If we’re tossing out recommendations I’ma gonna (re)suggest you (re)read Sussana Clarke. Which is classic fairytale fantasy but written with a lot of care/maturity/love.
It also has a good BBC show, but is a nice book to tuck yourself into.
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It needs to be said, the basic message here is the exact opposite of Jesus.
There is no one good but God alone (Mark 10:18). We are not inherently divine but born sinful and evil and are helpless to solve this problem in and of ourselves.
Yes, that place is destruction. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (Mark 10:18). Jesus says you can only go through him.
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) No amount of self-help can solve the sin problem.
The point where you think Christianity diverges is the point where I think you get the closest here. I don’t believe we return as other people or things. But an eternal afterlife with a body that will not wear out. (see 1 Corinthians 15) I could see the popularity of reincarnation if it allows you to keep going your own way but it contradicts this verse:
Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27)
I said that Krishna is a lot like Jesus, not Isiah. Jesus wouldn’t say this (unless he’s specifically dissing the pharisees).
Yes, Krishna says stuff just like this too. He says a lot of things that are apparently contradictory, pretty much the same as Jesus.
Sometimes Jesus indicates that he is the only way to heaven. But a lot of the time he says that a heavenly reward is there for people who follow the commandments, or pray, donate, suffer, love their enemies. etc. etc.
This leads to confusion in both the NT and the Gita about whether Works or Faith are more important. And Jesus and Krishna both sort of answer that you can’t really have one without the other.
I should also add here-- in the Gita-- the practice of selfless work is not actually about “doing good”, it’s about not being focused on yourself, which lets you cleanse your soul and become closer to God.
Yes. I think Christianity and Hinduism both offer an “out” to people who can’t be perfect. For Christianity it’s that Christians have assumed Jesus will take them to heaven anyway. For Hinduism, it’s that they have an infinite number of chances to try.
Any religion that tells average people that they can’t get to heaven is dead in the water imo.
Anyway, I’m not saying they’re identical.
Krishna and Christ might be 98% the same, but the 2% might be very important to you.
Finished my third China Mieville novel in the last two months: “The City and the City”. Although it won major Fantasy and Sci-Fi awards it may be described as a murder mystery written in the Weird Fiction genre. Level of weirdness was very mild compared to “Kraken” and “Perdido Street Station”.
Mieville mentions actuaries in all three of his books: rare to see the word actuary in any work of fiction! I googled to see why the word actuary might be connected with him but only came up with this disparaging quote from an interview with him:
“CHINA Miéville is talking about his favourite monsters. It may not be the most obvious of topics for a burly bloke in his thirties with a shaved head, an earful of chunky rings, and the title of sexiest man in politics (“It’s like being the world’s most buff actuary – I mean, who are the hotties in parliament?”).”
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This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger.
350 books rehomed
but neighbor found another box. i took 2.
have thrown out some too, obsolete travel, baby rearing or diet books or, poor condition. probably a dozen or so. though from the first group i trashed, i put in a box on curb and someone took at least half
The Measure by Nikki Erlick. Premise is that every adult (age 22+) receives a box with a string that represents the measure of their life.
so, like this:
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Reminds me that Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land” is on my re-read list. Will be interesting to see if it still seems as remarkable a book as it was when I read it as a teenager a million years ago.
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390 books Re-Homed
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Still on the library waiting list for “The Passenger” but was able to download “Stella Maris” on my Kobo last night and read it this morning (about a three hour read).
“Stella Maris” consists entirely of the dialogue between a mathematician in a mental institution and her psychiatrist. Much of their conversation revolves around mathematics: for example, there is much discussion of Godel’s views in the book. Their broader discussions on life permit McCarthy’s nihilistic views to be presented.
I imagine this book will primarily be enjoyed by those of McCarthy’s fans who have some appreciation of mathematical thought because of the extensive discussions on the views of various mathematicians. I personally enjoyed the math musings.
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Finished Winterland. Haven’t decided how I feel about it yet. It seemed to jump around from one character to another, and from one time to another, in a way that was confusing. I never quite know if that’s my ADHD kicking in or of the transitions were missing. But at least one reviewer agreed.
Still, I’d be interested in discussing it to find out how others experienced the book.
Next up is a graphic novel: Garlic and the Vampire. Not sure what is next in audio.
I currently have 3 audiobooks running. “Stranger in a Strange Land” seems to be holding my attention more than the others.
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up to #5 in the Aubrey/Maturin series – Desolation Island
for nonfiction right now, Jane Austen at Home: A Biography, by Lucy Worsley
I recently finished The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. It won a Hugo award, and I can see why. It starts slowly, but quickly pulls you into a very deep story of multiple races living on a world that is prone to seismic catastrophes.
This is the first book in a trilogy, and I am happy to say that the second book (The Obelisk Gate) is just as interesting!
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This book is getting weird. Is this what the 70’s were like?
Based on the publication date (unless it’s a different book), the author didn’t even know what the 70’s were like when he was writing it.
Interesting that at least one IRL religious group was formed based on the fictional religion in the book.
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I read it in the late 1960’s and it seemed to fit the times. Given your comment, I definitely must reread it to see if it seems weirder to me now.
A lot of free loving and new age religion going on.
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