tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27142965.post115074687896693804..comments2012-05-26T07:51:09.056-04:00Comments on Bookroll: The Age of Unreason (unfinished)Joshuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467322140216809690noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27142965.post-1151066803159593852006-06-23T08:46:00.000-04:002006-06-23T08:46:00.000-04:00(I've already replied to this in private, but will...(I've already replied to this in private, but will summarize it here for the benefit of others.)<BR/><BR/>I don't remember whether I finished Mere Christianity or not. I may not have finished it because I was too busy thinking about the chapters I had already read, and then forgot to read the rest.<BR/><BR/>When I was speaking of crazy, I was talking specifically about Keith Green, not everyone in general.Joshuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467322140216809690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27142965.post-1151030062243752302006-06-22T22:34:00.000-04:002006-06-22T22:34:00.000-04:00You don't have to agree with everything in a book ...You don't have to agree with everything in a book in order for it to be a good book. I think part of learning is sorting through what is true and what is not, developing arguments and well-formed opinions, and respecting other authors/people for their opinions. I'm surprised you didn't finish Mere Christianity because you didn't agree with it - C. S. Lewis is, in my opinion, one of the few theologians who "had it right" more often than most.<BR/><BR/>I don't know what you mean, the problem with some people's testimonies are "a little crazy". Are you saying you don't believe some of the things happened? Or that you don't enjoy reading true happenings because they don't happen the way you think they should? Both of those are kind of ridiculous reasons, so I don't think you subscribe to either camp. If you're reading to learn, and not to be entertained, you'll only dismiss a book if you couldn't learn from it.<BR/><BR/>If it's Christian biographies you want to read, I'd suggest <I>God's Smuggler</I>. It's funny and true, about a man's journey into Christianity and then into ministry/missions delivering Bibles behind the Iron Curtain.<BR/><BR/>Hope you like it!Amberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13537940450894604165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27142965.post-1150982244194891102006-06-22T09:17:00.000-04:002006-06-22T09:17:00.000-04:00I read Jane Eyre in twelfth grade English and I ac...I read <I>Jane Eyre</I> in twelfth grade English and I actually did like it. We may have dissected it a bit too much for me to want to read it a second time this soon, though. It's hard to forget things like "Mr. Rochester's wife had syphilis" because to me, that wasn't obvious at all, but it casts a definitely bad angle on some things.<BR/><BR/>I'm not really interested in tea, since I don't drink it, but I suppose I could check out that book if you thought it would make be interesting regardless. I did have my sister reserve <I>The Heavenly Man</I> and I also checked out a history of Arab Americans from the library's new non-fiction shelf. Part of the problem is there's so much non-fiction and I'm not sure I'm interested in any of it, so I don't know where to start (unlike fiction, where I head straight to the fantasy section).<BR/><BR/>If I wanted theological books (and I probably should read some) I can go into our own library: my parents have quite a few. I tried to read <I>Mere Christianity</I> a while back but I think I only got through the fourth chapter. Part of the problem is perhaps that I have trouble agreeing completely with any of these authors. I don't know why that wouldn't also apply to fiction, except that perhaps it's all made up so I can throw it away wholesale.<BR/><BR/>I have read <I>The Cross and the Switchblade</I> (David Wilkerson) and <I>No Compromise</I> (Keith Green). I don't remember if I've read <I>Through Gates of Splendor</I> but I should probably chase it down. I haven't read any of these in a while (I reread <I>The Cross and the Switchblade</I> most recently, sometime last year I think). I enjoy reading people's testimonies like this, but the problem is, they are sometimes a little crazy (well, maybe that's only Keith Green.) Can you suggest other books in this line?<BR/><BR/>Thanks for all your suggestions, by the way, I may check out <I>Blue Like Jazz</I> at least.Joshuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467322140216809690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27142965.post-1150822607764260882006-06-20T12:56:00.000-04:002006-06-20T12:56:00.000-04:00I've heard that The Heavenly Man is an awesome boo...I've heard that <I>The Heavenly Man</I> is an awesome book. For books I've read recently, I would recommend <I>Blue Like Jazz</I> by Don Miller. You've probably read a lot of classics, but I read <I>Jane Eyre</I> by Charlotte Bronte for the second time recently and liked it a lot better. It might be more a girl book though, I don't know.<BR/><BR/>I think it depends on what you are interested in, and what you want to learn more about. Spiritual things? Christian life? The Bible? Tea? I have a great book on tea called <I>The Tea Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide</I> by Jane Pettigrew. It's very well written and amazingly non-opinionated. I've read a few articles about tea where the writer is smug and superior because they think they know the "right" way, and it just doesn't ring well with me.<BR/><BR/>I've also been reading about missionary care recently, and random theological books I picked up for free from the Bible College Library (the books you pick up from there are mostly theological in nature). What are you interested in?Amberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13537940450894604165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27142965.post-1150809319659779742006-06-20T09:15:00.000-04:002006-06-20T09:15:00.000-04:00Honestly, I probably am not learning much except f...Honestly, I probably am not learning much except for incidental detail (which I don't tend to remember but is often weird and strange and surprisingly true). This series is interesting that way because it involves so many historical characters (even though their lives are almost completely fictionalized, there's still some truth: I believe Isaac Newton actually did direct his attention towards theology near the end of his life. And, there's an excellent quote about the malakim which is probably the most true thing in the whole book: They have made a science out of lying to and manipulating human beings.)<BR/><BR/>Still, I can see where you're coming from. One I've been meaning to pick up (not sure if it quite fits your definition) is <I>The Heavenly Man</I>. Do you have other suggestions?Joshuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467322140216809690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27142965.post-1150760224212262172006-06-19T19:37:00.000-04:002006-06-19T19:37:00.000-04:00I think you should read a few didactic books (I re...I think you should read a few <I>didactic</I> books (I remember you emphasizing that word once somehwere!). You know, pick some historical character that fascinates you and read a biography. Get a book on some controversial subject like environmentalism, abortion, the will of God. Get a commentary on some book of the Bible that confuses you.<BR/><BR/>I just picked up a book about Sojourner Truth that was laying around. It wasn't the book itself that fascinated me so much, but the woman. It made me wish I could have known her. It made me want to memorize some of her quotes and love and act the way she did.<BR/><BR/>Are you learning anything from what you've been reading? Not that's it's bad to read that kind of thing - I have my own genres that I read strictly for entertainment. I've never been able to "get into" the genres you read from, so my question is genuine - are you learning anything?Amberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13537940450894604165noreply@blogger.com