Patrick Swayze, Hollywood and God -- Ray Comfort

Are you wondering what Patrick Swayze, Hollywood, God and author Ray Comfort, all have in common? Author Ray Comfort has lived in Los Angeles for over 20 years and says he still feel a buzz whenever he catches a glimpse of the Hollywood Sign. Come along with The Real Hollywood Book Chat and find out who this author really knows in the world of Hollywood.


Author Ray Comfort, author of the Christian nonfiction book, You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, But You Can't Make Him Think (WND Books, Feb 09) on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Ray is the author of more than 60 books, including, God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists, How to Know God Exists, Evolution: The Fairy Tale for Grownups, You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, but You Can’t Make Him Think, and The Evidence Bible. He was a platform speaker at the 2001 27th convention of “American Atheists,” and in 2007, he appeared on ABC’s Nightline (with actor Kirk Cameron) debating “The Existence of God.” He also co-hosts an award-winning television program, and has a daily blog called “Atheist Central.”


Let’s turn this over to Ray and let him tell the story of Hollywood.


Ray: I have lived in Los Angeles for more than 20 years, and I still get a buzz whenever I catch a glimpse of the Hollywood sign. Yet, the “Hollywood” seen by the public is nothing but a façade--a mirage made up of Mann’s Chinese theater, smutty stores, strange people, and lots of overseas tourists. That’s it. The true Hollywood is hidden from the public’s eye in structures in Burbank and other surrounding cities.
I have written two books about the true Hollywood. [1] One lists what A-list celebrities believe about God and the afterlife. This includes little-known beliefs of Frank Sinatra, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Costner, Robert Redford, John Wayne, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Jim Carrey, Sammy Davis Jr., Elton John, Angelina Jolie, Jodie Foster, George Clooney, Hugh Hefner, and Arnold Schwarzenegger (over 120 in all).
The other book [2] looks at back Hollywood’s history, why it produced so many good family movies, why that changed, why Hollywood muffled the spiritual beliefs of so many big-named stars, and how in recent years it has exported blasphemy through out the world. Actor, Kirk Cameron and I even made a television version of this book.

So how did a no-body from New Zealand get hooked up with a well-known Hollywood celebrity? In 1990 I published a book called, Hell’s Best Kept Secret. In 2001, Kirk was given a CD version, and he then read another one of my books, called, The Way of the Master. We meet, and he eventually joined the ministry. In 2003, he taught “Hell’s Best Kept Secret” on a major TV network, and the next day our website (livingwaters.com) received over a million hits.

We now co-host a TV program that has won seven awards, and is aired in 70 countries and on 31 networks. It’s popular because of its many colorful on-the-street interviews with ordinary people about a subject that every sane human being thinks about, but few talk about--what happens after we die.

Early in 2009, Patrick Swayze talked about it when he contracted his well-publicized illness. He told Barbara Walters, "I don't know what's on the other side. It tests everything I believe in ... that there is something unique in all of us that does not, does not die." The famous actor said, "And so, I'm trying to shut up and let my angels speak to me and, and tell me what I'm supposed to do."

His, “ . . . there is something unique in all of us that does not, does not die" echoes with every one of us. That’s what we face head-on in our program. Some like what we do. Some don’t.

I’m a Christian. I love God, and I also love atheists. I had dinner with 40 of them (at their request) early in 2008 and was treated with respect. Back in 2001, I was flown across the country by American Atheists, Inc., to be a platform speaker at their Annual Convention. I was treated with respect there also. I even have a blog called “Atheist Central” and it daily attracts a mass of atheists. Most of them are nice folks who obey the rules that say “God” must have a capital “G.”

However, there are good and bad atheists, and in recent years we have seen an increase of bad atheists. These angry people go out of their way to try to stop the Bible from being given to school children, they sue Rick Warren because he was asked to pray at the Presidential Inauguration, and protest the presence of a nativity scene at Christmas. Their agenda isn’t to promote atheism (it is the God-given right of every American to be an atheist if that’s what he chooses), but it's to undermine the rights of those who have the freedom to worship the God who gave them life and liberty. That makes me mad, so in response I have published a new book for atheists and the many fence-sitters who have been hoodwinked by atheists into thinking that a belief in God is just some sort of blind faith.

There is a massive amount of credible evidence that proves God exists. There’s creation. You can’t have a creation without a Creator. It is scientifically impossible. An atheist is like a fish in the ocean saying that there’s no evidence that there’s an ocean. The existence of creation should be enough for us, but there is much more evidence right in front of us. However, this will only be seen as “evidence” by those who have the ability to think. That’s why I called the book, You Can Lead a Atheist to Evidence But You Can’t Make Him Think.



WIN A PRIZE!
As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.


ABOUT THE BOOK!


“To be an atheist is to play Russian roulette with all the chambers loaded…"

“An atheist just can’t win. Of course, he feels and acts like a big player, until the trigger is pulled. The issue isn’t the existence of God. If he is wrong and there is a Creator, then he was wrong. He gambled and he lost. No big deal. The real gamble is that there’s no Hell. That’s what makes the player sweat, just a little. “What if…?”

In this entertaining and enlightening new book, Pastor Ray Comfort, author of the million-selling The Atheist Test, “talks to the atheists” and reveals not just the weakness of their arguments but the solid foundation upon which the Christian stands.

Few books take the time to address the atheist’s conscience. This book not only gives empirical evidence for the existence of God, it shows atheists that they desperately need His forgiveness. Using a lively Q&A format, featuring actual questions from atheists sent to Pastor Comfort’s blog at Atheist Central, You Can Lead An Atheist to Evidence, But You Can’t Make Him Think shows that God’s existence can be proven, and that anyone can do it!For more about Ray and his work, please visit www.livingwaters.com and Ray's blog at http://raycomfortfood.blogspot.com/




The YOU CAN LEAD AN ATHEIST TO EVIDENCE TOUR '09 officially began on February 2nd and ends on February 27th. You can visit Ray's blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in February to find out more about this great book and talented author!