Religions on Trial: A Lawyer Examines Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and More by W. Mark Lanier

Religions on Trial: A Lawyer Examines Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and More Reviews

• 
  Conrade Yap

  Most books on comparative religion and apologetics have been written by academics, famous authors, theologians, and passionate believers. Some have been written by detectives and investigators of crime scenes. Others are written by people from different professions. This book is written by someone from the legal profession. Using his legal training and experience, author William Mark Lanier helps us adopt a legal lens to probe evidence with questions and to analyze answers like a trial jury. He begins by giving us a legal primer to understand the duties of jurors, the examination of evidence, scrutinizing witnesses, and other sources for credibility and consistency. He examines evidence from both angles: "association" and "causation." Using the "Bradford Hill Criteria," readers learn about adopting the criteria to establish reasonable causation. Recognizing there are elements of truth within each religious persuasion, the goal becomes learning how to sieve the truth from flaws. He puts these "religions on trial" so as to uncover any layer(s) of truth. Unlike those who insist on having all the complete answers before believing, Lanier believes that it is not necessary to examine each and every aspect of all faiths before one can make a faith decision. Like how attorneys learn to cross-examine and identify major tenets of various witnesses' testimonies, all one needs to do is to identify the key facts. Inspired by the apostle Paul's example at Athens, who constantly met and debated with the philosophical groups that day, he hopes to use this book as a way to debate the philosophies and religions of today. He does this via six questions:
  
  1) Is the View consistent with the world?
  2) Is the view subjectively consistent with who and what I am?
  3) Is there cross-consistency?
  4) Is it livable?
  5) Does it answer the big questions?
  6) Does it make for good people and good societies?
  
  He covers mystical faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism; historical religions like Judaism, Islam, and Mormonism; and modern religious experiences like "secular spirituality" and "secular Christianity." First, Lanier describes the faith by highlighting its key beliefs. He then puts each belief through the lens of the six questions. He notes how Hinduism tends to be the opposite of the Christian's teaching about humans made in the image of God. In Buddhism, the methods of dealing with suffering do not really offer true and full release. When dealing with the topic of Judaism, Lanier looks at the thirteen principles of Moses Maimonides and compares them to the six criteria posed. He lists the strengths and weaknesses of Islam according to his criteria and registers doubts about the "veracity of witnesses." He sees the development of Mormonism not as the doctrine of truth but as the progression of thoughts. The topic of secular spirituality is an interesting addition. The recent rise of the "spiritual but not religious" movement is evident in mainstream secular society. He examines popular culture through the lens of modern music. On the flip side, there is the "religious but not secular" segment called, "Secular Christianity." Such a group tends to avoid discipleship, embrace the world, and are lukewarm in faith practices. 
  
  My Thoughts
  ==============
  I find the approach by Lanier fresh and creative. Using the legal courtroom as a framework to analyze the different religions and spiritualities, readers get to uncover the different emphases, truths, and flaws of each. All of these are done not with subjective feelings, nor with random strategies, but with consistent criteria. The six questions are applied to all faiths so that all are analyzed on a level playing field. That way, there is a certain level of fairness to all, albeit from a Christian perspective. Such an approach of critical analysis does not mean Christianity is exempted from the analysis. In fact, Lanier has applied the same criteria to Christianity throughout the book. Just like the legal courtroom where the judges and jurors are expected to offer a fair and unbiased judgment, the author aims to do the same in this book.
  
  Lanier not only analyzes the religions and spiritualities concerned. He describes their history, basic beliefs, and doctrines. He also incorporates personal encounters with friends or acquaintances who hail from various religions. I like the way he engages the content with a legal mindset. This is an objective approach that should appeal to the skeptic or intellectual. As readers, even though Lanier has encouraged us to be jurors along with him, it is a fascinating journey of how he questions each faith like how a lawyer cross-examines a witness. We learn not only how to compare religions, but those of us unfamiliar with legal terms can also learn a bit more about the mind of a lawyer. 
  
  In summary, this is a brilliant book that compares various popular beliefs with objective questions. Highly recommended!
  
  W. Mark Lanier (JD, Texas Tech University) is a trial lawyer and founder of the Lanier Law Firm. U.S. News and World Report, together with Best Lawyers, named him to its Best Lawyers in America list for nine consecutive years, and his courtroom work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the American Lawyer. He is also the founder of the Lanier Theological Library, one of the nation’s largest private theological collections. He and his wife, Becky, have five children and live in Houston. His books include Christianity on Trial and Atheism on Trial.
  
  Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
  
  conrade
  This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
• 
  Josh Olds

  Ever since Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ in the 1990s, a whole subgenre of apologetics has popped up with various professions using their expertise to evaluate Christianity or critique the competition. This is one of the latter, as W. Mark Lanier—trial lawyer extraordinaire—turns his legal prowess toward an exploration of world religions. Lanier, who is both a practicing attorney and a committed Christian, brings his unique perspective to bear on the subject of religion, examining each faith as if it were on trial.
  
  The book begins with a brief overview of the legal process, and how it can be applied to the study of religion. He offers six questions that provide a solid framework for his analysis:
  
  1. Is the view objectively consistent with the world?
  2. Is the view subjectively consistent with who and what I am?
  3. Is there cross-consistency?
  4. Is it livable?
  5. Does it answer the Big Questions?
  6. Does it make for good people and good societies?
  
  Lanier then moves on to examine a number of major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. For each faith, he presents a detailed case, examining the evidence for and against it, and then rendering a verdict. To be honest, I didn’t find Religion on Trial to be very comprehensive. It divides itself into three parts: 1) mystical faiths, 2) historical religions, and 3) modern religious expressions. The two “mystical faiths” are Hinduism and Buddhism. Does this imply that Christianity is not mystical? Regardless, Lanier’s exploration is pretty superficial and perfunctory, and always in comparison to Christianity.
  
  Historical religions include Judaism, Islam, and Mormonism. The latter seems out of place, as it is more of a cultic offshoot of Christianity, but I understand its inclusion due to the global popularity of Mormonism and that many within evangelicalism stopped talking about Mormonism as a cult right around the time Mitt Romney was the Republican nominee for President. The exploration of Judaism is pretty much just to say “Yes, I agree, but add the Jesus” without much critical evaluation or exploration.
  
  The third part of the book deals with “modern religious expressions,” which Lanier divides into “secular spiritualism” and “secular Christianity.” Again, the problem with this is the terminology. It’s subjective. Lanier can pick and choose what he means and when he controls the definitions, he controls the argument and its efficacy.
  
  As very much an aside about definitions, in an attempt to talk about the importance of precise definitions but mostly to namedrop his famous Jewish friend—Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia—Lanier provides an anecdote about Scalia that pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the man’s personality. The two got into an argument over the validity of the word “prequel” and when Scalia found that it had been included in the latest version of Oxford’s English Dictionary, he wrote the editor to petition to have it removed. This has nothing to do with Religion on Trial, but I thought it said a lot about how those in power often try to exert that power for petty purposes.
  
  I will say that while Lanier's legal background is evident throughout the book, he never loses sight of the fact that religion is ultimately about faith, not proof—almost to the detriment of the book as he places himself as the ruling judge determining the strength of his own arguments. I appreciate that he takes a respectful tone for the religions he critiques, but it’s obvious the case is rigged from the beginning. I agree with a lot of what Lanier says, but I think the way in which he has portrayed it is not entirely honest. When Strobel wrote The Case for Christ as a journalist, he went and interviewed people. He engaged as a journalist. With Religion on Trial, Lanier doesn’t just engage as a lawyer, he’s judge, jury, and executioner. He never engages world religions in ways that allow those religions to speak for themselves. The result is a mediocre apologetic that treads no new ground and no framing it around a schtick, however appealing, can fix that.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Hayli Netterlund

  This book was interesting to read and i like how the author laid his information out as if he were at a trial. His expertise in sorting through information and making arguments clearly shows. I don’t know that this book would persuade a non believer or a person who practices a religion in this book to become a Christian, but it was a good book for a Christian to confirm their beliefs and why they are true.
• 
  Jenna Deaton

  Religions on Trial by W. Mark Lainier is an insightful look at world religions through the gaze of a lawyer.
  
  What I liked
  -Lanier is respectful to the point of view of each culture that a religion comes from as well as to nuance of belief within a given religion.
  -While utilizing a legal lens the author has kept language use and format accessible for the general reader
  -Author Bias and lens is admitted early within the text.
  
  What didn't work for me as well
  - Their were sections were personal stories and examples really overtook the majority of the topic and this didn't balance well with the author's legal perspective
  
  Who I would recommend this book for
  
  This Book will be a good fit for fans of Lainier's previous work and for those wanting to begin the process of shifting through the myriad of religious perspectives available to them in the modern world.
• 
  Stephanie Agnes-Crockett

  Disclosure: I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of the book from the publisher. Book quotations are subject to change and opinions expressed are my own.
  What to Expect
  Religions on Trial is the conclusion to Lanier’s On Trial series, which also comprised Christianity on Trial and Atheism on Trial. While I opted not to review Atheism on Trial on my blog, you can see my GoodReads review, here.
  
  With a legal primer, plus opening and closing statements, Lanier fashions the book after the proceedings in a courtroom trial. Sandwiched between the introductory and concluding material are seven chapters, each of which explore one major world religion. Lanier divides these faiths into three subgroups: Mystical Faiths (covering Buddhism and Hinduism), Historical Religions (Judaism, Islam and Mormonism) and Modern Religious Expressions (in which he includes Secular Spiritualism and Secular Christianity).
  
  Citing Romans 1:20,
  
  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[a] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
  
  Romans 1:20
  the author argues that each religion will have, at least, grains of truth, because God has made His truth accessible to people. In support of this premise, Lanier also references the way Paul engaged with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, interacting with their understanding of “an unknown god.”
  
  Lanier weighs each of the faiths against six criteria, which “provide a solid framework for examining a belief system for truth.” In each chapter, he surveys whether a faith does a good job explaining the world, whether its tenets are practicable in real life, among other things.
  
  Lanier also acknowledges that “Secular Spiritualism,” a term he uses to define people who identify as “spiritual but not religious,” would not be termed as a religion by its adherents. Additionally, because of the sundry views of people who ascribe to this general belief system, it is challenging to identify major tenets of belief.
  
  Favorite Quote
  Yet I have this burning to write this book. I want to have a chance to tell people that life is worth living. You matter. There is purpose for you, all of you, the good and bad, the obvious and the hidden. This God cares for you and has an unconditional love for you.
  
  p. 208
  What I Liked
  As with Lanier’s book Atheism on Trial, I enjoyed reading about real courtroom scenarios, which Lanier referenced in his arguments. The legal primer was interesting, as well, this time with an emphasis on the duty of the jury to weigh evidence.
  
  I appreciated that this was a brief survey of various religions, as opposed to separate books for each topic. Each chapter provides a meaningful introduction to the religion discussed, typically accompanied by information about that religion’s history and tenets. Although Lanier didn’t have a lot of room to work with, he provided interesting and relevant background information. Even in the cases of religions that I knew a little bit (emphasis on “little bit,”) I learned knew things. For instance, in the chapter about Islam, Lanier references a story from The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, in which a young Jesus fashions doves from clay and then brings them to life. I had heard a similar story, either in something by Bill Myers or Ted Dekker, but wasn’t aware of its origins. Lanier doesn’t argue about whether or not the events occurred, but instead points to this ancient document (The Infancy Gospel of Thomas) as a writing to which the prophet Mohammed would have had access.
  
  In exploring various religions, Lanier also piqued my interest in the Scriptures. It was interesting to read cited Scripture with contextual descriptions about who wrote it. For instance, Lanier cites Paul, alternatively, as a rabbi or as an attorney. While I don’t typically connect biblical writers with their backgrounds, I found that Religions on Trial engaged my interest and helped me to see familiar Scriptures with fresh eyes. I’m grateful for that.
  
  Lanier delineates between the “secular Christian” and the Christian he has been describing, throughout the trilogy. The basis of his delineation is love, which I think is spot on, considering Yeshua’s words that Christians would be known by their love. Lanier describes love as a “thermometer,” noting that love does not make a person a Christian, but it is the “hallmark, or seminal sign, of a Christian.”
  
  Finally, I really liked the closing argument. This is where Lanier talks about why he wrote the book, and I appreciate his simple, powerful presentation of the hope the author wants to share.
  
  Content
  Lanier cites a case in which a woman sought damages because an accident effected her marital intimacy.
  
  There is one section, roughly 2 pages, where Lanier references the cultural treatment of homosexuality, in an example. I do think a different example could have been used, as I wouldn’t want some of his more ambiguous statements on the topic to be misconstrued by readers.
  
  In the section on Secular Spiritualism (p. 182), Lanier discusses “human rights” for homosexuals, expressing that it is possible to not condone a lifestyle, yet still “detest name calling and mistreatment of another.” He then discusses the passage of Bostock v. Clayton County Georgia (prohibiting the firing of employees on the grounds of sexual preference), which secular society applauds, arguing that there is no basis for secular society to care about “the mistreatment of gay and lesbians.” He goes on to talk about how Christians recognize that each person sins, but that does not diminish any one person’s value. I heartily agree with Lanier’s statement about human value. At the same time, I am grieved at the current climate that elevates a lifestyle that Scripture clearly describes as wrong. I also disagree with Lanier’s assertion that there’s a genetic disposition to homosexuality.
  
  Recommendation Status
  Religions on Trial is an engaging and informative read. In terms of genre, I would locate it somewhere between exposition and apologetics. While the book isn’t about weighing or proving Christianity (that, I believe, is what the first book in the trilogy covers), Lanier makes it very clear that he is writing from the perspective of someone who is a Christian– and as someone who actively seeks truth.
  
  I believe this book is intended for those who are seeking truth, and my desire is that the Lord would indeed use it in that way. For Christian readers, the book does provide interesting historical context and background information on other religion, as well. Recommended for readers who enjoy nonfiction and are interested in learning just a little bit more about other religions.
• 
  Adam Bricker

  The format of this book is interesting in that it's set up as to ask 6 questions to a imaginary jury and exam the ideas and facts answering those questions. Unfortunately the author has a strong Christian view point that permeates the entire book and, I feel, skews otherwise well done research and discussion of important ideas. I think the author does a disservice to their original plan, but this book does stand as a good place to start if you're interested in having true discussions on religion.
• 
  Darrin Niday

  I really enjoyed this take on these different religions, makes me want to read his other books. Not being a lawyer I really liked his take, He really delved into these other religions, he truthfully and deeply looked. At them, I really enjoyed this book.
• 
  David Burris

  Excellent study of religions and how a lawyer would state the facts and fallacies of each religious group in comparison to Christianity.
• 
  chai_reads

  biassed?