Dinesh D'Souza Explores the Benefits of Christianity in "What's So Great About Christianity"

Bluesplayer: Missed the point if you ask me. Concentrated far too much on high-brow, intellectual psychobabble in an attempt to give it to the doubters of this world - renown atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Out of the whole book only one idea struck a chord with me, that being you are on a winner if you believe there really is a God - as in should there be a day of reckoning you are well on your way to a positive outcome. Get it right and Heaven could await you - get it wrong and Purgatory could be your lot in the next life. Those who believe, even if they are wrong, face oblivion or salvation - a win win situation. Get it wrong and you face oblivion or HELL!

If you are going to write a book about Christianity shouldn't it first and foremost attempt to change the mind of readers or at least spell out in no uncertain terms how the world is a far better place with it than without? Dinesh does this to some extent but it is far too impersonal to really hit home. I give it a mere 5 out of 10 ...

United Kingdom on Jan 14, 2020

JML: D'Souza goes to great lengths to detail how Christianity has influenced Western Culture for the better. Reading this book you will be surprised as I was at how deep and how far back that influence goes. You come away from this book realizing that the West would be far poorer thought-wise and far less scientifically inclined had it not been for Christian thought influence.

Canada on Aug 02, 2018

Dr. Merika: This is the second book of D"Souza's which I have read. I enjoy his clear thinking and writing, and his formidable style of debating. He takes on his opponents with passion, and is very convincing in his argumentation. I appreciate the appeal to logic and reason.

Canada on Aug 13, 2015

rossuk: While the New Atheists challenge traditional religion, they offer us nothing in return. When I challenge an atheist about why atheism is good I get nothing. It behoves atheists to give me a reason for being an atheist. The best reason that they give is that they have no fear of God. But no theist that I know lives in constant fear of God. God is after all a loving God. This is after all rule number one for theists, that God actually loves us.

The big failure in this debate is that atheists have failed to sell their world view, and why it is better than theism.

When it comes to critiques of the New Atheism, my basic diet consists of Alister McGrath and John Lennox who concentrate on the science issues. D'Souza first came on my radar in his debate with Christopher Hitchens in God on Trial. This book was published in 2007 just after the New Atheist books.

Now having the book it is an easy read; when I checked out his section on science (which I specialise in) he was quite correct. What I appreciate about him is that he comes from India but lives in the USA, so he can appreciate the global picture, unlike many who live in the `affluent' USA. I have worked in 25...

United Kingdom on Oct 03, 2011

Larry D. Paarmann: In the confusing society in which we live, where academic and intellectual circles are predominately committed to materialism at the same time that a majority of the citizenry of the United States apparently believe in God, how should Christianity be presented apologetically? Where the press, TV media, movies, public schools and universities, simply assume Darwinian evolution and materialistic origins for the universe, what arguments can be made? Where Darwinism, even after 150 years of looking for objective evidence to support it and seemingly very little found so far is nonetheless tenaciously held, what can one say? Where absurd theories of multiple universes are seriously put forward by cosmologists as though it was science, where does one begin? Yet, on the other hand, in a society where Christianity is so experientially based that serious intellectual arguments can be thought suspicious by Christians themselves, what approach should be taken by serious thinkers who wish to challenge society with Christianity? Nevertheless, there are those who make the attempt. One such person is Dinesh D'Souza. Note that the title of this book does not end with a question mark. It is a...

United States on Jan 06, 2009

David Robertson: This book is readable, well written and stimulating. There is a good deal of information and some well placed argumentation. It is stronger on the scientific and philosophical arguments. However there are weaknesses. Firstly the publishers blurb that this is a '21st century successor to C S Lewis's Mere Christianity, is a rather silly attempt to create a 'buzz and a vibe' about the book which if it were true, would not need such self publicity. Whats So Great About Christianity cannot be compared with Mere Christianity. It is nowhere near the same league.

Secondly the title itself is wrong. Christianity is not great - Christ is. In fact this is the biggest weakness of the book - in that it seems to equate Christianity with America and to some degree with right wing politics and social views. It is for that reason that the book will only really work within the US and even then only within a specific context. I doubt very much that it will be persuasive for those outwith that context.

Having said that there is a great deal of value in the book. D'Souza is intelligent, passionate and has a good understanding and grasp of the issues. If you recognise the limitations then...

United Kingdom on Dec 28, 2007

Bill Muehlenberg: This book is more than just a volume listing the achievements and positives of Christianity, as the title suggests. It is really a major head-on confrontation with the neo-atheists. The steady and strident attack on theism in general and Christianity in particular by Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens and others is here powerfully and capably countered.

As such, this is really a book of Christian apologetics, defending the faith against the charges made against it by the new militant anti-theists. It covers a wide range of issues, such as philosophy of religion, history, culture, ethics and science.

The Indian-born, American-based D'Souza is well placed to take on the atheist onslaught. He is well-versed in all the main areas of this debate, and his own website, tothesource, is devoted to "challenging hardcore secularism".

This book covers most of the bases of the Christian apologetic. Meaty chapters take on all the major charges levelled against Christianity. These include: what about the problem of suffering and evil? Are Christianity and Science at odds? Are miracles possible? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Is there such a thing as objective morality?...

United States on Nov 11, 2007