Andy clears away the conceptual undergrowth that has sprung up around the faith/atheism debate, clearing space for a decent discussion.

In the last decade, atheism has leapt from obscurity to the front pages: producing best-selling books, making movies, and plastering adverts on the side of buses. There's an energy and a confidence to contemporary atheism: many people now assume that a godless scepticism is the default position, indeed the only position for anybody wishing to appear educated, contemporary, and urbane. Atheism is hip, religion is boring. Yet when one pokes at popular atheism, many of the arguments used to prop it up quickly unravel. The Atheist Who Didn't Exist is designed to expose some of the loose threads on the cardigan of atheism, tug a little, and see what happens. Blending humour with serious thought, Andy Bannister helps the reader question everything, assume nothing and, above all, recognise lazy scepticism and bad arguments. Be an atheist by all means: but do be a thought-through one.

"This is a remarkable and timely book. Apologetics has to mature and evolve into the 21st century and this intelligent, funny and elegant work is precisely what we are looking for."

Dr Andy Bannister is the Canadian Director for RZIM. He speaks and teaches regularly throughout Canada, the USA, Europe, and the wider world, addressing audiences of all faiths and none on issues of philosophy, belief, and scepticism. He holds a doctorate in Islamic studies and enjoys mountaineering, juggling, and cats (although not simultaneously). He tweets frequently at @andygbannister.

Addressing some of the more popular atheist arguments about the Christian faith, making space for a deeper and more honest discussion about the big questions of life.

__Contents__  
Foreword by Ravi Zacharias 11  
Chapter  
1 The Loch Ness Monster's Moustache  
(or: The Terrible Consequences of Bad Arguments) 13  
2 The Scandinavian Sceptic  
(or: Why Atheism Really is a Belief System) 30  
3 The Aardvark in the Artichokes  
(or: Why Not All Gods are the Same) 47  
4 The Santa Delusion  
(or: Why Faith in God Does Not Mean You're Insane) 66  
5 Aim for That Haystack!  
(or: Why Psychological Arguments Against Religion Fail) 82  
6 Sven and the Art of Refrigerator Maintenance  
(or: Why Religion Doesn't Poison Everything) 98  
7 The Lunatic in the Louvre  
(or: Why Science Cannot Explain the Entirety of Reality) 118  
8 Humpty Dumpty and the Vegan  
(or: Why We Really Do Need God to Be Good) 140  
9 The Peculiar Case of the Postmodern Penguin  
(or: Why Life Without God is Meaningless) 164  
10 The Panini Poisoner of Pimlico  
(or: Why Everybody Has Faith) 187  
11 The Reluctant Eunuch  
(or: Why We Really Can Know a Lot About Jesus) 209  
Acknowledgments 234  
Text Credits 237

Andy Bannister

Cover

Praise

About the Author

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

Foreword by Ravi Zacharias

1. The Loch Ness Monster’s Moustache (or: The Terrible Consequences of Bad Arguments)

2. The Scandinavian Sceptic (or: Why Atheism Really is a Belief System)

3. The Aardvark in the Artichokes (or: Why Not All Gods are the Same)

4. The Santa Delusion (or: Why Faith in God Does Not Mean You’re Insane)

5. Aim for That Haystack! (or: Why Psychological Arguments Against Religion Fail)

6. Sven and the Art of Refrigerator Maintenance (or: Why Religion Doesn’t Poison Everything)

7. The Lunatic in the Louvre (or: Why Science Cannot Explain the Entirety of Reality)

8. Humpty Dumpty and the Vegan (or: Why We Really Do Need God to Be Good)

9. The Peculiar Case of the Postmodern Penguin (or: Why Life Without God is Meaningless)

10. The Panini Poisoner of Pimlico (or: Why Everybody Has Faith)

11. The Reluctant Eunuch (or: Why We Really Can Know a Lot About Jesus)

Acknowledgments

Text Credits

Bannister, Andy

The Atheist Who Didn't Exist exposes some of the loose threads on the cardigan of atheism, and tugs a little to see what will happen. Addressing some of the more popular atheist sound bites about the Christian faith, Andy Bannister clears the space for a deeper and more honest discussion about the big questions of life. Our culture now assumes that atheism is the default position - indeed, the only position for anyone who wishes to be seen to be educated, contemporary and urbane. In the media, atheism is usually portrayed as scientific and rational versus religion, which is seen as stuffy, outmoded and irrational. Blending humor with serious thought, The Atheist Who Didn't Exist will help anybody who has encountered some of the popular claims of atheism to think a little deeper. Whether the reader is a Christian who desires to be able to start a conversation with secular friends, or simply an agnostic dissatisfied with some of the arguments that pass for serious thought, Andy Banister shows that when it comes to the most important questions of life, we need to move beyond simplistic sound bites.

"This is a remarkable and timely book. Apologetics has to mature and evolve into the 21st century and this intelligent, funny and elegant work is precisely what we are looking for." -- Michael Coren, broadcaster, author and journalist "Andy Bannister's book is a breath, a gust, a positive whoosh of fresh air. Made me laugh, made me think, made me cry. The words bounce across the page. A sane Christian! Whatever next?" -- Adrian Plass "Every atheist vs. believer debate I've been to has made me want to gouge out my eyes with a spoon. Bannister's book, however, is exactly what this sceptical believer needed." -- Drew Marshall, radio host "In a brilliant work that is as humorous as it is damaging to atheist arguments, Bannister demonstrates the consequences of implementing new atheist arguments into real life (that is, out of the realm of stuffy office speculations). His work is a wild ride that takes the reader from stories to theory to end game. Writing with eloquence and imagination, he illustrates the supposed 'safe ground' of new atheist thought as truly no ground at all." -- Mary Jo Sharp, Houston Baptist University "Andy Bannister provides a set of powerful and accessible arguments that can be used by ordinary people in responding to the tsunami of atheist sound bites flooding public discourse in the West. His tongue-in-cheek humour gives a certain lightness which does not in any way undermine the rigour and force of the book's arguments. This is not a negative study - though atheism is certainly taken to the cleaners - but it is also profoundly positive in presenting compelling arguments for the central claims of Christianity." -- Dr Peter Riddell, Professorial Research Associate, SOAS, University of London "A book that tackles heady things with humor and grace and in a way that ordinary people like myself can actually understand. Highly recommended, I read it twice!" -- Jeff Allen, comedian This book is for you, whether you're an atheist, a doubter, or a believer. In an age of overdone rhetoric that lacks substance, Andy Bannister has done what few writers on the topic of God have done: made it fun and fast paced, yet fair and sincere. Andy has the rare ability to use humor to expose the faulty logic of bad arguments while at the same time being respectful to the people who might use those same arguments. You'll laugh in these pages even as your intellect is stimulated and your thinking is challenged. The Atheist Who Didn't Exist is a thoughtful book that will stimulate the humor and intelligence of the atheists who do exist. I wholeheartedly recommend it! -- Abdu Murray, author of Grand Central Question 'It's the "God Debate" but not as you know it. In this conversational, well-researched and accessible volume, Andy Bannister offers an intelligent, provocative and humorous engagement with the New Atheism. Andy asks big questions and challenges some dominant assumptions. Share and Enjoy.' -- Paul Woolley, Executive Director, Bible Society "This is the most enjoyable critique of popular atheism I have read. It is serious fun, by which I mean it somehow offers deeply thoughtful responses to modern scepticism while regularly making you laugh-often laughing at Andy's true wit, sometimes at that 'British droll'! Oddly, for such an entertaining riposte of fashionable atheist arguments, the book is remarkably free of smugness and self-congratulation. I could-and will-give this book to my sceptical friends." -- Dr John Dickson, Founding Director of the Centre for Public Christianity, and Honorary Fellow of the Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University "I would especially highlight this book's accessibility. Although it is well endowed with references, its populist, racy style may well appeal to readers who would be unlikely to engage with yet another 'academic' treatise on faith and secularism. On these grounds, I recommend it as an important addition to the debate on the most fundamental issue confronting any person, anywhere, at any time: are there good grounds for believing in a God or are believers such as Christians suffering delusional irrationality? This book may help each reader to come to a conclusion based on argumentation and evidence presented with satirical humour: a very valuable addition to the library!" -- Baroness Caroline Cox "This lively, witty, and engaging book provides a powerful and thoughtful critique of the New Atheism associated with Richard Dawkins and others. This is a lovely book, which draws deeply on high-quality philosophical, historical, and scientific thinking. A readable, thoughtful, and humorous challenge to those who hold New Atheist beliefs. Highly recommended!" -- Professor Steve Walton, St Mary's University, London

Andy Bannister address the popular objections to religion and clears the space for a deeper and more honest discussion

Or: the Dreadful Consequences of Bad Arguments

The Atheist Who Didn't Exist

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