Comments on: reading challenge, feb 4 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:50:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: revdrmom http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-59126 revdrmom Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:02:53 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-59126 Late getting back to this, but what I read wasn't a review but was an article about what he was doing...might have been a while back. It highlighted selectively no doubt, but I was left feeling like he was focusing on obvious (dress, food) but less important perhaps aspects of what the bible deals with. Not much substance. So I'm glad to hear that there is substance there. Late getting back to this, but what I read wasn’t a review but was an article about what he was doing…might have been a while back. It highlighted selectively no doubt, but I was left feeling like he was focusing on obvious (dress, food) but less important perhaps aspects of what the bible deals with. Not much substance. So I’m glad to hear that there is substance there.

]]> By: Teri http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58615 Teri Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:52:44 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58615 I finally put this book on hold at the library....as soon as it comes in I'll read it (no waiting like with the last couple of holds...I've had to renew!). I was holding out until someone I know/like/respect wrote something about it. Now that you have, I'm on board. :-) I finally put this book on hold at the library….as soon as it comes in I’ll read it (no waiting like with the last couple of holds…I’ve had to renew!). I was holding out until someone I know/like/respect wrote something about it. Now that you have, I’m on board. :-)

]]> By: reverendmother http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58597 reverendmother Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:11:32 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58597 Yes Keith, I also love that expression... and feel like one much of the time. *cough* Yes Keith, I also love that expression… and feel like one much of the time. *cough*

]]> By: Keith http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58568 Keith Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:57:54 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58568 From the reviews at Amazon:<blockquote>In the end, he says, "I'm now a reverent agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe that whether or not there's a God, there is such a thing as sacredness. Life is sacred."</blockquote>Whether being what my friend Blake calls <i>Jew...ish</i> has anything to do with this, I don't know, but I'm there. From the reviews at Amazon:
In the end, he says, “I’m now a reverent agnostic. Which isn’t an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe that whether or not there’s a God, there is such a thing as sacredness. Life is sacred.”

Whether being what my friend Blake calls Jew…ish has anything to do with this, I don’t know, but I’m there.

]]> By: Leslie http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58515 Leslie Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:21:07 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58515 My husband E. got this book for Christmas - sounds like I might need to move it from his stack to mine. Glad to hear it is not a platform for potshots or mockery. Anything that might preach I am game to read! Thanks for the tip. My husband E. got this book for Christmas - sounds like I might need to move it from his stack to mine. Glad to hear it is not a platform for potshots or mockery. Anything that might preach I am game to read! Thanks for the tip.

]]> By: Chaplainmom http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58511 Chaplainmom Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:11:46 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58511 I enjoyed this book immensely, and found Jacobs to be honest about things that even believers rarely are. His experiences of "God" were well written, and I found his conclusion to be thoughtful. However, I think his Christian section was quite weak, but if it's hard to come to terms with Judaism, it is even more difficult to understand Christianity! I enjoyed this book immensely, and found Jacobs to be honest about things that even believers rarely are. His experiences of “God” were well written, and I found his conclusion to be thoughtful. However, I think his Christian section was quite weak, but if it’s hard to come to terms with Judaism, it is even more difficult to understand Christianity!

]]> By: Listing Straight http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58489 Listing Straight Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:13:18 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58489 I had such a good time with this book! I checked it out of the library thinking it would be a fun car read a la Tim Cahill or Bill Bryson, and found it to be much more thought provoking that I had anticipated- RM, I agree with your assessment about the sincerity and marketing, and I think that there are some passages I'll use in sermons (This past Sunday I used the line about the joy found in following something you cannot fully explain). I had such a good time with this book! I checked it out of the library thinking it would be a fun car read a la Tim Cahill or Bill Bryson, and found it to be much more thought provoking that I had anticipated-

RM, I agree with your assessment about the sincerity and marketing, and I think that there are some passages I’ll use in sermons (This past Sunday I used the line about the joy found in following something you cannot fully explain).

]]> By: reverendmother http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58456 reverendmother Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:56:29 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58456 RDM, I'm not sure which article you meant, but I did find the NYT review. The reviewer seemed unable to get past the basic premise of the book. He (?) also misrepresented a few things in the book. The reviewer paints Jacobs as insincere but I disagree, though I can't deny that Jacobs is quite savvy in terms of what will be marketable in the current culture. I also heard him interviewed on Kojo Nnamdi before I read the book and had a favorable impression from the start. This is a guy who read a stack of heavy theology and biblical interp in the course of writing the book. He's no slouch. He manages to bring concepts like the documentary hypothesis to a mass market audience, no small feat. But, different strokes. RDM, I’m not sure which article you meant, but I did find the NYT review. The reviewer seemed unable to get past the basic premise of the book. He (?) also misrepresented a few things in the book. The reviewer paints Jacobs as insincere but I disagree, though I can’t deny that Jacobs is quite savvy in terms of what will be marketable in the current culture.

I also heard him interviewed on Kojo Nnamdi before I read the book and had a favorable impression from the start. This is a guy who read a stack of heavy theology and biblical interp in the course of writing the book. He’s no slouch.

He manages to bring concepts like the documentary hypothesis to a mass market audience, no small feat.

But, different strokes.

]]> By: concretegodmother http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58361 concretegodmother Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:59:34 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58361 oh, i'm so happy to read your timely review! i was just sniffing around amazon last night and this one came up in my search for things i might want to read during lent. i was considering it, but i wasn't sure; i thought, as you said, it might go in the direction of mockery. i'm glad to have an opinion from someone i've found to be trustworthy. thanks. oh, i’m so happy to read your timely review! i was just sniffing around amazon last night and this one came up in my search for things i might want to read during lent. i was considering it, but i wasn’t sure; i thought, as you said, it might go in the direction of mockery. i’m glad to have an opinion from someone i’ve found to be trustworthy. thanks.

]]> By: revdrmom http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58348 revdrmom Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:14:44 +0000 http://reverendmother.org/2008-02-04/reading-challenge-feb-4#comment-58348 I believe that behavior can indeed shape beliefs/emotions. The NY Times article I saw about this man left me with a less favorable impression of what he did than you've conveyed here. So maybe I should read the book. I believe that behavior can indeed shape beliefs/emotions. The NY Times article I saw about this man left me with a less favorable impression of what he did than you’ve conveyed here. So maybe I should read the book.

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