If you're on the political left and need a reason to hate Ann Coulter, read Mugged: Racial Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obama. This a guided tour of the left's use of race to divide America. Even if you completely disagree with her, she provides enough ammo that someone who wants to demonstrate the hypocrisies and abuses of the left on the subject of race will have a good argument.
Several of the episodes she writes about were new to me. How about the ambush of police at Farrakhan's mosque? This episode should be enough to make him a political pariah, but it is one of many events that show that, at least in certain periods and in certain places, black crime has been given a pass due to concerns about black activism.
Coulter argues that the OJ verdict was a turning point. It was obvious to everyone that OJ was guilty of brutally murdering his estranged wife. Yet because one of the policemen was painted as a racist for using "the N word" nearly 10 years before in the context of writing dialogue for a movie (!!!), OJ walked. The absurdity. . . .
Whatever you think of her, read the history she presents. The left has used race as a divisive point for too long. Maybe if the perspective Coulter writes from were taken seriously by more Americans, some racial healing could take place.
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Friday, June 28, 2019
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
The Pleasures of God, by John Piper
John Piper's The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God's Delight in Being God is rightly considered a modern devotional classic. First published in 1991, it's a book worth revisiting. It's a book that you may want to revisit immediately after visiting the first time. Piper set out to "scour the Scriptures to find what God delights in." It's worth taking time to ponder what he discovered.
God takes pleasure in his Son, in creation, in his fame, in our election and in Jesus' work to make election possible, in our obedience and prayers. Here's a real key: God takes delight in us. This truth cannot be emphasized enough.
The Pleasures of God cannot be summarized easily--at least not by me. Read it, read it slowly, and take delight in God's delight in you.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
God takes pleasure in his Son, in creation, in his fame, in our election and in Jesus' work to make election possible, in our obedience and prayers. Here's a real key: God takes delight in us. This truth cannot be emphasized enough.
The Pleasures of God cannot be summarized easily--at least not by me. Read it, read it slowly, and take delight in God's delight in you.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Monday, June 24, 2019
One Night in Georgia, by Celeste O. Norfleet
In the heat of the summer of 1968 three college girls head out on a road trip, driving back to college in Atlanta. It's a simple set-up, except that the girls are black, driving in a flashy convertible through the South. Celeste O. Norfleet's novel One Night in Georgia is a work of fiction, but it contains plenty of "it certainly could have and probably did many times" moments.
These ladies (and their companion, a college student recruited by the narrator's step father to accompany them) take a trip that is as much as snapshot of race relations and history as it is a coherent narrative. Much of the book is a history lesson, as the ladies have mini-debates about race and the issues of the day. One lady is from old money, one is very fair-skinned, and the narrator is the daughter of a prominent civil rights lawyer who was beaten to death by police as she watched. Their male companion is a Vietnam vet.
They encounter lots of stereotypical members of both races in their travels. The racist whites who lash out in anger that the black people touched their children, just after those same black people saved the children from drowning. The neighborly white people who stand up against the racists. The rude white people in the cafe who sling racist remarks. The white waitress and her father, the sheriff, who defend the students, in part because the sheriff said black soldiers with whom he served saved his life. The white racist police who arrest the group for no reason and take possession of their car.
All of this leads up to that "one night in Georgia" where everything changed for all of them. Norfleet illustrates the impossible dilemmas that black people in the South experienced. When a crime is committed in certain places and circumstances, a black person has no hope for justice.
One Night in Georgia is a passable story with some believable and some melodramatic moments. The didactic nature of the novel is worthwhile, but frequently seems forced, detracting from the story. The main character's romantic interest seemed too fast and counter to her nature, and their night of passion was a bit too graphic for a mainstream novel. The novel is worth reading, especially if you're looking for a window into attitudes black people held about race in the 1960s, but qua novel it's not the greatest.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
These ladies (and their companion, a college student recruited by the narrator's step father to accompany them) take a trip that is as much as snapshot of race relations and history as it is a coherent narrative. Much of the book is a history lesson, as the ladies have mini-debates about race and the issues of the day. One lady is from old money, one is very fair-skinned, and the narrator is the daughter of a prominent civil rights lawyer who was beaten to death by police as she watched. Their male companion is a Vietnam vet.
They encounter lots of stereotypical members of both races in their travels. The racist whites who lash out in anger that the black people touched their children, just after those same black people saved the children from drowning. The neighborly white people who stand up against the racists. The rude white people in the cafe who sling racist remarks. The white waitress and her father, the sheriff, who defend the students, in part because the sheriff said black soldiers with whom he served saved his life. The white racist police who arrest the group for no reason and take possession of their car.
All of this leads up to that "one night in Georgia" where everything changed for all of them. Norfleet illustrates the impossible dilemmas that black people in the South experienced. When a crime is committed in certain places and circumstances, a black person has no hope for justice.
One Night in Georgia is a passable story with some believable and some melodramatic moments. The didactic nature of the novel is worthwhile, but frequently seems forced, detracting from the story. The main character's romantic interest seemed too fast and counter to her nature, and their night of passion was a bit too graphic for a mainstream novel. The novel is worth reading, especially if you're looking for a window into attitudes black people held about race in the 1960s, but qua novel it's not the greatest.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Friday, June 21, 2019
Trump's Enemies, by Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie
Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie had a front-row seat to one of the most unusual and contentious presidential elections in modern America history. Lewandowski served as Trump's campaign manager from before the announcement through the summer of 2016. Bossie served as deputy campaign manager. The two have remained enthusiastic supporters of Trump's presidency.
In Trump's Enemies: How the Deep State is Undermining the Presidency, these two insiders tell insider stories that make the book worth reading. No matter how you feel about Trump, from a historical and human interest perspective, it's great to read their perspective on some of the events of the campaign, as well as stories that didn't make the news cycles.
The question prompted by the subtitle, Is the deep state truly undermining Trump's presidency?, is more nuanced than the simple retelling of events. Trump's fans will shout in impassioned agreement; Trump's detractors will be a bit more skeptical. But there's no question about the authors' interpretation of the tone and specifics of the attacks from the press and from within the government, even within Trump's own offices. Many otherwise conservative bureaucrats and appointees found it convenient to retain their government jobs or seek appointments from Trump for the mere purpose of opposing and exposing his agenda. Lewandowski and Bossie shed uncomplimentary light on the manipulation by Washington deep state "swamp creatures."
I'd like to see a Trump detractor read Trump's Enemies with an open mind. It may not lead to a conversion to Trump support, but consideration of this book will definitely lead to a better understanding and appreciation of Trump, his policies, and the surprising success he has accomplished in the face of opposition.
In Trump's Enemies: How the Deep State is Undermining the Presidency, these two insiders tell insider stories that make the book worth reading. No matter how you feel about Trump, from a historical and human interest perspective, it's great to read their perspective on some of the events of the campaign, as well as stories that didn't make the news cycles.
The question prompted by the subtitle, Is the deep state truly undermining Trump's presidency?, is more nuanced than the simple retelling of events. Trump's fans will shout in impassioned agreement; Trump's detractors will be a bit more skeptical. But there's no question about the authors' interpretation of the tone and specifics of the attacks from the press and from within the government, even within Trump's own offices. Many otherwise conservative bureaucrats and appointees found it convenient to retain their government jobs or seek appointments from Trump for the mere purpose of opposing and exposing his agenda. Lewandowski and Bossie shed uncomplimentary light on the manipulation by Washington deep state "swamp creatures."
I'd like to see a Trump detractor read Trump's Enemies with an open mind. It may not lead to a conversion to Trump support, but consideration of this book will definitely lead to a better understanding and appreciation of Trump, his policies, and the surprising success he has accomplished in the face of opposition.
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell, by Neal Stephenson
Some of my favorite books have been written by Neal Stephenson. At times, his writing borders on brilliance. But every writer has an occasional down day. Stephenson had a down year while he was writing Fall; or, Dodge in Hell. Some of the ideas that start the book are great, potentially. Fans of Stephenson's prior work will be pleased to see the return of Richard Forthrast, his niece, Enoch Root, and others from Cryptonomicron, Reamde, and other books. But once you're used to the new manifestations of these characters, and the ideas play themselves out, the bulk of the book is left, and let me tell you, it's a drag.
Stephenson's cool ideas: a fake nuclear attack on a remote American town, orchestrated and reported by social media, triggering panic and leading to a transformation of the internet; the technology of downloading one's mind to a computer; and the core of the story, the creation of a computer-based society for those downloaded mind/souls.
The story turns into a ridiculous recreation of human society with nods to ancient mythology and biblical stories. Stephenson creates this new history and mythology in this online computer world. It is so dull it's unreadable. This history drags on and on, with fewer and fewer looks into the land of the living. Even the land of the living becomes ridiculous, as the entire power grid becomes strained supplying the power to run the computers to which everyone is getting downloaded.
I kept reading for one reason, as painful as it was: Stephenson has been a great story teller, sos I kept waiting for the payoff. But 880 pages later, it was nothing but let down. I couldn't stand it. But the fact is, next time Stephenson publishes a book, you know I'll read it. As bad as Fall is, I am not prepared to give up on Stephenson--yet.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Stephenson's cool ideas: a fake nuclear attack on a remote American town, orchestrated and reported by social media, triggering panic and leading to a transformation of the internet; the technology of downloading one's mind to a computer; and the core of the story, the creation of a computer-based society for those downloaded mind/souls.
The story turns into a ridiculous recreation of human society with nods to ancient mythology and biblical stories. Stephenson creates this new history and mythology in this online computer world. It is so dull it's unreadable. This history drags on and on, with fewer and fewer looks into the land of the living. Even the land of the living becomes ridiculous, as the entire power grid becomes strained supplying the power to run the computers to which everyone is getting downloaded.
I kept reading for one reason, as painful as it was: Stephenson has been a great story teller, sos I kept waiting for the payoff. But 880 pages later, it was nothing but let down. I couldn't stand it. But the fact is, next time Stephenson publishes a book, you know I'll read it. As bad as Fall is, I am not prepared to give up on Stephenson--yet.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Monday, June 17, 2019
Finding Ultra, by Rich Roll
I know it's a generalization, but triathletes are typically type-A, arrogant, insufferably vain, number-obsessed athletes. Rich Roll is all that, times ten. Of course, in the case of competitive triathletes, and ten times in Roll's case, these qualities directly impact their individual success. In Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself, Roll tells the story of rise to high levels of competitive swimming, the lows of alcohol abuse, and the highs of ultra-distance triathlons.
Roll serves his story up with a healthy dose of ego. He's the kind of guy who makes most guys absolutely sick. He had privilege and athletic gifts, and squandered it with partying. While attending an elite prep school in D.C., he joined an exclusive swim team and became nationally ranked. He turned down an offer to swim for Harvard, choosing to head east to Stanford instead. There his partying increased and his performance suffered. His alcohol habit caused him to miss out on Stanford's national championship meets.
Fast forward through many years of alcohol abuse and, paradoxically, professional success, and Roll decides he needs to get in shape. Like a true addict, he doesn't do anything half way, and begins triathlon training. All the Ironman triathlons are booked for the next year, so he talks his way onto the starting line for the Ultraman, a three-day race that is double an Ironman. Later, he and a friend do the Epic5, five Ironman-distance triathlons on five Hawaiian islands in seven days. I have to admit, his accounts of these races tempt me to try triathlon racing, in Hawaii or elsewhere.
On the one hand, Roll's story is the inspiring story of a guy who didn't reach middle age and give up on reaching for audacious goals. He doubled down on aging and proved to himself that he could go faster and farther. He was, in fact, named by a health magazine as one of the fittest men in the world. On the other hand, it's the story of a prep school kid who blew opportunities, who got away with partying through school and still getting a degree, goofing off through a legal internship and still getting into an Ive League law school, drinking his way through the prime of his life and still achieving a level of athletic performance most men can only dream of. He's a guy who prioritizes his training over his family and law practice, travels to Hawaii to participate in races to stroke his ego, and still manages to come out on top. Yeah, he worked hard to become competitive in ultra racing, but he comes across as a groan-inducing braggart.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Roll serves his story up with a healthy dose of ego. He's the kind of guy who makes most guys absolutely sick. He had privilege and athletic gifts, and squandered it with partying. While attending an elite prep school in D.C., he joined an exclusive swim team and became nationally ranked. He turned down an offer to swim for Harvard, choosing to head east to Stanford instead. There his partying increased and his performance suffered. His alcohol habit caused him to miss out on Stanford's national championship meets.
Fast forward through many years of alcohol abuse and, paradoxically, professional success, and Roll decides he needs to get in shape. Like a true addict, he doesn't do anything half way, and begins triathlon training. All the Ironman triathlons are booked for the next year, so he talks his way onto the starting line for the Ultraman, a three-day race that is double an Ironman. Later, he and a friend do the Epic5, five Ironman-distance triathlons on five Hawaiian islands in seven days. I have to admit, his accounts of these races tempt me to try triathlon racing, in Hawaii or elsewhere.
On the one hand, Roll's story is the inspiring story of a guy who didn't reach middle age and give up on reaching for audacious goals. He doubled down on aging and proved to himself that he could go faster and farther. He was, in fact, named by a health magazine as one of the fittest men in the world. On the other hand, it's the story of a prep school kid who blew opportunities, who got away with partying through school and still getting a degree, goofing off through a legal internship and still getting into an Ive League law school, drinking his way through the prime of his life and still achieving a level of athletic performance most men can only dream of. He's a guy who prioritizes his training over his family and law practice, travels to Hawaii to participate in races to stroke his ego, and still manages to come out on top. Yeah, he worked hard to become competitive in ultra racing, but he comes across as a groan-inducing braggart.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Friday, June 14, 2019
The Gentle Giants of Ganymede, by James P. Hogan
On the heels of James P. Hogan's first novel, 1977's Inherit the Stars, Hogan published The Gentle Giants of Ganymede in 1978. In the first book, the discovery of a 50,000-year-old human corpse on the moon leads to more discoveries about a race of beings who lived in our solar system millennia in the past. In Gentle Giants, a space ship from those millennia past shows up, beginning a new friendship between modern humans and their ancient, giant forebears.
Thanks to the Ganymeans' sophisticated AI, like Siri only much, much more powerful, the language barrier is quickly breached. The Ganymeans confirm much of what the human researchers had pieced together, and a friendship bond between the few hundred Ganymeans and the humans develops. The humans welcome them with open arms. I like the fact that Hogan doesn't rely on melodramatic scheming and plotting between or among the different races. Maybe it's a utopian dream that races and species can have first contact without a conflict, but I enjoyed what Hogan did with this story.
Hogan works in legit science with anticipated alien science, all while anticipating future science. Like other great sci-fi writers (yeah, I would consider Hogan one of the greats), he doesn't let the science bog down the story but includes it almost like a character in the story. Gentle Giants is even better than Inherit the Stars and is a great set up for book 3.
Thanks to the Ganymeans' sophisticated AI, like Siri only much, much more powerful, the language barrier is quickly breached. The Ganymeans confirm much of what the human researchers had pieced together, and a friendship bond between the few hundred Ganymeans and the humans develops. The humans welcome them with open arms. I like the fact that Hogan doesn't rely on melodramatic scheming and plotting between or among the different races. Maybe it's a utopian dream that races and species can have first contact without a conflict, but I enjoyed what Hogan did with this story.
Hogan works in legit science with anticipated alien science, all while anticipating future science. Like other great sci-fi writers (yeah, I would consider Hogan one of the greats), he doesn't let the science bog down the story but includes it almost like a character in the story. Gentle Giants is even better than Inherit the Stars and is a great set up for book 3.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Dark Agenda, by David Horowitz
David Horowitz is no stranger to breathless, dire pronouncements. In this vein, his Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America is designed to convince his readers that there is an all-out war on Christian faith in the U.S. It's not that he's wrong, it's just that he seems to overstate the case, relying more on troubling anecdotes than a serious analysis of legislative and sociological trends.
That said, the anecdotes Horowitz writes about are truly troubling. It's true that in popular culture, the media, and political discourse, the beliefs and lifestyles of traditional Christians are disparaged and criticized. If you are vocal about your faith, and especially if your faith shapes the way you live and work, be prepared to be publicly shot down. The religion of secularism seems to have taken over. If you currently believe this to be a little bit true, you will be fully convinced by Dark Agenda.
Horowitz provides some history and context to the modern war on religion. As much as I do agree with him and his assessment of history, his tendency toward hyperbole and incendiary language weaken his argument. Nevertheless, whether or not you are a practicing Christian, it's worth noting how far we as a nation have come from our founding principles. We should think twice before jettisoning the Christian ethic and governance that provided the foundation of the United States.
That said, the anecdotes Horowitz writes about are truly troubling. It's true that in popular culture, the media, and political discourse, the beliefs and lifestyles of traditional Christians are disparaged and criticized. If you are vocal about your faith, and especially if your faith shapes the way you live and work, be prepared to be publicly shot down. The religion of secularism seems to have taken over. If you currently believe this to be a little bit true, you will be fully convinced by Dark Agenda.
Horowitz provides some history and context to the modern war on religion. As much as I do agree with him and his assessment of history, his tendency toward hyperbole and incendiary language weaken his argument. Nevertheless, whether or not you are a practicing Christian, it's worth noting how far we as a nation have come from our founding principles. We should think twice before jettisoning the Christian ethic and governance that provided the foundation of the United States.
Monday, June 10, 2019
Run to Overcome, by Meb Keflezighi
Meb Kefezighi is an inspiring runner and an inspiring person. A world-class marathoner and Olympian, he has won the Boston and New York Marathons, and won a silver medal in the Olympics. In Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion's Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream, Meb tells his own story.
A few things stand out. Meb was born in Eritrea and fled with his family to escape the war. After a brief stay in Italy, they relocated to the U.S., settling in San Diego. Here he learned that running was a competitive sport, and his running talent began to shine. Throughout the book and at every stage of his life, he is extraordinarily grateful. He expresses genuine appreciation for his parents, coaches, teammates, and friends. He is also proud and grateful for his American citizenship. He loves his him country of Eritrea. He married an Eritrean woman, attends an Eritrean church, and enjoys Eritrean cultural gatherings, but he became an American citizen, competes as an American, and expresses gratitude for the blessings of living in the U.S.
Meb is definitely one of the greats. Run to Overcome showcases not only the determination and greatness of his running career, but also his greatness as a role model and life example.
A few things stand out. Meb was born in Eritrea and fled with his family to escape the war. After a brief stay in Italy, they relocated to the U.S., settling in San Diego. Here he learned that running was a competitive sport, and his running talent began to shine. Throughout the book and at every stage of his life, he is extraordinarily grateful. He expresses genuine appreciation for his parents, coaches, teammates, and friends. He is also proud and grateful for his American citizenship. He loves his him country of Eritrea. He married an Eritrean woman, attends an Eritrean church, and enjoys Eritrean cultural gatherings, but he became an American citizen, competes as an American, and expresses gratitude for the blessings of living in the U.S.
Meb is definitely one of the greats. Run to Overcome showcases not only the determination and greatness of his running career, but also his greatness as a role model and life example.
Friday, June 7, 2019
The Book of the People, by A.N. Wilson
You may know the prolific British author A.N. Wilson for his many novels, or for his biographical or historical works, like his biographies of C.S. Lewis or the Apostle Paul. In The Book of the People: How to Read the Bible, Wilson takes the reader on a somewhat rambling trek through his experiences with scripture.
A bottom line for Wilson is that one should read the Bible as it was intended to be written, which primarily is poetry. Even the historical and prophetic portions have a poetic element to them. Wilson's approach is as much biographical and textual. As he writes about the texts themselves, he weaves in accounts of his travels, art and architecture, and conversations and correspondence with his friends.
The Book of the People is certainly more an enjoyable memoir than a scholarly or systematic treatment that one might expect based on the subtitle. Wilson is a pleasure to read, but the overall effect of the book is rather underwhelming.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
A bottom line for Wilson is that one should read the Bible as it was intended to be written, which primarily is poetry. Even the historical and prophetic portions have a poetic element to them. Wilson's approach is as much biographical and textual. As he writes about the texts themselves, he weaves in accounts of his travels, art and architecture, and conversations and correspondence with his friends.
The Book of the People is certainly more an enjoyable memoir than a scholarly or systematic treatment that one might expect based on the subtitle. Wilson is a pleasure to read, but the overall effect of the book is rather underwhelming.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Directed Verdict, by Randy Singer
Randy Singer has written a dozen legal thrillers, as well as several other books. Directed Verdict, his first novel, started a successful trend, winning him a Christy award. First published in 2002, Directed Verdict pulls no punches in its portrayal of courtroom drama and religious persecution.
Randy's lawyer protagonist, Brad Carson, comes to the attention of the Christian community when he defends the right of a pastor to pray with other Christians in front of an abortion clinic. Carson is ambivalent toward Christianity, but happy to be involved in a high-profile case. So when a missionary comes to him claiming that Saudi police tortured and killed her missionary husband, he jumps in to her defense.
Like much popular fiction, the good guys are not perfect, but definitely good, and the bad guys are downright evil. In this case, the Saudis are determined to win and not allow themselves to be portrayed as the ruthless, anti-Christian brutes that they are. Even though this is fiction, the story is a reminder that Saudi Arabia may be an ally to the U.S. and an important economic partner, but they are a brutal, oppressive regime. One wonders if any American politician will ever have the guts to call them out.
Singer crafts a fun story, building suspense, leading and misleading the reader about who is betraying whom, twisting and turning the plot. It's an entertaining story, including a convincing conversion to Christianity of one of the characters, a budding romance between two of the characters, and plenty of reasons for the reader to cheer for the underdog. Fans of legal fiction will eat this up.
Randy's lawyer protagonist, Brad Carson, comes to the attention of the Christian community when he defends the right of a pastor to pray with other Christians in front of an abortion clinic. Carson is ambivalent toward Christianity, but happy to be involved in a high-profile case. So when a missionary comes to him claiming that Saudi police tortured and killed her missionary husband, he jumps in to her defense.
Like much popular fiction, the good guys are not perfect, but definitely good, and the bad guys are downright evil. In this case, the Saudis are determined to win and not allow themselves to be portrayed as the ruthless, anti-Christian brutes that they are. Even though this is fiction, the story is a reminder that Saudi Arabia may be an ally to the U.S. and an important economic partner, but they are a brutal, oppressive regime. One wonders if any American politician will ever have the guts to call them out.
Singer crafts a fun story, building suspense, leading and misleading the reader about who is betraying whom, twisting and turning the plot. It's an entertaining story, including a convincing conversion to Christianity of one of the characters, a budding romance between two of the characters, and plenty of reasons for the reader to cheer for the underdog. Fans of legal fiction will eat this up.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Choosing Donald Trump, by Stephen Mansfield
The election of Donald Trump shocked the world and continues to shake the American political world. In Stephen Mansfield's Choosing Donald Trump: God, Anger, Hope, and Why Conservative Christians Supported Him, Mansfield considers the question, How did this crass, foul-mouthed businessman and serial adulterer become a hero to the Christian right?
Mansfield is no fan of Trump. He doesn't go full "never-Trumper" but at times he's close. He is certainly not an apologist for Trump's well-known moral failings, crass personality, and habit of name-calling and personal vendettas. What Trump did was take up the mantle of the concerns of conservatives, including the Christian right, after they had suffered through eight years of feeling like their concerns were sidelined and disparaged.
Under Obama, conservatives got gay marriage, men in the girls' restroom, targeting of conservative groups by the IRS, told they "cling to their guns and religion," have their businesses shut down if they won't bake a cake for or photograph a gay wedding. Hilary promised to continue this trend, and called people who oppose her "deplorable." She stated that opponents to abortion should change their religious beliefs. She claims to be a faithful Methodist, but many Christians saw no friend of the faith in her words and actions.
Along comes candidate Trump, who, despite his consistently secular lifestyle, appealed to evangelicals, telling them he will be their voice. Many conservatives and evangelicals saw him as "someone like them--raw, imperfect, but fierce in defense of what they believed." During his campaign and now his presidency he has been consistently pro-choice and pro-Christian, in ways that Clinton never would have been.
Besides this break down, Mansfield also explores Trump's personal faith. Trump's pastor for many years was Norman Vincent Peale, famous for his book The Power of Positive Thinking. His teaching and attitude had a huge impact on Trump. In recent years, Florida pastor Paula White, known as fgva proponent of the prosperity gospel, has been a close religious advisor to Trump. Both of these pastors are Christians and include the core of the gospel in their teaching, but their respective emphases tend to overshadow their gospel teaching and explain why Trump tends not to express his Christian faith in ways that most evangelicals relate to.
In my mind, the explanation for Christians' support of Trump is simple: he was not Hillary. That tells part of the story, but Mansfield fleshes out the story and adds important background to Trump's religious experience and beliefs. As many have said, we did not elect Trump to be our pastor. But conservative Christians in the U.S. did get an ally and defender in the White House, for which I, for one, am grateful.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Mansfield is no fan of Trump. He doesn't go full "never-Trumper" but at times he's close. He is certainly not an apologist for Trump's well-known moral failings, crass personality, and habit of name-calling and personal vendettas. What Trump did was take up the mantle of the concerns of conservatives, including the Christian right, after they had suffered through eight years of feeling like their concerns were sidelined and disparaged.
Under Obama, conservatives got gay marriage, men in the girls' restroom, targeting of conservative groups by the IRS, told they "cling to their guns and religion," have their businesses shut down if they won't bake a cake for or photograph a gay wedding. Hilary promised to continue this trend, and called people who oppose her "deplorable." She stated that opponents to abortion should change their religious beliefs. She claims to be a faithful Methodist, but many Christians saw no friend of the faith in her words and actions.
Along comes candidate Trump, who, despite his consistently secular lifestyle, appealed to evangelicals, telling them he will be their voice. Many conservatives and evangelicals saw him as "someone like them--raw, imperfect, but fierce in defense of what they believed." During his campaign and now his presidency he has been consistently pro-choice and pro-Christian, in ways that Clinton never would have been.
Besides this break down, Mansfield also explores Trump's personal faith. Trump's pastor for many years was Norman Vincent Peale, famous for his book The Power of Positive Thinking. His teaching and attitude had a huge impact on Trump. In recent years, Florida pastor Paula White, known as fgva proponent of the prosperity gospel, has been a close religious advisor to Trump. Both of these pastors are Christians and include the core of the gospel in their teaching, but their respective emphases tend to overshadow their gospel teaching and explain why Trump tends not to express his Christian faith in ways that most evangelicals relate to.
In my mind, the explanation for Christians' support of Trump is simple: he was not Hillary. That tells part of the story, but Mansfield fleshes out the story and adds important background to Trump's religious experience and beliefs. As many have said, we did not elect Trump to be our pastor. But conservative Christians in the U.S. did get an ally and defender in the White House, for which I, for one, am grateful.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
But God, by Herbert Cooper
Herbert Cooper, pastor of a large, growing church in Oklahoma, has a great story and a great ministry. In But God: Changes Everything, Cooper tells his story and offers a beacon of inspiration for people going through troubles in their lives. (And, if we're honest, that includes all of us!)
The best part of the book is Cooper's testimony. He partied his way through high school until he heard the gospel at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting during his senior year. He gave his life to Christ and began to live for him. In college he felt called to preach and began preaching around the country and, eventually, around the world. When he was still in his 20s, he and his wife planted a church in Oklahoma City that grew quickly and now has thousands attending each week.
In his life, Cooper demonstrated a passion for following God. His life and circumstances were pointing to a dead end, "but God" turned his life around. Our circumstances and problems are likely different from Cooper's--or anyone else's, for that matter. Cooper's point is that God will meet us in our needs, our insecurities, our temptations, our struggles, our depression. He is our ever-present help in time of need.
Don't expect any ground-breaking theology here, but the basic truths Cooper covers have been life-changing for many and can be for every reader. I can gladly endorse any message like this, that points readers to a deeper reliance on and walk with God.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
The best part of the book is Cooper's testimony. He partied his way through high school until he heard the gospel at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting during his senior year. He gave his life to Christ and began to live for him. In college he felt called to preach and began preaching around the country and, eventually, around the world. When he was still in his 20s, he and his wife planted a church in Oklahoma City that grew quickly and now has thousands attending each week.
In his life, Cooper demonstrated a passion for following God. His life and circumstances were pointing to a dead end, "but God" turned his life around. Our circumstances and problems are likely different from Cooper's--or anyone else's, for that matter. Cooper's point is that God will meet us in our needs, our insecurities, our temptations, our struggles, our depression. He is our ever-present help in time of need.
Don't expect any ground-breaking theology here, but the basic truths Cooper covers have been life-changing for many and can be for every reader. I can gladly endorse any message like this, that points readers to a deeper reliance on and walk with God.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Monday, June 3, 2019
Faith is for Weak People, by Ray Comfort
Prolific author and outspoken evangelist Ray Comfort boldly speaks the name of Jesus in his books, films, and, frequently, on the streets. In his book Faith is for Weak People: Responding to the Top 20 Objections to the Gospel, Comfort, as the title suggests, offers answer to questions he gets from people when he's witnessing.
Comfort's sometimes confrontational street evangelism is where I became familiar with him. With actor Kirk Cameron, he founded The Way of the Master ministry. Oversimplifying, their method of evangelism starts with asking someone if he thinks he or she is a good person. Of course, he will say yes. Then Comfort will go through some of the 10 Commandments. "Have you ever lied? Stolen? Looked at a woman lustfully?" When he admits he's done some of these things, Comfort will talk about his need for a savior.
Throughout Faith is for Weak People, this theme repeats. Even as Comfort responds to questions about why a good God would send someone to hell, why there is suffering in the world, why religion causes wars, why some non-Christians are better people than some Christians, and other issues, he brings the discussion back to sin and our need for salvation.
Comfort may be oversimplifying the gospel, and using a message of fear to goad people into becoming Christians. I think that criticism is unfair. Comfort makes a great point: we can talk all day to someone's intellect and get nowhere, but speaking to his conscience may move him to a decision.
I have always believed in a more relationship-based evangelism, but if I'm honest, I'm not even doing that with consistency. Even if you don't embrace Comfort's "preceding the message of the gospel with the law of God," you must appreciate his passion for sharing the gospel with a lost world. This book inspires me to be more deliberate about evangelism and reminds me of the urgency with which I should be introducing people to Jesus.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
Comfort's sometimes confrontational street evangelism is where I became familiar with him. With actor Kirk Cameron, he founded The Way of the Master ministry. Oversimplifying, their method of evangelism starts with asking someone if he thinks he or she is a good person. Of course, he will say yes. Then Comfort will go through some of the 10 Commandments. "Have you ever lied? Stolen? Looked at a woman lustfully?" When he admits he's done some of these things, Comfort will talk about his need for a savior.
Throughout Faith is for Weak People, this theme repeats. Even as Comfort responds to questions about why a good God would send someone to hell, why there is suffering in the world, why religion causes wars, why some non-Christians are better people than some Christians, and other issues, he brings the discussion back to sin and our need for salvation.
Comfort may be oversimplifying the gospel, and using a message of fear to goad people into becoming Christians. I think that criticism is unfair. Comfort makes a great point: we can talk all day to someone's intellect and get nowhere, but speaking to his conscience may move him to a decision.
I have always believed in a more relationship-based evangelism, but if I'm honest, I'm not even doing that with consistency. Even if you don't embrace Comfort's "preceding the message of the gospel with the law of God," you must appreciate his passion for sharing the gospel with a lost world. This book inspires me to be more deliberate about evangelism and reminds me of the urgency with which I should be introducing people to Jesus.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!