“The question of whether God exists” is as old as humanity itself, and has been the driving query asked by philosophers for more than two millennia. A self-described philosophical “hobbyist” who’s read and studied the canon of philosophy’s greatest minds for nearly 30 years, Payne approaches the question of God’s existence in a “logical, rational way.” The book begins with an epistemological survey of “What Can Be Known,” ultimately concluding that “we cannot prove God by experience (direct awareness) or science (a form of empiricism).” Subsequent chapters examine what the author calls the “Big Ten” propositions that philosophers, especially Christian apologists, have used to argue God’s existence. These propositions range from Pascal’s wager (whereby one makes a potentially life-threatening gamble in rejecting God’s existence) to the “prevalence of religious experience” among humans throughout history. Payne’s well-informed yet eclectic religious beliefs are what he labels “Panentheist Christian Absurdist Buddhist.” Thus, while he attends Christian church services and “conceptually” finds beauty and meaning in the faith’s rituals, he is attracted to the philosophy of Buddhism, particularly its emphasis on the absurdity of life and its views on suffering. “Panentheism,” the author contends, is a “metaphysic that goes back thousands of years and has presented itself in myriad ways,” particularly its emphasis on a universal spirit that can be found in all things. This panentheistic notion, Payne effectively demonstrates, has long existed within strains of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, in addition to Eastern spiritualities. Another chapter, “Taking the ‘Fun’ Out of Fundamentalism,” is critical of theologies that are defined by their “exclusionary nature.”
The book also critiques literal interpretations of Scripture, highlighting the similarities between The Epic of Gilgamesh and the biblical book of Genesis, which the author admits “reads a heck of a lot like myth.” A particularly well-crafted chapter on the difficulties of reconciling the existence of God with the prevalence of evil asks probing questions that will force readers to reexamine their definitions of what is “Good.” Backed by a wealth of endnotes that demonstrate a solid command of philosophy, from ancient Greek and medieval Christian thinkers to Enlightenment and postmodern figures, this book is an effective primer on how these sages have historically grappled with the existence of God. “Using the knowledge of the smart guys, but the language of real people,” and coming in under 205 pages, the volume is extraordinarily accessible, given the esoteric nature of its sources. A copywriter and a ghostwriter of dozens of memoirs, Payne is especially skilled at introducing difficult concepts with an engaging, often humorous prose style. A multipage glossary of philosophical jargon complements the book’s successful mission “to not allow ourselves to be intimidated by the big thinkers of history.” While the author expresses his personal opinions in the work, he’s generally fair to philosophers and theologians who have come to differing conclusions, opting to revel in the nuances of spiritual inquiry rather than browbeating readers into accepting his idiosyncratic yet well-argued conclusions. Indeed, the author’s only request of readers is to take a 90-day challenge whereby they become more cognizant of the “larger, universal consciousness” in hopes that their lives will feel “richer, deeper, more connected.”