What's the last book you read that CHALLENGED your faith?

Question

or lack thereof.

Or the last book that disagreed with your beliefs?

Don't be too shy to say something about the book also.

Answer 1

Greetings Friend,

The book that has challenged me the most is A Course In Miracle. I was a Christian minister, when I first purchased the book in 1998. Having studied Christian theology, I was highly offended, but for some reason I kept going back to it.

It took me three (3) years to go through the workbook, which was suppose to take a year. The material would infuriate me, but now I look at it in awe.

One of the lessons reads, "I am as God created me." I remember how I was so offended by this idea. I was like, "No I am not as God created me. God created me (really I was thinking mankind) perfect but I (we) sinned and now I am not perfect." The thing I think about now when I go over that lesson is, yes I am as God created me. However, these self concepts are not me. They are who I think I am and not who God said I am.

All of us have concepts of who we think we are, who we think other people are, but we are not those concepts. We are who God created us to be and not who we made ourselves to be, unless we believe that we have the power to undo what God has done.

Another interesting thing is that in Genesis 1.26, 27, it says that God created man in His image. When did we stop being in God's image? We didn't. The problem comes in because we made another image of ourselves. One that we created and we think that is who we are. It isn't. We are who God created us to be. This does mean that we blame all of our 'failings', or 'successes', on God. For example, we can't say, "I am lazy, but that's just the way God created me." No. That's the image that we created of ourselves. We are unlimited potential, unless of course our concept of God is limited, which image we would have been created in. But God and ourselves are unlimited. Who told us we were naked? Or, who told us we could not do whatever we set our minds to do? Only ourselves. God didn't.

Sorry to ramble on. The material is excellent and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be challenged.

sending love,

Answer 2

I have never read a book that challenged my faith, but I have read several books that reshape, change or give me foundation for my faith. I am pretty strongly grounded in what I believe, and don't feel any concern that what I believe is incorrect, but it can always change or be rethought=)

I have read several books that are not of my faith, I'm kind of a religious freak and love to read books on all different kinds of religion. Right now I'm doing a bible study starting from the begining (again) and I'm reading a book on Hinduism ...but I can't think of the name off the top of my head and I don't feel like getting up=)

Peace.

Answer 3

The Book of Revelations has caused me to think a great deal about my faith, as there is so much lamenting and pain in that book. There is also so much that needs to be done to fulfill these prophecies. Many are shrouded from most by symbolism and abstract.

I don't think that this Book was meant to be understood in full. (Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not). Instead, I believe it is a guiding beacon for people to keep watch, and stay vigilant. Unfortunately, I believe it finds many people blinded by the clouds of rapture.

The redeeming part of the Book finds The Lord saying "Behold, I make all things New", and we enter into a new heaven and a new earth, where there will be Absolute freedom from want. This turns a sad prophecy for many into a joyous reality for all those who believe in truth, and faithfulness.

Answer 4

I read books whose authors probably disagree with my beliefs all the time... I've recently been re-reading Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything."

Fascinating stuff by an author who except for a word or two seems to preclude any religious possibilities for existence existing....

Answer 5

There is no book on the planet that can give challenge to my faith, I am steadfast. I read all kinds of things that disagree with what I believe but they do not pose any challenge.

Answer 6

Let's see. The last one would be "The Orange Papers" (an on-line book), which pretty well finished off any faith I had in the efficacy of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Answer 7

The God Delusion, although it deals mostly with fiery religious believers rather than milky-white Deists like me.

A book called 'Comrades: The Rise and Fall of World Communism' I read recently also challenged my Marxism, but not enough that I was forced to rethink my opinions.

Answer 8

Should we read a book that undermines our faith? Do we need our faith undermined?
I like books which reinforce my faith.
Davinci Code mildly challenged it, but upon researching the claims made in it (I know it was fiction, but the author presents them as facts and stands by his assertions), it was shown to be truly fiction. Sadly some people let that pablum undermine their faith.

Answer 9

The bible.
I was raised southern baptist and was even ordained at on time in my life, but the more I learned the more I questioned until I eventually could no longer support the beliefs in the bibles truth.

Answer 10

The God Makers, I laughed my head of with most of it, I cryed at the stupidity of the authors. It made me study the Gospel even more. It confirms that in the Last Days the True church will be persecuted.