If God Heals Your Eyes, Don't Cut Off Your Head [Hardcover]

Arthur Daniels Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 1998

Endorsed and reviewed by Cindee Martin-Morgan, a daughter of the renowned Christian apologist the Rev. Dr. Walter Martin (author of the landmark book Kingdom of the Cults), this book will inform and equip you to defend the faith or lead you to the faith you never truly knew.

In the tradition of the late Rev. Dr. Walter Martin, and with the aid of forgotten jewels of theological scholarly wisdom from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this insightful and sometimes devastatingly critical work documents and challenges the ideas of skeptical critics of Christianity, and the Christians who agree with them on fundamental issues of doctrine. The author argues that there is something fundamentally wrong when too many Christians and atheists can agree on statements like: "The Bible cannot be trusted for literal truth" or "The Bible is filled with mythology and fiction" or "Jesus only said about 18 to 20 percent of the words attributed to Him in the gospels."

By combining careful theology, logic, and science with over a decade of research and a keen sense of humor, Arthur Daniels, Jr. uses two major divisions to more comprehensively answer some of the recent criticisms of Christianity and the Bible. In the first division, Scripture and reason are used to disprove any alleged intellectual problems with Christianity and the Bible. The atheistic reasoning of skeptics like Madalyn Murray O Hair, Bertrand Russell, bishop Spong, G.A. Wells, Michael Martin and others, which denies Gods existence either in theory, practice or both, is critically examined and found to be irrational.

The second division addresses scientific and philosophical questions about the existence of God and exposes the logical absurdities and scientific errors of those who deny God's existence. Remarkably, he uses primarily evolutionary science sources to show how God has already proven His existence, according to Romans 1:20, in creation itself. With this twofold approach, Mr. Daniels brings to this debate the kind of fresh thinking and common sense that often escapes most intellectuals. Whatever you may think of his conclusions, one thing is sure - honest thinkers will be challenged and encouraged to reevaluate and rethink their beliefs about God, Jesus, the Bible, and science.

Editorial Reviews

Review

In the book, If God Heals Your Eyes, Don't Cut Off Your Head (a most unusual yet applicable title), the author points out the many reasons why some people fail to see God. -- [e-mail], Christian thinker

The author sets forth the proposition that in order to deny the existence of God and any biblical truths, those who claim to cherish intellectual 'free thought' must simply refuse to really think themselves. -- Dan, former skeptic

This book is a must read for any who do not know that GOD is provable scientifically. (Bernadette Marie Silva ([e-mail]), a Christian Pan-Africanist Poet.) -- Bernadette Marie Silva ([e-mail]), a Christian Pan-Africanist Poet

About the Author

Arthur Daniels, Jr. is a prolific Christian writer who brings with him a unique perspective combining his passionate love for both science and Scripture, and he shows this love with the precision and logic of a scientist, and the wisdom and hermeneutical skills of a most learned biblical scholar. Mr. Daniels has co-hosted the popular New York City based cable TV show, "Spiritual Regeneration," with Elder David Jenkins from 1991 to 1996. He has also been heard over nationally syndicated Christian radio addressing the implications of the new Mars rock discovery. He successfully published and wrote articles for his own newsletter, The Christian Apologist. He  taught himself New Testament Greek using lessons and audio tapes by two native Greeks, one of whom is the eminent Greek scholar, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates. At the same time, he also managed to begin learning biblical Hebrew at New York's Lincoln Square Synagogue. He has taught N.T. Greek at the Bible Church of Christ Theological Institute, and youth Sunday School at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City, where he retains distant member status. He regularly debates atheists, agnostics, skeptics and all comers who would challenge the historic Christian faith. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Nyack College in Nyack, NY, and a Bachelor of Theology degree through the Bible Church of Christ Theological Institute in the Bronx, NY. When time permits, He finds time to teach New Testament Greek via the Internet using Paltalk and is currently enhancing his knowledge of Biblical Hebrew. He presently attends Talbot School of Theology working on his Master of Divinity.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Proaster Books; 1st edition (October 14, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966610717
• ISBN-13: 978-0966610710
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,941,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Arthur Daniels, Jr. is a prolific Christian writer who brings with him a unique perspective combining his passionate love for both science and Scripture, and he shows this love with the precision and logic of a scientist, and the wisdom and hermeneutical skills of a most learned biblical scholar.

Mr. Daniels has co-hosted the popular New York City based cable TV show, Spiritual Regeneration, with Elder David Jenkins from 1991 to 1996. He has also been heard over nationally syndicated Christian radio addressing the implications of the new Mars rock discovery. He successfully published and wrote articles for his own newsletter, The Christian Apologist, and went on to pursue his Bachelor of Science degree. While studying for this degree, he taught himself New Testament Greek using lessons and audio tapes by two native Greeks, one of whom is the eminent Greek scholar, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates. This Greek knowledge was tested and verified at Hunter College (NYC), an independant, fully accredited educational institution. At the same time, he also managed to begin learning biblical Hebrew at New York's Lincoln Square Synagogue.

He has taught N.T. Greek at the Bible Church of Christ Theological Institute, and youth Sunday School at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City, where he retains distant member status. Along with all of his "scholarly" pursuits, he has spent the last 20 years serving the Lord by evangelizing and working with homeless adults and young people in churches and organizations like Covenant House, NY, and drug addicted youth in Advent Group Ministries, San Jose, CA. He works part-time for a group home for youth in San Jose, CA, helping abused and neglected youth know the love of Jesus by his words and his actions.

In March of 2004 Mr. Daniels debated the existence of God with an atheist over the popular Internet radio show "The Infidel Guy," demonstrating from Scripture and science that the atheist has no excuse for his disbelief. In 2011, Mr. Daniels began making regular appearances on the popular Christian radio station, KKLA 99.5, addressing various sociological and theological topics on a show sponsored by Apologetics.com.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Nyack College in Nyack, NY, and a Bachelor of Theology degree through the Bible Church of Christ Theological Institute in the Bronx, NY. When time permits, He finds time to teach New Testament Greek via the Internet using Paltalk and is currently studying Biblical Hebrew at Talbot Theological Seminary as part of his Master of Divinity degree program.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mr. Daniels Jr. is a true sophist......., September 1, 2011

By 

C. Coryn "realist" (Morgan County, Tn United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: If God Heals Your Eyes, Don't Cut Off Your Head (Hardcover)

Greetings Mr. Daniels,

Having purchased and read (at) your book, one word comes to mind:

Soph·ist (sfst)
noun

1. One skilled in elaborate and devious argumentation.

2. a person who uses clever or quibbling arguments that are fundamentally unsound

3. one who is given to the specious arguments often used by the sophists.


Mr. Daniels is a sophist. That's the message I get from Mr. Daniel's book. I sense that Mr. Daniels believes every word of the Bible, or rather every word AS HE INTERPRETS IT. I can read Romans 1:20 until I'm numb and still not understand how it PROVES the existence of a 'God', or that a 'God' created this universe. "God's invisible qualities ..... have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Science is a different mindset, where the word 'invisible' does not mean 'clearly seen, being understood from what has been made...." No, in science invisible means invisible, "not visible, not able to be seen". The central problem of Christianity is that 'God' will not show up.

Mr. Daniels exhibits so well the qualities of a genuine sophist, and a very inventive one at that. He has created a 'God', a very unique 'God', his own unique 'God' it seems. It is his discussion of God and evil that interests me the most, as it's an excellent example of his over-zealousness and his absolute commitment to what he believes. Somehow, Mr. Daniels knows the mind of God, perhaps because he understands the Greek language and even knows what 'hermeneutics' means. He gives 'Six Main Reasons Why God Allows Evil'. Let's look at them:

The first "involves allowing evil to fulfill whatever purpose He might have in mind". The second is "to use it to produce good that is usually greater than it would have been had the evil not been an obstacle". And the third reason is "to help us develop in character". Amazing! Let's go slowly here and think about what is really being said. The sixth and "perhaps most important reason God allows moral evil is to preserve true love and freedom." Indeed, let's take a real life situation and see how it fits.

And that situation is Priestly Pederasty. Priests, Pastors, Ministers, Prelates and such throughout the world are molesting YOUR children. The children likely are praying desperately to God to stop these religious perverts, but God does nothing. Absolutely nothing. Except watch, that is. God watches as the priests and pastors molest and violate YOUR children, and He allows them to continue. How can this be? The children are praying to God to punish the priests for what they've done. But you're telling us it is to 'help them develop in character'? Or to 'preserve true love and freedom'? You are sacrificing children for your mistaken beliefs Mr. Daniels.

I believe, Mr. Daniels, that you are doing society a gross injustice by glossing over such a montrous evil as Prelate Pederasty. You are justifying evil with your sophisms, such as found on page 227, where you suggest "....allowing evil to fulfill whatever purpose He might have in mind...". You follow this with reason number 2, where God allows evil "....to use it to produce good that is usually greater than it would have been had the evil not been an obstacle." Really? Usually greater?

How bizarre, you're justifying evil with your 'brilliant' abstract reasoning while children are violated daily by clergy all over the world. Why? Your third reason why God allows evil "....is to help us develop in character." Child rape and molestation are going to help these kids "develop character"? That's brilliant, just brilliant.

What about Mr. Daniels comments regarding archaeology as offering support for the Biblical narrative? As at page 31, where he says "...finding out about the historical accuracy of the Gospels is as easy as visiting your local library and a good Christian bookstore". Mr. Daniels is apparently unaware of, or is shielding himself from what archaeologists are learning. For example, Professor Israel Finklestein, director of the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archeaology at Tel Aviv University, has recently written "The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of It's Sacred Texts", 2001 (english version). "Did it happen or not?" he asks at the end of each chapter, and proceeds to explain why it did not, based upon his research and archaeological findings, including the discoveries at Megiddo, a site that is considered the crown jewel in the crown of biblical archaeology. "He deconstructs this foundation only in order to reconstruct it according to the logic that guided the ancient authors, and arrives at the conclusion that the stories about the conquest of the Land of Israel, the settlement period, the United Kingdom and the attempt to enhance the prestige of the Kingdom of Judah at the expense of the Northern Kingdom {Israel} are part of an ideological-religious and political manifesto, a master stroke by a creative copywriter."

Or you may examine the works of Thomas L.Thompson of the University of Copenhagen: "The Mythic Past: Biblical Archaeology and the Myth of Israel". "In writing about the historical developments of Palestine between 1250 and 586, all of the traditional answers given for the origins and development of 'Israel' have had to be discarded. The patriarchs of Genesis were not historical. The assertion that 'Israel' was already a people before entering Palestine whether in these stories or in those of Joshua has no historical foundation. No massive military campaign of invading nomadic 'Israelites' ever conquered Palestine. There never was an ethnically distinct 'Canaanite' population whom 'Israelites' displaced. There was no 'period of the Judges' in history. No empire ever ruled a 'united monarchy' from Jerusalem. No ethnically coherent 'Israelite' nation ever existed at all. No political, ethnic or historical bond existed between Jerusalem and the state of Judah. In history, neither Jerusalem nor Judah ever shared an identity with Israel before the rule of the Hasmoneans in the Hellenistic period." "In short, the only historical Israel is of the people of the small highland state which, having lost its political autonomy in the last quarter or the eighth century, has been consistently ignored by historians and Bible scholars alike."

And finally one last reference, a book by Dr. Dever:

The Western Cultural Tradition is at Risk - by William G Dever, professor emeritus of Near Eastern archaeology and anthropology at the University of Arizona


"Until about a generation ago, we all spoke confidently about William F. Albright's "archaeological revolution." But today there is a deepening "historiographical crisis" in both archaeology and Biblical studies in Israel, Europe and America - a creeping skepticism and a loss of confidence in our ability to confirm anything. The Hebrew Bible is only a "social construct," a figment of the tortured imagination of later Judaism in an identity crisis of the Hellenistic era (the fiction naively adopted, of course, by Christians). The result, says Baruch Halpern, is to "erase Israel from history."

Where does the failure of the "archaeological revolution" leave us? We cannot turn the clock back to the time when archaeology allegedly "proved the Bible." Some things described there really did happen, but others did not. The Biblical narratives about Abraham, Moses, Joshua and Solomon probably do reflect some historical memories of actual people and places, but the "larger-than-life" portraits of the Bible are unrealistic and are, if fact, contradicted by the archaeological evidence. Some of Israel's ancestors probably did come out of Egyptian slavery, but there was no military conquest of Canaan, and most early Israelites were displaced Canaanites. Monotheism may have ben the ideal of Biblical writers, but many, if not most, Israelites throughout the Monarchy were polytheists."

So, where most people find two sides to a question, Mr. Daniels finds only one, that of the True Believer. His book presents only one side of these questions, and he makes no attempt to present a balanced picture of anything. Yes, there is another side to all these issues. But in his over-zealousness to elicit agreement with Christianity Mr. Daniels presents only his own uniquely imagined history, a religious history that exists only in his mind.

Charles Coryn

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arthur Daniels brilliantly builds his case for Christ., February 21, 2010

By 

C. Morgan "Cindee Martin Morgan" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If God Heals Your Eyes, Don't Cut Off Your Head (Hardcover)

"If God Heals Your Eyes, Don't Cut Off Your Head" is an excellent resource that helps equip the body of Christ in the battle for the lost. Arthur Daniels brilliantly builds his case for Christ. He effectively and boldly presents the truth every atheist and agnostic needs to hear. Daniels biblically blows apart scientific errors as he masterfully exposes the skeptics irrational and emotional arguments that pave the road to Hell. Without a doubt, Walter Martin would have been proud to march alongside Arthur Daniels---a strong and courageous soldier of the Cross.

5 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Explaining Why Some People Fail to See God, September 26, 2005

By 

Pam (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If God Heals Your Eyes, Don't Cut Off Your Head (Hardcover)

Does God exist? If so, how can we know this with some degree of certainty? Is there any evidence? In the book, If God Heals Your Eyes, Don't Cut Off Your Head (a most unusual yet applicable title), the author points out the many reasons why some people fail to see God.

Specifically, he shows that this 'blindness' is not so much due to a lack of revelation on God's part, but because people tend to see the evidence and then proceed to take unnecessarily drastic steps to deny that evidence. From the complexities of the DNA molecule and genetic theory to the wonderful engineering in bat sonar, all of these and more, the author argues, point clearly enough to the God of biblical revelation so that no one has a legitimate excuse for unbelief. This book is a wonderful and, at times, humourous addition to the wealth of theological/scientific books touching on the existence of God. But perhaps most importantly, this author addresses a problem that most seem to be unaware of---the problem of why and how some 'Christians' today can believe no differently than atheists and yet claim to be faithful to Christianity. Atheists disbelieve the virgin birth. So do some Christians. Atheists reject the resurrection of Jesus, calling it a 'myth.' So do some Christians. The author examines this strange phenomenon and, using logical and biblical principles, dismisses this unholy union as illogical, self-contradictory and ultimately intellectually destructive for all involved.

This book is tediously technical at times (hard to get through all the Greek word definitions in chap. 1 alone), but it is good solid stuff, and it should be read by all who question the existence of God or the veracity of the Bible.