Pursuing Holiness

Author: Dee Henderson
Publisher: Tyndale House Fiction
Title: Before I Wake
Genre: Fiction

Before I Wake is another good weekend read by Dee Henderson. The characters are people you’d like to meet, the story is engrossing, and while it doesn’t overtly preach the gospel, and while their faith largely goes unexamined, the Christian characters in the book are mature and admirable Christians. However, this book is not really on a par with the O’Malley series. It’s not as smooth in either the dialog or the storyline.

I’m not sure what the overall theme of the book might be - perhaps friendship, because the love triangle is subordinate to the friendship of the three characters involved in it. That’s aggravating in one sense because it is left unresolved, but also refreshing because life seldom includes such pat endings.

I rate this book a 2.5 out of 5. It’s a good weekend read. The mystery is well-paced, the characters are likeable, but at the end of the book you will not be satisfied with the ending because the romantic part of the plot is left unresolved. This may be the first of a series, where it is resolved in future books, but if so it would have been better to have an excerpt of the next book at the end. I hope Henderson revisits Justice in a future book, because I liked the characters so much that I’d like to give them another chance.
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Laura Curtis is a web developer and avid reader from New Orleans.

written by Laura

Author: Richard Mgrdechian
Publisher: Coventry Circle
Title: How The Left Was Won
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: 4

How The Left Was Won is, as the title would lead you to expect, an intensely partisan book. Since I requested the chance to review it, I have undergone a real change in my thinking, where my faith and politics intersect, and I’ve tried to be less partisan. However, the book, while partisan, is not inaccurate, nor is it a vicious attack. It’s a straightforward analysis of what tools are being used to make the public discourse so Orwellian. We wonder things like how it can be that Gerry Studds got a free pass for actual sex with a teenager, while Foley is driven from public life for sexual instant messages. (Noting the disparity is not approval for Foley, it’s just noting the disparity. And the fact that I even need to clarify that just begs the question, how did we get to this point?) How can it be that major newspapers see nothing wrong with printing classified information that harms the war effort, but decline to print cartoons offensive to Muslims that sparked world-wide riots and caused deaths? How was society trained to accept these things - and indeed, to denigrate anyone who questions them? How The Left Was Won has the answer.

Mrgdechian identifies the methods that have been used to steer and control how we speak about the issues of the day - and consequently how we have been trained to think about them - and gives pertinent examples of each method. In a day when critical thinking is not only not taught, but discouraged, this book is an excellent tool for anyone, but especially for teenagers.

One of these tools is “asymmetry.” As in the case of Studds and Foley, asymmetry is

“different laws, different rights, different responsibilities and different opportunities for different people. Thanks to this situation, it has now become perfectly acceptable for some groups of people to do certain things, but not acceptable for others.

[...] it’s okay to call someone a Jesus freak, but not okay to refer to a mass murderer as an Islamic terrorist. Go ahead, make fun of a Texas accent — ha, ha, ha — you’re suddenly a comedian. Make fun of a Chinese accent on the other hand, and you are immediately deemed to be a racist.”

“Implicit assumptions” are another such tool. Many folks on the left make statements that are based on implicit assumptions, and are rarely challenged to back them up with supporting arguments. For example, Mrgdechian points out that the idea that English should be America’s official language is often called racist. Why is it racist to want to improve communication within the country? Why is it racist to require that people who choose to come here adjust to our norms, instead of our adjusting to theirs? Is Mexico, with it’s harsh penalties for illegal immigration within it’s own borders, and unwelcoming attitude toward even legal immigrants into Mexico, racist? If not, why not?

After reading How The Left Was Won, you will be able to listen to politicians on both sides of the aisle discuss an issue, immediately identify the methods they’re using and respond appropriately. After reading this book, watching CNN and Fox is a whole new experience, because I can easily see exactly what the “operatives” and “strategists” are doing. I believe that most people honestly believe their leadership and the things they say. But I can’t deny that these methods and tools have been used by the leadership of the left for decades to promote divisiveness and weaken the country, and it is becoming more and more common now to see it on the right. We must expose these tools and challenge people to think critically again.

About The Author

Richard Mgrdechian is a Prometheus Award nominated social and political author and commentator. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech), along with an MBA from Columbia University in New York. His prior careers have included positions as a NASA engineer, investment banker and high-tech CEO.

Reviewed for Active Christian Media

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Laura Curtis is a web developer and master certified computer trainer in New Orleans.

written by Laura

Author: Richard Miller
Publisher: Xulon Press
Title: Why Christians Don’t Vote for Democrats
Genre: Nonfiction

There is a vast economic and political difference between secular communism and secular democracy. It is not our intention to study the complexity of this difference, but to keep in mind the frightening similarities causing alarm for Christians in America. What American slavery is to racism, secular communism is to secular democracy. There is a vast difference in degree and form between slavery and racism, but a similar racial prejudice. There is a vast difference in degree and form between secular communism and secular democracy, but a similar religious prejudice. This similarity is a prejudice against religion in general, and Christians in particular.

[...] Not all Democrats, not all secular Democrats, are prejudiced against religion. With this exception to the description acknowledged, hereafter the term secular Democrat refers to those secular Democrats who are prejudiced against Christians.

Richard Miller translates “Christian speak into political speak” and makes a real effort to communicate with a group that doesn’t understand him and doesn’t seem to want to try. The modern Democratic party is perplexed by Bible-believing Christians, and has been for years. From calling us “poor, uneducated and easy to command” to Senator Tom Harkin comparing Christian broadcasters to the Taliban, it’s clear that they don’t understand or like Christians.

Miller tries to explain, in a non-judgemental manner and with a minimum of Christian jargon, the mainstream Christian point of view. He’s not affiliated with a political party, but since two of his three daughters are Democrats, and his other daughter and wife are Republican, he’s the man in the middle. He’s not advocating a partisan political view in this book, he’s explaining the Christian view as applied to American politics. He gently explains, with very clear examples and analogies, why “Christian America shuns the Democratic Party, not just for this election, but also for every election to come.”

Miller writes on a variety of topics including how Christians both pay for public schools which promote a “cesspool culture,” and also pay parochial school tuition, to how journalists write inaccurately about Christianity because they have so little familiarity with it. (Remember the Falwell “assault ministry” versus “a salt ministry” quote?) He addresses the fact that one third of our government - the Supreme Court - has been permitted to attain supreme status over the other two thirds.

This is a book that Christians will enjoy, because it clearly states many mainstream points of view in a very concise and quotable way. It’s great fodder for political discussions with the Democrats you know, and because he states his case gently and doesn’t take gratuitous slams at Democrats, it’s very effective. It’s a book that will enrage those who meet Miller’s definition of “secular Democrat” because the Christian point of view is so abhorrent to them. I would rate this book a 4, because it is a wonderful example of how Christians can engage an adversarial and frequently hostile culture with this verse in mind:

But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence in God when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear. Then those who treat the good Christian life you live with contempt will feel ashamed that they have ridiculed you.
(1 Peter 3:15-16)

Reviewed for Active Christian Media
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Laura Curtis is a web developer and master certified computer trainer in New Orleans.

written by Laura

Author: Keith G. Wright
Publisher: Ain’t No Joke Books
Title: The Life of Teenagers Ain’t No Joke
Genre: Nonfiction

To start, let me give you some straight talk, because I think teenagers want that and really need that. I’m not going to blow smoke up your butts and give you the same “rah rah” cliches that many adults throw your way. Regardless of what you’ve heard or what you think, living a great life can be extremely elusive. Everybody can’t be President of the United States. Everybody can’t be Astronauts. Everybody can’t be famous actors or famous music entertainers. Everybody can’t be a Hall of Fame athlete, and everybody can’t be a celebrated war hero. But everybody, absolutely everybody, walking the face of this earth can lead a great life… a life of promise. Everybody can make a positive impact on this country. All of us can make our lives matter, to ourselves, our families, and to the world.

Keith G. Wright has chosen a difficult and challenging profession - to inspire teenagers to live exceptional lives. He is a father, stepfather, and mentor to teenagers, and seems very comfortable discussing their world and their issues. He doesn’t infantilize them, nor does he pretend they are just chronologically challenged adults. He finds that elusive place where they live and speaks to them directly and frankly. He acknowledges the issues that teenagers deal with in America today, and tells them the truths that they will never hear on MTV, with applicable vignettes that bring the lesson home.

If you like movies like “Coach Carter” and “Stand and Deliver” then you will enjoy this book and want your teenager to read it. It seeks to inspire kids to want something more for themselves, and it provides a common-sense road map to get it. “The wisest teenagers know that…” and “Exceptional teens find motivation in…” may read a bit hokey, but the fact is that teenagers do want to excel, they want to rise above their circumstances and be part of something big. This book tells them that they’re right to want that, that they can do it, and tells them how.

I was prepared to dislike this book based on the title, because as a grammar and spelling Nazi, slang like “ain’t” irritates me. However, the book is surprisingly well-written. It’s short - 117 pages - and something that even a teenager who doesn’t enjoy reading might attempt. The book stands on its own, but I think it would more likely be read by teenagers who have attended one of Wright’s speaking engagements. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5.

This book was reviewed for Active Christian Media.
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Laura Curtis is a web developer and master certified computer trainer in New Orleans.

written by Laura

Author: Tom Kuiper
Publisher: World Ahead
Title: I’ve Always Been a Yankees Fan: Hillary Clinton in Her Own Words
Genre: Nonfiction

“[We] have nothing but praise for their courage, integrity, and professionalism, and we feel lucky to remain friends with many agents who protected us.”

“F$^& off! It’s enough that I have to see you *$%-kickers every day. I’m not going to talk to you, too. Just do your god%^* job and keep your mouth shut.”

“Stay the !@#$ back, stay the %^&* away from me! Don’t come within ten yards of me, or else!… Just &*%^ing do as I say, okay?”

“If you want to remain on this detail, get your #%&(ing @$^ over here and grab those bags.”

I haven’t seen the “f” word so much since high school. I’m astounded that a mature, responsible adult can’t find a more appropriate way to express herself. It was surprising, in a book that began with the previous quotes about the people who were committed to providing for the Clinton’s physical safety, that each quote was more damning than the last. Each quote should serve as another nail in Hillary’s political coffin. The fact that it won’t is a sad statement about today’s media, which gleefully reports any profanity that escapes the lips of Republicans.

It was very unexpected that a book consisting simply of quotes would be so entertaining. But it is both entertaining and effective. Why wax editorial when Hillary’s own words condemn her more thoroughly than anything the most partisan conservative could write? I found myself shaking my head in wonder that, even with the adulatory media coverage she’s enjoyed for most of her career, that Hillary could possibly consider running for office, especially President. Perhaps such a thorough compendium of quotes for any politician would be this unflattering. But I find that very hard to believe. It’s not the excessive and adolescent use of profanity. It’s not the lies, like saying that she was named for Sir Edmund Hillary or that Chelsea Clinton was near the WTC on 9/11. It’s not even the hypocrisy, for example her statement to Richard Nixon that, “Had you survived in office, you would have been light-years ahead of your time,” after she called him “pure evil,” worked tirelessly to run him out and even argued that he should be prosecuted for war crimes.

What makes this book an incredibly powerful resource is that it contains key statements about Hillary’s political philosophy, in her own words. Should she run for President in 2008, there will be no finer ammunition to use against her. Some breathtaking examples:

“Decisions about motherhood and abortion, schooling, cosmetic surgery, treatment of venereal disease, or employment [which] will significantly affect the child’s future, should not be made unilaterally by parents.”

“Many of you are well enough off that [President Bush's] tax cuts may have helped you. We’re saying that for America to get back on track, we’re probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We’re going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.”

Aside from the Hillary quotes, this book serves to remind us of some of the Clinton’s most disgraceful episodes and includes quotes from her “friends, cronies and fellow travelers.” Chuck Schumer, Jimmy Carter, James Carville, Terry McAuliffe, Howard Dean and Bill Clinton are quoted on a variety of topics. Each quote is clearly cited and will arm you in arguments against the most determined Clintonista. In the Foreword, Dick Morris insists that Hillary will run in 2008. Having served as a Clinton political consultant for two decades, he is in a position to know. Thomas Kuiper is a long-time Hillary-watcher, and one of his most successful projects for Newsmax.com was the “Deck of Hillary” playing cards. Kuiper’s work in compiling these quotes will be a tremendous resource for conservatives when Hillary runs, and in the meantime it will be useful for anyone interested in politics, especially bloggers.

I would rate this book a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5.

Reviewed for Active Christian Media
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Laura Curtis is a web developer and master certified computer trainer in New Orleans.

written by Laura

You can view this book’s Amazon detail page here.

Author: James L. Garlow
Publisher: Bethany House
Title: The Da Vinci Codebreaker: An Easy-to-use Fact Checker
Genre: Nonfiction

The Da Vinci Code has swept the globe and provoked not just controversy, but a variety of products which support, explain, critique, criticize and debunk it. Responses to the responses range from things like “why would anyone debunk fiction?” to “a much needed resource, because Dan Brown has presented lies as history in order to make a quick buck.” The Da Vinci Codebreaker is a companion glossary to Cracking Da Vinci’s Code. This is not a book you will read through, it’s an alphabetical listing of terms and facts used in the Da Vinci Code. It is a thorough and complete reference manual for anyone who seeks the facts about the assertions in the Da Vinci Code. What it is not is an attack on Dan Brown or a book that proselytizes Christianity. It simply lists the historical references in the Da Vinci Code, and where they are inaccurate, corrects them.

It contains over 500 facts and terms used in the Da Vinci Code and thoroughly explains each one, often including timelines, maps, photos and other supporting material. For example, the entry on Constantine the Great includes the following:

Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon claims that “Constantine and his male successors successfully converted the world from matriarchal paganism to patriarchal Christianity” (DVC, 124) Actually, Constantine gave Christianity equal legal status with pagan religions; paganism persisted in the empire long after his reign. […]

Another character says that “the Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan emperor Constantine the Great” (DVC, 231). In truth, Constantine had nothing to do with the selection or collation of the New Testament’s twenty-seven books; by the late first and second centuries, Christians throughout the world had accepted twenty, including the four gospels, as authoritative guidelines for life. Debates about the other seven did persist into the fourth century; however the final canon emerged from a consensus of church leaders, not from imperial decree. After the Council of Nicaea (325), Constantine authorized the copying and distribution of fifty Bibles, but the editions copied before these fifty do not differ significantly from the editions copied after.

Many Christians have declined to purchase the Da Vinci Code because they don’t want to enrich Dan Brown for attacking their faith. Now that the movie has been released, even people who don’t enjoy reading are hearing things about Christianity that are not true, and they’re hearing them in an entertaining and persuasive way.

Is it worth about ten dollars to you to have strangers approach you and initiate a discussion about your faith? Just carry around a copy of the Da Vinci Code in plain sight. I would call that a worthwhile investment. But make sure that you are also carrying around the Da Vinci Codebreaker, ready to pull out and reference at key points in the discussion. The Da Vinci Code, along with Cracking Da Vinci’s Code and The Da Vinci Codebreaker, provide Christians with an opportunity not to be missed.

I would rate this book a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5. It does exactly what it promises - provide the user with a reference manual to authoritatively discuss the assertions in the Da Vinci Code.
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Laura Curtis is a web developer and master certified computer trainer in New Orleans.

written by Laura