"Why God Won't Go Away" by Alister McGrath was my most recent read, and I found it to be a very interesting book. This book recounts the rise of the "new" atheism movement and some of its key players. The book can basically be broken up into three sections: past, present, and future. There are discussions of the four men who spearheaded the new atheism movement, and brief histories of their contributions. These short biographies of Richard Dawkins, Sam harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens help to understand the key principles of atheism. I was truly fascinated and a little bit disappointed at how these atheists can make definitive claims about religion that are so far off, such as religion causes violence, or religion is irrational.
While the book itself was interesting, and I believe that it is good to know and understand the arguments of those who believe differently from what I do, I also found that the atheism movement is founded on false doctrines and generalizations about faith. There were definitely moments where I wanted to argue with Mr. Dawkins or Mr. Dennett about these generalizations.
Overall, a good book with a concise explanation of this atheism movement and explanation of the founding principles.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Enemies Of The Heart
Enemies of the Heart is almost like a handbook to an honest self-assessment. From the moment you start this book, you will read things that will make you think, "Yeah, that does sound a little like me". I think that Andy Stanley did a great job of narrowing down the four poisons to the heart: guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. And honestly, who doesn't suffer from at least one of those afflictions?
Stanley provides an honest and genuine explanation and antedote for all four of those afflictions in his book. I think that if you even thing for one second that you might feel guilty or angry, you should sit down now and start turning the pages. Stanley uses a biblical approach to these secular problems, and I found his book to be supremely useful in giving my own heart an honest assessment.
I think this book is ideal for nearly anyone who wants to life a happier life, free of guilt, anger, greed, or jealousy. Stanley's wisdom and biblical vantage point make a great combination. His tone isn't demeaning, but rather empathetic and understanding. Loved it! Great job, Andy!
FTC DISCLAIMER: “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.
Stanley provides an honest and genuine explanation and antedote for all four of those afflictions in his book. I think that if you even thing for one second that you might feel guilty or angry, you should sit down now and start turning the pages. Stanley uses a biblical approach to these secular problems, and I found his book to be supremely useful in giving my own heart an honest assessment.
I think this book is ideal for nearly anyone who wants to life a happier life, free of guilt, anger, greed, or jealousy. Stanley's wisdom and biblical vantage point make a great combination. His tone isn't demeaning, but rather empathetic and understanding. Loved it! Great job, Andy!
FTC DISCLAIMER: “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.
God's Love Letters To You
God's Love Letters To You
"God's Love Letters To You" is a 40 day devotional designed to personalize your walk with Christ though a series of intimate conversations penned in this book. Each devotional focuses on a different chapter of the Bible, and each is written as if it were a short letter directly from God, encouraging, empowering, strengthening, and intensitying your personal relationship with God. The chapters are relatively short, so it is easy to pick this up in the morning with your coffee, or in the evening before bed. Each chapter contains a topic thought, that is the main focus of the devotional, followed by a bible verse to support that topic thought. Then, a short letter from God follows, elaborating on the verse. After the letter, there is also a short reflection with points and questions to help you understand exactly how this verse and letter can be applied to your life and personal walk with God. Then, the chapter closes in a short prayer. I think that this book does a great job of personalizing the relationship that we have with God, and really defining the relationship between man and God as one of a father and child. The verses and letters are relevant and encouraging. The prayers are thoughtful and honest. I truly enjoyed reading this devotional, and I think it would benefit everyone who is interested in making their relationship with God a more personal one.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements
The Quotable Rogue
The Quotable Rogue
As a conservative, I was very interested in reading "The Quotable Rogue: The Ideals of Sarah Palin In Her Own Words" by Matt Lewis. In an age where you can only believe half of what you see in the media and mainstream news channels, I was excited to read this book and hear Sarah Palin's positions and ideals in her own words. This book gives quotes directly from Mrs. Palin on a variety of topics, from abortion to drilling in Alaska. The book is split up into categories, with several quotes on each category that make Sarah's stance clear. I enjoyed reading this book (it is a very easy read), and learning more about a rising star in the Republican party.
After reading this book, I really believe that the media took so many of the things that Sarah Palin said during the 2008 elections and twisted them simply to make her look stupid and underqualified for the vice presidency. The statements found in this book show that Sarah Palin is truly an intelligent, clever, and highly qualified breath of fresh air in the stagnant world of political scheming.
I loved this book, and it will definitely be my go-to source the next time I need a real Palin quote.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements
After reading this book, I really believe that the media took so many of the things that Sarah Palin said during the 2008 elections and twisted them simply to make her look stupid and underqualified for the vice presidency. The statements found in this book show that Sarah Palin is truly an intelligent, clever, and highly qualified breath of fresh air in the stagnant world of political scheming.
I loved this book, and it will definitely be my go-to source the next time I need a real Palin quote.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements
MacArthur
MacArthur
When I received "MacArthur", I was a little bit intimidated. I enjoy history, but an by no means a war expert or master historian, so I was a little bit concerned that this book would be hard to follow, with lots of military jargon and strategy. I was surprised and relieved when I started reading this book! "MacArthur" is a practical biography of Douglas MacArthur that is easy to read, and very intriguing. This book doesn't really read like a biography - I felt it was more of a novel, and I really enjoyed following along the storyline of Douglas MacArthur's life. This book starts off detailing the history of the MacArthur family. This is the only part of the book that got slightly confusing, but that is only because there were three Arthur MacArthurs - so it was a little confusing trying to keep track of the three generations all bearing the same name. This book follows a young Douglas into West Point and into his military career, and his successes that eclipsed those of the previous two generations of famous MacArthurs. I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone who has even the slightest interest in history or Douglas MacArthur.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The Fight Of Our Lives
The Fight Of Our Lives
I have to admit, I was very excited to read "The Fight Of Our Lives" by William J Bennett and Seth Leibsohn. I have been a big fan of Mr. Bennett for many years, and used to listen to him on a local conservative talk radio program. This particular book is truly fascinating, and I would recommend it to anyone who has concerns about the future of American democracy as we know it due to the decisions being made about how to deal with radical Islamists. As I expected, this book is written in very up front, logical, no nonsense tone that I find it very easy to respect. "The Fight Of Our Lives" focuses on the particular kind of threat that we face in the war on radical Islam. This book gives an easy to understand narrative on key characters and incidents that I found to be refreshing amid the whirlwind that is politically correct main stream media reports. This book essentially calls for an end to the doublespeak and demands attention be paid to the reality of this war, and the damaging effects that it could have on our country if nothing is done. This book is honest, and I enjoyed every page of it. This book is relatively short (only around 150 pages), but it was interesting, and I had a hard time putting it down. I felt that it was relevant, realistic, and a factual account of the situation that the United States is currently facing in dealing with a war on radical Islamic factions. This book is easy to read, with no overly complicated political correctness, and I would highly recommend it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Love At Last Sight
Love At Last Sight
"Love At Last Sight" by Kerry & Chris Shook is a 30 day devotional dedicated to making the most of important relationships in our lives. The title alone summarizes the mentality of this book - making sure that every interaction with those we love is as fulfilling as possible. The devotionals are slightly longer than other devotionals, which could make it difficult to read if you are short on time. I would estimate around fifteen minutes per day would suffice for reading the text of the devotional. Each devotional targets a particular mistake that we make in interacting with those around us, such as "Being All There No Matter What" (Day 6) and "Intentionally Giving Encouragement" (Day 15). The insight that Kerry and Chris offer is so profound in its effects on relationships, either for the better or worse. At the end of every devotional is a "Love At Last Sight Challenge", that offers up a few journal entry type of questions for you to answer. I think this book could be a great tool to be used in deepening my relationships with those who are most important in my life. It truly does show me how, even unintentionally, I am not getting the most out of those relationships, and offers genuine, honest advice on how to remedy some of those problems. A great book, that I would highly recommend.
FTC DISCLAIMER: “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.
FTC DISCLAIMER: “I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.
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