Rating: 
Summary: Impressed so far
Review: As far as I've read, this is well written, well-paced, and encouragingly insightful. I have only finished 20 of 28 chapters, but have gone far enough to believe that the Booklist editorial writer has either never received a formal education, or uses terminology whose meanings he or she is unfamiliar with. Pantheism has two main definitions, one being that of nature/the universe as the sole representational entity of God, and the second essentially being belief in -all- Gods. Walsch is hardly a presence to begin with(An enjoyable change) beyond leading in concepts for his counterparts, so there's no point in egging him. If he -were- he couldn't be labeled in the aforementioned manner, because he proclaims himself a monotheist, while the book itself is based on a solitary supreme being that simply gets perceived in many forms across the globe. In addition, anyone who derives the idea "organized religions are all bad" has apparently not opened the book, or didn't care to read for comprehension. The entire focus --and I mean ENTIRE-- is restructuring our beliefs to suit us in ways more conducive to lives we say we want to live. One area the book attributes our existing behaviors to is -some- organized religions teaching exclusivity/intolerance of other faiths, but it never judges, in fact making a strong effort to show a clear distinction between judgement and observation. I've not even finished and there's no way to -distort- what's being said to that interpretation. Finally, there is no talk of abolishment of existing paradigms, but rather an opening of them to incorporate fresh thoughts and philosophical perspectives that adapt them to modern times. The book's stand is that were we to do this, if -that- was "what was so", such a change could be more effective than our current efforts as they pertain to a brighter future. Booklink is misrepresenting this title and the integrity of whatever points of view are being professed in writing should be accurately portrayed.
Fans of the series will be happy that while some material is rehashed, it's done to build momentum alongside new ideas and create a more presentable focused concept. Also, in my personal opinion, the test of reading the two speakers' words and pretending they belong to the other doesn't work as well as it did previously; the separation is written strongly enough that the conversation idea is more digestible, and the credibility of an unfiltered imagination at the helm isn't a question anymore. I've read most of the series and this is the most down-to-earth, straightforward, intellectual God that's been presented thus far. I see that as an effective medium and hope it keeps up. Thank you for your time.
Rating:
Summary: Revelation 'Change Self'
Review: Books of Neale Donald Neale Walsch is based on spirituality and practical applications in every day. I happened to read his interview in a mag and read his first book Conversations with God Book I which was translated in 27 languages. In this Book 'The New Revelations' Neale Walsch reveals that God has given humanity nine new revelations to help change the present beliefs about God and Life. He says 'Do not seek first to change the world but change 'self' and in doing so, you must first decide some important things about yourself, come to new conclusions within and about who you are, about God and about Life and live on those Decisions.' This inner process changes world around you and because we change, people too change around us and Change itself is an act of freedom. The author focus attention that Group action is required now in the changing global crisis and advises how we can not only avoid despair but also help to repair the world. It is not time to follow individual master but master collective consiousness individually. Then work collectively to awaken the collective called 'Humanity'. The author says that the whole world is now linked and entire planet is connected. The rapid advanced technology is threatening to destroy humanity and also which can save it. Whatever the beliefs but the change in self would undoubtedly change the world around and make one work for a humanitarian cause with the perspectives and good thoughts. A great author Neale Donald Walsch and good thoughts. Nice Pick.
Rating: 
Summary: incredible, subversive, historic
Review: Don't let the pastel-colored cover fool you. This is probably one of the more subversive publishing events of the last century. If you're willing to accept the premise of the series -- that the author is channeling the voice of God and transcribing the conversation -- then you'll appreciate the significance of the fact that the premise of this book is that organized religion is the source of almost all the world's problems.I've read the entire Conversations series, and found all the books to be moving, fresh and thought-provoking. This one is unique in its decisive and specific relevance to current events, and I mean very current events, i.e. the war in Iraq, the Israel-Palestine conflict, American tension between the liberal left and the religious right, questions about abortion, the rights of women, etc., etc. What is consistent with the other books is the incredible wisdom, compassion, good humor and pure love that glow on the pages, even while delivering such a controversial message. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Not just more of the same
Review: I cannot believe someone would put "God" on the title of this book. It presents New Age ideas and promotes relativism, which is a self-defeating concept. The words in this book are not of God, but of Satan. The evil one is very deceptive in making you think that you're "ok". Jesus is the true God and His Word is truth, no matter how harsh it may be to some. He is the definition of Love to all us. Beware of this garbage! Know the true God in the Bible!
Rating:
Summary: A most comprehensive guide to Peace on the Planet
Review: I have read and enjoyed all of Neale Donald Walsh's "With God" books. I keep them by my bedside for nightly reading and meditation. The New Revelations is a very specific guide to what "God" is telling us, as humans, to permit ourselves - to change some of our beliefs and adopt a new Spirituality. The book includes the Five Steps to Peace. I felt an intrinsic knowing when I read these Five Steps. The book is somewhat repetitive in places, but this is deliberate and a good reminder of the previous books, although it is meant to - and does - stand on its own. This book is for anyone who has the courage to examine their inner truth and knowing and a call to action for those who are so inspired.
Rating:
Summary: New revelations that give a real hope for Man.
Review: I was extremely happy and relieved to read the valuable viewpoints Neale delivers in this book. We need a real and workable spiritual solution to our worldwide problems, and this, to my surprise, actually delivers one!
Of course those who are stultified and fossilized in parroted and unworkable beliefs will rant and rave against it (as they have in these reviews)but they are just stopping themselves from getting happier faster. Their anger is a mirror of their fear of inspecting their own beliefs. They are petrified of being wrong. This book is a gem. Neale cares greatly for the Human condition and his unbending intention to improve things is admirable.
I think it was "gutsy" in the extreme for him to come out with the "Conversations With God" series in the first place. Those books are at the top of my list for recommended reading as my own experience with coming closer and closer to God while reading them was inspiring and comforting to a degree I cannot even express. It has changed my life for the better to read these books.
Bravo Neale, and happy reading and application to all those who buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Check the Good Book
Review: I would not put my faith in what man says about God, how we are to move foward into the future when it comes to religion, how we view God.
The Bible not only offers instruction on what God expects of us, but on events that will occur in our lifetime to watch out for. It's the best guide in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: challenge yourself
Review: It's been several years since I've read the CWG series including Books 1-3, Friendship W/God, and Communion w/God, and reading those can be both interesting and frustrating at times. I don't necessarily agree with everything that has been said in those books, but this one is different. The primary focus this time around is organized religion. This is a must-read for people of ALL backgrounds, and to me, the premise (that these words are coming more or less directly from "God") is basically irrelevant. The message, however, is everything. Every message or truth in the world of relativity and perception must always come through a human filter. Because of this, the details and format of these messages will vary, but the Truth remains timeless and unchanged, and that's what this book represents. As an honest, informal critique of religous, spiritual, and sociopolitical issues, it's logical, practical, and catchy all at the same time w/less punning and play on words than in previous books of the series. While it is characteristically repetitive and Walsch clearly brings up issues that he doesn't side with in order to provide a more well-rounded argument, this helps to drive the point home, which is to say that our collective, worldwide society should examine and question its religious beliefs and values more carefully and modify or discard some of these old beliefs because they're simply not working. This book presents a challenge to its readers; it calls for a paradigm shift in not only how we think of God but how we think of religion in general. Personally, I couldn't agree more. It is also appropriately preceeded by a quote from one of the greatest (and my favorite) transcendentalist thinkers of our time, Emerson, but don't let the obvious New Age categorization deceive you. The ideas in this book are truly worth considering.
Rating:
Summary: A Bright Reflection
Review: Metaphysics, 9/04/04
(wferg@sbcglobal.net)
RESPONSE: THE NEW REV. - WALSH, A BRIGHT REFLECTION
In this writing, Walsh offers a grand vision to better the attitude of the world and our lives, to solve our problems, and presents helpful ideas on how people can do this. Overall there exists far too many exceptionally good points about human belief about God and our existence to adequately here mention in this response- obviously, I can only outline my personal overview. According to Walsch, many are mistaken; God does not want our worship, obedience, or service (contradicting everything I ever learned in Sunday school!). He sees the world's purpose as providing "a contextual field within which you may achieve an awareness of your own divinity (85) ". As far as what or who God truly is, according to Walsch, "God" and "Life" are simply different names for the same energy. "Life is God, physicalized", just as our brain is actually the mind, physicalized. And this unseen, universal energy- to Walsch- comprises everything: is within us, and is us- there is only one energy force that is "an intrinsic and intimate part" of every one of us , meaning- in practical terms- that whatever is good for another is good for you, or bad, or harmful, and so on...(which, if everyone believed this there would be no problems, because Why would we want to hurt ourselves?). Walsch presents this reality as being all One- "One with God and One with each other". One of the most important teachings Walsch presents: All behaviors are created by belief (just as the entirety of our thought is based upon what we believe to be true). False belief. Walsch presents "Five Fallacies About God" that "create crisis, violence, killing, and war", which I do not necessarily accept as divine Truth "sent down from above", but these fallacies I do find to be outstandingly valid, and wish that everyone took this to heart. Some of this book accompanies mention of the radical Muslims, living in the Middle East, who have declared war on Western civilization, declaring "death to America" and "death to Israel"- among other specified enemies. These false beliefs of these radical Muslims about this Life and about God are directly the cause of their evil intentions, and Walsch explains this human belief very well. The cause of all of our problems of the world are rooted in our beliefs- (our mental acceptance of thoughts)- our false beliefs about this world and about other people. This is true, no matter what you believe. Walsch explains that humans have "stitched together in our world a complex interweaving of spiritual, philosophical, political, and economic concepts that pretty much govern our collective experience(214)", and that these are based upon our beliefs, and mental constructions- "ideas about 'how things are"- such as our concept of morality (based upon our beliefs) and when these are false, what are we doing? Our most damaging behaviors are based upon these mental constructions, Walsch writes, which are based upon our beliefs- making them what to change if humans want to solve our problems we attribute to the incorrect causes. Mental Constructions. He explains the reasoning behind, for example, the violence in the Middle East; that people are being killed over belief of the way "things should be"; mental constructions called morals not-shifting (for thousands of years!) This is a problem! Walsch makes good point, after insightful explanation, after valuable analysis- about this God I think I have partially known my entire life- minus all the unwelcome, "scary" aspects. Walsch offers an improved concept that is comfortable for me to nurse within my knowing, which generates my skepticism- what I think I wish to be true, but is what I do now not honestly expect is likely. But, and however, this "higher Truth" I do not concretely know. And seek to, but, really: Who am I? Who are we? Who is every single person?
Personally, I interpret & accept Walsch's point of view as exceptionally insightful and essentially good and very, very well thought-through. Since this author's also written about 20 other books founded upon the same "divine communion" with God, he apparently has a lot to say about the world and the seemingly meaningful things that "God" is saying to us, which do seem quite good. Walsch is not "off his rocker", for he seems- to me- to be a completely logical mind with a sound, confident point-of-view, although, does bravely wear such a testimony he knows is to always attract many skeptics, yet many devout supporters of these beliefs, of course. Because Walsch portrays such an optimistic picture for "God's Overall Plan" of our human existence, to accept his non-demonizing "purpose of the world", what, and who this popularly conceived God of his truly does exist, an uneasy skeptic- I think- would conclude that a reader of such a book is only intentionally accomplishing the satisfaction of their own mind- easing their worries, icing their issues. I do not see it as this, but as just another man's view on this highly elaborate and complex, confusing world in which we live. I am surely far from any satisfying level of understanding, and will dive towards any more understanding that I can get. The world's purpose that Walsch presents, that we are all out to "achieve our own divinity", to me- makes a lot of sense, because I honestly do see "God" within each of us, within our every flicker of thought and action and movement, I see "God" in all moments of our being, every comprehension of our minds evolution, progressively slow- so minute that we do not even notice. I'm just not positive of what this means; for myself, for human beings; I search. The comprehensive canvas that Walsch paints is attractive, but yes, makes this great logical sense notable. Personally, I am in the process of the intellectual motion, partway through completion of "knowing God" or "knowing myself", which can basically be acknowledged as the same thing. Walsch's insight concerning human "False Beliefs" is what I maybe consider the most outstandingly impressive components of this book, although there are many. The in-depth reasoning he provides for all of human beings "being"- that all our behaviors are created by beliefs- which provides the foundation of our very frame of thought. Yet, all of our beliefs by a multitude of other various factors of the the lives we lead- making the origin of ALL human problems tracing back to our beliefs- (what we think is confirmed to be true)- yet when magnified to the cause of the main cause, existing in our minds (our beliefs), this analysis of our own reasoning seems to become a bit more complex, which I am still in the fortunate process of understanding. To conclude this response of Neale Donald Walsch's "The New Revelations, A Conversation with God", I re-iterate my impressive reaction to a book of greatly good ideas by a man I had previously not even known of- but, then again, I am reminded everyday how little it is I know (relatively speaking) about everything in this world and enormous universe, as a tiny, finite human being. Constantly boggling my feeble mind on how there can realistically even exist a God, a Great Reason for us and all of this. Still, when myself and my individual opportunity is compared with the terrible injustice and misery and ugliness of this world at-large- both right now and through-out history- realistically it seems as if the explanation is far too overwhelming for the human mind to handle. Yet, I crave to know. So what am I to do but do the best I know I can, with what it is that I now exist?
Rating:
Summary: A clear and vital charge from God
Review: Neale has delivered a message that not only defines the problems caused by over-zealous nationalism and organized religion, but he explains the roots of the beliefs that make people feel better than one another. Because God fearing religion breeds an " we know how to please God better than you do" atitude humans have used the words of their "scriptures" to justify hate, retribution, and war. Listening to the quotes from many of the worlds great books of spiritual law exposed to me how ubiquitous these misguided messages are accross all cultures and what a huge challenge the charge to" change beliefs to change the world" is going to be. The book, as all of the CWG series has, inspired me to show the world to themselves, one person at a time, so that they may see themselves as they have been, a faithful part of the cause of world turmoil, rather than a source of peace, acceptance, and oneness. Read it, discuss it, and be it. Give it to the most obstinent bible-beater or nationalist you know and ask them to defend their philosophy of " our way or no way" after reading this book. Thank you NDW, for another inspiring conversation with God.
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