"The Purpose Driven Life"

[silverlib]

I had huge problems with this book and I nearly let it drive me over the top several months ago.

It's now back in the news as having a huge impact on O'Niel(sp?) being arrested quietly.

Anyone else have strong opinions, one way or another, about this book? I had problems with God "hiding" and God making bad things happen for a reason. The book scare me in that it has just enough "good stuff" to sell, what I consider, the evil part.

[eaprez]

1. I think you're right on in your analysis.

God gets the rap for an awful lot of 'evil'. I remember when we heard some of that after 9/11. An awful lot of people thought it was some kind of message from God. Funny, there were 19 human beings flying those planes into buildings. I'm sure God was just as shocked and saddened to receive 3000 new people that day. If people can be convinced God is responsible for evil they can be convinced of ANYTHING.

[woodsprite]

2. My inlaws bought us all a copy and told us to read it.

Now they've started buying copies for the grandchildren. DH and I read the first 2 chapters. It's stuffed in his nightstand now and is very dusty. ;)

[Quixote1818]

3. I think Viktor Frankl's "Man's search for Meaning" is much better!!

[Dogmudgeon]

4. It's not that bad

I have not read it cover-to-cover, but I've read part of it, and it's O.K. A lot less viscious than most fundy literature -- in fact, not viscious at all. I can understand why it's so popular.

The main criticisms I have are the usual: It talks to its own tribe and tells them that they are the Special tribe. It's got a pop-psych attitude that it can't shake, even though the author goes to great lengths to claim that his is the One True Pop Psychology. And it's a little light on the actual insight, pressing everything into a bible-shaped mold. But aside from those fairly typical limitations, it's not the kind of book that would provoke burnings at the stake and autos-da-fe.

Two cheers.

--p!

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Better than most of the stuff I encounter (Focus on the Fmaily) at Hubby's

church.

But I handed off "The Heart of Christianity" to the sunday school class leader who is coordinating our meetings about "TPDL". Will be interested to see what she has to say. :) (She's actually pretty cool and open minded, so this could be interesting.)