C. Boyd Pfeiffer is an internationally-known award-winning journalist who has written for the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, Washington Times and Baltimore Examiner and 80 magazines, and he wrote for many years a regular column on the Internet entitled "Religious Skepticism Examiner." Boyd has received dozens of awards for his writing. He has authored 30 books.

His interest in religion stems from his childhood background in a Protestant faith and continued as skepticism when he reached his teens. At Gettysburg College he was taught the "official" history of the bible; he has been self-educating ever since, reading extensively on religion, atheism, philosophy and history, and taking every opportunity to discuss, debate and argue religion of all types and flavors with anyone at all – from those of minimal faith to Bible students, Seminary students, ministers, rabbis, imams, church deacons and elders and the like. For the most part, he found that such discussions got nowhere, as most of his interlocutors could provide no answers (or at best highly questionable information) to his question and the concerns at hand.

From Baptist to the Black List, author Boyd Pfeiffer risks being given the evil eye for casting doubt on some cherished beliefs. In this book he tackles the subject of religion from the standpoint of common sense and logic, including various...

From Baptist to the Black List, author Boyd Pfeiffer risks being given the evil eye for casting doubt on some cherished beliefs. In this book he tackles the subject of religion from the standpoint of common sense and logic, including various interpretations of Biblical and religious meanings and content. Unfortunately, seen from this perspective, religion is as brilliant as a burnt out bulb. After a decades-long search for a credible reason to believe the teachings of Christianity, he turns over to the public the results of his research. The precepts taught in the Bible simply do not square with the exemplary stories the Bible itself presents; and the teachings, and the stories, don't even match up from one telling to another.

Faith and belief seem to trump hard evidence and facts with many religionists. I use facts, analyses, truths, science, logic and understanding to determine that miracles can't happen. The one big question is: why does religion - specifically Christianity - exist at all today with the advances of knowledge that we have had since the first century? The role of this religion in society is also strange, given the cultural inculcation of religion into society and the role it plays - without any evidence of its existence - in daily life. In addition, we will look at the man-made aspects of religion, and there are many. Today, Jesus would be wearing clothing from Wal-Mart or Target, appropriate to the occasion, dining on simple food with others, and meeting casually with others to press his message. He would not be a Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Seventh Day Adventist, Episcopalian or Pentecostal. He would not be competing with the flashy ministers of this world with their tailored TV clothing, rings, expensive cars, several mansions, boats, Swiss bank accounts, private (leased or owned) planes for travel, and expensive vacations. Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between God, religion, faith and hope on one side and the reality of life as we enjoy it and live it today on the other. The disconnect involves the value of prayer (it does not work), the lack of information about heaven and hell, the false belief in the resurrection (can't happen) and other magical Biblical events. The cure for Christianity can only come by starting - or re-starting - to examine the Bible, starting not with faith but with a blank slate. Wanting to believe something does not make it true. As the TV science and cosmological documentaries narrated by Morgan Freeman say, "Question everything." This does not mean that you have to give up your religion to study the basics of Christianity and religion. It only means that you have to suspend your belief for a short time as you test the waters with a new way of thinking and examining your beliefs - this time using only facts, science, truth, logic, knowledge and a basis of the scientific method as a way to measure facts and truth against your assumptions about religion and Christianity. Let's start. No one book can provide exhaustive coverage of the broad subject of religion and faith in an advanced, literate civilization that enjoys the benefits of scientific knowledge. Instead, I will attempt to cover - or at least introduce - the subject from the standpoint of common sense, logic, understanding of reading, and various interpretations of Biblical and religious meanings and content. You don;¢t have to be a scholar to read this book. You do have to examine each chapter and subject critically, which is what you want to do anyway.

Introduction Chapter 1. The Basics of Christian Belief Chapter 2. Background of Biblical Texts Chapter 3. God, Gods, and Christian Religion in Society Chapter 4. Man-Made Aspects of Religion Chapter 5

Introduction Chapter 1. The Basics of Christian Belief Chapter 2. Background of Biblical Texts Chapter 3. God, Gods, and Christian Religion in Society Chapter 4. Man-Made Aspects of Religion Chapter 5. Why People Believe What They Believe Chapter 6. Miracles Chapter 7. Biblical Physical Impossibilities Chapter 8. Biblical Immoralities Chapter 9. Biblical Contradictions and Errors Chapter 10. Prayer Chapter 11. Intercessory Prayer, Prayer Problems and Other Thoughts On Prayer and Praying Chapter 12. The Ten Commandments - Four Unimportant Ones Chapter 13. The Ten Commandments - Two Unimportant and Four Important Rules, and Rules Left Out Chapter 14. Eternity and Heaven/Hell Chapter 15. Prophecy Chapter 16. Science, Scientific Methods, Scientific Advancements, Medical Education, Theories and Theorems Chapter 17. More Science, Playing God, Medical Advances and Consequences, Stardust, Souls, Stem-Cell Research Chapter 18. Religious Healing and Faith Healing Chapter 19. Show Me the Money! Chapter 20. The Disconnect of God and Faith from Reality and Facts Chapter 21. A Cure For Christianity - Conclusion Author's Background Bibliography