DIVINE HIDDENNESS AND HUMAN REASON by J L Schellenberg

Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason by J.L. Schellenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Why, if a loving God exists, are there "reasonable nonbelievers," people who fail to believe in God but through no fault of their own? In Part 1 of this book, the first full-length treatment of its topic, J. L. Schellenberg argues that when we notice how a relationship with God logically presupposes belief in God, we have grounds to conclude that there would be no reasonable nonbelievers if theism were true, and thus given their existence grounds for atheism. This argument, he maintains, is not defeated by any of an array of counterarguments seeking to justify divine hiddenness drawn from the work of such writers as Pascal, Kierkegaard, Butler, and Hick, and from the author's own imagination arguments meticulously scrutinized in the book's second part. Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason has generated a great deal of interest and discussion since its first publication in 1993 and continues to set the agenda for work on its issues today." (Goodreads)

MY REVIEW: A fascinating argument against the Christian God's existence. This book is a challenging philosophical read but worth every minute. It's a detailed, rigorous argument. The author has an excellent understanding of the various Christian arguments and counter-arguments. In fact, in order to ensure he has considered every possible opposing arguments he even comes up with new ones that haven't been developed before - and then responds to them. This is a must-read for Christian and atheist apologists alike. Should generate a long and interesting conversation!

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THE WARLORD'S SON by Dan Fesperman

The Warlord's Son by Dan Fesperman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: In a riveting tale of intrigue and betrayal, a journalist and his aide infiltrate Afghanistan on the eve of the American invasion.  Skelly, a jaded war correspondent, is looking for one last scoop.  Najeeb, his translator and guide, is an educated young man from the Pakistani-Afghani border with a secret past, a history with the Pakistani secret police, and his own motives for this risky adventure. Together they join a Warlord’s caravan as he seeks to start an uprising that will liberate the country from the Taliban. Along the way, they stumble onto what they think might just be the story of a lifetime. What they find is a shady world of hidden agendas, shifting allegiances, and sudden betrayals--a world where one wrong move would get them both killed and the only hope for survival lies in their loyalty to each other.

MY REVIEW: Really enjoyed this engaging story. The writing is excellent and very evocative. The descriptions of the various aspects of Afghan culture, politics, and history are informative but never overwhelm the narrative which moves along at a good pace. The characters are interesting and the story is intriguing.

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