General Books - Page 3

The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus

Lee Strobel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 641 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Failed to Address Any of My Questions 1 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

A good friend of mine, who is quite sincere in his belief, provided me with a copy of this book, believing it would quickly dispel my lifelong agnosticism. I read it in good faith, hoping that here at last might be a book that would address a lifetime's worth of questions. Unfortunately, I realized within the first few minutes of opening it that it would do no such thing. It glossed over the most fundamental objections I have within the first few pages and never looked back from there. Thus, to me, it was essentially worthless, though I labored on to finish the entire book out of respect for my friend. Thankfully, it was mercifully short, and the language made for an easy read. The content was of no value to me, but Strobel, at least, can write a coherent sentence and is a decent writer.

Christian believers should be aware of how weakly this book addresses genuine agnostic objections to the Jesus story, and how poorly it will prepare you to discuss and/or debate the matter with an informed unbeliever.

Quite simply, I have never believed the Jesus story, from the time I was a child. I don't believe in invisible things, be they ghosts, demons, leprechauns or the various and sundry gods of a thousand different religions. I have serious doubts that Jesus ever existed, though I can't rule out that the stories are not based on some bonafide rabbi who actually lived and breathed and preached for a time, even though he somehow missed the attention of Philo of Alexandria, a Jew who lived at exactly the same time and wrote extensively about the history of Palestine. I am puzzled by the existence of religion, which obviously has arisen in virtually every culture that has ever existed on this planet, but have accepted the reality that skeptics like myself are in the minority. Perhaps it is because I am a member of such a seemingly small minority that Strobel's book was not tailored to a mind like mine - but to me the fundamental flaw in his book is that he simply assumes from the very beginning that invisible and supernatural things do exist, that miracles happen, and that the stories told in the Gospels are true.

To me, it is obvious that all the biographical information we have about Jesus was first written by whoever developed the Gospel of Mark, and that little new or different regarding the actual life and biography of Jesus was added by the other three gospel writers. Thus we have what is essentially a point source regarding the life of Jesus, and I have yet to receive a compelling argument from anyone that counters my suspicion that maybe the entire story was a work of fiction invented by some literary genius now known to the world only as "Mark." Unfortunately, Strobel does not address this concern in the least. His only comment on this very serious objection is along the lines of: "these gospel writers seemed like good men, so why would they lie?"

Why indeed? The problem of course is that a devout Mormon will say the same thing about Joseph Smith, when to most outsiders it really does appear as if Smith made the entire Book of Mormon up virtually single handedly, and his motives for doing so: money, power, and even sex, are crystal clear to any outsider not caught up in the Mormon faith. The objection that no one person could have come up with the Jesus story is refuted not only by Joseph Smith, but by looking at the complex worlds created in fiction by people like Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, or J.K. Rowling. So of course one person could have come up with the Jesus story, especially since any simple course in comparative religion shows that most of the major premises of Christianity already were present in the Mediterranean basin at the time of St. Paul: whoever Mark was, living where he did, would have had access to the teachings and belief systems of Plato, Buddhism, Zoroaster/Mithras, Judaism, Heracles, and the ancient and well-developed Egyptian religion. From there, it would not be difficult to fuse and merge the best of each into a new amalgamation - the creation of such a hybrid religion would require creativity and ingenuity to be sure - but would not require the development of any new insights or philosophy - those were already there for the taking.

Strobel fails to address the fact that not a single contemporary Roman source mentions Jesus, and that references to Jesus from later writers like Tacitus and Josephus are not only scant but controversial. The oft repeated claim that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are "one of the most documented events in history" becomes ridiculous to anyone who has ever actually investigated the matter - but again - Strobel fails to address this.

Having thus blithely, and as I said earlier, in one sentence, dispensed with the most serious objection to Christianity - that the entire thing might have been invented, just like every other religion known to man, Strobel barrels along, treating each story in the gospel now as though it was actually witnessed by a sober and honest person.

I do not make these comments in an effort to stir up a debate, but in the event a Christian apologist happens to make a good faith effort to refute any of the concerns I've just expressed in the last few paragraphs in a "comment" to this review, I would observe that his or her efforts would be far superior and far more useful to me than anything in Strobel's book.

And THAT, more than anything else, drives home the point that Strobel's book is useless. If a stray Christian passerby can spend five minutes responding to me and come up with more compelling and direct arguments than Strobel did in the year or so he spent writing this book, that ought to tell you something about how useful Strobel's book really is as a refutation to agnosticism.

Editorial Review:

Using the dramatic scenario of an investigative journalist pursuing his story and leads, Lee Strobel uses his experience as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune to interview experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award.

The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life

Jim Tressel, Chris Fabry, John Maxwell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Fan of John Wooden's Pyramid of Success Would Appreciate This Book 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The SEC is my favorite football conference, but I wanted to read this book. Jim Tressel shows readers that there is more to his life than football after reading this book. Chris Fabry collaborated well with Tressel. I own 10 different books about John Wooden's Pyramid of Success and the Block O had its genesis from Tressel's interest in the pyramid. This is not a stereotypical coaches book that centers on four yards and a cloud of dust. This expands to real life. John Maxwell writing the forward is indicative of that.

I was impressed with his mentioning of hearing Bobby Richardson and being impacting by hs quote, "If the game of life ended tonight, would you be a winner?" The influence of his parents, especially his father was interesting. I especially saw insights about his thoughts about his dad when he mentioned his dad coaching at Baldwin Wallace University.

I like the anecdote about James Laurinaitis visiting the boy in the hospital who was wearing his jersey when injured in a lawn-mower accident. The by cried when they cut his jersey. I appreciated Tressel mentioning the impact of the American soldiers who are fans of The Ohio State University.

Tressel is an interesting person as a subject for a sports fan. Even though in a short span he went from coaching Youngstown State University to coaching The Ohio State University to a national championship, he considers being more important than doing. That was expressed by his contrition for telling a YSU after he committed a personal foul, "You are not worth 15 yards."

I feel better as a person for reading this book. There are some things I would have liked to have seen in the book. I wished Tressel would have mentioned what he learned as a person from dealing with Maurice Clarett. It would have been nice it book were bigger to include more about The Winners Manual as long as he did not give away information that would be harmful to his team or helpful to his opponent.

I would recommend a coach reading this book and making sure their players read the book for personal development for the whole person.

Editorial Review:

The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life shares Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel's "Big Ten" fundamentals for success: Attitude, Discipline, Faith, Handling Adversity & Success, Excellence, Love, Toughness, Responsibility, Team, and Hope. Peppered with personal stories from Tressel's storied coaching career, the book shares the fundamental lessons that he has been imparting to his players for the past 20 years. A perfect blend of football stories, spiritual insights, motivational reading, and practical application, The Winners Manual provides an inside look at the core philosophy that has served as the foundation for one of the most successful college football programs of all time. Includes 8 pages of color photos and a foreword from NYT best-selling author John Maxwell.

For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men (Walker Large Print Books)

Shaunti Feldhahn

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 227 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

If you haven't read this, you're missing out in a big way! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life

After coaching hundreds of couples, I can tell you that For Women Only stands out as a book that can be a real "game-changer" in marriage. For decades it has been virutally impossible to find relationship literature that truly equipped women to be stronger wives. This book accomplishes that. The vast majority of relationship-oriented self-help books seemed to share the goal of molding men into women as a prerequisite for experiencing a successful marriage. This approach sold a lot of books, primarily to women, but didn't work so well for marriages overall.

In For Women Only, author Shaunti Feldhahn shares the truth about how most men process their world. I can verify this personally and by confirmation of my male clients who aggressively bought this book for their wives when it was released, understanding that the author had articulated precisely what they hoped their wife would know, but didn't quite grasp how to deliver the information to her.

What a perfect solution!

A woman completes the research and then writes a book for women to help them understand and consequently respond in wiser, more thoughtful ways to their husbands (and sons).

I also recommend the companion book, For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Womenand Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs

If you want to maximize the potential of your marriage, these three books are a must!

Editorial Review:

A CBA Bestseller

What's going on in there? Ever been totally confused by something your man has said or done? Want to understand his secret desires and fears, his daily battles that you know nothing about? In a woman-to-woman conversation you'll never forget, Shaunti Feldhahn takes you beneath the surface into the inner lives of men. Grounded in biblical hope, you will discover how to love your man for who he really is.

Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day

Joel Osteen

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Total reviews: 181 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE, YOU CAN BE BETTER!

Is this as good as it gets? Or can you enjoy more of what life has to offer? Not only can you live happily every day, bestselling author Joel Osteen suggests you must discover the potential within yourself and learn how to use it to live better, and to help others better themselves as well. God didn't create you to be average. You were created to excel! You have everything you need to fulfill your God-given destiny, and there is no limit to what you can accomplish if you discover how to be a better you! Become a Better You will guide you in the process of uncovering your hidden resources. Addressing such topics as building your confidence, developing better relationships, finding peace within, and staying passionate about life. Joel Osteen will encourage you to reach your unique God-given potential, and will help you to enjoy every day of your life, despite your circumstances. As you incorporate Joel's easy-to-grasp principles into your life, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much more God has in store for you, and how quickly you become a better you! "God is preparing you for greater things. He's going to take you further than you thought possible, so don't be surprised when He asks you to think better of yourself and to act accordingly."

Heaven

Randy Alcorn

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 159 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Uplifting, Wonderful, Heavenly Book! Highly Recommend 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

After reading Heaven, you will see the Bible in a whole new and exciting light. This is a wonderful book that is very encouraging. Of course, you will not agree with everything. But it is so uplifting and life changing that you are left wondering how you missed these awesome truths in your previous Bible studies. This is a great book to give to someone who has just lost a loved one who was a believer. It is a great book for unbelievers because the Gospel is so clearly presented. It even contains a very sober and important treatise on the doctrine of Hell. Mr. Alcorn has taken great pains to present clear scriptural references for many of his main points. Countless times, I found myself saying "I never saw that before!" There is so much more in the Bible concerning our life in Heaven that most people would ever expect. This is a great book to use as a Sunday evening or mid-week Bible study tool. It will make you want to share your faith even more. Get this book. You won't regret it.

Editorial Review:

What will heaven be like? Randy Alcorn presents a thoroughly biblical answer, based on years of careful study, presented in an engaging, reader-friendly style. His conclusions will surprise readers and stretch their thinking about this important subject. Heaven will inspire readers to long for heaven while they're living on earth.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

Francis Chan, Danae Yankoski

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Best book I've read in a long time 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is phenomenal. It changed my life and continues to each day. Francis presents the truth of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. He invites us to the challenge and reality that we're called to give everything up if Jesus asks for it. He reminds us that obedience is the key to genuine discipleship.

Lots of Scripture, great illustrations...this book will keep you on your toes and give you a fresh perspective that all of us that call ourselves Christians need. He invites us to a life that is radically different to the average American, but the question still stands...how will you respond?

Editorial Review:

"Sometimes I feel like when I make decisions that are remotely biblical, people who call themselves Christians are the first to criticize and say I'm crazy, that I'm taking the Bible too literally, or that I'm not thinking about my family's well-being. . . When people gladly sacrifice their time or comfort or home, it is obvious that they trust in the promises of God. Why is it that the story of someone who has actually done what Jesus commands resonates deeply with us, but we then assume we could never do anything so radical or intense? Or why do we call it radical when, to Jesus, it is simply the way it is? The way it should be?"

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

Donald Miller

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Total reviews: 460 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Why am I reading this? 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I have not read this book in its entirety, but I'd say I've read about 2/3 of it, skipping around. The reason that I haven't read the whole thing is that it's simply too fluffy for me to read it straight through. I just wanted to begin with that disclaimer.

I was loaned this book by a friend who had recommended many great books for me to read. With such a cool title, I was excited to sit down and read this book. I am not exactly sure how I would classify myself in terms of religion. I was raised a Christian but am closer to being agnostic now, though I still have a special place in my heart for Christian theology and tradition. I thought that this book, which claims to be "non-religious," would be a good read that would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, Mr. Miller is anything but non-religious. Throughout this book, he comes across as the kind of abrasive postmodern Christian that makes me want to turn and run. Namely, Miller is all about wallowing in guilt, and moaning about how awful and repulsive we humans are. He seems to have a severe problem with self-obsession, and desires to transfer this shortcoming to all humankind. Look, I know humans can do horrible things, but it's this kind of negativity that turns me off from Christianity.

But it's not the theology that's the biggest problem with this book. It's the writing itself. This book is really just a collection of essays. That's fine, I enjoy essay collections. But, as we all learned in high school English class, an essay should have a clear point, with every sentence furthering the argument. Miller's essays ramble on page after page, are full of unrelated anecdotes, and have bizarre metaphors that only serve to cloud the meaning of whatever he's trying to convey. There are a few times throughout where he has a shining moment where he says something bordering on the brilliant. But then these instances are buried between pages of what amounts to fluff. It's the kind of situation in which you read three pages, then stop and look back through those three pages and realize that you don't remember anything that you just read.

One of the biggest shortcomings of this book (related to the overbearing religiosity) is that I was expecting Miller to be open-minded. He is anything but. He has a very narrow world view and perspective on Christianity. Furthermore (as other reviewers have mentioned), he seems to be trapped in an arrested adolescence. How old is he, 30? His words read like those of someone half his age. Many times, he mentions past irresponsible actions of his, which I expected to be self-deprecatory, but he always stops short of saying (or even hinting) that irresponsible things he's done in the past are wrong; he simply seems to mention them like they're no big deal. There is not alot of soul searching or questioning here, just alot of "here's what I think." I could have used more soul-searching, more questioning, more doubt. Something to justify the "non-religious" claim in the title.

In many places throughout the book, Miller comes across as a sweet guy, a genuine man of faith who only wants to do right by Jesus, and I commend him for that. Still, why did he write a book about it? And why am I reading it? The two biggest problems with this book: it's not really "non-religious," and it is about twice as long as it needs to be. It gets two stars instead of one because Miller occasionally has moments that are insightful and well-written.

Editorial Review:

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters

David Kinnaman, Gabe Lyons

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Total reviews: 81 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Christianity has an image problem.

Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like "hypocritical," "insensitive," and "judgmental," young Americans share an impression of Christians that's nothing short of . . . unChristian.

Groundbreaking research into the perceptions of sixteen- to twenty-nine-year-olds reveals that Christians have taken several giant steps backward in one of their most important assignments. The surprising details of the study, commissioned by Fermi Project and conducted by The Barna Group, are presented with uncompromising honesty in unChristian.

Find out why these negative perceptions exist, learn how to reverse them in a Christlike manner, and discover practical examples of how Christians can positively contribute to culture.

unChristian also includes forward-looking insights from respected Christian leaders, adding their assessment of the problems and their thoughts about how Christians should respond. Exclusive contributions from: Chuck Colson, Andy Crouch, Louie Giglio, Dan Kimball, Brian McLaren, Kevin Palau, Chris Seay, Andy Stanley, John Stott, and Rick Warren.

Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life

Kathleen Norris

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Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Kathleen Norris’s masterpiece: a personal and moving memoir that resurrects the ancient term acedia, or soul-weariness, and brilliantly explores its relevancy to the modern individual and culture.

Kathleen Norris had written several much loved books, yet she couldn’t drag herself out of bed in the morning, couldn’t summon the energy for daily tasks. Even as she struggled, Norris recognized her familiar battle with acedia. She had discovered the word in an early Church text when she was in her thirties. Having endured times of deep soul-weariness since she was a teenager, she immediately recognized that this passage described her affliction: sinking into a state of being unable to care. Fascinated by this “noonday demon,” so familiar to those in the early and medieval Church, Norris read intensively and knew she must restore this forgotten but utterly relevant and important concept to the modern world’s vernacular.

Like Norris’s bestselling The Cloister Walk, Acedia & me is part memoir and part meditation. As in her bestselling Amazing Grace, here Norris explicates and demystifies a spiritual concept, exploring acedia through the geography of her life as a writer; her marriage and the challenges of commitment in the midst of grave illness; and her keen interest in the monastic tradition. Unlike her earlier books, this one features a poignant narrative throughout of Norris’s and her husband’s bouts with acedia and its clinical cousin, depression. Moreover, her analysis of acedia reveals its burden not just on individuals but on whole societies— and that the “restless boredom, frantic escapism, commitment phobia, and enervating despair that we struggle with today are the ancient demon of acedia in modern dress.”

An examination of acedia in the light of theology, psychology, monastic spirituality, the healing powers of religious practice, and Norris’s own experience, Acedia & me is both intimate and historically sweeping, brimming with exasperation and reverence, sometimes funny, often provocative, and always important.

The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics

C. S. Lewis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 78 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Awesome book. 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have not finished reading the whole thing, but I have read three of the books included already. This man was a genius.

Wonderful Investment 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

An awesome, moving, collection of books. I am a changed man for reading his works.

This book is HUGE! 4 out of 5 stars.
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I usually know when my husband is asleep when he drops his book, which usually lands on my head. As he climbed in bed with this HUGE text-book sized book, he said to me, "Been nice knowin' ya."
It's neat to have all CS Lewis' books together in one place, but this thing really is huge. Too heavy to hold to read comfortably unless you're at a desk and it's laying flat. Or maybe if you're sitting up and it can lay in your lap. But for snuggly bedtime reading, no go. (Except it will put you to sleep since it takes so much concentration to understand Lewis' deepth of thinking.)

Great All in one Book 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

this book is great because it is all in one, and also has a nice clear font with a good size. The actual writings of CS Lewis are amazing.

Editorial Review:

For the first time ever, the essential volumes by one of the most celebrated literary figures of our time are available in one deluxe gift edition.