Hated it

I have an amazing friend in Albany, NY who is a writer. She writes book reviews. I was so excited to embark on reading, Love Wins, since I was writing my first one. I started to read. First, I went into the book knowing that all Rob Bell books have bored me. I love his Nooma videos, but can't get through his books. It's like struggling to eat a can of peas, knowing I hate peas. Yet, I eat them one at a time, at a time, at at time. I struggle to swallow. I'm then relieved it's over and then do it again. Yes, that is how reading Rob Bell's books are for me.

So, I'm not finishing Love Wins! There, I said it! My first attempt at a book review was a fail. Although I did tell my dear writer friend that my review simply is: hated it. She liked my simple review, so in some ways it was a win.

What disturbed me and caused me to want to write a review is that there seemed to be so much hatred for a person. The person of Rob Bell. Our brother. Our fellow pioneer of the faith. A lover of Jesus. An author. An American. A father. A son. A pastor. A Christian. A person who is misguided. We were talking about him being a heretic yet acting the opposite of 1 Corinthians 13. "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."

We were gongs.

We were cymbals.

Check out this blog by Perry Noble. This sums up my thoughts on Love Wins.

http://www.perrynoble.com/2011/04/20/my-thoughts-on-hell-rob-bell/

Rob Bell, Heretic or Pioneer?

I am not threatened that my God will be proved a liar. I am not threatened that someone else has truth that I do not have. I. am. not. threatened.

Maybe that is why I'm not in an uproar when people begin to question their faith. Jesus said, "Seek and you shall find." I'm not scared that Jesus will not meet someone full on when they are seeking Truth with all their heart.

Often we hide how we are really feeling, the questions that lurk in our heart, because we don't want to face the ugliness, the uncertainty head on. We defend what we are taught instead of seeking out to KNOW what we believe.

I am going to read Rob Bell's new book. I have read many commentaries already by people who have never read the book. ("Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." James 1:19) I have already heard people self proclaim that they are righteously angry as Jesus was when he turned over the money changing tables, again without having read the book.

So, today I ordered it from Amazon. When I am done reading, weighing, and possibly enjoying, I will post my convictions.

Yes, I am a God seeker.

Yes, I believe my sins are forgiven by Jesus.

No, I am not a universalist.

Yes, I know Scripture.

Yes, I am reading, Love Wins.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to investigate a matter." Proverbs 25:2