It depends on the individual and whether he is intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually formed well enough not only to understand the anti-Catholic arguments but also to understand and be able to refute the fallacies in those arguments. A Catholic with either hyper-scrupulous or hyper-lax tendencies, for example, likely would not be someone who should be exposed to anti-Catholic material. A young Catholic, such as one who has just entered college (particularly if he is to be guided through the anti-Catholic material by an anti-Catholic), is another example of someone who should avoid such material for the time being.
If you believe you are capable of handling the matter, then I recommend reading the answers to atheists first before reading the atheists’ arguments. The March 2009 issue of This Rock offers analysis of Richard Dawkins’ book The God Delusion and a reading list of books that answer his arguments. You can obtain a copy by calling Catholic Answers’ customer service department at 1-888-291-8000 (open Monday thru Friday, 9 AM - 4:30 PM Pacific Time).
