Trading Gods: A Rationale for Faith

By Brian Causey

A man recounts his investigation into spirituality and into what he really believed about religion following the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Suddenly, Brian Causey found himself stumbling over life’s greatest questions: Why are we here? How did the universe and life begin? Why is there suffering in the world? What happens after we die? If there is an afterlife, how do I get there?

A portfolio manager at a large investment company, Brian would leave the trading floor each day with these questions swirling in his head. What he came to realize was that he had to make a decision: would he trade the god he had been following, under which he could make his own rules, without subscribing to any larger organization or authority?for the “real” God? The more he researched the difficult questions of life; the clearer God’s truth became. Brian ultimately concluded that the evidence points in the direction of God’s existence.

In Trading Gods, he shares his personal journey, rationale for faith, and the supporting research that explains why the real God is the best answer to life’s biggest questions.

“We all serve gods of one sort or another in our life. Brian’s story of being a trader who, after the tragedy of 9/11, found his way to the true God of Scripture, is both illuminating and inspiring.” —Justin Brierley, editor at Premier Christianity and host of the Unbelievable? radio show and podcast

“For both Christian and non-Christian alike, I encourage you to take this journey with Brian. You won’t regret it!” —Nate Sala, president, A Clear Lens

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781631952708

Book preview

Trading Gods

ADVANCE PRAISE

We all serve gods of one sort or another in our life. Brian’s story of being a trader who, after the tragedy of 9/11, found his way to the true God of scripture, is both illuminating and inspiring. Along the way Brian wrestles with the objections of those who, in the shadow of 9/11, said religion is a sham. He takes their questions seriously but has found better answers than the dismissal of God. This is a book worth reading and re-reading.

—Justin Brierley, Premier Christian Radio. Host of the Unbelievable? podcast. Author of Unbelievable?: Why After Ten Years of Talking with Atheists, I’m Still a Christian

Brian Causey has written a deeply personal and informative description of his journey from agnosticism to the Christian faith. He describes in detail the specific intellectual and emotional challenges he faced and the information and insights that helped him to move past those hurdles. His book addresses nearly every common challenge faced by seekers from a similar background, and he references the who’s who of the defenders of the Christian faith including C. S. Lewis, Tim Keller, William Lane Craig, Eric Metaxas, and many others. He also provides a concise summary of the scientific evidence for a Creator, and he addresses such classic theological questions as the problem of evil. Causey has provided what is essentially a roadmap to help guide a seeking agnostic or atheist out of the intellectual quagmire of skepticism into the light of God’s presence. I highly recommend the book for anyone exploring the truth of Christianity or who simply wishes a quick reference to the evidences for the faith.

—Brian Miller, Research Coordinator for the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute. Technical consultant for the books God’s Not Dead and Man, Myth, Messiah by Rice Broocks

"I very much appreciated the introduction and the narrative of Brian’s discovery of faith in Jesus of Nazareth. Brian’s way of sharing was very fresh and written with humility and reserve. The focus on Jesus himself was centered on the very best part of the good news. Chapter 7 (The Cosmos) was a fascinating journey through heavy territory of science that I found clear and I appreciate the ‘pro-science’ outlook."

—Rev. Earl Palmer, Pastor Emeritus of University Presbyterian Church. Author of Trusting God: Christian Faith in a World of Uncertainty

"I often tell people that human transformation is always the result of response to revelation. If I’m right, then whether we pay attention to the revelation that’s present in our lives, and how we interpret it become matters of great importance. Trading Gods offers a thoughtful journey through science, philosophy, and current events, helping us open our eyes to the revelation that’s all around us, and interpret it more accurately. Anyone asking the big questions about meaning, life, death, suffering, and the existence of God would be well served to walk this journey with Brian. A worthwhile read."

—Richard Dahlstrom, Senior Pastor of Bethany Community Church. Author of The Map Is Not the Journey: Faith Renewed While Hiking the Alps

This is truly a book for anybody that has wrestled with their faith, in other words, it’s for everybody! Brian has a deep knowledge of theology with a coveted ability of articulating it in a way that is accessible and honoring. This book can help shape the theological framework for the seminarian and the skeptic. It’s a must-read for people that are asking honest and necessary questions to grow in their Christian faith and to walk alongside others in the same journey.

—Prentice Park, Lead Pastor of Bethany West Seattle

"Trading Gods masterfully walks the reader through the big questions of life on an engaging, informative, and thoughtful journey through the author’s own personal experiences. Everyone must wrestle with their own worldviews and biases. Brian starts with the big existential questions and works through the rational evidence for Christianity, all with great insights and illustrations. For both Christian and non-Christian alike, I encourage you to take this journey with Brian. You won’t regret it!"

—Nate Sala, President of A Clear Lens

Brian addresses practically every major area of Christian apologetics with a book that is clear, concise, and draws from a wide range of sources. His personal experience gives solid ground to the otherwise theoretical discussions, yet never overshadows the hard facts, making this an accessible and engaging apologetics primer.

—Logan Judy, A Clear Lens. Author of An Exalted Depravity

Reading Brian’s book gave me a whole new perspective as to how middle America sees God through a different set of lenses. As a person of color, I often wonder how some of my friends came to know Christ besides Young life which (to me) always seemed like a big party. Brian shows in his book where the struggle was between proof and faith, and how important the evidence for God was in his journey . . . I was impressed to see that Brian’s faith journey was his own choice and not picked for him. On his journey he found his answer. This book is a great read and you can’t help but admire this book and Brian’s journey.

—Marvin Charles, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Divine Alternatives for Dads Services (D.A.D.S.). Author of Becoming DADS: A Mission to Restore Absent Fathers

Out of his own crisis in the aftermath of 9/11, Brian Causey has personally and thoughtfully led us to our own story—life questions about meaning in life. He lays out his process of discovering and experiencing the ‘key to history,’ God himself. Personal, honest, and helpful; this book will challenge and encourage you with your own questions and on your own journey!

—Art Kopicky, President of Teleios

"Trading Gods is offering a pathway for a shift from ‘head to heart,’ perhaps the most daring move for anyone seriously contemplating the existence of God. While reading Brian’s book, I find myself pondering the questions of why and who, which are much deeper questions than how or when."

—Shawn Petree, Teleios. Author of Am I Loved?

"Trading Gods is a book that may be read by Believers and seekers alike. Well written, organized, and timely in these days of profound Biblical ignorance. This book must be either defended or rejected; it cannot be ignored."

—Steve Anderson, City Director, C. S. Lewis Institute

TRADING

GODS

A RATIONALE FOR FAITH

BRIAN CAUSEY

NASHVILLE

NEW YORK • LONDON • MELBOURNE • VANCOUVER

Trading Gods

A Rationale for Faith

© 2021 Brian Causey

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in New York, New York, by Morgan James Publishing. Morgan James is a trademark of Morgan James, LLC. www.MorganJamesPublishing.com

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ISBN 9781631952692 paperback

ISBN 9781631952708 eBook

ISBN 9781631952715 audio

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020941097

Morgan James is a proud partner of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg. Partners in building since 2006.

Get involved today! Visit

MorganJamesPublishing.com/giving-back

This book is dedicated to my parents, Carolyn and Richard Causey, who were the inspiration to summarize my years of research and seeking.

. . . wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God . . . how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.

1 Thessalonians 1:8-9, NLT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1: Laying the Foundation

Chapter 1 The Human Predicament

Chapter 2 Worldviews

Chapter 3 The New Atheists

Chapter 4 Science and Evidence

Chapter 5 Faith and Knowledge

Chapter 6 Freedom and Choice

Part 2: Rational Evidence

Chapter 7 The Cosmos

Chapter 8 Design

Chapter 9 Evolution

Chapter 10 Origin Theories

Chapter 11 Genesis

Chapter 12 Miracles

Chapter 13 Jesus’ Miracles

Chapter 14 The Moral Law

Chapter 15 Evil and Suffering

Chapter 16 Exclusivity

Chapter 17 The Afterlife

Chapter 18 Conclusion

About the Author

Appendix: For Believers: Sharing Your Faith

Engaging in Faith Discussions

Living in Such a Way

Endnotes

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I had a vision for writing a book, but actually doing that was a process not unlike carving a sculpture out of a plain block of marble. Just when I thought I had completed the sculpture, someone or something would show me how much further I had to go: books I had yet to read, arguments I had yet to address, blind spots in my own reasoning. All of these revealed rough patches that needed further sculpting to create clarity and context.

I would like to thank my loving family for their consistent encouragement and support. I am also grateful for the many friends who walked alongside me during this journey: Shawn Petree, Art Kopicky, Steve Leoppky, Jake Putnam, Tom Bordner, Mitch Leoppky, Erik Strom, Tom Llewellyn, Prentice Park, Jason Henson, Amie Henson, Chris Carter, Tom Lane, Mike Teeny, Norm Cornutt, Jeremy Blum, Dale Kenney, Marcus Hartmann, Randy Hartmann, Jesse Paulson, Bryan Frost, Chad Duncan, Tim Hamann, Jess Fleming, Mike Harper, Scott Stephenson, and the entire Teleios Board. Friends and inspirations from the formative years of my spiritual journey included Ryan Nickols, Earl Palmer, Ross Arnold, John Medina, and Eric Haakenson. A special thanks to my uncle, Doug Jackson, whose critical eye helped hone the arguments and soften my sharp edges by revealing my unintended biases. My wonderful editing team of Arlyn Lawrence and Kerry Wade were a tremendous help in narrowing the audience, focusing the content, and transitioning between topics. With your great insight, the sculpture took on a recognizable face. Bringing the book to market was an initially intimidating thought, but I quickly discovered that I was in great hands thanks to the expertise and professionalism at Morgan James Publishing. Thanks to David Hancock, Bonnie Rauch, Jim Howard, Taylor Chaffer, Nickcole Watkins, and the rest of the MJ team!

My spiritual journey has been blessed by the great contributions of many tremendous thinkers—my heroes of the faith. Torchbearers who brought light to my dark world: Sproul, Craig, Keller, Geisler, Turek, Wallace, Collins, Strobel, Koukl, Lennox, Metaxas, McDowell, Ross, Kreeft, Moreland, Plantinga, McGrath, Meyer, Wright, Montgomery, Zacharias, Habermas, Colson, and many others. Thank you for challenging me to have a rational faith! To really get my finger on the pulse of the current debates between theists and atheists, I can think of no better format than Justin Brierley’s Unbelievable? podcast.

Finally, I would like to thank Karlie, my beautiful wife, for her consistent encouragement and support, especially during a time in which we welcomed our first child, Blaise, into the world. Your heart for others is more powerful than this book could ever be.

INTRODUCTION

6 a.m., September 11, 2001

It wasn’t until I heard the news that I began to seriously think about life after death. I was working at an investment company in Washington State and my colleagues and I were preparing for the open of the U.S. stock market. I had only been in the office for a few minutes when my manager walked in. Her face was pale. She looked stunned.

She informed us that two planes had hit the World Trade Center buildings in New York City in what appeared to be a terrorist attack. As an afterthought, she mentioned the stock market was unlikely to open that morning.

For the next hour, my colleagues and I scrambled for news reports to see the extent of the attack. There was a growing fear that multiple planes were still unaccounted for, potentially controlled by hijackers. In the face of the uncertainty, I was unable to focus on anything that day, and found myself staring off into the distance—at what, I didn’t know—with a sense of fear and paralysis.

I wasn’t the only one; upper management quickly realized that people needed to go home, as no one could think clearly. There was too much cortisol in our bloodstream to focus on anything other than our immediate survival. Stressed and scared, we all left and went to our respective homes to watch the drama play out along with the rest of the country.

To me, that day was a wakeup call. As my thoughts reeled inside my head, I was overwhelmed with the realization of my vulnerability. I was mortal.

The Sunday after 9/11 was the first time I went to church. I mean really went to church. Willingly. And on a day other than Christmas Eve. I was still in shock when I entered the church that September day. I couldn’t concentrate on the sermon. Concepts like God and spirituality felt too abstract for me to grasp. But the church played music and that somehow helped. Standing next to people I did not know and listening to the music together felt powerful. It felt good to be with others who were going through similar feelings of grief and confusion. An act of terrorism brought us together and we shared an intimacy that somehow made the process of mourning feel more substantial.

This growing awareness of the unknown—and my fear of it—was what started my quest to pursue the great mystery of what happens after death—if anything. If things could end so suddenly, if everything was so uncertain, what was the point of it all?

Certainly, there were earlier times in my life when I had felt the urge to start this journey, like in the months leading up to the year 2000—the dreaded Y2K. But I never stuck with it. My immediate life was more important and, to be honest, I was selfish. I wanted to pursue my own life, my own career, my own desires. The 9/11 tragedy, however, felt too severe for me to ignore.

Have you had a moment like that too? Do you remember the first time you really asked the tough questions? Maybe you were raised in a religious home. Maybe you’ve been turned off by religious fanatics, put the topic aside, and have never taken it seriously. Maybe you’re reading this book because something seems missing in your life and you’re on a quest for answers. Or perhaps you’re like me and it took a tragedy, or the loss of a loved one, to put spiritual matters at the top of your to-do list.

Whatever the case may be, in those scenarios, they are questions that need to be investigated, for all of us. This book is my response to those questions.

My Spiritual Journey

The 9/11 tragedy led me to investigate spirituality and what I really believed about religion. But I was not the only one on a quest. Churches and religious institutions all around the world were overflowing after 9/11 with people seeking refuge and asking, Why? That event, the same one that spurred me on my journey, also led many others in the exact opposite direction—to question why religion was needed at all, especially if it was behind such horrific violence.

Richard Dawkins, the most famous and outspoken atheist of this generation, said in response to the violence he saw that day, Many of us saw religion as harmless nonsense. Beliefs might lack all supporting evidence but, we thought, if people needed a crutch for consolation, where’s the harm? September 11th changed all that.¹

Dawkins was a leading figure in a movement of religious criticism called New Atheism that sprang up following the terrorist attacks. This school of thought not only denies the existence of the spiritual realm, but also looks at believers of all faiths as being irrational, unscientific, and closed-minded. As I began to move toward spirituality, these criticisms shook me. I knew I needed to systematically work through each one of these critiques.

On this journey, I found myself stumbling over life’s great questions: Why are we here? How did the universe and life begin? Is the material world all there is? What can I know for sure? Do we all have a sense of right and wrong? Why is there so much suffering in the world? But before approaching these problems, I first needed to pursue the great spiritual questions of life: Is there a God or gods? What happens after we die? If there is an afterlife, how do I get there? Are all religions basically the same?

As I left my firm’s trading floor each day, these questions would swirl through my head. I knew how to trade complex financial derivatives. Numbers and figures made sense. But this world of exploring, weighing, and trading religious beliefs was new to me. So, I decided to pursue each topic systematically, researching the best arguments on each side to discover if a reasonable conclusion could be made. If I was going to trade my current lifestyle and beliefs, or lack of beliefs, for something new, I had to do it the way I did everything else: analyzing the evidence, and using logic and reasoning. What I came to realize was that I had to make a decision: was I going to trade the god I had been following—the god of my own creation where I could make my own rules of how to live and not subscribe to any larger organization or authority—for the real God?

Eventually, after wrestling with this trade, I made a decision of faith that God existed and that he revealed himself in history through Jesus of Nazareth. I found that the more I pursued the question, Who was Jesus? the more I realized he was the missing link in my soul, in an understanding of my identity, and he was the only thing that adequately explained the history of civilization, morality, the whole universe, and much more.

The more I researched the difficult questions of life, the clearer God’s truth became. I concluded that the evidence points in the direction of God’s existence.

However, I didn’t want an immature faith based on wishful thinking. I am, by nature, an analyst through and through. I wanted to know what I believed and why I believed it, and to have rational reasons for doing so.

In this book, I systematically work through the issues that made me question faith and religion. I have included insights from experts in science, philosophy, and religion into a cohesive and helpful resource that I wish I had when I started my spiritual journey, in hopes that they will be helpful to you, as well.

If you’ve picked up this book, you may be like me: struggling with the big questions of life but needing reasonable evidence before making a faith-based decision. That is okay. I hope that by following my journey, you too can follow the evidence to God. Although this book is not designed to