description:
* Is Christianity "intellectual suicide"? Does finding God mean losing your mind? Theoretical physicist and former ABC News science correspondent Guillen explains how creation often reveals its Creator; explores the compatibility between God's Word and his world; and emphasizes the fact that accepting Christ doesn't require rejecting the brain he gave you. 176 pages, softcover from Nelson.

Publisher's Description:
As Christians, we are often urged to turn away from scientific discovery and rely solely on the Bible as the source of our faith. On the other hand, many people in areas such as science, law, and education insist that Christian faith is lowbrow or unintelligent. But is it possible to reconcile science with what you believe about God? As someone who has grappled with the issues of science and faith in the public eye for more than a decade as a television journalist, Dr. Michael Guillen believes it is possible. In fact, by embracing the discoveries of science we can see God, the universe, and humanity in full, multidimensional glory.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be a genius to enjoy this book. The bite-sized chapters are full of fascinating scientific tidbits in an easy-to-understand format. Captivating stories of the author’s childhood in the Mexican barrio of East L.A. and his work in television and research are woven throughout. There is even an entertaining SQ (Spiritual Quotient) test for readers to take.

ChristianBookPreviews.Com:
This is a tremendous work that covers such a broad spectrum of society - past and present. One way for us to understand, and effectively arm ourselves, to face strong opposition by anti-Christian trains of thought is to learn how they think. We must hear their arguments, learn their viewpoints, and then respond with faith-filled knowledge. The author helps us gain this insight and understanding even in the divided camp of those who oppose Christ and the Christian belief system.

Each of the tenets of disbelief are presented and exposed for the propaganda that they are. Once their disguise is removed and their implausibility uncovered, many arguments become little more than school yard gossip. Guillen provides many impressive examples of Christian contributions to the world and the many trains of thought that had their foundation in religion or spirituality.

At some points the author's brave use of the word ‘religious’ seems, at face value, to contradict much of what he has established. However, after short reflection, his motives become more obvious—readers are encouraged to use discernment when evaluating his points.

If you desire to know where you are right now as a Christian, this book offers a splendid buffet of concepts and ideas to contemplate, explore, and use to measure our relative position in our walk of faith. Even more, this remarkable work proved to augment the arsenal of the Christian, giving depth and broader perspectives on our fundamental belief system.

What is SQ? If you don't know, or more importantly, if you want to evaluate yours, this book will bring it all into focus and help understand this charming concept.

In a time of growing false religions and science-founded beliefs, this book provides an inside out look at those beliefs against God and the ironies within. The author states, "Bottom line: I've yet to come across any atheist argument that injures my faith even a little bit…I found all of their disputations to be naive, even childish." A mini-textbook of Christian history as it relates to science, this book challenges the reader to honestly evaluate the world changes that are consequences of Christian influences. – Dr. Wesley Rose, Christian Book Previews.com

Customer Reviews:
5 out 5 stars, 1 out of 1 review: by Deborah Carder (Hot Springs, Arkansas), January 17, 2007

I loved this book! It was short and too the point. The author didn't try to impress anyone with his science knowledge by using tons of science terminology but instead kept the book easy to read and understand. Also, I related to his personal life story. As a Physics teacher, I always feel pressure to dismiss the idea of God and this book really reinforced my faith. After reading this book, I feel much more confident in standing up for my beliefs.