Conversations With God Books Mislead Children
Posted: Monday, September 10, 2007
by Abigail Richards
Two books that have spent time on the New York Times bestsellers list continue to cause alarm within the Christian Community. James Dobson of Focus on the Family has asked for an all-out ban on the two books distributed through the Scholastic Book Club titled Conversations With God and Conversations With God For Teens and written by Neale D. Walsch . His concern stays alive through forwarded emails. His first urge to ban the book came about 4 years ago, but the email is still alive.
For instance, when a girl asks the question "Why am I a lesbian?" His answer is that she was 'born that way' because of genetics (just as you were born right-handed, with brown eyes, etc.). Then the author portraying God tells her to go "celebrate" her differences.
Another girls poses the question "I am living with my boyfriend. My parents say that I should marry him because I am living in sin. Should I marry him?" His response: "Who are you sinning against? Not me, because you have done nothing wrong."
As someone who committed this sin, it is appalling to me that he answers this way. It is a sin and it does have consequences-it is a shame to be misrepresented as an ok thing to do.
What scares me the most is that I have been to the author's website. The books look legitimate and look to be very resourceful. He even sells the set of books as resources to churches for groups. There is also a movie made as well based on the book should be available on DVD.
What also makes me concerned is that many view this author's books as their Bible. Reading reviews on Google of the books immediately set off alarm in my spirit. There is only one Bible and it is scary that people would look to this book instead of the Bible.
I can't imagine the misguided individuals these books have affected. As a parent, I urge you to be careful and study the information rigidly. Question what you are taught. Don't take others words for it-look it up yourself. Protect your family and your kids from things that do not align with your beliefs. You are fully capable of doing the research yourself! Don't let authors take advantage of you for your money and your future life.
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More commentsAll the rantings about Christianity and the validity of the Bible as we know it only confirms what Conversations With God exposes about religion. What is God's religion I ask?Explain to me when humans are born with hermaphrodite features, what are they?Male? Female? Lesbian? Gay? Freaks?Christianity seems to know all the answers yet it has caused more violence, mass human annihilation, prejudice and human segregation than I have time to lists. I was born and raised a Christian but realized how much destruction is done to ensure its survival and proliferation. We are thought God is a thing or being to be worshiped and feared all at the same time. Its sad that we are so afraid at alternative perspectives. I weren't be surprised if there are some Christians out there who still thinks the earth is flat. Sorry for the sarcasm but Christianity has failed to unify, bring peace or any of the things it sells. Being spiritual has nothing to do with religion or God in its true sense. So those who swear that they were saved by Christianity or the beliefs of the bible think again. You to have been brain washed to exists as religious zombies following a path fabricated if not tainted to control all those foolish enough to follow. How much was actually conveniently left out or edited from the original compilation of the bible. So many of us so blindly believe with out investigating or researching the validity of what we are following. I believe in a supreme being a God if you must, but not the one falsely portrayed by the bible. I do not doubt much of it was divinely inspired but how do we know which parts were altered, edited or simply left out conveniently by the behind the scenes rulers of those times. Why do Christians assume they are the ultimate voice on God and religion. All that exists, Christian and non Christian was created by God also. Stop pushing your faith as supremacist do their beliefs. Same concept, different avenue. But the truth is always harder to digest so the easiest route of conformity is usually chosen by most. Wake up and speak to God directly stop worshiping a middle man. This is no different than idol worship. Yet we condemn such things being Christians and all. I thing just saying that we are "Christians" makes us feel superior in some way. But as we all know, we generally need to make others feel less so we can feel more. Why can't we just respect each others beliefs rather than assume ours to be the correct one. We will only truly know at the end. So why condemn or rule out any or all possibilities ? To each his own. Stop selling sublime dictatorship.These are Jesus Words:Jesus answered and Said To Him,Most assuredly,I say to you unless one is Born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God.John 3:3Jesus said to Him,I am the way,the truth,and the life,No one comes to the Father except through MeJohn 14:6Listen to this these are The words of Jesus..,Talking About The Holy Spirit and What The Holy Spirit Would Do"And when He has come ,He will Convict The World of sin,and of righteousness,and of Judgment:of sin,because they do not believed in Me:of righteousness,because I go to My Father and you see Me no more:of judgment,because the ruler of this World is judgedJohn 16;8-11And this is eternal life,that they may know You,the only true God,and Jesus Chrust whom You have Sent.John 17:3The only way of knowing God is through Jesus Christ and What He Did On the Cross,Whether you believe that or not its Still the Word of God..,How about this; that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,you will be saved.For with the heart one believes unto righteousness,and with the mouth confession is made unto salvationRomans 10:9-10The real problem with the entire bible is that it is a political document. It is not that there is not some truth in there, but the history of its creation must be understood before claiming it as law. To put simply, the books were selected by those in power and the translation was not correctly done from its original language. CWG points this out, but do the research yourself. It is not hard to find the historical truth about the bible. I was raised a hard-nosed christian, so don't think that I don't have the background or education; but I do have an open mind and seek God. CWG is where I found God.
As a side not, you might want to read some works by Albert Einstein who actually had some things right; go figure, a scientist who made some good points about God and the universe.The "Christians" you speak of who cause violence are not true believers in Jesus, those are mainly Catholics who have been indoctrinated to believe that they are worshipping God when really they are worshipping the Pope and Rome. I'll pray for youActually, as an update, they are rarely Catholic, they more commonly go by the term 'evangelical christian' or 'conservative christian' these days.
Thank you Abigail and everyone else that has held steadfast to the WORD OF GOD.
Why is it that all of our world's great leaders who have held steadfast to the WORD OF GOD led our world in a series of wars and strife. George Bush stood on the Word of God and yet he could not envision or fathom another way to deal with conflict. This is not a putdown but a reflection of our status on how we as religious people seem to be wired when in leadership. It is time we begin to seek to know God like never before and begin one mission for each of us to become one in God. I am not well with all that Neale Walsh may prescribe, we still have to use our own spiritual wisdom when dealing with our own lives and children. Yet, this book offers new insight in God like never before presented to Christian community. I do not reject the Word of God via Scripture but I seek deeply the Word of God via living. I know I need and I believe we all need spirituality as quest. Shalom to all.
Oh my, who has changed the truth into a lie for you all. Why is it such a debate. God is sovereign, which means all knowing all ruling. We can't answer every question about why is this person like this or why is this person like that. Don't even try. God's ways are not our own. The part that we need to grasp is Jesus. Simply give Him your life, trust in Him and believe in Him for all things. These conversations, or books, or whatever is throwing you off won't even be a question if you have a true relationship with Him. He will give you discernment and you will know if something is of God and if it's not. The truth is we are living in the church age, where the very elect will be deceived, where men will sleep with men and women with women, where parents will harm their children, where there will be wars and rumors of wars, where people will question the Truth. Jesus is coming back and it's not meant to be a scary thing. Not a tactic to get people to church. But a truth that this will happen and no one knows the day or the time. This is the time to get your life right with Christ. I'm sorry for the church hurts and the hypocrites and the books or teachings even from Christians that have sent you away. But know God for yourself and know that He is the Truth and the Life, the Beginning and The End. What is so hard about walking in love, forgiveness and a willing heart to minister the gospel to the lost? That doesn't mean we are perfect, we have to check our own tent doors everyday and ask for forgiveness. I'm reading all of these after seeing the e-mail about the book. The book is error. Sin is sin and that's it. I wonder when Jesus comes back are you going to debate with the Almighty on who wrote John or why he didn't make you taller, or why he let Auntie Bea die of cancer? Don't be deceived. The enemy is truly defeated but it doesn't do good to become a soldier in his camp. Don't be deceived. Take a week. Put the books, the internet, the tv down. Pray and fast for God to show you you. Ask him to give you a discernment and help you understand. Truly get on your face and seek God. He will hear you as He does now, but this time open up your heart for an answer. Don't get mad about what a "christian" did to you, or how your bank account is low, or how you feel like you have to defend yourself for your thoughts and opinions. He loves all of us and wants us to truly give ourselves to Him. It's not a trick or a con. Try it and try God. He won't disappoint you. Do we truly want to? or is it that since childhood and the church you have an excuse of why it doesn't "work" for you. I will pray for those that are on the fence, for those that truly believe that this book is what young teens/adults should be reading. Now is not the time to compromise. What's wrong with not lying, cheating, stealing, fornicating etc. No, lesbianism is not of God, no men should NOT be sleeping with men. We have such a hard time doing what is right because we are so comfortable defending our wrong. The usual is comfortable, the world is comfortable to you. But Christians are an unusual people. Please have a relationship with God. Not where you say grace before eating or yell Jesus! when you are almost in an accident. But an intimate relationship where you truly depend and trust on Him. In good times and in bad. Please wake up. The world of God is not to be argued. Please study and read for yourself. Truly ask God to help you understand what the Word is saying.
A very interesting article you've wrote Ms. Abigail. Altough I see that you included only the things that go against our logic. You have yet to include things like "All there is and ever will be is Love". I saw many other reviewing these books saying that satan wrote it, or that satan tries to lure us away from God. Well if thats true why do these books speak of: "Do not judge others, for you do not know what path the souls has chosen" or "To Love everyone means to Love every lifeform as you Love your Family". Yet as souls we have the ultimate right of choosing what to trust, to believe, how to act. Believe what you want, not what your closest Friend or Family member tells you, for you yourself have free will.
I believe Abigail is just one of the victims of many that believe people are born into sin rather than love and divinity. She confuses what she believes as reality, but please remember, many used to believe the world was flat at one point. I'm sure even they were proven wrong they still had doubt because they simply wanted to be right. People like Abigail want to be right by stating that the bible is the inspired word of our Wonderful Creator. A Wonderful Creator is wondrous because IT created everyone in love. Man created the bible to rule people by Fear, not LOVE. Unfortunately, their plan has been working for thousands of years. Kudos to them. The article is just a farce created by false Christianity.
This email was sent to my sister from family members. Her and I both read the book. When I saw the email I started to cry. I've been crying ever since I saw the email. This book has brought me so much peace and love. I'm devastated by the email. I never cry, and I can't stop crying now. When ever I was sad I went to the book for comfort. But now I feel like I've got nothing to turn to. I know this book isn't literally true nor is the bible. Because god was giving neale truth through neales personal filter. Same goes for the bible. I hope I get over this soon...
I would like to know something from the author, were you sleeping with your boyfriend when you were living with him? I lived with my boyfriend for two years before we got married (I had to leave home because of family problems) and we did not have sex until after we were married, yes that must seem unreal but we have been committed believers all our lives and the decision to wait until marriage was made at a young age. would love to hear your answer and/or your opinion
Why do christians believe the "christian" bible is the ONLY book that is the true word of God? Give me a break!! We all know that man has put on paper what the writer chooses..or what the king wanted..so whose to say how much of it is true?..me personally?..I wnt worship a god that I'm afraid of..christianity..along with MOST religions..teaches us that God is loving..unless you break the so-called commandments..then you get sent straight to hell!! Who wants to live like that?!..not I said the cat...
I really try to have an open mind toward the Christian community but this article just shows how deep the insanity goes.
How can a belief of sin be something anyone would want for their children?!!
I find it hard to believe that God would condemn anything or anyone - gay, straight, lesbian or unmarried. And why is it so impossible that CwG is written by God, in just the same way as the bible. What proof do you have? In 2000 years it might be believed to be the "real bible".
We need a more loving world, not a more condemning one...
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