religion

Book Review: To Know Torah Vol. 1 The Book of Genesis by Ephraim Chamiel

May 3, 2018 1 Comment

Title: To Know Torah Vol. 1 – The Book of Genesis
Author: Dr. Ephraim Chamiel
Genre: Spirituality, Judaism, Biblical History
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Dig deep into the plain meaning of the Bible’s stories and commandments

Would you like to know what the Old Testament (Pentateuch) is all about from a Jewish point of view? This book reveals the morals, ethics, and ideas behind the stories and commandments of one of the oldest books in the history of mankind – a book that serves as the foundation of Jewish and Christian religion. Given the difficult Hebrew in which the Old Testament was written and how challenging it is to translate and to explain, the author wanted to offer to the reader the simple meaning of the text (p’shat) in accessible and friendly language.

The Book of Genesis is opened before you – from a Jewish perspective

The series includes 5 books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Book 1, Genesis tells the stories of the Creation, the Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, the three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and their families, and their journey from Canaan to Egypt.

I have to say that I never expected I would read a book like To Know Torah – I’m not Jewish, I don’t really know anyone who is Jewish personally, and while religion has always interested me up to some point, I didn’t think I would one day explore the Book of Genesis, and from a Jewish perspective at that.

In this book, Dr. Ephraim Chamiel exlains how to approach the Torah from this perspective, it explains the morals and ethics behind the stories in Genesis, and how to interpret the ancient Hebrew language in which it was originally written.

It’s an intriguing read, especially for people interested in religion or broadening their own world view. It’s a book you need to take your time for, and rather than rushing through the pages to get through the end as soon as possible, readers should take the time to let it all sink in.

Filed Under: Christian, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: biblical history, book reviews, judaism, non-fiction, religion, spirituality, torah

Book Review: The Truth About White Supremacy, Sexism and Minc Control in America by A.L. Bryant

December 17, 2017 Leave a Comment

Title: The Truth About White Supremacy, Sexism and Mind Control in America
Author: A.L. Bryant
Genre: Religion, Spirituality & New Age
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

Take a journey through America to unearth the truths behind white supremacy and sexism in society. Delve into the deepest and most fascinating secrets behind racism and sexism—the secrets they do not want you to know and may not realize.

Examine the origins and progression of racism, sexism, relationships in America, and the science and psychology behind what is real and what is an illusion. Discover how mind control is the weapon of choice to keep certain groups in power and others in the dark and oppressed. This book gives different perspectives from the physical to the metaphysical.

Finally, we explore astonishing revelations about why we are here, who we are, and how to heal and evolve to a higher spiritual level. Explore the mind-blowing revelations and proven facts that will challenge the way you think about people, life, and the universe.

Though this book focuses on America, its breathtaking discoveries can be applied everywhere, and with anyone around the world.

The Truth About White Supremacy, Sexism and Mind Control in America is an interesting, well-researched read that really opens your eyes to things you might otherwise miss, or take for granted. Societies all suffer from elitism, from supremacy, and at least from some forms of sexism. Same goes for America, and it’s an interesting journey into America’s history to find out the origins and progression of these forces.

Why are certain groups of people in positions of power – always? Why are other groups of people oppressed? How can we acknowledge this oppression, become aware of it, and ultimately, stop it?

I didn’t agree with everything the book said, and felt some criticism toward some points made, but overall, I quite enjoyed the book and I felt like I learned a lot reading it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: book tours, enchanted book promotions, nonfiction, religion, spirituality

Book Review: Incarnational Wonder by Danny Kinane

February 3, 2016 Leave a Comment

Title: Incarnational Wonder
Author: Danny Kinane
Genre: Religion / Spirituality
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon

Incarnational Wonder, even though written in old age and through a bout of severe sickness, has been very revealing on a personal level. Its writing has brought me to a clarity, more than a conviction of mind, something deeper, of what it means to be a human being, at the heart of which is spirituality. Its main focus is to, initially, isolate spiritually and see it what it really is: the bedrock not only of personal reality, humanity, but indeed of all reality. This foundation is found not so much in sacred documents such as the Bible or the Quran or in churches dogmatic teachings but in the human spirit itself in its everyday dialogue through experience. Experience is at the heart of the book, an in-built director of where our lives are going – and why and how. Academic disciplines such as theology and biblical studies take a secondary role. Today’s spirituality is saying to us we must find meaning within ourselves, our own spirits, if we are to thrive in, and indeed survive, modern life.

Spirituality is often lacking in nowadays’ busy life, filled with plans and scheduling and what not. We often don’t find time for it anymore. Heck, we barely find time for religion and sometimes spirituality goes deeper than that.

Incarnational Wonder is an inspiring read about what it means to be human, our own spirituality, who we are, as persons, as a species. The book focuses heavily on experience, our interaction with other people.

Despite that, the book doesn’t come across as preachy and it’s written in a down-to-earth style, which I found uplifting and inspiring. The message is certainly a hopeful one, and might allow the reader to find deeper meaning in their lives.

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: book reviews, book tours, enchanted book promotions, non-fiction, religion, spirituality

Book Tours: Starter Day Party Incarnational Wonder

January 25, 2016 Leave a Comment

The third starter day party I’m hosting today is for religion / spirituality “Incarnational Wonder”. The tour runs from January 25 to February 22. Check out the tour stops below and stay tuned for my review.

Tour Schedule

January 25^th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

January 26^th: Promo Post @ Stormy Night Reviewing

January 27th: Book Excerpt @ I’m an Eclectic Reader

January 29^th: Guest Post @ SolaFide Publishhing

January 31^st: Promo Post @ Bedazzled Reading

February 1^st: Book Excerpt @ The Single Librarian

February 3^rd: Book Review @ I Heart Reading

February 5^th: Book Excerpt @ Cassidy Crimson’s Blog

February 7th: Promo Post @ Cassandra M’s Place

February 10^th: Book Excerpt @ Books are Forever

February 13th: Promo Post @ Maari Loves Her Indies

February 15^th: Promo Post @ The Book Daily

February 19^th: Book Review and Guest Post @ Laura’s Interests

February 22^nd: Book Excerpt @ Avenue Books

About the Book

Title: Incarnational Wonder

Author: Danny Kinane

Genre: Religion / Spirituality

Incarnational Wonder, even though written in old age and through a bout of severe sickness, has been very revealing on a personal level. Its writing has brought me to a clarity, more than a conviction of mind, something deeper, of what it means to be a human being, at the heart of which is spirituality. Its main focus is to, initially, isolate spiritually and see it what it really is: the bedrock not only of personal reality, humanity, but indeed of all reality. This foundation is found not so much in sacred documents such as the Bible or the Quran or in churches dogmatic teachings but in the human spirit itself in its everyday dialogue through experience. Experience is at the heart of the book, an in-built director of where our lives are going – and why and how. Academic disciplines such as theology and biblical studies take a secondary role. Today’s spirituality is saying to us we must find meaning within ourselves, our own spirits, if we are to thrive in, and indeed survive, modern life.

Author Bio

I came to Australia as a migrant from Ireland in 1973 to teach high school; as it turned out in both Victoria and Queensland. After five rather demanding years I decided to return to a previous interest and concern and eventually became a priest in the Catholic Church in North Queensland. This became an interesting and varied experience over the next twenty years, especially as a priest in the North-west of the state, so different from the urban areas of the east coast in its spiritual needs. But the main message over those twenty years emerged clear and powerfully: religion was dying because its spiritual base was so inadequate. I eventually retired from the church to spend my twilight years living a more contemplative lifestyle in the southern Queensland bush. I also began to write. “Incarnational Wonder” is my fourth book.

Links

Buy on Amazon

Author Website: http://incarnationalwonder.com/

Buy on Smashwords

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Starter Day Party Tagged With: book tours, enchanted book promotions, religion, spirituality, starter day party

Book Review: The Luddite’s Guide to Technology by CJS Hayward

November 20, 2014 Leave a Comment

Title: The Luddite’s Guide to Technology
Author: CJS Hayward
Genre: creative non-fiction / religion and spirituality / technology – social aspects
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

Mammon, as it is challenged in the Sermon on the Mount, represents such wealth and possessions as one could have two thousand years ago. But that is merely beer as contrasted to the eighty proof whisky our day has concocted. The Sermon on the Mount aims to put us in the driver’s seat and not what you could possess in ancient times, and if the Sermon on the Mount says something about metaphorical beer, perhaps there are implications for an age where something more like eighty proof whisky is all around us.

In The Luddite’s Guide to Technology, author CJS Hayward poses a few intriguing questions: why are we driven by material possessions? How can we stop ourselves from being ruled by technology? The author comes to some fitting conclusions in his articles and essays represented in this collection. “iPhones and Spirituality” is the start to the collection, and it immediately sets the tone. It focuses on the iPhone to establish an example, which is then looked upon in much broader view in the following articles “Religion and Science is not just Intelligent Design vs. Evolution” and “Technonomoicon: Technology, Nature, Ascesis”. Next up, there’s an article focusing on a music video, “Veni, Vidi, Vomi: A look at, “Do you want to date my avatar?”. Then the author revisits Plato’s allegory is “Plato: The Allegory of the…Flickering Screens” which for me, was more of an eye-opener than the article about the music video. Considering Plato’s original dialogue, and then how it can be translated to today’s world, and the significance of what’s being said, I considered that one of the most important articles in the collection.

“Religion without Bounds of Amusement” was another great article, a satire really, and one that works to get the author’s point across. “Singularity”, a few articles later, was another eye-opener. The book ends with “The Luddite’s Guide to Technology”, a solid article raising some valid points.

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: book reviews, creative non-fiction, religion, spirituality

Book Review: The Best of Jonathan’s Corner

October 27, 2014 Leave a Comment

Title: The Best of Jonathan’s Corner
Author: CJS Hayward
Genre: Creative non-fiction / many genres / religion and spirituality / Eastern Orthodox
Rating: 4,5 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

The Best of Jonathan’s Corner, newly expanded after getting five star reviews, is a collection of varied works of Eastern Orthodox mystical theology. It spans many topics and many different genres of writing, but it keeps coming back to the biggest questions of all. It is inexhaustible: the works are independent, and you can read a few, many, or all of them to suit your taste. Fans of CS Lewis and GK Chesterton will love it.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started reading The Best of Jonathan’s Corner. I’m not Eastern Orthodox myself, barely religious even, although I do like reading about spiritual matters, and I like finding out more about other people’s perspectives.

Let me start by saying that Mr. Hayward is an intelligent human being who researches his writing material, and does so thoroughly. He knows what he’s talking about. The book consists of several essays, all differing in length. It’s easy to just read one, put the book away, and pick it up at a later time, like I did – not because I needed a break from the reading material, but because I wanted some time to think about what I’d just read. He also offers some commentaries, referring to other theologists, authors and lecturers.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, particularly because of the author’s down to earth approach. While he makes some excellent points, he does so in a way that’s easily understandable, even with minimal prior knowledge. Some poems are included as well, and they can serve as prayers too, so the book covers a lot of ground.

I found the essays the most interesting, one about religion vs. science one of my particular favorites. “The Angelic Letters” was interesting too, as was ‘God the Spiritual Father’. This is certainly a ‘the best of’ collection, as all articles had a solid level of quality. I look forward to reading more books by this author, and exploring more topics.

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: book reviews, book tours, creative non-fiction, enchanted book promotions, religion, spritiuality

Book Tours: Starter Day Party for The Luddite’s Guide to Technology

October 9, 2014 Leave a Comment

I’m hosting the starter day party today for the book tour for creative non-fiction / religion and spirituality / technology – social aspects book “The Luddite’s Guide to Technology”. I will review the book on November 20. Stay tuned for the review, and in the mean time, visit the other tour stops.