Books that touch us.

PSacramento

Not sure if there was a thread like this before, but...

There are times that certain books touch us in our spirtual lives, sometimes in an emotional way, other times in a theocratical way.

The Shack by William Young touched me deeply and renewed my faith in Jesus and God.

In Search of Christain Freedom and Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz, made me aware that the issues I laways had with organized religion were not just mine.

Question of COnsceince by Charles Davis, showed me the the issues that Mr.Franz faced in the WT were faced by other in the RCC far earlier and made me understand that we must truly server Christ and NOT any man-made organization.

The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey, which I read after The Shack motivate dme to read the NT with new eyes.

The NRSV of the NT with greek Interlinear, One of the best study interlinears I have.

The Oxford Bible commentary, a must for any student of the bible.

happpyexjw

I had trouble with "The Shack" as a religious book. Too much fanciful stuff for me. After my JW experience, I am much more of a realist. It was OK if I looked at it as pure fiction, (which I believe it is).

boyzone

I liked "More Jesus, Less Religion" by Steve Arterburn. Excellent read for helping you see the need for a relationship built faith and not an organizational one.

Meeting Junkie No More

Mortal Lessons by Richard Selzer - on my shelf of books especially dear. I probably have about 2,000 books total (on a myriad of topics) so to be on that shelf is a real honor!

acolytes

Easy to pick up, but hard to put down

Acolytes

tec

More Jesus, Less Religion sounds good. I don't usually read these kinds of *truth/help/spiritual* books, but I think I might try that one.

But don't write off fiction books in other genres. I love searching for subtle messages. I think they have a stronger impact that blunt speech because they make people think. Lots of authors put them into their writing.

That being said, I thought Dean Koontz' Frankenstein series showed that a creator who granted free-will (despite all the troubles and mistakes that come with it) allows people to have hope... and that the opposite grants only despair.

Terry

Are we talking religion books only?

Mortimer J. Adler's TEN PHILOSOPHICAL MISTAKES

Karen Armstrong's THE HISTORY OF GOD

Bart Ehrman's MISQUOTING JESUS

Cormac McCarthy's THE ROAD

are very very high on my list of profound reading experiences

I'd also reccomend WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? by Ayn Rand