Religion Books

My son needed this book for school. The service was great and it arrived in time for new quarter.

This beautiful piece of work s filled with pretty pictures and wonderfull lessons on history. The books uses carefully chosen historical facts to back up it's commentary. While explaining the life of the ancient Jews during Jesus' time, the book uses this carfully chosen historical fact, "The Jews were great walkers." The book is filled with these beautifully stated facts. Another example: "A day for the Jew begins at sunset." The book goes on to contrast the difference between Jesus and the Jews. Examples of this are the comparison between the Jew's narrow-minded love for only eachother, and Jesus' love for everyone. The Jew's view on the inferiority of women, the ill, the homeless, and the crippled, and Jesus' acceptance of them. The Jew's journey in the desert and failing to stay true to God, and Jesus' success in staying faithful. The brilliant comparisons lead to the book's conclusion that the key to faith is recognizing flawed Judaism and accepting Jesus as the new and improved version.
It is fact.

This book is based on a very flawed Christology that denies the divinity of Jesus. It brings doubt, not faith. It has been found by the American bishops to not be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I am appalled that there are Catholic high schools who are still using this text.

My son needed this book for class and I was very pleased that I could promptly purchase a new one via Amazon. I had access to it elsewhere but it was only available in poorly used condition.

This book is a fine expression of faith- for liberal Protestants. For Catholics, "JOHCOF" represents the indoctrination of new generations with the same confusion everyone has felt in the recent frenzy in the Church. Used as a teaching tool, this is especially deadly to the Faith. Every thing a Catholic would have learned just half a century ago is openly rebuked in this mess. To the writers, Jesus is just a man who lived in Galilee. Every thing supernatural- from the miracles to the appearance of the star and the magi at Christ's birth are all analyzed from a "scientific" viewpoint to try and explain away the Divinity of Christ and the historicity of the Gospels. The Church teaching on the authors of the Pentateuch and much of the New Testament are thrown aside; this book prefers to make use of secular "scholars" in cracking the origins of the Bible. The whole book is about "Jesus the Jew," and makes it appear as though He never renounced the immense errors of Judaism. It adds a vocabulary word- "anti-Semitism" for anyone who espouses the traditional teaching on Christ's criticism of the Pharisees and the Jews' eventual murdering of Christ out of envy- both sound Catholic doctrines. The book lacks any element of the rich sacred Catholic Tradition as well. There are hundreds of images of Jews worshipping in their synagogues and Mohammedans in their mosques but you will find not a single image of the Roman Mass, the only Sacrifice that actually goes to the True God, as used by the Holy Church for 2,000 years. The book teaches the very anti-Christian heresy of syncretism, and denies that the Church is the only way to salvation in Heaven. No teachings about Catholic doctrines such as Purgatory, and nothing about the Popes and the teachings of the Holy Office against heresy. No teachings about the usage of Latin as the universal language of the Church, the language used in the Mass, which is the offering of the Sacrifice at Cavalry, not a meal like the Protestants have. The Catholic Church is just an accident left over by the life of a Jewish man 2,000 years ago, if this book is to be taken at face value. The only time the Catholic Church is mentioned at all is in the last few pages- to mention the wonderful "fruits" of the "Second Vatican Council," the source of all this confusion. When will these people stop kidding themselves and cut this charade out? It is a shame that something coming out of "St. Mary's Press" is such a sorry peace of work, but there is no doubt this book would hit the Index Librorum Prohibitorum if Pope St. Pius X saw this abominable Modernist piece being circulated. Stick to the doctrinal security of the Roman Catechism, and avoid this large editorial on what liberal laypeople want the Church to teach. Pray for an end of this grand mockery... the Catholic Church is the Church of the Christ of Faith, Jesus of History established Her in A.D. 33 and She is the Defender of the Sacred Deposit of the Faith, not these Modernists.

I have purchased and gifted this book over 20 times; mostly to young adult leaders. The central theme is that each and every one of us has leadership potential. Our job as adult leaders who work with youth is to make sure young adults are given the opportunity to grow as positive, productive citizens. The Jesuit model Lowney presents in this book was the perfect model 450 years ago and is just as relevant, if not more so, today. The examples of Jesuits and their accomplishments are very compelling. A wonderful read for anyone who thinks one person can't make a difference. This will change their mind.

I first read this book about a year ago when participating in a class on understanding the Jesuit heritage of my place of work. I re-read it on the plane a couple of days ago returning from an overseas location where we recently established a program. The first time around I thought it was wonderful; re-reading it, I found it both wonderful and also profoundly relevant to our new enterprise.

Lowney takes as his thesis the idea that the same precepts that have animated the success of the Jesuit order can likewise inspire personal and business accomplishment. I have to say he has me convinced. He boils down concepts - like Cura Personalis, Magis, and Ad majorem dei gloriam - that will be familiar to those who attended Jesuit schools to what he describes as the four integrated "pillars" of leadership: Self-awareness, Ingenuity, Love and Heroism. He then uses the history of the Jesuit order to demonstrate how, through application of the four pillars, the Society of Jesus grew from a motley band of 10 likeminded University students of different nationalities, with no agenda beyond doing work "to help souls," to become arguably the most successful and influential Catholic religious order.

Lowney's work is not without controversy, especially his contention that the Jesuit's' leadership lessons can be replicated minus their overtly religious agenda. No doubt the order's founder, Inigo (Latinized to Ignatius) of Loyola - for whom doing it "for the glory of God" was all that mattered - would disapprove. However secular research would suggest that the 16th century Basque had some very profound insights that have application beyond turning back the tide of the Reformation and making converts worldwide. I have to say I find Ignatius to be an intensely attractive character, not least because he advocated active engagement in the world, not withdrawal from it. Here's a guy who for most his life just can't get it quite right - and who along the way experiences some incredible reverses - but who never stops trying to perfect his muddled thinking. He just keeps plugging away until it starts to become clear. And it turns out that it's his very lack of success that leads to his deepest insight: that an intensive regimen of active self-reflection will help him make better decisions.

What resonated with me during my most recent reading was how the Jesuit order faced the daunting task of preserving their purpose in remote lands among peoples with unfamiliar traditions - the same challenge facing my organization. Lowney provides many examples of how the Jesuits succeeded at that task. The training that the novice Jesuit undergoes involves frank self-examination, the letting go of attachments (the concept of "indifference" or the freedom to choose any course of action unencumbered by ingrained habits and prejudices), while learning, through active and repeated self-reflection, to validate one's own instincts to action. This creates a confident, prepared and self-reliant individual, eager to embrace life's challenges. In addition, the Jesuits teach a methodology for self-reflection - the Spiritual Exercises and the Examen - that can be used (the Examen everyday) to reinforce their initial training. Their selection process is tough - they take only the best and most purposeful. Those who are selected are encouraged to innovate and shown how love adds passion and purpose to the pursuit of heroic ambitions. The result, says Lowney, is an organization that can adapt easily to radically different circumstances while preserving it's core values (the same "preserve the core, stimulate progress" that Built to Last author Jim Collins sees as the hallmark of companies of enduring greatness).

At times during my visit to our new overseas location I found myself wondering if our task was just too daunting, the culture just too alien, to hope to transplant our unique brand. After reading how the Jesuits managed it, I feel more confident than ever that my organization can do likewise and should do likewise - not shrinking from full-out engagement - through the innovative application of our fundamental values to this new environment. Thanks Chris, and Inigo, for the reinvigorating lesson!

An excellent book on leadership development. It contains a lot of information and skills that are essential for leaders at all levels. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve self-development and self-awareness. Parents can utilize this book on their children's personal development.

Author Chris Lowney turned in his Jesuit name badge on a Friday. On Monday, he clocked in at J.P. Morgan. Named a managing director of this huge investment banking firm while still in his 30s, he held senior positions with them in New York, Tokyo, Singapore and London.

Bemused and amused by the proliferation of leadership lesson books (Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, to name just one), Lowney responded. "I was intrigued by what sixteenth-century priests might teach us twenty-first century sophisticates about leadership and about coping with complex, changing environments." He adds, "What often passes for leadership today is a shallow substitution of technique for substance."

I know. I know. I recommend a "must-read" book often. But, this one really is a five-star must-read. "Obedience issues in an uninterrupted life of heroic deeds and heroic virtues," writes Lowney. When's the last time you rubbed shoulders with a truly heroic leader?

The Company of Jesus (the Jesuits) was founded in 1540 by "ten men with no capital and no business plan." Yet within a generation, they built the world's most influential company of its kind. In 10 years, with no experience, they launched 30 colleges. "Instead of talking about leadership, they lived it." Founder Ignatius Loyola trained every recruit to lead. Jesuits believe that self-leadership emanates from four unique values: 1) self-awareness, 2) ingenuity, 3) love, and 4) heroism.

If you salivate at the chance to lead people through complexity, build global teams, control out-of-control growth, mediate turf battles, cultivate wealthy donors, and enforce rigorous hiring standards--you'll feast on this gourmet book. Chris Lowney's real world experience keeps it honest. His delicious and dry wit embarrassed me multiple times last week while reading on airplane trips. The laugh-out-loud moments were frequent!

The subtitle of this book is "Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company that Changed the World." Indeed, we can learn a lot from the practices of the Jesuits. Even though they were and continue to be theological competitors with those of an evangelical faith, the Jesuits provide a leadership model that is in contrast to many Protestant organizations.

The Jesuits rose to worldwide influence within a generation from their "no great leader" organizational practice. Whereas evangelicalism is often built around singular personalities and monolithic structures formed to achieve one man's vision, the Jesuits attempted to build all of their recruits into great leaders who, in turn, swarmed the world. That is the singular refreshing lesson that evangelicals can gain from the study of this book.

However, what is disturbing about the book is the inability of its author, or the Jesuits whom he cites, to grasp the biblical message of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone. With a works-based salvation the Jesuits were - and still are - about moralizing the world with biblical principles rather than affording individuals the New Testament teaching of the free gift of new life in Christ - and the power to live the Christian life - by receiving Christ as Lord and Savior through faith alone.

Don Piper died and went to heaven. Then he came back. The author of the million-copy bestselling book 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN recorded the events surrounding his car accident 15 years ago when he was pronounced dead by EMTs and for 90 minutes was clinically deceased.

Though Piper recounts his experience of being in heaven for that short space of time, he relies on those at the scene of the accident to tell what occurred while he was dead. After paramedics walked away from Piper, a fellow minister felt compelled to stop at the roadside crash. Then he asked to see the body and began praying for Piper, who suddenly stirred to life again. The minister ran to get help, but the EMTs dismissed his claim that Piper was alive. Finally, to assuage him, these professionals checked Piper again and rescue efforts redoubled. So began the long journey, or crossing the bridge, as Piper likes to say, back to earthly existence.

After having endured 34 operations, spending 13 months in the hospital and then two years of rehabilitation, Piper understands physical suffering better than most. He also writes movingly about his other losses: diminished physical abilities, constant pain, inner and outer scars. And yet, Piper focuses on the broader scheme of life. He writes this new text as an encouragement and a challenge to other Christians to face their pain and life disappointments as catalysts for growth and change. Championing the premise that every person makes decisions, great and small, that affect their life and destinies, Piper asks readers to pause and reflect. Beginning with his own story of conversion to Christ, he lays out the gospel message succinctly and then walks interested travelers through life's main juncture points.

Piper discusses happiness and how this term works itself out in a Christian's life; how standing alone for Christ translates into greater intimacy with God; how "getting over it" is sometimes the best advice ever given; and how identifying and embracing "life markers," or those events that drastically change one's life forever, can be opportunities in disguise. He also expounds upon living life in the "new normal" stage, where nothing that was can be revisited. The author invites believers first to release the past and then set goals for the future. He notes that "most of our important beginnings take place in the darkness --- that is, outside our awareness." In other words, Piper asserts that "the most powerful learning take place when we're totally unconscious of it."

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Piper likewise encourages Christians to focus on the eternal and live every day to its fullest by learning to laugh, show compassion, give thanks, cultivate contentment and give to others despite one's own sorrows. Readers will empathize with Piper's harrowing ordeal and find him a steady source of good counsel for prevailing over and conquering trials of every shape and size.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

I loved 90 Minutes in Heaven and I loved this book (the sequel), too. It does get a little repetitive (he says a few set phrases over and over) but his intent is good. These two books have made such an difference in my life! I've been sharing them with so many!

90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life
This book tells a story that seems very unreal but after reading and also meeting Rev. Piper, it has to be true. He has taken an opportunity that many of us wonder about and given some details that match what you will find in the scriptures and brought a very personal message from it. He also shares the difficulty of his recovery and also the importance of giving others the opportunity to use their gifts of hospitality to strengthen others in this book. But the part that stays with me is how important intercessory pray is for people we know who are going through a tough situation. It really let me know again just how great our God is.

I loved 90 Minutes in Heaven and this book was just as good. It was easy to read and I really enjoyed the book. As in the first book, Piper discusses his own personal experiences, backing them up with Scripture.

What I found intriguing was that the author waited two years after his near-death experience before he went public with the story...and this was only after strong encouragement from close friends.

This is one of the best writen books out today. Mr. Piper's book is very inspiring and gives people hope.

This book rocks: it explodes several myths about life, some of which we tend to hold on dearly. To put it mildly, this book will have a positive impact on the reader. Since life on earth is all about action, if the actions recommended - i.e., 'Inner Engineering' yoga practice - are taken, it will have even better impact. In fact that is likely to be an effect of this book: to spur you into positive action. Doing it is not difficult. You only have to give yourself a chance. And it is most likely that you will not be disappointed. For its health benefits alone it is worth doing. I speak from my experience practicing a similar kind of yoga. As a big bonus, the book reads like a racy novel (peppered with humor), that is also thought provoking. Any which way you see it, this is a 'must read'!

What a great look into an American success story and how even creating such external life comforts still cannot create the joy we are all meant to experience. Cheryl has a real talent for sharing her experience and Sadhguru's wisdom just blew me away. I plan to buy this book for friends and family and take some of Isha Foundation's courses. Thanks for writing and sharing this work.

I give the book only 3 stars because much of it is about the author. Frankly, I'm not interested in her life's history. I want to know what the "mystic" has to say.
Also, how do we know everything in the book isn't made up? The questions and answers from their conversations are recorded in great detail, however, there isn't any mention of anyone carrying around a pen and paper. Could this book be just a fictional public relations piece? Jaggi may be a mystic, but I guess I'm a skeptic.

So refreshing a book! Compelling, intriguing, straight forward. No beating around the bush. Love it! It is written with humor, sincerity and great depth without being another of those heavy to read books that you start reading but never end.

It is a fascinating personal story of Cheryl, her yearning to know more about this life we all live day in day out and her conversations with her spiritual teacher (what a guy!). I found myself in her story many times, I am sure you will too: successful in worldly terms, treasures friendships, thrilling hobbies, great work - yet - in some way not enough. I always knew I need to find answers to those questions most of us ask ourselves when we are teenagers but then give up, disappointed by the vague, sluggish talk of the adults surrounding us.

Definitely this book I'd give to many of my friends interested in the yogic world and of course to all those who have not even started looking for more, work colleagues, fellow executives.

It is rare to find a book that reads easy while conveying deep stuff.

I had hoped the chapters to have more Q & A sessions with Sadhguru but the first few chapters were about Cheryl and her life...

She often writes her chapters like a novel(why do I have to know which way the breeze is blowing?)...she needs to skip all the niceties and just focus on her questions with Sadhguru and share his insight with us..

I read a lot of memoirs these days. In fact they are probably my favorite literary genre. Maybe I should have been warned by Taylor's subtitle - not simply "a memoir," but "a memoir of faith." Because this is not a memoir in the usual sense. There is precious little of Taylor's childhood, youth or young adulthood - no real concrete stories and examples from her life. Too much of this book remains caught in the abstraction of ideas and beliefs, with not nearly enough examples. The people who show up in the book remain undeveloped vague outlines. And I have a hard time identifying with Brown's spiritual "quest," if that is what it is. I don't think it's because she's a woman either. What few facts that do emerge about her life outside this "quest" do not really serve to make her a sympathetic character. Daughter of a psychotherapist, sister of a lawyer, wife of an engineer - all these tidbits add up to what appears to have been a life of privilege and ease, and continued to be even after her ordination, as she speaks of her Saab and Audi and how they didn't fit into her rural community, and goes on at some length about everything she "wanted" in her custom-built home outside of town (in lieu of a parsonage near her church). What comes through in Barbara Brown Taylor's book is a story of a driven overachiever, who in fact drives herself into a near nervous breakdown, which finally causes her to leave her church and the active priesthood. While I do not doubt the sincerity of her quest for her true vocation and place in God's world, I do wonder about her motives. She became more likeable - more human - in the final section of the book, after she had left the priesthood, when she talks about her crisis of faith and things like her fears of inadequacy and the death of her father. Having said all of this, I still have to say that I'm glad I read the book, which has left me with much to think about in regard to my own role in the Church (Catholic in my case)and my relationship with God and my place in His world. I also think that Taylor is a person I'd like to know, but these 200-plus pages have not given me that opportunity. A memoir of faith? Perhaps. A "memoir"? No. - Tim Bazzett, author of Reed City Boy

This gracefully written narrative tells the story of Taylor's journey toward ordained ministry, her years as an Episcopal priest, and her departure from that life into a new vocation as a college professor. She decides that the most important calling is not to be ordained or to be religious, but to be fully human and to live a life of love. This is a touching autobiography, an eloquent memoir of faith.

Over the course of my life I have learned certain things about salad; it has good, nourishing things in it, like spinach, almonds, feta cheese, and olive oil. Sometimes you can add strawberries. With a splash of balsamic vinegar, it sings. Other times it is dressed with slightly less healthy things like mayonnaise or sour cream, but generally its ingredients have a clear line of succession back to something alive; apples, raisins, eggs, potatoes.

Then I moved to South Dakota, where I was introduced to "salad". Unlike what I have just described, this concoction is made of things like Cool Whip and crushed up Oreos. It tastes good in the moment, but by the end of it I am always left slightly nauseous and wondering where it came from.

There's a lot of spiritual "salad" out there. Thankfully, this offering is not in that group. From the moment you crack open the cover, it sings. Her story of earthy, fragrant devotion to God is refreshing and very alive. It breathes the living life of Christ and speaks from the still beating but wounded heart of the church. Thankfully, Taylor veers only briefly into the sordid realm of political hot button issues, and for good reason.

With fifteen years in the pastoral crucible under her belt, and an evident love for all of us, Taylor comes across as someone you can trust. Her words in this precious memoir are nourishing, full of flavor and, like the vegetables in her Georgia garden, entirely organic.

This book just "popped" up as an advertised suggestion for me, and after looking at the details on Amazon, I decided to order it. I am doing a lot of soul searching about my own faith journey, and am having a struggle with the Institutional Church not truly following the teachings of Jesus, having gotten enmired in politics and building empire. I felt this book was speaking to me, and is one I could hardly put down. It is well written, and certainly one I would, and have recommended to others.

This book would have been more accurately described in the subtitle as a "Memoir of Personal Experience".

She dismisses orthodox Christian Theology and doctrine as something that the Apostles and Early Church had to "come up with" to explain this or that.

Ultimately it is a story of how the narrow Christian path and Church "didn't work" for her, and many of her thoughts and experiences confirm the fact that women were never meant to be "priests" in the first place (though this fact enrages those who hold to the political language of "equal rights" versus sound apostolic theology).

I found the book pleasant and very readable, but at the same time it was a sad story of how Christ just "wasn't enough". While most in our culture will find it "affirming" or down right "spiritual", it is a disappointment for the orthodox Christian who may wish to read a story about how Christ and the scriptures contain "all things necessary for salvation".

Barbara's approach in later life is gnostic and universalist. In the words of her Presiding Bishopess, "saying Christ is the only way is to put God in too small of a box". Emotions, feelings, and cravings rule the day in the final analysis of her relationship to Christ, and it seems that "leaving" orthodoxy is freeing to her, though I question she was ever there in the first place. Ultimately, God is the final judge of what she has done and what she now teaches.

Her elevation of Native American theology and her fondness of "other paths" leads the committed Christian looking elsewhere for a story of knowing Christ and Him crucified, and following Him in a culture that values personal choice and heterodoxy over all other things.

In the end it is a volume that will find great company with the writings of Spong, Borg, Ehrman, and others who deny the reality of John 14:6 and the authority of Holy Sripture in the name of being on "an authentic journey".

If I have to "put my eggs in one basket" I am going to have to stick with the Apostles and the Church Fathers and leave "other ways" up to Barbara, fine preacher though she is.

I absolutely love this book! I cried the first time I read it and still do! What a gift from God, indeed, a child is and it is refreshing to talk about God's role in our childrens' lives. I have looked at and purchased many books in preparation for my little one, and this one BY FAR impressed me most. I highly recommend this book if you want to talk about God and you sheer joy for your baby!

I'm not religious at all and I am not sure what we will do when it comes to believing in god. I think we will tell her about god and she can decide later what she wants to believe but this book is just adorable!It tells your child how important they are to you and how you would never "trade" them for any other baby. The book describes how your parents will always love you because you are were chosen just for them. I love how they talk about the excitement of the baby, getting a bigger belly during pregnancy and going to the hospital. Then at the end the little bear goes to bed happy because she knows how much her parents love her! I am going to buy "God Gave Us Two" because we are expecting another baby in a couple weeks!!

I bought this book for my granddaughter, because I knew she was at an age where the question was going to come up, "mommy, where did I come from. It answers those questions in a wonderful way, with soothing words and beautiful illustrations. A lovely book, my daughter cried when she read it, because of the touching story and because, she knew that is how I felt about her too!God Gave Us You

God Gave Us You is a beautiful moving story. The best children's book I have come across.

It begins with one simple question from a little cub "Mama, where did I come from?"

Mama Bear then begins to explain in a gentle loving way her progression of pregnancy up until the moment little bear was placed in her arms; each page ending with the beautiful answer of "God Gave Us You".

The use of the phrases such as "my special child", "even the angels celebrated for us", "we wouldn't trade you for the world", all reassure the child of how much she is truly loved.

My daughter is 3 years old and knows the words by heart, as do I. I could read it with my eyes closed, and often do.

I am so thankful to have found this book; a story both child AND parent will truly enjoy.

I HIGHLY recommend this book and the spin-offs. We also enjoy "God Gave Us Two", and "God Gave Us Christmas". LOVE!

Great book overall: story, drawings, idea. Nice to find a picture book on the subject that is for believers and written for kids. Can't wait to get God gave us two!

the book that we ordered 123 magic is exactly what we needed ,actually my grand daughter is in counseling and it was recommended by the therapist ..After checking it out I found a lot of great information that is applicable to situations that we see every day. Thank you so much for being there for our family...

This is a great book. Easy to read and understand. Seems easy to implement. The only hard part is getting other family members / caretakers to comply. :-) A friend of mine bought the DVD's so we are passing them around the Bible Study group so the families can all become familiar with the discipline strategy. So far my very outgoing son responds really great to the 1-2-3, now mom (me) just needs to stop being emotional!

I am not all the way through the book yet, but I'm already using some of their ideas for behavior in public. So far, so good. I think I have a pretty good test child! I have yet to see long term results at home since we haven't actually started, but I think they are on to something here.

Reviewed by Tammy Petty Conrad for Reader Views (12/07)

There are certainly enough parenting books on the market today with a variety of topics to choose from. Still parents are looking for the magic that can help them discipline their children in a less painful and more effective manner. These authors, one a clinical psychologist and the other a certified counselor and associate pastor, offer practical tips for parents and other caregivers to manage the behavior of young children. The book introduces its concepts within the framework of the teachings of the Bible. The authors admit that "The Bible gives many great principles for raising children. The difficulty comes in application." Therefore, the need for the book.

We've all been in a check-out line and wondered why the parents didn't discipline the child in the next aisle screaming for a candy bar. Most of us have probably witnessed a child being disciplined inappropriately too. It is not an easy task to do it right, but so worthwhile.

The book is divided into three steps. First you learn how to control obnoxious behavior. Second you learn seven methods for encouraging appropriate and positive behavior. Finally you lean how to maintain healthy relationships. Despite the title, there is really no magic, but instead precise tools that are simple and effective in helping parents to resolve their children's discipline issues.

The organization of the book makes it easy-to-follow. I appreciate the Points to Remember at the end of each chapter as they summarize the main ideas. The Questions for Christian Practice give readers the opportunity to reflect on what they've read and even refer to specific chapters in the Bible. The authors make the introduced concepts seem so simple that you can start using them immediately.

The Little Adult Assumption was a new way of thinking for me. Of course children aren't adults, but we do sometimes try to deal with them as if they were. The book talks about the two biggest mistakes parents make: too much talking and too much emotion. This chapter will always have a bookmark in it so I can refer back to it frequently to help me with some of my top issues too. The authors prescribe positive self-talk, reciting appropriate Bible verses, praying and finally seeking counseling if needed to deal with these issues.

It is particularly useful that there are exact scenarios included with scripts of how events may play out based on how parents react. It also addresses other caregivers and how they can follow the same system as the parents. The authors even include a chapter on the Kickoff Conversation, or how to introduce the new program to your children. The book sticks to its Bible base with frequent quotes. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" sums up the program (Proverbs 22:6).

We can all use more training on childrearing. It is a never-ending job, but one of the most important ones we will ever do. "1-2-3 Magic for Christian Parents: Effective Discipline for Children 2 - 12" is a book worth picking up and actually reading before your child grows up.

This is an incredible book and a very useful tool, especially for first time parents like myself. My daughter is not quite 2 yet and we already using some of the methods with her and it is working great! I recommend this book to all parents or anyone who works with children.

Acceptable reading but provocative material. The author is not as clear and for those of us not immersed in the subject the material at times becomes excruciating and frustrating.

I bought this book in order to better understand the 'fine-tuning' argument for the existence of God [and other, present-day physics type lines of thought that might be relivant.] In this regard I was not disappointed. So far as I can tell, Stenger does a fine job in presenting the anti 'fine-tuning' side of the dispute. [But then, given my ignorance in this field, I am not really a reputable judge.]

It should be pointed out that the 'fine-tuning' argument leans heavily on recent work in an area that seems to be caught up in a frenzy of wild theorizing. There are LOTS of competing theories about the 'big bang' and what, if anything, preceded it. Only rash souls (or so I think) will base their belief in God, or, for that matter, their disbelief, on the latest word from the cosmologists.

The section on 'design' is also good. If one wants a sort of catalog of all the apparent bad engineering in the 'design' of the human body, etc. this is just the thing.

Much of the rest of the book, in my opinion, is unreliable, sloppy, and rash. Stenger has no interest in challenging the best work produced by 'believers.' Here is a glaring instance: there is no mention of Alvan Plantinga. I know this will sound silly to some readers, but in a present-day work purporting to offer serious discusion of the various reasons for thinking that there is, or is not, a God, the absence of this name is a clear signal that we are not playing in the major leagues.

Perhaps the best and most common argument against the existence of God is 'the problem of evil.' Senger (following some author, or authors, I am unable to identify) puts it this way:

(1) If God exists, then the attributes of God are consistent with the existence of evil.
(2) The attributes of God are not consistent with the existence of evil.
(3) Therefore, God does not and cannot exist.

Stenger then goes on to argue that while SOME 'pain and suffering' [i.e. SOME evil] may be consistent with the attributes of God, there seems to be more than is necessary. That is to say, he seems to abandon (2) without noticing it. I guess the premise he wants to defend is:

(2') The attributes of God are not consistent with THE AMOUNT OF EVIL exhibited by the real world.

(Something like that.) But now, of course, (1) must be changed too. It's not a big deal; but it's annoying.

Perhaps I should add that, in my opinion, William Rowe owns 'the problem of evil' in it's present form. Another name that does not occur in Stenger's book.

Most reviewers of Stenger's "God: The Failed Hypothesis" fail to recognize the unique contribution he has made to the logic of the debate. The methodology he uses is different from most of the arguments against God, and it is important to understand this, because his book is a major step forward on this topic. Stenger basically sets out to prove a negative. Although many light-thinking individuals think this is impossible, anyone who has studied high school geometry knows that there is a well-known approach to this challenge. It is the indirect proof, and it works like this: Assume the truth of the proposition you're arguing against. Show that certain consequences must follow if the proposition is true. Observe that those consequences do not or cannot possibly occur. Conclude, therefore, that the original assumption must be false.
So Stenger's approach is to assume the existence of a God (defined pretty much as the Christian one) and deduce what the implications of such an assumption would be in terms of what we would expect to observe in the world. Finding that those observations do not occur, Stenger concludes that there is no such thing as God. Anyone who wants to rebut Stenger's argument, needs to do so within the context of this methodology. Otherwise, you are just talking past each other. Valid rebuttals would be, for example, to challenge his reasoning as to what facts we should expect to observe given the assumption that a God exists. Or perhaps to show that those facts really do occur. But here's the real problem for the theists: You have to say that SOME facts would necessarily follow from the existence of a God and that the absence of those facts would prove God doesn't exist. If you don't admit this, then your concept of God is without meaning, because a proposition that cannot by any stretch of the imagination be falsified, does not say anything. The statement "God exists" cannot be true unless "God does not exist" is false, and there has to be some meaningful observable difference between these propositions in order for either of them to mean anything. However, most theists, especially the Christian ones, do not admit any circumstances at all under which we could reasonably conclude that there is no God. Thus, their concept of God is without meaning, and when they say "God exists," they really are saying nothing at all. Stenger's book is an admirable addition to the debate and succeeds in showing that the assumed hypothesis (i.e., that God exists) is refuted by observations in the real world.
But since many Christians seemingly cannot follow Stenger's argument, nor the arguments of other authors who have defended atheism as a philosophy, it is important for atheists to be able to debate the Christians on their own turf as well. For that reason, in addition to highly recommending Stenger's book, I would also recommend that atheists become familiar with critiques of the Bible, as many Christians find this type of criticism harder to ignore. Americans especially are much more attached to Jesus, than to "God." A good selection in the category of biblical criticism, and a recent one, is The Atheist's Introduction to the New Testament: How the Bible Undermines the Basic Teachings of Christianity by Mike Davis. Together, these two books will cover pretty much any debate you are likely to get into with Christian apologists.

I found some great nuggets of logic and wisdom in this book. I want to re-read it for additional detail, but overall I would recommend it!

Does God exist? Who the hell knows. Certainly not a preist nor a scientist. Nobody knows one way or the other. You either believe based on faith - unseen, unproven belief - or you do not. And moments after our bodies stop, every single person will either know something - or know nothing. But to waste our energy fighting over something that is not given to "proof." Well...it's just very human. Wasting time instead of enjoying what we do know. And worst of all, you've all been doing it for thousands of years and killing hundreds of millions of otherwise happy human beings.

I really want to say that all Christians, Atheists, Muslims, Theists, Jews and Agnostics --and the rest! - should all jump in the same muddy river and just go to hell...but then we'd get into fighting about hell and the devil. Fight, argue, fight, disagree - idiot human beings. Dogs are wiser. They've got it down - eat, sleep, poop, love. I prefer them.

I wanted to say, "Well, DUH!" when I read the book. It can be very helpful to read your thoughts rom someone else's point of view. It got me energized.

The weekly men's breakfast and Bible study that I lead spent an enjoyable six weeks examining how following Jesus today requires the same faith that allowed Peter to step out of the relative safety of the boat and move toward Jesus on the water. If you or the people you care about need encouragement in moving out of the comfort zone, this book will help.

This is one of the best book that I have which talk about faith. If you need encouragement or something to help you increase your faith, then this is the book for you.

It's funny -- I love James Taylor and I love John Ortberg. I think the commonality there is that they are such great wordsmiths. Very honest, plain-spoken, and yet so much is contained in so little said. Ortberg is not a poet, but he's able to see great truth in simple things.
If you avoid being confronted with truth, then avoid this book. But if you're ready to face it, then read it. He's the CS Lewis of our day.

John Ortberg really knows how to make it real and how to get people to begin applying biblical principles to their lives.

John Tesh has written an easy-to-digest little book which covers the basics of a happy life. He's a very down to earth man, adn his stories are both touching and credible. I hope this book is just the first in a "chicken soup" type series.

John Tesh puts together a great book full of heart and inspiration to encourage anyone who reads it to take back the passion and purpose in thier life. This is a great self help book for anyone and just an all-around great read to keep at your nightstand. To be composed of so many segments, it really flows well and is tremedously readable and enjoyable. John shares many lessons from his own life and encourages others to turn up the volume on thier lives. The book is not preachy and is written in a very warm, conversational way. John has this ability to connect with his listeners that really carries through to print. I believe that anyone and everyone will benefit from reading this book.

Lots of short little self-motivating lessons from finding passion in your life to taking care of others, taking care of yourself, taking care of business, etc.

One of my favorite suggestions dealt with the constant urge to check e-mail, a big time-waster - Tesh suggests instead dropping down for 10 pushups. That's a great cure! Digesting a "lesson a day" will help brighten your day, and build better tomorrows.

The book "Intelligence for Your Life" is a must read. John Tesh challenged me to really evaluate my passions for life. He encouraged me to create a plan to fulfill my dreams.

This is a wonderful book, I recommend it highly. I listen to his radio program and his book is the icing on the cake. It gives you something to think about and goals to strive for.