Why not believe? And why I believe...

By Roger Malstead and Ronald Clements

A short book – written in a first person, direct, conversational style – arguing the case for the claims of Christianity, including personal testimony. An argument for the existence and nature of God from our scientific knowledge of the universe. A look at the historical evidence for the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection. A presentation of the nature and reliability of the Bible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
• Release date: Sep 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781642378252

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Where in the world

should we begin?

WHERE IN THE world should we begin? I’m just asking that question because the world is a big place. And there are a few billion people in it. Chances are, like you, I’ve met several thousand of them one way or another. Family, friends, work colleagues, the folk at my church, I know very well. Most of the rest have just been ‘hi and goodbyes’. In between there have been hundreds of acquaintances, whom I enjoyed knowing for a while. And these days I have dozens of contacts whom I never see, but who send emails, texts and use whatever social media is in fashion to tell (and sell!) me stuff.

The Internet reckons I might meet 70 to 100,000 people in my lifetime. And since I am in my seventies I must be getting close to my quota. Who knows? What I do know is that people, like you, are important, no matter who they are and where I meet them. Which is why I wanted to write this. For family, friends, acquaintances and… if you are one of the many people I’ve not yet met, well, for you too.

But first let me introduce myself.

I was born and grew up in the United States—Nebraska; just north of the middle if you are looking at a map. My family lived in a few places, including California. Then I went east to Illinois for college and back to California for a while. After that things changed big time. I headed for Europe.

That was when a mate of mine and I got arrested in the Soviet Union. And when I got escorted out of Turkey and dumped at a border post in Greece. The stories are here if you’re interested. But why did these things happen? Well, I was keen to tell people what I believe and sometimes you meet guys who… OK, they just don’t want to boil up zavarka, or get a Turkish chai, and give you the time of day.

But some do and you learn a lot about what they believe. People in Turkey and the Middle East, where I have also lived, wonder about a God who is a long way away, but who has a lot to say about how they live their lives. In the West generally folk doubt whether a God exists at all and are trying to work out where they fit in the world without one.

Me? What do you believe, Roger? And why?

I have spent my adult life answering that question—‘what do you believe?’—for all kinds of folk, across the States, down through Europe and on into Asia. Actually, it’s an easy question to answer. I know exactly what I believe and, as you gather, I am more than happy to tell you.

But the why? Well, that takes a bit longer and most people don’t have time to listen to old guys. So I decided to write it down, so you and others can get a coffee, pick it up when you want to, and maybe think about it when I am not around.

1

Why not believe?

THERE IS A verse in the Bible that goes like this:

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.¹

It is quite reasonable. Everyone believes something about life and why we are here in our world. A lot of people have strong views, others just drift into some kind of belief. Mainly everyone thinks they have got it right or right enough and as long as no-one challenges them about it, life goes on.

In the Middle East I found plenty of people who were worried that if they questioned what they believed, their world was going to collapse in a heap around them. In the West it’s much the same; folk actually aren’t that different. We prefer to read articles, books and websites, listen to people that see things the same way as ourselves. Social media repeatedly pushes us stuff it knows we ‘like’. But sometimes . . . just now and again . . . I wonder why we believe what we do. And it is good to go back to the basics, see what got us to where we are now, and where we might want to go next.

When I say basics, that’s exactly what I mean. But let me start with this. When it comes to what people believe, we can be big on logical argument, suspicious of experience. This, of course, is a weakness, not a strength. We have minds and emotions. We have to ally both for a truly fulfilled life. This is