A Higher Court [Kindle Edition]

John L. Betcher (Author)

Book Description

NO. 1 BEST SELLER IN LITERARY FICTION.

NO. 1 BEST SELLER IN RELIGIOUS FICTION.

NO. 1 BEST SELLER IN SPIRITUALITY.

"BEST BOOK OF 2010" - Readers Choice Book Reviews.

"GOLD AWARD FOR RELIGIOUS FICTION" - 2010 eLit Awards.

SILVER MEDALIST - 2011 Readers Favorite Book Awards.
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My name is William Kensey. I have a wife and two great kids. Until very recently, I was a well-respected and financially successful trial attorney.

I was also a man who was comfortable with his religion. I preferred it served at arm's length from the pulpit on Sunday morning. And would rather not discuss it the rest of the week.

The circumstances that led me to write A HIGHER COURT changed all that. The entire experience was both bizarre and unavoidable. You see, I was summoned to serve as a juror in an improbable trial -- a trial to determine whether God exists.

I know.

You think that sounds ludicrous. I did, too . . . until the trial began.

Witnesses buried me under mountains of scientific evidence. My own eyes forced me to confront the reality of extreme human suffering. God seemed less and less relevant -- even absent -- as the trial progressed.

At the close of the trial, I had to render my verdict -- "God" or "No God." Affirm a new and deeper faith in a Creator, or confess the triumph of science.

A HIGHER COURT is the story of how I discovered my ultimate truth. If your mind is open, you can join me in this journey of self-discovery. Come along. You won't be sorry.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Amazon Bestselling Author, John L. Betcher, holds a Bachelor's Degree, cum laude, in English from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis. He has practiced law for more than twenty-five years in the Mississippi River community of Red Wing, Minnesota. Mr. Betcher has published an award-winning series of "Becker" suspense/thriller novels. The first four are THE 19TH ELEMENT, THE MISSING ELEMENT, THE COVERT ELEMENT, and THE EXILED ELEMENT. He has also authored the award-winning spiritual phenomenon, A HIGHER COURT.

Product Details

• File Size: 414 KB
• Print Length: 234 pages
• Publisher: John L. Betcher (November 2, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004AM59MI
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,594 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 75 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Higher Court June 16, 2011

By S.L. Coelho

Format:Paperback

Thought-provoking, magnificent! After reading this book, these are the two adjectives which immediately popped into my head.
The author has woven a brilliant story centering on the eternal question: Does God exist? The court room setting is the perfect vehicle to deliver arguments for and against the existence of God. Arguments which have been debated for a millennia. I found myself pondering the passages long after I had put the book down.
The reader is promised a story unlike anything they have ever read before, and the promise is delivered in spades. I intend to pass this book onto an individual whom I know will be just as captivated as I was. I admit, without reservation, the final chapter made me smile. This is a book I will remember for a very long time.

86 of 99 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Mostly disappointed, with some bright spots January 29, 2012

By R. K. Minnich

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am not one to write reviews because I usually expect what I get with regards to books. Sometimes they just aren't worth the effort. Since this book cost $7 and I was expecting something more than a bunch
of recycled arguments about the existence and nature of God, I feel somewhat compelled to write.

The author sets the stage with the main character, a lawyer, who is experiencing doubts about God after the sudden death of his father. He is called to be a juror, a different role than the one he is used to playing, in a trial about the existence of God.
Some of the characters are interesting but mostly too stereotypical without much depth. I particularly liked Clete and Tai. The main character's reactions were somewhat plastic and without much real emotion, though. I did like the last chapter for the ironic twist it provided.

What the author does not provide, however, is a full view of both the nature of God discussion as well as anything approaching a decent treatment of God's creative abilities. Instead he relies on a bunch of straw man arguments (God can't be both supremely loving and allow for suffering) but fails to adequately demolish those arguments. Yet, somehow we are supposed to come away with a view that God exists and is omniscient, transcendent, etc. We are also not given any evidence in support of a special creation, but instead left with the view that "God used the Big Bang and evolution". While that is apparently the author's viewpoint, to me it it is intellectually dishonest to suggest that is the only choice.

Overall, I was left with the feeling that if someone was seeking answers about the existence and nature of God, they will be left with far more doubts, and there is nothing the author provides to help the search. I give it two stars for the haunting descriptions of the horrors in Darfur.

54 of 69 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Seriously flawed book with an agenda February 7, 2012

By chrisbruin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was the worst book I have ever read. After reading the reviews, I expected a serious and well thought out discussion of the facts and arguments on both sides of this long debated topic. Instead it was a biased and hardly fleshed out any of the ideas or arguments.

All of the characters that did not believe in god were presented in a negative light and those favoring god were presented in a positive light. Tai was labeled the "combative Asian" and was described as arrogant. Kimi was presented as calm, level headed and the main character respected her. This was prevalent throughout the book. It was clear to me about 50 pages in that this book had an ulterior motive.

I would not recommend this book to anyone.

More About the Author

Amazon Bestselling Author, John L. Betcher, holds a Bachelor's Degree, cum laude, in English from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis. He has practiced law for more than twenty-five years in the Mississippi River community of Red Wing, Minnesota. Mr. Betcher has published an award-winning series of "Becker" suspense/thriller novels. The first four are THE 19TH ELEMENT, THE MISSING ELEMENT, THE COVERT ELEMENT, and THE EXILED ELEMENT. He has also authored the award-winning spiritual phenomenon, A HIGHER COURT.