Book Description
At the age of fifteen, Jennifer Rothschild confronted two unshakable realities: Blindness is inevitable ... and God is enough. Now this popular author, speaker, and recording artist offers poignant lessons that illuminate a path to freedom and fulfillment. With warmth, humor, and insight,Jennifer shares the guiding principles she walks by -- and shows you how to walk forward by faith into God's marvelous light.
Customer Reviews:
wonderful book.......2007-08-08
I loved this book. As it teaches us how people with vision problems have to go though. I have worked with the visual handicap and believe me they can do alot of things you think they cant. A big thanks to the author Jennifer Rothschild. Everyone should read this book.
Beyond the Suffering.......2007-07-01
Seeing with spiritual eyes is the premise made, and made remarkably well, by Jennifer Rothschild. Life in a fallen world has a way of blinding us to spiritual light. Rothschild personal testimony and biblical worldview provide the laser surgery we need to see again.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.
Inspiring!.......2007-05-07
Loved the book! Inspiring! Unique "look" at the lessons learned from loss of sight! I loved the "play" on words!
Soul Vision.......2007-04-22
Jennifer Rothchild touches our very souls with her encounters with God and his majesty. We begin to "see" for the first time just how powerful and mighty our Heavenly Father can be to his children. While we listen to her stories dealing with her family and her life as a vibrant mother and lecturer, we often forget she is doing all these wonderful things under the cover of darkness. We forget because there is no darkness in Jennifer's soul. Each chapter, enriched by a personal poem or song, introduces us to the holy love and power of Jesus Christ. Uplifting and encouraging, this book begins a journey for us, and we want to walk alongside this amazing woman for the rest of our days. There is no doubt how much she loves the Lord, and this love enables her to make some wonderful connections to his power and light. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to "see" the big picture when it comes to religion, overcoming handicap, emotional triumph, and even awkward moments of victory. As Jennifer runs across a busy street, our thoughts go along with her. Jennifer may have learned lessons in the dark, but she walks in the light of the love of the lamb. That light touches the souls of her readers and transmutes us all to her own special way of seeing. I cannot wait to read more books by this wonderful author.
Lessons I learned in the Dark: Steps to walking by Faith not Sight.......2007-03-31
Jennifer Rothschild writes to make us SEE! She is a wonder and a role model for anyone and everyone. Courage is her badge and the word NEVER enters her life. I honor her and hope to have as much courage and endurance in my life as she does.
Book Description
Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911) is best known for condemning racial segregation in his dissent from Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, when he declared, "Our Constitution is color-blind." But in other judicial decisions—as well as in some areas of his life—Harlan's actions directly contradicted the essence of his famous statement. Similarly, Harlan was called the people's judge for favoring income tax and antitrust laws, yet he also upheld doctrines that benefited large corporations.
Examining these and other puzzles in Harlan's judicial career, Linda Przybyszewski draws on a rich array of previously neglected sources—including the verbatim transcripts of his 1897-98 lectures on constitutional law, his wife's 1915 memoirs, and a compilation of opinions, drawn up by Harlan himself, that he wanted republished. Her thoughtful examination demonstrates how Harlan inherited the traditions of paternalism, nationalism, and religious faith; how he reshaped these traditions in light of his experiences as a lawyer, political candidate, and judge; and how he justified the vision of the law he wrote.
An innovative combination of personal and judicial biography, this book makes an insightful contribution to American constitutional and intellectual history.
Book Description
- Over 40 percent of households own some form of common stock
Customer Reviews:
weak treatment.......2007-01-18
nothing new in this book, same old rant about risk is bad, Wall street is evil blah blah blah - we get it already. Very little evidence or anaylsis to support authors assertions.
Justification for what I already do.......2007-01-07
I am ordering this book NOW!
For years, I simply followed mutual funds' and index funds' return YTD performances on Morningstar, and used those to choose my investments. After throwing the dice on my own, I soon found out that I'd have to make AT LEAST the cost of betting (commission) back just to break even--even at cheapo Scottrade, you'd have to make that $7/trade back just to stay even in that stock. This means you'd better know something the other guy doesn't, have a red-hot stock, or plan to hang on for a mighty long time.
With from-a-distance YTD performance montoring, I've consistently beat the S&P by at least 3X annually. No stress, no misinformation, no worries about missed information. I usually wait until after the first quarter before laying chips down somewhere for the year, because the first quarter tends to be squirrely with mutual fund window dressing, trends emerging, and traders deciding what's hot and not.
Another clue: hot commodities and corresponding indexes/funds. If oil is hot, don't buy oil directly--buy an index fund and let IT do your hard work! A smart money manager knows he has to make a profit to keep his job, so let HIM do your work FOR you. Vanguard has been very, very good to me as far as indexes and funds go.
Highly informative, but with a predefined solution, from the author's corp.......2006-03-20
Before making any comment on the book, I would like to draw your attention to some points from page 16-17 of it for your reference.
- In June 2001 Dalbar Inc., of Boston, released a study entitled "Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behaviour" which examined real investor returns from Jan 1984 through December 2000. It found that the individual equity mututal fund investor realized an annual return of 5.32% compared to 16.3% for S&P 500 index.
- Charles Trzcinka, a professor of Finance at Indiana University, published a report in June 2002. The average mutual fund (in a sample of 6900 US stock mutual funds) gained 5.7% during the four year period of the study between 1998-2001, while the average investor earned only 1.0 percent.
- Both studies reached the same conclusion. The Dalbar Research indicated that investors underperformed the market by approximately 67%. The Trzcinka Study, covering a different time period, indicated investors underperformed the funds they were invested in by about 82%.
- Charles Ellis (the ex chairman of AIMR, the mother body of CFA) reports, in Winning the Losers Game, over 75% of professionally managed funds underperformed the S&P 500 index for the twenty five year period ending in 1997.
Okay, you might already have a brief idea what the author, a CPA, CFP, CLU, ChFC boss of a financial planning company, wanted to preach. Yes, market/index based insurance products or equivalent through his service. No matter what, I am obliged to say this is quite an interesting and helpful book, in particular for investment novices who regularly underperform the market. However, I suggest those veterans who can beat the market, or "still" strive to do so to give it a pass.
p.s. Below please find some of my favorite passages for your reference.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of history. George Santayana pg 38
A person's economic status tends to determine the psychological and financial meaning of gambling for that person. Higher income people see gambling as entertainment and a way to socialize with other people. Conversely, the lower the income, the more gambling is seen as a form of investment. pg 40
There are two kinds of investors, be they large or small: those who dont knwo where the market is headed, and those who dont knwo that they dont know. Then again, there is a third type of investor - the investment professional, who indeed knows that he or she doesnt know, but whose livelihood depends upon appearing to know. pg 134
The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it. Alan Saporta pg 139
A Must Read For The Financial Professional.......2005-02-11
As my client patted my hand with tears welling up in her eyes, she said thank you so much for keeping our savings safe. As a Financial Professional it is easy for one to see the incredible power and impact we have on our client's future well being.
Edward Winslow's well documented book Blind Faith, describes the landscape and changes occuring in the contemporary stock market. He guides the Advisor to the philosophy and products perfectly suited to Retirement Savings.
To be read and digested by Advisors and given to Clients and used as the modern day guide to Investing not gambling.
If you sell Indexed Annuities or want to, this is a must read for the Financial Professional.
There is another way..........2003-12-09
Finally, a book that speaks to concerns that I've had about investing since I read my first investment book but that no one seems to talk about.
The author covers topics that are taboo in most investment texts, such as how the investment industry is rigged against the individual investor (corporate structure, taxes, investment banks, government regulation, etc.), and what you can do to protect yourself from market risk. Diversification doesn't help when the whole market collapses after a catastrophic event like 9-11 or in a deep recession.
If you want to take advantage of up markets and hold onto your gains in down markets, then read this book.
Book Description
In an America that increasingly turns its back on the teachings of science, the worlds of religion and medicine have grown disconcertingly close. A majority of Americans now see prayer and other religious activities as a substitute for well-researched methods of curing disease. Many ask, "So, what's the problem with prayer?" By taking a hard look at the scientific evidence. Richard Sloan believes there is no proven curative power to prayer and that the use of it as a medical treatment underminds effective patient care.
In Blind Faith, Sloan exposes the questionable research practicies and unfounded claims made by ethical scientists who manipulate scientific data and research results to support their claim of effective mystical intervention in healing. Sloan begins by looking at how good science works and what it's founded on. He then discusses the faulty methodology employed by those trumpeting the role of prayer in healing and implicates a gullible media in the propogation of bad science. He looks at ethical and clinical concerns of the debate and the ultimate trivialization of religion that results. As the Christian right turns its back on science, medicine, seems to be its next target. Sloan lays bare the faults of these assertions in a book sure to make headlines.
Customer Reviews:
Very Effective Critique.......2007-07-25
This clear and well organized book is aimed at a general audience. Sloan takes aim at the idea that aspects of religious participation (or more vaguely, spirituality) have concrete health benefits. This idea has led some enthusiasts to push for some melding of religion and medical practice. Sloan reviews carefully the actual data claimed to support these assertions. He does so in a clear style, providing basic information about what constitutes convincing data. He shows clearly that the evidence for putative health benefits of religion is quite slender and there is little to justify substantial changes in medical practice. Sloan then turns to a number of other issues, including both practical and theoretical barriers to introducing religious issues into practice. Sloan argues well that any major change in physician-patient relations is likely to impair other aspects of practice because of time constraints and that it is unlikely that medical education can really provide physicians with the requisite knowledge. The theoretical barriers are a series of ethical issues which really constitute some major problems. Unlike some other reviewers, I felt these sections are quite well done. Sloan has a good grasp of the realities and complexities of medical practice. Sloan is, I think, fair to those he criticizes and this book constitutes a very effective critique.
Definitive summary of research.......2007-06-01
This is the definitive book on religion and medicine: they are different and do not mix very well. Most of the research on the effect of religious activity on health has been sloppy, and the results have been negative. Neither going to church nor prayer will guarantee better health or longer life.
Physicians have neither the time, nor the expertise to counsel patients on questions of religion, or meaning, or spirituality. For this there are other experts,-- ministers, priests, chaplains, etc. -- trained in the ministry and theology, as well as in counseling.
This is a very good book. It is especially solid on science and medical research, explaining what conclusions can realistically be drawn and what can not be drawn from the existing research, but also what is possible to research at all.
Enjoyable Read.......2007-03-12
I agree with points made by reviewers below, especially the criticism of Sloan's last two chapters in which he suggests that religion deserves a free pass from scientific inquiry. Christianity, for example, has been proven "false" on many points from the sciences of biology, archaeology, and history. Should archaeologists not try to prove or disprove the sometimes outrageous claims of the Bible followed by billions? Are archaeology and critical history not "science"?
Besides this, I would add one comment. I work as an RN and have met many, many doctors, both young and old. As a whole, physicians are the most irreverent group of people I've ever met! I chuckled even picturing the doctors I know getting "spiritual" with their patients (and, keep in mind, I live in Oklahoma, the Bible Belt if ever there was a place). Nurses and other auxillary staff also tend to be an undevout crowd as well. So, perhaps Sloan is making a proverbial mountain out of a molehill. It's telling that Sloan returns over and over again to the same few doctors in his book -- because, in reality, there is no groundswell towards an "Alliance of Religion and Medicine." There's no need to lose sleep over this issue.
Still, Sloan's work is appreciated because I have heard (and maybe even said in the past) that there is "strong evidence supporting the health benefits of religion." Now, I can no longer say that.
Science and Faith are Simply Not the Same Thing.......2007-02-02
There was a time when the Church decided to take on the science of physics. They decided that the earth was the center of the universe and sentenced Galileo to life under house arrest for saying otherwise. Having lost that battle, it now seems that religion has decided to take on biology and medicine. ==Since our time is a bit more scientific than was Galileo's time, thr arguments from the religious are often framed in the words of science, specifically research papers that purport to show proofs that the religious views are correct.
In this book Dr. Sloan (Professor of Medicine, Columbia) looks at some of the studies that have come out saying things like church goers live longer (perhaps those in the process of dying are too sick to go to church), the power of prayer, the power of crystals and so on. He also laments the lack of understanding about basic scientific principles and views among people who have gone through our educational system. And then there's the 'UN'intelligent design folk who are trying to force the adoption of their religious based ideas into out schools.
With the right wing fanatics in the Muslim world, and the Christian right trying to take over this country, it makes you wonder what's happening to the world.
Religion & Medicine.......2007-01-23
Fast read, non-technical. Good overview on how to evaluate the quality of studies, medical journal reviews, and the process of scientific experimentation. The third section of the book seemed to bog down and become more "opinion-based" rather than fact- or statistically-based.
Book Description
For forty years and in nine previous books, scholar and religious commentator Tom Harpur has challenged church orthodoxy and guided thousands of readers on subjects as controversial as the true nature of Christ and life after death. Now, in his most radical and groundbreaking work, Harpur digs deep into the origins of Christianity. What he has discovered will have a profound effect on the way we think about religion.
Long before the advent of Jesus Christ, the Egyptians and other peoples believed in the coming of a messiah, a madonna and her child, a virgin birth, and the incarnation of the spirit in flesh. The early Christian church accepted these ancient truths as the very tenets of Christianity but disavowed their origins. What began as a universal belief system based on myth and allegory became instead, in the third and fourth centuries A.D., a ritualistic institution headed by ultraconservative literalists. “The transcendent meaning of glorious myths and symbols was reduced to miraculous, quite unbelievable events. The truth that Christ was to come in man, that the Christ principle was potentially in each of us, was changed to the exclusivist teaching that the Christ had come as a man.”
Harpur’s message is clear: Our blind faith in literalism is killing Christianity. Only with a return to an inclusive religion will we gain a true understanding of who we are and who we are intended to become. Drawing on the work of scholars such as Gerald Massey and Alvin Boyd Kuhn, Tom Harpur has written a book of rare insight and power.
Customer Reviews:
Faulty scholarship or what???.......2007-10-04
Oh no! I found some errors in scholarship here. Tom Harpur's "Pagan Christ" is based on the idea that Christianity borrowed beliefs from paganism. Many scholars have argued in favor of this during the Victorian era and even into the early 1900's.
Many thousands of books by scholars later, the idea has been soundly refuted. Indeed, there is not a single reputable biblical scholars who believes this, even among the atheist Jesus Seminar. That's how soundly, how utterly refuted the idea is. For a book that explains how all the ideas were proven wrong, please read "The Gospel and the Greeks" by Nash.
The only modern authors Harpur relies on are Kuhn, a theosophist, and Freke and Gandy, two English teachers. These appear to be very dubious sources. At any rate, nearly every page in the book is marked by errors. Here are but a few:
Harpur claims "Origen had no rebuttal" (p 29) to Celsus. Actually, Origen wrote an entire book that was a rebuttal called "Contra Celsus".
Buddha "promises to send the Paraclete" (p 32). Buddhism began as a religion without a god, let alone a paraclete.
"The indwelling of God..is the central teaching of all ancient belief systems" (p 35). Untrue--and would certainly be news to pagans in Rome, Greece, Carthage, Incan, Mayan, Celtic, Confuscian, Taoist, Shintoist, African, etc. societies.
"Every traditional faith..rests on...a dying and rising" (p 37) god. Untrue. Buddhism was an atheist system at first, Hinduism had no dying and rising god stories until the arrival of Christianity, nor Confuscianism, Shintoism, Taoism, etc., etc.
"Constantine never quite gave up his hope of of further uniting the empire in the adoration of the one sun god" (p 42). Untrue. Pretty strange to suggest he wanted the empire to adore the one sun god when he was pushing Christianity instead.
"The cross was always a symbol of life" (p 45). Untrue. Death on the cross was a death for slaves throughout the empire, and was considered an embarrassment by early Christians. Nor was the ankh considered a cross.
"Christianity began as a cult with almost wholly pagan origins" (p 51). Wholly untrue. Christianity began with a Jewish Jesus, Jewish followers, in a fiercely monotheistic Jewish religion. And the millions of Jews who died fighting for their religion in the centuries before and after Jesus prove it. In 70 AD, just one generation after Jesus' death, over one million Jews were slaughtered in the rebellion that ended in the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. Of all the groups in the world to charge with pagan dogmas, the Jews???
"Books that were highly regarded in the movement...were condemned...within two centuries". (p 51) Untrue. He may be thinking of gnostic gospels here, but, if so, all the gnostic 'gospels" were written--at the earliest--at least 100 years after the death of Christ, and therefore long after all the major Christian dogmas were in place. At any rate, the gnostics borrowed the names of Christian apostles to give credibility to their "gospels" and all such works were condemned by Christians. A good book on this subject is Peterment's "A Separate God".
"Several doctrines that were held in high esteem..such as reincarnation...were later refuted" (p 51). Untrue. There is not the smallest shred of evidence that the early Christians believed in reincarnation.
"Nearly all original thinkers who shared in the building of the movement...were refiled" (p 51). Untrue. And a very strange claim, since every single one of the documents from the first hundred years or so of Christianity either became part of the bible or were, as in the case of 1 Clement or the letters of Ignatius, full of an advanced, devout Christianity no different from the one advanced today. Anyone interested can google the documents right now and see.
"The mystical/allegorical method of interpreting sacred Scripture...was replaced by a wholly literal/historical approach" (p 51). Untrue. In fact, Origen's method of interpreting scripture was a combination of allegorical and literal, So is the way Catholics and the Orthodox Christians read scripture to this day.
"Basilides..was highly regarded even by...Clement" (p 60). Clement thought very highly of Basilides until he left the church, renounced its doctrines, and became a gnostic. Then Clement wasn't so keen on him.
"Origen...believed in reincarnation, karma" (p 64). Untrue. Origen guessed that God created souls in heaven first before he zapped them into wombs here below. This belief of Origen was soundly condemned, but it was not in any way reincarnation.
"The Church's initial attempts to blame obvious similarities between Christian doctrines and the Pagan originals...Justin Martyr...said 'the wicked devils have attacked'" the Lord's Supper by copying it in Mithric rites. Another very strange claim. How does Harpur think Justin got the name Justin MARTYR? Because he was murdered for holding on to Christian beliefs. Pretty odd thing to do if he knew for a fact that Christianity was just a pale, second hand version of paganism. No, the reason that Justin Martyr was furious with the Mithric cult was that it stole ideas from Christianity, not the other way around. This has been proven through archaeology. The Mithric religion was a tiny cult in the area of Iran until over one hundred years after Christ's death. Then it stole a number of ideas from Christianity and became a favorite cult of the Roman army (it was an all male cult). Again, please read Petermont's "A Separate God" for a thorough refutation.
This is getting too long for me to go into all the false claims he makes about the Egyptian religion and Christianity, or his equally untrue charges about the early Christians. For a good refutation of the Egyptian religion claims please read "Pauline Baptism and the Pagan Mysteries" by Gu'nter Wagner.
It's a pity I don't have time to go into the Egyptian section more because that section is so thick with errors, which could have been avoided if he had only researched the subject. For example, the idea of a happy heavenly future was lost by the Egyptians of the New Kingdom and the Late Period. Egypt was under attack from the growing empires of Alexander, the Greek states, and later Rome.
During this time, Egyptian belief in a happy heaven vanished under the Hellenistic, and very Greco-Roman pagan idea of an afterlife. The afterlife for these pagans was a place of joyless, fearful, hopelessness. And with that malicious Fate always after you, life wasn't thought of as all that much better. The only thing that changed this grim belief was --surprise--Christianity.
Where's the beef?.......2007-04-05
I was prepared to enjoy this book. I have read a lot of books that explore the origins of the New Testament, and had read allusions in those books and other places to similarities between Christianity and various Egyptian, Greek and other mythologies. The problem for me is that while Harpur also alludes to many of the same similarities, he presents almost no specifics. He seems far more enamored with discussing the consequences of his findings and expressing admiration for his mentor, Kuhn. I am very disappointed.
Niche Audience, This Is For You!.......2006-10-17
If you are looking for substantial Biblical scholarship based on historical evidence treated with appropriate modesty, this book is not for you. If you are looking for ammunition against raving fundamentalism, try Dawkins's The God Delusion instead. If you are seeking spirituality without affiliation, gnosis without initiation, this might be your book.
Throwing History out with the Bathwater.......2006-09-25
Those seeking to add to their collection of various alternative histories that attempt to turn history on its head will likely find the tale that Tom Harpur has put together in "The Pagan Christ" an enjoyable read. However, in the process of making his case for a thorough revamp of the Christian religion, Harpur has not only disposed of specific doctrines and dogmas, but comes very near rejecting the very nature of history itself.
As a self-claimed "enlightened" student of history, Harpur shares with us on page 17 that "myth is the only true narrative of the reality of human experience. It is the only ultimate true history ever written...as it is the actual experience of life in its evolution...The myth is always and forever true; actual history is never more than an approximation of the truth of life." One thing I will give Harpur credit for is consistency. Having taken this philosophy of myths to heart, Harpur spends the subsequent 180 pages of this book conveying a myth of mammoth proportions.
In Harpur's own words he is exposing "one of the most far-reaching tragedies in human history", a conspiracy of "forgery, fraud, book burning, character assassination, and murder itself" the likes of which dwarfs Mel Gibson's "Conspiracy Theory"; namely, that Jesus Christ probably never existed and that the history of the Christian religion is simply a farce.
Early on in "Pagan Christ", Harpur sets the stage for his narrative when he explains that "there is nothing that the Jesus of the Gospels either said or did...that cannot be shown to have originated thousands of years before, in Egyptian Mystery rites and other sacred liturgies such as the Egyptian Book of the Dead." Further, "when the Bible is historically accurate, it is only accidentally so: reporting was not of the slightest interest to its writers." Here too, Harpur tips his hand to his own personal convictions on scholarship and the importance of getting the facts right when it comes to a discussion of historical events. To say that he has failed to do his homework about the events that he describes is....almost beside the point. It is as though he doesn't care. He is a man on a mission, and writing a book that is factually accurate and intellectually persuasive is not high on his list of priorities.
In the book's opening pages, Harpur assumes the role of a modern-day prophet when he proclaims that "The end of Christianity is coming..." and that we who would avoid such a catastrophe must take steps to make Christianity meaningful in a postmodern society if any of it is to effectively pass to the next generation. With such a crucial mission before us, I suppose it is understandable how authentic scholarship and getting the facts right could take a back seat to more pressing concerns.
Those who are looking for an entertaining alternative historical account will likely be more than satisfied in reading this book, as the author writes in a tone that is notably authentic. He actually seems to believe what he writes, which is surprising, considering the number of notable academics he is up against in this area of study.
However, it should be noted that Harpur's primary contribution to the study of the pagan roots of Christianity is more one of packaging and modern retelling than a significant addition of substance. Each of the claims he makes are drawn from second and third-hand sources, the majority of which have appeared at scattered times over the last few decades. Those desiring a scholarly response to Harpur's work would do well to consider the recently released "Unmasking the Pagan Christ: An Evangelical Response to the Cosmic Christ Idea" (June 2006), by Porter and Bedard, or a visit to Tektonics.org.
Good and bad in different ways.......2006-07-27
This book probably should have fallen dead from the press, but it seems to have acquired something of a following, both among latter day Gnostics, and among literalists/fundamentalists who delight in digging up and pointing out the inadequacies of books such as this, which deviate from conservative orthodoxy.
The author, Tom Harpur, despite a resume which includes the Anglican priesthood, professor of Greek and New Testament, and authorship of several other books, has not done his homework. The result is a very incomplete and uneven work. It is good in places, particularly in the discussion of the grievous errors made by literalists and fundamentalists who read allegory, metaphor, and symbol as history. Harpur points this out well and rightly blames the early Church fathers as the source of the problem. Particularly interesting is the discussion of Paul's epistles, in which Harpur points out that Paul's infrequent mention of Jesus indicates that reference to a symbolic, not historic, personage is intended. This discussion was good, but brief. The topic deserves a book-length treatment, with adequate citations. Much weaker is the series of connections, correspondences, or coincidences between Biblical, and particularly New Testament, references and Egyptian religious literature. Elementary mistakes creep in, such as mention of Egyptian papyri from 5000 bc; the Egyptian Old Kingdom did not begin until about 3200 bc. Particularly irksome is Harpur's frequent insistence of the derivation of the name "Jesus" from the Egyptian "Iesu". The relation seems merely convenient or coincidental, and not proven. If it is proven in other works, the citations indicating it are glaringly lacking. Indeed, the lack of citation is a major problem throughout this book. Even when discussing another author's work, Harpur fails to provide the origin of the material he is citing. Many examples of this could be given. Harpur, perhaps intending this book for the unwashed masses, thinks that full citation, as one would provide in a more scholarly work, is unnecessary. It is a near-fatal flaw.
Harpur constantly mentions the works of Godfrey Higgins, Gerald Massey, and Alvin Boyd Kuhn. These three appear to be near-crackpots. Another reviewer contacted several Egyptologists and could only find one who had heard of these three authors. Perhaps their obscurity could be attributed to the fact that they were not Egyptologists per se, but rather were a species of religious historian. Before citing these authors in a serious work, some effort should be made to rehabilitate them, if possible. Otherwise they, and authors such as Harpur who rely heavily on them, become easy targets of the conservatives.
A constant and irritating recurrent phrase in this book is a dualistic "entry into matter", used by Harpur to describe incarnation. This is said to be the nadir or low point of a soul's existence, indeed he says it is the "death" of the soul to be imprisoned in matter, in a body. Read Ayn Rand ("Atlas Shrugged"---look for John Galt's monologue) for a different view. I suppose all sorts of viewpoints can be found in religion if one reads widely enough, but this one seems to me, as a biologist, to be exactly backwards of what more likely occurs. (Not that biology should instruct religion, but I think some clues can be provided, one of which is the genetic origin of the brain, the seat of consciousness and source of self-awareness. Another clue is that the spark of life is transmitted genetically. Only growth and elaboration are necessary for a full expression of the genome. Science simply finds little evidence for a soul of the sort described by Harpur, one which dips into matter to die.)
This book tries to accomplish too much in only 196 text pages. It is a rush job, with sloppy citations, good in places, but needing much more detail to make serious sense. It is highly vulnerable to criticism. Yet instead of cleaning this book up, the author writes that he is moving on to other writing projects, perhaps equally as weak as this one.
Average customer rating:
- I agree with previous reviewer
- Ok to read but the subject has been handled better in other books
- Maybe it's just me.......?
- Believe and you shall receive
- amazing,courageous,determined...AWE STRUCK
|
Blind Faith
Patricia Haley
Manufacturer: Kimani Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Romance | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Multicultural | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1583143009 |
Customer Reviews:
I agree with previous reviewer.......2007-01-02
The subject matter has been better handled in another book. See Boaz Brown, for example. This book was definitely not a page turner. The story was too predictable and it took Courtney way too long to stand up to her family.
Ok to read but the subject has been handled better in other books.......2006-09-04
Ok I am a fan of interracial stories both Christian and non Christian fiction but I must admit I had to force myself to finish this book, I think is was too long and could have ended a lot sooner. I can understand the heroine being conflicted about the pursuing the relationship but to end it just because one relative, not even her mother had problems with it- well Courtney you have no backbone girl! Her parents were happy, her close cousins were happy and her good work colleague was happy for her but still she ended it due to one aunt...As for the guy she went out with for 4 months I doubt any man or women would appreciate playing second fiddle to someone else. Roger took her rejection of him very graciously, considering how long they dated, not sure how realistic that is whether the man is Christian or not- he probably went home and punched the wall.
As for Sebastian he is either a saint or something he waited for this girl for 5 years he knew what he wanted from the beginning and hung in there- good for him I suppose that requiresgreat faih and for one so young (they were only 22, 23 years old) that is something. The twist regarding his background I suppose helps us to understand his parents objections especially his father but it was not necessary to have this as part of the plot. All in all an ok read but borrow from the library rather than buy.
Maybe it's just me.......?.......2006-06-06
I purchased this book on the reviews. Although I understand Ms. Haley focusing on Courtney and her confliction between heart and mind and Sebastion's patience waiting for Courtney to realize what was in front of her all this time. It just failed to maintain my attention to read it page by page. I have read books that concentrate on the racial aspect of the relationship, and maybe it is the way it was written. The addition of police bruitality and class, although very true, it didn't seem to fit in the story. Maybe it's just me......?
Believe and you shall receive.......2005-04-05
I enjoyed this interracial romance because it dealt with the real issues of interracial dating and family opinions verses God's will. I liked how Sebastian new God's will and didn't waiver form it no matter the challemge. That's encouraging. I also liked the fact that Courtney struggled with whom she was to be with. This is also a reality. I feel that Ms. Haley did an outstanding job of capturing the true feelings and struggles of interracial dating. Well done!
amazing,courageous,determined...AWE STRUCK.......2004-04-07
This has got to be one of the best books I have read about a child that grows into a woman with so much courage and determination in her character no matter what was put upon her shoulders. Mother to the famous Stevie Wonder or not, this woman is an inspiration within herself for all of the pain she has went through. The book speaks of a hard life, a hard childhood like that of Nightmares Echo-a memoir. It also reminds me of a couple of other books such as A Child Called It and Running With Scissors. I am just in utter amazement with this book. Pride shines in my eyes along ith the tears I shed while reading this wonderful book. Belinda Sampson
Average customer rating:
- A fast-paced action mystery!
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Blind Faith (Portraits Series #3)
Judith Pella
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Mystery | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Romance | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Pella, Judith | ( P ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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Beloved Stranger
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ASIN: 1556618808 |
Book Description
A fledgling artist and a single mother, Irene Delany has had her share of hardships, and the shocking news of her ex-husband's mysterious death threatens to crumple her newly found contentment in suburban San Francisco. As the events surrounding Greg's death unfold, Irene discovers a shadowed past that includes Joel Costain a successful attorney who is deeply intent on finding Greg's murderer.
Chasing the thread of a mystery, two very different lives unwittingly weave together. Struggling to see beyond their differences and beyond the challenge Joel must face daily Irene soon realizes that Joel is just as intent on whittling away the walls around her heart. Can she find love again a love she can trust?
A veteran of the bestseller charts, Judith Pella spins a tale that begins with heart-rending anguish and ends with a portrait of redemption and unconditional love.
Customer Reviews:
A fast-paced action mystery!.......1999-01-21
I thought this was a great book--kept me guessing right up to the end. My heart was racing all the time. A real change for Pella---who usually writes historical books.
Average customer rating:
- One of the best teen books EVER!
- A moving tale of loss and new beginnings
- Courtesy of Teens Read Too
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Blind Faith
Ellen Wittlinger
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Fiction | Multigenerational | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Death & Dying | Social Issues | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Emotions & Feelings | Social Situations | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
Wittlinger, Ellen | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books
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The Rules of Survival
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ASIN: 1416902732 |
Customer Reviews:
One of the best teen books EVER!.......2007-02-27
Blind Faith, by Ellen Wittlinger is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read. It follows the life of Liz Scattergood after the death of her grandmother, Bunny. Liz encounters many obstacles including her mother's obsession with a Spiritualist church, her neighbor's two grandchildren moving in, and her parents constant fighting. Nathan, the new kid next door, forms an unlikly bond with Liz, and together, they heal eachother's pain. I would recomend this book to anyone, not just teenagers; it teaches amazing lessons everyone should know!!!!
A moving tale of loss and new beginnings.......2007-02-10
Award-winning author Ellen Wittlinger is known for her emotional and poignant teen novels like SANDPIPER and Printz Honor Book HARD LOVE. In her latest effort, BLIND FAITH, she delivers yet again with a tale of loss and new beginnings.
When 15-year old Liz Scattergood's grandmother Bunny dies, Liz's mother falls into a depression. People always said that Liz's mom and Bunny were "more like sisters or best friends than mother and daughter," which makes Liz feel strange. How come she isn't like this with her own mother?
Her mother is so depressed over the loss of Bunny that she won't get out of bed or work on her pottery in the studio. Then one day, she announces she's going to the Singing Creek Spiritualist Church to "contact Bunny." Liz's father, an atheist, isn't thrilled about the idea, but Liz's mother goes, and only then does her life return to normal. She gets out of bed. She works on her pottery. And now, she goes to the Spiritualist Church every week. Although Liz isn't sure what she thinks of the spiritualists, she agrees to go with her mother and hopes that maybe they will bond over their experience of contacting Bunny. But this just pushes Liz's father away and causes more of a rift within the family.
While Liz is dealing with her own chaos, she becomes entangled with the lives of the new neighbors: Nathan, a boy her age, and Courtney, his younger sister. Nathan, Courtney, and their mother Lily have just moved in with their grandmother, the old lady who lives across the street and who Liz calls Crabby. But as Liz gets to know Nathan, she learns that he has problems too. His mother has a terminal disease and she might die. Plus, everyone's keeping it a secret from Courtney because she's too young to understand.
As Nathan and Liz confide in each other about their problems, they become close and a tender friendship and romance emerge.
Ellen Wittlinger is a wonderful writer who has an amazing ability to portray realistic teens in difficult situations. She gets right to the root of emotional issues and twists them in a way that readers can relate and sympathize deeply with the characters. Even though BLIND FAITH deals with the topic of death, there are many uplifting moments in this story.
--- Reviewed by Kristi Olson
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-07-26
It was bad enough when fifteen-year-old Liz Scattergood's grandmother, Bunny, died. It's even worse now that her mother seems to have gone crazy. For weeks her mom wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't eat dinner with Liz and her father, wouldn't even brush her hair. Although Liz understands that her mother and Bunny had a special bond, were more like sisters, in fact, than mother and daughter, Liz doesn't understand the extreme depression. That was almost preferable, though, to what happens when her mother snaps out of her funk and finally leaves the darkened comfort of her bedroom. Because now she's found religion--or, in this case, Spiritualism, where the congregation and leaders believe they can communicate with the spirits of the dead.
After her mom's first visit to Singing Creek, the Spiritualist Church, she comes home acting alive for the first time in weeks. Liz is curious enough to agree to accompany her the following Saturday, but Liz's dad is none too pleased with the developments. For him, religion is filled with hypocrites and fools, and the crazies that attend Singing Creek are the worst of the lot--they hold out hope to those who have lost someone they love, convincing them that they can really "talk" to the dearly departed's spirit.
For Liz, these new arguments of her parent's is shaking up her once comfortable life. Added to that is the new family who has moved in across the street. There's Courtney, [...]and a total joy, and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who always seems so angry. Their mother, Lily, is dying of leukemia and has come home to spend her final days with her mother, dubbed by Liz as Mrs. Crabby. As Liz enters into a tenuous friendship with Nathan bordering on a first love, and takes Courtney under her wing, she's confused by her father's anger, her mother's obsession with communicating with her dead mother, and the fact that life in Tobias isn't as calm and easy as she'd always believed it to be.
Ms. Wittlinger has penned a beautiful story in BLIND FAITH. This is the story of hope and faith, of love and loss, of life and death. As Liz fights to understand why she doesn't have the same type of bond with her mom that her mother had with Bunny, as Nathan and Courtney learn to live without their mother, and as everyone involved learns how important it is to always have hope, these two families will be forever entwined. A very heartfelt, tender story, you won't go wrong reading BLIND FAITH.
Average customer rating:
- This one will surprise you
- Surprise Ending
- Vivid and exciting
- Fantastic Read
- Tuck yourself away with this one.
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Blind Faith
Christiane Heggan
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Heggan, Christiane | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1551667835 |
Customer Reviews:
This one will surprise you.......2005-05-29
I found this book a little slow going at first, but plodded along until it finally started getting interesting. From then, it didn't let up. It was not the best mystery I have read, but I gave it five stars because very seldom does an author stump me. I did not expect what I was reading. The killer's identity comes as a surprise and I usually figure it out right away. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Surprise Ending.......2004-05-02
WOW!!! The ending was not as I expected. During my reading of this book I was thinking that it was so obvious who was behind the killings...but I was wrong. I was very shocked to say the least. The book from the very beginning was interesting. I could not get anything else done for wanting to read this. I would take it to work with me and read on breaks and lunchtime. The author is without a doubt my favorite. Everything I have read by her has been interesting from page 1. Indulge yourself today in the works of Christiane Heggan.
Vivid and exciting.......2003-03-15
Investigative reporter, Kelly Robolo, used to be in good with the police, especially with Detective Nick McBride, but while helping a friend who was being forced to pay for "protection" in Chinatown, she was shot and an (undercover) Detective Matt Kolvic was killed. Now the police shunnher, harass her, and didn't answer calls if she needed any help. While still on medical leave, her closest friend, Victoria Bowman, called her for help. Victoria's husband, Jonathan, was missing. Soon there was evidence of an affair and possible drug trafficing from the casino in which he was an executive of. Swallowing her pride, Kelly went to Nick for help. Nick's father used to work, high on the food chain, at the same casino that Jonathan had. He was soon convinced that Jonathon's disappearance and his father's murder a year ago were somehow linked. The widow of Matt also found out that her husband was more than "undercover", he had actually been part of the protection ring! Nick was positive that was connected as well. This one catches its readers and holds onto them for dear life! Fast paced, full of action, twists, and surprises! I see awards in the future for this one!
Fantastic Read.......2001-09-19
What a GREAT book!!I had a lot of things I had to do in my house, and what am I doing----reading Blind Faith. I COULD NOT put it down. The romance, mystery, heck, everything about this book is FANTASTIC.
Tuck yourself away with this one........2001-06-01
Blind Faith goes faster than a dollar in a casino and has the twists of a Philadelphia pretzel. I read this in one day (Thank goodness I had the time.) Don’t plan on reading this one in bits and pieces. Save it until you can tuck yourself away for the day and swallow it whole. Christiane Heggan is in top form. Get a head start on her books. I see movies coming...
Books:
- Magic in the Wind (Drake Sisters, Book 1)
- Master of the Night (Mageverse sereies , Book 2)
- Mastering the Trade (McGraw-Hill Trader's Edge)
- Midnight in Death (In Death)
- Mulch Ado About Nothing (Jane Jeffry Mystery Series #12)
- Naked in Death (In Death, Book 1)
- Old Man's Cave (Bone, Book 6)
- Other Voices, Other Rooms
- Outlaws of the Marsh (Chinese Classics 4-Volume Boxed Set) [BOX SET]
- Presumed Guilty: What the Jury Never Knew About Laci Peterson's Murder and Why Scott Peterson Should Not Be on Death Row
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