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Summary: It's simple really
Review: If you are an open minded person and try not to let your conditioning cloud your thoughts then you will be greatly pleased you read this book. If you are deeply analytical, or very religious, then you will have great difficulty here. The churches will absolutely loathe it, for it instantly shatters their world which so many millions believe is the truth. It must be unthinkable and blasphemy for them that the true prophet could converse to the masses through a lowly person such as the author of this book. For heavens sake, only god fearing men and women who preach in richly ornate churches, and belong to religions that for centuries have been corrupt can truly preach the word of god. It really is so simple, yet most of us will denounce this book, because if we don't, we will probably go to hell and sit forever polishing the shoes of a guy holding a pitch fork and has horns sticking out of his head, while we sweat profusely........shudder shudder.
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Summary: How much is of this is God, how much is Walsch's?
Review: CWG Book 1 is an awfully enigmatic book for me if for no other reason than it started me on a journey of questioning which is still ongoing even now after I've come into Catholicism. I've read a fair share of books claiming to be from God from many different perspectives and faith traditions. How do you decide what comes from God and what is coming from human beings?One of the things that I've learned from CWG is the importance of personal experience in finding truth, and this plays an important role in deciding what is from God and what isn't (this teaching is not exclusive to CWG and in fact it seems to be one of the most obvious truths there is). In understanding fully what counts as truth in personal experience, one has to be very careful about jumping to conclusions, especially in complex matters which require lots of background learning. For instance, it would be a mistake for someone to claim that the theory of evolution is false because I don't see anything evolving this minute. Also, it would be awfully premature to claim that God does not exist because I looked out the window on my space capsule and didn't see his throne hovering around in outer space (i.e. the early Russian cosmonauts argued this)So, I applied the personal experience test to CWG. To me, the very beginning of the book has the clearest mark of the divine on it as far as content goes. God's exhortation on why the universe was created at all is very intriguing, and I think is very compatible with many Christian beliefs. Also, God's explanation of why God is a Trinity is extremely thought-provoking and should settle well with all but the most hardened fundamentalists. These two things plus some scattered phrases near the beginning I think might be entirely authentic. However, there are many places that seem to be to in greater or lesser degree human in origin. In particular, the whole thing on why earthquakes and hurricanes happen is laughable. I used to be intrigued by the idea, but now the mere thought that in some Jungian collective consciousness way we alone are responsible for the natural disasters occuring is pure, unadulterated nonsense. This view stands in conflict with my experience of God. God also seems to be a post-modernist philosopher at times especially when dealing with morality. While I understand the aversion to absolutist modes of moral theory, the idea that good and evil do not objectively exist flies in the face of my experience of God and also does not seem to work metaphysically. Morality can be an awfully complex thing, but it is not totally confined to the realm of subjectivity. What is the conclusion of all of this? Well, CWG is an awfully interesting book which seems to be, at least in my mind, over 60% authentic in terms of material coming from God. However, how can you explain the other 40%? Remember that this 'conversation' is really dictation:Walsch claimed to be writing and then 'suddenly the pen started moving' and before he knew it God was 'writing back answers.' Dictation is not a booming voice from the sky or an incarnate Deity walking around on earth. Dictation involves a messenger, a filter for the message. And depending on the disposition of the filterer, certain things may be added to the message or left out. Considering then Walsch's past (seems to be a fallen away Catholic, divorced twice, worried about jobs and finances), it does not seem strange that some things in this book are not from God yet others are. The moral of the story is this: God can talk to anyone, but for any of us to 'hear what God has to say' in personal experience best, we must clear ourselves of the filtering and truly open ourselves up to what God has to say.
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Summary: I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of The Living God
Review: ...and in my faith which I have studied the bible - at length, I have found one recurring theme. God is Love. Sadly, there are many that never experience true love, usually because of their own devices (control freaks, abusers, liars, cheaters, the list goes on) - I judge only to speak of those who would experience love. God knows that I myself have been many of these things in past years. I was raised to be a Christian, and I weathered many storms, sheltered by my faith. I was never a religious type, to say that I was in church every Sunday, or even that I tried to do as I was asked, however, I did believe, and I did with due diligence study my faith and what it was that I was raised to believe. That is how I survived a life less perfect than the one others would have chosen for me. I believe in my soul that God loves us, and had people experienced pure love (even as described in 1Co 13), as I have, they would surely know that God has no need to harm any of us - least of all to punish us for all eternity. It is written: love is not easily angered, love keeps no record of wrongs. If God IS Love, what do we have to fear?
If you believe that Jesus Christ died so that your sins would be forgiven, then they are, yet still you believe that you should feel bad about them. If you feel bad about what you have done, what was the point of being forgiven? I believe that if Jesus Christ himself read this book, he would find truth in it. If you read, truly ready to have the answers you have sought, you will find them.
I came upon this book through prayer. I prayed in earnest to God "What was the purpose for my creation?", the next day I met someone who gave me this book. At that point I was as Christian as any who call themselves one, and this was the answer to my prayer. If you can dismiss this, you are not the believer that you think you are.
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Summary: Accountability?
Review: I have read all of the "Conversation" books now, and I love them all. I definitely believe God inspired many things through Neale. However, there is one major area that I have my doubts about, and that is the lack of accountability for our actions on earth, and God's statements that he has no preference for what we do or don't do here. I have just finished reading "Journey of Souls" by Michael Newton, which is equally as thought provoking as the "Conversation" books, and they seem to dispute this completely. Journey of Souls is written by a psychologist who hypnotized people back into past lives and also had them relive their experiences in "heaven" between lives. They all reported the same thing. Souls are imperfect. Our lives spent over and over on earth are to do good and to learn and to strive for perfection. Accountability for one life comes in the next incarnation on earth and is a mutual agreement between soul and "Spirit guide" or "teacher." I would recommend reading this book before completely dismissing the idea of "Accountability" as Neale puts forth in his books, as the consequences can be disastrous if we truly believe there is nothing we need to do. Conversations With God has definitely been a major impact on the way I think about God, but so has "Journey of Souls" impacted the way I think about myself and what I am doing here. I think we are definitely "responsible" for what we do here.
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Summary: Nice one
Review: Well done Walschy, for bringing theism up to date. Walsch is one of the big guns on the spiritual circuit. Walsch isn't quite up to speed with the Big Gun, JC the Righteous Dude, so still room for growth and new insights.
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Summary: I Am That: Talks With Sri Nisargadatta
Review: If you liked books by Neale Donald Walsch, then read this. I Am That: Talks With Sri Nisargadatta
ISBN# 0893860220
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Summary: Conversations with God is book for you if you are open
Review: This book is perfect for those who are open minded and don't come to books(and life in general) with the attitude that you already have all the answers. Most people who swear by the bible haven't even read that much of it. Why? because society has ingrained and brainwashed and created their belief systems and then anything that contradicts their paradigm of the way the world is must be wrong and blasphemy. This book is highly logical, very fair, many of the ideas are sound, interesting and make sense if thought about carefully. Many of the words don't just resonate as being true in the logical mind but in my soul. It covers deep topics with simple words that explain quite effectively the concepts. A combination most readers want. It emphasises love over judgement and punishment which I believe God should be about. If I were God would I set up a system by which it would be possible for my beloved children and created beings to suffer eternally? Would I not give them free will and in addition when they make mistakes always be forgiving and loving? Would I not make all my creations perfect? A perfect being cannot do imperfect things otherwise it would not be perfect. These concepts are covered in this book and the other two books in the trilogy. I am not saying to accept everything Neale says as literal truth(nor does Neale actually), all I am saying is to think about the teachings and concepts in the book and even put them in to practise to see whether they work or not. Whether this book comes from God or not it is profound and interesting if you are a deep thinker, open-minded.
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Summary: Interesting read
Review: At first, it's somewhat difficult to NOT be skeptical about the book. Who actually talks to GOD directly? But after reading the book, I do believe that GOD (or whatever you call it) does speak to us in many ways, but we very often choose not to listen. There are many things that this book inspires me to think and do. What excites me the most is that I can relate very well. There are many things covered in the book that I have felt all my life. Although I have been a believer since very young, I never really bought the teachings of modern day Christianity (I'm not familiar with the other religions). I had a lot of trouble with the idea of a "hateful GOD" or Heaven and Hell, etc. I've always thought that those were made up by humans. Why would GOD care personally if you've been a good boy or a bad boy? I also totally buy the idea that we're here to experience and to create. We all ask the question, why are we here? What's the purpose of life? I think to experience, to create, and to love is good enough purpose for me. Good book. Thought provoking. Even life changing.
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Summary: Best book I've read in ages...
Review: Honestly, I'm only half-way through the book (its only taken me a good 2 days to read that lazily, it's that easy of a read). I came on here NOW to tell you how impactful this book has been. Even if you do not believe the fact that Neale Donald Walsch did, in fact, have communication with God, himself, you will take from this book an almost surreal, and quite easy to understand vision of what we are here for. The text is easy enough for a 12 year old to read, but it will require much deeper thought than you have quite possibly ever had to put into reading a book EVER before. Before I read this book, I was, and still am in fact, a very strongly based Christian man, but after reading this book, I found that my ideas and thoughts may have lead me to other possibilites within the Christian realm, such as Gnosticism. Do not be alarmed because of what I say, you need to read this book for yourself RIGHT NOW. I AM NOT KIDDING.
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Summary: An Invitation
Review: CWG 1 is a book that has helped millions to consciously begin or stay on their path to reconnect with the Divine that they are. The three main religions in their own ways deny that. These belief's are the causes of every human trauma. They in their beliefs tell us that God is separate from us. We are not worthy to Know God until and unless we follow and adhere to their dogmas. Such religions will grow in these times of more fear.
Fear is spawned from not Knowing, of feeling separate and not connected with the shared experience of being human. Our potentials as a collective experience is not understood,
This book looks at why we do that and what are the results. It explores the psychology of that from a spiritual perspective. For many it is an affirmation of hidden beliefs.
Everyone can relate to this first book in some way. Neales later books have in many cases distracted many from his original Intent. This being that everyone, if they Listen, can and will have a conversation with God.
If anyone who reads this is so inclined please contact me at moreconnections@highstream.net
Michael
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