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With Or Without God: Why The Way We Live Is More Important Than What We Believe (2014)

by Gretta Vosper(Favorite Author)

3.48 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0062294857 (ISBN13: 9780062294852)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

HarperCollins (UK)

review 1: I am reading this for a second time. Such a profound book, especially when you consider it is written by a Minister in the United Church of Canada. Fascinating and honest look at why churchs have empty pews and why it does not mean the end of good or rise of evil. This will be a hard read for some as she questions our idea of God and sees god as a collective spirit in us all. She avocates praying for our plant, our race, our souls and not praying for God to handle or give us our answers. I like and believe in the idea of humans taking responsibility for our own souls, planet, fellow man instead of sending word out to someone else to do it for us.
review 2: I was curious to read this book by a United Church minister. It was interesting and I agree with some of h... moreer views, but she goes too far. She has gone further than liberal Christianity.I agree the Bible is a man written piece a literature. She wants to throw it out. Metaphors are not to be trusted, she says. They can be interpreted in too many different ways. We are better to take the good things from it like love, compassion, hope, etc. and throw it away. It's not of any value for these modern times. I agree there's a lot of crap in the Bible, like stories of God telling people to kill every man, woman, and child in a settlement. These are ancient people trying to justify their atrosities. I think the Bible needs to be interpreted better by clergy to their congregations, not thrown away. Adam and Eve, Noah's ark, the whole Jesus story has a lot of valuable metaphors that will always be true. And like any good literature, it is open ti individual intrepretation. And their will always be fanatics. Throw away the Bible, Quran, and they will find something else to be fanatic about.She also throws out God. She not only doesn't like the paternal connotation of the word God, she doesn't like alternative name like the Divine or the Ground of all Being. She says God is unknowable and he, she, it, or that doesn't answer prayers and therefore what's to praise. She advocates praying for humanity to love and for compassion, etc. Praying to that spirit, god (with no capitalization) within us. Well I choose to believe in a God--whatever God is--a spirit, a dimension, and maybe a diety--who knows? My own personal experience found a presence that goes beyond coincidence and I'l live my life with that hope. So very interesting book. I understand and respect her opinion, but I'll stick with my Liberal open interpretation of Christianity and not go this far....at least for now.So very interesting book less

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