Book Reviews

In Rejecting Truth Man Dooms Himself

Ultimate Things: An Orthodox Christian Perspective on the End Timesby Chris Banescu –

The increasing darkness, corruption, and delusion we witness all around us are direct and predictable consequences of man’s rejection of God and truth. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn warned of the devastating consequences that follow when men forsake God. Dennis Engleman issues a similar warning in his book Ultimate Things: An Orthodox Christian Perspective on the End Times regarding the dangers of man’s rejection of truth.

In rejecting truth, man, who was created in the image and likeness of God, denies himself and the godly nature with which he was blessed from the beginning by his Creator. He purposely blinds himself to reality and destroys the very faculty (reason) that allows him to find and discern truth. In rejecting truth, man purposely closes all “doors to authentic understanding” and obliterates the only avenue that can lead him into communion with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).

When man rejects truth he rejects God and destroys himself. In abandoning truth man opens himself to all manner of delusion, falsehood, and corruption. He abandons the narrow road to salvation and wonders in the wilderness of “this world” at the mercy of evil. He forsakes God’s wisdom and embraces “worldly wisdom” which always leads down the road to perdition, to despair, suffering, and death. [Read more…]

Mere Christianity, Essential Precepts of the Christian Faith

Mere Christianity, Essential Precepts of the Christian FaithBook Review by Chris Banescu

C.S. Lewis is one of the most influential Christian writers of the 20th century and probably the most down-to-earth theologian that Western civilization has produced. His eloquent and reasoned defense of the core beliefs and truths of the Christian faith are truly awe-inspiring and timeless.

Lewis is an expert at making complex theological issues accessible and understandable by everyone, believers and non-believers alike. The profound and life-changing effects his writings have had on many generations bear witness to the clarity of thought, grace, and wisdom this author has bestowed upon his audience.

A master at appealing to logic and presenting issues in a whole new light, Lewis is not afraid to boldly and bluntly proclaim the obvious. An agnostic in his younger years, Lewis understood the objections of non-believers and dealt with their arguments head on.

Jesus Christ is God, Not Just a Moral Teacher
Perhaps one of his most well-known observations, recorded in the pages of Mere Christianity, concerns the “foolish” ideas people hold regarding Christ: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” [Read more…]

The ACLU vs. America, Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values

Book Review by Chris Banescu

In The ACLU vs. America, authors Alan Sears and Craig Osten argue that despite its carefully cultivated image as a defender of individual “rights” and advocate for “the people,” the American Civil Liberties Union stands for intellectual elitism, hypocrisy, and a blatant disregard for democratic processes. The ACLU, write Sears and Osten, wants “one set of rules for itself” and the ability to dictate “other rules for everyone else.” These malevolent and destructive traits are not a new development in the history of the ACLU, but represent the dominant characteristics of its members. The book focuses on key cases and positions the ACLU has supported and promoted in order to drastically affect the American cultural landscape and impose the extreme views of its members on the rest of the country.

One of the great myths about the ACLU is that it “started out as a good, pro-America, pro-liberty organization that somehow got off the track.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. From its very foundation the mission of the ACLU was well defined by its founder, Roger Baldwin:

“I am for socialism, disarmament, and ultimately for abolishing the state itself as an instrument of violence and compulsion. I seek social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class… Communism is the goal.”

[Read more…]

Sinful Silence – When Christians Neglect Their Civil Duty

Sinful Silence - When Christians Neglect Their Civil DutyBook Review by Chris Banescu

In the book “ Sinful Silence: When Christians Neglect Civic Duty” authors Ken Connor and John Revell make a strong case that Christians have a sacred responsibility to apply and uphold God’s laws and biblical principles in all areas of civil government. They correctly point out that “we as citizens are liable for the decisions of our elected representative leaders, even if we are not directly involved in their activities.” Christians living in a secular world cannot neglect their civil duties and ignore their responsibilities to choose moral, just, and God-fearing leaders.

Relying heavily on the book of Isaiah, which calls on the faithful to “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow,” the authors encourage Christians to stay active and involved in all areas of civil life in order to positively and appropriately influence the culture and civil organizations in America.

Christians must uphold moral principles in all areas of their lives and provide the proper balance and perspectives in all civil matters, not just inside their churches and religious organizations. [Read more…]

Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism Unconvincing

Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism UnconvincingBook Review by Chris Banescu

Destroying the unqualified and unjustified myth that “only religious fanatics oppose Darwinism”, Dr. William Dembski’s collection of essays presents a powerful and convincing case that exposes the many flaws and problems of Darwinism. Rather than having an agenda, the intellectuals who contributed to Uncommon Dissent exemplify the objective, rational, and scholarly manner in which they have both examined the various evolutionary theories and exposed these theories’ many inconsistencies, oversights, and errors.

The eloquence and thoroughness with which these essays critically analyze the Darwinian dogmas reveal that fanatical devotions to unproven theories are prevalent mainly in the mainstream secular scientific community – not among the many scholars and scientists who dare question the veracity and universality of various evolutionary models. [Read more…]

Intellectual Morons – How Ideology Makes Smart People Fall for Stupid Ideas

Intellectual Morons Banescu book reviewBook Review by Chris Banescu
When ideology is your religion and truth becomes just a matter of opinion, anything goes. “There is great danger when lies are institutionalized as truth,” asserts Daniel J. Flynn.

In his new book, Intellectual Morons, Flynn provides us with abundant examples of dangerous ideas that intellectual “gurus” have dreamt up and convinced others to embrace. He exposes a number of cognitive elites whose “idiotic theories, beliefs, and opinions” have attained mythological status, despite the lack of objective and rational analysis of these ideologies’ origins and implications. In lifting the veil of secrecy and ignorance surrounding these individuals, Flynn provides a clear and sobering look into the madness and hypocrisy lurking in the minds and pasts of these demagogues.

Intellectual dishonesty and duplicity exist across the ideological spectrum, alleges Flynn. He argues that the problem is not so much a political leaning as a lack of rational thought and ignorance of the truth. However, with such a large volume of lunacy coming from the Left, Flynn cannot be faulted for including many more examples of liberal idiocy in his analysis. [Read more…]