Should I read it?

Ihsomiet · Nov 25, 2016

There's this book I'm interested in reading called The Gifts of Imperfection by Brenè Brown. I've been asking God for several months now on whether or not I should read it as it is a secular book, but I have yet to receive an answer. His angels have yet to reach me on this as they are currently fighting my demons. (Daniel 10:12-14)
My lack of understanding on spiritual warfare prevents me from lending a hand... That's a whole different prayer for understanding.

Point being, I could use some intercession.

crmvet · Nov 25, 2016

Proverbs 3:5-6

tourist · Nov 25, 2016

Go ahead and read it. Most books in the world are secular. You seem to have a spiritually mature way of thought and you should be OK.

resurrection33 · Nov 25, 2016

Ihsomiet said:

The first book I'd read would be the Bible, cover to cover. That helps to ground us. I don't know anything about the book you are considering reading, so I can't help you with that.

Willie-T · Nov 25, 2016

Do you remember when Paul was speaking to the pagan people at the Acropolis in Athens? He spoke about, and probably quoted, their heathen poets.

How do you suppose he had any idea what those Greek poets said IF he had not read their works.

Many of the Church Fathers critiqued a vast array of pagan literature. They wrote books about doing so. Do you think it would have been possible for them to do that if they had not read that literature?

The Bible is full of things like that.

Willie-T · Nov 25, 2016

To point out some of the extremes you may be trying to follow, I offer this concerning the artist of the Avatar you are using: (Don't know, for sure, who wrote it)

It’s that time of year again where we all sit down and watch that masterpiece of holiday angst, Charlie Brown Christmas. More than 40 years after it’s original air-date, this animated short about the corruption and commercialization of a day to commemorate the birth of a destitute carpenter who wrecked the tables of money changers is as relevant as ever. Many critics like to point out the extraordinarily well delivered biblical quotation Linus gives (read by an actual eight year old) to uplift Charlie Brown’s holiday attitude. My personal favorite part is right after the speech when Charlie Brown feels so high that nothing can bring him down.
That is, until the bouncy jazz abruptly stops as he accidentally crushes his tiny Christmas tree with an over sized ornament.”I’ve killed it! Everything I touch gets ruined!”, he yells, and quickly stumbles off screen. It’s a great line in a great moment that epitomizes the manic-depression of the character.
But what of that biblical passage Linus reads? Many people love to point to it as proof of Charles Schultz’s devout faith. He was a Methodist Sunday school teacher for a time, after all. Entire books have been written about the Christian undertones in Peanuts; however, Schultz himself claimed later in life to be a secular humanist and is quoted as saying “the only theology is no theology”. Just what did this guy believe in?

To get a full picture of the theological beliefs of Charles M. Schultz I think A Charlie Brown Christmas needs to be matched up with it’s lesser known younger brother: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which is a not so subtle criticism of blind faith. The whole story revolves around the very same Linus, who helped us celebrate the faith of a child just a year before, sitting in a pumpkin patch waiting for a supernatural being who would never show up. Linus tries to recruit followers (Charlie Brown’s younger sister, Susie who, despite being younger, does not have the level of faith Linus possesses), passes up pleasures of the flesh (trick-or-treating), and attempts to chastise and shame nonbelievers. Linus is convinced that his suffering will result in rewards the heathens don’t deserve, and they will live to regret their folly. It’s pretty classic zealot behavior. In the end Linus succumbs to the same fatal attitude that got Lot’s wife turned into sodium chloride (he didn’t mean if the Great Pumpkin comes, he meant when!). It takes a pretty twisted, and irreverent sense of humor to take a level headed character that innocently quotes verses from Luke and turn him into a wannabe cult leader in his very next production.

Its possible Schultz believed passionately in Jesus the man and not Christ the Son of God. Perhaps the loving and peaceful long haired hippy who hung out with the poor and indigent and spit on the rich appealed to him the way it appeals to many of us, but the mythical and supernatural parts of the story did not. Schultz was a Christian, but only in the philosophical sense. His faith, like his self-esteem, was nonexistent.
****************
It is important to read everything with your God-given brain..... NOT just because it has been labeled "secular" or "religious" by someone.

levi85 · Nov 25, 2016

we pray Lord, please guide and bless Ihsomiet in this matter, in Jesus Holy name, Amen!

KBond · Nov 28, 2016

I have read a lot of secular and Christian self-help books, and I can certainly say that Christian books are often uniquely anointed to speak into your soul unlike some of the secular stuff out there--which tends to be too introspective. I do not know about that specific book you mentioned, but you might consider this as an alternative: Seeing Yourself Through God's Eyes: A Thirty-One Day Devotional by June Hunt. I haven't read it, but I am familiar with the work of June Hunt. She is a well-educated, internationally known Christian counselor. Prayers for your direction and healing in this area. God bless!

azlightsout · Nov 28, 2016

Good luck and god bless

oldethennew · Nov 28, 2016

some very good advice here for you...have you thought about why Jesus has not
answered you in so long? this would be a red-flag for me,, as pr says, just sayin'...

for many, many years I was a voracious reader, sometimes reading three books at once -
and then Jesus started to wean me away from man's world of words and his fantasies and
many false ideas or dreams and such...eventually Christ has led me to only desire His Holy Words,
it's like taking a bite, chewing them up and eating The Bread of Life...I would never have thought
this could happen to me, for I always wanted, in my past life to consume other's words and I would
read them with such worldly passion...it took me many years to listen and obey my Maker concerning
this, but in the end, He always wins, Praise God...the need is just gone and I only desire to ingest His
Word of Life into my heart and brain...it took me a very long to purge out what never should have been
put there in the first place...I'm definitely not judging others for what they read or are led to read, this is
just my witness...

wanderer6059 · Nov 28, 2016

Willie-T said:

To point out some of the extremes you may be trying to follow, I offer this concerning the artist of the Avatar you are using: (Don't know, for sure, who wrote it)

It’s that time of year again where we all sit down and watch that masterpiece of holiday angst, Charlie Brown Christmas. More than 40 years after it’s original air-date, this animated short about the corruption and commercialization of a day to commemorate the birth of a destitute carpenter who wrecked the tables of money changers is as relevant as ever. Many critics like to point out the extraordinarily well delivered biblical quotation Linus gives (read by an actual eight year old) to uplift Charlie Brown’s holiday attitude. My personal favorite part is right after the speech when Charlie Brown feels so high that nothing can bring him down.
That is, until the bouncy jazz abruptly stops as he accidentally crushes his tiny Christmas tree with an over sized ornament.”I’ve killed it! Everything I touch gets ruined!”, he yells, and quickly stumbles off screen. It’s a great line in a great moment that epitomizes the manic-depression of the character.
But what of that biblical passage Linus reads? Many people love to point to it as proof of Charles Schultz’s devout faith. He was a Methodist Sunday school teacher for a time, after all. Entire books have been written about the Christian undertones in Peanuts; however, Schultz himself claimed later in life to be a secular humanist and is quoted as saying “the only theology is no theology”. Just what did this guy believe in?

To get a full picture of the theological beliefs of Charles M. Schultz I think A Charlie Brown Christmas needs to be matched up with it’s lesser known younger brother: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which is a not so subtle criticism of blind faith. The whole story revolves around the very same Linus, who helped us celebrate the faith of a child just a year before, sitting in a pumpkin patch waiting for a supernatural being who would never show up. Linus tries to recruit followers (Charlie Brown’s younger sister, Susie who, despite being younger, does not have the level of faith Linus possesses), passes up pleasures of the flesh (trick-or-treating), and attempts to chastise and shame nonbelievers. Linus is convinced that his suffering will result in rewards the heathens don’t deserve, and they will live to regret their folly. It’s pretty classic zealot behavior. In the end Linus succumbs to the same fatal attitude that got Lot’s wife turned into sodium chloride (he didn’t mean if the Great Pumpkin comes, he meant when!). It takes a pretty twisted, and irreverent sense of humor to take a level headed character that innocently quotes verses from Luke and turn him into a wannabe cult leader in his very next production.

Its possible Schultz believed passionately in Jesus the man and not Christ the Son of God. Perhaps the loving and peaceful long haired hippy who hung out with the poor and indigent and spit on the rich appealed to him the way it appeals to many of us, but the mythical and supernatural parts of the story did not. Schultz was a Christian, but only in the philosophical sense. His faith, like his self-esteem, was nonexistent.
****************
It is important to read everything with your God-given brain..... NOT just because it has been labeled "secular" or "religious" by someone.

...................................................................it's ruined, all ruined.

Ihsomiet · Dec 17, 2016

Somebody please pray for me. I finally settled down to read it yesterday and now I feel terrible for it. I feel this sense of needlessness for Him now, like all it is is just self-indulgence. Please help me to turn back to Him! I now realize I may not be able to go through with this self help book. I need His help! Please pray for me!

resurrection33 · Dec 17, 2016

Ihsomiet said:

Okay, so you wanted to know whether or not you should read the book. You finally decided you should. You tried it. You didn't like it. Forget about it and move on. Live and learn from your mistakes.

Willie-T · Dec 17, 2016

Ihsomiet said:

Then perhaps God worked EXACTLY what He intended to manifest in you by having you read that book. Just reading something does not mean you are to follow those words as your life's creed to live by.

NewWine · Dec 17, 2016

I'd pray for His understanding, then read the book. Read all things prayerfully.
I even read my Bible prayerfully.
Peace!!

Willie-T · Dec 17, 2016

I could read Mein Kampf and Obama's "Dreams From My Father." Does that mean they are to become my Bible?

HisHolly · Dec 17, 2016

Amazing Author!!! If you need a practical teaching, she is very knowledgeable.. I do own her other work.. I say, go for it

Ihsomiet said:

Willie-T · Dec 17, 2016

I taught Albert Ellis' REBT before I became a Christian, after I was a Christian, and I still advocate (and use) its daily application to this very day. And Albert Ellis is not a Christion at all.

RickyZ · Dec 17, 2016

Ihsomiet said:

There's the problem right there. Self help is an oxymoron that excludes God. Throw that book away and get one that teaches you to find and accept God's help. Because all we can do ourselves is wallow in foolishness.

Mishah · Dec 17, 2016

I don`t like self-help books at all but I`ve found some excerpts from this one on the web and if there is nothing against your faith inside I can`t see the reason why not to read it. Christians usually read secular books, watch secular movies and documentaries, listen to the secular music and don`t feel guilty about it.
Praying for you! May you feel happy, self-confident and loved!

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