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Rating: 
Summary: Simplistic, if clear
Review: I do not give out five stars easily, but I would say that this could be the most important book a Christian, or anyone who thinks they are a Christian, can read today. I say this as a former zealously liberal secular humanist, who was deeply comitted to the viewpoints accurately documented in this volumn. In a clear and concise manner, Mr. Noebel summarizes the viewpoints and value systems of the four most prevalent world views available to humans today: Secular Humanism, Marxism/Leninism, Cosmic Humanism, and Biblical Christianity. Most impressive to me is that he does this largely by using the very words of the major proponents of these worldviews. This book would be worth the cover price just for the amazing collection of quotes from these major opponents of the Christian world view! The case they make against themselves is devastating. This book is apparently an abridgement of the book "Understanding The Times," but it is also significantly updated to include a full treatment of the newly evolving world view of Cosmic Humanism, otherwise known as the New Age Movement. Of the two books, I would recommend starting with this one. You can rest assured that this book will be positively trashed by anyone holding religeously to a secular humanist viewpoint (see the reviews of other books by this author). I would encourage anyone else, however, to challenge themselves with the question: "How do I view this world, what is the source of this view, and does it make sense?" I especially challenge other Christians to educate themselves on the competing views that are out there. You may be amazed at how some of these views may have shaped even your own thinking. Identifying the sources of these ideas and understanding the world views from which they originate could be invaluable for the edification of your own biblical perception of our world, and the forces that are acting upon it.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely vital reading for Christians
Review: I do not give out five stars easily, but I would say that this could be the most important book a Christian, or anyone who thinks they are a Christian, can read today. I say this as a former zealously liberal secular humanist, who was deeply comitted to the viewpoints accurately documented in this volumn. In a clear and concise manner, Mr. Noebel summarizes the viewpoints and value systems of the four most prevalent world views available to humans today: Secular Humanism, Marxism/Leninism, Cosmic Humanism, and Biblical Christianity. Most impressive to me is that he does this largely by using the very words of the major proponents of these worldviews. This book would be worth the cover price just for the amazing collection of quotes from these major opponents of the Christian world view! The case they make against themselves is devastating. This book is apparently an abridgement of the book "Understanding The Times," but it is also significantly updated to include a full treatment of the newly evolving world view of Cosmic Humanism, otherwise known as the New Age Movement. Of the two books, I would recommend starting with this one. You can rest assured that this book will be positively trashed by anyone holding religeously to a secular humanist viewpoint (see the reviews of other books by this author). I would encourage anyone else, however, to challenge themselves with the question: "How do I view this world, what is the source of this view, and does it make sense?" I especially challenge other Christians to educate themselves on the competing views that are out there. You may be amazed at how some of these views may have shaped even your own thinking. Identifying the sources of these ideas and understanding the world views from which they originate could be invaluable for the edification of your own biblical perception of our world, and the forces that are acting upon it.
Rating:
Summary: A Simple Warning about the Font
Review: I'm giving this book two stars for three reasons. Number one, the font is terrible in this paperback printing. In fact, it may be the worst print I have ever seen in a book. Two, readers who are well read in the subjects of politics and religion will more than likely have read books that provided a much more thorough understanding of worldviews from a biblical perspective. I possibly could recommend the book for beginning students if it were easier to read. Three, I enjoy purchasing good books, but sometimes I'm disappointed. I certainly was in this case.
Rating:
Summary: Simplistic, if clear
Review: Veteran preacher David Noebel, best known for his anti-rock music crusades of the 1960s, shows to those who believe him that he has not in any way given up his commitment to a traditionalist Christian worldview. Although it is fair to say that he has matured considerably with respect to the way in which he treats important issues such as Marxism, there is no doubt that this book is heavily flawed in the way in which it links Marxism and Stalinism - despite the thetoric which Noebel is so fond of quoting, there can be no way in which one can say that Stalin, Mao or Khrushchev have anything to do with Marxism. Moreover, why does Noebel fail to discuss fascism or secular nationalism in this context: these ideologies certainly have more influence in many circles than genuine Marxism?? The same is true with "Cosmic Humanism": whilst it is in many ways highly refreshing to see this worldview, adhered to today by a great many religious organisations, attacked with such clarity for failing to adhere in any way to traditional Christianity, Noebel does not look at where its adherents at the very least claim to draw their inspiration from: he sees "Cosmic Humanism" as perhaps rather more modern in origin that it actually is. In this process, he is far too Western-centred to really see that today the only concerted opposition to secular humanism comes from Islam and the Persian Gulf, or that the most extreme form of secular humanism threaten the very future of the West as we know it. However, the very fact that, perhaps contrary to what most students and similar people believe, secular humanism really is not compatible with traditional Western culture and the values of Christianity is shown more effectively in this book than any place before. Noebel is, with the wisdom of age, able to show how biblical Christianity is different in many clear ways from humanistic worldviews in a way that could easily be read by the most inexperienced reader on the subject. This makes the book of considerable use for those who wish to understand why the religious right want to complain about today's society. Biased, one-sided, but showing an author's long-term commitment to a different society with remarkable clarity.
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