Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • If you are a leader in a congregation, you simply have to absorb the concepts in this book
  • Read, and Your Ministry Will Never Be the Same
  • A MUST READ for all persons in positions of leadership
  • Life Saving
  • A modern classic
Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue
Edwin H. Friedman
Manufacturer: The Guilford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0898620597

Book Description

This groundbreaking volume applies the concepts of systemic family therapy to the emotional life of congregations and their leaders. Challenging many of the conventions of pastoral counseling, Edwin H. Friedman shows how family theory points to a less stressful approach to the full range of the clergy's responsibilities. He also illuminates how congregational dynamics can be a useful model for the study of any family enmeshed in larger systems, and how such systems can themselves be viewed as "families."

Friedman compares the emotional processes at work within individual families to those in church and synagogue, suggesting that clergy can often do more to help families by the way they lead their congregations than they can through specific counseling interventions. Specific topics examined in depth include leadership through self-differentiation, managing separations in families and in congregations, and the influence of previous generations upon life cycle events. The power of the family model is clearly demonstrated in numerous examples drawn from Friedman's own extensive experience as a rabbi and practicing family therapist and from many other rabbis, priests, nuns, and ministers with whom he worked.

Both clergy and lay leaders will find that this book directly addresses the dilemmas and crises they encounter daily, while family therapists and other helping professionals may wish to recommend it to students and clients as a lucid introduction to family processes.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars If you are a leader in a congregation, you simply have to absorb the concepts in this book.......2006-08-13

This is a book to be absorbed slowly.

I don't think I can summarize this book any better than Friedman himself does on page 1: "It is the thesis of this book that all clergymen and clergywomen, irrespective of faith, are simultaneously involved in three distinct families whose emotional forces interlock: the families within the congregation, our congregations, and our own. Because the emotional process in all of these systems is identical, unresolved issues in any one of them can produce symptoms in the others, and increased understanding of any one creates more effective functioning in all three."

This book will invite you to take a good, hard look at your own functioning. "There is an intrinsic relationship between our capacity to put families together [or, Friedman would also say, to put congregations together] and our ability to put ourselves together" (page 3). Friedman looks at family issues and congregational issues from a systems perspective, arguing that when a member of a family (or a congregation) is demonstrating "symptoms," it is necessary to look at the whole network of relationships that that individual is involved in -- because the root cause of the problem may lie in a completely different part of the system.

Friedman illustrates in detail how clergy can positively effect change in a family system or a congregational system. He also (somewhat indirectly) stresses the critical importance for clergy to resolve their own lingering family-of-origin issues.

The book is heavy reading -- full of terms that may be unfamiliar (and that, unfortunately, he doesn't directly explain, which can be confusing at first), such as "identified patient" and "self-differentiation" and "detriangulating." Frankly, I think he could have used a good editor, so that the book would be more accessible to people who are new to the concepts of Bowen family systems theory.

But don't miss this book. Read it, slowly. Digest it. Read a few pages at a time, then put it down and process what you have read before trying to proceed further. It took me months to work through the book. But I'm a heck of a lot stronger and wiser than I was when I first started. This book will help you grow.

Then, if you want to keep learning and applying the concepts in this book, read Friedman's unfinished manuscript, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (available through the Edwin Friedman Trust), and/or do a Google search on The Center for Family Process in Bethesda, Maryland.

5 out of 5 stars Read, and Your Ministry Will Never Be the Same.......2002-02-15

This book has a reputation of revolutionizing the way its readers view congregational life. Based on his experience as a rabbi and marriage and family therapist, the late Ed Friedman gives the most comprehensive and practical understanding of congregations as emotional systems. Conflicts are explained not from a linear standpoint, i.e. "A causes B," but from a systemic perspective where all participants are contributors. Each part of the system is connected to, or has its own effect upon, every other part. This helps to explain why many "issues" that arise within a congregation cannot be settled on the level of content, but must be viewed as representations of how the persons surrounding the issues are participating in the relational system. "Issues" may seem settled, but if the relational system continues to function the same way, the same or other "issues" will reappear later, because they were merely symptomatic of the emotional dynamics among the people involved. This book begins by explaining the major concepts of family systems theory, and applies them to organizational life, leadership, and the leader's family. It is full of examples, which makes these complex ideas easier to grasp. Few books are as insightful and helpful in equipping church leaders to understand congregations. It is the standard in applying family systems theory to congregations.

5 out of 5 stars A MUST READ for all persons in positions of leadership.......2001-09-26

"Generation to Generation" by Edwin Friedman is a groundbreaking book on the dynamics of organizational and religious leadership as seen through the lens of the multi-generational family systems model. In the book, Friedman uses case studies and examples drawn from his own leadership experience and uses them to illustrate how leadership can be understood and transformed by having an awareness of three major systems that directly affect organizational leadership:

1. the personal multi-generational family system of the leader

2. the organization itself as a system with both functional and dysfunctional elements

3. the family systems of those person within the organization- for a religious congregation this would be the families within the congregation; for a company it would be that of the employees; for a hospital, it would be that of the employees, volunteers and patients who comprise that organization, etc.

Friedman brilliantly shows how these three sets of systems intertwine with one another to make an organization function in a certain way. He asserts that by better understanding the dynamics of these systems and how they affect one another, leaders can move from a transactional style of leadership to one that is more transformational in the way it functions.

In addition, Friedman's book is a tremendously helpful resource in seeking to gain a better understanding of one's own family of origin issues and how these dynamics manifest themselves in our relationships throughout the life cycle.

In this sense, this book will be greatly beneficial, not only for leaders, but also for lay people as well as caregivers.

The book is challenging reading in spots, but well worth the effort- get this book of you have not done so already- it will change your perspective on leadership and life.

5 out of 5 stars Life Saving.......2001-08-28

I must have read this book twenty times since I was assigned to to read it in 1992, and it has grown on me. At first reading, the concepts that Friedman presents may seem contrived and counter-intuitive. However, after being in a leadership role in my church for some time now, this book is an absolute life saver. Leadership by self-definition is the most difficult, but the only honest and edifying way to leadership.

5 out of 5 stars A modern classic.......2000-06-23

Friedman's seminal work in the application of Bowen Family Systems Theory to congregational life (Jewish and Protestant) has become a modern classic. More than just "theory" Friedman's book offers examples of the application through the lens of both pastor (rabbi) and therapist. This book provides the key to both healthy leadership and functional, healthy religious systems.
The Spirituality Of Welcoming: How to Transform Your Congregation into a Sacred Community
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A handbook for building a great synagogue
  • Terrific!
The Spirituality Of Welcoming: How to Transform Your Congregation into a Sacred Community
Ron Wolfson
Manufacturer: Jewish Lights Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1580232442

Book Description

So often we want our congregations to be more--more compelling, more member-focused, more spiritual and yet more useful for our daily lives. Through reflection, examples, tips and exercises--and incorporating the fruits of Synagogue 2000 (now Synagogue 3000), a groundbreaking decade-long program investigating the challenges facing modern synagogues--this inspiring handbook both establishes a sound foundation for why a deep hospitality is crucial for the survival of today's spiritual communities, and dives into the practical hands-on how of turning your congregation into a place of invitation and openness that includes:

Prayer that is engaging, uplifting and spiritually moving
* Institutional deepening that is possible because of an openness to change
* Study that engages adults and families, as well as children
* Good deeds--the work of social justice--as a commitment of each and every member
* An ambience of welcome that creates a culture of warmth and outreach
* Healing that offers comfort and support at times of illness and loss
* ... and much more.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A handbook for building a great synagogue.......2007-09-18

Ron Wolfson accomplishes a very difficult task in this book. He writes a "how to" book that will help synagogue leaders improve the quality of their "products." Drawing heavily (but not too visibly) on the organizational dynamics literature he shows us how to change the way synagogues relate to their members and their prospective members. By using a pre-existing literature on how organizations in general can become better places to work and to do business with, he gently transposes employees and customers to the synagogue's staff (including rabbis and cantors) and its members. He studies the Christian mega-churches and the Jewish Chabad Lubavitch movement to understand and illuminate how to make a spiritually-based organization work well. In the process he puts together a package, based on the decade-long Synagogue 2000 project, that provides practical guidance on what synagogues can do to make themselves more spiritual, more attractive, and more successful with their members.

5 out of 5 stars Terrific!.......2006-09-06

This book is an inspiration. Ron Wolfson presents excellent ideas to change the synagogue (or church) to become a more welcoming, engaging and spiritually uplifting place of worship. Anyone who cares about their religious community can learn from this.
To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • very good book
  • To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service
  • Excellent and informative
  • True to Form
  • To Pray as a Jew
To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service
Hayim Halevy Donin
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0465086330

Amazon.com

The Jewish prayer book, or siddur, remains the standard text from which children in Jewish schools learn to read. Yet many adult Jews are unfamiliar with the siddur and are confused by prayer services. Other know the prayer book's Hebrew texts by rote but do not really comprehend them. Writing for both kinds of readers in this classic devotional guide, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin reviews the basic shape of a Jewish prayer service and then begins his survey of prayers (all of which are quoted here in both Hebrew and English) with the Shemoneh Esrei, the core of every service. One of the most appealing qualities of the book is the author's penchant for reminding readers to be mindful of the practical dimension of prayer life: "Unless prayer is also accompanied by the traits of character and ethical behavior that Judaism demands, prayer is no indication of piety at all. One need only stop to consider that in real life, evil men pray too." --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

A handsome and indispensable guide to Jewish prayer--unexcelled for beginners as well as the religiously observant.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars very good book.......2007-08-01

I'm very pleased with the material enclosed in this book. It's an useful instrument for people persuing conversion to Judaism as well for Jews in process of learning about the liturgy at the Synagogue and getting familiar with the Blessings and Prayer Book(Siddur).

5 out of 5 stars To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service.......2007-05-08

To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service

5 out of 5 stars Excellent and informative.......2006-07-27

I was raised in an orthodox household but always had questions about certain ritual affairs and activities that occured in a shul. Not only did this book answer many of my questions, it even went further and discussed the morning prayers. This book should be a MUST read. In fact, I liked it so much, I gave it to my younger brother and his wife (as PART of a larger wedding gift package). I truly recommend it.

4 out of 5 stars True to Form.......2006-07-06

A very good explanation of the Siddur ... why certain items are included and their historical back drop. A nice discussion also of how the Sephardic tradition differs from the Ashkenazic.

4 out of 5 stars To Pray as a Jew.......2006-06-28

A great help to understanding the tradition and reasons for the Prayer service as it is laid out today
The Synagogue of Satan
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Amazing book, a must-read!
  • Extraordinary.
  • revealing the past to give hope for the future
  • Detailed, but not complete picture
The Synagogue of Satan
Andrew Carrington Hitchcock
Manufacturer: RiverCrest Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1930004451
Release Date: 2007-03-01

Product Description

This is the first book ever to document the secret history of the evil conspirators responsible for wars, revolutions, and financial debacles around the world. It is a virtual encyclopedia of fresh new information and facts unmasking the Jewish Illuminati elite and their sinister goals and hidden influence. Here is just a part of the secrets you will discover in this eye-opening 320 page book: * These High Priests of Lucifer possess ownership of almost every major book publishing firm in the world. (page 8) * Rothschild draws up plans for the creation of the Order of the Illuminati and entrusts Adam Weishaupt with its development. (page 32) * Rothschild gains control of Americas money system by setting up a central bank. (page 37) * The Rothschild's use their money power to foment the bloody U.S. Civil War, 1860-1865. (page 62) * The Jewish Encyclopedia admits that the rich and powerful Rothschild family are now the "guardians of the papal treasure." (page 87) * President Roosevelt, controlled by overseer Bernard Baruch, orders the pyramid, all-seeing eye and Latin inscription, "Novus Ordo Seclorum," be placed on the U.S. one dollar bill. (page 128) * Jewish banker James Paul Warburg tells U.S. Senate, "We shall have World Government...by conquest or by consent." (page 160) * Jewish commandant tortures innocent victims, murdering babies by bashing in their heads and raping Gentile women, then flees to Israel who will not extradite to face charges. (page 226) * Israeli secret agents, in concert with rogue Bush Administration high-ups and Jewish groups in the U.S.A., engineer 9/11 and the bombing of the World Trade Center towers. (page 25) . . .and much, much more. A very disturbing book, indeed.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Amazing book, a must-read!.......2007-08-28

As a doctoral student, with a Master's degree, I can competently recommend this book to anyone looking for an accurate, unbiased history of the Zionist movement. This book doesn't just spew out meaningless opinion or commentary, but provides you with FACTS. It's all there, names, dates, sources, draw your own conclusions; the author did a super job.

5 out of 5 stars Extraordinary........2007-07-20

This is a must read for all people today -- required reading for anyone who aspires to understand the world we are actually living in now. After reading this book, so much of what's going on, and has been going on during the last century or so, suddenly makes SENSE. Perplexing events, social conundrums, the "whys" and "how could this haves" that have plagued thinking people in recent decades are clearly answered. A picture emerges which is totally cohesive. The way that Hitchcock structures his book is very unusual but truly brilliant: he merely states a year, beginning with 740 A.D., and lists pertinent historical events that occurred that year. He offers very little commentary, but his theses are supported all the more powerfully because he doesn't -- the facts speak eloquently, shockingly, clearly for themselves. He brings his chronology all the way up to the year 2005. Yet within this unorthodox structure is a narrative which is exceedingly readable. It's fascinating, gripping even. This is one of the most illuminating and important books I have ever read, and I believe you will ever read. It is a liberating experience; the truth will, indeed, set you free. Thank you, Andrew Carrington Hitchcock; you are owed immense gratitude by us all.

4 out of 5 stars revealing the past to give hope for the future.......2007-05-30

Although the title may scare off some potential readers, (it is taken from Revelations 2:9 and 3:9), this book provides a useful timeline of historical events which detail how the Rothschild family has gained control of the world's economic and political order. Events are described in a neutral tone and sources are named; with detailed footnotes this book could be an even more powerful. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile reading and provides much useful information for sharing with people who want to know more about how they may fit into the 'novus ordo seclorum'.

4 out of 5 stars Detailed, but not complete picture.......2007-05-13

The bulk of this book is composed of a timeline of events in the Rothschild/Zionist/Marxist branch of the world conpiracy. There is a wealth of information compiled here in one volume. For some balance, try Engdahl's "A Century of War". For a more general view in one wolume, try "How the World Really Works".
Houses of Worship: An Identification Guide to the History and Style of American Religious Architecture
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • An outstanding survey of American religious architecture
Houses of Worship: An Identification Guide to the History and Style of American Religious Architecture
Jeffery Howe
Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1571459707

Book Description

A guidebook to the architectural styles of American churches and temples, Houses of Worship is highly illustrated with over 1000 color photographs and explanatory line drawings. A survey of American religious architecture, this book is a history of the development of American religious history, a guidebook to assist in the identification of the style of individual buildings based on historical examples of typical buildings, and a travel guide to regional monuments of interesting architecture.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An outstanding survey of American religious architecture.......2005-01-25

This is an outstanding book, but it doesn't quite live up to its title. You can't use it as an identification guide to the style of American religious structures, unless you had absolutely no knowledge of what, for example, gothic revival is. If that's the case, you're probably not thinking of buying this book. But, that said, it is an excellent survey of the best churches and other religious structures in the country. I've read, I believe, all the similar books and this is clearly the best. Perhaps that means simply that I agree with his choices, but he looks at a more thorough cross-section of such buildings than anyone else has. His architectural insights are not profound, but the photography is excellent and the buildings speak for themselves. When I bought this I thought I was simply keeping my collection complete, but it has filled a gap that I didn't realize I had.
An Encyclopedia of American Synagogue Ritual
Average customer rating: Not rated
    An Encyclopedia of American Synagogue Ritual
    Kerry M. Olitzky
    Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0313308144

    Book Description

    This encyclopedia presents historical accounts of Jewish rituals, the meaning behind their development, and descriptions of how the rituals are practiced among different Jewish communities. Entries discuss how the rituals evolved over time and what they are designed to symbolize. Whether practiced in the personal or public realm, the rituals included in this volume are generally acknowledged as such by the Jewish community, even if they are not practiced by large segments of the community. Comparisons are drawn among rituals as they are practiced by Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox Jews. This volume brings together a wealth of information about the often complicated rituals practiced in Jewish communities throughout North America. Readers desiring to learn more about Jewish rituals will appreciate the mix of historical and practical concerns each entry details. Specific information is readily accessible in the encyclopedic format. Entries are cross-referenced throughout, and each concludes with references for further research. An index is included.
    Fortifications and the Synagogue: The Fortress of Babylon and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, Cairo
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Fortifications and the Synagogue: The Fortress of Babylon and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, Cairo
      Phyllis Lambert
      Manufacturer: Phyllis Lambert In Association With The
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      GeneralGeneral | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0920785662

      Book Description

      The Ben Ezra Synagogue, in Cairo, is best known as the synogogue in which the 'Cairo Geniza' was found--an astonishingly rich store of ancient books, manuscripts, correspondences, and records dating back to the tenth century. Copiously illustrated with plans, engravings, and photographs, Fortifications and the Synagogue describes the recent restoration of this ancient synagogue, as well as the historical and archaeological research essential to its preservation and to an understanding of the religious communities that founded modern Cairo. The work is unprecedented in its comprehensive examination of the subject, presenting the first measured survey and photographic study of the fortress and synagogue, the first thorough study of the Geniza manuscripts, and a complete history of the synagogue from the Geniza period to the present.


      The Lord's Song in a Strange Land: Music and Identity in Contemporary Jewish Worship Book and CD (American Musicspheres)
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Eye-opening and inspiring
      The Lord's Song in a Strange Land: Music and Identity in Contemporary Jewish Worship Book and CD (American Musicspheres)
      Jeffrey A. Summit
      Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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      ASIN: 0195116771

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      Across the United States, Jews come together every week to sing and pray in a wide variety of worship communities. Through this music, made by and for ordinary folk, these worshippers define and re-define their relationship to the continuity of Jewish tradition and the realities of American life. Combining oral history with an analysis of recordings, The Lord's Song in a Strange Land examines this tradition incontemporary Jewish worship and explores the diverse links between the music and both spiritual and cultural identities. Alive with detail, the book focuses on metropolitan Boston and covers the full range of Jewish communities there, from Hasidim to Jewish college students in a transdenominational setting. It documents a remarkably fluid musical tradition, where melodies are often shared, where sources can be as diverse as Sufi chant, Christmas carols, rock and roll, and Israeli popular music, and where the meaning of a song can change from one block to the next. The Lord's Song in a Strange Land is the first volume in Oxford's new American Musicspheres series. Featuring a CD of field recordings for many of the songs discussed, the book will prove an invaluable guide for a wide range of scholars and students of ethnomusicology and religion.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Eye-opening and inspiring.......2000-12-27

      This journey of Jewish song and identity draws the best of both to comprise an inspiring book that is both a good read and a good listen. It will leave the reader singing and praying.
      Doors of Redemption: The Forgotten Synagogues of Chicago
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Trudy loves it
      • Fantastic and Timely
      • A gem of Chicago history is found among the forgotten synagogues.
      Doors of Redemption: The Forgotten Synagogues of Chicago
      Robb Packer
      Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
      Similar Items:
      1. Jewish Chicago: A Pictorial History (IL)  (Images of America) Jewish Chicago: A Pictorial History (IL) (Images of America)
      2. The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel

      ASIN: 1419617230
      Release Date: 2006-02-08

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Trudy loves it.......2006-06-09

      What a treasure!!!
      Our Synagogues and community bulidings are not "lost"--indeed, with this book, we will be enriched with the knowledge & history of those before us. The photographs & stories weave a beautiful tale of Jewish Life in Chicago.
      Trudy Levenstam Cooper

      5 out of 5 stars Fantastic and Timely.......2006-05-06

      This is the history of my great-grandparent's generation and how they built the houses of worship in and around Chicago.

      It is the memories of my grandparent's generation growing up in these neighborhoods.

      These are the places my parents remember fondly over holiday dinner as the places they left but never forgot.

      Mr. Packer has collected the history of these neighborhoods and the photographs of the most cherished buildings that link people to their faith and their community. As these buildings disappear; whether from neglect, fire, or condo conversion, their images and stories have been preserved in this book for my generation and many to come.

      Wonderful!

      5 out of 5 stars A gem of Chicago history is found among the forgotten synagogues........2006-04-25

      First, please note you have the title wrong. It should read
      "Doors of Redemption, The Forgotten Synagogues of Chicago", by Robb Packer.

      Second, I have to add there is no other work on Chicago Jewish comunal buildings that have the sensitvity of this work. By including personal stories that go back nearly 100 years you have added another dimension to a fast disapearing population and with them their fabulous stories.

      Thirdly, this book has opened up the history of Chicago and other large urban cities to a common story and heritage, for what has happened in Chicago has and will happen in other areas and the need to perserve this history is incalcuable.
      The Book Your Church* Doesn't Want You to Read: *(Or Synagogue, Temple, Mosque...)
      Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
      • Third Purchase
      • Book seems unedited.
      • What Might Have Been
      • Great Book and great condition
      • Confronting Blind Faith
      The Book Your Church* Doesn't Want You to Read: *(Or Synagogue, Temple, Mosque...)

      Manufacturer: Cambridge House Press, Inc.
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
      Comparative ReligionComparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
      Similar Items:
      1. The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold
      2. The Dark Side of Christian History The Dark Side of Christian History
      3. The Born Again Skeptic's Guide To The Bible The Born Again Skeptic's Guide To The Bible
      4. The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ? Challenging the Existence of an Historical Jesus The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ? Challenging the Existence of an Historical Jesus
      5. 101 Myths of the Bible: How Ancient Scribes Invented Biblical History 101 Myths of the Bible: How Ancient Scribes Invented Biblical History

      ASIN: 0978721381
      Release Date: 2007-03-30

      Product Description

      An enlightening anthology by world-renowned theologians, historians and researchers that exposes and challenges Misrepresentations and age-old beliefs. With an introducion by ABC Radio Talk Show Host Bill Jenkins.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Third Purchase.......2007-09-19

      This is the third time that I purchased this book - I seem to either give it away to a friend to read or it's borrowewd and not returned. Nevertheless - I still use this book to further my personal studies concerning freethinking and personal growth. I have researched other articles that some of the authors have wrote and found other informations that I found informative. Highly recommended.

      4 out of 5 stars Book seems unedited........2007-08-14

      The information contained in this book is interesting (and useful in debates), but it appears the the book was assembled without the participation of an editor, much less two. There are numerous errors of the type that would be caught by an actual copy editor, but missed by a computer spell checker. Some words are obviously incorrect, though the correct one can be inferred from context. In a large, well-edited book one, maybe two typographical errors might be expected. But there are numerous such errors in this text.

      I rated the book 4 stars for content, but its editors should have expunged their names.

      1 out of 5 stars What Might Have Been.......2007-08-09

      I call this "the book that might have been". I approach the Judeo-Christian tradition, in which I was raised, with respect. By this, I mean that, as a mature, thoughtful adult, I want to assess and understand both its strengths and its limitations. When I read a book like this one, I hope to be illuminated. Ah, blasted hope!

      This is the second edition of the book. According to its editors, a "few mistakes have been corrected." Unfortunately, many more, often irritating mistakes have been overlooked. For example, Mohammad's dates are given as 570-632 B.C.E., rather than C.E. (p.75). God supposedly approaches Mohammed in 610 B.C.E., rather than C.E. (p.78). The Assassins are active circa 1092 B.C.E., rather than C.E. (p.83). Or, for example, "Flood" is spelled, variously, "Hood" (p.135), and "Rood" (p.138). These may seem trivial, but anyone who purports to represent the contrarian view had better employ the "Caesar's wife" standard of editing. Anything less undercuts the claim to be taken seriously.

      More substantively, the book is a mixed bag of screeds and rants, interspersed with bright spots. Let me take one of the better instances of the former.

      A purported "Bible scholar" quotes somebody's translation of John 7:37-38 (p.132), the "living water" analogy, claims that the intended citation to the Old Testament is: "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water", and then claims that no such statement is found in the Old Testament. The purpose of the quote is to undercut the commonly-held Christian belief in prophecy-fulfillment as a lynchpin of faith. The claim, though true, is tendentious and, therefore, irrelevant.

      The point of the passage in John is to bring the "living water" analogy into the context of Jesus as the source of human salvation. This image is found in four places in the Old Testament: Song of Solomon 4:15, Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13, and Zechariah 14:8. The author of the purported refutation fails to see that, in John, the placement of the phrase "as the Scripture has said" is a redactor's or translator's choice. The sentence could as easily have been: "Out of his heart will flow, as the Scriptures have said, rivers of living water." By the way, the full image in Jeremiah is "fountain of living waters", a reference to God.

      So, it is worthless, at least in this case, to quote a passage from the New Testament, read into it a prophecy without critical analysis of the text, and then show that no such prophecy exists in the Old Testament, all in an effort to refute the belief in prophecy-fulfillment. Even the fundamentalist claim, that the Bible is the literal word of God, has more bite than this sort of method affects. Any numbskull can see that the Bible is a composite of texts, including different versions of the same story, with contradictions and inconsistencies to be expected. But pointing this out does not refute either the literalist claim, or the more generalized belief. The answer to the type of attack described above is that the word of God, like the "fountain of living waters", runs clear and pure under the text, and that it is the duty of scholars, ministers, and serious students to dig down to where the waters are.

      The book pretty much goes downhill from here. The brightest spot is the article by Gerald Larue, "Locating Jesus in Time, Space and Archaeology." It stands out in high relief, both on its own merits, and by contrast with other articles, as an example of what biblical scholarship should be. It is too bad that this was not the editorial lodestar for the rest of the book.

      5 out of 5 stars Great Book and great condition.......2007-03-09

      What an unbelievable book. this what I read in different books and other places. it put somethings together for me

      5 out of 5 stars Confronting Blind Faith.......2006-11-20

      This book is not for the faint of heart, religiously speaking. This is not a book for those who are reluctant to read with an open mind. It is not a book for those who do not want to challenge their own beliefs and religious viewpoints. It is, however, a book for those who want and need to understand the reality of religious teachings. It is a book for those who are not afraid to consider freethought, that is, reaching conclusions based on evidence and common sense, rather than dogma.
      That being said, this book is a mindblower. It is a collection of essays by world renowned historians, researchers and theologians, who present the reader with a truck load of propositions against the existence of God.
      Such propositions are enough to set off uncontrollable anger because most people have been taught to believe in some form of God, despite any hard evidence. Our religious beliefs are based on Bible stories, myth and dogma, not on scientific evidence.
      This book is a hard hitting, sometimes disturbing, yet logical and scientific presentation of facts against the existence of a God. It is organized into sections on specific topics, such as the Origins of Religion, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Bible, Jesus, and Doctrine, to name a few.
      The intent of the book is to show the reader the obvious, and compelling weak points of religious doctrine and dogma.
      Consider the fact that Christians around the world celebrate Christmas on Dec 25th, the date they believe is the birth date of Jesus Christ. In reality, this date was the Roman celebration of the winter solstice. There is no evidence that Christ was born on this date, or even close to it. Along with this, St. Francis of Assisi is credited with the creation of the first Nativity scene in 1223. He invented this scene as a teaching tool. In other words, the Nativity scene is not based on fact, but is simply a human invention to illustrate a point of view.
      The above is a mild example of what the reader will find in this book. Most of the examples are far more provocative. Take, for instance, the fact that Jesus Christ was not the only Messiah to live on earth. There are about fifty-one such Messiahs who were all born of virgins, came to earth to save mankind, were crucified and then rose from the dead. The Egyptian God, Horus, lived on earth and said and did all the things that Jesus said and did. The life of Horus, however, was recorded 1000 years before the birth of Christ.
      This book is a tough read in the sense that it challenges the reader to think for himself. It forces the reader to look at facts long repressed by religious leaders. It encourages the reader to consider scientific facts that fly in the face of blind faith. Myths, half truths and convoluted dogma are tossed out the window in this provocative book.
      The reader may go away from this book without any major change in personal beliefs. Religious beliefs, after all, are deeply ingrained. But at the very least, the reader will be encouraged to think and reason, even if only for the length of time it takes to read this book. That alone, is no small matter.

      Books:

      1. Geo-Metrics III: The Application of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Techniques (Using the Customary Inch Systems)
      2. Graphic Design Solutions, Third Edition
      3. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      4. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      5. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      6. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      7. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      8. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      9. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
      10. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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