Dare to Think for Yourself : A Journey From Faith to Reason

Rating:
Summary: The title itself says it all
Review: Betty Brogaard writes with an honesty and sincerity that makes this book seem more like a personal chat with the author instead of being preached to. She describes her personal journey with great detail and with a logical method. Throughout her book she insists the reader think for themselves, to question and reason, no matter what their personal religious beliefs.
I found this book to be a very good read.

Rating:
Summary: Dare to read this wonderful book!
Review: Dare to Think for Yourself is Godiva chocolate from cover to cover. Written with love for the religious, the non-religious, and the questioning, it does not seek to convert or deconvert readers, but rather to make them think about what they believe.

Those tired of wordy, pretentious tracts supporting or opposing specific religious beliefs will open Dare to Think for Yourself with a sigh of relief: Betty Brogaard's language is crisp and clear. While she has done her research and is able to quote a variety of sources, her writing is always accessible and outright fun.

Brogaard takes a no holds barred approach in describing her journey from mainstream Christianity to an abusive religious cult (the late Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God) and then back to mainstream Christianity, over into Universalism, and finally into non-belief. What impresses me most is her spirit in accepting and embracing those who disagree with her. Her husband, once a minister in Armstrong's cult, remains a devout mainstream Lutheran and church elder; nevertheless, Brogaard is tolerant of his views and of those held by others in her family. She urges her readers--including the non-believers among them--to be just as tolerant. A little kindness and understanding, she rightfully explains, goes a long way when core beliefs diverge.

I have long been a fan of Brogaard's on-line articles, and every time I read her words I shake my head and wonder how she could have gotten inside it. Although I am a male a generation younger than Brogaard whose ethnic/racial/geographical background differs greatly from hers, it is clear to me that her journey mirrors mine. Her strength and wisdom are applicable to all regardless of belief, philosophy, or life situation.

I cannot recommend this book more highly.